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Reports that the business community in Orange County, California is divided over Proposition 209, a measure to scale back preferential treatment programs. Who supports the initiative; Stance of the county's ethnic business groups on the initiative; Businesses and business groups which have taken no official position on the initiative; What Prop. 209 would prohibit. INSET: About Prop 209..

The article informs that Irvine's Hoag Orthopedic Institute is expanding its presence in Los Angeles County, and has purchased Marina del Rey-based Diagnostic and Interventional Surgery Center.

The article reports on the difficulty of engineering and construction firms in finding qualified civil engineers in California. Executives of engineering companies projected that the shortage of engineers could drive companies to pass up lucrative projects and cause the delay in the delivery of their projects on time. According to president Ron Tutor, engineering companies are competing in terms of recruiting qualified engineers.

Reports on the political implication of environmental impact reports on planned development projects in California. Establishment of the California Environmental Quality Act; Inclusion of technical appendices in the environmental impact reports; Revision of environmental impact standards for construction projects.

Highlights the plans of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration as he prepares for his mid-November 2003 oath of office. Plans to name three top staff positions within the month of October; Schwarzenegger's scheduled visit to Sacramento to meet with Governor Gray Davis; Efforts of members of the transition team to process job inquiries.

Focuses on the things that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has to do to improve the business climate in the state. Overhaul of the workers' compensation system; Reduction of litigation against businesses.

Reports that the Whittier Law School relocated from temporary quarters in Irvine and its campus in Los Angeles, to Orange County, California, in August 1997. Reason Orange County was selected for relocation; Other law schools in Orange County; Comments from John Fitzrandolph, dean of Whittier Law School. INSETS: Doer's profile.;The long road to Costa Mesa.;Old contacts draw marquee name..

Focuses on the company JAMS/Endispute Incorporated, initially known as Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service, which is the second-largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution services in the United States. When the company was started; Why Warren Knight saw the need for such a business; Number of arbitrators and offices around the country; Company's average billing to bring a case to settlement; Comments from Knight.

Discusses the impact of electric deregulation on public utility businesses in Orange County, California. Comments made by Michael Burke, vice president with New Ventures, a Los Angeles-based electricity/broker agent; Details on the electricity deregulation. INSETS: Power players.;Anaheim must wait for awhile..

Presents information on changes which were made to the John Wayne Airport in fall 1996 focusing on the backing of the airline industry by AMR Combs and American Airlines. Information on the purchases made by John Wayne Airport; Renovations made to the airline terminal; Information on AMR Combs. INSET: Corporate profile..

Discusses some of the controversial issues affecting overtime pay in the United States. Reference to the repeal of daily overtime pay by the Orange County, California, Industrial Welfare Commission; Whether it is necessary to go to the ballot box; How labor union representatives and the Democratic allies in the state legislature feel about overtime pay.

Focuses on the boutique muni-bond underwriting firm, O'Connor and Company Securities of Newport Beach, California. Total new debt underwritten by O'Connor since November 1996; Type of clientele targeted by O'Connor. INSETS: O'Connor: OC shouldn't have filed bankruptcy.;Call `em bankers through the rye.;What O'Connor did in Needles, Lake Elsinore..

Focuses on Fluor Corporation, a California based engineering and construction company. Status of the company for March 27, 1997; Comments by company spokesman Lee Tashjian and other officials; Information on the company's earning problems; Detailed information on chief executive officer Lew McCraw's plans for the company's growth.

Presents information on the proposed acquisition of National Education Corporation by Sylvan Learning Systems Incorporated. Where the companies are based; Information on both companies; Background information on Sam Yau and Douglas Becker, chief executive officers respectively; Comments from Becker; Impact of the acquisition on employees; Benefits of the acquisition. INSETS: Corporate profiles.;Doers' profile..

Focuses on the impact of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) on companies in Orange County, California. What is require under ADA; Names of affected businesses; Arguments against ADA; Information on renovations at companies due to ADA. INSETS: Crying all the way to the bank.;ADA spawns suits, but employers often prevail..

Presents the views of several lawyers on reforming the legal system in the United States.

Focuses on attempts to privatize the landfill system in Orange County (OC), California. How advocates of privatizing the system viewed the county's bankruptcy; Reason critics were against the proposal to sell the landfills; What would make OC's landfills more competitive with private landfills in Los Angeles County; Factors which have worked against privatization.

Reports that Edison Mission Energy is refocusing their attention on the domestic market in Orange County, California. Mission known to be one of the world's largest independent power producers with massive power projects; Financial information on the company; Comment from Ed Muller, chief executive officer and president of the company.

Reports that during the week November 18 through 24, 1996, the San Joaquin Hills, California, toll road will be opened. Problems faced by the toll road; Advantages of the road; Comment from Kit Royer, general manager for the regional office of Brookfield Development Company; Details on the road.

Focuses on the November 1996 elections in California. Information on the initiatives on the ballots that affect businesses; Comments from Julie Puentes, spokeswoman for the Orange County Business Council; Examination of national state and county elections.

Reports that businesses with fewer that ten employees in California, have been exempted from a proposed ergonomics rule. Details on a vote taken by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board; Details on the ergonomics rule.

Reports that in a battle between Chuck Quackenbush, State Insurance Commissioner in Orange County, California, and Golden Eagles Insurance Company of San Diego, California, Quackenbush accused John Mabee of Golden Eagle, of offering bribes. What Quackenbush wants the company to do; Information on the bribery charge; Statements made by Quackenbush.

Focuses on the showdown over proposed changes on how the Orange County in California awards contracts. Calls for reform of the county contract procurement system; Banning of paid lobbyists from the final selection process; Proposed reforms as increasing the potential for taint by pushing the process behind closed doors.

The article reports on the reorganization of aerospace manufacturing firm Ducommun Inc. into a public traded company with its relocation to Santa Ana, California.

The article reports on the establishment by Andrew Meyer and Matt Rising of Swell Energy in 2016. Topics covered include the selection of the firm by Southern California Edison to place batteries into thousands of homes, the use of the seed money raised from angel investors to reach out to homeowners and the firm's attempt to work on an in-house system to finance the purchase and installation of battery systems.

The article reports that bid of the public utility holding company Edison International for new markets and revenue will be conducted from Irvine, California, and mentions that the new unit also has a business that bids for transmission construction contracts.

The article offers information on the implications of the 1099 Self-Organizing Act, of Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, on independent contractors in San Diego, California.

The article focuses on the banker rotation rule that could cost card clubs in California and mentions topics including the battle between local card rooms and tribal gaming casinos, Bureau of Gambling Control, and enforcement of the rotation of banker position from January 1, 2017.

The article reports that the nonprofit organization California Chamber of Commerce has opposed the extension of the income tax increase of Proposition 30 until 2031 which was approved by voters in 2012 and is set to expire in 2018.

The article offers the author's insights on the potential conflict of a new law which require an increase on minimum wage for low-paid hourly workers in San Diego, California.

The article reports on the minimum wage increase for restaurant operators, retailers, and others in California. The increase will be the highest of any state in the nation from $7.50 to $8 per hour. On the other hand, business operators raise prices, cut back employee hours and take home less profits.

The article reports that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has rejected 12 bills including the Senate Bill 936 or commonly known as the Perata Bill. Schwarzenegger refers to the bills as excessively onerous and costly for local businesses. Allan Zaremberg, chief executive officer (CEO) of the California Chamber of Commerce, states that if these "job killer" bills had been signed into law, it will pose a big problem to employers and eventually will place the state's competitiveness in danger.

The article discusses the alarming reduction in workers' compensation rate in the U.S. An expert says that rate reductions are getting slower but the main driver of the moderating increase is higher medical costs. However, Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has endorsed through the Legislature an overhaul of the workers' compensation system related to premium rates.

The article focuses on the passing of bills that are considered to harm businesses in Sacramento, California. The bills include those require businesses to pay for employee health care, increase workers' compensation benefits and regulate the amount of chemicals used in their products. Business lobbyists stress that these bills pose a threat to employers. Topping the list are health care reform bills introduced by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez and Senate President Don Perata.

The article reports on the implementation of a minimum wage increase law in Orange County, California. The measure is considered the biggest law of 2007 for businesses in the county. Aside from the minimum wage increase measure, other laws approved are the Assembly Bill 32 greenhouse gas emissions reduction mandate and Senate Bill 1613, a ban on cellular telephone use without a hands-free device in most vehicles.

The article presents information on the impact of rising interest rates and the shrinking housing market on City National Corp., the largest independent bank operator in Orange County, California. City National's shares dropped nearly 15% after two earnings warnings in 2006. Rising interest rates have increased costs at City National and have driven some customers away. INSET: Analysts Upbeat on IndyMac.

The article highlights the major business developments slated to take place in Orange County and across other parts of California as voters have reelected Californian Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the November 7, 2006 elections. California's infrastructure will be boosted with the approval of more than $40 million in bonds. In Newport Beach, California, the tightening of the city's slow-growth law called Measure X was resoundingly rejected by voters. INSET: Democratic Congress.

The article reports that a recent study from a respected think tank has found that not only have California's major industries all suffered some net job loss from business relocations, but that this effect is most pronounced among industries that tend to pay higher wages. The think tank was the Public Policy Institute of California, which studied business relocations into and out of the state between 1992 and 2003.

The article reports on the proposals of several measures that could have sweeping impacts on the business climate in California. Four of the measures would raise $37 billion for much-needed infrastructure projects throughout the state, including highways, goods movement, school facilities, housing, and levee repair.

The article reports on business-related measures contained in California's ballot in November 2006. These include the four bond measures that would raise $37 billion for public works projects, measures hiking taxes on cigarettes, oil and property, and a proposal to limiting government seizures of private property. There is also a public campaign financing initiative that would regulate corporate contributions.

The article reports that trial lawyers, unions and workers' compensation doctors are making efforts to raise benefit payouts to injured workers and boost fees for doctors in Sacramento, California. These workers' compensation reforms have been submitted to the attorney-general of the state. In addition, the initiatives would allow injured workers to file a case against their employees.

The article reports on the new legislations in 2006 which affects California businesses. Among the newly enacted laws include the one which allows employers to issue an employee's final paycheck through direct deposit, one which allows motion picture and broadcast employers flexible meal breaks schedules for union workers, and one which requires cosmetics makers to list toxic chemicals in their products. The author has also featured the controversial SB 833, the bill that bans junk faxes.

The article presents information on a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure bond being crafted in Sacramento for June's statewide ballot. It is proposed that the bond will likely be in the $11 billion to $15 billion range. It is discussed to have a much larger bond package split up into measures on two separate ballots, such as the $13 billion and $12 billion school facilities bond measures. It is also considered that significant additional borrowing could increase the state's annual debt repayment costs, which is now around 6 percent of state revenues.

The article focuses on the impact of the defeat Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's reform initiatives to the business sector in California. The reform initiatives includes: (1) expansion of healthcare coverage; (2) legislation to reduce the price of prescription drugs; (3) restoration of money that previously was promised to schools; (4) initiatives against tax evasion; and (5) transportation funding package. Several issues were debated including the transportation funding. The author presents thoughts on the defeat of Schwarzenegger in the next election.

Focuses on the efforts of Democratic leaders and their labor union allies to gain much votes to defeat the four initiatives backed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) in California. Claim of the Democrats that the special election was not necessary; Thoughts of Democratic political strategist Darry Sragow on the chances of defeating Schwarzenegger's initiatives; Terms and provisions of the four initiatives; Efforts of both parties to take advantage of the absentee votes.

The article reports on the candidacy of democrat politician Fabian Nunez who represents the 46th district in Los Angeles, California. Nunez grew up in a family of 12 children in the San Diego neighborhood of Logan Heights. According to him, he will be able to cut some big deals next year if the governor's initiatives go down to defeat next month.

Focuses on the proposition of a tax incentive packages aimed at retaining key business and industries by the government of California. Background of tax breaks and other incentives in the state; Suggestion of economic development officials and some lawmakers that tax and other incentive packages are essential tools in keeping business with high-paying jobs in the region; Arguments of the opponents of tax incentives.

Reports on the public concern involving the preparedness of the state for disaster in California. Delay in complying with deadlines to ensure that hospitals and schools are seismically upgraded; Impact of a biological attack on the local economy; Lack of recovery plan by the 35 percent of the 100 companies surveyed.

Reports on the decline in the approval rating of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in California. Concern of the business supporters to his inability to steer a steady course that could spell disaster next year; Fund raising campaign of the public employee unions which have been airing a series of advertisement campaigns opposing the governor's special ballot initiatives; Contributions from the business allies.