FREE SPEECH
Flip to the back of many newspapers, including the Weekly, and you come upon public notices – small type announcing things like public meetings, properties in foreclosure, delinquent taxpayers. State Sen. John Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa, plans to introduce a bill that would authorize tax collectors to post public notices on their websites, rather than in newspapers. The California Newspaper Publishers Association is fighting Moorlach’s proposal, partly because it’s bad for the bottom line, but also, as CNPA General Counsel Jim Ewert says, it’s bad public policy: “What these notices are for is to get information out to the public about occurrences the public is going to have a strong interest in.”
WHAT’S UP WITH THAT
A reader asks about Carmel Valley Road by the middle school, where the speed limit drops to a lower limit “When kids are present” and wonders when that refers to. California Vehicle Code states it’s whenever kids are going to or leaving school, both during school hours and recess.
WHO’S IN TOWN?
The Pacific Conference on Spectroscopy and Dynamics is one of the longest-running scientific conferences in the U.S., and it’s in town this week for the 63rd year to explore the world of molecular spectroscopy. That’s the study of absorption of light by molecules in both gas and condensed phases. The three-day conference provides a forum for speakers to present the latest results in the fields of chemistry and physics, and their confluence with biology. This year’s speakers include researchers from the University of Melbourne in Australia and National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan, among others.
Thurs Jan. 19-Sun Jan. 22. Asilomar Conference Center, 800 Asilomar Ave., Pacific Grove. $220-$540. www.westernspectroscopy.org.
GOOD WEEK / BAD WEEK
GOOD:
It’s a good week for Oscar Ramos, a third-grade teacher at Sherwood Elementary School in Salinas. On Feb. 9, the California Teachers Association announced Ramos as its pick for the 2017 César Chavez “Si Se Puede” Human Rights Award for his work with migrant students and their families. Ramos’ efforts first gained recognition in the 2015 PBS documentary East of Salinas, which depicts his dedication to educate one student, José Ansaldo. But Ramos doesn’t focus on just one student. He holds weekend workshops and classes for the families of migrant students. He takes them on field trips to UC Berkeley, the Tech Museum and the San Francisco Exploratorium. It’s been his entire life’s work; Ramos was also a migrant student. He’ll formally accept the award at CTA’s March 4 Equity and Human Rights Conference.BAD:
It’s a bad week for sugary drinks and the soda industry. State Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel, is at it again with an effort to rein in empty calories from beverages. On Feb. 13, Monning introduced SB 300, which would require drinks with added sweeteners of 75 calories or more per 12 ounces to have a warning label that states: “Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay.” Monning has introduced multiple bills in the past to address the issue, ranging from putting an excise tax on sugar-sweetened drinks (similar to the cigarette tax) or warning labels similar to SB 300. Faced with staunch (and well-financed) opposition from the soda industry, all of those previous efforts have failed.