Good morning.
Tapping through Instagram stories is not where I expected to find the actor Seth Rogen looking very serious.
And yet, there he has been over the last couple weeks, nodding solemnly as his wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, talks about Alzheimers research. A big block floating near their heads reads, Yes on 14.
Thats Proposition 14, one of the dozen propositions on the statewide ballot this month.
[Read more about whats on this years statewide ballot.]
The measure, which would put $5.5 billion in state bond money toward stem cell and other medical research, is not something most Californians are likely to have spent a lot of time thinking about.
But its a fair illustration of Californias ever-evolving ballot proposition system at work, David McCuan told me.
Mr. McCuan is a political-science professor at Sonoma State University who has studied Californias ballot initiatives for two decades.
Historically, its been hard to get voters to say yes to the questions theyre posed on the statewide ballot, he said, whether theyre being asked to spend more money on something like stem cell research or to change laws made by the Legislature. But thats been shifting.
We see things where the yes side and the coalitions that form under initiative politics are becoming better learners, he said. Donors are strategic, and the ballot measure itself is specific about what it will do.
He said that as the strategy behind Californias propositions the crafting of ballot language, the timing of ad spending has become more sophisticated, the money behind them has become astronomical.
This is the second most expensive political exercise in the free world, he said. Youre looking at around $650 million so far for 12 ballot measures.
Compare that, he said, with $57 million the record-breaking quarterly sum raised by Jaime Harrison, whos challenging Senator Lindsey Graham in South Carolina.
Much of that spending this year has been by proponents of Proposition 22, the complicated ballot initiative that would exempt ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft from requirements that they give drivers protections and benefits due to employees under the states new gig-work law.
[Read more from The Los Angeles Times about arguments for and against Proposition 14.]
But millions of dollars have been spent even on something much lower profile, like Proposition 14.
The coalition that put it on the ballot has raised more than $13.4 million in support of the measure, according to the California Fair Political Practices Commission, which lists top donors to each campaign. Most of that money has come from Robert N. Klein, a real estate investor, as well as Dagmar Dolby, the widow of Ray Dolby, the sound magnate.
It would re-up funding for the states stem cell research agency, which was started with the blessing of California voters, who approved the first bonds in a 2004 ballot measure, to fill in gaps left by a federal ban on funding for research using new embryonic stem cells.
[See The Timess full voter guide for Californians, with information about how, when and where to cast your ballot.]
Proponents, who include Gov. Gavin Newsom and the University of California Board of Regents, say its critical, lifesaving work that takes time and resources.
Opponents say that the measure would saddle California taxpayers with even more debt during an economic crisis, and that the money the agency has already spent hasnt yielded worthwhile results.
Further, as the editorial boards of The Los Angeles Times and The San Francisco Chronicle noted, the ban on federal funding, under President George W. Bush, was reversed by President Barack Obama.
But the fight is lopsided: Theres no significant organized campaign against the measure. The Secretary of States office showed that the No on Proposition 14 committee raised just $250.
[Conoces a alguna persona interesada en esta informacin en espaol? Puedes compartirle nuestra gua para los votantes de California.]
Mr. McCuan said bond measures like Proposition 14 have tended to fare better with voters.
And while he suggested opponents of some ballot measures may save up to fight the results in court 70 percent of the ballot measures that go to the ballot through popular petition and are passed are found unconstitutional he doesnt see that happening with Proposition 14.
In essence, the measure shows the system doing what it was intended to do: Give anyone an opportunity to ask voters to weigh in on a question as long as they have the money to get their message out, Mr. McCuan said.
Still, he said, a high stakes general election can sweep up, or lead to some surprises.
(This article is part of the California Today newsletter. Sign up to get it by email.)
Read more about politics and the ballot in California:
Uber and Lyft have been pushing their Proposition 22 message somewhere voters cant escape it: their phones. [The Los Angeles Times]
Proposition 25 would end cash bail. Why are some progressive groups against it? [KQED]
Find information about all the propositions, including whos putting money behind which side. [CalMatters | The Los Angeles Times | SFGate | Official voter information guide]
The campaign manager for Representative T.J. Cox admitted to using Photoshop to make it look like his opponent, David Valadao, retweeted the presidents post saying, California is going to hell. Vote Trump! Mr. Cox is the Central Valley Democrat fighting to keep the job he narrowly won in 2018 from Mr. Valadao, the moderate Republican who last held the seat. [KGET]
A long-running legal battle over the 2020 census took another turn. Heres where things stand. [The New York Times]
When Senator Kamala Harris asked Judge Amy Coney Barrett about climate change on Wednesday, Judge Barrett called it a very contentious matter of public debate. [The New York Times]
Pacific Gas and Electric said more than 50,000 customers across a broad swath of Northern California would lose power as yet another round of hot, dry, dangerous weather descends on the region. The utility said on Wednesday that shut-offs would start that night and could extend until Friday night. [The New York Times]
Heres how to check if your home may lose power. [The Mercury News]
The Bay Area is bracing for dangerous Diablo winds, which pick up in the fall. Heres more about Californias demonized winds, and how they shape fire season. [The New York Times]
Health care workers at Harbor-U.C.L.A. Medical Center protested the shooting of a patient with a mental illness by a sheriffs deputy. Sheriff Alex Villanueva described the incident as like a scene out of The Shining. That comment drew sharp rebuke from the hospitals chief medical officer. [The Daily Breeze]
A man was spotted flying a jetpack near LAX. Again. [The New York Times]
One of the uncountable milestones that have been altered by the pandemic is the very act of giving life.
Midwives have said theyve seen an increase in demand, as hospitals became, well, less hospitable to families who want to experience birth together.
My colleagues in Parenting published a photo essay showing midwives at work in Los Angeles. The images, like the one above, are raw and intimate and cinematic. See them here.
California Today goes live at 6:30 a.m. Pacific time weekdays. Tell us what you want to see: CAtoday@nytimes.com. Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for California Today here and read every edition online here.
Jill Cowan grew up in Orange County, graduated from U.C. Berkeley and has reported all over the state, including the Bay Area, Bakersfield and Los Angeles but she always wants to see more. Follow along here or on Twitter.
California Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from U.C. Berkeley.
More here:
What Proposition 14 Tells Us About California - The New York Times
- Stem Cell Therapy for Treatment of Ocular Disorders - Hindawi - December 27th, 2022
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- Shinya Yamanaka - Wikipedia - October 29th, 2022
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- World's first stem cell treatment for spina bifida delivered during fetal surgery - UC Davis Health - October 13th, 2022
- JDRF Announces the Appointment of Qizhi Tang, Ph.D., as Co-Director of The JDRF Center of Excellence in Northern California - PR Newswire - October 13th, 2022
- California court creates regulatory uncertainty over the FDA regulation of stem cell therapies - BioEdge - October 4th, 2022
- Scientists have created a mechanical womb that can grow life in the lab - Inverse - October 4th, 2022
- ISCT: California stem cell ruling is flawed and has inserted regulatory uncertainty into the CGT market - BioPharma-Reporter.com - September 16th, 2022
- Scientists Use Stem Cells to Create Synthetic Mouse Embryos - September 16th, 2022
- UK Equine Research Hall of Fame Inductees Announced - Equi Management - September 16th, 2022
- Cultured meat startup Prolific Machines unveils its Henry Ford approach to cell growth - TechCrunch - September 16th, 2022
- New Stem Cell Therapy Protects Brain Against the Neurological Disorder - Nature World News - September 8th, 2022
- Scientists Are Working on New and Improved Hair Loss Treatments - Gizmodo - September 8th, 2022
- What happens to the brain on prescription steroids? - Medical News Today - September 8th, 2022
- How this scientist uses Legos to explain the power of stem cells - August 30th, 2022
- CIRM Bridges intern researches stem cells to grow kidneys - August 30th, 2022
- Alzheimer's: Could controlling the brain's own clean-up crew help? - Medical News Today - August 22nd, 2022
- Trial to Compare Safety and Efficacy of Novel Cell Therapy to Standard of Care in Patients With Rare Blood Cancers - Curetoday.com - August 5th, 2022
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- Cell Culture Media Market Worth $14.64 Billion by 2029 - Exclusive Report by Meticulous Research - GlobeNewswire - August 5th, 2022
- Haifan Lin takes on new role as President of the ISSCR - EurekAlert - July 3rd, 2022
- UCI-led team discovers signaling molecule that potently stimulates hair growth - UCI News - July 3rd, 2022
- Calidi Biotherapeutics Announces Appointment of W.K. Alfred Yung, M.D., to its Medical Advisory Board - Business Wire - July 3rd, 2022
- Organoids reveal similarities between myotonic dystrophy type 1 and Rett syndrome - EurekAlert - July 3rd, 2022
- Our View: Roe reversal hard hit to science - The Durango Herald - July 3rd, 2022
- Connection Map Reveals Changes in the Injured Brain - Technology Networks - June 22nd, 2022
- Scientists Used CRISPR to Trace Every Human Gene to Its Function - Singularity Hub - June 22nd, 2022
- Maike Sander named to lead the Max Delbrck Center - EurekAlert - June 22nd, 2022
- CRISPR-Cas12a Editing Rates Improve with Better Directions to the Nucleus - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News - June 22nd, 2022
- UB-led study presents critical step forward in understanding Parkinson's disease and how to treat it - University at Buffalo - June 13th, 2022
- Stem Cells: A Case for the Use of Human Embryos in Scientific Research - June 4th, 2022
- Top Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon, Dr. John Anastasatos, Explores Cell-Assisted Lipotransfer (CAL) with Breast Augmentation in New Publication -... - June 4th, 2022
- Regenerative Medicine Market To Grow At A CAGR Of 11.27% By 2027, Due To Advancements In Cell Biology, Genomics Research, And Gene-Editing Technology... - June 4th, 2022
- Google Reverses Ban on Ads for All Stem Cell Therapies, Will Allow FDA-Approved Ones - Gizmodo Australia - May 15th, 2022
- Head-To-Head Survey: Jasper Therapeutics (NASDAQ:JSPR) & CytRx (OTCMKTS:CYTR) - Defense World - May 15th, 2022
- Primary Cell Culture Market Mechanical Separation Segment Is Expected To Witness A Lucrative CAGR Of 11.7% Till 2028, Owing To Advancements In... - May 15th, 2022
- Ray Therapeutics Receives $4M in Funding From the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) - BioSpace - May 2nd, 2022
- Predicting the Future of Food - Bon Appetit - May 2nd, 2022
- FDA Grants Direct Biologics Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) Designation for the use of ExoFlo in COVID-19 Related ARDS USA - English -... - April 19th, 2022
- Chronic Diseases Is Expected To Have Positive Impact On Stem Cell Characterization Kits Market Demand Bloomingprairieonline - Bloomingprairieonline - April 19th, 2022
- Cleveland Cord Blood Center and Deverra Therapeutics Announce Agreement - Yahoo Finance - April 6th, 2022
- A model that mimics malformation associated with severe epilepsy paves way to novel therapies - EurekAlert - March 25th, 2022
- Stem cell agency: Following the money - and its performance - Capitol Weekly - December 24th, 2021
- Epithelial Cell Culture Media Market to hit US$ 303040.33 thousand by 2028, at 11.4% CAGR: The Insight Partners - Digital Journal - December 24th, 2021
- What is Biohacking? Understanding the Silicon Valley Wellness Trend Youll Hear About in 2022 - SheKnows - December 24th, 2021
- Second Woman Spontaneously Clears HIV: 'We Think More Are Out - Medscape - November 22nd, 2021
- Business Partnership for Development and Commercialization of Medical Device Implant Utilizing MSC2 for the Regeneration of Esophageal Tissue in... - November 22nd, 2021
- Misinformation on stem cell treatments for COVID-19 linked to overhyped science, researchers argue - EurekAlert - October 16th, 2021
- Phase 2 Clinical Trial Data of NurOwn in Progressive MS Will Be Presented at the 37th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in... - October 16th, 2021
- StemExpress Partners with the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine to Provide COVID-19 Testing for the Cell and Gene Meeting on the Mesa - WSAW - October 5th, 2021
- BrainStorm to Present at the 2021 Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa - WWNY - October 5th, 2021
- UC Davis and the School of Medicine set new records in research funding - UC Davis Health - August 31st, 2021
- FDA gives speedy review to Bayer's Parkinson's stem cell therapy - - pharmaphorum - July 21st, 2021
- Stem cell model reveals how COVID-19 can infect the brain - Study Finds - July 21st, 2021
- Introducing the 3D bioprinted neural tissues with the potential to 'cure' human paralysis - 3D Printing Industry - July 21st, 2021
- Insception Lifebank and Cells for Life Join the Generate Life Sciences Family to Create a Global Platform - Canada NewsWire - June 6th, 2021
- Innovative Regenerative Medicine Therapies Safety Comes First - FDA.gov - June 6th, 2021
- ViaCyte to Present Late-Breaking Data at the American Diabetes Association's 81st Scientific Sessions - PRNewswire - June 6th, 2021
- Viral vector unlikely to be cause of leukemia in gene therapy patient - Science Magazine - March 11th, 2021
- Astrocytes Derived from Patients with Bipolar Disorder Malfunction - UC San Diego Health - March 11th, 2021
- Peer Recognition | The UCSB Current - The UCSB Current - March 11th, 2021
- Stem cells on the ballot - Science Magazine - January 20th, 2021
- Controlling the immune system with 'invisible stem' cells - BioNews - January 20th, 2021
- How a UCSF team is giving Cronutt the sea lion a second chance with neuroscience - University of California - October 20th, 2020
- California Proposition 14: Funding medical research that uses stem cells - KTLA - October 20th, 2020
- Technology to natures rescue - The Hindu - October 20th, 2020
- What You Need to Know About Prop 14, The Stem Cell Research Bond (Transcript) - KQED - October 5th, 2020
- UC Davis Engineers Lead $36M Effort to Improve Recovery From Spinal Cord Injuries - UC Davis - October 5th, 2020
- Dust off the crystal ball: It's time for STAT's 2020 Nobel Prize predictions - STAT - October 5th, 2020
- Stem Cells Offer Hope of Treatment for COVID-19 Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) - HospiMedica - September 15th, 2020
- David Shavelle, MD, Named Medical Director of Adult Cardiology for the MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center -... - September 15th, 2020
- Seeing the eye like never before | Newsroom - UW Medicine Newsroom - September 15th, 2020
- Why The FDA's Recent Approval Of New Vaccine Is A Gigantic Win In The War On Cancer - Innovation & Tech Today - September 7th, 2020
- Gore partners with San Diego company on cell delivery system with potential to treat Type 1 diabetes - delawarebusinessnow.com - August 12th, 2020
- Celularity announces the activation of first California Clinical Trial Site following CIRM Grant Award to Advance Treatments for COVID-19 - PRNewswire - August 12th, 2020
- Meet The 12 Next-Gen Food Techs Transforming The Future Of Protein - Green Queen Media - August 12th, 2020
- BeyondSpring Initiates Expanded Access Program with Plinabulin for Patients Suffering from CIN in the US - BioSpace - August 12th, 2020
- BCLI: Phase 3 ALS Data Expected by the End of November 2020 - Yahoo Finance - August 12th, 2020
- Impact of COVID 19 pandemic on Stem Cell Characterization and Analysis Tools Market Structure and Its Segmentation - 3rd Watch News - July 1st, 2020