A young girl plays in the rain. (Photo: Falon Koontz)Despite the fierce rains and deadly mudslides that have struck California, water officials are concerned about the possibility of a renewed drought. But they caution that is too early to tell.
Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, who along with Sen. Ricardo Lara authored the early primary legislation, addressing the Assembly in May. (Photo: AP/Rich Pedroncelli)With just-passed legislation from Sen. Ricardo Lara sitting on Gov. Brown’s desk, the 2020 California Primary looks to be headed to the front of the line. Well, not the very front – the first four spots in the nominating calendar would be reserved for Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.
The approach to Bixby Bridge in Big Sur along California Highway 1. (Photo: Jingjits Photography)The stunning region was slammed by storms last winter resulting in multiple landslides and a bridge failure that have largely isolated the region for six months. Now there are just two ways in south of where the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge was demolished — take a rugged half-mile trail in, then take a shuttle or rent an electric bike, or make a lengthy detour in from U.S Highway 101.
A top view of a VW diesel engine. (Photo: Shanti Hesse)The California Air Resources Board’s aggressive questioning of Volkswagen about emission test results led to the company admitting in 2015 that it used a “defeat device” designed to cover up diesel emissions that greatly exceeded legal limits. The massive fraud case — it included a $14.7 billion settlement in 2016 and $4.7 billion in civil and criminal fines this year — dramatically underscored California’s role as a national and international air-quality watch dog.
One of the Legislature’s archaic rules that lawmakers say needlessly delays action on bills would be eliminated through a newly introduced constitutional amendment Republican and Democratic lawmakers hope to place on the 2014 ballot.
If voters approve, the change would end the Legislature’s 30-days-in-print rule, which requires exactly that: No hearing or vote can