SACRAMENTO - A California firefighter, his wife and youngest daughter are all recovering in a Boise hospital after their small plane crashed in Idaho.
Wilton Fire Department Captain Brian Brown reported the crash at 12:08 a.m Sunday after their Cessna 172 slammed into a mountainside.
Brown was flying the plane with his wife, Jayann, and adult daughter, Heather, on board.
Brown's family was heading to Mountain Home, Idaho, to visit his oldest daughter when the plane went down.
Rescuers located the plane Sunday morning after hiking through 6-foot snow drifts, according to the Owyhee County Sheriff's Department.
They used the signal from the family's cellphone along with an emergency beacon on the plane to locate the victims.
Rescue efforts were delayed by a snow storm that forced a medical helicopter out of the area.
The National Guard was better equipped for the foul conditions and was able to retrieve all of the passengers by 2 p.m. Sunday, according to the Sheriff's Department.
Brown, his wife, and daughter are being treated at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise for head and back injuries.
Source: www.9news.com
9/11 fund raided for California deficits, AP finds - msnbc.com
SACRAMENTO -- After the 2001 terrorist attacks, California lawmakers sought a way to channel the patriotic fervor and use it to help victims' families and law enforcement. Their answer: specialty memorial license plates emblazoned with the words "We Will Never Forget."
Part of the money raised through the sale of the plates was to fund scholarships for the children of California residents who perished in the attacks, while the majority -- 85 percent -- was to help fund anti-terrorism efforts.
But an Associated Press review of the $15 million collected since lawmakers approved the California Memorial Scholarship Program shows only a small fraction of the money went to scholarships. While 40 percent has funded anti-terror training programs, $3 million was raided by Gov. Jerry Brown and his predecessor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to plug the state's budget deficit.
Millions more have been spent on budget items with little relation to direct threats of terrorism, including livestock diseases and workplace safety.
Moreover, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has been advertising the plates as helping the children of Sept. 11 victims even though the state stopped funding the scholarship program seven years ago. The specialty plate fund continues to take in $1.5 million a year.
VICTIMS' FAMILY TROUBLED
Californians who lost loved ones in the attacks take the raid on the license plate fund as an affront to the memory of those who died.
"I can't believe that they would do that," said Candice Hoglan, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and bought a plate to commemorate her nephew, Mark Bingham. "We're paying extra for the plate; we're making a point, and it means a lot to us."
Bingham was killed on United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania, and was one of the passengers who led the attempt to wrest control from the hijackers. His mother, Alice Hoagland, also was troubled by the program's apparent drift from its original purpose.
"I'm sorry that as we retreat in time from 9/11, we seem to be retreating in our resolve never to forget," she said in a telephone interview.
The plates, which cost an initial $50 plus a $40 annual renewal fee, feature an American flag partially obscured by clouds and the "never forget" slogan. Residents of California, where all four jetliners were bound when they were hijacked, have bought or renewed the plates more than 200,000 times since 2002.
Of the other states directly associated with the 2001 attacks, only Virginia has established a similar specialty plate program. Yet it did not set up a special fund for the proceeds of its "Fight Terrorism" plate.
For the past decade, the California DMV has said on its website that the money will "fund scholarships for the children of Californians who died in the September 11, 2001, terror attacks and helps California's law enforcement fight threats of terrorism." It advertises the program with the slogan, "Be a patriot."
While the DMV description of the program was not "totally disingenuous," the department should probably remove references to the scholarship program, said Joe DeAnda, a spokesman for the state treasurer's office, which disburses the money.
"It's out of date and it's on DMV to update that," he said.
RESPONSE TO INVESTIGATION
Late Friday, the department modified the description of the license plate on its website to remove the reference to the scholarship program in response to the investigation by the AP, which began in March. Spokeswoman Jan Mendoza said the reason promotional materials were not updated sooner was "unknown."
The DMV still lists the scholarship program on the online and hardcopy form drivers fill out to buy the license plates, but Mendoza said the department will change this next time the forms are printed.
The legislation establishing the plates had earmarked 15 percent of the revenue for scholarships. Yet only $21,381 has reached the children and spouses of the three dozen California residents killed during the terrorist attacks. The state treasurer's office closed the scholarship program in 2005, the sign-up deadline for potential recipients, and has $60,000 in reserve.
The total amount dedicated to scholarships was 1.5 percent of the $5.5 million raised through the sale of the plates through 2005.
The original legislation said the remainder of the money would go to "law enforcement, fire protection, and public health agencies" to be used "exclusively for purposes directly related to fighting terrorism."
But in 2008, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, borrowed $2 million to close a budget gap. Last year, Brown, a Democrat, borrowed an additional $1 million.
Neither loan has been repaid nor are their deadlines to ensure they will be. Elizabeth Ashford, a spokeswoman for Brown, said the loans have done no harm.
"We're trying to simultaneously balance the budget and fund important programs," she said. "If there was an indication that borrowing this money was going to negatively impact this program, we wouldn't borrow the money."
WIDE ARRAY OF PROGRAMS
Source: www.msnbc.msn.com
Jan David Winitz talks about the Art of Collecting Antique Oriental Carpets - Art Daily
Q: How and when did you get into the field of rugs?
A: I actually was introduced to antique Oriental rugs as a child by my grandmother, who was a prolific collector and one of the few women in the field in the mid-20th century. While other children were collecting baseball cards, I was learning about 18th and 19th century rugs and the interest grew over the years. After I graduated from college (University of California, Berkeley), I taught high school English for three years and continued my rug "hobby." In 1980, when I was 25, I met Christine Hunt, who became my wife and who was also an antique rug collector. We both had a passion for antique Oriental rugs and reached the mutual conclusion that art level rugs would be at the very least our “hobby.” We opened Claremont Rug Company with a vision and, fortunately, what we had seen as a latent interest among art lovers to collect antique rugs was correct. Claremont Rug Company moved quickly from being a sideline to our primary business endeavor.
Q: What clicked and made you say, "This is what I want to do the rest of my life"?
A: After being introduced to antique Oriental rugs by my grandmother and the many collectors she knew, I came to learn about the culture of the people who created them, and to appreciate the spiritual nature and deep impact of the pieces. From the onset, I believed that antique rugs were an undiscovered art form and I was confident that I could expose the world to them. I was also comfortable that I could use my background in education as part of the way I conduct business. Over the years, I have been privileged to work with many collectors of various forms of art and to educate them about antique Oriental rugs. It has been extremely fulfilling.
Q: I imagine there is no school where you can learn about rugs apart from regular art schools, how did you acquire your knowledge?
A: First of all, as far as I know, one can’t even go to art schools to learn about Oriental rugs. Instead, you have to read the limited amount of literature devoted to the field. In addition, there are a few museums in the world, including the de Young in San Francisco, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Textile Museum in Washington, DC and the Berlin Museum that have extensive collections. We like to believe that our Gallery, with an inventory of 4000 pieces of which 1000 are available for viewing on our website, is also an important resource for honing one’s eye for great antique rugs.
Overall, as with most areas of interest, the more that you study, read and experience pieces first hand, the more you begin to obtain knowledge and to gain a more seasoned eye. Of course, the exposure to great rug collections through meeting my grandmother’s connoisseur friends before and after her passing catapulted me into this magical art form. For my part, I have been fortunate to talk with descendants of the rug-makers to gain some of the perspective that the actual weavers had. As a gallery owner for the past 32 years, I review "one-in-the-world" antique carpets on a regular basis, yet can still say I learn much every day. I continually find myself seeing something in a rug that I have not seen before. I also have friendships with many collectors and have been lucky enough that my wife shares my interest in antique Oriental rugs.
Q: What are the best books about Oriental rugs?
A: Two of the best are “Rugs and Carpets of the World” by Ian Bennett and “Oriental Carpets: From the Tents, Cottages and Workshops of Asia” by Jon Thompson. Everything by the early luminary Ulrich Schurmann is superb. I should add I have written a short introductory book near the beginning of my career: “The Guide to Purchasing an Oriental Rug.” Certainly not a “tome” or of the gravitas of others I mentioned, but my clients tell me that it has been quite helpful to orient them to the field.
Q: There are a couple of concepts that you have developed, first how did the Whole Home Collections concept come about and can you give a few examples of how you tackle decorating an entire home?
A: From the very beginning of the Gallery, I have communicated with my clients about the intrinsic artistic and cultural importance of antique Oriental carpets. At the same time, they are an art form for floor display and most clients use them in this traditional manner in their homes. As a result, decorating with them has most often been the starting point for a rug collection. Clients who had lovely homes and fell in love with their great beauty often experienced that a room without an art-level rug seemed to be missing something. So creating "whole home projects" grew out of my clients’ natural extension of appreciating and displaying rugs.
Antique Oriental rugs have that rare ability to enhance many different decorating styles. I understood early on that art-level antique rugs serve stunningly as unifiers to other forms of art. They add tremendous warmth and distinction to a room, and have a great unifying effect on a home, which otherwise might seem simply an accumulation of art and antiques.
Q: The second concept, on how you elevated the status of rugs from decorative to art level, can you please explain how this happened through time?
A: From early on, I have felt that the best antique 19th century Oriental carpets are among the world’s most profound art forms. So from Day One at Claremont, we have presented antique rugs as objects of art that can be used to beautify one’s environment. When we opened in 1980 that was certainly not the norm. We told our clients then as we tell them now, that 19th century Oriental rugs are significantly undervalued relative to other forms of art, because premier rugs have a profound impact on the sensitive viewer. In confirmation of this, recently one client marveled that his entire antique carpet collection cost significantly less than his Lichtenstein.
I lectured extensively for about a decade and my book about purchasing authentic Oriental rugs covers their adherence to the artistic principles of balance and harmony. When we started printing catalogs 24 years ago, we always used the description for each carpet as an opportunity to discuss its aesthetic merits as well as its technical and decorative aspects. At this point, writers and art editors of several significant publications have interviewed me when writing articles on the antique Oriental carpet, so the appreciation of rugs as great art has definitely grown. Of course, the newly refurbished and endowed Islamic Galleries in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has been instrumental in the continuation of people’s perception of rugs as an art form.
Source: artdaily.org
California, New Jersey still lead nation in solar contributions - ZDNet
California’s Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) remains the largest solar-generating utility in the United States, but New Jersey’s Public Service Gas & Electric (PSE&G) provides the most solar power per customer, according to a new ranking by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).
The 2011 Utility Solar Rankings report showed that utilities across the United States connected approximately 62,000 photovoltaic systems into the grid during 2011, adding about 1,500 megawatts of new solar generation capacity. This represents the fourth straight year of increases, the SEPA analysis shows.
Approximately 40 percent of that capacity was from projects undertaken by the utilities themselves, compared with about 60 percent attributable to residential or commercial installations.
Here are the top 10 utilities in terms of annual solar megawatts produced. All three of the New Jersey utilities listed logged increases from 2010 and 2011; the two utilities at the bottom of the list leapt up substantially in the rankings.
- PG&E (287.7 megawatts installed)
- PG&E (181.3 megawatts)
- Arizona Public Services (144 megawatts)
- Southern California Edison (138 megawatts)
- Atlantic City Electric (61.2 megawatts)
- Jersey Central Power & Light (53 megawatts)
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District (52.8 megawatts)
- Xcel Energy - CO (51.3 megawatts)
- Long Island Power Authority (46.9 megawatts)
- Xcel Energy - NM (45.6 megawatts)
SEPA reported that the minimum amount of solar capacity in order to be listed on the ranking rose from 20 megawatts in 2010 to 45 megawatts in 2011.
Source: www.zdnet.com
California Workers Get Pay Bump Even as Brown Seeks Cuts - Bloomberg
California Workers Get Pay Bump Even as Brown Seeks Cuts
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
California Gov. Jerry Brown during a news conference about the state budget on May 14, 2012 in Los Angeles.
California Gov. Jerry Brown during a news conference about the state budget on May 14, 2012 in Los Angeles. Photographer: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
As California Governor Jerry Brown seeks a temporary 5 percent pay cut from public employees to fill the largest state deficit in the U.S., many of those same workers are poised for raises next year.
Labor contracts covering 140,000 workers grant increases of about 3 percent to top earners beginning in July 2013, according to the Personnel Administration Department. About 34,000 employees became eligible this year as the raises began to be incorporated.
Brown, facing a $15.7 billion deficit through June 2013, is seeking savings in a state where unionized public employees are paid more than government workers in other states, and civil- service protections hamper dismissals. The 74-year-old Democrat wants to save $400 million by shortening the work week by two hours. That will require approval from unions representing 182,000 of the state’s 214,000 workers.
“This just highlights the fact that government works really well for public-employee unions, but really does not work for anybody else,” said Aaron McLear, the former spokesman for Brown’s predecessor, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, who clashed with labor leaders over costs. “I get that they are under contract, but the idea that labor unions get to negotiate their cuts is stunning.”
During collective bargaining in 2010, Schwarzenegger agreed to raises of 2 percent to 5 percent for workers at the top of the pay scale. In return, union members contributed more toward their pension and retirement benefits, and gave up some paid holidays.
Unpaid Furloughs
The agreement came after Schwarzenegger and lawmakers had forced workers to take unpaid days off each month for two years, cutting pay by about 14 percent.
The contracts cover all unionized workers, from janitors to highway patrol officers. While Schwarzenegger signed many of the deals, Brown came to the same terms with prison guards in 2011.
Not every state worker can get the July pay increase, only those at the top of the pay scale for at least 12 months, with satisfactory evaluations. While there’s no estimate of how many that will be, it typically takes five years to reach top scale, according to Lynelle Jolley, a spokeswoman for the Personnel Administration.
Leaders of Service Employees International Union Local 1000, which represents the largest number of state employees at 95,000, are willing to talk about pay cuts or an alternative, according to a letter addressed to members earlier this month.
‘Staying Engaged’
“We could have said ‘no,’ and demanded that the governor honor our contract,” said the letter, signed by nine bargaining unit leaders. “By staying engaged, we minimize the potential for a huge number of layoffs and even deeper cuts in vital services.”
California, with the world’s ninth-biggest economy, lost more than 1 million jobs in the recession that started in 2007, reducing the most populous U.S. state’s revenue by 24 percent. Even with savings from program reductions, that left a deficit of $9.2 billion, the governor said in January.
Brown is pushing a ballot measure asking voters to temporarily raise the statewide sales tax to 7.5 percent from 7.25 percent, and boost rates on income taxes starting at $250,000.
Brown’s proposed budget includes a mechanism that would automatically trigger more than $6 billion in additional reductions, mostly from schools, if voters reject the tax increase.
Even if those cuts occur, state workers would still get their pay increase.
New Cuts
On May 14, the governor was forced to propose a new round of spending rollbacks after acknowledging the revenue projection he built into his January budget was off by more than $4 billion. To fill the gap, he wants to cut more than $3 billion from medical care for the poor, welfare, in-home services for the disabled, and childcare subsidies.
The governor also said he’d seek to reduce employee costs 5 percent by having them work 9.5 hours on four days instead of 8 hours in five days. His proposal would cut $840 million from payroll costs, with $400 million of that coming in the deficit- ridden general fund.
The average Golden State worker receives about $1 more for every $4 earned by a Texas employee, according to U.S. Commerce Department data. Per-capita income for all employees in California, public and private, was $42,578 last year, the department said. State workers, on average, made $58,340 in total pay, according to data from the controller’s office.
Limited Options
Brown’s options are limited. If unions balk at his proposal, he could fire state workers, though civil-service rules would require a dozen months or more to see any savings.
He could furlough workers as Schwarzenegger did, but that could end up costing more in future years, as workers in agencies that can’t shut down, such as prisons and the highway patrol, accumulate vacation and unpaid leave.
“The state employees particularly have come forward with some very imaginative ideas,” the governor told reporters in Sacramento when he unveiled his revised budget. “They’ve been willing to step up to the plate.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Michael B. Marois in Sacramento at mmarois@bloomberg.net;
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephen Merelman at smerelman@bloomberg.net
Source: www.bloomberg.com
Poll: Obama way ahead in California - WFMZ-TV Online
A new poll released Tuesday shows President Barack Obama with a wide lead in California, a state the president won by a landslide in 2008, along with its whopping 55 electoral votes.
According to the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll, Obama carries a 19-point advantage over Republican rival Mitt Romney, 56%-37%, a lead that comes as little surprise in the traditionally blue state.
The survey, however, gives insight into voter attitudes in California and reveals big margins for Obama across a number of the state's demographic groups, such as women, Latinos and independents.
Among women, who make up 53% of the state's voting population, about six in 10 prefer Obama, amplifying national trends that indicate a gender gap between the president and Romney, although some recent national polls suggest Romney is picking up support among women.
As for California's Latinos, Obama has overwhelming support from the voting bloc with 75%, compared to Romney at 18%. Among independents, he also fares better against his likely opponent, 46%-37%.
Latinos and independents each represent 20% of the state's voters. The Times' analysis notes that George H. W. Bush was the last Republican candidate to win California (in 1988), prior to the state's surge in Latino and independent voters.
The survey also shows a lack of enthusiasm for Romney among GOP voters. Of those who said they would vote for the candidate, 51% said their choice was more of a vote against Obama than a vote in support of the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
And just weeks after Obama made a groundbreaking announcement that he supported same-sex marriage, three-fourths of voters said the issue was not a major issue this cycle, despite the topic being a heavy point of contention in California politics with the ongoing fight over Proposition 8.
The USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll, was conducted by Democratic polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and Republican polling firm American Viewpoint between from May 17 and May 21. The full sample of 1,002 registered voters interviewed by phone has a sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Source: www.wfmz.com
Antique Textiles & Vintage Fashions Attract Crowds & Buyers For Zukas - Antiques and Arts Weekly
:Linda Zukas sold out her 22nd annual Antique Textile and Vintage Fashion Show and Sale, filling all the available exhibit space at Sturbridge Host Hotel and Exhibit Center on Monday, May 7. Offering this show three times a year to coincide with Brimfield week, Zukas said that "this show had about a dozen first-time dealers replacing a couple absentees and several who have retired since last year." She said that attendance was strong and "dealers reported great sales again this May."
The entrance of Host Hotel's exhibition hall was surrounded by dealers offering some segment of the variety in this popular collecting niche. To the left of the door was Susan Simon with her latest collection of draperies and table covers. Simon also had a selection of table linens and ladies' garments, but on a stand, there was a gentleman's straw hat everyone was trying to fit under.
In a new place in the big room, the Textile Trunk was showing its collection of early drapes, most in white with either a red or blue print. The dominant material was toile with French country scenic prints.
From London, Maria Niforos was offering Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century fashions and accessories. All very glamorous, her collection also included several purses with intricate handwork designs sewn onto them.
Brentwood, N.H., antiques dealer Sandy Elliott was there for the first time with textiles from her collection. Features included children's clothing from the Nineteenth Century, hand sewn and decorated coverlets and quilts and some raw textiles. She also had a large assortment of sewing tools, accessories and notions.
Phyllis Carlson, Carlson and Stevenson, Manchester Center, Vt., sold a large collection of lace curtains. She had acquired them years ago, always planning to hang them in her own house. Recently she came across them and decided they were not going to be used at home, so they became inventory, and sold early in the show.
Among the first time exhibitors was Twisted Vintage Textiles from Memphis, Tenn. Mary Aubrey Landrom, owner and manager, had a collection of ladies' accessories from the Twentieth Century, covering several design style periods. There were hats from the 30s with nets, broad-brimmed affairs from just after World War II and a variety of pillboxes, circa 1960, in soft pastel colors. Landrom also had a collection of shoes to match the hats in many styles and forms, such as platforms and open-toe alligator numbers.
More and More, New York City, is Steve Mohr's business, with an oversize space filled with so many parts of a lady's wardrobe needs, he could outfit a style-setter from head to toe. He also offered fine jewelry, which was selling quickly.
When this show opened, there were a great many of the patrons who were running to be first in their favorite booth. Heller's Café, Seattle, Wash., was one of the first hit by several buyers from Asia. They were after the cotton shirts with various logos and school markings, the club and sports jackets and just decorated tee shirts.
The Cat's Meow, Midland, Texas, was offering an assortment of Nineteenth Century ball gowns and more. Monica's Vintage Fashions, Greenwich, Conn., had a more sophisticated offering with a turn-of-the-century wedding dress as foremost in her collection.
Kelter Malcé, Bridgehampton, N.Y., has been holding court here for many years with its specialty, Hudson Bay blankets in many color variations. This is in addition to the collection of folk art that has a textile hint to it.
Quilts and coverlets of superior workmanship were easily found at this show from several specialists. Massachusetts dealer Martha Perkins seems to always have a very large fresh collection. Piqué, Stone Mountain, Ga., filled its exhibit with Southern quilts and homespuns. Koval's was selling quickly from its collection dominated by Amish quilts from its native Pennsylvania.
Hooked rugs and mats were covering the walls in Lynne Weaver's exhibit. From Wenham, Mass., this dealer sells only hooked pieces in excellent condition, whether restored or as found.
One exhibit space was shared by three experts in specialized textile fields. Ulrike Montigel from Stuttgart, Germany, and John Gillow from Cambridge, U.K., both specialize in identifying textiles from around the world and have written books about them. They were with DeWitt Mallary, a New Yorker who is a Persian rug expert. They were selling from their collections and also copies of their books.
The show was, according to many dealers just an hour after the opening, a success, and it is clearly great fun for them and the customers to see and experience.
The show will open twice again this year at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center: July 9 and September 3, both the Mondays of Brimfield Week. For more information, 207-363-1320 or www.vintagefashionandtextileshow.com .
Source: antiquesandthearts.com
Some California 9/11 Memorial License Plate Money Aided Government Agency - YAHOO!
California collected $15 million with the Sept. 11 memorial license plate program. Although intended to fund scholarships and anti-terrorism measures, the Associated Press reports the state diverted $3 million from the fund over the course of two administrations.
How did California divert $3 million?
Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger borrowed $2 million from the fund to help close a growing budget deficit. Current Gov. Jerry Brown borrowed $1 million. Neither loan stipulated repayment deadlines or detailed terms of interest accruement.
Who sells the plates?
The Department of Motor Vehicles sells the plates, advertising the "We Will Never Forget" option as providing money for the Antiterrorism Fund and the California Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Why is the advertisement considered questionable?
Only a small amount of money funded scholarships for dependents of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The program effectively ended its sign-up period in 2005 and there are no scholarships funded by the California Memorial Scholarship Program. There are also questions about the goods purchased with Anti-terrorism Fund.
Are there examples of potentially inappropriate expenditures?
The California Department of Food and Agriculture received $3.7 million and spent $18,163 on furniture, while other funds paid for similar items not directly related to anti-terror measures. Some money covered employees' salaries and benefits, while $11,492 covered the cost of 2009 vehicle inspections.
Did the program fund any scholarships?
The California State Treasurer published the annual report for the California Memorial Scholarship Program ending June 2011. It notes the amount of expended scholarship funds for the 2005-2006 fiscal year totaled $80,000. Scholarship distributions from 2005 to 2011 totaled $21,381.35. The ages of recipients with signed 2005 scholarship agreements ranged from 13 to 47.
Does California have a history of diverting funds?
Attorney General Kamala Harris issued a May 14 news release that responded negatively to Gov. Brown's intention to divert $410 million from the multistate, multibank foreclosure fraud settlement reported by the Sacramento Bee.
Sylvia Cochran is a Los Angeles area resident with a firm finger on the pulse of California politics. Talk radio junkie, community volunteer and politically independent, she scrutinizes the good and the bad from both sides of the political aisle.
Source: news.yahoo.com
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