Court reporter, image by Associated Press. In California, court hearings are regularly held without a verbatim or near-verbatim record ever being created. Some legal advocates say that’s a violation of basic constitutional protections and blame an unusual state law for the problem.
Image by Alexander SikovOPINION – In May of this year, Governor Newsom warned, “If we over-regulate, if we overindulge, if we chase the shiny object, we could put ourselves in a perilous position.” Sadly, Senator Scott Wiener’s SB 1047 bill falls into the trap Governor Newsom warned about.
The girl chooses a button with text Side Hustle on the touch screenOPINION: California’s voters and courts have made clear that Prop 22 should be here to stay. Unfortunately, legal challenges have consistently put our record of innovation to the test.
Ted Kaczynski, circa 1968. Photo by George Bergman, courtesy of the Oberwolfach Photo CollectionNo town had closer connections to the case of “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski than Sacramento: His first and last murder victims over a 17-year period occurred here – the first in an alley behind an Arden Fair computer-rental store, the last in an office downtown across from the state Attorney General’s office on I Street.
A doctor and her patient have a consultation over medical care. (Photo: Andrei_R, via Shutterstock)OPINION: As health care delivery evolves thanks to advances in data sharing and technology, it’s important that health systems harness the availability of these new tools to improve transparency, information dissemination and communications between doctor and patient, allowing them to better work together to make vital health decisions.
A building with window air conditioners, which are not as efficient as heat pumps. (Photo: David Crockett, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Unlike states like Texas and Florida, where only 1% of homes lack A.C., roughly a quarter of California homes are not equipped with central cooling. Studies show that the access to cooling in homes is highly correlated with heat-related mortality – and low-income households are less likely to have the cooling they need to stay safe.
An app-user types out an order on his hand-held device. (Photo: Billion Photos, via Shutterstock)OPINION: The economic devastation of the pandemic is well-chronicled. At its peak, more than two million Californians lost their jobs. In the wake of such devastation, a recent report found that app-based rideshare and food delivery platforms helped provide earnings for displaced or struggling workers, and helped keep many restaurants and retailers afloat.
Workers install solar panels on a southern California home. (Photo: Joseph Sohm, via Shutterstock)OPINION: All Californians deserve not only a clean energy future, but assurance that the programs we invest in will achieve this goal equitably and at the least possible cost. This is particularly important for seniors living on a fixed income and working families already struggling to make ends meet.cThis is why it is critical that reforms are made to the state’s rooftop solar subsidy program called Net Energy Metering (NEM).
A California power plant at sunset. (Photo: David Crockett, via Shutterstock)OPINION: President Biden campaigned on a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But this goal will not be achievable without deploying technologies and practices that can pull greenhouse gases from the atmosphere – or from smokestacks of industrial facilities that have few viable alternatives – and securely store it underground or use it in long-lived products like concrete.
An air tanker drops retardant on the Olinda Fire burning in Anderson, Calif., October, 2020. Photo: Stratos Brilakis, via Shutterstock
OPINION: As lawmakers across the country return to their Capitol posts, some are kicking off the new year with legislation calling for increased wildfire resources, funding, upgrades, and additional aircraft and crew.