The 10 day shutdown of the Delta pumps of the State Water Project will end with a phased ramp uprestart of those same pumps. The Delta Smelt fish population being the latest "environmental concern"cited to shut down the pumps and curtail human activity via the Endangered Species Act.

"Urban thirst"is cited [look in today’s SacBee] as the reason to turn on the pumps, pretty much regardless of the fish situation [or a perceived one] East Bay users have drawn down their small reservoirs as far as they dare to replace pumped water, and their underground wells, which they rely upon as a supplyfor drought management, will soon feel the draw down of that aquifer. "Underground storage" is the big panacea to the opponents of above ground storage, i.e. dams.

Enviros also cite conservation, a noble thought although you don’t conserve your way out of drought [ask the East Bay and SoCal]+ 1 million new population growth each 2 years in this state.

Until we build or augment new water storage and water conveyance, most Californians will have their water tap flowing, or not, subject to the whim of enviro… Read More

Thankfully, unlike his appointments in Glenn County, Governor Schwarzenegger has seen fit to keep the Orange County Fair Board solidly Republican. His latest appointment, FR has learned, is our friend and the Orange County Republican Party’s Secretary Mary Young!

Here’s the official write-up on Mary:

Mary Young, 63, of Aliso Viejo, has been appointed to the Orange County Fair Board of Directors (32nd District Agricultural Association). She has owned Quiet Village Mobile Home Park and Las Brisas Apartments since 1990. Young is active in her community and is a member of the Republican Presidential Task Force, Orange County Youth Commission and is a former member of Choices/Teen Awareness. She founded and is past president of the Aliso Viejo Republican Women Federated. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Young is a Republican.

Congratulations Mary!… Read More

The Hiltons prove they are not as powerful as the Kennedys, after all…..

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Paris Hilton was sent screaming and crying back to jail Friday after a judge ruled that she must serve out her sentence behind bars rather than in the comfort of her Hollywood Hills home. "It’s not right!" shouted Hilton, who violated her probation in a reckless driving case. "Mom!" she cried out to her mother. Read the entire AP story.

Instead of running a photo of the convict, here instead is a link to the MADD victims tribute website.… Read More

In reading about today’s continued persecution of poor Paris Hilton, I saw this in the SacBee.

"A former district attorney, Robert Philibosian, also represented Hilton. He said that the law supports the sheriff in making an independent decision on her custodial situation." See full article here.

Bob was appointed DA of Los Angeles County By Gerrge Deukmejian (Bob replaced John Van De Kamp who was elected Attorney General). I was honored to vote for him in 1984. Unfortunately he lost.

Bob has been Chair of theCRP Resolutions Committee for some time and also helps screen judicial candidates for support from the LA Lincoln Club.Now I know someone famous!… Read More

Just received this notice that 36th Assembly candidate Steve Knighthas signed the Americans for Tax Reform Pledge. Now he is pledge to oppose ALLtax increases as a California State Assemblyman. This will be an issue in the campaign as Palmdale Mayor and probable candidate likes the car tax. See here.

Pledge is below.… Read More

SB7 allows cops to give $100tickets to drivers who are smoking in a car with children under 17. Is this really the proper role of government? We all know that houses are next. While, I’m a non-smoker this is not what government should be doing.

What’s worse is when Republicans go along with the Nanny State while even Democrats are voting no.FOUR Democrats voted against SB 7 (Correa, Ducheny, Machado, Negrete McCleod). Yet Abel Maldonado voted yes.

Maybe when he ran for controller he thought it was a position thatcontrolled every aspect of people’s lives.… Read More

I just got off the phone with San Bernardino County Republican Party Chairman Bill Postmus to confirm a statement issued by the party – Bill will be stepping down as chair of the organization he has successfully led through five election statewide elections.

In announcing his retirement, Postmus threw his support to County Supervisor Gary Ovitt, his County GOP Vice Chairman, to succeed him. The support from the popular Postmus virtually assures that Ovitt will be the next County Chairman.

Postmus, who has led the successful county GOP organization since he was elected in late 2003, was recently elected County Assessor for San Bernardino County.

Attached to this post is the email sent out by Postmus, which you can read. It really goes into much more detail.

I will close by saying that while no one can serve in these posts forever (they are volunteer positions, ya know) — it’s certainly too bad Bill could not. He’s a great guy, a good friend, a solid conservative who is passionate about the Grand Old Party, and is a dynamic leader. Fortunately he’ll still be around to help out the presumed new Chairman, Gary… Read More

Republican Assemblyman Rick Keene submitted the healthcare proposal from Governor Schwarzenegger to the independent Legislative Counsel for an opinion on whether the charges proposed by the Governor on employers, hospitals and surgeons are a tax increase as defined by the California Constitution. Undoubtedly Keene had to submit this question to the Counsel’s office because the Governor, who campaigned with an iron-clad promise that he would never ever raise taxes, has been characterizing these charges as "fees" — arguing that that there is a ‘hidden tax’ on Californians (the ‘cost’ of covering uninsured Californians) and therefore these charges, because they are part of a plan that purports to reduce this ‘burden’ on all of us, is a fee and not a tax. What are the charges? Increased payroll taxes, and increased income taxes on hospitals and doctors! Well, it comes as no surprise that the Legislative Counsel has made it very clear that, "…the provider contribution that would be imposed pursuant to the proposal would not constitute a fee and, as a result, would be… Read More