The Doublemint Twins Did you hear that Tulare Regional Medical Center just picked up two new allies? They’re Assemblyman Devon Mathis and Tulare Mayor Carlton Jones. When Joseph Oldenbourg, editor of the Valley Voice, heard the news he said, “If I had a gun I don’t know if I’d shoot myself or someone else.” Do […]
#WeSaidEnough California is experiencing a watershed moment. Women all over the state are standing up to sexual harassment that plagues the work place. It started with women publicly speaking about the sexual misconduct of producer Harvey Weinstein. As Hollywood took a hard look at their treatment of women over the last 75 years, women in […]
Carlton Jones is a Bully The first time I met Tulare Mayor Carlton Jones it was February 23, 2014 at a meet and greet organized by Ruben Macareno, former chair of the Tulare County Democratic Central Committee. The event was to introduce the newly appointed Tulare County Superior Court Judge Michael Sheltzer and bring together […]
Carole Firstman Speaks at Networking for Women Luncheon I met Carole Firstman around 2002 at the Three Rivers Holiday Bazaar. The bazaar marks the beginning of the holiday craft fair season and is usually a glorious fall day in the foothills. I was selling my beaded ornaments and peach jam and she was scurrying to […]
The Tulare Way Part II A lot has happened since my last Political Fix. Lawyers representing the hospital board argued for a temporary restraining order to prevent HCCA from taking out any more loans, power has been shut off in the unfinished hospital tower, and HCCA claims that the Tulare Local Healthcare District owes them more […]
“It’s the Tulare Way” Recently, an informant called saying that Tulare Regional Medical Center (TRMC) allegedly hadn’t paid its utility bills since April. Then I interviewed a grieving daughter whose mother had been buried in the wrong plot at the Tulare Public Cemetery, and later a prominent Tulare businessman called with some outrageous, but consistent, […]
Our loss is Kern County’s Gain Former Assemblywoman Connie Conway has decided to pull out of the race for State Senate District 16 to run for the Board of Equalization (BOE) District 1. The district serves nine million taxpayers and spreads over 30 counties, from the Oregon and Nevada border to parts of Los Angeles […]
What does it mean to be a Republican? While all the talk is of the Republican Party, California State Democrats are in a fractious and petty battle for the party’s leadership. The two contenders for chair of the California Democratic Party are heir apparent Eric Bauman, a union organizer, and Bay Area progressive Kimberly Ellis. Mr. […]
Who Wants to Run the Fifth Largest Economy in the World? In June of 2016, California surpassed France to become the sixth largest economy in the world. This June, California took over England as the fifth largest economy in the world, a possible byproduct of their Brexit vote. Besides California’s surpassing England’s Gross Domestic Product, California’s […]
American Exceptionalism Growing up, learning about our country’s history, I remember many ways America was exceptional. Our exceptionalism started in earnest with World War II when we churned out an entire ship in 4 days and 15 hours at the Richmond ship yard. Then the United States spearheaded the Marshall Plan that helped rebuild Europe […]