An agreement between Nevada and California over regulation of Lake Tahoe has drawn the fire of environmentalists, who say the pact gives the locals too much authority while not sufficiently protecting the lake. Gov. Brown says no way.
From the Bee's David Siders: "Three months after California Gov. Jerry Brown and Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval reached an agreement on the governance of the basin surrounding Lake Tahoe,the governors praised the accord here Monday, and Brown fired back at environmentalists who fear it will lead to more development."
"This is the same group that's criticizing the Delta restoration plan, and a whole bunch of other things we're doing," the Democratic governor told reporters at the Lake Tahoe Summit. "Trying to be absolutely perfect means you don't get anything done."
"Brown said California has to work with Nevada and other groups and that, "It isn't just what some Sierra Club chapter around Tahoe wants."
For detailed story on the political dispute at Lake Tahoe, see Capitol Weekly's March 25 tale, "Duel at the Lake."
Meanwhile, legislation to put into effect the agreement on Lake Tahoe awaits action in the state Senate. Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to have a bumpy ride.
From the LAT's Anthony York: "The measure before the Legislature would codify an agreement reached last year between the two states' leaders to limit the powers of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, which sets environmental rules for development on both the California and Nevada sides of the lake. The agency's 15-member governing board includes seven appointed members from California and seven from Nevada, with one non-voting presidential appointee."
"Nevada officials had threatened to pull out of the 40-year-old two-state agency unless local governments were given more control over development decisions around the lake. U.S Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) joined California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Nevada's Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval and Gov. Jerry Brown in criticizing the Sierra Club's opposition to the alterations and lamented the organization's decision to file a lawsuit in federal court in Sacramento in hopes of blocking the proposed new rules."
"Reid said he urged the Sierra Club's leaders not to file the suit because the deal reflected a bipartisan agreement between leaders from both states."
And speaking of the environment, Gov. Brown's plan to weaken the California Environmental Quality Act isn't exactly drawing rave reviews from environmental groups.
From the LAT's Patrick McGreevy: "The groups opposed the proposal by Brown’s office to extend the streamlining to include commercial and mixed-use projects, saying they should not be allowed to proceed based on “stale” environmental studies."
"The groups also opposed a proposal by Brown’s office that would allow cities to set their own environmental standards for issues such as traffic. “Allowing cities to set their own environmental standards would eviscerate environmental protections that have helped California retain its competitive advantage as a desirable place to live,” the groups said in the letter."
"The environmental coalition also objected to a proposal to require court approval of settlements of CEQA lawsuits. “While the change proposed in this section may be intended to encourage speedy resolution of CEQA-related disputes, it instead creates additional hurdles that would make it more difficult for settlements to be reached and increase burdens to the already overtaxed court system,” the letter says."
The federal judge whose decisions have played a pivotal role in fixing state prison conditions says the state may force-feed some inmates in the current hunger strike.
From the Reuters' Sharon Bernstein: "California authorities won court approval on Monday to force-feed some prisoners on a hunger strike after officials voiced concerns that inmates may have been coerced into refusing food in a protest against the state's solitary confinement policies."
"U.S. District Court Judge Thelton E. Henderson, responding to a request by state authorities, ruled that California prison doctors may force-feed select inmates near death, even if they had previously signed orders asking not to be resuscitated."
"Some 136 California inmates are currently taking part in a hunger strike that began July 8 in prisons statewide to demand an end to a policy of housing inmates believed to be associated with gangs in near-isolation for years. Some 69 of the striking inmates have refused food continuously since the strike began."
Texas Gov. Rick Perry -- remember him? -- is headed to Anaheim in October for the California's state GOP convention.
From Carla Marinucci in the Chronicle: "In a move sure to ramp up speculation about a 2016 run for the White House, Texas Gov. Rick Perry will address hundreds of activists in the nation’s biggest state GOP in October as the headliner at the California Republican Party convention in Anaheim."
"The Lone Star State Republican will speak to delegates at the keynote dinner on Saturday night at the Anaheim Hilton, the party announced today."
"The statewide convention attracts more than 1,000 GOP activists, donors and office holders from around California, and will address challenges for the party dealing with both the 2014 midterms and the 2016 run for the White House."
And from "Dear Abby" file, Japanese version, comes the story of the coffee shop that has instructions for women to get a boyfriend.
"Step 1: Order some of our coffee to go."
"Step 2: Give the coffee to the boy you’re interested in and say, “If it’s tasty, go out with me!”
"Step 3: Don’t worry, because our coffee is delicious. He will be obligated to go out with you."
"*Note: In the unlikely case that the boy in question declines your offer, return to our store. We will then give you scalding hot coffee to throw in the boy’s face."
Works every time, and you always stay awake, too....
