Many of us have never seen a mountain lion up close and personal, yet lions have a distinct presence among us. From security camera footage to social media posts of P-22 — the famed mountain lion in Southern California — you might think mountain lions are thriving. You’d be wrong.

A lot of the news surrounding monkeypox reads something like, “Hey, don’t be alarmed, but we are in a state of emergency.” It can be tricky to read between the press conferences and media lines, but monkeypox is cause for concern and we need to be paying close attention because the numbers don’t lie. This is a disease that is highly disruptive and makes its victims’ lives miserable while infected.  

Every year, the state of California goes through a lengthy process between the governor’s Office, the Senate and the Assembly to finalize an annual budget. In last month’s column, I gave a preview of what was on the table. This month, I’m happy to share where we landed and some key victories for the 43rd District.

Earlier this week, the California Legislature passed our 2022-23 state budget, setting a sustainable course that invests in California and takes steps to protect our resources from future economic downturns.