Results tagged “obama”

Senator Barbara Boxer faces a challenging re-election with either Republican and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina or former Republican Congressman Tom Campbell in the race. Both GOP candidates stand a good chance against Boxer, according to poll numbers that put both sides in a "statistical dead heat" this week. Also, Boxer's unfavorable rating went from 39 percent to 51 percent in two months. Obama will attend a fundraiser in support of Boxer in April, says Rick Orlov at the Sausage Factory. This is his first California trip for the Senator. more ›

As efforts to legalize marijuana for recreational use are underway in Sacramento and possibly on the ballot, a large gathering of student activists from... more ›

Just as President Obama is about to announce a new effort to crack down on waste and fraud in Medicare, Medicaid, and other government programs, Angelenos across the city received letters from the U.S. Census Bureau this week. Before opening the letter, it appeared to be the actual census. But no, it was a two-paragraph letter telling you that the actual census form would be coming next week. What is this, monopoly money we're playing with? Oh, wait. more ›

The recent winter storms have brought mudslides and flooding to some areas of L.A. County and beyond. Now the feds are ponying up some funding. Today, Obama declared that a major disaster exists in California, ordering Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in six counties. Possibly related: L.A. County officials have been calling on the feds to repay money for damaged incurred by mudslides, which were beget from the massively large Station Fire. It was the U.S. Forest Service, after all, that didn't take the conflagration seriously until it was too late, they say. more ›

Republican California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger went on the defense for the president yesterday, calling out Republican's hypocrisy when it came to the stimulus package. more ›

There was an uncomfortable moment for U.S. Supreme Court judges during President Barack Obama's State of the Union a few weeks ago. "Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections," Obama said... more ›

Although the Obama Administration stopped Bush-style immigration raids, a different tactic was used to deter illegal immigrants working in the U.S.: forced sackings. American Apparel with it's "Legalize L.A." slogan was one of the first to see this type of "raid" and had to let go around 1,800 people. more ›

Wiley Drake, a Southern Baptist Pastor in Buena Park, is one of those people trying via legal means to oust President Barack Obama from office, contending he's not a natural born citizen. And that's after he dropped praying for the President's death, saying he now rather see Obama face charges. But other politicians and places are still within Drake's rada like Haiti, which apparently made a deal with Satan, and Congressman John Murtha, who recently passed away. more ›

At today's official announcement of high speed rail funds given to various states, including here in California, in Tampa, Florida, President Barack Obama turned to train lover Vice President Joe Biden--he used to ride 250 miles a day--and asked, "Now, Joe, in terms of the high-speed rail here, do you have something specific to say?" more ›

The Obama Administration is set to award California with $2.35 billion in federal passenger rail stimulus funds today, with most all going towards high speed rail. The money is earmarked for four HSR segments--locally to the Los Angeles to Anaheim alignment--and for upgrades to the Pacific Surfliner route between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. more ›

The Obama Administration this week made changes to how applications to the federal government's major transportation grant program, New Starts, will be evaluated. For Los Angeles, this could be a game changing move. more ›

Obama's Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke, is in town today to help announce a $7.5 million Recovery act investment to increase broadband access in the city. "The investment will help bridge the technological divide and improve access to job and computer training and educational opportunities," an advisory explained. Details of how the money will be used should be announced later today. U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will all be present at the press conference, which is taking place this afternoon at the South Los Angeles WorkSource Center. more ›

It’s that time of the month, again: Hear NoHo, an evening of exploring the arts and new music scene in North Hollywood happens tonight from 6:30-11:30 pm at various galleries and locales. Listen to artists like: Melanie Silos, Alex Rhodes, Victoria Clemmons, Matthew Jordan, Drew Broadrick, John Daversa, Quiroga, The Twilight Girls and the Gene Butler Band. $10 for an all-access wristband and dinner/drink discounts at participating restaurants. Tickets must be picked up at the booth (Lankershim and Magnolia). more ›

The man charged with leading the office that investigates complaints and use of force incidents along with auditing the Los Angeles Police Department yesterday was nominated by President Barack Obama to be a United States Attorney. André Birotte, Jr. has been L.A.'s Inspector General since 2003, joining the office two years prior. more ›

Last night, the President and First Lady welcomed guests to the White House's first state dinner of the Obama administration, and the event was occasion to show off the bounty harvested from their garden. On the menu were items like "potato and eggplant salad with White House-grown arugula, and entrees that included roasted potato dumplings with tomato chutney, chick peas and okra, or a meal of green curry prawns," according to TreeHugger. more ›

We've shown you two secret street art spots (here and here) around the Los Angeles area in the past couple weeks, but today we present you with a place you can actually go and see yourself. It's one of those in-your-face spots that you can easily miss, but Sunset Junction can be a treasure trove. Two parcels south of El Pollo Loco on Sunset at Sanborn is an empty lot. more ›

Los Angeles is a metropolis, a diversified city of 3.6 million with interests as varied as the neighborhoods that comprise its vast mosaic. Yet, one of the most persistent knocks against this town is its lack of interest in news and politics. Television news, what with its raging hard on for weather-related pieces and sex scandals, gives some life to those pernicious slanders. Print journalism's slow death also does nothing to dispel what may be a lack of interest in the news and the second largest media market in the nation now has one full time AM news station. Thankfully, for you news junkies out there, we have public radio and its weekly news show Left, Right & Center. more ›

A claim that President Barack Obama was born in Kenya and not in Hawaii was dismissed in a Santa Ana U.S. District Court today, reports the LA Times. California attorney Orly Taitz, who apparently is the leader of the "birther" movement, has tried several times to challenge Obama's natural born citizenship with no luck. She's lost in many lower courts and was fined by a federal judge in Georgia for using the legal system for “political rhetoric and insults." more ›

The Department of Energy today released a list of awardees to receive stimulus funds for research on energy. 37 projects around the country were chosen because of their potential to "change the way we use and produce energy," the department said. Seven of those projects are in the state, two in Southern California. more ›

In a major switch from the Bush Administration, Attorney General Eric Holder in a memo today told agencies in 14 states to stop prioritizing raids and cases against those who comply with state medical marijuana laws. It's not a good use of time, the three-page legal memo said, urging that criminals should be the focus of any efforts. more ›

White House leaders are coming to Los Angeles on Sunday to continue his tour for his National HIV/AIDS Community Discussion. "These Discussions, hosted by the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), offer the public a chance to provide input as the White House works to fulfill the President’s pledge to develop a National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS)," explains a White House press release. more ›

Since taking office, President Obama has visited Los Angeles a couple of times, but today is his first San Francisco visit. Tonight will be a National HIV/AIDS Community Discussion at UCSF, which offers a chance for the public to provide input on combatting the disease. The White House says that more than 56,000 new HIV infections occurs each year in the U.S. Obama has three goals in his effort to... more ›

As announced earlier, Gavin Newsom's gubernatorial campaign has been endorsed by former President Bill Clinton, who will be at the San Francisco Mayor's side today at two events in Los Angeles. more ›

Featured Series Premieres for Tonight: Modern Family (9pm on ABC): Of all the shows premiering tonight, this one seems to have legs. Yes, comedy kingpin Ed O'Neil provides an experienced cornerstone for the series but we're happy to see Julie Bowen, whom we know from "Weeds" and "Lost", given a venue we think she deserves. The promos are hilarious and the folks whom we know received screeners say the show can back them up. more ›

Even though we've already had a couple dozen season premieres over the last two weeks, traditionally the "Fall season" doesn't begin until the week after the Emmys making tonight the launch pad for at least nine shows. --- "Heroes" fans, former or otherwise, are you looking forward to tonight's premiere? Anyone out there with a Sprint contract to look at the "exclusive" content? Enlighten us. --- Last night's Emmys had the highest viewership in three years but still lost out to football. more ›

People are pretty p-o'd about The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, aka ACORN, and the recent videos that have been released showing undercover conservative activists posing as a pimp and ho pair getting a bit too much help from staffers at several of the group's locations. Anti-ACORN activists expressed their dismay through graffiti left on the exterior walls of Studio No. 1 here in Los Angeles, which is the commercial design studio behind Shepard Fairey's iconic Obama HOPE posters, explains the Washington Post. more ›

Before Barack Obama's campaign, Yosi Sergant was a local public relations guy and a constant presence in the Los Angeles arts and grassroots scenes. He represented Shepard Fairey among other organizations before he got the idea to have artists make posters for the campaign. One of those, Fairey's HOPE, became a huge hit and a driving force and symbol of the campaign. Sergant was then offered a job in the White House as the arts liaison and eventually was named the Communications Director at the National Endowment for the Arts. more ›

There's been a national controversy bubbling around President Obama's planned speech to school-age students tomorrow, and specifically the initial course materials provided to accompany the talk, which features the country's leader talking about the importance of education and staying in school. Today the White House released the speech so that everyone can preview its content. more ›

President Barack Obama proclaimed September as National Wilderness Month yesterday on the 45th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, which protects pure land from being touched by any hint of development. Even areas within protected National Parks are declared as wilderness to stop government agencies from building roads, hiking paths or visitor centers. more ›

Last June, Governor Schwarzenegger sought federal disaster aid as California entered its third drought summer in three years. 43% of the state is listed in a severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor's results last week. Still, the Obama Administration denied Schwarzenegger's request, which would have given money for food banks, unemployment and other services in Fresno County, according to the Associated Press. Now Schwarzenegger is asking Obama to reconsider his petition. The last time federal money was given to California for a drought was in 1977. more ›