Daily Recorder

GUEST COLUMNS

With start of hurricane season, it's time to consider flood insurance

This year's hurricane season began early, with a named storm forming before the official start June 1, and it is expected to be active. If you lack flood insurance, especially if you live near the coast, this is the time to consider it.

Politicizing America's pastime

Hours after President Joe Biden "strongly supported" moving Major League Baseball's All-Star Game from Georgia, the league complied.

5 steps to help you successfully navigate today's housing market | Personal Economy | By Ryan Onishi

In many parts of the country, home prices have been soaring. According to the National Association of Realtors, the median existing-home price rose more than 17 percent in the one-year period ending in March 2021. This reflects just how competitive the market has become for homebuyers.

Will psychedelics become legal in California?

Amid growing scientific research into therapeutic uses for psychedelic drugs and a progressive push to soften punishment for drug crimes, California lawmakers are considering a bill to legalize magic mushrooms, Ecstasy and several other hallucinogenic substances.

State's big reopening: What changes — and what doesn't — on June 15?

California's grand reopening day is almost here, but it comes with a few asterisks.

California must renew efforts to keep families in crisis together

Maya, a pregnant mother living in her car with her 6- and 8-year-old children, reached out for help in Sacramento last April. Within 24 hours, she received a hotel voucher and rental assistance for permanent housing.

I see dead people...filing lawsuits in New York

New York's post mortem right-of-publicity statute recently came into effect.

Extend eviction moratorium to prevent another health crisis

As public health and health care leaders, we are overjoyed to see diminishing numbers of COVID cases. But that isn't the only number we need to watch as we recover from the pandemic.

California's death penalty is reconsidered again

California's evolution into a cultural melange in the latter half of the 20th century posed a question that still looms: Can such a complex society achieve the broad social consensus that's a prerequisite for effective governance?

Ex parte communication leads to arbitrator's disqualification

With rare exceptions, such as a need to discuss administrative matters, an ex parte communication between an arbitrator and attorney is unethical.

Treasury may publish rules for reporting cryptocurrency transactions

The Treasury Department is expected to publish new rules to say that businesses that receive crypto worth more than $10,000 would have to file a current transaction report with the government, naming names and giving details.

Zoning changes could hurt Black homeownership

I am a Black grandparent, homeowner and member of the Altadena Town Council. I grew up in a single-family home, and my husband and I have lived in our house in Altadena for more than two decades. Homeownership helped my family build wealth and provide stable, quality housing, and gave us our piece of the American Dream.

Can California shut down failed projects?

We human beings hate to admit failure. Even though our brains may know when some endeavor has failed, our emotions and our egos may drive us to continue trying to make it work.

Latinos create jobs app for Spanish speakers

While Marina Corona was watching TikTok videos a little over two months ago, she came across one that included information about a job finder mobile application in Spanish.

Major 1st Amendment case pending before US high court

A pivotal First Amendment case involving student use of social media and the allowable boundaries of school regulation of off-campus speech is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Urban housing projects need to be unfettered

With California staring down the barrel of a deficit of 3.5 million homes, the scale of the problem has overshadowed the potential of smaller housing developments to provide a solution. A new legislative push in Sacramento – via Senate Bill 10 – recognizes this potential and seeks to make it easier and quicker for local governments to take advantage of it. It deserves lawmakers' support.

Four things to know about state budget deal

With a deluge of dollars flowing into California's coffers from state taxpayers and Uncle Sam, Democratic leaders in the Legislature have agreed on a budget plan that would spend slightly less than what Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed, while still pouring billions of dollars into helping Californians recover from the pandemic.

This is the moment to reform senior care

Eight in ten deaths from COVID-19 nationwide have been among adults aged 65 years and older. Concentrated among long-term care facility residents, these losses are prompting our nation to rethink how we care for seniors with chronic care needs.

California's tribal casinos now want sports betting

When retired lobbyist Jay Michael and I wrote a book about political power shifts two decades ago, we devoted one chapter to the dramatic evolution of California's Indian tribes from repression and abject poverty to having a legal monopoly on casino gambling.

Ready to play defense with your retirement savings? | Personal Economy | By Ryan Onishi

For most investors, it's no surprise that markets are subject to up-and-down fluctuations over time.

End laws that sanction guilt by association

If you were told that there's a law on the books that lets police target people for special prosecutions on the basis of race, would you believe it? Would you believe that this law lets police designate Black and Brown kids for surveillance and harassment, and allows prosecutors to suspend many of the rules that protect the rights of white people?

Construction Corner: 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' edition

Before the Kardashians, before Empire, before "Crazy Rich Asians," there was "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" with Robin Leach. Moore v. Teed, 48 Cal. App. 5th 280 (2020), is about the unfulfilled wishes and dashed dreams of the $13 million dollar "fixer upper."

Instagram faces claims it encouraged media companies to illegally embed images

We recently wrote about a case in the Southern District of New York against Mashable relating to the embedding of content from social media platforms like Instagram.

Unemployment Insurance Fund is deep in debt

A single paragraph on Page 180 of Gov. Gavin Newsom's revised 2021-22 budget refers to one of the state government's most vexing dilemmas — an immense debt it owes to the federal government for support payments to millions of Californians who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Klobuchar proposes bill that would overhaul US antitrust law

In February, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Chair of the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, introduced the Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act of 2021 to "overhaul" U.S. antitrust law.

Interest rates on federal student loans will rise in July

Students attending college in the fall will pay higher interest rates than last year on money borrowed to finance their education.

As California reopens, employers have duties to laid-off employees

As California is aiming to scrap the color-coded tier system that has restricted the operations of businesses by June 15, Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed into law Senate Bill 93. SB 93 provides rights to certain workers that have been laid-off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly employees in the hard-hit hospitality industry.

How to cut your costs at the gas pump | Personal Economy | By Ryan Onishi

Gas prices fell sharply at the beginning of the pandemic but have been rising steadily in recent months.

Granted clemency by Newsom but turned over to ICE. Why?

Last November, I was supposed to go home. I had served 17 years in prison for a crime I committed at age 20. I was granted clemency by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Nov. 10, 2020, because of the person I worked to become.

Beer: You know it when you taste it, or maybe not

Hard seltzer first hit the marketplace about five years ago and rapidly grew in popularity with sales exceeding $4.5 billion in 2020.

Proposed ghost guns rule would leave room for state regulation

On May 7, the Justice Department released a proposed rule that adds teeth to President Joe Biden's promise to crack down on "ghost guns" — homemade firearms that lack serial numbers.

Ruling may give oil companies upper hand in climate change cases

A recent Supreme Court ruling may give oil companies an advantage when it comes to removing climate change lawsuits to federal court.

California needs to recognize racism as a public health crisis

The Declaration of Independence proclaims "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," but despite our aspirations, all Americans do not enjoy equal opportunity.

Newsom paints rosy, but flawed, economic picture

There is a seamless connection between what Gavin Newsom is saying and doing as governor and his campaign to survive a recall, encapsulated in the slogan "California Comeback."

European trademark law unknowns settled in case against LA winery

Two unknowns of European trademark law were just answered in a case involving one of the oldest and largest wineries in Los Angeles, San Antonio Winery.

In the market for a 529 college savings plan? Shop around.

Special college-savings programs known as 529 plans, which have been around for more than two decades, have become cheaper and more flexible over the years. But families should still do some comparison shopping before choosing a plan, advisers say.

FCC won't defend net neutrality, but California will

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that high-speed internet is crucial to our daily lives — and that's unlikely to change in the post-pandemic era. That's one reason federal and state officials are backing bold plans to invest in broadband infrastructure, such as the $7 billion proposal Gov. Gavin Newsom is sending to the California Legislature.

In the wake of CDC's error, we will need vaccine passports

Almost a week ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a guidance on what vaccinated people can and cannot do.

Balance pain of drought on farmers and fishermen equitably

In the first week of May a young salmon boat captain struggled to keep his boat stable and fishing while getting bashed by an unruly spring wind storm near the San Mateo-Santa Cruz county line.

Bill could make California tax rates could go higher… again

California taxes are high, and if you are a very high income earner, they could go up. California legislators have proposed tax hikes, reprising two tax bills introduced in 2020 that failed to pass. With the economy improving and the state hungry for money, perhaps this year will be different. One tax bill would raise the state's already stratospheric top income tax rate by up to 3.5% for very high incomes. The other is a controversial wealth tax.

The future of aging in California requires investment, equity

The number of Californians 65 years and older is projected to double over the next 25 years, while becoming increasingly diverse. More than half of the aging population will require some form of long-term care.

Budget surplus can help achieve a climate-safe future

California is becoming ground zero for the climate crisis. Intensifying drought and wildfire emergencies caused by climate change are the harbingers of a great gamble that risk the loss of California as we know it.

Inflated job numbers prop up bullet train

Whenever politicians spend large sums of taxpayer money on pet projects, they invariably overstate their supposed economic benefits, particularly creating oodles of "good-paying jobs."

Probate and elder abuse attorneys suspect tidal wave of cases

For today's senior citizens, relying on a neighbor's help could be less safe than you'd think, especially in large metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, New York and Miami.

The Sleekcraft factors and 'reverse confusion' trademark infringement

What happens when a junior trademark holder's business becomes so popular and well known that it threatens to swamp the reputation of a senior mark holder?

After pipeline hack, order encourages cybersecurity updates

Like prior government efforts, the executive order does not directly impose cybersecurity measures on private companies, but it does impose some contracting and consumer requirements intended to encourage cybersecurity improvements.

Restoring California's leadership in setting tailpipe emission standards

In a proposal to reverse a misguided Trump administration policy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is on track to restore California's authority to set standards for greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles.

State's redistricting commission wants to hear from you

Because "We the People" should select our representatives and not the other way around, the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission was established in 2008 by citizen initiative.

Why cash is better than expanded health insurance for the poor

The Biden administration is moving in a new direction. It is trying to help low-income Americans by pushing for direct cash assistance in addition to expanding health insurance. Each is a laudable goal. But doing both

California needs a redistribution of innovation

Today, the COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating?long simmering unemployment trends precipitated by pre-pandemic advancements in?technology and?automation.

Pandemic reveals low-wage workers need better protections

Vaccination will protect workers from the coronavirus, but a shot won't immunize them against employer retaliation, low wages and unsafe working conditions.

California still mistreating its school kids

The traditional school year will soon end, but the maltreatment of California's 6 million public school students — especially those from poor non-white families — shamefully continues.

State auditor: Calbright has to get better or shut down

Calbright College may be flunking out.

How to navigate a hot housing market

The home-buying market this spring is not for the faint of heart.