In a surprise development, the recently-confirmed ranking executive at the Department of State Hospitals has taken an unexplained leave. This doesn't sound good.
From the LAT's Lee Romney: "Seven days after being confirmed by the state Senate, the official responsible for day-to-day operations at California's mental hospitals and prison-based psychiatric programs has abruptly taken an extended — and unexplained — administrative leave with pay."\
"Kathy Gaither, confirmed as deputy director of the fledgling Department of State Hospitals on July 8, will be out of the office for an "extended period of time" because of "unforeseen circumstances," according to a brief email sent to staffers July 15 by the department's acting director, Cliff Allenby."
"Reached Monday evening, Gaither said, "I don't think there's anything I need to say. I'm just on leave.... It's private."
A crucial issue in the costs of public pensions is whether governments are required to maintain pensions even if it means cutting other public services. Welcome to San Jose.
From Reuters' Jim Christie: "California's third-largest city, San Jose, and its employee unions faced off in court on Monday over public pension reforms in a case that has major implications for other local governments across the state trying to rein in the costs of retirement benefits."
"The lawsuit, led by San Jose's police union, shows how difficult it is for local governments to break benefit promises to current and past employees even when other public services are being cut to pay for them."
"San Jose's pension overhaul was promoted by Democratic Mayor Chuck Reed and approved by nearly 70 percent of voters in 2012 but city unions argue the move violates the rights of its members and is in breach of the California constitution. They want the court to block the measure from going into effect and to maintain the current pension plan."
Lost in the shuffle among the vast changes occurring in adult prisons is California's youth correctional system -- which also is experiencing dramatic change.
From Capitol Weekly's Samantha Gallegos: "While public attention has focused in recent years on startling changes in California’s prison system, the transformation of the youth correctional system has been even more dramatic."
"California, which just a few years ago had 11 state juvenile prisons, now has three. The number of youth offenders sent to state lockups has dropped by 90 percent during the past two decades, from down from about 10,000 in 1996 to less than 800 today. Those remaining in state custody represent the most hard-core young offenders."
“Youth crime in California is at a 40-year low. Looking at the statistics you could argue this is the best-behaved generation on record. Now why that is, we don’t know,” said Daniel Macallair, executive director of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. “Sociologists and criminologists haven’t explained it; all we know is that it’s happening.”
The nation's highest court has ruled on Proposition 8, but at least one county clerk wants more direction before issuing marriage licenses to gays.
From the U-T's Chris Nichols: "A group of gay, lesbian and transgender Republicans on Monday called on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to investigate the recent actions of County Clerk Ernest Dronenburg, who last week filed a petition asking the California Supreme Court to temporarily ban county clerks statewide from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples."
"Dronenburg, elected in 2010, said in his filing that he wants clarity on the constitutionality of Proposition 8."
"That ballot measure, passed by voters in 2008, defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. It was ruled unconstitutional by a U.S. District Court judge in San Francisco and then eventually appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court by supporters of the law."
Californians' approval of President Obama has taken a sharp hit, although the percetption of the president overall remains positive, according to the latest poll.
From the Bee's Annalise Mantz: "California voters' approval of President Barack Obama has plummeted to just over 50 percent, according to the Field Poll released Monday."
"Obama's approval rating fell from 62 to 52 percent since the last survey in February. Before this 10-point drop, the president's numbers had climbed steadily since November 2011, when 48 percent of voters said they approved of the job he was doing."
"Californians' perceptions of Obama's image remained positive, with 57 percent of voters saying they saw him in a favorable light. Nine percent of voters view Obama favorably but either have no opinion or disapprove of his job performance."
And finally from our
"On the Road Again" file comes the story of the traveling
Scandinavians who are driving across America in really cool cars. It doesn't get better than this.
"From Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Germany they cruised through town Wednesday on their trip along the nation’s oldest transcontinental highway. The group stopped at the Little America Hotel in Cheyenne as part of their month-long jaunt along the Lincoln Highway. The roadway runs from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco."
"They started their journey July 1 in New York and have since passed through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska before arriving here this week. “We’re in 71 (vintage) cars that shipped from Gothenburg, Sweden,” said Michael Nytun of Bergen, Norway, who is traveling with his wife, Torhild..."
While the journey is expected to conclude in San Francisco on July 26, several of the travelers plan to stick around for a bit. The Nytuns hope to double back to Las Vegas and see Arizona’s Grand Canyon; Reiakvam wants to drive the Snowy Mountain Range west of Laramie."
“I’ve been to 30 states in the U.S.; it’s a nice place to be on holiday,” Reiakvam said. “Gas is cheaper here. It’s not so cheap for you, but for us, we pay three times more at home.”
