California

Progressives vie with ‘mod squad’ for power in California Legislature

Published

3 years ago

May 23, 2022

Progressives vie with ‘mod squad’ for power in California Legislature

Democrats have super-duper majorities in each homes of the California Legislature, which suggests its few Republican members are fully irrelevant.

Nonetheless, the Capitol nonetheless seethes with political intrigue as left-leaning Democrats vie with moderates for management of the legislative agenda.

This 12 months’s elections, starting with the June 7 main, are a very yeasty venue for the perennial battle, occurring after all 120 legislative districts have been redrawn and with time period limits and private ambitions making a dozens of open districts.

Progressives complain that moderates, recognized colloquially because the “mod squad,” have performed the bidding of company pursuits and thwarted efforts to develop providers and monetary help for the poor, tighten environmental regulation and broaden rights for employees.

“We haven’t been in a position to cross vital payments to handle local weather change, our housing disaster, financial inequity, or healthcare in years,” a Braveness California consultant stated throughout a latest progressive conclave.

“That’s as a result of firms and particular pursuits have been in a position to successfully insert themselves between communities and their elected leaders and create a high-stakes pay-to-play system right here in California. “We nonetheless wrestle to get to 41 votes within the Meeting and 21 votes within the Senate, invoice after invoice.”

As progressives elevate cash from kindred pursuits for his or her candidates this 12 months, mod squad operatives are brazenly interesting to enterprise teams for help, warning that good points by the left might generate a slew of pricey regulation, mandate and tax laws.

The battle initially erupted within the late Nineteen Nineties as Republican legislators grew to become an endangered species and Democrat Grey Davis grew to become governor following 16 years of Republican governors.

Enterprise teams, realizing they might now not depend on Republicans to guard their pursuits, started cultivating a cadre of business-friendly Democrats. The California Chamber of Commerce led the hassle, which included creating an annual “job killer” listing of payments deemed to be anti-business.

The marketing campaign has value thousands and thousands of {dollars} however has staved off numerous billions of {dollars} in pricey laws. About 90% of “job killer” payments have been defeated or been neutralized, thanks largely to mod squad affect, notably within the Meeting. Progressive causes, starting from shutting down the oil trade to single-payer well being care, have been stalled.

Progressives hopes soared when Gavin Newsom was elected governor in 2018 with their enthusiastic help, fueled by his strident help for its causes. As governor, nonetheless, Newsom has traveled a extra centrist course, permitting single-payer well being care payments to die within the Meeting, refusing to close down petroleum extraction and even vetoing some progressive agenda measures.

Two info of legislative life add much more urgency to this 12 months’s progressive-moderate duels: Time period limits will drive dozens of incumbents out over the subsequent couple of election cycles, together with Meeting Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate President Professional Tem Toni Atkins. Which faction prevails this 12 months thus will achieve a bonus because the Legislature and its management flip over.

A key aspect of the ability wrestle has been a change in how California conducts its elections, shifting from closed partisan primaries to a system wherein candidates that end 1-2 face one another within the November election no matter occasion.

The closed system favored candidates on the ideological margins – probably the most liberal Democrats and probably the most conservative Republicans. With the top-two system, positioned on the 2010 poll by a maneuver engineered by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, moderates have a greater likelihood of incomes a spot on the November poll and interesting to a broader vary of voters.

That’s how the moderates have made good points and that’s why the progressives really feel embattled and see a possibility to recoup this 12 months.

CalMatters is a public curiosity journalism enterprise dedicated to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it issues. For extra tales by Dan Walters, go to Commentary.

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California

Where are mandatory evacuation orders in place for California wildfires? See maps

Published

1 hour ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Where are mandatory evacuation orders in place for California wildfires? See maps

Mandatory evacuation orders remained in effect Thursday morning as wildfires continued to rage across parts of Southern California.

The deadly fires broke out this week and have destroyed more than 1,000 homes, businesses, and other structures, according to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. As of Thursday morning, at least five deaths had been confirmed, and nearly 250,000 were without power in the region, according to the USA TODAY power outage tracker.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency this week as more than 100,000 people have been forced to flee homes and evacuate the area.

The fires − Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Lidia, and Sunset − have burned thousands of acres and continue to spread due to humidity and dry vegetation, authorities said. Before the fires started, the National Weather Service issued its highest alert for extreme fire conditions in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

As of Thursday morning, Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, and Sunset fires were at zero containment, while firefighters had contained 10% of the Hurst Fire and 40% of the Lidia Fire.

Here’s where evacuation orders are in place for California and how to stay up-to-date on the latest.

Where are evacuation orders in place for the Palisades Fire?

Evacuation orders were in place from Malibu to Santa Monica, including Topanga State Park and stretching into the city as far south as Montana Avenue, as of just after 4:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, according to Cal Fire.

Wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour are expected to continue through Thursday in that area, CAL Fire reported online, “potentially aiding in further fire activity and suppression efforts.”

View an interactive map of Palisades Fire evacuation orders and warnings on the Cal Fire website.

Where are evacuation orders in place for the Hurst Fire?

Evacuation orders were in place for the San Fernando Valley, specifically at the Michael D. Antonovich Open Space Preserve, Stetson Ranch Park and Whitney Canyon Park, about 4:45 a.m. local time on Thursday, according to Cal Fire. Evacuation warnings were in place just north and south of the area.

View an interactive map of Hurst Fire evacuation orders and warnings on the Cal Fire website.

What are the evacuation orders in place for the Lidia Fire?

As of just after 4 a.m. local time on Thursday, no evacuation orders were in effect in connection to the Lidia Fire.

But Soledad Canyon Road between Agua Dulce Canyon Road and Crown Valley Road remained closed, CAL FIRE reported, as well as the entire Angeles National Forest for public safety and the protection of natural resources. The forest will remain closed through Jan. 15 at midnight.

View an interactive map of Lidia Fire on the Cal Fire website.

What are the evacuation orders in place for the Sunset Fire?

“The majority of the evacuation zone for the Sunset Fire is lifted with the exception of the area North of Franklin Ave from Camino Palmero St (East border) to North Sierra Bonita Ave. (West border)”, according to Cal Fire.

Where are evacuation orders in place for the Eaton Fire?

Evacuation orders were in place, as of about 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, for areas near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive, Altadena and Pasadena, Cal Fire reported.

Evacuation warnings were in place for areas just west and south of the area.

View an interactive map of Eaton Fire evacuation orders and warnings on the Cal Fire website.

Contributing: Greta Cross, USA TODAY

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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California

Jamie Lee Curtis fights back tears on ‘Tonight Show’ over California wildfire ‘catastrophe’ near her home: ‘It’s f–king gnarly, guys’

Published

9 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Jamie Lee Curtis fights back tears on ‘Tonight Show’ over California wildfire ‘catastrophe’ near her home: ‘It’s f–king gnarly, guys’

Jamie Lee Curtis fought back tears as she detailed the “catastrophe” of the Palisades Fire near her California home when she appeared on “The Tonight Show” Wednesday.

“As you know, where I live is on fire right now. Literally, the entire city of the Pacific Palisades is burning. I flew here last night. I was on the plane and started getting texts. It’s f–king gnarly, you guys,” Curtis said.

“It’s a catastrophe in Southern California. Obviously there has been horrific fires in many places. This is literally where I live. Everything.”

Curtis said she had “many, many, many” friends who have lost their homes in the devastation of the fires.

“It’s a really awful situation,” she added.

The 66-year-old added she was flying home first thing Thursday to be with her family and friends.

The Academy Award-winning actress, who lives in Los Angeles with her husband Christopher Guest, took to Instagram earlier Wednesday to share with her followers that her home was “possibly” on fire.

“My community and possibly my home is on fire,” the actress wrote in the post. “My family is safe. Many of my friends will lose their homes. Many other communities as well.”

“Take care of each other,” she told her followers. “Stay out of the way and let the firefighters do their work. Pray if you believe in it and even if you don’t, pray for those who do.”

Stay up to date with the NYP’s coverage of the terrifying LA-area fires

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The Emmy winner is one of tens of thousands of people who have been forced to flee their homes in Pacific Palisades and neighboring areas.

Four fires have exploded in Los Angeles County, taking over 27,000 acres of land with zero containment in the Palisades, Eaton and Sunset fires.

The Hurst Fire is 10 percent contained, officials announced.

The fires are being fueled by strong winds, “dry fuels” and low humidity.

The “Halloween” star isn’t the only Hollywood figure whose home is under threat due to the fires.

Harrison Ford was seen talking to police as he attempted to get through to check on his $12.6 million Brentwood home he had evacuated because of the raging blaze.

Ford’s “Star Wars” co-star Mark Hamill was forced to flee his Malibu home Tuesday as the fire bore down on the area.

The 73-year-old actor detailed his hour-long “last minute” evacuation from Malibu as he experienced the most horrific fire since 1993.

Other LA-based celebrities have been forced to evacuate their homes amid the crisis, including “This Is Us” star Mandy Moore, “Schitt’s Creek” star Eugene Levy and “Once Upon a Time in America” actor James Woods.

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California

Maps: See how large the California wildfires are

Published

17 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Maps: See how large the California wildfires are

Multiple major wildfires are leaving a trail of destruction and death in the Los Angeles area.

A handful of wildfires kicked up Tuesday, powered by high winds and dry conditions , and have exploded in size. As of Tuesday afternoon, 2 people have been killed and more than 80,000 people have been evacuated.

Follow live coverage here.

The maps below show the size and status of the fires. They will be updated frequently.

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