Explorer Scouts: they're the top-of-the-line Boy (and Girl) Scouts, and they take on environmental programs, create charities and generally do good throughout the land. So what a surprise it was to find that Explorer Scouts are being trained to carry weapons and supplement the U.S. Border Patrol down in Imperial County.

Aren't these the kids who are supposed to walk grandmothers across busy streets?

Ittook President Barack Obama less than four months in office to reversethe former Bush Administration's longheld policies opposingCalifornia's efforts to enforce tougher vehicle greenhouse emission andfuel efficiency standards.

Some pretty embarrassing chatter has come to light in recent days, better illuminating the new relationship between the state of California and the new federal leadership. This month, it was alleged that the Obama administration threatened to withhold nearly $7 billion in federal funding, that otherwise was supposed to go to California as part of the federal stimulus program, to help pay for medical costs attached to Medicaid.

California has once again become a Favored Nation in the eyes of Washington. After eight years in the political doghouse, we have been returned to our national leadership position - at least as far as auto emissions standards are concerned.

Two top state Democratic leaders -- Lt. Gov. JohnGaramendi and state Controller John Chiang -- came down hard on Gov.Arnold Schwarzenegger last week, claiming he was making a low-profile,back-door attempt at doing away with a 40-year-old moratorium on oildrilling in state waters.

Contained in the governor's May revised budget is a plan to launchlegislation that would authorize one oil company to begin drilling offSanta Barbara at an existing oil platform that sits very near theborder between state and federal waters in the oil- andecologically-rich Santa Barbara Channel.

It's all about NIMBY - Not In My Backyard - thinking in California. Cut the budget, except for my sacred cow.

The Sacramento Bee reports that a community group is pushing the City Council to rescind its 35 percent cut in the budget of the Department of Parks and Recreation that would - among other provisions - reduce lawn-mowing from once a week to once every three weeks and close bathrooms except for special events.

There is no clearer statement of the direction of any organization than its budget. Given the opportunity to impact the direction for all of California through this month's budget-related ballot initiatives, the state's voters are likely to say "no thanks" in mass quantities by not showing up at the polls.

Hospitalized in a Washington, D.C.-area medical center since mid-April, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Pete Stark said late Wednesday that the congressman continues to recover from a bout of severe pneumonia.

A funny thing happened on the way to the budget compromise: numbers may have been just a little fudged.

SANFRANCISCO -- Despite the state's airwaves being plastered by TVcommercials showing firefighters and teachers predicting furthereconomic disaster for California should Props. 1A through 1F fail, amajority of likely voters in a poll say they will vote against atleast five of measures during the upcoming May 19 special election.