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In the News

April 20, 2018

This month, CLSA's Washington, D.C.-based Federal Government Relations team participated in the annual BIO Fly-In to advocate for biomedical innovation, investment, and job creation in California. CLSA took part in a total of 18 meetings with bipartisan legislators on Capitol Hill, and had the privilege of presenting 7 members of our congressional delegation with 2018 BIO "Innovator in Biotechnology" awards, for their leadership in supporting biotech innovation. This year's award winners included California Reps.

Issues: Health

April 19, 2018

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) would work to secure electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) access required to operate many communication and navigational devices and to protect it against enemy attacks under a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) on April 16.


April 19, 2018

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced that it has awarded a $1,206,518 grant to the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) to purchase four Compressed Natural Gas buses. METRO's grant application was selected from among more than 1,000 applications submitted to the FTA Bus and Bus Facilities competitive grant program, and one of twelve grants awarded in California.


April 19, 2018

Salinas >> What once was a church, but then was scheduled to be a school has opened as the new district offices of the Alisal Union School District.

Celebrating with drummers, folklorico dancers and community representatives, officials cut the ribbon on its new office on Bardin Road on Monday.

Issues: Education

April 19, 2018

The U.S. military would take steps to secure access to the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) needed to use many communication and navigational devices and to ward off enemy attempts at jamming or deception, under a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) would be directed to develop capabilities to conduct modeling and war-gaming scenarios for joint electromagnetic spectrum operations under the bill, the Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Readiness Act of 2018 (JEMSORA), H.R. 5522,


April 16, 2018

A consortium of public-private partnership groups that help manufacturers meet federal guidelines would receive broader authority to help defense manufacturers amp up their cyber protections, under a bill introduced Friday by House and Senate lawmakers.

The bill would authorize Manufacturing Extension Partnerships to conduct voluntary assessments of small defense manufacturers' cyber protections and to help those manufacturers implement fixes for cyber vulnerabilities.

Sponsors include Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.


April 15, 2018

SANTA CRUZ >> As part of an annual tradition to usher in the start of the sailing season, the Santa Cruz Yacht Club held this year's Commodore's Regatta on Saturday afternoon. With flat, clear conditions and strong wind whipping across the race course — set between Capitola and Natural Bridges — 31 boats of various designs trimmed their sails and went into full tilt as they careened across the water. The Commodore's Regatta drew especially zealous crowds to the harbor as it coincided with the 90th anniversary of the Santa Cruz Yacht Club.


April 15, 2018

WATSONVILLE – Dozens of people gathered at Marinovich park Saturday afternoon to pay tribute to a man who championed civil rights for Latinos, and who revolutionized the way Watsonville chooses its leaders.

Civil Rights Attorney Joaquin Avila died on March 4. He fought to switch Watsonville from at-large to district elections, and for winning several key civil rights cases. He was honored during the memorial service and praised for helping to make possible the careers of local Latino lawmakers such as Rebecca Garcia and Daniel Dodge.


April 12, 2018

GONZALES — Congressman Jimmy Panetta visited Gonzales High School for a roundtable discussion with students about their Wings of Knowledge project working with local farms to gather data about water consumption in crops April 2.

Panetta sat down with a group of 12 Gonzales High School students to speak about a project the students are working on with Vahid Motazedin.


April 10, 2018

Salinas >> Johnnie D. Johnson of Salinas has received medals for his 20 years of service in the Navy before, but he never participated in any kind of award ceremony.

"This has never happened before," he said recently in the Salinas office of Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, where Johnson finally received the Vietnam Service Medal. "For one of my other medals, they just handed me a letter. I didn't even know what it was for."

Issues: Veterans