Some California Place Names That Puzzle

There are some redundant and silly California place names, sometimes in Spanish and sometimes caused by the combination of Spanish and English words.

As pointed out in a previous post, La Brea Tar Pits means “The Tar Tar Pits.”

Also from the redundancy file is El Cerrito Hills: “Little Hill Hills.”    Read more »

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Presidential Primary Moves from February Back to June

Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation June 29 to end California’s experiment with a February presidential primary.

Adding the third election in 2008  — an attempt to give California more clout in the selection of a presidential candidate — cost more than $96 million.

Said the bill’s author, Assemblyman Paul Fong, a Mountain View Democrat:

“Current law is out of compliance with national party rules and requires California to hold three separate statewide elections in 2012, imposing a huge cost on the state and local governments at a time when our fiscal situation is in crisis.     Read more »

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Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom Pushes Ambitious Economic Development Plan

Export more, increase innovation, get greener and manufacture more of what is invented in-state, are the cornerstones of an economic development plan being unveiled today (July 29) in San Jose by Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom.

Nine months in the making, the 30-page Economic Growth and Competitiveness Agenda for California lays out a general strategy to improve the state’s economic condition and competitiveness as well as a few specific steps to implement it.    Read more »

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Guess Who Helped Launch Jerry Brown’s Statewide Political Career?

California’s Republican Secretary of State, Frank M. Jordan, died in office on March 29, 1970. He had held the office since 1943.

His father, Frank C. Jordan, was Secretary of State from 1910 to January 18, 1940. He also died in office but not before setting the record for longest continuous service of any Secretary of State in the nation.    Read more »

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Penalties For Animal Neglect Increased Under New law

Under a bill signed July 26 by Gov. Jerry Brown, the misdemeanor penalty for animal neglect is increased to the misdemeanor penalty for animal cruelty.

California’s critters and consumers should be grateful for this, according to Sen. Ted Lieu, the Torrance Democrat who carried the bill.

“Animal abuse is generally divided into two main categories: Animal cruelty and animal neglect,” Lieu said in a statement when his measure, SB 917, passed the Senate in May.    Read more »

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Gov. Brown Nominates Goodwin Liu to California Supreme Court

From the Governor’s Press Office:

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. nominated Goodwin Liu, Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley Law School, to the state Supreme Court today (July 26).

Liu, 40, previously was nominated by President Obama to serve on the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which is based in San Francisco but Liu withdrew his nomination two months ago after a Republican filibuster prevented senators from voting on his confirmation.    Read more »

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Brown Signs Legislation to Allow Non-Residents to be Buried in Davis Cemeteries

The Davis Cemetery District can now bury up to 500 persons who aren’t residents of the district at the 820 Pole Line Road cemetery, thanks to legislation signed July 25 by Gov. Jerry Brown.

According to the measure’s author — Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, a Davis Democrat — the bill is needed because the Jewish section of the cemetery is nearly full.    Read more »

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Caffeinated Beer Ban — A Solution in Search of a Problem

Legislation to ban the importation, production, manufacture, distribution or sale of beer to which caffeine is added, awaits action by Gov. Jerry Brown.

It is a solution in search of a problem.

Much media attention has been focused on California’s move to ban these allegedly dangerous drinks whose labels and advertising campaigns are aimed at a youthful audience.    Read more »

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State Unemployment Climbs .1 Percent in June to 11.8 Percent

SACRAMENTO — California’s unemployment rate increased to 11.8 percent in June, and non-agriculture jobs increased by 28,800 during the month, according to data released July 22 by the California Employment Development Department from two separate surveys.

The US unemployment rate also increased in June, to 9.2 percent.

In May, the state’s unemployment rate was 11.7 percent.    Read more »

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New Car Sales Gains Lower in Second Quarter But Some Mitigating Factors

New retail vehicle registrations increased 19.8 percent in California during the first half of 2011, compared with the first half of 2010, the California New Car Dealers Association announced July 21 that

Although California’s new car dealers report more buyers compared with last year, second quarter sales dramatically slowed due to vehicle inventory shortages resulting from the Japanese earthquake and the anticipated lowering of the state sales tax rate by 1 percent on July 1.    Read more »

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