ALAMO -- Not able to withstand the mighty gravitational pull thatis the chance of attaining higher office, freshman Assembly Member


Joan Buchananannounced Thursday that she too would be vying to replace U.S. Rep.Ellen Tauscher, who has accepted an appointment as Undersecretary ofState in the Obama Administration.

Elected last November to represent the 15th Assembly District,Buchanan (D-Alamo), said the opportunity was just too good to pass up.

Heads of the Pacific Coast side of the Fishery Management Council decided on Wednesday, April 8 to basically call off this year's salmon fishing season, after fears that the King/Chinook salmon population may be undersized and may be threatened by the additional fishing season, after a smaller number of the Sacramento River and Klamath River Chinooks migrated to California and Oregon this year.

Although they lost by a wide marginlast November, you have to give officials with the National RepublicanCongressional Committee credit for having the gumption to pickthemselves up off the canvass and get back in the fight.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)announced recently that they will target 43 "vulnerable" HouseDemocrats by using infamous automated or robocalls to voters in thosedistricts, including two members of Congress representing Californiadistricts.

It is no secret by thispoint that California faces a truly nightmarish situation fiscally, notto mention political roadblocks of gargantuan proportions. However,there is also a substantial problem circulating that nobody wants toaddress - namely, California's divisive concessions to environmentallobbying.

California felt about a 20 percent drop in exports through the month of February, which means that only a little over three-quarters of the amount of goods typically exported from California, were actually exported during the month of February.

This isn't great news for the Golden State, which has also recently found itself in a more than $40 billion mess of a budget situation, using what can only be affectionately referred to as half-baked schemes, to get out of it.

I've been trying to understand where the airlines came up with the cost of $50 per person to pay for the capital improvements proposed under Destination Lindbergh. If I recall correctly, it is information that has also been made public in Union-Tribune editorials as well as at today's Chamber Public Policy Committee meeting.

SAN FRANCISCO -- In an announcement thatshocked few in the Golden State political world, San Francisco MayorGavin Newsom announced that he will run for governor in 2010 onTuesday morning.

Newsom ended an extended period of explorationfor the office after conducting a series of town hall meetings acrossthe state. Newsom made his announcement nearlysimultaneously via YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

A state lawmaker from San Bernardino County and Attorney General Jerry Brownhave teamed to support a bill that newspaper industry officials and FirstAmendment lawyers say could damage the state's Public Records Act.

California State Senator Tony Strickland introduced a range of ideas on energy this month in Carpinteria, just outside Santa Barbara.

Strickland has stated his intention to work across party lines "to transition California to a renewable, more energy efficient economy to jumpstart the economy, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, improve the environment, and lower energy prices."

Supporters of California's high speed railefforts found a friend Thursday in President Barack Obama who announcedthat $8 billion of the $787 billion federal stimulus package will bedirected toward developing high speed rail systems across the country.

Obama,flanked by Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary RayLaHood, said the country cannot afford not to invest in a major upgradeto rail travel. He said he understands it necessarily will be "along-term project" but said the time to start is now.