An inmate gestures through the bars of his prison cell. (Photo: Sakhorn, Shutterstock)Gov. Jerry Brown and a number of church and law enforcement leaders said Wednesday they are launching a November ballot initiative that would ease parole restrictions on nonviolent prison inmates and provide incentives for prisoners to work toward an earlier release.
The governor's mansion, now a state historical park, in downtown Sacramento at 16th and H Streets. (Photo: Kensly, Google Earth)Gov. Jerry Brown, his wife Anne and their two dogs intend to move into California’s official governor’s mansion — a dramatic departure from the midtown loft he currently occupies and the mattress-on-the-floor apartment he had during his first term 40 years ago.
State Capitol, Sacramento. (Photo: David Monniaux)Summer and the Thanksgiving-Christmas holidays – prime time for people to relax. But in the intense, politics-driven culture of the Capitol, by far the most popular time to sign up for vacation or leave is during period surrounding the general election, when the staff members’ bosses may be up for reelection. Then, some two-thirds of the Assembly’s work force put in for at least some amount of vacation time during 2014, according to Assembly figures reviewed by Capitol Weekly.
State Capitol, Sacramento. (Photo: David Monniaux)Is the California Legislature making a comeback? The poll numbers would certainly indicate it is, but lawmakers shouldn’t start popping the champagne corks. In fact, the legislature hasn’t had this much love since October of 2004, when 40 percent of likely voters approved and 46 percent disapproved of the legislature’s performance, according to the PPIC.
In recent years many of us have spent far more time than necessary at various public meetings awaiting our three minutes to speak during “Public Comment,” an item often placed dead last on the agenda. By that time, most of the attendees have long departed.
A computer keyboard flanked by the elements of traditional poker. (Photo: Pedro Sala)An attempt to establish internet poker in California foundered this week in Sacramento, with rival interests – including tribes, horse racing, card rooms and others – unable to reach agreement on legislation during the final weeks of the legislative session.
Comcast company trucks await assignments. (Photo: Associated Press, Gene Puskar)A national merger between communications giants Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable could lead to an unprecedented consolidation of California cable and broadband markets. The pending $45 billion merger would grant Comcast — already the state’s No. 1 cable provider — a greater share of the California market, stretching from northern California and San Francisco Bay area and Sacramento region, down the Central Valley through the Los Angeles basin, east to the Nevada and Arizona lines and southeast to the Mexico border.
The state Capitol, Sacramento. (Photo: David Monniaux)Election 2014: Revised term limits and the top-two primary system — which pits candidates against each other regardless of party affiliation — appear to have lessened the likelihood of such contentious battles, according to one analysis. That’s because it all comes down to timing.
CalPERS' headquarters in Sacramento. (Photo: Coolcaesar/en.wikipedia)A new study shows CalPERS members are living longer. It’s the first step in a review of workforce changes and investment polices that could lead to higher contribution rates for employers and possibly employees. (Photo: coolcaesar, en.wikipedia)
Photo: Mateusz KudłaEnder’s Game
Directed by Gavin Hood
A film that is “solid and entertaining,” but “humorless and overly serious.” (Photo:Mateusz Kudła)