Governor Jerry Brown and the state’s legislative leaders will unveil a $1 billion emergency drought relief plan today. From Jessica Calefati at the San Jose Mercury News:
“The legislation will include funding for safe drinking water, water conservation projects and food for farm workers and others hurting because of the four-year drought's impact on the economy, said two sources with knowledge of the proposal.
“Brown will use $660 million from a 2006 flood control bond to finance a majority of the package, one source said. Roughly $270 million in funding will come from the water bond voters passed in November and another $75 million will come from the general fund.
“Since last year, the state has pledged more than $870 million to support drought relief.”
The historic drought may have claimed another victim – The Salton Sea may not be able to be saved.
From Associated Press: “California officials said Wednesday that the drought-stricken state set an unachievable bar to save the Salton Sea and outlined small projects aimed at staving off the demise of the state's largest lake, disappointing farmers, environmentalists and others.
“Kealii Bright, the state Natural Resources Agency's deputy secretary for legislation, said the state erred in 2007 when it unveiled an $8.9-billion plan to rescue the disappearing Salton Sea….
"’The $9-billion plan stands in our way when we look at how do we organize around getting resources for the Sea because it stands as an unrealistic goal with the circumstances we face today,’ said Bright…”
As Governor Brown spoke about California’s environmental policies in DC, he came under fire at home for his management of the state’s environmental agencies. David Siders has the story at the Sacramento Bee:
“In hearings at the Capitol last week, lawmakers excoriated Brown’s staff for letting oil drillers inject wastewater into wells in protected aquifers and for allowing a battery recycler in Southern California to operate under a temporary permit for decades while emitting hazardous waste….
“’Frankly, between the issues of a lack of strong enforcement and a lack of consistency in permitting – and long overdue reform of the department – it’s really time to hear what the administration plans to do to change all of that,’ Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, said at a hearing on the Exide Technologies battery recycling plant in Los Angeles County.”
Speaking of the guv, Governor Jerry Brown and UC President Janet Napolitano’s “committee of two” report “far ranging” talks of substance. And nothing else.
With 50.3% of the vote, Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach appears poised to claim outright victory in the special election to pick up Mimi Walters’ former seat in the state senate. Best nugget in the story: Louise Stewardson, the lone Democrat in the race, got only 2% of the vote.
Meanwhile, SD-7 has no such closure, with a Dem-on-Dem battle royale expected between Orinda Mayor Steve Glazer and Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla. Hang on to your hats, folks.
Josh Richman at Political Blotter: “Unions now will double down to mobilize voters for Bonilla, but that doesn’t always lead to a win – consider how Republican attorney Catharine Baker beat Dublin Mayor Tim Sbranti, a union darling, by 3.2 points in last November’s low-turnout election in the 16th Assembly District, despite a 7-point Democratic registration advantage.
“And Glazer can almost certainly count on more support from his own deep-pocketed independent spenders, most notable the Chamber of Commerce’s JobsPAC and southern California Republican-turned-independent businessman Bill Bloomfield.
“If 7th District residents think they’ve been inundated with mail and calls so far, they ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton has some tough love for California Republicans, likening the party to an addict in the early days of a 12 Step recovery program.
AB 200, a bill introduced by Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D- Salinas) to increase the number of Cal Grants five fold passed through the state Assembly’s Higher Education Committee Tuesday. From Cassie Ipasso at the Daily Californian:
“The state currently provides more than $1.8 billion in need-based aid to California college students through these awards, according to the press release. But the current Cal Grant program leaves a lot of students behind, according to Matthew La Rocque, a research analyst for the Institute for College Access and Success. TICAS is part of a coalition comprised of several other organizations that support the bill.
“Without the amendments proposed by AB 200, ‘it is harder for an eligible (student) to get a competitive Cal Grant than to be accepted to an Ivy League school,’ La Rocque said.
“The bill aims to gradually raise the number of awards available to 100,000 over a three-year period.”
Capital Public Radio’s Katie Orr looks at a lawsuit by domestic violence victims against California’s Department of Social Services.
Evidence continues to mount that police body cameras significantly reduce friction between the public and police. KPBS reports that San Diego’s Police Chief noted a 40% reduction of complaints against police in the six months since officers began wearing cameras.
Lassen County voters will have the chance to vote on whether or not the county should secede from California to join other counties seeking to form Jefferson, the 51st state. No word on whether they’ll also ask Ron Paul to run for Governor of the new state.
And, finally, you know a fight is going to be good when there’s a chainsaw involved. Police in Big Sandy, Montana responded to a main street melee that involved a stolen car, knife fight and an assailant wielding a chainsaw.
"’You could hear the chain saw and you could hear people screaming at each other,’ said Drew Page, who was working at a downtown business when the fight broke out. ‘It pulled everybody out of their businesses. People were looking up and down the street to see what was happening….’”
“The shouting, screaming and general commotion quickly drew the attention of anyone within earshot of the fracas. Dozens of people witnessed the fight, either standing outside on the sidewalk or through storefront windows.
"’The street was lined with people,’ said Jody Thornton, who was at her desk at the Sheehy Law Office when the commotion started
“At one point, one of the men from the pickup grabbed a chain saw, fired it up and raced forward into the center of the fight.
"’He was swinging it around, and they all were scattering,’ Thornton said.
Lucky for Big Sandy’s residents, the chainsaw was quickly shut down without causing any injuries. Total casualties related to the brawl: one stab wound.
“[All] seven people involved in the Monday brawl have been identified, and four have been cited.”
