Search results for

California Governor Gray Davis says a bond proposal could resolve the state's energy crisis. But consumer groups criticize the plan as a tax-payer bailout of electric companies. NPR's Elaine Korry reports from San Francisco.

NPR'S Don Gonyea reports on President Bush's first week in office. During a busy week, the President dealt with abortion, worked on plans to create an Office of Faith Based Initiatives, and met with members of congress and even a few governors in an effort to promote bipartisanship. The President then closed out the week by holding conversations with several international leaders, announcing his first international state visit will be to Mexico this February.

NPR's Richard Gonzales reports that officials in California a breathing a bit easier following results of this week's energy auction. The governor is also assembling a high powered panel to work on a long term solution to the crisis.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reports on a new allegation against Attorney General-designate John Ashcroft that opponents hope will hurt his chances for confirmation. Paul Offner, a health-care expert at Georgetown University, said that when he was applying for a state job in Missouri, then-Governor Ashcroft asked him about his sexual orientation. Yet during his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Ashcroft insisted that he would not consider sexual orientation in hiring for the Justice Department. James Hormel, Bill Clinton's ambassador to Luxembourg who is openly gay, was part of a news conference today called by Ashcroft opponents.

NPR's Richard Gonzales reports that California Governor Gray Davis today signs emergency legislation that will allow the state to buy power to keep electricity flowing to residents for the short term. The Clinton administration has also ordered out-of-state natural gas suppliers to continue selling to one of the state's biggest, but nearly bankrupt, utilities.

Helen Ciurczek of member station KQED reports from Sacramento that the California legislature met late into the night and passed a 400 million dollar stop-gap plan. The money will allow the state to buy electricity on the open market and provide it to utilities at reduced cost. Governor Gray Davis is expected to sign the bill today.

NPR's Richard Gonzales has the latest on the California power crisis-- including yesterday's rolling blackouts and Governor Gray Davis' response.

Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura has published a book, and has his own action figure. Now a Minnesota newspaper will start a comic strip to parody the former wrestler. VenturaLand premieres in the St. Paul Pioneer Press the end of this month. The editorial board of the paper had been wanting to find a cartoon based on the Governor for some time. Kevin Lenagh, was just the man to do it, and took the name VenturaLand from a meteorologist who coined it when reporting on the strange weather in Minnesota. Noah talks with Lenagh about drawing the Ventura cartoon. (3:45)You'll be able to view the comic strip on-line at http://www.pioneerplanet.com in two weeks.

A sound montage of some of the voices in this past week's news, including Chinese Embassy Representative Lee Xiao Ming introducing two new pandas at the National Zoo in Washington; President-elect George W. Bush defending Linda Chavez, his original choice for Secretary of Labor; Linda Chavez, asking Bush to withdraw her nomination for Secretary of Labor; President-elect Bush introducing Elaine Chao, his new choice for Secretary of Labor; Elaine Chao; California Governor Gray Davis delivering his State of the State Address; David Stempler, President, Air Travelers Association and Barbara Biar, president of the aviation consulting firm Avmark; and Joanne Drake, chief of staff to former President Reagan.

Western governors are meeting in Sacramento today to work out a deal on energy transfers to California. The state continues to struggle for a solution to its energy crisis as they deal with critically low power reserves and nearly bankrupt utility companies. NPR's Richard Gonzales reports.