[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Recipients of awards from the Consumer Federation of California for 2008 from left to right, Senate President pro Tem Elect Darrell Steinberg, California Progress Report publisher Frank D. Russo, former Assemblymember and State Senate candidate Hannah-Beth Jackson, CFC founder and former President of the California Federation of Labor Albin Gruhn with attendant, Assemblymember Mark Leno, and Assembly Judiciary Chair Dave Jones. Not pictured, Senator Alan Lowenthal. Photo by Russell Collins Stiger

By Frank D. Russo

I was deeply honored to receive the Consumer Federation of California’s 2008 Consumer Journalist Award on behalf of the California Progress Report in a ceremony in the basement of the state Capitol cafeteria. Others honored by the CFC, a consumer organization founded in 1960, included a number of my heroes, and the audience of over 100 included many distinguished guests and representatives of organizations I cherish. I joked that over half of the crowd had written articles for the California Progress Report—which in fact was accurate.

What makes this award particularly memorable to me is that the CFC last bestowed this award on former Chronicle consumer reporter David Lazarus, who now writes for the Los Angeles Times. I consider Lazarus a giant in the field of business and consumer reporting.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Bill Clinton has urged Democrats to "chill out" about worries that the extended primary race could cost us the generalelection. "We are going to win this election if we just chill out andlet everybody have their say," said Clinton.

Senator Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) wants to drop California's Cold War anti-communist laws. Needless to say, conservatives are freaking out: "Less than 20 yearsafter the fall of the communist Soviet Union, California lawmakers areeager to once again begin advancing a political ideology responsiblefor the deaths of millions of innocent people," said Karen England,executive director of Capitol Resource Family Impact.

Dan Walters asks whether California really needs a bullet train. The idea sounds great on paper, but funding could be difficult.

There's more...

Image courtesy Sacbee.com 

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Senator Alan Lowenthal

With an Introduction by Hannah Beth Jackson

Recently, we posted a piece by Senator Alan Lowenthal, calling for passage of his container-fee measure, SB 974. This common-sense measure would have required a minimal fee on each container coming off the ships at the Ports of Long Beach, L.A. and Oakland where the air quality is so badly impacted by the vehicles transporting this important commerce. The fee generated would go to mitigate the filthy and unhealthy air quality. It would also be used to repair the infra-structure upon which the trucks and vehicles transporting these goods move.