Lower Lake
Democratic Club meets Oct. 10
Lake County Democratic Club meets at 6:30 on Wednesday, October 10, 2018, in Lower Lake. On the heels of a record breaking fundraising event , Democratic Club members are in full campaign mode, according to club organizers. Members invited others to come help write postcards for their local endorsed candidates as well as Congressional candidates in other California districts. Facts about propositions will be available. The Lake County Democratic Club meets every second Wednesday at 6:30 pm in the Social Hall of the United Methodist Church, 16255 2nd Street, Lower Lake. All meetings are open to the public. Membership is open to registered Democrats and dues are $20 annually. Lake County Democratic Club is an officially chartered club of the Democratic Party of Lake County. Visit the webpage at www. lakecountydemocraticclub.org. Contact the club at lakecodemclub@gmail.com
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Hidden Valley Lake
Olson to speak at LCRWF
“General Election Ballot Measures” will be discussed by Allison Olson, professional advocate for Republican policies in Sacramento, at Lake County Republican Women, Federated (LCRWF) October 10 buffet luncheon meeting at Greenview Restaurant, 19210 Hartmann Road, Hidden Valley Lake.
Allison Olson joined the California Federation of Republican Women as Advocate in 2009. Allison tracks and analyzes California state legislation, speaks to Republican Women’s clubs up and down the state, and keeps the members of the Federation educated and informed on what is happening in Sacramento.
Olson is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, with a degree in Political Science. Allison was the Deputy Finance Director for the McClintock for Congress campaign before coming to work for the CFRW.
Attendees should arrive by 11:15. All Registered Republicans, men and women, are welcome at LCRWF meetings.
For more information or request a reservation, please call 707-998-3280 by Oct. 3.
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Lake County
Lake County Public Services announced today that the Eastlake Landfill, will be closed Monday, October 8, 2018 in observance of the Columbus Day holiday. The Landfill and Public Services office will re-open Tuesday, October 9, 2018. Normal operating hours at the landfill are 7:30 am to 3 pm daily. The Public Services office is normally open Monday through Thursday 8 am to 5 pm. If residents have any questions regarding this subject or any of the solid waste issues in LakeCounty, they are asked to please call (707) 262-1618.
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Parks & Rec. committee meeting cancelled
Notice was given by deputy city clerk Hilary Britton that the regular meeting of the Lakeport Parks & Recreation Committee, previously scheduled for Thursday, October 4 at 3 p.m. has been cancelled due to staff availability. The next scheduled regular meeting is Nov. 1, 2018 at 3 p.m.
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Oakland
UC Nurses Vote Overwhelmingly to Ratify New Contract
Registered nurses with the California Nurses Association/ National Nurses United (CNA/NNU), at the University of California (UC), voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new five-year contract.
The agreement covers more than 14,000 registered nurses at five major medical centers, 10 student health centers, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Following the overwhelming ratification by the membership, the new contract is effective immediately and features a host of improvements and protections for both patients and nurses.
“We are so proud to ratify this historic contract for all registered nurses at UC. Nurses stood together in solidarity and fought back over 60 takeaways that would have directly affected our ability to care for our patients,” said Megan Norman, RN, UC Davis. “We won new language addressing infectious disease and hazardous substances as well as stronger protections around workplace violence and sexual harassment.”
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Sacramento
When the Legislature finally gavelled down during Gov. Jerry Brown’s final year as governor, it had approved about 900 bills this year. Here’s a look at some of the most interesting or consequential ones heading to Brown’s desk. He had until Sept. 30 to sign or veto all bills—or he could do neither, in which case a bill would become law without his signature.
We’ll keep updating them here as the governor makes his last pass at deciding which will become law in California.
Legislation: Plastic Straws, by Request Only
WHAT THE BILL WOULD DO
In an attempt to curb plastic pollution, AB 1884 would ban full-service, dine-in restaurants from offering single-use plastic straws unless they are requested by customers. Restaurants violating the law would be subject to warnings and small fines. The law exempts fast-food establishments, a major source of plastic straws.
WHO SUPPORTED IT
Introduced by Assemblyman Ian Calderon, Democrat from Whittier, the bill was supported by prominent environmental groups like the National Resources Defense Council and Sierra Club California. Organizations concerned with preserving beach and ocean health were especially keen on the bill.
WHO OPPOSED IT
In this case, it’s more important which interest groups didn’t oppose it. The California Restaurant Association, the California Chamber of Commerce, and the Plastics Industry Association did not fight the bill. That’s partly because it fell short of an outright ban, spared fast food chains, and the enforcement penalties appear relatively light. Conservative legislators did express their opposition to the bill as an unnecessary regulatory burden.
WHY IT MATTERS
The bill represents the latest in a growing string of California laws aimed at keeping oceans, rivers and other parts of the environment free from plastic trash. Four years ago, California became the first state in the country to ban single-use plastic bags. Environmental groups hope that, much like the plastic-bag ban, other states will follow California’s example on the issue.
The bill was signed by Governor Brown on September 20, 2018.
From his signing message: “Plastics, in all forms—straws, bottles, packaging, bags, etc.—are choking our planet. It is a very small step to make a customer who wants a plastic straw ask for it.”
—Matt Levin, CALmatters
