COACHELLA COUNCIL MEMBERS APOLOGIZE FOR MULLING MEDICAL MARIJUANA IDEA

The two Coachella council members who were part of "Team Coachella"
have apologized for entertaining the idea of making their city a hub
for medical marijuana cultivation and distribution.

Their remarks came after a resident, Lupe Rodriguez, got up at the
City Council meeting last week and called Mayor Eduardo Garcia and
Mayor Pro Tem Steve Hernandez "Cheech and Chong," saying their
involvement in the pot discussions embarrassed the city.

The Wednesday meeting was the first council session since the Nov. 20
Desert Sun report on the meetings that Garcia and Hernandez had with
Rancho Mirage Councilman Scott Hines, who is also a public policy consultant.

Until Wednesday's meeting, both Garcia and Hernandez had defended the
two meetings they had to talk about the pot idea, as well as a poll
conducted on the subject in the summer of 2010.

Hernandez said it was a mistake to continue meeting to talk about the pot plan.

"I apologize to the community for listening to that proposal," he said.

"As a council member we listen to a lot of proposals. I'm not afraid
to say I screwed up by (agreeing to) another meeting. I'm human I know
I make mistakes."

Hernandez's speech came after being chastised by Rodriguez, who also
said all elected officials should take drug tests.

When it came time for Garcia's public comments, the mayor didn't
express quite the same level of remorse that Hernandez had.

"I too apologize," Garcia said, adding it was time to focus on moving
the city forward.

Ticket disclosure

In case you missed it, a Dec. 11 Desert Sun report looked at the
number of local politicians who score free tickets from cities that
sponsor the desert's biggest concerts and sporting events.

The report unveiled an interesting aspect of the state's reporting
requirements:

If a city reports the tickets, the elected leader who received them
doesn't have to report it.

Such was the case for Assemblyman V. Manuel Perez of Coachella.

His latest statement of economic interest revealed the Walt Disney Co.
gave him $380 worth of tickets to Disneyland in 2010.

But the Democrat didn't have to report the 12 tickets the city of
Indio gave him for the 2010 Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals
because Indio reported it on its filing.

2012 leadership

Many desert cities rotated their key council positions this week.

Not every city will see new leadership.

But in case you need to update your Rolodex, we compiled a complete
list of the cites' respective mayors and mayors pro tem:

Coachella: Eduardo Garcia and Steven Hernandez;

Cathedral City: Kathy DeRosa and Chuck Vasquez;

Desert Hot Springs: Yvonne Parks and Jan Pye;

Indian Wells: Doug Hanson and Bill Powers;

Indio: Glenn Miller and Elaine Holmes;

La Quinta: Don Adolph and Terry Henderson;

Palm Desert: Bob Spiegel and Bill Kroonen

Palm Springs: Steve Pougnet and Ginny Foat.

In Rancho Mirage, the council is led by Mayor Dana Hobart. But no one
has held the title of mayor pro tem since the passing of Ron Meepos in June.

Another run

In case there are any doubts, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has confirmed
she's planning to run for re-election in 2012.

"That's my intention," the California Democrat told Desert Sun
contributor Hank Plante last week.

Feinstein could have a tough road ahead: A Field Poll released in June
showed voters are "less enthusiastic than usual" to reelect the
veteran lawmaker. In addition to her reelection bid, Feinstein plans
to spend much of next year trying to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act

Addressing issues

Speaking of federal lawmakers:

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer last week urged Congress to pass tougher
laws in order to protect children from abuse.

"We have to defend our kids, otherwise we are failing as human beings
and we are failing as legislators," the Rancho Mirage Democrat told
the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions subcommittee.

Rep. Mary Bono Mack recently wrote to Gov. Jerry Brown, asking him
to save California's prescription drug monitoring program.

The Controlled Substance Review and Evaluation System is the oldest
such database in the nation, but its funding is now in jeopardy.

"I urge you to look at creative funding sources as a way to keep this
invaluable, life-saving program operational next year," the Palm
Springs Republican wrote in her letter.