Xavier Becerra: The Golden State Warrior?

California’s stem cell agency confronts uncertain future

by DAVID JENSEN posted 05.23.2017

C. Randal Mills, the 45-year-old CEO of California’s $3 billion stem cell research program, is a man who loves his milestones. A private pilot, he charts his course in the air from one specific point to the next. Three years ago, Mills brought that same sort of navigation to the state stem cell agency.

Safety not the issue with polystyrene foam

Polystyrene foam blocks on a sheet of corrugated paper. (Photo illustration: Nor Gal, via Shutterstock)

by GEORGE CRUZAN posted 05.24.2017

If you’ve been following the debate in Sacramento over the use of foam cups and food containers in California, you probably have heard some rather outlandish allegations related to their safety. After 40-plus years as a toxicologist, I can clearly state: There are no adverse health effects on humans from polystyrene foam food and drink containers.

Ed’s Note: Here is the full text of the response from the California stem cell agency to a query about the five most important things that it thinks Californians should know about the $3 billion effort.

Needed: Food safety rules for meal deliverers

A ready-to-eat meal kit. (Photo: Process, via Shutterstock)

by JIM ARABY posted 05.24.2017

OPINION:Across the Sacramento region, color-coded placards tell diners whether a restaurant passed a food safety inspection. In some counties, you can even use a smartphone app to check an eatery’s safety rating before you head to dinner. But for meal kits delivered to our homes from services like Blue Apron, safety standards can be as opaque as the cardboard box the food arrives in.

Health care: The pharmacist-to-technician ratio

A pharmacist checks the inventory. (Photo: Tyler Olson)

by B. Joseph Guglielmo posted 05.23.2017

OPINION: For many Californians, a visit to their local pharmacy is their most frequent touch point with the health care system. In fact, pharmacists are among the most trusted professionals in the medical field.

A push for better dental care for low-income children

A youngster pays a visit to the dentist. (Photo: Wavebreakmedia)

by LISA RENNER posted 05.22.2017

California lawmakers are considering a bill that would double reimbursement rates for Denti-Cal providers in order to entice more dentists to accept the insurance that covers low-income residents. The hope is to get dental care to more people – especially children. According to recent reports by the state auditor and the Little Hoover Commission, less than 38 percent of the 5 million eligible children actually received Denti-Cal care in 2014.

Capitol Weekly podcast: Scott Lay

Scott Lay, editor and founder of The Nooner, the widely read online information source that tracks campaign cash and offers political analyses. (Photo: John Howard)

by STAFF posted 05.22.2017

Recorded May 20, 2017: In the heat of the convention battle for the state Democratic Party leadership, The Nooner’s Scott Lay sat down with Capitol Weekly Editor John Howard to chat about the intense fight among the party delegates to pick a successor to John Burton, the party chair since 2009.

Capitol Weekly podcast: Ruth Bernstein and Paul Mitchell

Paul Mitchell of Political Data and Ruth Bernstein of EMC Research((Photo: Tim Foster)

by STAFF posted 05.19.2017

Political Data’s numbers cruncher Paul Mitchell and pollster Ruth Bernstein of EMC Research stopped by the Capitol Weekly office to chat about the results of a new EMC Research/Capitol Weekly poll of the new voters of 2016. Will those voters be back next year?