Free Republic

California Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack has pulled her "bus tour" ad criticizing her Democratic opponent after business owners complained it tarnished the image of Palm Springs. The Republican's campaign ads were released online Aug. 30. The ad criticizing Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet featured an animated tour bus traveling through the Southern California desert resort city with a guide pointing out vacant store fronts, the closed-on-Fridays City Hall and an unemployment line.

Alameda, an island long resistant to growth, threw a warm embrace around an unlikely suitor last year. The Southern California developer SunCal Companies proposed to build thousands of homes, sports fields, offices and a ferry terminal on 770 acres of a decommissioned naval base. The project promised to transform the island city, and its leaders lined up in support. City Manager Ann Marie Gallant and her staff homed in on the fine print of the ballot initiative. Their report raised concerns about an annual $4.8 million hit to the city’s general fund for city services; breaks on more than $82...

The NAACP has approved a resolution condemning what it calls "racist elements" in the labeling of a popular Irish beer. The vote has sparked a war of words between the black civil rights organization and Guinness & Company, the maker of Guinness Stout. At the center of the controversy is NAACP objection to the use of the word “stout” to describe what some refer to as a black beer. Guinness Stout beer is known for a distinctive dark color and a flavour derived from the use of roasted barley. The most popular beer in Ireland, the Guinness brand enjoys world...

Role Reversal: GOP Council Members Vote for Deficit Spending To vote or not to vote for deficit spending over a balanced budget, that was the question facing the Desert Hot Springs city council and in a reversal of traditional roles, it was the council’s two Republican members that opted to put the city in the red rather than taking more time to come up with a balanced budget, which is the option that the council’s three Democrats voted to support. A $13.9 million budget was presented at the council’s recent meeting, but since it contained a $500,000 shortfall, Democrats rejected...

By Larry Caballero La Palma City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto said he was pleased to submit to the City Council the city's Proposed Fiscal Year 2010-11 Budget and the La Palma Community Development Commission at the Jun. 15 meeting. Revenues for 2010-2011 are estimated to be $9,923,900 and Expenditures are estimated to be $10,159,800. Lazzaretto said the City will need the use of reserves to achieve a balanced budget by the end of the 2010-11 and 2011-12 Fiscal Years. Specifically, the Proposed Budget expects a $235,900 draw from fund balance while the estimated 2011-12 budget projects an $8,200 draw from fund...

More than 90 U.S. banks and thrifts missed making a May 17 payment to the U.S. government under its main bank bailout program, signaling a rising number of lenders are struggling to meet their obligations. The statistics, compiled by SNL Financial from U.S. Treasury data, showed 91 banks and thrifts skipped the May dividend payment under the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP. It was the first missed payment for 23 of the banks; for the others, it was at least their second miss. The number of banks missing their TARP payments rose for the third straight quarter. In February,...

The 9th Circuit on Wednesday upheld an ordinance allowing police in Redondo Beach to arrest day laborers who solicit work from people in cars, despite claims that the ordinance violates workers' rights to free speech and equal protection. Comite de Jornaleros de Redondo Beach and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network had sued the city of Redondo Beach, Calif., claiming the ordinance violated the constitutional rights of job-seekers who congregated in parking lots. The 9th Circuit's 2-1 ruling overturns a federal judge's ruling for the workers, who argued that the near 25-year-old ordinance unfairly targets a certain group and violates...

At 1:03 pm. and still less than 10% of the votes reported. Anyone else still waiting for the outcome of local races due to slow ballot count reporting?

Out of Balance? Comparing Public and Private Sector Compensation Over 20 Years Analysis May Shed Light on Government Hiring Difficulties, Despite Economic Conditions This new report, commissioned by the Center and the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS), provides an original analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Key findings include: Jobs in the public sector typically require more education than private sector positions. State and local employees are twice as likely to hold a college degree or higher as compared to private sector employees. Only 23 percent of private sector employees have completed college, as compared...

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's Democratic allies in the Senate have repelled a move by presidential rival John McCain to send an additional 6,000 National Guard troops to the U.S-Mexico border. The Arizona Republican says the security situation along the order has deteriorated so badly that 3,000 guard troops are needed just to help protect his state. But McCain failed to muster the required 60 votes for his plan as the Senate continued debate on an a war funding bill. Obama on Tuesday promised to send 1,200 Guard troops to the border to support efforts to block drug trafficking...

Um ... Mr. Councilman, the camera is on. An embarrassing moment at city hall was caught on camera when a city councilman refused to have a conversation with a local TV news reporter. Councilman: "I'm Carl Baker and I'm a councilman here. Get your ass out of here." Reporter: "Why is that?" Councilman: "Because I said so -" Reporter: "This is a public building." Councilman: "Oh yeah it is and I am a public official ... (Cue awkward pause when Baker notices the camera is on him) ... is that on?"

On the Brooks and Dunn tribute show tonight, the was a singer I am trying to identify. He had blonde spike hair and was in a trio band (guitar and piano). Gave a really great performance and I'd like to know who he is. Can anyone help me out? Thanks.

Construction is nearly complete on the two story 12,000 sq ft. building serving as legal medical marijuana dispensary and cultivation factory opening in Palm Springs. The factory will open within days thanks in part to a progressive and compassionate city council according to the group's spokesperson. It’s been a long haul for Stacy Hochanadel, founder and CEO of Cannahelp, the first medical marijuana collective approved by the city.

Do you think California should take Arizona's tough stance on illegal immigration? VOTE! From Side Bar Article: Republican Rep. Debbie Riddle (TX) says if the federal government did its job "Arizona wouldn't have to take this action, and neither would Texas." Democrats say such legislation is misguided and predict it will hurt the GOP politically. The station said they contacted California representatives but they did not respond (sounds like the California representives are ducking the question).

REP - BILL EMMERSON 30,515 40.90% REP - RUSS BOGH 16,309 21.86% DEM - JUSTIN BLAKE 10,308 13.82%

Police trying to locate someone on a bench warrant search a woman's house without her consent. They produce no warrant - bail agent says he does not need one. She repeatedly denies them permission to enter. Some of the police enter through a back door also. The person they were looking for was not there. She said he did not live there. Not sure if he had listed that address or not.

<p>In celebration of electricity and how much everyone appreciates this marvelous invention, cities across the world have been turning off their lights for one hour starting at 8:30 pm tonight (check your local TV listings). Clutching candles as the only means of light, earthlings learn to appreciate the only source of light before the invention of electric light. The cost to commerce and personal income from the hour long event can be fully appreciated in the video below when the electricity goes off.</p>

Ever See An Ad That Was So Irritating It Caused You To Change the Channel So You Did Not Have To Watch It? The negative circus ads Whitman is running about Poizner were horrible the first 300 times. Fingernails on a chalkboard, cover the ears time, reach for the remote and Somebody tell Whitman to....

Desert Sands school district is facing budget cuts that will find 62 teachers out of work. A local news station asks the question, are you willing to pay more taxes to send more money to schools?