Three More Weeks Needed To Surround California's Rim Fire

Flames from the Rim Fire in the hills behind Tuolumne City, Calif., on Wednesday.

The massive "Rim Fire" around California's Yosemite National Park is now about 30 percent contained and it's hoped that cooling temperatures and more moderate winds will continue to work in firefighters' favor.
But The Associated Press cautions that officials say it will likely still be three weeks before the fire is surrounded and that the blaze likely won't be out until many weeks after that.
According to the online "fire tracker" that our colleagues at Southern California Public Radio's KPCC are maintaining, as of Thursday morning more than 192,000 acres had been burned. About 111 structures had been destroyed and 5,500 others were threatened. Fortunately, only 4 people had been injured and there had been no fire-related deaths.
As we reported Wednesday, there's concern about the fire's lingering effects. Erosion from scorched hillsides could pollute the pristine waters of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir that provides water to about 2.6 million people in the Bay Area. The flames are also threatening the area's ancient sequoias.
Of more immediate concern, KQED adds, is the unhealthy air in areas where the fire's smoke is spreading. A map produced by the federal government's AirNow website shows a large patch of "unhealthy" air in the Thursday forecast for an area that straddles the border of Northern California and Nevada.

SOURCE : NPR.ORG

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Few California voters know much about healthcare overhaul, poll shows

Covered California's executive director, Peter Lee, answers questions last week about the state's new health insurance marketplace at a town hall in Norwalk. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

A large majority of California voters know very little or nothing at all about the state's new health insurance marketplace less than six weeks before enrollment starts, according to a new poll.

The Field Poll released Wednesday found that just 25% of California voters under 65 said they've heard a lot or some about Covered California, the state's new insurance exchange opening Oct. 1.

Awareness dipped even further among the uninsured: Only 18% of those voters said they know much about it.

The findings illustrate the challenges state officials face in spreading the word about the federal health law and how a new state-run insurance market may affect as many as 5 million Californians who don't get coverage from their employer.

Fewer than half of voters whose income, age and insurance status qualify them for benefits under the Affordable Care Act know about their eligibility, according to the poll.

The nonpartisan Field Poll surveyed 1,687 California voters in June and July using a grant from the California Wellness Foundation.

Story gallery: Healthcare law comes to California

Those surveyed did indicate a willingness to learn more. Statewide, 65% of voters under 65 said they're interested in finding out more about Covered California and the new health plans available. The figure was even higher at 83% among the uninsured.

Covered California has been ramping up its marketing and outreach across the state in recent months. The agency has been holding town hall meetings, issuing outreach grants to community groups and preparing an ad campaign for this fall.

Enrollment in the state exchange opens Oct. 1 for policies that take effect in January. Starting next year, most Americans have to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty of $95 per adult or 1% of household income, whichever is greater.

Many lower- and middle-income Californians will qualify for federal premium subsidies to help make coverage more affordable. The state plans to roll out a new online calculator this month allowing consumers to compare rates on specific health plans in their area.

At a town hall last week in East Los Angeles, Covered California board member Robert Ross said there's a lot to do in a short amount of time.

"We are feeling the pressure. This is our Super Bowl," Ross said. "One thing we can guarantee is we won't get everything right."

SOURCE : Latimes

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Sony PS4 Release Date: Next-Gen Console To Hit UK In November (VIDEO)

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 11: A Playstation 4 and its controllers on display at the Sony Playstation E3 2013 booth at the Los Angeles Convention Center on June 11, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. Thousands are expected to attend the annual three-day convention to see the latest games and announcements from the gaming industry. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) 

 

Sony has announced that its next generation PlayStation 4 games console will be released in November.
The machine will cost £349 when it hits retail stores.
Sony made the announcement at its annual Gamescom press conference in Cologne, Germany.
Other major games companies including Microsoft and EA made their next-generation pitches at the event, with the former confirming that a free copy of FIFA 14 will be included in every Xbox One console pre-ordered before launch - expected at a similar time to the PS4.

• PS Vita price cut to €199, or about £170


• Borderlands 2 for PS Vita will be launched in 2014


• Critically-acclaimed indie game Fez will be coming to PS Vita, among a range of other indie games


• Little Big Planet Hub - a free to play service with an emphasis on in-app purchases - will launch on PS3 later in 2013


• Gran Turismo 6 will launch on 6 December 2013 for PS3 - and a full-length feature film will be produced by Sony Pictures, inspired by GT Academy
• 

Sony says that the system - based on an eight-core processor and a 1.84TFlops graphic processor with 8GB of RAM - will create rich and deeply immersive games.

"The PS4 system focuses on the gamer, ensuring that the very best games and the most immersive experiences are possible on the platform. The PS4 system enables the greatest game developers in the world to unlock their creativity and push the boundaries of play through a system that is tuned specifically to their needs."

 SOURCE : Huffingtonpost

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Capitol Alert: AM Alert: California's fracking fight turns offshore

FILE- This file photo taken April 12, 2005 shows the oil platform Gilda is seen in federal waters in the Santa Barbara Channel off Ventura, Calif. Several California lawmakers have sent a letter to the federal government asking for an investigation into hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, off the California coast.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/08/15/3442451/capitol-alert-am-alert-californias.html#storylink=cpy

We've seen plenty of ink spilled (and blog space filled) this session over the legislative push to regulate hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, wherein a mix of chemicals and water is shot underground to shatter rock formations containing oil and gas. Much has been made of the implications for towns sitting atop California's vast Monterey Shale, and the risks to wells and water supplies.

The concerns don't stop at the coast. A recent series of reports have detailed fracking in the Pacific Ocean, prompting California lawmakers to disseminate letters asking the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency andCalifornia Coastal Commission to investigate.

The state Coastal Commission responds today, with deputy director Alison Dettmer discussing offshore fracking during a commission meeting in Santa Cruz. Plenty of questions remain -- it's unclear who the lead regulatory agency would be, for example, as things get murky depending on if you're in federal or state waters. Today's meeting should provide some clarity, or at least a gauge of how seriously the coastal commission views the issue.

VIDEO: Speaking of fracking, Dan Walters says the effort to create a regulatory framework for fracking is one of the key remaining issues this session.

PAYROLL PROBLEMS: A few days after the Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes released a report faulting the state controller's office for bungling an attempted new payroll system, theSenate Budget And Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 4 is holding a hearing examining what went awry with the "21st Century Project." Representatives from the controller's office -- but not State ControllerJohn Chiang -- are expected to testify. (If you're in the mood for a little theorizing, Dan Walters thinks lawmakers had a reason to go after Chiang).

WATERWAYS AND MEANS: With the 2014 ballot creeping ever closer, questions about a planned water bond measure continue to bubble up. The Assembly Water, Parks And Wildlife Committee has an informational hearing on constructing the water bond scheduled to start after session adjourns today, in room 4022.

HACKS AND PACS: Some of the better known operatives and wonks in the California political world will converge on The Firehouse Restaurant this afternoon for a discussion of what the 2014 elections will bring. Moderated by data-cruncher Paul Mitchell and Nooner scribe Scott Lay, the panel will feature Kathy Bowler of Vectis Strategies, Jon Fleischman of FlashReport.org, Steve "Spinner" Maviglio of Forza Communications, Jason Kinney of California Strategies, Amy Thoma of Stutzman Public Affairs and Matt Rexroad of Meridian Pacific. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., with proceeds going to the Leadership California Institute.

SOURCE : FRESNOBEE

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Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/08/15/3442451/capitol-alert-am-alert-californias.html#storylink=cpy

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