The following are news stories of note from California and the 24th Congressional District. Remember that some sites require registration and some sites require a subscription. Posting of news stories, editorials, or opinion pieces here are informational only and do not imply an endorsement of the authors' views by Rep. Gallegly.

Ventura mediator appointed to Superior Court bench

By John Scheibe

Originally published 05:05 p.m., December 27, 2011
Updated 05:36 p.m., December 27, 2011

Matthew P. Guasco, a Ventura mediator and arbitrator, has been appointed to the Ventura County Superior Court bench by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Guasco, 53, will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge David W. Long, the governor's office announced Tuesday.

Guasco worked as an attorney for Arnold, Bleuel, La Rochelle, Mathews and Zirbel from 2008 to 2010. He also worked for Norman Dowler, another law firm, from 2001 to 2008 and was a deputy public defender in Marin County from 1985 to 1989.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/27/ventura-mediator-appointed-to-superior-court/

Fillmore drags down county's third-quarter taxable sales

By Mike Harris

Originally published 04:42 p.m., December 27, 2011
Updated 06:32 p.m., December 27, 2011

Dragged down by a $1 million negative adjustment in Fillmore, third-quarter taxable sales in Ventura County increased 0.9 percent compared with the same period last year, according to an analyst.

Without Fillmore's downward adjustment in the equation, taxable sales in the county for July through September 2011 would have risen 7.1 percent, Andy Nickerson, president of the HdL Cos. in Diamond Bar, said this week.

The state Board of Equalization's third-quarter allocation to the Fillmore Redevelopment Agency was negative $1.01 million, although the city itself received a positive allocation of $8,563, the board said.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/27/fillmore-drags-down-countys-third-quarter-sales/

Newhall's impact on Ventura County debated

By Zeke Barlow

Originally published 04:16 p.m., December 27, 2011
Updated 06:52 p.m., December 27, 2011

Nobody doubts that Newhall Ranch, a development that will create a community the size of Camarillo, will forever change the farmland that sits just across the Ventura County line up Highway 126.

The row crops will be replaced by more than 20,000 homes, 5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space, seven schools, golf courses and other amenities along the Santa Clara River and in the valleys and ridges that form the wrinkled landscape nearby.

But how the project will affect its downstream neighbors in Ventura County, who rely on the Santa Clara River for water, beach nourishment and flood control, still is being debated.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/27/newhalls-impact-on-ventura-county-debated/

Gov. Jerry Brown says he will increase education funding
The governor's 2012-13 spending plan, to be released in January, assumes billions in additional revenue from his tax increase initiative. If the measure fails, Brown says, more drastic cuts would be needed.

By Anthony York, Los Angeles Times

December 28, 2011

Reporting from Sacramento -- Introducing a measure of optimism into the state's dire fiscal situation, Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday that his 2012-13 budget would increase education funding and that the outlook for schools would remain strong — if voters pass his initiative to raise taxes.

Brown made the comments during an hourlong Capitol news conference, where he weighed in on topics such as the Occupy movement and the field of Republican presidential candidates.

The governor also lamented that he had been unable to get the four GOP votes necessary to present voters this year with his plan to extend higher sales, vehicle and income taxes.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-california-budget-schools-20111228,0,3743714.story

Rose Parade security beefed up as Occupy plans protest
The array of Pasadena officers, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and state and federal law enforcement agents will be larger than usual, police say.

By Bill Kisliuk, Los Angeles Times

December 28, 2011

Facing a protest by Occupy demonstrators, Pasadena police will bolster their already robust presence at the 2012 Rose Parade.

Pasadena police and Tournament of Roses officials have been negotiating with Occupy forces for several weeks on a plan that they hope will prevent any disruptions to Monday's parade. Pasadena officials are allowing the Occupy group to march on the parade route after all the official floats have passed.

Protesters intend to march with large banners that decry wealth inequality in the United States and to unveil a few colorful "floats" of their own, including a giant people-powered octopus, said Pete Thottam, an Occupy spokesman.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1228-rose-parade-20111228,0,3619317.story

Gasoline prices set December record
In California, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline rose 2 cents over the last week to $3.576, the Energy Department finds. The U.S. average rose 2.9 cents to $3.258. Oil prices rise.

By Ronald D. White, Los Angeles Times

December 28, 2011

The most expensive year ever for gasoline purchases in the U.S. is heading to a close — but not without another dig at motorists' wallets.

Pain levels at the pump rose again over the last week in California and across most of the nation, assuring that 2011 will mark the second year in a row that prices have posted record December highs.

The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in California hit $3.576, up 2 cents since Dec. 19, according to the Energy Department's weekly survey of service stations. That shattered — by 28.9 cents — the old record of $3.287 a gallon set in December 2007 and was tied in December 2010.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-prices-20111228,0,2851248.story

The following are news stories of note from California and the 24th Congressional District. Remember that some sites require registration and some sites require a subscription. Posting of news stories, editorials, or opinion pieces here are informational only and do not imply an endorsement of the authors' views by Rep. Gallegly.

California chief justice urges reevaluating death penalty
Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, one of the high court's more conservative members, says the death penalty is no longer working for the state.

By Maura Dolan, Los Angeles Times

December 24, 2011

Reporting from San Francisco

Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, who heads the state's judicial branch and its highest court, said in an interview that the death penalty is no longer effective in California and suggested she would welcome a public debate on its merits and costs.

During an interview in her chambers, as she prepared to close up shop for the holidays, the Republican appointee and former prosecutor made her first public statements about capital punishment a year after she took the helm of the state's judiciary and at a time when petitions are being gathered for an initiative to abolish the death penalty.

"I don't think it is working," said Cantil-Sakauye, elevated from the Court of Appeal in Sacramento to the California Supreme Court by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. "It's not effective. We know that."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1222-chief-justice-20111221,0,63173.story

State grant allows reinstatement of full-time position
Rural crimes deputy chases cattle thieves, busts cockfighting rings

By Marga K. Cooley / Associate Editor / mcooley@lompocrecord.com | Posted: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 12:00 am

Sheriff’s Deputy John McCarthy is in the middle of investigating a cattle rustling case. Yes, there are still cattle rustlers.

Last week, he arrested a man for stealing irrigation equipment.

And if he catches you raiding farmers’ fields for vegetables or fruit, watch out. Getting caught with more than $250 dollars worth is grand theft.
http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/rural-crimes-deputy-chases-cattle-thieves-busts-cockfighting-rings/article_a2b8286a-3059-11e1-a59a-001871e3ce6c.html

Memorial set Wednesday for fallen soldier

By Janene Scully / Associate Editor / janscully@lompocrecord.com | Posted: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 12:00 am

The life of Army Sgt. Christopher L. Muniz will be celebrated in a memorial at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Cuyama Valley High School gym, 4500 Highway 166.

The 24-year-old from New Cuyama in northeastern Santa Barbara County was one of two soldiers killed Dec. 11 in Afghanistan’s Kunar province when an improvised explosive device detonated.

A plane carrying Muniz’s body is scheduled to arrive Monday in Bakersfield, where veterans groups and military supporters plan to provide a motorcycle escort to the mortuary.
http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/military/memorial-set-wednesday-for-fallen-soldier/article_f5f5688e-305a-11e1-ade7-001871e3ce6c.html

Drone maker came of age after 9/11 attacks

By Mike Harris

Monday, December 26, 2011

To mark the end of the Iraq War, The Star is publishing a series of stories about local people who fought in the war, their families and others affected at home. For more photos and videos, go to VCStar.com/Iraq.

Drone maker AeroVironment Inc. came of age during America's post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

They were the right conflicts at the right time for the Monrovia-based defense contractor, which designs, develops and manufactures drones in Simi Valley, company officials said.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/26/drone-maker-came-of-age-after-911-attacks/

Surgeon from Somis serves as witness to war

By Tom Kisken

Sunday, December 25, 2011

When he was mending soldiers in a combat-zone operating room or trying to deal with injuries too horrific to repair, Dr. Herb Percival documented his thoughts and frustrations on a Dell laptop and emailed his journal entries back to Camarillo.

The orthopedic surgeon and Army Reserve colonel wrote about multiple amputations, the pervasive nature of blood and a sergeant major who cried from the window of an operating room. Four years removed from an Army hospital in Mosul, Iraq, he's still at it.

Instead of pecking away at a computer, the 63-year-old Somis resident serves as a witness to war by telling stories and answering questions about Iraq: what it felt like, the dreams that came later and the challenge of adjusting to civilian life.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/25/surgeon-from-somis-serves-as-witness-to-war/

War's fallout includes brain injuries, anxiety and depression

By Tom Kisken

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Six years after a roadside bomb in Iraq charred his foot, blew out his eardrum and rattled his brain, David R. Franco chooses the seat in restaurants where he can see the most people. Always.

"I'm constantly watching my back. I have to face where the most traffic is," said the 51-year-old former Marine from Moorpark. "I always look to see where my avenue of exit is. I'm constantly watching everybody."

Many soldiers who have returned or are headed home from Iraq won't struggle with memory loss, life-changing injuries or feelings of isolation and depression. They adjust and resume their lives. Others will be cornered by acronyms that identify the nearly nine-year war like dog tags: IED, TBI and PTSD.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/24/wars-fallout-includes-brain-injuries-anxiety-and/

New state regulations generate interest in the green building industry
Rules inspire further training

By Marjorie Hernandez

Saturday, December 24, 2011

For about six months, Eric Arevalo worked early hours pouring concrete and putting up drywall at various construction jobs.

Like many industries hit by the economy, construction jobs were oftentimes unstable, Arevalo said. When work slowed down, the 20-year-old from Oxnard decided to take classes at the Center for Employment Training in Oxnard.

From the numerous training courses available at the trade school, Arevalo decided on the green building construction skills course. In this class, students learn carpentry, electrical and plumbing skills and how each integrates with green building methods.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/24/new-state-regulations-generate-interest-in-the/

Krist: Program portrayal unfair and inaccurate

By John Krist

Saturday, December 24, 2011

The complex intersection of tax policy, agricultural economics and land-use regulation deserves better than the simplistic and misleading treatment it was accorded in The Star's Dec. 18 article, "Tax breaks for farmers defended."

In an apparent attempt to manufacture controversy where none exists, the reporter omitted relevant facts, employed biased and inaccurate terms to describe key elements of the Land Conservation Act, and made illogical assumptions about the relationship between the LCA program and the land-use restrictions imposed by Save Open-space and Agricultural Resources.

It would be an understatement to call this disappointing, considering how much The Star has done in the past to improve public understanding of local agriculture.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/24/krist-program-portrayal-unfair-and-inaccurate/?opinion=1

Keeping low-profile, Jerry Brown reaps few victories in 2011
Unable to get tax-hike help from the GOP, the governor slashed funding for education and services. But he may have taken the politically smart path, some argue.

By Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times

December 27, 2011

Reporting from Sacramento -- In swing states across the country this year, an emboldened group of new Republican governors teamed with GOP legislatures to remake government from top to bottom.

In a handful of states that had resisted the 2010 Republican wave — New York and Illinois, for example — Democratic governors muscled through tax hikes. Even in Nevada, Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval persuaded a GOP legislature to extend a tax increase.

But in California, new Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature dominated by his fellow Democrats end the year having struck out on their attempted tax hike and having made few major changes.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-jerry-brown-20111227,0,7783792.story

Plan to use Amtrak as fallback for high-speed rail criticized
Federal rules require another use for the track if the high-speed project unravels. But Amtrak officials have concerns about changing their popular Central Valley route.

By Dan Weikel and Ralph Vartabedian, Los Angeles Times

December 27, 2011

When the Obama administration gave California $3.4 billion in startup money for a high-speed rail system, it insisted on a guarantee that the project would not become a white elephant — something critics could brand as a train to nowhere.

The first section of track had to run down the spine of the Central Valley and have another use, should the rest of the bullet train project collapse.

Those requirements are now at the center of an intensifying political battle, waged by critics who say the state's fallback plan to use a 130-mile stretch of track for slower Amtrak service is a sham because there's no guarantee the national rail service will ever use it.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bullet-train-20111227,0,2904247.story

Los Padres sanctuary goes to the rescue of wolf dogs
29 animals are seized from an Anchorage attraction accused of possessing them illegally. 'It was heartbreaking to see,' one of the rescuers said.

By Louis Sahagun, Los Angeles Times

December 27, 2011

Chained to posts on a half-acre lot, the 29 wolf dogs languished for years behind stockade fencing at a roadside attraction near Anchorage.

The wolf hybrids were unable to touch one another except when they were bred through chain-link fences. Several had sore backs and legs because they had never been able to move more than a few yards at a time.

The animals were seized by Alaskan authorities as evidence in an ongoing criminal investigation and scheduled for destruction before the Lockwood Valley Animal Rescue Center intervened. The center had the wolf dogs spayed and neutered, then transported by plane and truck to its sanctuary in the Los Padres National Forest, about 90 miles north of Los Angeles.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-wolf-dogs-20111227,0,6218882.story

Sandra Day O'Connor promotes civics education
Retired U.S. Supreme Court justice helped initiate an online program called iCivics because not enough Americans know how government works.

By Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times

December 27, 2011

Only about a third of American adults can name all three branches of government, and a third can't name any. Fewer than a third of eighth graders could identify the historical purpose of the Declaration of Independence.

This slim knowledge of civics — and the potential risk it poses to American democracy — captured the attention of retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

During a recent trip to Los Angeles, she talked up iCivics, an expanding online program aimed at middle school students.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-civics-20111227,0,3247832.story

New year brings new risks for California politicians
The 'top-two' primary system and legal challenges to redrawn districts have created much uncertainty. But experts say the new election environment will help keep officeholders and candidates on their toes.

By Jean Merl, Los Angeles Times

December 26, 2011

Ask most people what's significant about Dec. 30 and you may get a puzzled look. But politics junkies know that's the official start of California's next election season.

It opens on a markedly altered stage, set with a new primary system and different voting districts. Lingering uncertainties about some of those districts, thanks to a federal lawsuit and a possible state referendum aimed at overturning them, are adding to the drama.

Not since term limits for state offices took effect in the mid-1990s have California politicians faced such risks to their careers.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-state-elections-20111226,0,4411669.story

California could lose 1,500 inmate firefighters
A prison realignment program will send low-level offenders to county jails, depriving the state of using them to help clear brush, cut fire lines and stop infernos from spreading.

By Michael J. Mishak, Los Angeles Times

8:22 PM PST, December 24, 2011

Reporting from Sacramento

When Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature shifted responsibility for thousands of state prisoners to county jails, some authorities said it would mean more offenders on the streets breaking the law.

Few saw another possible peril: the loss of more than 1,500 inmate firefighters.

Since World War II, the state has relied on nonviolent offenders serving time for such crimes as burglary, drug possession and welfare fraud to help clear brush, cut fire lines and stop infernos from spreading.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-firefighting-20111225,0,2361588.story

San Francisco minimum wage is set to become the highest in U.S.
On Jan. 1, San Francisco's minimum wage will rise to $10.24 an hour, almost $3 an hour higher than the federal minimum wage. Workers are pleased, but employers say it'll kill jobs.

By Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times

December 27, 2011

Reporting from Sacramento

Thousands of San Francisco workers are starting the new year with a raise.

On Jan. 1 the city's minimum wage will rise to $10.24 an hour. That's the highest rate in the country and makes San Francisco the first place in the U.S. to mandate double-digit hourly wages for its lowest-paid workers.

For Ace Wiseman, 27, a recent graduate of San Francisco State University who cleans tables for minimum wage in a Sunset District pizzeria, the raise from $9.92 an hour will buy a few more groceries.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-minimum-wage-20111227,0,151700.story

The following are news stories of note from California and the 24th Congressional District. Remember that some sites require registration and some sites require a subscription. Posting of news stories, editorials, or opinion pieces here are informational only and do not imply an endorsement of the authors' views by Rep. Gallegly.

Memorial set for fallen Cuyama soldier

By Janene Scully/Associate Editor janscully@lompocrecord.com | Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2011 12:15 am

A memorial service for the Cuyama Valley’s first war casualty tentatively is being planned for 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28 in the Cuyama Valley High School gym.

Army Sgt. Christopher L. Muniz, 24, was one of two soldiers killed Dec. 11 in Afghanistan’s Kunar province when an improvised explosive device detonated. The other, Spc. Ronald Wildrick Jr., 30, is from Blairstown, N.J.  Both men were based in Hawaii.

Muniz’s body reportedly is scheduled to be returned to California next week, possibly on Monday, and funeral plans could be firmed up at the end of this week.
http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/memorial-set-for-fallen-cuyama-soldier/article_e393b96a-2c73-11e1-8dc1-0019bb2963f4.html

Teacher, councilman deploys after Christmas

By Julian J. Ramos/Staff Writer jramos@lompocrecord.com | Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2011 12:15 am

Just like the Minuteman of more than 200 hundred years ago, Buellton City Councilman John Connolly is ready to answer the call of duty at a moment’s notice.

 A lieutenant colonel in the California Air National Guard, he is leaving for a six-month deployment right after Christmas and is expected to return in June. Besides serving the city that he and his family have called home for about 10 years, Connolly, 46, is an English teacher in the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District.

Dec. 16 was his final day at work and Dec. 8 was his final council meeting before starting the longest deployment of his more than 20 years in the California Air National Guard, the air component of the California National Guard.
http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/military/teacher-councilman-deploys-after-christmas/article_e34f1a34-2c74-11e1-9db2-0019bb2963f4.html

Lompoc withholds support for Chumash annexation

By John Sakata/Staff writer jsakata@lompocrecord.com | Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2011 12:15 am

The Lompoc City Council is staying out of a mounting battle over the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ proposed annexation of 1,400 acres into its reservation in Santa Ynez.

After listening to opponents, several from the Santa Ynez Valley and some from Lompoc, the council chose to take no action Tuesday night on a request by Tribal Chairman Vincent Armenta.

Armenta had asked the council to support the controversial annexation through a resolution, adding that the tribe intends to make the same request to every city in Santa Barbara County.
http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/lompoc-withholds-support-for-chumash-annexation/article_0474950e-2c75-11e1-872d-0019bb2963f4.html

Strong winds expected in Ventura County

From staff reports

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Strong north to northeast winds are expected this week in Ventura County, according to the National Weather Service.

A cold low pressure system will move into the Great Basin Thursday, bringing gusty Santa Ana winds to Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Friday.

The strongest winds will affect the Ventura and Los Angeles county mountains and are also possible over coastal and valley areas.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/21/strong-winds-expected-in-ventura-county/

Engine component maker Turbonetics plans move to Moorpark

By Carol Lawrence

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Turbonetics Inc. will move its engine component manufacturing plant to Moorpark early next year to accommodate growth in its two leading markets, make room for up to 15 new hires and streamline operations.

The company, which leases two buildings in Simi Valley with a total 36,000 square feet, said it plans to move in February or March to the 47,000-square foot Moorpark facility to consolidate operations.

"What this new facility allows us to do is to put everything in the correct flow to increase product efficiency and throughput," President Brad Lewis said. "It's room for growth."
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/21/engine-component-maker-turbonetics-plans-move-to/

Number of homes pending foreclosure drops nationwide

By Carol Lawrence

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

October's nationwide shadow inventory of homes dropped nearly 16 percent to 1.6 million from 1.9 million, according to Santa Ana real estate industry tracker and analyst CoreLogic Inc.

Shadow inventory is considered a look into the pending foreclosure market because it includes properties not yet on the market but that are at least 90 days late on mortgage payments, those already in foreclosure and homes owned by lenders, as defined by CoreLogic.

The 1.6 million homes make up about half of the 3 million that are for sale in these conditions.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/21/number-of-homes-pending-foreclosure-drops/

Occupy protesters take aim at Rose Parade
Pasadena police and Tournament of Roses officials have been negotiating with Occupy leaders for several weeks to prevent problems. Protesters will be allowed to march after all the floats have gone.

By Catherine Saillant and Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times

December 22, 2011

The Rose Parade has long been a magnet for protesters looking for global attention for their causes and grievances.

Native Americans once threw a balloon filled with red paint onto the parade route to represent the spilling of Indian blood. AIDS activists interrupted the parade by staging a sit-in. One year, a Pasadena mayor wore a "Tournament of Racists" t-shirt to protest what he saw as the parade's lack of ethnic diversity.

But this year, Tournament of Roses organizers and Pasadena police are gearing up for something different as Occupy protesters, fresh from their encampments across the country, plan to converge on Pasadena. Like activists in the past, they are hoping to widen their impact with an estimated domestic TV audience of 50 million people and about 700,000 people along the route.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-occupy-rose-parade-20111222,0,7810364.story

BofA to pay $335 million to settle fair-lending claims
The nation's largest residential fair-lending settlement will resolve government allegations that Bank of America's Countrywide Financial unit discriminated against minority home buyers during the frenzied days of the mortgage boom.

By Walter Hamilton, Nathaniel Popper and Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times

8:54 PM PST, December 21, 2011

Reporting from Los Angeles, New York and

Bank of America Corp. agreed to pay a record $335 million to resolve a government claim that its Countrywide Financial unit discriminated against minority home buyers during the frenzied days of the mortgage boom.

The Justice Department alleged that Countrywide charged higher interest rates and fees to African American and Latino home buyers than to white applicants with similar income levels and credit scores. It marks the largest residential fair-lending settlement in history.

California, one of the worst-hit states when the housing market buckled, was considered by investigators to be the epicenter for the alleged abuses by Countrywide. In one example given in the Justice Department's report, an African American in Los Angeles who borrowed $200,000 in 2007 paid an average of $1,200 more in fees than a comparable white customer.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bank-america-settlement-20111222,0,5971910.story

Gas prices hit a record high for time period
In California, gas prices were averaging $3.535 a gallon, up 26.6 cents from last year, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.

By Ronald D. White, Los Angeles Times

December 22, 2011

Here's something you didn't request of Santa — the highest gasoline prices in history for the final two weeks of the year.

If this sounds familiar, there's a reason. In 2010, California broke its 2007 record for an average price for a gallon of regular gasoline on Christmas Day by 3.2 cents, at $3.297.

This year, it's a record by a mile. In California, prices were averaging $3.535 a gallon, up 26.6 cents from last year, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-christmas-gas-prices-20111222,0,6346761.story

The following are news stories of note from California and the 24th Congressional District. Remember that some sites require registration and some sites require a subscription. Posting of news stories, editorials, or opinion pieces here are informational only and do not imply an endorsement of the authors' views by Rep. Gallegly.

Water board asked to give up water rights to well
By SONIA FERNANDEZ NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
December 21, 2011 6:00 AM

An unused well in the Los Padres National Forest is an obstacle to a land deal that would transfer 462 privately owned acres to the U.S. Forest Service.

The issue was discussed Tuesday afternoon by board of directors of the Montecito Water District, which owns the groundwater rights to the well.

Drilled during a search for a viable groundwater source, the well is in what used to be a popular site for a series of spas on the private property called Hot Springs Canyon. The well is the final step before the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County can transfer the historic piece of land to the National Forest Service.
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=LOCAL&ID=566269083478261801

Lompoc council won't back Chumash expansion
By CATHERINE SHEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
December 21, 2011 6:19 AM

The Lompoc City Council refused Tuesday to endorse plans for a tribal housing expansion by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

Councilwoman Cecilia Martner said the city needs to concentrate on issues that are under its jurisdiction.

"I just don't think this is our business," Ms. Martner said. "It's not my decision; it belongs to the people who are directly affected by it, the local people."
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=LOCAL&ID=566269083478261808

Feinstein wants to cut delays in customs processing at LAX
The senator tells Homeland Security agency that a shortage of immigration agents is causing security risks and unnecessary problems for travelers.

By Dan Weikel, Los Angeles Times

December 21, 2011

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Tuesday called on federal officials to find ways to eliminate long delays for passengers who go through immigration and customs processing at Los Angeles International Airport.

In a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, the California Democrat said she was concerned that a shortage of customs and immigration officers was causing unnecessary problems for travelers and increasing security risks at the nation's third busiest airport.

"According to Los Angeles World Airports, thousands of passengers arriving from long flights are experiencing delays of up to three hours due to inadequate staffing," Feinstein told Napolitano. "Furthermore, I am concerned that having a limited number of Customs and Border Protection agents available to process thousands of passengers through primary and secondary screening stations could result in the degradation of security at the airport."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1221-lax-customs-20111221,0,1709602.story

State sues for answers from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac on housing meltdown
Federal officials say Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris has no jurisdiction in her attempt to learn details about mortgage giants' handling of homes owned in California.

By Alejandro Lazo, Los Angeles Times

December 21, 2011

California Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris is suing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to force the mortgage giants to answer questions about their role in California's housing meltdown.

In two suits filed Tuesday in San Francisco County Superior Court, Harris seeks to compel the companies to respond to subpoenas from her office that have been ignored so far. Harris is seeking information about the practices by Fannie and Freddie in California as part of her ongoing investigation into the mortgage industry.

The suits ask a judge to order the two companies to answer a set of 51 questions served in November to each government-controlled company. The firms have refused to answer the questions, the suits allege, because the federal agency that oversees them says federal law preempts the state from issuing subpoenas to the two companies.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-harris-lawsuit-20111221,0,5971846.story

The following are news stories of note from California and the 24th Congressional District. Remember that some sites require registration and some sites require a subscription. Posting of news stories, editorials, or opinion pieces here are informational only and do not imply an endorsement of the authors' views by Rep. Gallegly.

Ojai horse, cattle ranchers learn of new regulations

By Zeke Barlow

Originally published 02:32 p.m., December 14, 2011
Updated 06:52 p.m., December 14, 2011

Six years after Ventura County farmers began curbing pollution that runs into waterways, horse and cattle ranchers in the Ojai Valley on Tuesday night started down a similar road to keep manure from reaching the VenturaRiver.

More than 50 ranchers, environmentalists and local leaders attended a meeting at Chaparral High School in Ojai to learn about regulations that will be placed on horse and cattle operations with the goal of cleaning up the Ventura River, where algal blooms caused in part by manure runoff are choking the river.

While environmentalists lauded the process as necessary, some ranchers said the rules are an unneeded, burdensome mandate.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/14/ojai-horse-cattle-ranchers-learn-of-02/

Section of new bridge over Highway 101 at Rice Avenue opens

By Gretchen Wenner

Originally published 11:56 a.m., December 14, 2011
Updated 05:24 p.m., December 14, 2011

Sometime around 4 a.m. Wednesday, without fanfare or ceremony, the first cars and trucks rolled across the new bridge over Highway 101 at Rice and Santa Clara avenues in Oxnard.

The interchange won't be complete until August, but the opening of the bridge's first section — as well as the southbound onramp — is expected to improve traffic flow in the area.

"I'm sure you've experienced goose bumps," said Mohamed Taleb, resident bridge engineer with AECOM, the Los Angeles firm managing construction, describing how he felt seeing the structure in use Wednesday afternoon. "It's a little emotional."
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/14/section-of-new-bridge-over-highway-101-at-rice/

County home foreclosure rate increases

By Carol Lawrence

Originally published 10:52 a.m., December 14, 2011
Updated 11:47 p.m., December 14, 2011

Ventura County's small uptick in home foreclosures in November and California's double-digit increase contrast a nationwide drop but indicate things to come, said foreclosure activity tracker RealtyTrac Inc. in Irvine.

The number of Ventura County homes in some state of foreclosure rose 5.6 percent from November 2010, while foreclosure activity in California jumped 11 percent, RealtyTrac reported.

Nationwide, foreclosure activity dropped 14 percent from a year ago. Foreclosure filings were reported on 224,394 homes last month, down slightly from October.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/14/local-foreclosure-filings-up/

State's economic recovery to lag U.S. in 2012, local forecaster says

By Rachel McGrath

Thursday, December 15, 2011

A leading Ventura County-based economic forecaster says 2012 will be "an uphill slog through a minefield."

Bill Watkins, executive director of the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, made the remark as he unveiled his 2011 fourth-quarter California and United States economic forecast. Watkins is to present the forecast today in Studio City.

"A slow, long recovery is the basic story, and the biggest mine out there is the eurozone," he said. "The Middle East is also a potential problem, and a lot of countries including China are downgrading their forecasts."
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/15/states-economic-recovery-to-lag-us-in-2012-local/

Authorities find no fraud in 2008 3rd District vote
By SCOTT STEEPLETON NEWS-PRESS CITY EDITOR
December 15, 2011 6:22 AM

Calling the presence of false registration cards the price of third party organizations assisting in registering voters, the California Secretary of State's office has apparently found that, despite claims of fraudulent registration and voting practices in the Isla Vista portion of the Third Supervisorial District in the November 2008 election, no crimes were committed.

As a result, District Attorney Joyce Dudley has decided that no criminal charges will be filed stemming from a contentious race that ultimately saw Doreen Farr prevail over Steve Pappas to succeed 3rd District Supervisor Brooks Firestone.

But did investigators give documents detailing possible fraud a sufficient airing to make their determinations?
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=LOCAL&ID=566265784943378459

Theft, fraud policy OK'd by supervisors
By NORA K. WALLACE news-press staff writer
December 15, 2011 6:22 AM

The Board of Supervisors has agreed to a new fraud, theft and loss policy with the hope of reducing cases where laptop computers disappear, equipment is used without authorization and cash goes missing from county coffers.

Recent changes in auditing standards, and the change in the economy that prompted an increase in fraud and theft, necessitated the policy, said Auditor-Controller Bob Geis.

The policy has actually been on the books since 1947 but was in need of significant updating, the auditor said.
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=LOCAL&ID=566265784943378460

New Cuyama mourns fallen soldier : Funeral services being planned for Sgt. Chris Muniz
By NORA K. WALLACE news-press staff writer
December 15, 2011 6:34 AM

The tight-knit community of New Cuyama is in mourning this week � instead of planning a homecoming from Afghanistan for their hometown warrior, residents are planning his memorial service.

Army Sgt. Christopher Muniz, 24, was killed last weekend in Kunar, Afghanistan, by an improvised explosive devise. Also killed was Spc. Ronald H. Wildrick Jr., a 30-year-old from Blairston, N.J.

Sgt. Muniz, a graduate of Cuyama Valley High School, was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat team, in the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He and Spc. Wildrick were both on their first deployments to the war zone.
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=LOCAL&ID=566265784943378465

California jobless rate to taper slowly in 2012
By STEVE SINOVIC news-press staff writer
December 15, 2011 6:31 AM

While consumers continue to be less Scrooge-like heading into this holiday season, some may be looking for a lump of coal for their Christmas stockings if they hear economist Bill Watkins' Fourth Quarter California and U.S. Economic Forecast, scheduled to be delivered today in Los Angeles.

Mr. Watkins, executive director of California Lutheran University's Center for Economic Research and Forecasting, is presenting a sobering assessment of the year ahead at the Sportsmen's Lodge Events Center in Studio City.

The forecast, released today, said the California economy is expected to lag behind the nation, which will not experience anything resembling a dramatic economic acceleration.
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=BUSINESS&ID=566265784943378463

Bullet train's travel-time mandate adds to ballooning of costs
The ballot measure for the project required that the L.A.-to-San Francisco trip take no more than two hours, 40 minutes. Achieving that would mean building more viaducts and tunnels, which are costly.

By Ralph Vartabedian and Dan Weikel, Los Angeles Times

December 15, 2011

California's proposed bullet train will need to soar over small towns on towering viaducts, split rich farm fields diagonally and burrow for miles under mountains for a simple reason: It has no time to spare.

In the fine print of a 2008 voter-approved measure funding the project was a little-noticed requirement that trains be able to rocket from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to San Francisco in no more than two hours and 40 minutes.

It was an aggressive goal, requiring cutting-edge technology, and was originally intended to protect the sanctity of the bullet train concept from political compromise. Whether the California High Speed Rail Authority can meet such a schedule is far from certain. Even some backers of the project now say it was a mistake to lock in the strict requirement.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bullet-speed-20111215,0,1729184.story

California political donor website has been down since Nov. 30
An aide to Secretary of State Debra Bowen says the system may remain offline for another 14 days as emergency contractors work on it. The database lists donations and lobbying expenditures by unions, oil firms and billionaires.

By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times

December 15, 2011

Reporting from Sacramento

California may be the home of Silicon Valley, but for most of the last two weeks state officials have been unable to handle an elementary task of the digital age: putting information online about who is giving money and gifts to politicians.

The database is older than Facebook, and it's the only easy way for the public to track special-interest influence in the Capitol and beyond. It lists donations and lobbying expenditures by unions, oil companies and billionaires, for example.

The system crashed Nov. 30 and has been offline for all but one 30-hour period since then. An aide to Secretary of State Debra Bowen said Wednesday that it may not be functional again for 14 days as she brings in emergency contractors to restore elements of the 12-year-old system and stabilize it for future use.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-state-computer-20111215,0,7530937.story

Scheduled foreclosure auctions soar in California
Banks set the clock for forced sales of more than 26,000 homes in the state in November, a 63% increase from October. Overall foreclosure notices nationwide fell last month.

By Alejandro Lazo, Los Angeles Times

December 15, 2011

Banks in November scheduled more than 26,000 homes to be sold at California foreclosure auctions, a 63% increase from October and a sign that a surge in discounted, bank-owned properties is on track to hit the market next year.

The uptick in scheduled auctions follows an increase last summer in homes entering the foreclosure process by receiving default notices and was largely driven by Bank of America. It appears that many of those homes are now quickly working their way through the process, said Daren Blomquist, a spokesman for RealtyTrac of Irvine, a data tracker that published the November data.

The increase played out nationally, hitting a nine-month high, even as overall foreclosure notices declined last month. Among the states, California had the biggest month-over-month increase in scheduled auctions, followed by Washington, 56%; Ohio, 53%; New Jersey, 44%; and New York, 38%.
http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-foreclosures-20111215,0,5393638.story

California home sales pick up from year earlier but prices fall
Home sales in California last month were off 4.2% from October but up 4% compared with November 2010. The median home price was $244,000, up 1.7% from October and down 4.3% from a year earlier.

By Alejandro Lazo, Los Angeles Times

December 15, 2011

California's housing market showed some signs of luster in November with sales picking up over the same month a year earlier, but prices declined and foreclosures remained prevalent.

Sales fell 4.2% from the prior month, though a decline from October to November is common, and compared with November 2010 they were up 4%, according to real estate research firm DataQuick. A total of 32,669 homes sold last month, about 18% below the average going back to 1988, when DataQuick's statistics begin.

The state's median home price was $244,000, up 1.7% from October and down 4.3% from November 2010.
http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-home-sales-20111215,0,3751683.story

The following are news stories of note from California and the 24th Congressional District. Remember that some sites require registration and some sites require a subscription. Posting of news stories, editorials, or opinion pieces here are informational only and do not imply an endorsement of the authors' views by Rep. Gallegly.

New Cuyama soldier killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press | Posted: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 3:19 pm

A soldier from New Cuyama in northeastern Santa Barbara County was one of two Hawaii-based soldiers killed when a bomb exploded in Afghanistan over the weekend.

The Defense Department said Tuesday that Sgt. Christopher L. Muniz of New Cuyama and Spc. Ronald H. Wildrick Jr. of Blairstown, N.J., died Sunday in Kunar province of wounds they suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device.

Both were assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks.
http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/military/new-cuyama-soldier-killed-in-afghanistan/article_7b41e5e6-25e1-11e1-ba1f-001871e3ce6c.html

New Cuyama soldier killed in Afghanistan : Muniz 15th man with SB ties to die in Afghanistan
By NORA K. WALLACE news-press staff writer
December 14, 2011 5:52 AM

A soldier from the small community of New Cuyama in northeastern Santa Barbara County was among two killed Sunday in Kunar, Afghanistan, by an improvised explosive device.

Sgt. Christopher L. Muniz, 24, was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat team, in the 25th Infantry Division at Scholfield Barracks, Hawaii. The Department of Defense disclosed his death on Tuesday. Also killed during the attack by enemy forces was Spc. Ronald H. Wildrick Jr., a 30-year-old from Blairstown, N.J.

It is the first war death for the tiny unincorporated community of New Cuyama, east of Santa Maria. The town, which is close to where Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Kern counties meet, has a population of about 517.
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=LOCAL&ID=566265218007695399

Supervisors impose SEIU wage concessions
By NORA K. WALLACE news-press staff writer
December 14, 2011 5:52 AM

Despite tearful pleas from county employees who told of having to work multiple jobs, of losing their homes and of making choices between medical care and food for their families, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday held a tough fiscal line when it came to wage concessions for its workers.

On a 4-1 vote the board, meeting in Santa Maria for its final session of the year, imposed provisions of the county's "last, best and final" offer to members of the Service Employees International Union Local 721.

The vote came after the county and union failed to reach an agreement on the wages and hours contract for the 414 employees in the Social Services, Probation, Public Health and Public Defender's departments. The contract expired in October 2010 and was extended to June 26 of this year.
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=LOCAL&ID=566265218007695402

Locally based Seabee awarded Purple Heart

By Gretchen Wenner

Originally published 04:45 p.m., December 13, 2011
Updated 06:20 p.m., December 13, 2011

A locally based Seabee received a Purple Heart last month after she was wounded in action in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Crystal McDougal, 22, was in the gunner position of a mine-resistant armored vehicle when an improvised explosive device hit it, officials say.

McDougal suffered facial and head trauma, including a concussion and a broken nose that led to a deviated septum.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/13/locally-based-seabee-awarded-purple-heart/

Brown pulls trigger on $1 billion in new state cuts

By Timm Herdt

Originally published 01:34 p.m., December 13, 2011
Updated 11:37 p.m., December 13, 2011

SACRAMENTO — After determining that revenues are falling below projections, Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday ordered that nearly $1 billion in contingency cuts contained in the state budget be triggered, a move that will eliminate funding for school buses, increase community college fees and reduce by 20 percent the hours of in-home care for low-income Californians who are elderly or disabled.

"They're not good," Brown said of the cuts. "But we have to live within our means. We don't have the money. We're going to cut back."

Most of the spending reductions will go into effect Jan. 1. Although they are significant, the $328 million in midyear cuts to schools will be much smaller than the $1.5 billion in K-12 cuts that had been projected in an independent analysis conducted last month by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/13/californias-midyear-budget-cuts-not-as-severe-as/

Southern California housing market still dragging

By Stephanie Hoops

Originally published 01:40 p.m., December 13, 2011
Updated 04:12 p.m., December 13, 2011

Local home prices remain down from a year ago as the number of sales steadily rises, a harbinger of a housing market slowly on the mend.

There are still many foreclosures and distressed sales out there, and that's what's keeping prices from rising, said Matt Mullens, an economist with the California Economic Forecast in Goleta.

"Year-over-year declines have gone down a little bit over the last couple months, so we're slowly moving in the right direction," he said. "We're anticipating prices will bottom in the late first quarter of 2012 or early in the second quarter."
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/13/southern-california-housing-market-still/

Ventura County ag pair honored for conservation techniques

By Mark Storer

Originally published 03:31 p.m., December 13, 2011
Updated 04:28 p.m., December 13, 2011

Richard Atmore doesn't sit still for very long. Even at his desk, he leans forward and slides his office chair up closer when he gets excited, which is fairly often.

Atmore, a cattle rancher, leases about 7,500 acres above Ventura on land that has been rangeland since before the Spanish came here in the late 1700s.

"I love the cattle business," said Atmore, who owns R.A. Atmore & Sons Inc. "But I don't love particular cows. I wouldn't harm one inch of this grassland to save a particular cow. I can always buy more cows. I can't always provide more rangeland."
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/13/richard-atmore-james-lloyd-butler-honored-for/

$1 billion in California budget cuts to kick in soon
California schools, libraries, prisons and disabled services will all be affected — with more to come, Gov. Jerry Brown warns.

By Anthony York and Teresa Watanabe
Los Angeles Times

December 14, 2011

Reporting from Sacramento and Los Angeles -- Gov. Jerry Brown announced nearly $1 billion in new state budget cuts, slashing spending on higher education and eliminating funding for free school-bus service but avoiding the deeper reductions to public schools that many had feared.

Services for the disabled, money for public libraries and funding for state prisons will also be pared. Most of the cuts, announced Tuesday, will take effect Jan. 1.

The reductions were built into the budget that Brown and lawmakers approved in June, set to kick in if revenue did not reach the optimistic level they had assumed. Brown warned that more cuts are around the corner, in the spending plan for 2012-13 that he will unveil next month.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-california-budget-cuts-20111214,0,184027.story

With illegal immigrants in mind, LAPD to change impound rules
The change would let unlicensed drivers summon someone with a license, who would then be allowed to drive the car away. Chief Charlie Beck calls it a fairness issue. The police union opposes the plan.

By Joel Rubin and Paloma Esquivel, Los Angeles Times

December 14, 2011

Unlicensed drivers without prior convictions would be given the chance to avoid having their vehicles impounded under new rules outlined Tuesday by the Los Angeles Police Department.

The proposed changes to the impound procedures are a potentially explosive issue because LAPD Chief Charlie Beck designed the reforms to remedy what he believes is the unfair burden that impounds place on illegal immigrants. Since immigrants who are in the country illegally cannot get driver's licenses in California and most other states, they make up the majority of the drivers who have their cars impounded for the infraction.

Beck contends that the hundreds of dollars in fees and fines that must be paid to retrieve an impounded car and the disruption to illegal immigrants' often tenuous hold on jobs deal a disproportionate blow to people "who are a valuable asset to our community and who have very limited resources."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lapd-impounds-20111214,0,5430290.story

California DUI deaths drop to record low
California also marks the biggest single-year decline in DUI deaths in 14 years. Officials credit safety campaigns.

By Angel Jennings, Los Angeles Times

December 14, 2011

The number of alcohol-related fatalities on California highways dropped to a record low last year, with the biggest single-year drop in DUI deaths in 14 years, according to a federal report released Tuesday.

The drop was largely attributable to federally funded anti-drunk driving campaigns, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

Alcohol contributed to 791 deaths in the state in 2010, a nearly 17% decline from the 950 deaths in 2009.

"Education is the key thing we use to inform the public about the reality and dangers of drunk driving," said Officer Mike Harris, a public information officer for the California Highway Patrol. "We develop programs and different awareness campaigns. Put all those things together and it's bound to have an impact."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dui-deaths-20111214,0,7321517.story

Audit faults state health officials on Medi-Cal oversight
A report by the state auditor says two agencies failed to adequately or promptly review the finances of publicly funded managed-care plans.

By Anna Gorman, Los Angeles Times

December 14, 2011

State health officials have failed to adequately or promptly review the finances of publicly funded managed-care plans responsible for serving millions of Medi-Cal recipients, according to a report released Tuesday by California's state auditor.

The state departments of Managed Health Care and Health Care Services also didn't conduct timely medical checks, intended to ensure that Medi-Cal recipients receive high-quality care, according to the report by State Auditor Elaine M. Howle.

"The beneficiaries want to make sure that their local plans are meeting the level of service that they are entitled to," said Margarita Fernandez, a spokeswoman for Howle. "Without the audits or the reviews, they can't be sure of that."
http://www.latimes.com/health/la-me-health-audit-20111214,0,4540215.story

Southland home sales rise 4.2% in November from a year earlier
Low prices for starter homes spur some bargain hunting among home shoppers in Southern California in November. Home sales rose 0.3% from October and 4.2% from November 2010.

By Alejandro Lazo, Los Angeles Times

December 14, 2011

Low prices for starter homes spurred some bargain hunting among home shoppers in Southern California last month, sending sales slightly higher.

November sales rose 0.3% from October and 4.2% from November 2010 with 16,884 homes bought across the region, according to real estate research firm DataQuick of San Diego. Sales of newly built homes suffered, declining 15.2% from a year earlier and falling to the lowest level on record for a November.

"Lower prices and amazingly low mortgage rates tempted those with the confidence to buy and the ability to qualify for a loan, or to pay cash," DataQuick President John Walsh said. "But these sales levels remain subpar, with new-home sales stuck at record lows."
http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-home-sales-20111214,0,3686146.story

The following are news stories of note from California and the 24th Congressional District. Remember that some sites require registration and some sites require a subscription. Posting of news stories, editorials, or opinion pieces here are informational only and do not imply an endorsement of the authors' views by Rep. Gallegly.

Thousand Oaks widow OKs no death penalty for Mumia Abu-Jamal

By Kathy Matheson
Associated Press

Thursday, December 8, 2011

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Maureen Faulkner waited nearly 30 years for her husband's murderer to be executed. But following a seemingly endless cycle of legal appeals, she said she realized it would never happen.

Faulkner, a Thousand Oaks resident, gave her blessing Wednesday to the decision by Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams to stop pursuing the death penalty for Mumia Abu-Jamal, whose claim that he was the victim of a racist legal system made him an international cause celebre.

The 57-year-old former Black Panther convicted of gunning down white police Officer Daniel Faulkner will now spend the rest of his life in prison, without the possibility of parole.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/08/thousand-oaks-widow-oks-no-death-penalty-for-abu/

Oxnard Army sergeant killed in Afghanistan

By Adam Foxman

Originally published 10:34 a.m., December 8, 2011
Updated 04:08 p.m., December 8, 2011

An Army sergeant from Oxnard serving the third war-zone deployment of his 16-year military career was among three soldiers killed in Afghanistan last weekend, military officials reported today.

Sgt. 1st Class Clark A. Corley Jr., 35, was killed Saturday when his unit was attacked with an improvised explosive device in Wardak province, Afghanistan, authorities said.

Corley and the other soldiers killed in the incident were assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team in Fort Bliss, Texas, authorities said.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/08/oxnard-serviceman-killed-in-afghanistan/

Ventura County foreclosure rates in September fall in comparison to last year
Home losses to banks decline

By Rachel McGrath

Friday, December 9, 2011

Foreclosure rates and delinquency rates in Ventura County were down in September compared with the same period last year, according to a leading provider of property information.

California foreclosures and delinquencies also fell from last year, says the latest data from Santa Ana-based CoreLogic.

The company says 2.16 percent of outstanding mortgages in Ventura County were in the foreclosure process in September 2011. That represents a decrease of 0.15 percentage points from September  2010.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/09/ventura-county-foreclosure-rates-in-september-in/

Editorial: If you've ever tweeted, you're in the Library of Congress

Thursday, December 8, 2011

The Library of Congress, the repository of the nation's most important literature, histories and documents, has reached an agreement with Twitter to archive every public tweet ever sent.

That means Kim Kardashian's single-woman's lament following the breakup of her short-lived marriage this year — "Can't get my boot off and I'm all by myself! Don't know what 2 do! LOL. I need someone to pull it off! Been tryin 4 20 mins!" — will join Thomas Jefferson's library and a Gutenberg Bible in the library's hushed marble precincts.

Twitter began in March 2006, and an estimated 140 million tweets are sent every day, compressing America's likes, dislikes, hookups, lunch plans, celebrity observations and such updates as "plane arriving at gate" in bursts of 140 characters or fewer.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/08/editorial-if-youve-ever-tweeted-youre-in-the-of/?opinion=1

U.S. appeals court seems unlikely to dismiss ruling against Prop. 8
A three-judge panel appears unswayed by Prop. 8 backers' argument that the judge who issued the original ruling was in an undisclosed same-sex relationship. The panel also appears reluctant to make videos of the trial public.

By Maura Dolan, Los Angeles Times

10:44 PM PST, December 8, 2011

Reporting from San Francisco

A federal appeals court appeared unlikely Thursday to throw out a ruling against Proposition 8, the 2008 California measure that banned gay marriage, on the grounds the judge was in an undisclosed, long term same-sex relationship.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has been examining Proposition 8 for more than a year, also seemed reluctant to make public the videotapes of the historic, 12-day trial on Proposition 8's constitutionality.

The panel met for two hours Thursday to hear peripheral issues in the fight over same-sex marriage: whether last year's ruling against Proposition 8 should be nullified because the judge was in a committed gay relationship and whether the videotapes of the trial should be unsealed.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1209-prop8-20111209,0,3732955.story

California ethics agency relaxes rules on gifts to politicians
The California Fair Political Practices Commission loosens restrictions on expensive gifts in cases of lobbyists dating lawmakers and for ceremonial duties at entertainment and sporting events.

By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times

9:39 PM PST, December 8, 2011

Reporting from Sacramento

State lawmakers and city council members can accept expensive gifts from lobbyists without disclosure if they are dating, and can receive meals and lodging in lobbyists' homes without telling the public, under rules approved Thursday by the state ethics agency.

In addition, officials can accept tickets to Major League Baseball games and other sports and entertainment events if they are performing a "ceremonial duty," such as throwing out the first pitch. They no longer have to report such gifts, although their government agency must do so, and now they can bring a guest. In another change, it doesn't matter how much the gift is worth.

The rules overhaul by the Fair Political Practices Commission came in the wake of politicians' complaints that they were confusing and overly intrusive.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-me-gifts-20111209,0,4388646.story

California officials vow to crack down on underground economy
Employers who pay their workers cash under the table to avoid payroll taxes, workers' compensation insurance and other government mandates are costing California about $7 billion annually in lost tax revenue and undercutting companies that play by the rules, state officials say.

By Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times

December 9, 2011

Reporting from Sacramento

A burgeoning underground economy is costing California about $7 billion annually in lost tax revenue and undercutting companies that play by the rules.

That has state officials vowing to crack down on employers who pay their workers cash under the table to avoid payroll taxes, workers' compensation insurance and other government mandates.

Agencies including the Employment Development Department and the Contractors State Licensing Board increasingly are coordinating efforts to target suspected scofflaws.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-underground-economy-20111209,0,6550311.story

The following are news stories of note from California and the 24th Congressional District. Remember that some sites require registration and some sites require a subscription. Posting of news stories, editorials, or opinion pieces here are informational only and do not imply an endorsement of the authors' views by Rep. Gallegly.

Sheriff gets OK to seek jail grant
NORA K. WALLACE NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
December 7, 2011 6:06 AM

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday gave Sheriff Bill Brown the green light to seek $80 million in state funds to build a long-sought-after North County jail, despite concerns about finding money to pay for the facility's ongoing operational costs.

"We're here today to ask you to take another major step toward the building of a much-needed additional jail facility in the North County," Sheriff Brown told the board. "As you're well aware, we have a pressing and ongoing need for additional jail capacity in our county."

While two decades worth of Grand Jury reports have indicated the need, the county is now facing an even greater need now that the prisoner-realignment program is shifting hundreds of inmates from state prisons to the County Jail near Goleta.
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=LOCAL&ID=566261386896867397

Relief from freezing temperatures coming for Ojai Valley farmers

By Adam Foxman

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

After another expected night of below-freezing temperatures, a gradual warming trend in the forecast could bring relief for Ojai Valley farmers working for days to protect their crops.

Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales said Tuesday that some citrus plants were slightly damaged when temperatures dipped below 26 degrees this week, but no fruit was damaged.

"Anything below 28 degrees damages the tissue of the plant," he said. The damage was limited to lower spots where the cold was socked in, he said.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/06/relief-from-freezing-temperatures-coming-for/

Ventura County population grew by 0.59% this year

By Timm Herdt

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

SACRAMENTO — Continuing a nine-year trend, more people moved out of Ventura County to other counties and states than moved in this year, even as the county's population grew slightly as the result of new babies being born and a small increase in foreign immigration.

Those findings were released Tuesday by the state Department of Finance in its annual county-by-county population estimates for California. Statewide, the population grew by 0.7 percent, to more than 37.5 million people.

The county's growth rate of 0.59 percent was below the statewide average but slightly ahead of its coastal neighbors in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/06/ventura-county-population-grew-by-059-this-year/

Navy base commander Jim McHugh is retiring

By Kathleen Wilson

Originally published 11:39 a.m., December 6, 2011
Updated 07:48 p.m., December 6, 2011

Capt. Jim McHugh, commanding officer of Naval Base Ventura County, said Tuesday that he will retire Feb. 24.

McHugh assumed command of the base in February 2009 after a career that included more than 2,800 flight hours and more than 400 carrier landings.

The officer, known for forming close ties with community groups in Ventura County, will be leaving the post after three years, the customary stint for base commanders. He plans to stay in Ventura County so his 15-year-old daughter, Kelsey, can continue attending La Reina High School in Thousand Oaks, where she is a sophomore.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/06/navy-base-commander-jim-mchugh-is-retiring/

Distressed sales drag down Ventura County house prices

By Rachel McGrath

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

House prices in Ventura County and the nation continued to decline, dragged down by distressed sales — a trend likely to show little improvement for at least another 12 months.

Releasing its October Home Price Index on Tuesday, Santa Ana-based CoreLogic said prices of all homes sold in Ventura County in the month were down 7.5 percent from a year ago. If distressed sales are excluded, home prices dropped 4.6 percent in October from October 2010.

"To have that impact, distressed-home sales have to be a larger share of all home sales," said Kirk Lesh, senior economist at the California Lutheran University Center for Economic Research and Forecasting.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/06/distressed-sales-drag-down-ventura-county-house/

Thousand-Oaks biotech firm says federal restrictions on its Nplate drug have been lifted

By Carol Lawrence

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration has halted the monitoring program for doctors who prescribe the drug Nplate and patients taking it, announced the drug's maker, Thousand Oaks biotechnology firm Amgen Inc., on Tuesday.

The FDA required doctors, institutions and patients to monitor the effects of Nplate starting in 2008 to determine its long-term safety in the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura, a platelet-destroying condition, when other treatments failed. An Nplate risk evaluation and mitigation strategy program also restricted distribution of the drug.

According to Amgen, the FDA determined from the program and clinical trials that patients' underlying medical conditions hurt the ability to pinpoint what role Nplate had in the negative conditions patients suffered.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/dec/06/thousand-oaks-biotech-firm-says-federal-on-its/

Californians would reject bullet train in revote, polls finds
Fifty-nine percent of registered voters would oppose the high-speed rail project because its cost has soared to more than $98 billion and the completion date has been moved from 2020 to 2033.

By Dan Weikel and Ralph Vartabedian, Los Angeles Times

6:19 PM PST, December 6, 2011

With the cost of the state's high-speed rail project rising dramatically, a new public opinion poll shows that a clear majority of California's registered voters would reject the proposal if given a second chance to vote on it today.

Released Tuesday, the poll by Field Research Corp. in San Francisco found that 64% of those surveyed want another public vote on the $98-billion project and that 59% of respondents would oppose it because of changes in its cost and completion date.

The estimated price tag for the 520-mile system between San Francisco and Los Angeles is now $98 billion to $117 billion — at least triple the initial projection of $33 billion and over double a more recent estimate of $43 billion. Planners have extended the construction deadline from 2020 to 2033.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-train-poll-20111207,0,3366380.story

Drone-maker AeroVironment reports $6.6-million quarterly profit
The Monrovia firm exceeds estimates and says the latest gains show that the Pentagon is increasing its use of small aircraft to compensate as troops are moved out of Iraq.

By W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times

December 7, 2011

Boosted by an increase in sales, Monrovia-based drone maker AeroVironment Inc. exceeded analyst estimates and reported $6.6 million in second-quarter profit, a large increase over the same period a year ago.

The company, which makes small hand-held drones for the Pentagon and charging systems for electric vehicles, posted $6.6 million in net income, or 30 cents a share, on Tuesday for the quarter ended Oct.29. That's compared with a profit of $262,000, or 1 cent a share, for the same period last year.

Analysts on average had forecast a profit of 20 cents a share.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-aerovironment-earnings-20111207,0,292164.story

The following are news stories of note from California and the 24th Congressional District. Remember that some sites require registration and some sites require a subscription. Posting of news stories, editorials, or opinion pieces here are informational only and do not imply an endorsement of the authors' views by Rep. Gallegly.

42,001 Ventura County homeowners 'underwater' on mortgages

By Stephanie Hoops

Originally published 10:15 a.m., November 29, 2011
Updated 07:38 p.m., November 29, 2011

Nearly one-quarter of Ventura County homes remain "underwater" on their mortgages, according to data released Tuesday, but some experts don't necessarily see flat home values as bad.

"Why is it important for home prices to go back up?" said Brad Kemp, director of regional research at Beacon Economics in Los Angeles. "What's best for society is prices remaining affordable. One of the biggest obstacles to economic development is really expensive housing."

Realtor Peter Greer agreed with that view.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/nov/29/42001-ventura-county-homeowners-underwater/

Strong winds coming to Southern California
Strong Santa Ana winds, with hurricane-force gusts of 80 mph or more in some areas, could cause dangerous fire conditions and hazardous driving over the next several days.

By Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times

November 30, 2011

Strong Santa Ana winds could create dangerous fire conditions in Southern California over the next several days.

The National Weather Service issued a high wind and fire watch for Wednesday evening through Saturday, with possible hurricane-speed gusts of 80 mph or more in the mountain passes of Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange counties. Gusts of more than 60 mph are possible in some lower-lying areas.

The winds, which could shape up to be the strongest offshore event the region has seen in years, are expected to reach their highest intensity Wednesday night through Friday morning, potentially toppling trees and power lines and creating hazardous driving conditions, as well as a significant fire hazard.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-wind-20111130,0,7006288.story

Bullet train funding plan faulted
The Legislative Analyst's Office says the financing plan does not fulfill key requirements of the ballot measure voters approved to authorize the project.

By Dan Weikel, Los Angeles Times

November 30, 2011

The funding plan for the California bullet train does not comply with key provisions of a ballot measure that voters approved to authorize the project and $9 billion in state bonds to help finance it, according to a report released Tuesday.

The study — by the Legislative Analyst's Office, which periodically reviews the $98-billion construction proposal — concluded that the most recent funding plan does not meet important requirements of Proposition 1A because high-speed trains cannot operate on the first stretch of track to be built next year in the Central Valley.

Before bond financing can be requested, analysts said, project officials must complete an environmental review and identify a corridor, a usable segment, all sources of committed funds and a schedule for the receipt of financing.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rail-report-20111130,0,977227.story

Home prices dip in September, ending five straight months of gains
The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index of 20 cities for September showed declines of 0.6% from August and 3.6% from September 2010.

By Alejandro Lazo, Los Angeles Times

November 30, 2011

Home prices in the nation's largest cities fell in September, a widely followed index showed, underscoring the unrelenting weakness in the housing market that could last well into next year.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index of 20 American cities, a key measure that is closely watched by economists, declined 0.6% from August to September and 3.6% from September 2010. The drop ended five months of month-over-month gains.

Analysts had expected a decline in prices given the end of the busy home-shopping season. Nevertheless, the reversal of home-price gains casts a cloud over recent data that had shown some improvement in housing, such as increased builder confidence and an uptick in building starts. With the fresh home-price data released Tuesday, several analysts noted that a recovery remains out of sight this year.
http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-home-prices-20111130,0,3352737.story

The following are news stories of note from California and the 24th Congressional District. Remember that some sites require registration and some sites require a subscription. Posting of news stories, editorials, or opinion pieces here are informational only and do not imply an endorsement of the authors' views by Rep. Gallegly.

Oxnard woman to retire at 87 after 58 years of service to her country

By Andrea Howry Staff Writer

Sunday, November 27, 2011

At age 87, and after 56 continuous years of service to her country — a total of 58 if you factor in her two years in the WAVES — Eileen Hunt is retiring from her civil service job as student services director for the Civil Engineer Corps Officers School at Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme.

"I figured this is what I need to do," said Eileen Hunt, who knew some of today's admirals when they walked out the school's doors as ensigns. "My children think I tire more easily these days. I don't think so, but they're concerned, and they're begging, so I'll do it."

Hunt, known as "Miss Eileen" or "The Commodore," could have retired 30 years ago. Instead, she showed up day after day, donating her annual leave to others and serving out what for many people would have been an entire second career.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/nov/27/oxnard-woman-to-retire-at-87-after-58-years-of/

Authorities make arrest in Camarillo kidnapping

By From staff reports

Originally published 07:56 p.m., November 26, 2011
Updated 08:38 p.m., November 26, 2011

A 25-year-old man was arrested in connection with a kidnapping that occurred earlier this month, Ventura County sheriff's officials said.

The suspect, Juan Coronado, is an undocumented immigrant who had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest, authorities said. He was taken into custody Friday after authorities issued a search warrant for a residence in Oxnard, authorities said.

About 12:50 p.m. on Nov. 17, California Highway Patrol officers and Ventura County sheriff's deputies responded to a woman running in the median of Highway 101 at Sea Cliff near Ventura, officials said.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/nov/26/man-25-arrested-in-connection-with-kidnapping/

Federal, local agencies team up to battle gangs, drugs
Task forces formed to combat crime

By Cindy Von Quednow

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Federal officials are increasingly teaming with police agencies to investigate and bring larger local cases to federal court, such as one called Operation Supernova, which recently led to arrests of numerous Ventura County gang members.

Local authorities bring knowledge of the territory and players, officials say, while federal investigators bring resources and the power of federal courts.

Over the years, task force operations involving several agencies have become more common in combating gangs, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office for the Central District of California.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/nov/24/federal-local-agencies-team-up-to-battle-gangs/

Area Air National Guard troops arrive home for Thanksgiving

By Kim Lamb Gregory

Originally published 05:03 p.m., November 23, 2011
Updated 06:38 p.m., November 23, 2011

Family members with flags and handmade "welcome home" signs trained their eyes on the southern horizon, watching for the first of two C-130J Hercules air transport planes due home Wednesday from Afghanistan.

Which is why nobody expected the C-130 to thunder over their heads from the north, prompting squeals of, "Here they come!"

The surprise flyover was by design, acknowledged the squadron commander flying the plane, Lt. Col. Bill Willson
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/nov/23/area-air-national-guard-troops-arrive-home-for/

Agromin could grow after closure of Kern County facility
Oxnard recycler able to expand its business, add jobs

By Gretchen Wenner

Originally published 08:41 p.m., November 26, 2011
Updated 08:48 p.m., November 26, 2011

The recent demise of a massive composting facility in Kern County could mean more business — and jobs — for Oxnard-based Agromin Inc.

"Everybody is trying to find new homes for the material," said Bill Camarillo, Agromin's chief executive officer. "We are a part of that solution."

Camarillo said he's been receiving "lots of phone calls" since the Kern facility's permit was revoked Nov. 15. New waste streams already have started to arrive at Agromin sites in Newhall and Orange County.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/nov/26/agromin-could-grow-after-closure-of-kern-county/

Short sales help drive down value of all homes in county
Short sales have effect on nearby home values

By Rachel McGrath

Saturday, November 26, 2011

On a recent Sunday afternoon, Realtor Joyce Zangmeister was hosting an open house in central Thousand Oaks.

Two other houses just down the street were also on the market, both distressed sales.

It's a scenario not uncommon throughout Ventura County as default notices rise and median home prices drop to the lowest levels in two years.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/nov/26/short-sales-help-drive-down-value-of-all-homes/

Krist: Citrus pest detection reinforces need for vigilance

By John Krist

Saturday, November 26, 2011

In late October, Newbury Park became the latest community to join the unfortunate roster of locations in Ventura County where a potentially devastating invasive insect pest has been found.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture confirmed that a specimen of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) had been found Oct. 27 on a trap in a residential yard near Lynn and South Reino roads, triggering an eradication effort aimed at any additional psyllid adults or nymphs on host plants within 400 meters.

The pest strikes fear into the hearts of citrus growers everywhere in the world because it can transmit a bacterial disease called Huanglongbing (HLB) that is untreatable, incurable and inevitably fatal to all varieties of citrus. The insect has been in California at least since 2008 (and probably longer).
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/nov/26/krist-citrus-pest-detection-reinforces-need-for/?opinion=1

Cash-strapped cities want workers to contribute more to pensions
As Gov. Jerry Brown calls for sweeping reforms in public-employee pensions, cities such as Santa Ana demand concessions from their employee unions.

By Catherine Saillant, Los Angeles Times

10:54 PM PST, November 27, 2011

It's business as usual at Santa Ana City Hall as residents trickle up to the counter to pay business fees, pick up a dog license or, in a newer wing next door, apply for a free solar permit.

But on the top floor of the eight-story concrete fortress, city officials in Orange County's most labor-friendly city are doing the once unthinkable: demanding big benefit concessions from their employee unions.

Getting a handle on pension costs in the county's largest city is a must, officials here say. Santa Ana is facing a $30-million deficit, has only $300,000 in reserves and is jettisoning jobs by the dozens to keep its head above water. Last year, the city paid out about $11.3 million for employee pension costs.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-city-pensions-20111128,0,1938506.story

California demographic shift: More people leaving than moving in
More people are moving out of the state than are moving in. It's the economy, of course, especially housing costs.

By Gale Holland and Sam Quinones, Los Angeles Times

November 27, 2011

For a clue to why California is losing its allure as a place to settle down, just ask Jennifer McCluer, who moved out of California in 2007 after she obtained her license in skin care.

Unable to afford Orange County's sky-high rents, she opted for Portland, Ore. "A big motivator was that I lived with roommate after roommate after roommate," said McCluer, 30. "Friends said you could probably live on your own up here. The rent was a huge deal for me."

McCluer would like to move back, but it's still too expensive. "It's really difficult," McCluer said. "I've given myself 11/2 to two years to save money."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-california-move-20111127,0,5338351.story

U.S. to extend border fence 300 feet into Pacific
The $4.3-million project between Tijuana and Imperial Beach aims to seal off space that opens when the waters recede at low tide. A steel fence 18 feet tall will replace a gap-riddled barrier.

By Richard Marosi, Los Angeles Times

9:13 PM PST, November 25, 2011

Reporting from Imperial Beach

Pounding surf and corrosive sea air have stymied efforts for years to erect a sturdy fence at the westernmost edge of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Now, the U.S. Border Patrol is trying again, with a $4.3-million project that would extend a nearly quarter-mile barrier 300 feet into the Pacific Ocean and remake one of the more scenic spots on the border.

When completed early next year, a steel fence 18 feet tall will replace a teetering, gap-riddled barrier that did little to discourage people from crossing back and forth on a wide beach linking Tijuana and Imperial Beach.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-border-fence-20111124,0,6662761.story

Death row inmates' desire to die renews debate
Legal experts are divided on whether a condemned prisoner who drops resistance to execution should be allowed a dignified end.

By Carol J. Williams, Times Staff Writer

6:58 PM PST, November 25, 2011

San Quentin, Calif.

Serial wife-killer Jerry Stanley wants to die.

Imprisoned on death row for the past 28 years, Stanley insists he deserves execution for the cold-blooded killing of his fourth wife in 1980 and for shooting to death his second wife five years earlier in front of their two children.

Despairing of the isolation and monotony of San Quentin's rooftop fortress for the purportedly doomed, Stanley earlier this year stepped up his campaign for a date with the executioner by offering to solve the cold case of his third wife's disappearance 31 years ago — by disclosing where he buried her body.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-death-row-volunteers-20111126,0,7526374.story

Ballot measure would shut state's 2 nuclear plants, analyst finds
The nonpartisan report says the closure of San Onofre and Diablo Canyon would disrupt one of the state's most reliable power sources and have profound effects on the economy. Sponsor Ben Davis Jr. needs 504,760 signatures to qualify the Nuclear Waste Act of 2012 for the ballot.

By Tony Barboza, Los Angeles Times

November 26, 2011

A state ballot initiative proposed for next fall would force California's two nuclear power plants to immediately shut down, causing rolling blackouts, spikes in electricity rates and billions of dollars in economic losses each year, a nonpartisan analyst has found.

The report by the Legislative Analyst's Office says the shutdown of San Onofre in northern San Diego County and Diablo Canyon in San Luis Obispo County would disrupt one of the state's most reliable power sources and have profound effects on government and the economy.

The two plants generate nearly 16% of California's electricity, the report says, calling them "integral parts of the state's electricity grid."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-nuclear-plants-20111126,0,7540120.story

Mileage plan for California lawmakers is pricier than providing cars
A proposal to reimburse California lawmakers for using their own cars for state business would cost more than $1 million a year, figures show. Providing lawmakers with cars, gas, repairs and insurance cost about $735,800 last year.

By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times

November 25, 2011

Reporting from Sacramento -- California lawmakers are about to lose one of their biggest perks — a car of their choice paid for mostly by taxpayers, but a legal snag could end up costing the public more.

A citizen panel appointed by the governor determined in April that the state's budget crisis, which was causing deep reductions in services to Californians, required some sacrifices by those making the cuts.

The Citizens Compensation Commission decided the state would stop buying cars, gas, maintenance and insurance for legislators — who repay a portion of the purchase price — and instead gave them a $300-a-month transportation allowance.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cars-legislature-20111125,0,7583865.story

Push against redistricting maps moves forward
Republican activists turn in enough signatures to put on the ballot a measure that would overturn some new voting districts. But the signatures may not be verified in time to affect next year's elections.

By Jean Merl, Los Angeles Times

November 25, 2011

Republican activists trying to overturn some new voting districts cleared a significant hurdle toward putting the issue on the ballot by turning in petitions bearing hundreds of thousands of signatures.

But the next step — verification of those names by county elections officials — could take long enough to stymie the proponents' goal of getting new state Senate districts drawn by the state Supreme Court in time for next year's elections.

Secretary of State Debra Bowen has said that vetting all the signatures could take until mid-March, after the Feb. 23 deadline for some candidates to file for the June primary. The timing could mean that the maps drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission would be used until voters could weigh in on the November ballot.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-redistricting-20111125,0,6826135.story