Brace yourselves. Netroots Nation is coming.
SAN DIEGO — A veteran teacher at a Catholic school has lost her job because school officials are worried her ex-husband, now serving a jail sentence for domestic abuse and stalking, will pose a danger to students and teachers when he is released. When Martin Charlesworth, 41, showed up at Holy Trinity School in El Cajon in January, school officials put the school on lockdown and called police. By coming to the school, he was in violation of a restraining order, court records indicate. Later, school officials put second-grade teacher Carie Charlesworth on "indefinite leave" and removed her four children from the school.
When Martin Charlesworth, 41, showed up at Holy Trinity School in El Cajon in January, school officials put the school on lockdown and called police. By coming to the school, he was in violation of a restraining order, court records indicate.
Later, school officials put second-grade teacher Carie Charlesworth on "indefinite leave" and removed her four children from the school.
SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers passed a budget Friday that lays the groundwork for the largest expansion of public healthcare in the country, placing the state at the leading edge of President Obama's federal overhaul. The budget, which the governor has until June 30 to sign, will also increase funding for schools, public universities and social services — a dramatic turnaround after years of deficits and cuts. The Legislature approved the $96.3-billion spending plan after a relatively smooth series of negotiations between Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic leaders that maintained much of the fiscal restraint urged by the governor.
The budget, which the governor has until June 30 to sign, will also increase funding for schools, public universities and social services — a dramatic turnaround after years of deficits and cuts.
The Legislature approved the $96.3-billion spending plan after a relatively smooth series of negotiations between Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic leaders that maintained much of the fiscal restraint urged by the governor.
Federal law does not yet allow states to require drug tests as a condition of receiving unemployment insurance, but Congress said last year that states could eventually test people whose occupations regularly conduct drug testing. The new law left it up to the U.S. Department of Labor to determine which occupations do so, but the department has been slow to issue guidance. Unlike drug testing schemes sought by Republicans in some states, the one in Texas is designed to comply with the new law. The legislation on Rick Perry's desk says a person should be tested only if he or she works "in an occupation designated by United States Department of Labor regulation as an occupation that regularly conducts preemployment drug testing."
Unlike drug testing schemes sought by Republicans in some states, the one in Texas is designed to comply with the new law. The legislation on Rick Perry's desk says a person should be tested only if he or she works "in an occupation designated by United States Department of Labor regulation as an occupation that regularly conducts preemployment drug testing."
Meanwhile, in Ohio, the Republican misogynists in the legislature are trying to force doctors to lie to women:
Those requirements are among an extensive list of abortion restrictions in House Bill 200, introduced by Rep. Ron Hood of Southeast Ohio and backed by 34 of his GOP colleagues. Among other things, the bill would: • Require doctors to give women a verbal description of the ultrasound, including an audible heartbeat, if available. (The bill notes, however, that a woman can refuse to view ultrasound images or listen to the sounds detected by a fetal heart monitor.) • Compel abortion providers to tell patients that fetuses and embryos can feel pain, and that a woman who has an abortion increases her risk of breast cancer.
Among other things, the bill would:
• Require doctors to give women a verbal description of the ultrasound, including an audible heartbeat, if available. (The bill notes, however, that a woman can refuse to view ultrasound images or listen to the sounds detected by a fetal heart monitor.)
• Compel abortion providers to tell patients that fetuses and embryos can feel pain, and that a woman who has an abortion increases her risk of breast cancer.
California has just set a record for solar power generation, shining new light on the role renewables can play in the state’s clean energy future. Late last Friday, grid operator California ISO (Cal-ISO) announced the state set an all-time solar record just before 1:00 pm when it registered 2,071 megawatts (MW) worth of solar electricity system-wide. This record equaled 5% of Friday’s peak demand of 36,000 MW, was enough to power 1.5 million average California households, and is just under the 2,250MW of nuclear power removed from the state grid when the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station was retired. Even more remarkable, Friday’s output doubled the record set in September 2012 when solar peaked at 1,000 MW total generation.
Late last Friday, grid operator California ISO (Cal-ISO) announced the state set an all-time solar record just before 1:00 pm when it registered 2,071 megawatts (MW) worth of solar electricity system-wide.
This record equaled 5% of Friday’s peak demand of 36,000 MW, was enough to power 1.5 million average California households, and is just under the 2,250MW of nuclear power removed from the state grid when the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station was retired. Even more remarkable, Friday’s output doubled the record set in September 2012 when solar peaked at 1,000 MW total generation.