By Megan Burks
State Suspends Some Open Meeting Requirements
In an effort to save $96 million, state legislators suspended funding for certain provisions of the Brown Act, the state’s open meeting law.
Under the law, public entities must notify their constituents of meetings 72 hours in advance and disclose decisions made in closed sessions. The state will no longer pay for those services, making the requirement optional for local governments, school districts and other agencies.
But the Brown Act is still alive and well, according to The Sacramento Bee’s Dan Walters. Requirements to hold meetings in public spaces and invite public comments remain and some governments have already said they’ll continue to post agendas and voting records as usual.
The San Diego Reader reports Councilwoman Marti Emerald’s office is working on bringing the issue before City Council.
Find more from Dan Walters @sacbee_news.
Jails Nearly Full, Probation Officers Stretched With Realignment
KPBS checked in this week with the San Diego County Probation Department to find out how the county is faring in the state’s prison realignment program. Realignment aims to reduce state prison overcrowding by shifting some nonviolent offenders to county jails or probation.
Chief Probation Officer Mack Jenkins told KPBS the county is more stretched than it expected to be. Jails are currently at 92 percent capacity and probation officers are supervising more people than the state said they would.
According to U-T San Diego, six of those parolees have been accused of committing violent crimes, including one murder charge, since their release. District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis told KPBS it’s “too early to make any broad-brushed conclusions” from the arrests.
County District 4, which includes neighborhoods from City Heights to La Jolla, has the largest share of post-release offenders with 367 as of June 12. Of the fourth district communities, downtown typically sees the most parolees.
Follow District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis @BonnieDumanis.
Caltrans, City Want Memorial Ghost Bikes Taken Down
Bike San Diego reported this week Caltrans and the City of San Diego left takedown notices on at least two ghost bikes honoring cyclists killed in traffic collisions.
Community members leave the white bikes at the scene of an accident to memorialize the rider and remind drivers to slow down. State law prohibits such monuments on roadways.
One of the takedown notices was on Chuck Gilbreth’s ghost bike, which KPBS reported on in May. Gilbreth was struck by a car and killed while riding on Montezuma Road near Collwood Boulevard. The incident mobilized the bike community, inspiring a rally and talks that put pressure on city leaders to improve road conditions.
When cyclists spotted the takedown notice, they applied the pressure once more with letters and phone calls to Councilwoman Marti Emerald’s office. Emerald’s staff called the city and the bike is no longer tagged for removal, according to Bike San Diego.
Follow Bike San Diego @bikesd.
City Heights Farmers Market to Celebrate Anniversary Saturday
Organizers of the City Heights Farmers Market have scheduled live entertainment and cooking competitions to celebrate the market’s fourth anniversary Saturday. The fun is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. and go until 1 p.m. at Wightman Street and Fairmount Avenue.
Entertainment will include performances and activities by the City Heights Music School, Sea Lion Dance Team, Seeds of Africa, the Karen Organization of San Diego and the Copley Family YMCA.
See past coverage of the market here.
Follow IRC San Diego @ircsandiego.
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