Posts Tagged: padilla

Opinion

Preserving, protecting public lands is a top priority

Sunrise at Yosemite National Park. (Photo: Stephen Moehle, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: From my home in Ventura County, I can see the rugged hills and green oak trees of the Los Padres National Forest. I grew up in this area and have spent countless days exploring my wild backyard. As a kid, these lands were a constant in my life and I thought they would always remain unchanged. But as an adult, I know these places are threatened by development and climate change.

Opinion

There is a critical need to protect our public lands and rivers

The Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, a 932-acre park in the Sierra Pelona Mountains in northern L.A. County.(Photo: Patricia Elaine Thomas, via Shutterstock)

From my home in Ventura County, I can see the rugged hills and green oak trees of the Los Padres National Forest. I grew up in this area and have spent countless days exploring my wild backyard.

As a kid, these lands were a constant in my life and I thought they would always remain

Opinion

Protecting California’s public lands is a top priority

A scenic road leads to the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada near Mammoth Lakes. (Photo: Craig Cooper, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: My love of nature started in the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles. As a child, I went there to hike and enjoy trips with my father. Since then, going out into nature has become an essential part of my life. For me, it’s a spiritual experience – a chance to feel connected both to my Creator and to the creation.

News

Greater transparency urged for CA redistricting commission

A view of the east side of the state Capitol through the trees of Capitol Park. (Photo: Colin Braaten, via Shutterstock)

A former member of the voter-approved commission that draws maps for California’s legislative and congressional districts said the panel should operate more in the open as it crafts the new boundaries.

News

Poll: Feinstein’s job approval ratings remain underwater

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California during impeachment proceedings for former President Donald Trump. (Photo: AP)

The latest Berkeley IGS Poll finds that for the second time in four months more of the state’s registered voters disapprove than approve of Dianne Feinstein’s job performance as U.S. Senator.  In a statewide poll completed last week 46% of voters said they disapproved of the job Feinstein was doing, while just 35% approve.  Another 19% have no opinion.   The poll’s late January measure showed similar results.

News

Partisanship roils voting reform efforts

A sign outside a Los Angeles voting location in 10 languages. (Photo: Underawesternsky, via Shutterstock)

Moves to make voting easier in California have caused yet another divide between Republicans and Democrats. The Republicans say they are worried because the door to voter fraud might swing wide open. Democrats say California needs greater civic participation by groups who have historically shown lackluster voting turnouts, and automatic vote-by-mail and electronic registration will help.

Recent News

California’s voter registration errors draw close look

A Department of Motor Vehicles building in Los Gatos. (Photo: Stellamc, via Shutterstock)

Errors in the new California Motor Voter registration system may undermine the credibility of elections, some worry. The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles announced early in September that it sent 23,000 voter registrations with errors to the secretary of state. This included mistakes in political party selections, vote-by-mail options and 3,000 registrations from people who had opted not to be registered.

News

Campaign cash: A journey through the Cal-Access labyrinth

Photo illustration, political cash on the move: IQoncept, via Shutterstock

When California introduced its Cal-Access campaign finance website, “There was nothing like it in the country,” said Rob Lapsley, who was under-Secretary of State in 2000, the year the campaign disclosure tool made its debut. Fast forward 15 years: What was once cutting edge is now obsolete. “The current system is broken, literally.”

News

Voter registration spike linked to Facebook

Voters and potential voters at a political rally. (Photo: Joseph Sohm, via Shutterstock)

A hefty chunk of the new voter registrations for California’s June 7 presidential primary election occurred during a 48-hour period this week, stemming from a Facebook effort urging people to sign up, according to the state’s elections officer.

News

Kevin de León on policy, politics and the future

State Senate Leader Kevin de León on Feb. 1, 2014, at the Golden Dragon Parade in Los Angeles(Photo: Betto Rodrigues, via Shutterstock)

GRIZZLY BEAR PROJECT: After some hard feelings and bruised egos, De León accepted his defeat and ran for the Senate seat that he never really wanted. But in the Senate, de León has matured and grown as a legislator. Early on, he helped ease roadblocks between the Senate and the governor’s office. In the meantime, he reconstructed and expanded his personal relationships, and was elected by his colleagues last year as the new leader of the state Senate.

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