The California Romance Novels That Cross the Rural-Urban Border
Mel Monroe, a 32-year-old nurse practitioner in L.A., is suddenly widowed, and decides to take a job as the only nurse and midwife in Virgin River, an unincorporated village of 600 in the mountain forests of Northern California. Will she stay? It’s no idyll. While she connects with the hunky Marine veteran who owns the […]
State AG to probe one of two high desert hangings of black men
California’s Justice Department will send officers to Palmdale to investigate the hanging death of a black man — one of two similar incidents in the high desert over the last few weeks, Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced this morning. Last Wednesday, the body of 24-year-old Robert Fuller was found hanging from a tree near city […]
The Politics of “Defunding the Police”
Many activists protesting the treatment of Blacks have expressed a policy to “defund the police.” By that statement, some protestors actually mean it. Cut police funding either drastically or all together and send the funds to build up Black and downtrodden communities. Other protestors use the term as a way of saying re-order how public […]
Police Deserve More Respect
As a 50 plus year sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department, which is recognized as one of the most professional law enforcement agencies in the world; and a life-long resident of Los Angeles; a former Vice – Chair of the Elected Charter Reform Commission and a 12 year elected member of the Los […]
L.A. Gets It Right on the Right To Cure
The Los Angeles City Council recently adopted a trailblazing ordinance guaranteeing workers laid off in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic the right to be recalled back to their jobs. Such an ordinance ordinarily might be subject to criticism in the business community. But we believe that the Council should be applauded for at least […]
The High Speed Rail Authority has lost support of the Legislature for its proposed plans.
The 12 year saga of the California High Speed Rail Authority and its attempt to build a true high speed train to connect northern and southern California, has been shaken to its core. At the 4.5 hour Assembly Transportation Committee oversight hearing of May 27th was painted a complete reversal of the unlimited support for […]
Too Soon for Taxes in State Budget
Despite facing a June 15 deadline to pass a state budget, Governor Newsom and legislative leaders are, prudently, deferring a number of major fiscal decisions until they receive better information on the intention of Congress on state assistance and the actual level of state income tax payments that were deferred for three months. Given those […]
Reimagining and Reinventing Public Safety Means Reforming POBOR
For all the talk of “defunding the police” and whatever that actually means, why is nobody talking about POBOR? Never heard of POBOR? That may be part of the problem. POBOR is the “Peace Officers’ Bill of Rights.” POBOR gives police officers rights that ordinary Californians don’t enjoy (there are similar provisions in other states). […]
Californians Want Law and Order But They Also Want Orderly Law
Police tactics are once again under the microscope in California and around the nation as violent clashes between those who wear the blue uniform and lawless rioters is resulting in predictable calls for sweeping police reforms. “Black Lives Matter” has been followed by “Defund the Police!” Over the years California has seen its fair share […]
California Voters Must Protect App-Based Drivers and Services
Five years ago, traditional jobs stopped being an option for me. As a retired, disabled Vietnam veteran and a caretaker for an ill family member, I needed to earn a living that kept the stress down but the flexibility up so I could meet my family obligations. Driving rideshare has allowed me to do that, […]