How the SF state senator was changed by California; how our great state spawned a cultural phenomenon; how many Californians are being denied life's most basic necessity.
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By Eric Johnson
Published May 08, 2023
State Sen. Scott Wiener reminds us that for generations, California has welcomed people to be who and what they are.
Scott Wiener; Weird Comix; Water Rights
How California Culture Determines Politics
Ezra Klein of the New York Times is widely and rightly regarded as a preeminent Washington insider, but he is also very much a California boy. Born and raised in Irvine, schooled at UC Santa Cruz and UCLA, he has called San Francisco home for a number of years. As he gets ready to move to New York City, he is taking a last long look at his home state.
Below I preview and briefly excerpt a wide-ranging conversation between Klein and California state Sen. Scott Wiener, the firebrand who recently announced a possible run for US Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s seat. While their talk centers on the limits of classical liberal politics, the two Californians touch briefly and smartly on our state’s cultural legacy.
Wiener, a native of New Jersey, moved as a young man to San Francisco’s Castro District having grown up closeted in a hostile environment. “Something inside told me to go to San Francisco, like generations of queer people have gone to San Francisco,” he recalls.
Wiener was not surprised when the tech boom that transformed his adopted city economically did not change much politically. He says of the armies of workers that bus in and out of SF every day: “They could work in tech in a lot of places, and they chose San Francisco because of what it represents.”
Why Democrats Should Pay Attention to California
Ezra Klein talks to state Sen. Scott Wiener about why progressive policies have failed in a state with no Republicans in power.
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Truckee Tahoe Community Chorus |
Supporting local singers by building, promoting, and nurturing vocal music programs, the Truckee Tahoe Community Chorus hosts two annual concert series that feature music from a range of genres, such as classical, Broadway, and contemporary hits.
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Recent Local News |
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• Judgement Day: Commission to Hold Hearing on Rise Gold Project
The Nevada County Planning Commission will consider the reopening of the Idaho-Maryland Mine by Rise Grass Valley Inc. on May 10 (and 11 if needed) at the Eric Rood Administrative Center in Nevada City. Planning staff released a report in advance of the hearing with recommendations and action items.
(05/06/2023) → Read the full The Union report• SAFE Program Will Count Youth Experiencing Homelessness in Nevada County
Nevada County Continuum of Care in connection with Bright Futures for Youth’s SAFE program will conduct a survey May 9-11 to determine how many children and young adults are experiencing housing instability. The results could pave the way for more funding and services.
(05/05/2023) → Read the full YubaNet report• Helping Out on ‘Hell’s Half Acre’
More than 50 volunteers from over a dozen community organizations came together for the annual Hospitality House camp cleanup, which took place this year on an area of land referred to as Hell’s Half Acre.
(05/05/2023) → Read the full The Union report• Forest Service Anticipates Delayed Openings at Lake Tahoe
Spring conditions in the Lake Tahoe Basin have finally arrived but the effects of a tough winter will likely delay the official opening of many National Forest recreation sites, including beaches, campgrounds, forest roads and trailheads.
(05/04/2023) → Tahoe Daily Tribune• EpirituArt Art Gallery & Café Celebrates Grand Opening
When Chilean artist Paula Madariaga Decebal-Cuza first visited Nevada City in 2010, the first place she ate at was Broad Street Bistro. On April 29, she celebrated the grand opening of her gallery and cafe at the same location.
(05/02/2023) → Read the full The Union report• Artist Lofts Launches Monthly Showcase
The Artist Lofts Gallery announced a new showcase event, “The Debut,” which brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, ages, and experiences, representing a wide range of artistic talents and genres.
(05/01/2023) → Sierra Sun• County Breaks Ground on McCourtney Road Transfer Station Project
Nevada County Supervisor Hoek and staff broke ground on the McCourtney Road Transfer Station Improvement Project, which will repurpose the station’s footprint to accommodate the demand for recycling and solid waste services.
(05/01/2023) → Read the full YubaNet report• Disaster Livestock Access Program Established in Three Counties
Ranchers in Placer, Nevada, and Yuba counties, along with UC Cooperative Extension and county agricultural departments, have established a program to facilitate livestock and human safety before, during, and after wildfire and other emergencies.
(05/01/2023) → Read the full YubaNet report|
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Recent Statewide News |
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• California’s AR-15 Ban Upheld in First Ruling Since New Supreme Court Standards
In the first ruling on a California gun law since the U.S. Supreme Court reduced the government’s authority to regulate firearms, the Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento upheld a ban on AR-15-style rifles, stating the weapons are “not typically possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.”
(05/03/2023) → San Francisco Chronicle• Report: Fast Food Industry Wages Help Fuel Homelessness
Fast food is the largest employer of homeless workers in California, with one of 17 unhoused individuals in the state working in the industry. That is according to a new report released by the Economic Roundtable.
(05/02/2023) → Monterey Herald