Posted by Ken Mettler
09/06/2008 12:37 AM
0 Comment(s)
We need to support and vote Yes on Prop 8 which states that "only marriage between a man and a woman is legal and recognized in California." If it does not pass, homosexual marriage will be legal in this state to the detriment of our children.1) Children in public schools will have to be taught that homosexual marriage in just as good as traditional marriage. The California Education Code already requires that health education classes instruct children about marriage. (S51890) Therefore, unless Prop 8 passes, children will be taught that marriage can be man-man, woman-woman, or man-woman. There will be clashes between the secular school system and the rights of parents to teach their children their own values and beliefs.2) Religious adoption agencies will be challenged by government agencies to place orphan children not in homes with a mother and a father. Catholic Charities in Boston already closed its doors in Massachusetts because courts legalized homosexual marriage there.3) Textbooks will
Posted by Tracy Leach
09/05/2008 8:48 AM
0 Comment(s)
Water Transfer to be Tapped (Fresno Bee)State officials unveil 'drought water bank' (Modesto Bee)Schools making grade (Modesto Bee)New flood map designations delayed (Stockton Record)Big Hike in Development Fees Heads to City Council (Bakersfield Californian)Kern Ordered to Pay Sludge Haulers' Lawyers (Bakersfield Californian)
Posted by Tracy Leach
09/04/2008 9:29 AM
0 Comment(s)
Kern assemblyman joins up at RNC (Bakersfield Californian)State regulators inspect work sites for heat rule violations (Bakersfield Californian)Modesto maps out plan for council (Modesto Bee)Schools in Turlock go traditional (Modesto Bee)Governor urges Californians to call out lawmakers (Stockton Record)Perea and Swearengin go toe-to-toe (Fresno Bee)Mayor fights inmate releases (Fresno Bee)
Posted by Tracy Leach
09/03/2008 9:18 AM
0 Comment(s)
Much-Needed Oil Refinery gets Public Workshop (Bakersfield Californian)Vegas, Mettler -the Only Trustees to Support Traditional Marriage (Bakersfield Californian)Budget impasse vexes vendors (Fresno Bee)EPA to settle 2004 lawsuit on valley ozone standards (Modesto Bee)Republican committee decides Measure S is tax party can back (Modesto Bee)
Posted by Tracy Leach
09/02/2008 9:05 AM
0 Comment(s)
UC Merced's dining hall gets greener (Modesto Bee)Farmworkers leaving the Valley in search of jobs (Fresno Bee)Labor Day breakfast: Politics and pancakes served up hot (Bakersfield Californian)SUSD cracks down on truancy with Operation: In Class (Stockton Record)
Posted by Ken Mettler
08/29/2008 9:29 PM
0 Comment(s)
The redevelopment agency proposed by the Kern County Board of Supervisors sounds good with promises of new buildings and taxpayer subsidized housing via a new, unaccountable layer of government. The intoxicating allure of government expansion programs like a redevelopment agency to politicians is hard to resist, as it allows the politician to take credit for visible building projects and to curry favor with those who wish to do business with the new government agency.The experts say that redevelopment agencies can be used to do "public/private" projects that are too risky for the private sector to do. Well, if it is too risky for the private sector to do, don't do it with the taxpayers' money.An example is the Parkview Cottages redevelopment project within the City of Bakersfield, a boondoggle costing the taxpayers millions of dollars so far. Another, troubling red flag is that the reserves of a redevelopment agency can be taken by the deficit-ridden California state government on a
Posted by Ken Mettler
08/29/2008 8:50 PM
2 Comment(s)
PG&E is raising their electricity rates for commercial users by 5% in October and another 12% in January 2009. This dramatically affects the cost of goods and services though out California.PG&E is a monopoly that needs scrutiny.
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/29/2008 8:51 AM
0 Comment(s)
Child care centers fall victim to state budget crisis (Fresno Bee)Assembly Bill 844 takes aim at metal theft (Modesto Bee)Local Democrats cheer on their candidate (Stockton Record)Stockton must cut $16.2M to balance spending plan (Stockton Record)
Posted by Yeoman
08/28/2008 5:47 PM
0 Comment(s)
The battle to tax or not to tax paper and plastic bags is making its way through the State Capitol. Check out the Sacramento Bee editorial from August 26. I advise all Red County readers to look into AB 2769 which would tax both kinds of bags. The legislature just last year voted to promote recyclying of plastic bags in AB 2449. I for one, like plastic bags, they are inexpensive and convenient. Making them consumes less energy and generates less waste than making paper bags. With economic growth already slowing, the cost of gas on the rise along with other goods and services who can afford new and higher taxes?Drive down any main street in California and look at the empty store fronts, or the new homes up for sale or in a short sale. Of course we-the-people can't afford another tax.Especially lower income families upon which the burden would fall most heavily. For many families in today's uncertain
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/28/2008 9:13 AM
0 Comment(s)
Assembly candidates weigh in on Parra-speaker spat (Bakersfield Californian)Prison guards union's sneaky plan even more devious than imagined (Fresno Bee)State's uninsured drown in high risk (Fresno Bee)Delta College consultant to tackle bond mess (Stockton Record)Same-sex marriages, Proposition 8 discussed at Modesto forum (Modesto Bee)
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/27/2008 9:12 AM
0 Comment(s)
Guards union conspires with Perata for last-minute deal (Fresno Bee)Governor says he's willing to wait to get proper budget deal (Fresno Bee)Valley counties still rank among the poorest in the United States (Fresno Bee)Oakdale voters again reject hospital bond bid (Modesto Bee)Budget woes stymie animal control proposals (Bakersfield Californian)
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/26/2008 8:49 AM
0 Comment(s)
Senator Florez in Denver (Bakersfield Californian)Ad links Gilmore to cuts for higher ed (Fresno Bee)Water atlas provides county with a starting point (Modesto Bee)Modesto weighs worker expenses (Modesto Bee)Measure Q votes tallied tonight (Modesto Bee)
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/25/2008 9:26 AM
0 Comment(s)
Could 1-cent sales tax raise be the last straw? (Modesto Bee)Senator Clinton Stops in Fresno (Fresno Bee) Budget Fears Hit Smaller Cities (Fresno Bee)Local Democrats Discuss Convention (Bakersfield Californian)Groups focus on Latino voters (The Record, Stockton)
Posted by Dr. Adrian Moore
08/23/2008 3:06 PM
1 Comment(s)
Budget? Yeah, whatever. . . .Democrats Go to Denver Instead of Finishing Budget
Posted by Inga Barks
08/22/2008 8:27 PM
0 Comment(s)
The Sac Bee reports that this week Senator Carole Migdon was heard screaming at her staff, right before she had them pack up and be escorted out by armed guard. Her office was manned by temps the next day. This isn't the first time the senator has shown her childishness. There was the time she snuck over to the assembly and voted on a bill in the seat of an absent republican. Then there was the 30 mile joy ride that ended in a wreck that sent two to the hospital. But that's not all... In August Senator Pat Wiggins interrupted a pastor during his testimony to tell him he was full of "bull*%$#". How about Fabian Nunez who was caught traveling the world with donor money? Then there's Don Perata. Senate Pro temp who is under FBI investigation and locks senators out of their offices for having lunch with a moderate. (how am I doing?) Now we have Karen
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/21/2008 9:10 AM
0 Comment(s)
Private Property Owners Prevail Against City of Bakersfield (Bakersfield Californian)Charge on utility bills moves forward in City Council (Bakersfield Californian)Kern solar energy facility lobbies for tax credit (Bakersfield Californian)'Party' is Key Word at Conventions (Fresno Bee)State Bill Keeps Dogs of Drivers' laps (Fresno Bee)Valley's ER use highest in state (Modesto Bee)
Posted by Yeoman
08/20/2008 3:53 PM
0 Comment(s)
By Reed Fujii, The Record, Stockton, Calif. Aug. 12--Beatrice Azevedo of Ripon said she and her neighbors are upset by power bills from Pacific Gas and Electric Co., even though the senior development where she lives is served by the Modesto Irrigation District. "I think it's a scam. I really do," she said Monday. "I'm against paying for something I'm not using. That's what the majority here in Chesapeake Landing is against, paying for something they're not using." And they're not alone. Hundreds of customers of the Modesto and Merced irrigation districts in San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties have protested, withheld payments and begun organizing over the past couple of months as PG&E began sending bills to about 8,300 residential and commercial customers, averaging about $9 a month, according to the utility. The Ripon City Council approved a resolution July 1 asking state legislators to take action against the charges. See this article
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/20/2008 8:39 AM
0 Comment(s)
Woodward launches court fight to get on council ballot (Bakersfield Californian)Parra Wins Praise for Political Gumption (Fresno Bee)Firebaugh, San Joaquin, Mendota will share $633,000 tech grant (Fresno Bee)
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/19/2008 6:11 PM
0 Comment(s)
This afternoon Assembly member Nicole Parra went on local talk radio to discuss her eviction from the Capitol for refusing to support the Democrats' budget. Not surprisingly, she indicated she has been "threatened" by Democrat members regarding her future employment opportunities when her term expires at the end of this year. Parra was unmoved by the intimidation and the unceremonious exit from the Capitol. She says she has had "incredible" support from up and down the state for her position that a water bond must be supported for the next ballot in order for her to support a budget. Addressing rumors that she may be considering re-registering as a Republican, Parra stated that "right now" she is a Democrat, but that as a Democrat or as an "Independent" she will continue to answer to her constituents. She noted that whoever is giving Speaker Karen Bass advice missed the boat on this one (kicking out Parra). Parra lamented the condemnation that
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/19/2008 9:13 AM
0 Comment(s)
Parra booted from Capitol office (Bakersfield Californian)City Hall digests affordable housing bulge in Modesto (Modesto Bee)The Modesto Bee offers buyouts to its full-time employees (Modesto Bee)Fresno hospitals hit with fines (Fresno Bee)
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/18/2008 3:05 PM
0 Comment(s)
One of our Central Valley legislators Nicole Parra has been kicked out of the Capitol for disagreeing with the Party of "tolerance." Capitol Weekly has the story here.
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/18/2008 8:47 AM
0 Comment(s)
McCarthy sitting pretty: $823,000 and no opposition (Bakersfield Californian)Stricter wood-burning rules sought (Modesto Bee)Villines may have key role in drama of state budget (Fresno Bee)
Posted by Inga Barks
08/18/2008 8:05 AM
0 Comment(s)
The Saddleback event may not have persuaded undecided voters either way. But it did do something very important for John McCain. It energized republicans, conservatives, Christians, heck. It energized McCain's own campaign workers! Until Saturday I think it's safe to say that every republican pretty much said "eh...." when John McCain was mentioned. We have some issues with him to say the least. But the malaise was deeper than that. Behind the scenes even workers on the campaign who I would speak to were lack luster to say the least, about their candidate. Even as I sat with campaign workers in the Saddleback Church we were all telling each other that we KNEW this was a huge mistake for McCain. We didn't know why he would agree to this event because Obama would be so much more engaging and eloquent. McCain would be...old. Besides, what WAS McCain's religious/philosophical position on anything?And then McCain began to speak. He owned the
Posted by Inga Barks
08/18/2008 6:22 AM
3 Comment(s)
No no. Not Barack Obama. The black guy who reportedly stood up and yelled "we love you John!" to John McCain right before returning from a commercial break. The stuffy, middle to upper middle class, suburban So-Cal protestant audience (otherwise known as Inga's people) were up to that point quite mellow. We hadn't done much more than clap because we'd been asked by Saddleback's staff to restrain (as if we wouldn't. Did I mention it was a group of southern California protestants? Earthquakes under a 5 on the scale barely get a reaction from these people!).Anyhoo, the black guy who yelled "we love you John" was none other than the Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson of BOND (Brotherhood of a New Destiny), and author of "Scam". Jesse Lee is best known for tirelessly standing up against Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton for their exploitation of the black community at the expense of the black family. Jesse and I had been talking
Posted by Dr. Adrian Moore
08/17/2008 10:14 AM
0 Comment(s)
Not satisfied with the vast swathes of CA that are already wilderness area, state or national or county parks, Sen. Boxer is pushing a bill to create 2 million new acres of wilderness area in CA. First let me say that as a lifetime backpacker, I am a big user and lover of wilderness. But I am not convinced we need a huge expansion of the system. Consider this:14 million acres of CA is already wilderness--about 14% of the state.There are 1.4 million more acres of state parks.The BLM controls more than 12 million acres of CA land that are not wilderness.Then there are probably around half a million acres of county parks and nearly as many acres on military bases. You get the picture. More than 50% of the land in CA is owned by the government and limited in its use by all of us already. So in the big picture it hardly seems we need more restricted
Posted by Dr. Adrian Moore
08/17/2008 10:07 AM
0 Comment(s)
In a time when folks are paying a lot of attention to how ineptly the DoD has managed contracts in Iraq, we should be paying similar attention to CSU it seems. There are two sides to any story like this of course. But contracts that don't face competitive bidding are naturally more suspect, deserve lots of extra scrutiny, and should only be used in very special circumstances. This CSU contract has a bad smell to it--there are LOTS of labor consulting firms out there, and it is very hard to believe this one firm had such special abilities no other firm could reasonably compete.
Posted by Inga Barks
08/16/2008 8:03 AM
1 Comment(s)
Tonight I'll be in the audience at Saddleback church. It's a privilege to witness a first of it's kind event like this, but I admit to immense apprehension. Why didn't Billy Graham ever do this? He was the most relevant pastor to former presidents and presidential candidates but he didn't engage in the debate. The late Jerry Falwell might have hosted something like this I suppose, but the questions wouldn't have been what Rick Warren is reported to be asking, which is questions about global warming and social justice.One would think that a "mainstream" Christian church (which Saddleback is undoubtedly perceived to be. I don't know that I think it is) would be the stomping ground of the Republican candidate. But If the reports are accurate and the host intends to avoid questions about traditional values and abortion, I think Barack Obama may walk away the winner! This is all too bizarre.So. Why would McCain say yes to an event at an "evangelical"church at
Posted by Inga Barks
08/16/2008 7:49 AM
0 Comment(s)
When rumors began to swirl last weekend that Senator Roy Ashburn had publicly professed that he MAY vote for the democrats budget I was aghast! Especially because according to the rumors he had said it on my radio show.....and he hadn't even been ON my radio show! So on Monday morning I invited him on the show to refute the rumors once and for all. To my amazement, rather than shooting down any rumor of his "crossing over", he fueled them by continuously and coyly saying that he'd have to see the budget before he decides if he'll vote for it. EVEN WITH THE POSSIBLE TAX INCREASES! It's taken me a while to write about it because it's taken the paramedics a few days to rattle me out of the comatose state. I do not believe that Senator Ashburn will vote for a bad budget....(let me rephrase that. This is California. Every budget sucks)....I do not believe that Roy will
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/15/2008 8:51 AM
0 Comment(s)
Waste transfer station approved by county planning commission (Bakersfield Californian)What's just one cent? (Fresno Bee)Azorean Refugee Act (Modesto Bee)
Posted by Ken Mettler
08/14/2008 10:37 PM
1 Comment(s)
Today it was reported in state filings that the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 447 donated to the No on 8 campaign against traditional marriage between a man and a woman.How many rank and file members are aware that their hard-earned union dues are being squandered away by their union leadership to advance the gay agenda?
Posted by An Insider
08/14/2008 11:40 AM
2 Comment(s)
The California Congress of Republicans (CCR) whose platform is pro-abortion and anti-gun and states that their philosophy is "...not to play politics with personal religious and social issues.". The CCR, lead by consultant Mark Abernathy, announced support of the appointment of Congressman Kevin McCarthy to the co-chair of the GOP Platform Committee as follows:"Congressman Kevin McCarthy is a member of CCR and a long-time supporter of our mainstream GOP message. He will be a strong moderate voice on the Platform Committee."
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/14/2008 9:12 AM
0 Comment(s)
52,000 people, not one council challenger. What's the deal? (Bakersfield Californian)Stanislaus County courthouse in Modesto slated for an overhaul (Modesto Bee)Assembly OKs high-speed rail bill (Fresno Bee)Madera County proposes balanced budget (Fresno Bee)
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/13/2008 9:11 AM
0 Comment(s)
Accountability concerns fuel Ashburn's high-speed flip-flop (Bakersfield Californian)Big West Refinery Expansion Receives Wide Public Support (Bakersfield Californian) More Home Loans on Edge (Fresno Bee)Fresno County Sharpens Budget Ax (Fresno Bee)Turlock Council Rejects Homeless Shelter (Modesto Bee)
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/12/2008 9:19 AM
0 Comment(s)
Rail proposition deadline past (Fresno Bee)City, county: Modesto mayor's time cards are right (Modesto Bee)Modesto council tackles housing (Modesto Bee)
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/11/2008 9:57 AM
0 Comment(s)
Kern's green energy boom: Firms grabbing land for wind, solar (Bakersfield Californian)Local, Disabled Feel State Budget Pinch (Fresno Bee)Turlock homeless shelter back on agenda (Modesto Bee)
Posted by Dr. Adrian Moore
08/11/2008 9:46 AM
1 Comment(s)
Damn good question.
Posted by Dr. Adrian Moore
08/09/2008 10:18 AM
0 Comment(s)
Can it be true!? The LA Times in a special investigation has uncovered serious problems with the SEIU local. The investigation found:California's largest union local and a related charity have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to firms owned by the wife and mother-in-law of the labor organization's president, documents and interviews show.The Los Angeles-based union, which represents low-wage caregivers, also spent nearly $300,000 last year on a Four Seasons Resorts golf tournament, a Beverly Hills cigar club, restaurants such as Morton's steakhouse and a consulting contract with the William Morris Agency, the Hollywood talent shop, records show.In addition, the union paid six figures to a video firm whose principals include a former union employee. And a now-defunct minor league basketball team coached by the president's brother-in-law received $16,000 for what the union described as public relations, according to the union's U.S. Labor Department filings and interviews.The head of the union's response? "he and his union have done nothing wrong.
Posted by Dr. Adrian Moore
08/09/2008 10:02 AM
0 Comment(s)
State Senator Darrell Steinberg has a vision for how all Californian's should live, and it is not the way most Central Valley residents choose to live. He wants us all in dense, multi-use housing. No more rural or suburban lifestyles allowed. His SB 375 would do several things, most importantly deny state funds to local planning organization that do not require development to match Steinberg's vision. This interview with Steinberg ought to put you off your lunch. The Orange County Register did a decent job of trashing Steinberg's ideas, and rightly points out that when "environmental activists call it the most important land-use legislation since the California Coastal Act three decades ago" we should be alarmed. I'll just add that research on similar statewide planning laws has shown their biggest accomplishment is to raise housing prices. Just what we need in CA. Check out the research here and here.
Posted by Dr. Adrian Moore
08/08/2008 9:17 AM
0 Comment(s)
In 1996 Californians voted to approve proposition 215 allowing the use of medical marijuana, including a majority in all the Central Valley counties. Ever since then, the federal government has told us to pound sand, continuing to prosecute dispensary owners even when they are operating legally under state law and complying with local regulations governing dispensaries. On Tuesday the latest victim, Charles Lynch, the owner of a medical marijuana dispensary in Morro Bay that was fully compliant with state laws, was found guilty in federal court of pushing drugs. His conviction and punishment is absurd on its face, and doubly so given that CA voters have approved what he was doing. The feds have only been able to continue this farce because the Supreme Court accepted a ridiculous interstate commerce argument.Watch this Reason.TV video about the verdict.
Posted by Tracy Leach
08/08/2008 9:10 AM
0 Comment(s)
High-speed rail bill at deadline (Fresno Bee)Incomes in San Joaquin Valley trail rest of nation, latest stats show (Modesto Bee)
