Californians are unhappy with their state representatives, according to a new survey.
Daniel Rothberg reports in the Sacramento Bee: “About a third of voters – 35 percent – approved of the job lawmakers are doing, while nearly half – 47 percent – disapproved.”
“Views of the Legislature were improving early this year but took a turn after Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, became the third Democratic lawmaker suspended in the wake of a political scandal.”
Gov. Jerry Brown spoke to hundreds of Latino elected officials from throughout the country on the changing political tides.
Patrick McGreevy reports in the Los Angeles Times: ““The power you represent is growing and it is growing in very important ways,” Brown told the members of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort.”
“Brown went on to credit “the sheer power of the Latino community as it is felt in the towns and cities and counties up and down this state. That is the tide that is turning the political feelings and philosophy of state government.”
Authorities have arrested 275 sexual predators in Southern California who don’t fit the common typecast.
Tami Abdollah reports for the Associated Press: “"The dirty old man stereotype no longer applies," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations, which works on the task force. "The perpetrators in these cases come from all walks of life and virtually every strata of the socio-economic spectrum they're community leaders, white-collar professionals and even law enforcement personnel. The common denominator in most of these cases is the Internet. It has become the preferred playground for child sex predators."”
“At a news conference Thursday in a park where children played, authorities emphasized the importance of educating youth about the dangers of the Internet and insisted that parents strictly supervise and are aware of their children's online activities.”
A new audit calls out California’s community college accreditation process for its inconsistency and lack of transparency.
Alexei Koseff reports in the Sacramento Bee: “The audit was especially critical in the case of City College of San Francisco, which had its accreditation terminated in 2013, one year after the commission questioned its leadership and fiscal planning.”
“Federal regulations allow institutions up to two years to come into compliance, and the city sued to keep the college open. A judge granted a stay of closure in January, and CCSF has since been given two more years to meet accreditation standards.”
A unanimous decision by the Supreme Court ruling a Massachusetts abortion clinic buffer zone law unconstitutional could impact San Francisco.
Bob Egelko and Kurtis Alexander report in the San Francisco Chronicle: “San Francisco's ordinance, approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors last year, is virtually identical to the Massachusetts law except for its dimensions. It replaced a previous ordinance - an 8-foot "stay-away" zone around patients approaching or leaving abortion clinics, which city officials said had failed to provide adequate protection.”
FedEx Ground is going to court with the state over the alleged mishandling of hazardous materials.
Mark Glover reports in the Sacramento Bee: “The complaint, filed Wednesday in Sacramento Superior Court, contends FedEx Ground failed to properly handle broken or leaking packages that contained hazardous materials such as acids, solvents, insecticides, batteries and other flammable, toxic or corrosive materials.”
“The suit says the instances of mishandling date back to at least November 2008. FedEx Ground is a unit of FedEx Corp., the multibillion-dollar delivery services company headquartered in Memphis, Tenn.”
Ever the tech innovation advocate, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom voiced his opposition to UC’s staff warnings about Uber, Airbnb.
Patrick Hoge reports for San Francisco Business Times: “Newsom acknowledged that there are regulatory questions around some peer-to-peer companies, but said "the decision to permanently prohibit its employees from choosing low-cost travel and transportation options is shortsighted and unnecessary," and sends the wrong message about controlling costs and supporting innovative thinking among students.”
"A University that is focused on the future and committed to fostering new technologies should not work against innovators and entrepreneurs," wrote Newsom, who also penned an opinion piece earlier this month that advocated that government should not stifle innovation by "over-regulating" Uber, the smartphone transportation dispatcher.”
State lawmakers approve a repeal to their glove law for food handlers.
Betty Hallock reports in the Los Angeles Times: “"It was going to cost bars a lot of money, not just in the number of gloves," said bartender Joshua Miller of Alameda, Calif. "Having to change gloves constantly slows down service, and for a busy bar, time is money. Yet nobody outside of the corporate bar and restaurant community knew anything about it.”
“"My initial reaction was, 'Where do I sign the petition [against it]?' But there wasn't one," said Miller, who in February created a petition opposing the law on change.org.”
