We're in a four-year dry spell and water is getting more precious day by day, and those eagle-eyed drought cops just made their first major bust.
The Chronicle's Kurt Alexander has the story: "California regulators are seeking a $1.5 million penalty from a Tracy-area water district for allegedly illegally tapping the delta for farmers and thousands of homes, marking a significant escalation in the state’s push to get big users to go along with drought-forced reductions."
"The fine, announced Monday, would be the first penalty levied against a longtime water-rights holder during the four-year drought."
“The division of water rights has done the math and concluded that there’s not enough water” to go around — not even to so-called senior water rights holders, said Andrew Tauriainen, attorney for the State Water Resources Control Board. This won’t be the last such fine, Tauriainen hinted. “It’s highly likely that additional enforcement actions related to priority of right and unauthorized diversions will follow in the weeks and months ahead,” he said.
Leaving water and heading into fire, we come to the attack of the drones: Those fun-filled devices increasingly beloved by hobbyists are causing problems, especially among firefighters. It's time to buzz off.
From Virginia McCormick in Capitol Weekly: "Efforts to contain a July 12 brush fire in San Bernardino County were delayed for eight crucial minutes after response crews spotted a hobbyist’s drone flying close to the fire area."
"The drone, which US Forest Service officials suspect may have been recording footage of the fire, eventually flew off, allowing grounded air crews to resume."
"Under most circumstances, eight minutes is not a long span of time. But for firefighters, those lost minutes can be devastating as they try to contain a wildfire. A clear and secured sky is crucial for aerial fire response, so a mission compromised by a stray drone can cost thousands of dollars in wasted funds, lost acreage, and a significant delay in fire containment, said Cal Fire officials."
Speaking of drones, here's a thought: Why not let the firefighters destroy them? Sens. Mike Gatto and Ted Gaines think they have an answer.
From LA's City News Service: "Senate Bill 168, introduced by Gatto and Sen. Ted Gaines, R-El Dorado, would grant “immunity to any emergency responder who damages an unmanned aircraft in the course of firefighting, air ambulance, or search-and-rescue operations.”
"Los Angeles County fire Inspector David Dantic declined to comment on the specific legislation, but said his agency’s aircraft cannot operate safely if a drone is in the same airspace."
"Gatto and Gaines also teamed up on companion legislation: SB 167, which would increase fines and introduce the possibility of jail time for drone use that interferes with firefighting efforts."
Meanwhile, as far as Gov. Brown is concerned, Sally Ride can take a hike.
From David Siders in the Bee: "Gov. Jerry Brown appears intent on keeping a statue of Father Junípero Serra at the United States Capitol, suggesting this week that he will oppose an effort in the California Legislature to replace the statue with one of astronaut Sally Ride."
“We’re going to keep his statue in Congress,” Brown told Catholic News Service in an interview. “It's done as far as I'm concerned."
"State Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens, has introduced legislation to remove Serra’s statue, one of two the state is allowed in the National Statuary Hall Collection. But with Pope Francis scheduled to canonize Serra during a September visit to the United States, Lara postponed the measure until next year."
Brown, by the way, is in the Vatican ponitificating on -- what else? -- climate change. David Siders, who is traveling with the governor, gives us the lowdown.
"The Democratic governor, a former Jesuit seminarian and longtime champion of environmental causes, has stepped up efforts to coalesce support for policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But in Rome, he is assuming the role of booster for a higher-profile figure, Pope Francis. Brown and Francis, who released an encyclical on climate change last month, are scheduled to address local government officials at the Vatican on Tuesday."
“If the political and the business sectors are inadequate, then the moral dimension has a very important role to play,” Brown said. “And that’s what the pope’s doing, and I’m hoping it will lead other religious leaders to have their own conferences and their own ways of communicating the importance of protecting the environment.”
The Bee's Alexei Koseff tells the tale: "Jumping between houses was common under the old term limit system, but new rules that allow lawmakers to serve 12 years total were seen as encouraging members to stay put and build power. Dodd may lose two years in the Legislature if his bid is successful, but he said he sees more opportunity for leadership with the smaller size of the Senate."
“It's something that I'm willing to risk, because I didn't come to Sacramento to not get things done,” he said.
"Dodd, a longtime Napa County supervisor, was elected to the Assembly in 2014 in a high-dollar affair. Business interests helped lift him over a crowded field, including Wolk’s son, Dan Wolk."
Finally, from our Life on the Street Fle comes the tale of Andy Golub, the body-painting artist who gets the New York cops upset.
"If you're stark naked, a few blocks from the Empire State Building, and an agitated NYPD officer says, "You need to put underwear on right now, bro," the man you want by your side is Andy Golub."
"Golub, a body painting artist, has been at this too long to get angry when a shocked cop tries to shut him down. New York City is one of few places where the law protects your right to involve nudity in art created in a public space, and Golub's legal battles over the last five years are infamous..."
These days, working in Times Square is a breeze. Golub says he has an easy relationship with cops there. Painting nudes in front of the Guggenheim is also no problem. But when he came to the Empire State Building Monday afternoon, he knew he'd have to enlighten a few officers. This always happens when he works a new neighborhood."
