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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Colin Campbell’s eyes light up when thinking about his two kids, Ruby and Hart, both of whom had magnetic personalities and personified kindness.

“Ruby was an amazing artist, she was a character…I call her a proud lesbian social justice warrior,” Campbell said. “...Hart was this amazing clown, he made everybody laugh…he was an amazing superstar of a performer, who just had a crowd of people in his thrall.”

Every time I hear about another drunk driving death, I ask myself the same question: How could we have prevented it?

California is facing a growing drunk driving crisis — and prevention must be our top priority. Since 2019, drunk driving deaths in our state have surged 53%, killing 1,479 Californians in 2022 alone. These are not accidents. These are mothers, fathers, friends, and children. These are lives stolen in tragedies that could — and should — have been prevented.

PETRIE DISHES: Affordability is hot right now, and Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris is right in the center of the debate.

As chair of the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee, she’s taking a hard look at any and all options to lower electric bills and prevent them from skyrocketing further as utilities’ wildfire costs rise.

California Lawmakers have introduced a new bill, AB 366, to tackle drunk driving.

“Members this is an urgent call to action,” said Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine). “AB 366 is an opportunity for us to save lives…for us to stop these tragic and preventable deaths before the car even starts.”

Most start with just a spark.

A discarded cigarette, unattended campfire or equipment malfunction can start a fire. 

Humans start nearly 90% of wildfires in the United States, with power lines and arson as leading causes in California. 

California’s energy agency and regulator have released their recommendations for how the state can lower customers’ electricity rates and make utility bills more affordable.

In its report, released Tuesday, the California Public Utility Commission recommends lowering the burden on customers who subsidize programs for low-income households and for solar panel owners by finding alternate funding sources for these programs.

Legislative officials in California are aiming to curb a deadly issue that impacts Santa Monica and beyond.

This past week, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) and colleagues held a press conference discussing her latest piece of legislation, AB 366. The bill takes aim at the state’s drunk driving events, stopping the expiration of California’s current interlock ignition device policy.

Anyone convicted of driving while under the influence would need to install a device on their car that would prevent the car from starting if it detected alcohol, legislators proposed last week.

Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) was flanked by Senator Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera), Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, and a host of safety advocates and traffic enforcement officers to announce the introduction of A.B. 366, the Save Lives with Every Start bill.

“This is an urgent call to action,” said Petrie-Norris. “This bill we’re introducing today is a chance to save lives.”

Authorities on Friday arrested a driver who has three prior convictions for their alleged part in a DUI crash that left an 88-year-old man in Dana Point. 

The crash, which involved a Land Rover SUV and a Ford Transit van, happened around 6:15 p.m. at Golden Lantern and Stonehill Drive, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department. 

Paramedics declared a passenger inside of the van dead at the scene. They have been identified as Melvin Joseph Weibel, of Dana Point. He was 88 years old.