August 16, 2017
Orange County
Voice of OC: OCDA Responds to Grand Jury report on “Myth” of jailhouse informant scandal
The response, released Tuesday, thanked the Grand Jury for its “independence and courage” in criticizing the belief that Orange County law enforcement has been unconstitutionally using jailhouse informants to gather incriminating evidence on defendants.
Voice of OC: Hundreds of dollars in ‘Gifts’ from contractors to Supervisor Nelson raise legal questions
Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson received more than $700 worth of wine and cigars from two contractors after he voted to award them county contracts, and his handling of the “gifts” may be a creative way around the county’s gift ban, but a possible violation of state law.
OC Register: OC Fair 2017: Attendance slightly down, but survey shows more guests satisfied
Attendance for the 2017 OC Fair, which ran from July 14 to Aug. 13, was 1.334 million visits. That was down .76 percent from last year, when 1.344 million fair-goers passed through the gates, officials said.
LA Times: Ross Johnson, a longtime California lawmaker and ethics agency chairman, dies at 77
Johnson represented Orange County in the California Legislature for 26 years, first in the state Assembly from 1978 to 1995 and then in the state Senate from 1995 to 2004, while living in Irvine.
Labor
Boston Globe: Verdict in Teamsters’ case could have wide-reaching implications
Labor officials and supporters praised the outcome, saying it preserves protections for working-class people to demand better jobs.
Chicago Tribune: Noble faces court date with teachers trying to unionize
The city's largest charter school operator is headed toward a December legal showdown with teachers who've accused school leaders of obstructing ongoing efforts to form a labor union.
Nation
LA Times: Will a trade fight with Asia sabotage the U.S. solar industry?
The fallout from the case that was heard Tuesday by the U.S. International Trade Commission threatens to destabilize the massive network of installers and other nonmanufacturing businesses that make up the bulk of the American solar industry. Nearly 90% of the panels it uses are produced abroad.
Publication Date: August 16, 2017