President Barack Obama is preparing legislation that he says will "jump-start" business hiring. I hope that will work. While the economy has been improving, that has not included getting more people back to work. Until the jobless rate is substantially reduced, the recovery will not hit middle America.
The White House [...]
With President Barack Obama's speech Tuesday committing additional troops to Afghanistan, he how owns this war. No looking back to President George W. Bush. It's time to get the job done.
The Fresno Bee editorial board lays out its position on Afghanistan in today's editorial. Click here to read the [...]
Some are wondering how Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's pick for lieutenant governor would vote on drilling off the Santa Barbara coast. The LG is an ex-officio member of the State Lands Commission, which has jurisdiction. A previous vote failed, with then-LG John Garamendi as the swing vote in opposition. But the [...]
All the way to Temperance, according to a couple of my trusted sources. I know which way I'll be driving home this evening!
' [...]Later today, a downtown stadium deal that officials say will keep the Fresno Grizzlies solvent will be unveiled before the City Council.
People seem to be deeply divided on how far the city should go to help the Grizzlies. The Bee Editorial Board has supported giving the team a [...]
California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, a Republican candidate for governor, says insurance companies doing business in California have invested $12 billion in Iran's defense, nuclear, energy and banking industries.
That also makes them indirect investors in Iranian-sponsored terrorism.
It's bad enough that the insurance companies gouge us in our premiums, but then [...]
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee defended commuting the sentence of a convict accused in the slayings of four Seattle-area police officers. "If I could have known nine years ago that this guy was capable of something of this magnitude, obviously I would never have granted the commutation," Huckabee said in [...]
Last night as I drove home from work, police lights came on behind me. We were mired in backed up stop-sign traffic near Olive and Fowler, so I knew the lights were for me.
Saying I drive fairly cautiously would be an understatement, so this was the first time I've been' [...]
Word leaking out of Washington, D.C., has President Barack Obama increasing the troop levels in Afghanistan. Obama will explain his war strategy to Americans on Tuesday during a national broadcast from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Obama began telling military, Congressional and foreign leaders of his decision on [...]
For the past several years, The Bee's editorial page has been pushing for reform of the public employee pension programs run by the state and local governments. The problem is that government officials have awarded pension benefits that are ultimately unsutainable unless tax dollars go only to support retirement benefits [...]
UPDATE on 12/01/09
Tiger Woods is determined to be at fault for the car crash outside his home. The Florida Highway Patrol cites the golf great for "careless driving" in concluding its investigation. Criminal charges will not be filed against him. Woods faces a $164 fine.Golfer Tiger Woods canceled an interview [...]
As we enter the Christmas season and celebrate what this season is really about, let's not forget those who are victims of domestic violence. Unfortunately, abuse increases during the holidays. Our editorial today explains how you can help victims, and how you can get help if you are a victim [...]
Now that most of us have consumed (or over-consumed) our Thanksgiving meals, the next step is planning how early to get up tomorrow for the Black Friday sales. How many of you will be out early hitting the stores to get some hot deals? Looking for a new computer or [...]
Now that Attorney General Jerry Brown is running for governor again, it's time that he help change a law that locked up his gubernatorial papers for 50 years, or until his death. Voters need to be able to examine the inner workings of his first administration -- from 1975 to [...]
UPDATE
KMJ radio officials knock down the possibility of Ray Appleton leaving the top-rated station to run for Congress. Appleton will be at KMJ "for a good long time," station officials say.
Longtime KMJ radio host Ray Appleton suggested today on his Facebook page that he might run for Congress when he [...]
Last night/early this morning, I took part in a crazy ceremony, welcoming home a runner who just completed his goal of running a marathon in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia.
John Volkman, a high school librarian and head coach for the Central California chapter of [...]
President Barack Obama reportedly is getting ready to announce whether he will commit thousands of new U.S. troops to the stalemated war in Aghanistan. The president met with his war council again Monday night, according to news reports, and could announce his decision by next week.
The president must decide [...]
Our post earlier today that Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, was probably going to be named lieutenant governor was right on the mark. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said late this afternoon that he will nominate Maldonado to the post. Here's the Sacramento Bee story on the LG decision. He did [...]
UPDATED
It appears that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has narrowed his nomination for lieutenant governor to Sen. Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto, and Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria. That's the simple political math in a calculation that others have made way too complicated. A decision is expected by tomorrow. There's an outside chance [...]
TMZ.com, the celebrity Web site, caught Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger parking his Porsche in a red zone in Beverly Hills this weekend. Click here to see the TMZ photos of the governor and his Porsche. I also don't see a front license plate on the Porsche. Isn't that illegal, or [...]
The census required by the U.S. Constitution comes next year and we need to count every resident in our region so that we get our fair share of state and federal funds. Otherwise, our taxes are subsidizing other regions that do a better job of counting their residents. Most government [...]
It's Thanksgiving week and that's the time that Fresno State fans traditionally talk about getting rid of Bulldogs coach Pat Hill. Who cares if this year's team is 7-4 overall, 6-2 in the Western Athletic Conference and will go to a bowl game? Let's also ignore [...]
Longtime Fresno lawyer Phil Fullerton says it's the right decision to hold the trials of the five terrorists in federal court in New York: "Political attacks on the Obama administration's decision to hold the trial of five terrorists in federal court in New York rather than have a trial before" [...]
California Attorney General Jerry Brown ruled Thursday that the California Citizens Compensation Commission can cut the salaries of state lawmakers, setting in motion an 18% pay cut for members of the Assembly and Senate. The salary reduction will take effect Dec. 7, and reduce legislators' pay from $116,208 a' [...]
The news is not good for President Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats on the political front. Obama's popularity has dropped below 50% in public opinion polls and independents, who often provide the margin of victory in national elections, aren't backing Democratic policies.
That suggests big problems for Democrats in next year's [...]
The Amtrak trip to San Diego is about two hours longer than driving, but it's a lot less stressful than maneuvering your car through Southern California traffic. I visited my daughter in San Diego over the weekend to see her new apartment, and took the [...]
I can really relate to this column last week by Paul Silva: Tethered by texts -- new parent/child bond:
"On a typical weekend, I type more words to my younger son than I speak to him." But unlike the author -- "This is not an optimal form of" [...]UPDATED
The water bond passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to repair California's water system. Most Californians don't think there's a water crisis because they can turn on their taps and sprinklers and out comes the water. But one break in the crumbling water' [...]
A recent Bee letter writer criticized police officers. Not surprisingly, that brought on a barrage of letters in support of the police. You can read the letters by clicking here.
Here's part of one of the letters:
"In response to V. Diane Corbin's question, "What would you tell your child [...]
In this five-minute video clip, California First Lady Maria Shriver touts ice cream called "Lovin' Scoopful" on The Colbert Report to benefit Special Olympics. Shriver also is asked about her recent illegal cell phoning, whether the job of California First Lady is really that interesting, and her husband's odd breakfasts.' [...]
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will visit troops in Iraq next week, according to The Sacramento Bee. Schwarzenegger visited the troops before he was governor, but this will be the first time he'll go as California's chief executive.
Here's more from the SacBee story:
Schwarzenegger previously visited troops on United Service Organizations-sponsored tours' [...]
"Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die." ~Dwight D. Eisenhower
On this day, I give [...]
HandsOn Central California is partnering with the city of Fresno to host Serve Fresno Day beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday. This is a time when families, businesses, church leaders and community members join together as part of a movement to strengthen families, our community, local businesses and non-profit organizations.
Serve Fresno [...]
I love San Francisco. But I sure couldn't live there if my car were my primary mode of transportation. The great thing about a big city like San Francisco is you can function, even thrive, without a car.
I just spent the weekend there, the second one I've [...]
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger offered an idea Monday that he says might have less political opposition than building a peripheral canal to transport water around the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. It would be an underground canal -- similar to the one in his movie "Total Recall." The governor actually [...]
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger gave his take on California's water challenges, the state budget problems and who might be the next lieutenant governor during a 61-minute meeting with The Bee's editorial board Monday. He went to The Bee after signing a part of the water reform package during a ceremony at [...]
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be at Friant Dam at 2 p.m. today to sign the package of water reform bills. The package includes an $11.1 billion bond to build dams and pay for other water infrastructure improvements. The bond will have to be approved by voters at next November's general' [...]
Today's editorial discusses the many failures of the parole system that led to the kidnapping and holding of Jaycee Lee Dugard for 18 years. There were many missed opportunities for parole agents to discover that Dugard was being held captive by Phillip Garrido.
Click here to read the complete editorial.
"The" [...]
Mark W. Holmerud, bishop of the Sierra Pacific synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and John T. Steinbock, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno, wrote a commentary in today's Fresno Bee calling on Congress to reform health care. You can click here to read the [...]
Comedian Paul Rodriguez, who helped lead the California Latino Water Coalition, appeared with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at an event in Los Angeles today. He suggested the next dam be named after Schwarzenegger, and talked about the water coalition:
Some of you are wondering, what the hell am I doing here? I [...]One of the criticisms of the $11.1 billion water bond is that California has passed so many bonds that the financially strapped state won't be able to handle the annual debt service on this huge bond. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said the bond is structured in a way that will make' [...]
Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, has moved to the top of the lieutenant governor list. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will make the appointment now that Democrat John Garamendi is going to Congress. That shows the lack of clout in the Lt. Guv job, by the way. Garamendi would rather be one [...]
UPDATED
State Sen. Dave Cogdill, the Modesto Republican, played a crucial role in representing San Joaquin Valley water and farming interests in the historic water legislation passed this morning by the Legislature. He kept the negotiators' attention on the need for a bond to pay for storage facilities, including dams and' [...]
UPDATED
This just in from Mayor Ashley Swearengin's office: "Eddie J. Aubrey of Federal
Way, Wash., who has 29 years of public service experience as a former police officer,
deputy prosecuting attorney and judge, as the city of Fresno's first director of the Office of Independent Review."
That means there will be some disruption to the normal traffic flow this weekend, especially from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday morning, in Northeast Fresno and Clovis. Plan ahead: How will you get to your church that morning, if that's part of your Sunday routine?
A lot of [...]
Supporters of gay marriage lost a crucial vote in Maine Tuesday in an election that had national implications on the trend toward acceptance of same-sex marriage. Maine's voters repealed a state law that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed. But this is what has supporters of gay marriage [...]
In response to my blog posting on Sunday criticizing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his administration for the problems on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and other infrastructure challenges in the state, the administration just emailed this statement. It is from Dale Bonner, the governor's cabinet secretary for California's Business, [...]
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger could be choosing his own lieutenant governor if a special congressional election goes as predicted on Tuesday. Lt. Gov. John Garamendi is expected to win the 10th Congressional District seat, That would vacate the lieutenant governor's post.
The Sacramento Bee reports a long list of possible appointments, [...]
Radio talker Rush Limbaugh said on Fox News Sunday that President Barack Obama has a big ego. This is a subject that Limbaugh has some expertise in.
"I think he's got an out-of-this-world ego," said Limbaugh. "He's very narcissistic. And he's able to focus all attention on him all the time." [...]
