News

Outside auditor takes critical look at stem cell agency

A researcher examines meat cultured in laboratory conditions from stem cells. (Photo: Alex_Traksel, via Shutterstock)

California’s $12 billion stem cell agency needs to do better in several critical areas, ranging from planning for the replacement of its current chair to handling information that is key to its operations as well as the tracking of potential sources of royalties. That’s according to that latest performance audit of the 17-year-old agency.

News

Recall elections increasingly define political landscape

A newspaper's election gives readers information about the Sept. 14, 2021, recall election. (Photo: Matt Gush, via Shutterstock)

California’s attention was focused recently on the failed attempt to recall Gov. Newsom as a rare event of historical magnitude. In fact, recall elections happen all the time, and all but a relative handful of these obscure contests disappear into the limbo of history.

News

UC’s grad student researchers seek union link with auto workers

Students at the campus of the University of California in San Diego. (Photo: Kapi Ng, via Shutterstock)

About 17,000 graduate student researchers calling themselves Student Researchers United (SRU) at 10 University of California campuses are seeking to form a union with the United Auto Workers, a campaign that began in early 2020. UC management is not wholly on board with this move of unrepresented employees.

News

Rival gambling initiatives vie for voters’ attention

The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in South Lake Tahoe. (Photo: EQRoy, via Shutterstock)

Voters are facing the possibility of deciding among three fiercely competing ballot initiatives next year – all of them involving tens of millions of dollars and a revolution in California’s gambling industry. One of the three has already qualified for the November 2022 ballot. The remaining two must still gather signatures.

News

California jobless figures reflect uncertain economy

An illustration of employment in California. (Photo: David Carillet, via Shutterstock)

California employers added 47,400 nonfarm payroll jobs in September, the state reported,  sending a mixed signal about the state’s economy with less than half of August’s 104,300 new hires. The Employment Development Department said September’s unemployment rate of 7.5% matched August’s 7.5%. 

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CIRM: Is it really targeting cures or just boiling the ocean?

A major facility of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine at UC Merced. (Photo: CIRM)

A multibillion-dollar matter was on the table when the 35-members of the governing board of the California stem cell agency huddled electronically to put together a strategy for the next five years. “Real Life” popped up during last week’s meeting along with diversity, legacies, voters, ballot measures. transformative medicine and cures.

News

New law curbing small gas motors affects portable generators, too

A man fires up a gasoline-powered generator to provide electricity to a trailer. (Photo: Virrage Images, via Shutterstock)

California’s first-in-the-nation law banning the sale of new gas-powered mowers and blowers also targets a machine that has become increasingly popular with consumers in recent years — portable generators. As people face power blackouts — in areas where utilities have cut power to curb wildfire threats, for example — many have turned to generators as a backup energy source. 

News

SEIU leader resigns amid theft, perjury charges

A group of SEIU members and supporters at a rally in Los Angeles. (Photo: RoidRanger, via Shutterstock)

Alma Hernández, the executive director of the 700,000-member of SEIU California labor union, resigned Wednesday after she and her husband were accused of multiple charges that  included perjury, fraud and grand theft. “We have accepted Ms. Hernández’s resignation, and we have cooperated fully with authorities on this matter and will continue to do so,” the SEIU State Council said in a written statement.

News

Urgency or special? That is the question

The Assembly chamber at the state Capitol in Sacramento. (Photo: Felix Lipov, via Shutterstock)

California courts are occasionally faced with scrutinizing the lawmakers’ decisions to label some bills as urgency statutes and others as special statutes. It may sound unexciting, but the reality is this: The courts’ rulings can affect millions of Californians.

News

Stem cell agency seeks to weaken conflict-of-interest rules

Two of the members of the CIRM governing board, Chair Jon Thomas and Vice Chair Art Torres, during an earlier meeting.(Photo: CIRM)

Directors of the $12 billion California stem cell agency have moved to weaken conflict of interest provisions affecting its governing board — eliminating “leave-the-room” requirements that are used by most private nonprofits to assure the integrity of their operations.

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