The University of California, which seems caught in a perpetual cycle of increased fees and tuition, is bracing for yet more bad financial news, reports the Chronicle's Matier and Ross.
"The University of California regents are bracing for more bad financial news from Sacramento, but board veteran Richard Blum doubts he and his colleagues could stomach another round of tuition hikes."
"I think the emphasis is much more on making cuts," said Blum, who chaired the board until recently. "I think the last thing we want to do is touch student fees, but that depends on what they do to us." Blum said most of the newly approved 8 percent tuition hike will be used to cover the system's massive pension bill - about $175 million for this year alone."
Mike Jimenez, president of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, said his goal this year is simple -- get a contract. The CCPOA has been out in the wilderness during the Schwarzenegger administration, and the union hopes to change that with Jerry Brown.
From the Bee's Jon Ortiz:: "After four years without one, the 32,000-member union might finally get that deal. Gov.-elect Jerry Brown's incoming administration represents a bargaining do-over for CCPOA, which covers about half of all state workers still without contracts."
"The union's last pact expired in mid-2006. After several rounds of contentious talks, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared an impasse and imposed terms in 2007."
Speaking of money, Capitol Weekly's Ian Stewart has a tale about the new health insurance exchange board's operations, and the impact of "adverse selection" on California health care reform.
"But now, with the legality of one of the plan’s key provisions appearing destined for the Supreme Court, health policy experts here are beginning to wonder whether the very problem that doomed a similar try at insurance overhaul in California – a heavily lopsided insurance pool of high-risk, high-cost patients – could undermine the federal reform plan."
"That danger, known in the insurance industry as “adverse selection,” would likely result if the U.S. Supreme Court were to uphold a lower court ruling in Virginia last week that found the health reform law’s individual mandate provision unconstitutional."
Water, water everywhere -- at least for now. The recent storms are filling reservoirs and bringing smiles to farmers, which rarely happens, although they still want more water from the Delta. The Fresno Bee's Marc Grossi tells the tale.
"San Luis Reservoir on the west side is forecast to be full of Northern California water for the first time since 2006. West-side farm water supply next summer might be 55% of what growers want, a noticeable improvement from the 45% allotment this year."
"The court decision -- rejecting parts of a protection plan for threatened fish -- gives water officials the chance to file legal action to keep Northern California pumps going if authorities order a slowdown this month for delta smelt."
You've hear of five-star restaurants. Well, there soon will be a star-ranking system for nursing homes, reports the L.A. Times' Molly Hennessy-Fiske.
"Patients and visitors at California nursing homes will be greeted with something new come the new
year: publicly posted ratings of each facility. The federal
ratings give facilities one to five stars depending
on quality of care, much like restaurants display letter
grades evaluating health and safety compliance.
"The new law is intended to ensure that patients and
their families are aware of the evaluations. Nursing
home officials also must post information explaining
the ratings and how to obtain information about the nursing home's
state licensing record from the Department of Public Health's website. Facilities
that fail to follow the law face a range of potential
fines."
And lastly, we look into our "Return to Sender" file to read about lawyer Daniel Balsam, who hates spam. He has built a career hating spam. His life's work is to destroy spam. Really.
"Eight years ago, Balsam was working as a marketer when he received one too many e-mail pitches to enlarge his breasts. Enraged, he launched a Web site called Danhatesspam.com, quit a career in marketing to go to law school and is making a decent living suing companies who flood his e-mail inboxes with offers of cheap drugs, free sex and unbelievable vacations."
"I feel like I'm doing a little bit of good cleaning up the Internet," Balsam said. From San Francisco Superior Court small claims court to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Balsam, based in San Francisco, has filed many lawsuits, including dozens before he graduated law school in 2008, against e-mail marketers he says violate anti-spamming laws."
Go, Dan! But make an exemption for The Roundup...