Why TV Moved Its Crime Bosses to Modesto and Oceanside
At first glance, the setting for Hollywood’s newest gangland drama might be jarring: northern San Diego County, in the small city of Oceanside. But you really shouldn’t be surprised, at least by the location, if you decide to check out the Turner Network Television’s Animal Kingdom, about a violent crime family headed by a very […]
What It Means to Be ‘California’s Bank’
If California were a bank, what sort of bank would it be? Banc of California has a new and intriguing answer to that question: In just six years, “California’s bank,” as it calls itself, has emerged as one of America’s fastest-growing banks—from $700 million in assets when it recapitalized the old First PacTrust Bancorp. in […]
Winners and Losers in California’s June Elections
WINNERS The Clintons California still loves them. In early return, Hillary Clinton was leading by a far bigger margin that polls showed. Moderate Democrats Voters went with the recommendation of the moderate (and fiscally conservative) Gov. Brown in backing the more moderate Hillary Clinton. Loretta Sanchez appeared to be making it into the top two […]
5 Things to Watch for in the California Election Results
5. A Woman as Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton will clinch the Democratic nomination, win or lose in California. It’d be interesting to see her close it out here—a state that has had two women in the U.S. Senate since 1992, but has never elected a woman as its governor or as mayor of its largest […]
Don’t Believe the L.A. Transit Hype
I wish this were a happy column about the advance of California public transit. I wish I could report that my own life is better now that I ride the brand-new Metro Expo Line extension to work in Santa Monica. And I wish I could validate all the triumphant talk of the great metropolis of […]
What’s Missing in State Election Results
Is the Secretary of State reporting election results wrong? Go on the web site election night, and you’ll see state legislative races listed district by district. And the results will be reported by candidates—how many votes, and what percentage of the vote, went to each candidate. This sort of result reporting once made sense. In […]
Mail Bag: Should I Spoil My Senate Ballot?
Dear Miss Manners, I see that my local newspaper is endorsing two candidates for U.S. Senate. Should I vote for both of them, even though my ballot says to vote for only one? Please write something that explains why I’m in this bind. Perplexed in Sacramento Dear Perplexed, Don’t worry. If you’re a California voter […]
Stay Out of California, Chicago!
Dear Chicago, Would you kindly remove your thick, stubby hands from my beautiful state? C’mon—don’t try to look all Midwestern and innocent. You know exactly what I’m talking about. For years Chicago has been grabbing signature California institutions and screwing them up. I get a reminder of your mismanagement every night when I turn on […]
Bernie’s Ludicrous Lawsuit
So let me get this straight. Bernie Sanders thinks California should be totally consistent in how it runs elections across all 58 counties. Go back to Vermont, dude. You’re in a state the size of a country, so deal with it. Sanders and various allies recently filed a lawsuit against the state demanding changes to […]
$15 Per Signature, But Avoid Those Chargebacks
In the land of California petition circulators, it’s the best of times and the worst of times. You’ve seen media stories about the best of times. All the competing measures attempting to qualify for the November ballot have pushed up the per-signature rates paid to the circulators – to $5 and $6 and more for […]