Galena West, a veteran lawyer at the Fair Political Practices Commission, has been named chief of enforcement at the agency, which serves as the state’s campaign ethics watchdog. West replaces Gary Winuk, who left earlier to go into private practice. West, who has been on the FPPC staff for 10 years, has served as acting enforcement chief since March.
A photo illustration of the temptation of drug use. (Photo: David Orcea, Shutterstock)OPINION: As a public safety officer for nearly 20 years, I am often asked what I believe is an effective way to suppress crime in our nation. The answer is simple: Solve our drug problem. And while many envision street drugs as the problem, the misuse of prescription drugs is a huge crisis with no bias toward any community in this state. Prescription opioid abuse is estimated to cost the United States about $56 billion annually due to health costs, criminal justice costs and lost productivity.
An abstract rendering of multi-faceted California. (Flip Bjorkman)While most indicators signal an economic upswing in California, the reality facing many residents of the Golden State is simple: On the ground, the recovery is still sluggish. Nowhere is that more apparent than in a newly developed database that includes detailed economic information on each of California’s 120 legislative districts and 58 counties.
It is estimated that 40 percent of 9th graders in the state are overweight. It is also estimated that 65 percent of adolescents aged 12-17 drink at least one soda or other sugar-sweetened beverage each day. Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages are the largest source of added sugar in the diets of both children and adults in the United States. Is there a correlation between sugary beverage consumption and obesity? You bet there is.
OPINION: Sadly as we witness the Affordable Care Act unfold, we’re seeing the exact opposite. We’re finding “mom and pop” small businesses – indeed, our leading job creators – not just marginalized, but much of the time left out of the discussion altogether.
Once, college was seen as the destination for the smartest high school students. Now, however, some of the smartest young people may be those who decide not to go to a traditional college, but instead pursue a career in the skilled trades.
In the objections it lodged with the Senate committee on Rendon’s bill, the NRA says lead poisoning of wildlife continues despite a partial ban on the use of lead bullets in California.
George Bird Grinnell, who founded the original National Audubon Society in the late 19th Century, warned in 1894 that lead shot left behind on the ground could poison birds, and our organization has been concerned about this this environmental threat ever since. This is why Audubon California is a co-sponsor (with Defenders of Wildlife and
Beginning next year, nearly 5 million uninsured Californians will rapidly gain health coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act. This is wonderful news, especially for those who need it most– the 1.4 million newly eligible for Medical.
However, the reality is that coverage does not necessarily mean access to care. Simply having insurance doesn’t
In the midst of National Crime Victims Week, the public is rightfully reminded of the toll crime takes on our communities and families. But what is often overlooked in these observances are the hidden victims — the families of those convicted of crimes.
Many of us — and yes, I am one of this