Latest news with #Lowenthal
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Do you want to cover your cocktail to keep it from getting spiked? California bars must offer lids
California bars and nightclubs already are required to post conspicuous signs letting customers know that drug-testing kits are available. Now they have to keep a stack of lids handy — one more method for protecting patrons from drinks that have been drugged. A new Assembly bill that went into effect Tuesday requires any establishment in the state where alcohol is sold for on-site consumption to have lids at the ready upon customer request. Bar and nightclub owners in Los Angeles whom The Times spoke with seemed unfazed by the change, which they described as an 'insignificant' cost for the safety of patrons. A spokesperson for the Mother Lode in West Hollywood said that the only difference in operations was a stack of plastic lids at the end of the bar, which will be provided for free. 'There weren't lids here before and now they are,' they said. 'Not much has changed; it doesn't cost nothing.' Assembly Bill 2375, written by Rep. Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), was supported by LGBTQ+ and alcohol safety organizations, such as the California Alcohol Policy Alliance and the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. The legislation builds on a previous bill that went into effect last year. AB 1013 — also written by Lowenthal, who previously ran a nightclub — requires the display of 'prominent' signage informing patrons that they can ask for a drug-testing kit. AB 2375 passed unanimously last year through the House and Senate chambers. Establishments must display a sign that says, 'Don't get roofied! Drink spiking drug test kits available here. Ask a staff member for details." According to the bill, there is no requirement to provide a lid unless requested by the customer. There is an option for establishments, however, to charge a 'reasonable' price for a lid if they choose. The law will be enforced by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which issues liquor licenses for bars and nightclubs in California. Failure to comply with this and last year's bill could affect an establishment's liquor license, according to the department. But a spokesperson said for now there will be no 'special' enforcement of the new provision. Bars will simply be notified during inspections if they aren't following the law, said Devin Blankenship, a public information officer for the department. Blankenship said the department would focus primarily on educating and notifying license holders about the new legislation. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
02-07-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Do you want to cover your cocktail to keep it from getting spiked? California bars must offer lids
California bars and nightclubs already are required to post conspicuous signs letting customers know that drug-testing kits are available. Now they have to keep a stack of lids handy — one more method for protecting patrons from drinks that have been drugged. A new Assembly bill that went into effect Tuesday requires any establishment in the state where alcohol is sold for on-site consumption to have lids at the ready upon customer request. Bar and nightclub owners in Los Angeles whom The Times spoke with seemed unfazed by the change, which they described as an 'insignificant' cost for the safety of patrons. A spokesperson for the Mother Lode in West Hollywood said that the only difference in operations was a stack of plastic lids at the end of the bar, which will be provided for free. 'There weren't lids here before and now they are,' they said. 'Not much has changed; it doesn't cost nothing.' Assembly Bill 2375, written by Rep. Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), was supported by LGBTQ+ and alcohol safety organizations, such as the California Alcohol Policy Alliance and the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. The legislation builds on a previous bill that went into effect last year. AB 1013 — also written by Lowenthal, who previously ran a nightclub — requires the display of 'prominent' signage informing patrons that they can ask for a drug-testing kit. AB 2375 passed unanimously last year through the House and Senate chambers. Establishments must display a sign that says, 'Don't get roofied! Drink spiking drug test kits available here. Ask a staff member for details.' According to the bill, there is no requirement to provide a lid unless requested by the customer. There is an option for establishments, however, to charge a 'reasonable' price for a lid if they choose. The law will be enforced by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which issues liquor licenses for bars and nightclubs in California. Failure to comply with this and last year's bill could affect an establishment's liquor license, according to the department. But a spokesperson said for now there will be no 'special' enforcement of the new provision. Bars will simply be notified during inspections if they aren't following the law, said Devin Blankenship, a public information officer for the department. Blankenship said the department would focus primarily on educating and notifying license holders about the new legislation.
Los Angeles Times
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
By stooping to conquer, Sacramento Democrats show their pettiness and arrogance
There are plenty of reasons to dislike Carl DeMaio, if you so choose. The first-term San Diego assembly member is MAGA to his marrow, bringing Donald Trump's noxious politics and personal approach to Sacramento. For Democrats, the mere mention of his name has the same effect as nails applied to a chalkboard. Fellow Republicans aren't too fond of DeMaio, either. Party leaders worked strenuously — and far from successfully — to keep DeMaio from being elected last fall. They accused him of criminal wrongdoing. Allies spent millions of dollars to boost his GOP rival. Republican foes 'cite his relentless self-promotion, his criticism of his party and his tendency to take credit for victories he played little or no part in to help him fundraise and elevate his political brand,' CalMatters wrote in a harsh January profile. None of that, however, excuses the silly and juvenile behavior of the Assembly's majority Democrats last week when the chamber took up a resolution commemorating Pride month. DeMaio, the Assembly's first openly gay Republican member, rose on the floor to voice his objections. Usually lawmakers have around five minutes to offer their remarks without interruption. Not this time. DeMaio complained that the resolution — larded with more than three dozen whereas-es — strayed far afield from a straightforward commendation, endorsing some 'very controversial and extremist positions' opposed even by members of the LGBQT+ community. 'This is not about affirming the LGBT community,' DeMaio said. 'It's about using them as a political pawn to divide us.' You can agree or disagree with DeMaio. You can embrace the resolution and its myriad clauses with all your heart, or not. That's beside the point. About 90 seconds into his remarks, DeMaio was interrupted by the Assembly member presiding over the debate, Democrat Josh Lowenthal of Long Beach, who said he had a 'very important announcement' to make. And what was the pressing matter that couldn't possibly wait a second longer? Wishing another Assembly Democrat a happy birthday. Cheers and applause filled the chamber. DeMaio resumed, only to be interrupted a short time later. Lowenthal deadpanned that he'd forgotten: It had been another Democratic lawmaker's birthday just a few days earlier. More cheers and applause. DeMaio resumed and then was interrupted a third time, so Lowenthal could wish 'a very, very happy birthday' to a third Democratic Assembly member, who was marking the occasion the next day. The response in the chamber, laughter mixed with more whoops and cheers, suggested the hazing by Lowenthal and fellow Democrats was great good fun and oh-so-clever. It wasn't. It was petty. It was stupid. And it bespoke the arrogance of a super-majority party too used to having its way and bulldozing Sacramento's greatly outnumbered Republicans. A few things are worth noting here, seeing as how California is supposed to be governed by a representative democracy. DeMaio's political peers may not be terribly enamored of the freshman lawmaker. But he was the clear-cut favorite of voters in San Diego, who sent him to the Assembly by a whopping 57% to 43% margin. Their views and voices deserve to be heard. Democrats may be California's majority party, enjoying a sizable registration advantage. They hold 60 of 80 seats in the Assembly and 30 of 40 in the state Senate. But the state has nearly 6 million registered Republicans. There are doubtless many more in California who support the party, or at least its policies and broad philosophy, but choose not to formally affiliate with the GOP. They, too, deserve to be heard. A not-insignificant number of California residents feel overlooked, ignored and unrepresented by Democrats and their hegemonic rule over Sacramento. The frustration helped spawn the fruitless and wasteful 2021 attempt to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom — which cost taxpayers more than $200 million — and fuels the perennial fantasy of a breakaway rural state called Jefferson. To a larger point: One-party rule is not good for California. 'When you're competing, you've got to be sort of on your toes,' said Thad Kousser, a UC San Diego political science professor who's researched the difference between states with two vibrant political parties and those ruled by one or the other. 'When you're solidly in control, you don't feel like you need to prove it to voters,' Kousser went on. 'You can write off certain areas of the state. You can ignore legislators in the other party, because you don't think the shoe will ever be on the other foot. 'None of that,' Kousser concluded, 'is good for democracy.' It's been well over a decade since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger left office and Republicans wielded meaningful clout in Sacramento. The last time the GOP controlled the Assembly was when Bill Clinton was in the White House. Gerald Ford was president the last time Republicans had a majority in the state Senate. That's not likely to change anytime soon. In the meantime, Democrats don't have to love their fellow lawmakers. They don't even have to like them. But at the very least, Republicans elected to serve in Sacramento should be treated with respect. Their constituents deserve as much.
Metro
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Persona 4 remake is happening as actor reveals he was rejected by Atlus
A voice actor from Persona 4 has confirmed a remake is in development, after he 'begged' developer Atlus to be a part of it. The success of Persona 3 Reload has made another remake in the series practically inevitable, but several rumours in recent months have suggested an announcement could be around the corner. Earlier this year, singer Shihoko Hirata, who is best known for tracks in Persona 4, appeared to drop a hint she was recording for a new game. Since then, developer Atlus has filed a domain name with a Persona 4 reference, which mirrors the domain name for Persona 3 Reload. While this evidence already strongly suggested a Persona 4 remake is in development, a voice actor on the original game, Yuri Lowenthal, has now basically confirmed it. In a post on Bluesky, Lowenthal, who provided the English voice for Yosuke Hanamura in the original game, said he wouldn't be reprising the role in the Persona 4 remake after Atlus turned him down. 'And for those who keep asking, no, I will not be returning as Yosuke for the Persona 4 remake,' Lowenthal wrote. 'I asked. Maybe I even begged, but they don't want me to come back.' Persona 3 Reload featured an entirely new English voice cast from the original game, so it's possible Atlus is simply committing to the same clean slate for the next remake. Lowenthal, who voiced the protagonist in the original Persona 3, similarly didn't reprise his role in Persona 3 Reload. However, he did voice another character, Eiichiro Takeba, in the remake – so it's possible the actor could make a guest appearance in the revamped version of Persona 4. More Trending Along with Yosuke, Lowenthal has voiced a variety of characters in video games, including Peter Parker in Marvel's Spider-Man and the Prince in Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time. Atlus has not officially announced a Persona 4 remake, but a reliable insider recently teased that a 'few Japanese games' will be revealed during Summer Game Fest on Friday, June 6, so it's possible we could see an announcement there. Along with a Persona 4 remake, fans are waiting on news of the similarly inevitable Persona 6. The game's predecessor, Persona 5, launched over eight years ago and has spawned a multitude of spin-offs since. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Pokémon Legends: Z-A release date announced with Switch 2 upgrades MORE: Apple to rival Switch 2 launch with new gaming app MORE: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sells 3.3 million copies after 33 days
23-05-2025
- Business
DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure
The group run by Elon Musk and his aides to cut federal spending in the second Trump administration is targeting some surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau it claims are 'wasteful," worrying users of federal data already concerned about the health of the nation's statistical infrastructure. The Department of Government Efficiency said on social media this week that five surveys costing $16.5 million that are conducted by the statistical agency for other federal agencies have been 'terminated' but didn't specify which ones. Some of the questions on the eliminated surveys asked about alcohol consumption and the frequency that respondents used the internet in their home, according to the post. Other surveys are being reviewed 'one-by-one,' said Tuesday's post on DOGE's X account. The Census Bureau didn't respond this week to an inquiry seeking comment. Based on the post, it's highly possible that the eliminated surveys included the Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, which gathered information on inmates for the Department of Justice, and the Ask U.S. Panel, an internet survey conducted with the Department of Defense, said Beth Jarosz, a senior program director at the Population Reference Bureau, a nonpartisan research organization. There is a public process for changing government surveys that involves giving notice and seeking public comment, and anything that is canceled without going through that process may be violating the law, Jarosz said. 'These data belong to the public,' Jarosz said. 'The taxpayers paid for the data and they should get the data unless they don't want it to be collected anymore.' The Census Bureau asks the public survey questions in order to help Congress and federal agencies implement laws or develop policies, said Terri Ann Lowenthal, a former congressional staffer who consults on census issues. 'Just picking isolated questions doesn't make any point DOGE has intended to make, which is, I guess, that the Census Bureau isn't doing serious work or necessary work, which they are,' Lowenthal said. 'I think that tweet suggests the DOGE staff has very little knowledge about data collection and the set purpose of the Census Bureau's mission.' The bigger concern is whether the Census Bureau is going to be ready for test run-throughs next year of the once-a-decade census, given federal government hiring freezes by the Trump administration and public silence from the bureau about the schedule, Lowenthal said. Tests next year for the 2030 census are slated for six places: western Texas; tribal lands in Arizona; Colorado Springs, Colorado; western North Carolina; Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Huntsville, Alabama. The census is used to determine how many congressional seats each state gets and helps guide the distribution of $2.8 trillion in annual federal funding. 'The time lost in planning for a census can't be made up easily, if at all,' Lowenthal said. 'The timeline of a census is very tight. Each step builds upon what has been done previously.' Researchers and users of federal data are grappling with broader concerns about the health of the U.S. statistical system, given disruptions to federal agencies by DOGE that have led to canceled contracts and the departures of longtime staffers with vast institutional knowledge, Georgetown professor Amy O'Hara, president of the Association of Public Data Users, said during a recent online forum. For instance, the Census Bureau's roster of top leaders and their staff showed 18 vacancies as of the beginning of the month. The statistical agency's leader, Ron Jarmin, has been filling the job in an 'acting' capacity since Census Bureau director Rob Santos resigned earlier this year. An Inspector General's report last March warned that the bureau has had difficulties hiring and retaining workers to carry out its surveys. Earlier this year, the Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau, eliminated advisory committees made up of demographers, statisticians and advocacy group leaders who provided expertise to the statistical agency. 'There's a lot of anxiety. There's a lot of frustration because information is potentially threatened due to changes in agencies or changes in programs,' O'Hara said. 'There's just this fear that what you had relied on is not going to be available.'
