We’ve had a bad run here in Fresno with our athletic program. Our former basketball coach, Jerry Tarkanian, built a winning program and the world’s 20th busiest arena, but left under NCAA sanctions. His successor, Ray Lopes, violated NCAA rules regarding contacting recruits, and a star player was convicted of murder. Drugs were rampant in the program, and drug tests routinely doctored or ignored. Although football and baseball were spotless, the entire athletic program was under a cloud.

Three longtime female athletic department employees – two coaches and an administrator, were fired under former Athletic Director Scott Johnson. The firings were handled poorly and three gender discrimination lawsuits were filed against the university. All three probably had some merit, but the latest, a $19 million judgement against the university in favor of ousted basketball coach Stacy Johnson – Klein, was excessive.

Now State Senator Dean Florez(D) Bakersfield, best known for his opportunistic, arrogant grandstanding on a variety of issues,has called for the President of CSU Fresno, John Welty to resign. We can debate the merits of his… Read More

What does it mean when of all people on the San Diego City Council, it is Donna Frye that is the articulate voice against bigger government? Well, last week, that is exactly what happenned, as she and colleague Tony Young cast the only two dissenting votes on hiking the city’s hotel-room tax. I read with disappointment that the City Council in San Diego voted 6-2 (with only, of all people, Donna Frye and Tony Young voting no) to create what they call a "tourism marketing district" in San Diego. Let me explain how this works. In the geographic area specificied for the district (in this case, a broad area) there are 175 hotels. The Council, in establishing this district, increased the hotel tax for these businesses (via the bill on their guests) by 2% raising the hotel room tax (called a "transient occupancy tax") to 12.5% from 10.5%. What was the justification for an increase of taxes in the City of San Diego? The theory is that this is a tax that was "asked for" by the hotel industry, as the funds coercively taken… Read More

Here’s the release from the GOP, as well as links to two perspectives on last night’s Salate to Republican Elected Officials/Straw Poll Event. Some interesting comments starting to thread the posts….

"First in the South" Southern California Straw Poll Results

(SAN DIEGO) — Last night the Republican Party of San Diego County held its "first-in-the-south" Southern California Presidential Straw Poll at the Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Resort and Spa as part of its annual Salute to Republican Elected Officials.

512 Republican enthusiasts of voting age from Orange, Imperial, Riverside and San Diego Counties RSVD’d to participate in the event and the Presidential straw poll.

Balloting systems were provided by Unisyn Voting Solutions, a new state of the art voting systems manufacturer. Official results of the straw poll:

Of those attending, 313 cast ballots.

Mitt… Read More

Today the Board of Directors of the California Chamber of Commerce is meeting to discuss, among other things, whether or not the Chamber will take an official position on Proposition 93. As is often talked about here on the FlashReport, Proposition 93 is what we call the "Fabian Nunez Career Politician Extension Act" as this measure was crafted by Nunez, and placed on the ballot by him, as a pretty naked attempt to preserve and consolidate his political power, as Assembly Speaker, for another six years. Some members of the Chamber’s Board may actually want to roll up their sleeves and get into the policy matter of the initiative. But before they do so, they may want to consider the politics of the situation… The Chamber, under the very able and capable leadership of Allan Zaramberg, came out pretty publicly and strongly saying that it would support a change in the state’s legislative term limits as part of a negotiated deal that would include a fair… Read More

Today the Board of Directors of the California Chamber of Commerce is meeting to discuss, among other things, whether or not the Chamber will take an official position on Proposition 93. As is often talked about here on the FlashReport, Proposition 93 is what we call the "Fabian Nunez Career Politician Extension Act" as this measure was crafted by Nunez, and placed on the ballot by him, as a pretty naked attempt to preserve and consolidate his political power, as Assembly Speaker, for another six years. Some members of the Chamber’s Board may actually want to roll up their sleeves and get into the policy matter of the initiative. But before they do so, they may want to consider the politics of the situation… The Chamber, under the very able and capable leadership of Allan Zaramberg, came out pretty publicly and strongly saying that it would support a change in the state’s legislative term limits as part of a negotiated deal that would include a fair… Read More

There couldn’t be a more qualified candidate seeking a seat on the California Republican Party Board of Directors than Steve Baric. Baric, the President of the California Republican Lawyers Association, posseses a combination of traits that will serve the party will in one of its governing board members — Steve is smart, understands politics and the role of political parties, grasps business issues (at the end of the day, the CRP is a major corporation) and is grounded in his freedom-liberty oriented ideology.

Anyone who thought they were alone in their positive opinions of Steve needed only attend what was billed as a modest fundraising event on Wednesday night for Steve’s campaign for CRP Secretary (the position is up at this February’s convention and the incumbent, Jalene Forbis, is termed out). Well over a hundred people came to the event, and Steve’s haul was five-figures! The good news for CRP members is that it means that Steve will have the resources to really communicate his message going into the convention.

While I was unable to make it to Steve’s event (I admit it, I was taking full advantage of free cocktails… Read More

HANRETTY MAKES GLAMOUR MAG Former FR State Capitol Correspondent Karen Hanretty took off for the D.C. Beltway to try her hands at political communications on the national level. The capable former spokesman for the State GOP, already a regular on Hannity and Colmes, is now a senior member of the communications team for the Fred Thompson for President campaign. Glamour magazine has found Karen, and has done a little Q&A with her for their latest issue. Check it out here. Way to go, Karen! POOR JIM BRULTE… Yesterday it was reported that former legislative Republican Leader Jim Brulte had endorsed the Fabian Nunez Career Politican Term Limits Weakening Measure. We feel so bad for Brulte on this matter, that we though we would… Read More

HANRETTY MAKES GLAMOUR MAG Former FR State Capitol Correspondent Karen Hanretty took off for the D.C. Beltway to try her hands at political communications on the national level. The capable former spokesman for the State GOP, already a regular on Hannity and Colmes, is now a senior member of the communications team for the Fred Thompson for President campaign. Glamour magazine has found Karen, and has done a little Q&A with her for their latest issue. Check it out here. Way to go, Karen!

POOR JIM BRULTE… Yesterday it was reported that former legislative Republican Leader Jim Brulte had endorsed the Fabian Nunez Career Politican Term Limits Weakening Measure. We feel so bad for Brulte on this matter, that we though we would connect some dots for FR readers, because, as you will… Read More