Measure Ends Use of Preexisting Condition Exclusions, Excessive Rates

May 2, 2013 (Sacramento)--A bill by Senator Ed Hernandez, O.D. (D – West Covina), Chair of the Senate Health Committee, that would put in place for California the vital consumer protections and reforms included as part of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), cleared its final legislative hurdle this week and is on its way to the Governor for signature.  The legislation, SB X1 2, was introduced as part of the special session on health care called for by Governor Brown during his State of the State Address in January.

April 13, 2013 (Sacramento) – In a surprise and unprecedented move, the California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) is recommending the State Legislature create an independent Office of Inspector General to oversee California’s system of Developmental Centers, which has been plagued with reports of deadly neglect and abuse.  This week, people with developmental disabilities and former Developmental Center residents rallied outside the State Capitol, calling on State Legislators and Governor Jerry Brown to shut down California’s failing Developmental Centers and to give people with developmental disabilities the freedom to live with the respect and dignity they deserve in community-based settings.

By Assemblyman Brian Jones

March 20, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--Did you know that Cal Fire bureaucrats have joined the ranks of state agencies hiding taxpayer dollars?  It’s sad, but true – recent Cal Fire headlines are less about the brave duty of firefighters and more about secreting taxpayer dollars away in a non-profit association.

Not only did Cal Fire hide $3.5 million, but they did so while Governor Brown and the Democrat-controlled Legislature slapped a $150 fire tax on rural residents from San Diego to the Northern California border.

March 18, 2013 (Sacramento) –  Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. has proclaimed Women Veterans History Week in California, March 18-24, 2013 to honor their courage and sacrifice in defense of our nation.

“Currently, women make up 14% of the active duty U.S. Armed Forces and 18% of the Guard and Reserves.  Women also make up 8 percent of the total U.S. veterans population and 10 percent of the veterans population in California,” said Peter J. Gravett, CalVet Secretary.  “Nationally and statewide, the women veteran population will continue to grow. Therefore, it is imperative that we remember to recognize and honor their service and contributions, as they often face unique challenges when transitioning out of the military and back into our communities.”

By Miriam Raftery

Governor Jerry Brown, in his State of the State Speech in January, praised legislators for casting “difficult votes to cut billions from the state budget.  You curbed prison spending through an historic realignment,” he said among other cost-cutting measures listed.

The realignment shifts responsibility for tens of thousands of prisoners from the state to local governments by 2014.  The action is fueled in part by a court ruling that ordered California to reduce overcrowding in state prisons by 33,000 prisoners, though the Governor’s move goes further in an effort to cut the budget.

The action, however, shifts responsibilities for those prisoners  to local counties and cities. It is also forcing some jurisdictions to release some prisoners early to avert overcrowding in local jails--and raises questions on how best to address the state's crime problems overall.

Governor calls for overhauls of Calif. Environmental Quality Act, Enteprrise Zone Program and more

By Miriam Raftery

January 31, 2013 (Sacramento) – California has “confounded its critics” said Governor Jerry Brown, delivering his State of the State address on January 24. “We have wrought in just two years a solid and enduring budget,” he said, pledging to “keep it that way for years to come.”

"The budget is balanced but great risks and uncertainties lie ahead,” he said, noting that the federal government, the courts, or changes in the economy could all cost the state money."

January 30, 2013--(San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL/REGIONAL

• Citrus Pest Spurs State Spraying In La Mesa (La Mesa Today)
• Board of Supervisors Approves Sale of 3-Acre Parcel to La Mesa For New Park
• La Mesa Winery to Open in Summer  (La Mesa Courier)
• County’s Equine Ordinance: Public input sought (Ramona Patch)
• Adios, Plaza de Panama project? (CityBeat)
• Watchdog Group Requests Council Transparency (La Mesa Courier)
• Nurse’s vision yields beds for homeless after surgery (U-T San Diego)
• Water war breaks out over PR contract (U-T San Diego)
• Padre Dam picks board officers (U-T San Diego)
• Mayor fires San Diego's lobbyists (Sacramento Bee)

STATE

• Governor Jerry Brown delivers State of the State address (Governor’s Office)
• Reactions to Governor’s State of the State address (Sacramento Bee)
• Calif. Speaker seeks to expand Medi-Cal for poor (Sacramento Bee)
• Doctors Ask Court To Review Medi-Cal Pay Cut (Sacramento Bee)
• Analysis: California budget fix relies on good times for the rich (Reuters)
• Secret hearings in case of Chandra Levy slaying (Sacramento Bee) 

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

January 10, 2013--(San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

STATE

• California's Child Population Projected To Drop Significantly (KPBS)
• Jerry Brown defiant in fight over prison overcrowding (Sacramento Bee)
• California man says he can drive in carpool lane with corporation papers (U.S. News)
• California Conditionally Approved to Run Its Own Health Insurance Market (KPBS)
• Parks Department Investigation Shows Intentional Hiding of Funds ( KPBS)
• Sierra snowpack has water managers happy so far (KPBS)
• Yosemite plan would ease traffic, shut ice rink  (Sacramento Bee)

LOCAL/REGIONAL

• Great-granny student body president at Grossmont: If I can do it, so can you (U-T San Diego)
• Bald eagles nesting in Ramona (10 News)
• Unmanned aerial vehicles and drone surveillance issues (IVN San Diego)
• La Mesa 2012: 100 years in the making (La Mesa Today)
• GOP picks Latina to lead local party (U-T San Diego)
• Day of service, Filner speech on tap for MLK Day (San Diego Free Press)
• Does new UCAN board want reform? (SD Reader)
• 3 more indicted in South Bay corruption probe (U-T San Diego)
•  Indictments rain down across South Bay (NBC San Diego)
• Is Bob Filner canceling San Diego's Earth Day? U-T San Diego)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

Education News and Notes

By Anat Tour, math teacher and children’s author/illustrator

October 8, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--Often when we imagine the month of October, witches, goblins and pumpkins come to mind. Now imagine cabbages! The Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program offers a unique curriculum for 3rd grade students to get involved in the love of gardening and raise their environmental consciousness. Think these are small cabbages? Think again! The biggest cabbage grown weighed in at 65 pounds. Read more about these oversized, giant cabbages in this month.

September 27, 2012  --  (San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL/REGIONAL

• County hires planning director from bankrupt city (UT)
• Census: El Cajon Has Highest Poverty Rates In San Diego County (KPBS)
• Blaze roared through quiet community like a freight train (UT San Diego)
• Turko tackles Alpine Boulevard construction woes (KUSI)
• Judicial race pits establishment against Tea Party (North CountyTimes)
• Will San Onofre outage mean relief for ratepayers? (UT San Diego)
• Pattern Energy: The bad stuff just goes on and on (Hawaii Free Press)
• Prolific disabled access lawyer to be disbarred (UT)
• San Diego’s median income drops (Fox 5)
• Pensions fall well below 80% funding level (UT San Diego)
• Could bullying be behind Ramona boy’s suicide? (10 News)

STATE

• Watchdog group faults states’ inspection of oil, gas wells (Los Angeles Times)
• Jerry Brown signs two-year reprieve for state parks (Sacramento Bee)
• Jerry Brown signs bill allowing same-day voter registration (Sacramento Bee)
• Gov. Brown signs 18 bills to help veterans, families (Sacramento Bee)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

September 24, 2012 (Sacramento)--Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday, September 21 signed into law three bills by Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78) aimed at assisting military families and returning veterans.

“I’m thrilled that the governor approved my bills – AB 1904, AB 2202 and AB 2462. They will help California repay the tremendous debt we owe our veterans,” Block said.

Block’s AB1731 requires lifesaving testing of newborns for heart disease

September 17, 2012 (San Diego)--Little Caleb Peltier celebrated his second birthday today at the Balboa Park playground with his parents, his brother and some new friends who all celebrated the fulfillment of the one birthday wish they all had for the toddler who has experienced more familiarity with hospitals, surgeries, and emergency rooms than many adults.

September 19, 2012 (San Diego) – Senator Kehoe (D-San Diego)  has several bills that have passed the Legislature and are awaiting action by the Governor, as well as one measure signed into law.  Pending measures include bills to prohibit charges on homeowners producing solar power, protect open space in San Diego, and require general plans to address fire hazards. Others include measures to require that retired judges draw new lines for County Supervisors’ districts and to extend party central committee terms to four years.

September 15, 2012 (Palomar) – Assembly Bill 1478, now on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk awaiting signature, would issue a moratorium on state park closures until at least 2014. It also directs that a windfall of funds found within the Department of Parks and Recreation should be used in part to keep state parks open, with priority given to those parks where citizens have shown support by raising funds through foundations or nonprofits. (For details see http://www.friendsofpalomarsp.org/legislative_update_09_10.htm.) Now supporters of Palomar Mountain State Park are asking for public help to persuade Governor Brown to sign this legislation.

September 13, 2012 (Sacramento) – Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) announced today that her legislation to protect development from wildfire has been signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown.

“SB 1241 will save lives and property.  It will also ease the financial burden for fire suppression on both state and local governments through early, consistent, and meaningful fire hazard planning statewide,” stated Senator Kehoe. “We have fires in California every year.  As more people move into State Responsibility Areas and high fire hazard severity zones, it’s become critical that local governments plan for fire hazards in these high risk areas as early in their land use planning process as possible,” Kehoe said.

September 13, 2012  --  (San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL REGION

• U-T San Diego to buy North County Times, Californian (North County Times)
• Security tightening at Gillespie Field flight schools that service foreign nationals (Santee Patch)
• San Diego’s low income communities want clean energy (KPBS)
• Local mom: School puts putting son’s life at risk (10 News)
• Poway man invents eco-friendly lawn mower (10 News)
• Arrest made in auto theft series involving Maseratis and Mercedes (Mount Helix Patch)
• Lakeside crime report: Three cars torched (Santee Patch)
• Guilty plea by 21st century “snake oil salesman” targeted by 60 minutes (La Mesa Patch)
• Reporters challenge SDPD credentialing process (CityBeat)

STATE

• Judge upholds Schwarzenegger reduction of Nunez son’s prison sentence (Sacrament Bee)
• Jerry Brown: Chamber clearing the way for tax bid by staying neutral (Sacramento Bee)
• Sikhs applaud as Brown signs 2 anti-discrimination bills

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.

By Miriam Raftery, Editor

July 27, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--Standing on a former mountaintop blasted away to build the new Suncrest Substation, Governor Jerry Brown yesterday  praised completion of  the 117-mile Sunrise Powerlink high voltage lines—and denigrated 79,000 citizens who have fought against destroying our communities and scenic vistas.

“You have to crush the opposition,”  the Governor said forcefully, after joking that there were more dignitaries inside the celebration than people protesting down the street.

His words are unbecoming of our state’s highest official and an insult to the hard-working people of our region, most of whom couldn’t afford to take off work and attend a protest rally during the work day in this remote spot.  But their concerns are valid, heartfelt and deserve serious consideration, not hate or derision.

Let me tell you about some of those people our Governor wants to “crush.”

June 28, 2012 (Sacramento)—At least 65 of the 70 state parks slated for permanent closure on July 1 will remain open—even though Governor Jerry Brown made a line-item veto to cut $31 million of the $41 million in funds earmarked to keep parks open.

Fortunately, the Department of Parks and Recreation made deals with private donors, foundations and nonprofits to keep operating 40 parks and has since found outside partners interested in saving 25 more.  That includes both Palomar Mountain State Park and the San Pasqual Battlefield State Park in San Diego County. 

June 27, 2012 (Sacramento) -- Governor Brown has signed California's state budget, which aims to eliminate the state's deficit over the next three years.  The $16.2 budget relies on both spending cuts and projected revenues from the Governor's November ballot initiative. 

For details on the budget, and how it may impact you, see our previous article on the budget: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/10166.  

• CSU faculty members set to vote on strike (Sacramento Bee)
• Jerry Brown turns to robocalls and mailers to qualify his ballot initiative (Sacramento Bee)

• San Diego County: Rents are Rising (KPBS)
• Palomar campgrounds reopen after successful fundraising drive (KPBS)
• Rattlesnakes cruise for females, find people (North County Times)
• Caregiver sentenced in elder abuse of Pearl Harbor victim (San Diego Union-Tribune)

• Lemon Grove considers downtown rule change (UT San Diego)
• Fletcher bolts GOP as San Diego mayoral race nears (Sacramento Bee)
• Former college official, architect arraigned (UT San Diego)
• Underemployment holding back San Diego economy (KPBS)
• Candlelight vigil held for slain Iraqi woman (10 News)
• Redevelopment pigs back at the trough (San Diego Reader)
• MTS boosts benefits for boss by $20,000 (10 News)
• Records Suggest Move Against Racist Icon Tom Metzger in Bombing (SPLC)

• California Legislative Democrats balk at Jerry Brown’s proposed budget cuts (Sacramento Bee)
• California GOP lawmakers push budget plan to cut state workers’ pay, nix tax increase (Sacramento Bee)
• Gov. Jerry Brown’s solar energy campaign (Sacramento Bee)

• Jerry Brown pushes his tax proposal
• Redevelopment demise leaves CA housing money in limbo (Sacramento Bee)

• Scripps warning on Statin-induced diabetes (UT San Diego)
• Would you buy gas in Mexico? It’s $2.91 a gallon  (UT San Diego)
• Barona Fire Captain arrested on molestation charges (UT San Diego)
• Madrid opposes county taxes to help build Chargers Stadium (La Mesa Patch)
• Poway reps to oppose water rate increases (Pomerado News)
• Bonnie buys some open government cred (CityBeat)
• SDG&E helicopter has hard landing (10 News)
• Tire surcharge funds paving projects that use old tires (KPBS) 

 By Charlotte Reed

• C.A.R. defends DRE budget reserves
• Perception of better days ahead
• If it sounds too good to be true...

Republicans draw fire for criticizing speech—before it was written or delivered

January 22, 2012 (Sacramento ) – Governor Jerry Brown laid out his vision for restoring California’s reputation as a leader in innovation, job creation and renewable energy in his State of the State speech last week.

“Wherever I look, I see difficult choices,” he said of the budget decisions to come. “But I also see a bright future up ahead and a California economy that’s on the mend.”

 
January 18, 2012 --  (San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media.  This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:   

• California lawmakers take another crack at single payer healthcare bill (Sacramento Bee)
• Jerry Brown’s budget demands would strip demands, payments from local governments (Sacramento Bee)
• Education magazine gives California a “C” for its students (Sacramento Bee)
• California in eye of Internet piracy storm (San Francisco Chronicle)

January 12, 2012 --  (San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media.  This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:   

• Referendum drive to overturn California Dream Act fails (Sacramento Bee)
• California Supreme Court tackles redistricting (Sacramento Bee)
• Gov. Jerry Brown proposes axing traditional kindergarten (Sacramento Bee)

• Algae biofuels inject money in San Diego’s economy (LPBS)
• County Supervisors back Sycuan pact (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• 5 charged in Sweetwater school corruption (KPBS)
• Susan Davis meets her new constituents (Mount Helix Patch)
• SOHO buys historic Santa Ysabel store (Ramona Journal)
• Merchant alleges city, PBID violations of Brown Act (La Mesa Patch)

“The assumption is that you cannot find a qualified man or woman to lead the university unless paid twice that of the Chief Justice of the United States. I reject this notion. “—Governor Jerry Brown

“The sad truth is that California isn’t prioritizing its education.” – Gregory Washington, president, California State University Student Association