There are some other items of note going on beyond the Democratic Party (or at least somewhat beyond the Democratic Party). Some items of note:

SEIU to endorse Prop 11? The redistricting initiative was loudly opposed at the Democratic Party e-Board, but it’s going to a second ballot for SEIU. I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again, but this is the wrong reform. It unfairly puts Republicans at equal footing with Democrats and can’t actually accomplish much of substance.

Willie Brown testified on behalf of Julie Lee in her federal corruption trial. She was the center of the case against former SoS Kevin Shelley.

Another big city former mail was in court. This time it’s former LA Mayor James Hahn denying that he knew of commissioners taking bribes.

Eighth graders will be required to take Algebra I in order to comply with No Child Left Behind. State Superintendent Jack O’Connell was very, very opposed to this because he feared that it would increase dropout rates.

The delta smelt might end up on the endangered species list. This is a big, big deal as much of their habitat is affected by our water pumping projects in the Delta. How this is dealt with will affect our water supplies for years.

The high speed rail line between SF and LA will go through Pacheco Pass. HSR must happen if we are to succeed in the new economy. While the route matters, its importance is secondary to the fact that we must get Prop 1 passed.

Anything else?

[UPDATE by Dave]: I have a couple:

• Here’s a Republican being a Republican.  Classy as hell.

Santa Ana City Councilman Carlos Bustamante has quietly resigned from two state commissions he was appointed to by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, after his published remarks last month suggesting that a male candidate for Orange County sheriff could’ve gotten the job if he had breast implants […]

After the Orange County Board of Supervisors appointed Sandra Hutchens over Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters as the county’s sheriff on June 10, Bustamante joked to a blogger: “I kept telling the chief [Walters]: ‘Maybe we should get you some implants. Or a water bra.’ “

• More coverage on John Garamendi’s speech at the launch of Health Care For America Now.

• TChris at Talk Left looks at the death penalty in CA.  This is pretty shocking:

Since 1978, the federal courts have ordered new trials in 38 of 54 death penalty appeals in California, an unacceptable 70 percent error rate.

Read the whole thing.

• And this is a few days old, but just so you know, the yacht economy is rocking!!!  Thanks to that avoidance of sales tax, I’m sure!

(Yes, we need to do something! – promoted by atdleft)

I once saw a sticker saying “Save California’s Water. Drink Coors.”

robertinmonterey posted a quickie that said:

SoCal to face “extreme drought” (Robert in Monterey) the worst on record, in fact. NorCal and the Central Coast aren’t far behind..

If you believe that, then the time for action is now.  The canary n the coal mine for California Water policy is the delta smelt and the population has crashed precipitously. I posted California Greening with an action alert from the Planning and Conservation League (I also got the same alert from Restore the Delta and the Fish Sniffer magazine.)  The text follows…

ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS IN THE DELTA

DELTA SMELT ARE on the BRINK of EXTINCTION

Results from a just completed survey by the Department of Fish & Game:

–Scientists failed to find any smelt in 30 of 36 stations in the Delta

–The survey found only 25 smelt overall; a 93% drop from 2006

–This is the worst return in the history of this survey, in fact these numbers are ONE TENTH of previous record lows

NO RESPONSE TO SAVE THESE FISH

–Even though SEVERAL Delta species have been collapsing for SIX YEARS, the State has refused to commit to actions to avoid extinction

–Last year the State and Federal water projects exported near RECORD amounts of water through massive pumps in the Delta Smelt?s habitat

–The State pumped 55 BILLION gallons of “EXTRA” water in January even while they were telling the Judge there was no problem with smelt

MORE DELTA FISH ARE HEADED TOWARD EXTINCTION

Severe declines in multiple fish populations show that the Delta ecosystem is collapsing. Since 2005 the State and Federal governments have known about the problem, but have failed to commit to actions to save the Delta.

WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SAVE THE DELTA SMELT?

Scientists’ recommendations to help the Delta Smelt must be immediately implemented (see attachment below).

Call the Governor and tell him to commit to actions to save the Delta Smelt before its too late!

Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Phone: 916-445-2841
http://www.govmail.c…

More information:

Tom Philp of the Sacramento Bee?s Blog provides a link to the Delta Smelt Working Group’s recommendations to respond to the delta smelt crisis:

http://www.sacbee.co…

Hank Shaw’s blog on this issue:

http://blogs.recordn…

During May 2007, pumps have taken more smelt (84) than the Delta survey (8):

http://www.usbr.gov/…

Department of Fish and Game

20 mm survey: http://www.delta.dfg…

Notes from Delta Action Team (State and Federal Agencies)

http://wwwoco.water….

See how this year’s most recent DFG survey of Delta Smelt compares to similarly-timed surveys in years past: (click here to view).