California's $16 billion workers' compensation insurance system, which covers the costs of employees hurt on the job, is being targeted for a major overhaul, with Gov. Brown throwing his support for the plan, which has been described in a compromise agreement. Brown's position, made public, was a rarity for the Democratic governor who usually doesn't tip his hand on prending legislation.
From the LAT's Marc Lifsher: "The system covers 14.4 million employees and is supported by insurance premiums and direct payments from 864,000 employers. In 2010, the system provided medical care and compensation to about 530,000 victims of job-related injuries or illnesses."
"Also on Friday, an all-day meeting was held at the Sacramento office of the governor's Labor and Workforce Development Agency in which supporters sought to build support for the 280-page proposal and calm concerns that benefit cuts may be part of the package."
"Word of the governor's support came late Thursday, when Brown's Department of Industrial Relations, the agency that runs the workers' compensation system, released a statement saying that the administration was backing a proposal negotiated by unions and large employers. The statement was unusual because Democrat Brown and his administration typically don't signal the governor's position on a bill until it's signed or vetoed."
Facebook may be a popular website but the company's stock has dropped below $20 a share -- which doesn't bode well for the state, which had been counting on a hefty chunk of revenue.
From Greg Lucas in California's Capitol: "As of August 17, Facebook shares are trading at 54 percent of the amount the Brown administration wants them to be in November and 42 percent of the price the analyst predicts the shares will trade it in 90 days."
"That means, as of August 17, the tax receipts Brown expects the state to receive are $648 million rather than $1.2 billion and $882 million instead of the $2.1 billion the analyst initially expected."
"In an August 1 follow-up to its initial estimates, the analyst noted that if “the lower share prices persist through November and December, hundreds of millions of dollars of income revenue assumed in the state budget are at risk.”
Speaking of Facebook, state offcicials have been taking shots at the feds in connection with the investigation of the recent fire at Chevron's Richmond refinery. Nothing like inter-agency cooperation.
From Mathias Gafni and Erin Ivie in the Contra Costa Times: "On Aug. 11, Cal/OSHA lead investigator Clyde Trombettas posted a statement on his Facebook page -- which is open to the public --criticizing the feds."
"Typical CSB grandstanding in the press," he wrote. "Scaring the public with half truths and misleading information. Two days into an investigation and they can't wait to talk to the press. Hmmm ... one might conclude they have a biased agenda. they don't even play nice in the sandbox."
"Cal/OSHA compliance engineer Carla Fritz commented on Trombettas' post, calling the chemical board's comments "a one-note, quickie conclusion designed to incriminate, to indict, to dazzle the media, & to inflate one's standing in a community of committed health & safety professionals..."
That fire, by the way, sent thousands of people to emergency rooms for breathing problems, but the soot and smoke wasn't tracked well by air-pollution equipment, which isn't geared to measure it in a meaninful way.
From the Chronicle's Demian Bulwa and Will Kane: "The network of air monitors run by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District is designed to track everyday levels of pollutants like ozone and carbon monoxide, part of an effort to meet government health standards."
"The network is not - as it demonstrated Aug. 6 - geared for disasters like refinery fires. It couldn't provide much data in real time, and may never provide good numbers on the particulate fallout from the smoky blaze."
"Health officials believe those particulates were responsible for numerous emergency room visits by residents complaining of breathing problems. By the end of last week, the number of such visits totaled 11,000."
Residents in the Inland Empire, hit hard by the recession with high unemployment, are using a higher proportion of welfare assistance and food stamps than the rest of Southern California.
From Jeff Horseman in the Press-Enterprise: "A higher percentage of Inland residents were on welfare or food stamps at the start of this year than in other Southern California counties, a trend expected to continue as the region struggles with higher-than-average unemployment and home foreclosure rates."
"Twelve percent of Riverside County and 17 percent of San Bernardino County residents used food stamps in January 2012, according to a Press-Enterprise analysis of social services and census data. That same month, food-stamp clients accounted for 11 percent of those living in Los Angeles County, 8 percent of San Diego County residents and 7 percent of Orange County residents, the analysis shows."
"Also in January, 4 percent of Riverside County residents and 5 percent of San Bernardino County residents received welfare benefits. Four percent of Los Angeles County residents, 3 percent of San Diego County residents and 2 percent of those living in Orange County were on welfare during that time."
And finally from our "Winds of War" file comes the tale of 91-year-old Eric Carter, an RAF pilot during World War II and the last surviving member of his squadron, who took the controls of a "Spit" once again -- and loved it.
"He survived the daily dangers of being a pilot in the Second World War and even risked his life on a clandestine operation in the Soviet Union."
"Now aged 91, and seven decades on from his wartime exploits, Eric Carter has taken to the skies again at the controls of a rare two-seater Spitfire."
"Earlier this year, museum officials denied Mr Carter the chance even to sit in the cockpit of a Spitfire because of health and safety rules. But thanks to the help of a fellow flying enthusiast, he has finally had the chance to reacquaint himself with one – and to fly in it, too!"
Up, up and away ....
