Freedom Publications, the parent company of the Orange County Register and the Riverside Press-Enterprise, has filed for bankruptcy protection – for the second time in six years. Register publisher Rich Mirman and a group of investors announced plans to buy the troubled company. KPCC reports:
“Mirman said he expects the bankruptcy case to have no impact on day-to-day operations. Staffing will remain steady and payments to employees, key vendors and partners will continue, he said.
"’We're turning the page and starting a new chapter,’ Mirman said. ‘We've gone through a few rocky years and we need to redefine ourselves.’
“The company expects to turn a profit in 2015 after losing $40 million-plus in the previous two years, he said.”
A big day looms as San Francisco voters prepare to vote in municipal elections Tuesday. Up for decision: the future of short-term rentals (read: Airbnb) and an affordable housing bond. The mayoral race? Not so much. Adam Nagourney, New York Times:
“Rather than offering a stage for the longstanding debate that has divided Democrats here — the crush of development, the influx of highly paid technology workers, the lack of affordable housing, the homeless crisis — the incumbent, Edwin M. Lee, a Democrat seeking a second term and a face of the moderate wing in this battle, is by every account gliding to re-election.
“He has five challengers, all of whom have minimal electoral experience, little money and scant name recognition. In the final days, Mr. Lee, 63, a diminutive, low-key figure who says he does not like the nit-and-grit of politicking and whose official mayoral car is a gray 2011 Chevy Volt, is barely bothering to campaign. The highlight of his public schedule Friday was a short walk in Bernal Heights promoting the housing construction bond, which came shortly after he went to the Sherman Elementary School to talk about pedestrian safety on Halloween.”
Speaking of local politics, Dan Walters suggests that California step back and let locals decide more issues for themselves. From the Sacramento Bee:
“California is a very diverse state culturally and economically, and one-size-fits-all policy decrees from Sacramento ignore that fact. So perhaps on these three and other issues, it might make more sense to let the locals do what they want and what their constituents will tolerate, without assuming a need for statewide action.”
As Democrats and Republicans grow ever-further apart on the issues at the national level, California’s parties are blazing their own trails, sometimes going against the grain of the national party’s sentiments. Cathleen Decker, Los Angeles Times:
“National Democrats, as a glance at the presidential contest demonstrates, are feeling intense pressure to move to the left. Hillary Rodham Clinton, hardly a conservative when left to her own devices, has moved left on criminal justice, immigration and economic policies as she seeks to put down a surprisingly strong challenge by an independent socialist, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
“Among Republicans vying for the 2016 presidential nomination, the race to the right has taken on the appearance of a stampede. Gone is the past support of some candidates for dealing with immigrants in the country illegally, or support of more moderate policy changes on healthcare or education.
“Contrast that with the positioning of California's Democrats and Republicans.
“The state's Democrats are led by Gov. Jerry Brown, who, while liberal in some respects, has served as a brake on more leftward elements of his party. An increasingly forceful presence in the party —while still a rabble-rousing minority — are those pushing conservative-for-a-Democrat positions on government pensions, organized labor and education policy.
“The divergence with the nationals is even more pronounced among state Republicans. The party's 2014 candidate for governor, Neel Kashkari, favored abortion rights and gay marriage, the almost universal opposite of GOP presidential candidates.”
That story dovetails with this one, looking at how California Republicans, notably Reps. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) and David Valadao (R-Hanford), are bucking national party leadership on immigration.
There are several marijuana-legalization ballot initiatives being circulated for the 2016 ballot – Joe Garifoli writes that one will likely be the best-funded of the bunch. From the San Francisco Chronicle:
“[Billionaire] tech investor Sean Parker, the former Facebook president, is willing to spend millions to help pass the proposed Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act, according to a source close to the ballot effort.
“Unlike Proposition 19, the failed 2010 initiative to legalize weed in California, this measure won’t lack for cash. Joining Parker in financing the legalization drive will be an all-star cast of cannabis-friendly funders, including Hyatt Hotel heirs Nick and Joby Pritzker; WeedMaps app founder Justin Hartfield, who has already contributed $2 million toward next year’s legalization effort; and Graham Boyd, who is connected with the heirs of the Progressive Insurance fortune.”
And finally, we offer some inspiration for diehard State of Jefferson boosters – a look at the “sovereign nation” of Zaqistan, which exists entirely inside Box Elder County, Utah.
“There is a four-acre piece of land in northwestern Box Elder County [Utah] that very few people know about. Even fewer people recognize it as what it's meant to be — its own country.
“A decade ago, Zaq Landsberg, a man from New York, bought the land online with a unique goal in mind.
"’The conceptual goal is I want it to become a real country,’ Landsberg said. ‘I mean, that goal is not going to happen. It's impossible, but going through the motions, (I'm) trying to make that happen.’
“…Zaqistan has its own flag, a border patrol gate, a supply bunker, a robot sentry that guards the land and even official passports.
“[Landsberg is] interested in seeing how far he can push the boundaries of land ownership and sovereignty.
"’My goal is to, like, probe those little areas,’ Landsberg said. ‘To try and find what that does mean.’
“The question of legitimacy is an interesting one. Landsberg said one of his goals is to make his ‘soverign nation’ look legitimate.
"’Legitmacy is one of those things that's fairly subjective to begin with,’ said friend and Zaqistan tourist Mike Abu. ‘But when we're talking about it, does it exist? There's no question about it.’"
