February 2, 2012
Lobbying in California is exploding as special interests spend a record amount of cash lobbying Sacramento lawmakers — a shocking $285.6 million . Over the last 12 months, the dollar amount spent on lobbying California legislators was not up by only a few bucks — it jumped a full 6 percent over 365 days. Top 10 Biggest Spenders on Lobbying in California: California Teachers Association California State Council of Service Employees Western States Petroleum Association City of Vernon Kaiser Health Plan Chevron California Chamber of Commerce California Hospital Association California Manufacturers and Technology Association AT&T “Californians should be worried that their voices may be drowned out by lobbyists who outnumber legislators 16-to-1,” warns the nonprofit California Common Cause . That may be one of the reasons why so many Californians apparently want a part-time California Legislature . L O B B Y I N G
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January 17, 2012
The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) has announced a crack down on the world’s best surfers, enforcing an anti-doping policy to force professional surfers to be more, well, professional. more › Here is the original post: Shred With A Clear Head: Pro Surfers Subject To New Anti-Doping Policy
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December 8, 2011
Nicole Buczek is a 24-year-old Upland High School graduate with a business degree from UC Davis who has has always believed in “happily ever after.” Last year, Nicole and her mother, Sandra Buczek of Upland, decided they wanted to be a part of as many fairytale weddings as possible and founded Sandra Nicole Designs, a bridal accessory business … (more) Go here to read the rest: Bridal accessory business focuses on custom headpieces
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December 8, 2011
The City Council and the Beverly Hills Police Officers Association have reached an agreement for a new five-year employment contract. Months of negotiations were concluded with the two parties tentatively agreeing to a 1 percent overall increase in salary and a two-tiered retirement program. “The security of Beverly Hills citizens is the most important service the city provides,” Mayor Barry Brucker said in a statement. “We are delighted to have reached this important milestone and agreed on a fair compensation package for our police officers that also complements our goals for fiscal responsibility and sustainability for the city.” Some features of the tentative agreement include: Starting Jan. 1, 2014, all employees will begin paying a part of the employer contribution to their pensions. This contribution will be phased in over the contract period. Pension contributions will reach 4 percent by the end of the five-year contract. With phased-in, cost-of-living pay increases of 5 percent, the total increase in compensation over the five-year contract is 1 percent. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, all employees will have available an array of benefits to choose from. If a medical plan exceeds a preset limit, the additional amount will be paid for by the employee. The two-tiered retiree benefit changes include: Employees hired after July 1, 2012, can retire at age 55 with a pension based on 3 percent of their salary for each year of service. Employees hired after July 1, 2012, will base their pension on the average of their three highest salary years, rather than the single highest year. Employees hired after March 1, 2012, will have a defined contribution toward a retiree medical health savings account. The Beverly Hills Police Officers Association currently represents 118 sworn police officers. “The members of the Beverly Hills Police Officers Association are excited that we have reached this tentative agreement with the city,” BHPOA President Sgt. Terry Nutall said in a statement. “Our members truly value the opportunity to serve in a community that supports its police department like no other.” Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook . Continued here: City, Police Agree to New Employment Contract
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October 26, 2011
The Beverly Hills Firemen’s Association represents the city’s 77 full-time, professional firefighters and paramedics. The organization operates three stations 24-hours a day and responds to more than 6,000 incidents a year. The group would like to share the following safety tips with residents in an effort to help our community protect itself in case of an emergency: Discuss what to do in an evacuation. When told by officials, go immediately to a shelter as instructed or to the home of a friend or relative who lives out of the area. Find out about your local shelters beforehand. Know evacuation routes. Pre-establish several different routes in case certain roads are blocked or closed. Family members can become separated during an emergency. Be prepared by creating a plan for how to reach one another. Establish an out-of-area contact (such as a relative or friend) who can coordinate family members’ locations and information should you become separated. Make sure children learn the phone numbers and addresses, and know the emergency plans. Quiz children every six months so they remember what to do, where to go and whom to call in an emergency. Decide how to take care of pets. Pets are not allowed in places where food is served, so you will need to have a place to take your pets if you have to go to a shelter. Post emergency phone numbers (fire, police, ambulance, etc.) by the phone. Assemble a family disaster supplies kit that includes water, non-perishable food items, medical supplies and a flashlight, and keep a smaller one in the trunk of your vehicle. Do you have any other safety tips to share? Please post them in the comments section below. The above information is from the The Beverly Hills Firemen’s Association website . Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook . Read the original here: City Firefighters Offer Tips on Disaster Preparedness
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October 16, 2011
BEVERLY HILLS – Gov. Jerry Brown said Thursday that the school testing program he proposed overhauling in last year’s gubernatorial campaign is a “good system” he will keep intact. See the original post: Jerry Brown calls California’s school testing program
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October 16, 2011
A group that represents 35,000 doctors in the state is calling for the legalization of marijuana at the federal level. The California Medical Association, a lobbying group for doctors in the state, fights tooth and nail to protect doctors’ rights to treat their patients the best way they know how. The doctors’ group is complaining that right now federal policy is getting in the way of their work. more › See the original post here: Docs for Pot: State’s Largest Doctors’ Group Calls For Legalization
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October 16, 2011
The California Medical Association , the state’s largest doctor group, has shocked the nation by officially calling for legalization of marijuana. The CMA, which represents 35,000 physicians statewide, has adopted their pro-legalization position as the first major medical association in America to urge marijuana legalization. The statewide doctors’ association proposes that cannabis be regulated in the same manner as alcohol and tobacco currently are. The California Medical Association’s announcement is predictably receiving opposition from law enforcement bureaucrats in the state. “I wonder what they’re smoking,” said John Lovell of the California Police Chiefs Association. “It’s just an unbelievably irresponsible position.” Law enforcement has a political and economic interest in keeping California jails at maximum capacity, say critics. The U.S. government considers cannabis as having “no medical use”, however, the California Medical Association now wants the Obama administration to reclassify marijuana to promote further research on the potential of cannabis as medicine. The feds recently rejected a request to reclassify marijuana, but the decision is currently being appealed in federal court by advocates for marijuana legalization. Today, the federal government is cracking down on California’s medical marijuana industry with threats to prosecute property owners who rent buildings to medical marijuana dispensaries. U.S. federal law continues to prohibit the sale or possession of marijuana, while California upholds its state law that classifies possession of less than one ounce of weed as an infraction, not a misdemeanor. Doctors across America have called for further marijuana research, and the American Medical Association has called for the federal government to ease restrictions on cannabis research. Of all the AMA state affiliate organizations, though, it is the California Medical Association now calling for the full legalization of marijuana. California Marijuana Legalization Read the rest here: CA Medical Assoc. Urges Pot Legalization
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