the california republican party is in flux. we saw that with the defection of nathan fletcher this week, the san diego mayoral candidate, one of the party's rising stars. a california assemblyman who defected and said he's going to be an independent. that's blow to the party. that just shows what do republicans want? it's pretty unclear. they're down 13 points in registration to the democrats. at this point, the party needs money. it needs bodies. and yet it is losing some of its bricest esst brightest stars l nathan fletcher. that leaves the republican party in california in doubt. >> the open primary was to make both parties more moderate yet that's not what's happening. >> you're right, michelle. this is, i think, a concern among moderates and those who hope to see the republican party rebounce. the california -- the republican primary in june will only be open to republican registered voters. not to independent voters, unlike the democratic primary. that maieans the more conservate factions of the party will be running for

electorate in the state of california. they hired three academics, i was among them, to val late the voter mobilization work in southern california and the central valley try to motivate low propensity voters and to come up with a set of best practices as to what works with these populations. these are folks that normally -- political campaigns don't mobilize because the presumption is it's a waste of honey and they weren't turn out and vote anyway. at the time when this initiative was launched it wasn't clear that door-to-door efforts or the things we know work with other voters would, in fact, work with these communities. the good thing was that, yes, if you invite somebody in person or either by phone or on their doorstep to participate in the process, even if you're a low propensity voter, those voex will turn out. that's important to know for campaigns that this is something that needs to happen. we had interesting findings that, if you run phone banks. they ran phone banks in nine languages. they deserve a tremendous

is one of "california's golden parks." ♪ i love you, california ♪ you're the greatest state ♪ of allst getting to this park is kind of a surprise because you're driving on a residential street through a residential neighborhood-- not the usual route to a park. but believe me, this park is one of the finest, one of the most beautiful, and definitely one of the most interesting i have ever visited. okay, our adventure begins. we have arrived. we are starting our eugene o'neill california connection adventure. we've been met by national park ranger joanne jarvis. and joanne, it's your duty and responsibility to officially let us know where we are. >> well, welcome to eugene o'neill national historic site here in danville, california, 30 miles east of san francisco. >> what a beautiful location even though it's kind of overcast and cloudy this morning. what are we looking at off there in the distance? >> well, this national park is nestled between mount diablo state park, and on the other side we have las trampas regional wilderness for east bay regional parks. >> so this is mount diablo

so we negotiated on a settlement to bring back to california $18 billion, to california homeowners who have been in this awful process of foreclosure. and on the ideas that this money will be used for principal reduction and also to allow people to refinance their loans so they can afford to stay in their homes. we negotiated for california in terms of the dollar amount and certain specific provisions which we have referred to in total as the california commitment. as part of the national settlement, a monitor has been chosen for the country. i decided that in addition to joe smith, who was chosen as a monitor for the country, i wanted someone who was focused specifically on california. because of course, we are the largest state, we were hardest-hit. i wanted to make sure that promises made are promises kept. >> belva: there's a homeowners' bill of rights, you're trying to get that through the legislature, what are its chances? >> again, settlement covers three years and we need permanent reform in california and the rules to be changed. in particular for all those folks who are in th

if enacted, this would -- bill is mostly aimed at california. believe me, mostly california. but it would set an unprecede unprecedented standard of state preemption, privatization of a public resource for the benefit of a select few. and it could be in my estimation be renamed the barrister employment act. this is the california state legislature. 1837 is almost breathtaking in its total disregard for equity and its willful -- my colleagues on the other side have asked for less intrusion of government control. let the locals handle it. this would do the reverse. it would put it in the hands of the federal government to be able to determine the state's rights to enact its own water laws. despite amendments to the bill by the majority, it seems to make sweeping negative changes. amends the state constitution and undermines california's ability to manage its own resources. it would repeal or overturn nearly 20 years of environmental protections under the central valley improvement act. and the endangered species act which is normally on the attack by my friends on the other sid

the people of california are ready to end the death penalty. a couple of weeks ago we were able to do a poll on the question of the governor converting all of these 713 death sentences to life without possibility of parole, and a change would save the city california $1 billion in five years. 63% of the voters support this idea across the entire state. every region of the state had a majority of support. a majority of republicans and democratic voters support this idea. 63%, ready for the governor to take everyone off of death row. this is an important change from where we used to be on this issue, because for a very long time, politicians have been afraid to talk about reasons for ending the death penalty and this has been seen -- been seen as an issue that would run political careers, as the former district attorney has shown, the death penalty is no longer of liability and the voters are ready for candidates who will say that we need smart criminal- justice policy, to keep the community safe and that will hold the offenders accountable, and

they aplpiplied it only to california. we are very gratified by how thoughtful and well-reasoned to the ninth circuit's opinion was , and we continue to a look forward to making the arguments. >> [inaudible] >> i can say we are disappointed of zero. the most important thing is to make sure that we have the ability to marriage same-sex couples in california. that is what san francisco has been focused on from when we started this fire eight years ago. it is another brick in the wall, another step in the process. if you look at how far we have come in eight years, six states, the district of columbia issuing marriage licenses, i am not disappointed with the ruling at all. in fact, i am very gratified with where we are at today and we continue to make progress and move forward. >> [inaudible] >> i don't pretend to be in the minds of justices, but as we know, and the high court oftentimes like to take cases when they are ready for them and take an incremental approach. as we see things develop, we have seen progress, and i hav

. >> comg up next on "california country.. it's crunch time as we dig up what goes into one of our favorite snacks... and you don't even have to leave your car to see how farming is blossoming in one part of the state this time of year... then we put the "fun" back ifungi with tips from an expert. it's all ahead and starts now. [captioninmade possible by california farm bureau federation] >> welcome to the show. i'm your host tracy llers. we're in the beautiful mountains of el dorado county today, which is just a short drive away from sacramento. andhat brings us to our first story. if you're anything like me, you've probably consumed this next produce item at let once this week. that's because it's been called america's favorite vegeble. but we like to call it a reason to get our hands dirty and meet some real potato pioneers. with their adaptability and versatility, it's wonder potatoes are a fan favorite. bad, mashed, diced, or scalloped, no matter how you slice it, from potato chips to french fries d almost anything in bet

from farm to feast--stay tuned for more of the tempting tastes of california. >> welcome back to "californiantry." >> joanne neft didn't start out a few years ago yearning to become a food rock star, but now, in placer county, her swirl of bright gray hair turns heads everywhere she goes. >> 20 years ago, i started the farmers' markets in placer county. and i thought to myself, what could we do that would help people understand that there's something wonderful to eat in placer county every day of the year? i had a friend, susan dupre, who came for lunch in december, and we had what i had picked up at the farmers' market on saturday. and so we finished our little lunch, and she pushed her chair back from the table, and she said, "why don't you just write a cookbook?" >> so along with professional chef laura kenny, joanne decided to show her friend and the rest of us just how it's done. >> so we started two weeks after we decided we were going to, and we had dinner, just the 4 of us, on january 5, and it was awesome. so we decided we should invite some more people to come with us. >> joanne an

that's next. >> welcome back to "california country." did you knos that california produces more fluid milk, butter, ice cream, and yogurt than any other state in the united states? and we're also number two in cheese production. and it's all thanks to some pretty progressive and productive dairies like this next one. check it out. sure, we recognize the name gallo as being synonymous with california wine. but what goes better with wine than cheese, right? enter joseph gallo, brother to wine enepreneurs ernest and julio. joseph broke away from the family wine business in the eighties and took a handwritten recipe for making cheese and followed his dreams all the way to merced county. he remained farming there until he passed away in 2007. but now his son michael and grandson peter are working to advance joseph's dream of sustainable farming and thus continue the gallo legacy in agriculture. >> i get to learn a lot on the farm, and my dad has a wealth of knowledge. he learned a lot from his dad. so, you know, we've been a family farm sinc

if the state's california act initiative to abolish capital punishment in california is successful, iteath sentences of more than 700 currently on death row in san quentin. >> so that those who are serving sentences, the 720, their sentences will be changed to life without the possibility of parole. and thereafter, there will be no judge or jury that will be imposing a death sentence. >> initiative backers say that aside from a moral issue, the death penalty is too expensive. taxpayers spend $180 million a year for death row prisoners including for lawyers and security. and according to our exclusive eyewitness news poll, 61% of california voters say they would vote to keep the death penalty. 29% say they would vote to eliminate it. 9% say they wouldn't vote. >>> it could cost more to enjoy california's strip clubs if a santa barbara assemblyman has his way. democrat williams has introduced a bill that calls for venues with alcohol and live nude entertainment to pay a $10 per person tax. those costs would be passed on to consumers. the revenues would go toward rape prevention, sexual a

florida, massachusetts, california which tops the list. donors in the state have given $27 million to 2012 campaign so far. nothing speaks louder than a campaign donation. after he leaves california, his closest competitor, rick santorum, stops here too. >> this is an exciting development for republicans. >> reporter: if santorum keeps romney from running away with the nomination before june, california republicans may have their say with the primaries with their votes as well as dollars. california's primary is june 5 june 5th. >>> a private moment for president barack obama today became all too public. the candidate exchange captured by an open mic coming up in 13 minutes. >>> we're learning about the san francisco homicide case that left five dead and aviette names immigrant behind bars. the victims were four members of one family. 65-year-old lay, his wife 62 years old. their children 37-year-old daughter known as jess, her brother 32-year-old vincent and his girlfriend 38-year-old chu. their bodies were discovered friday beaten and sl

why are you in california?you know. >> well, california's got really high guysas prices and we are stillstill -- >> still the second highest unemployment. >> something tells you. anyway, tom del becarro, with industrial policy, we did agree on one thing. that's a miracle in and of itself. come back. come you guys come back and you come back as well. we will be right back with you, with brett erlich. >>every weeknight cenk uygur calls out the mainstream media. >>the rest of the media seams like, "oh, ho-hum, no big deal." >>we have no choice, we've lost our democracy here. >>just refreshing to hear. >>no other television show does that, we're keeping it real. >>brought to you by the 2012 fiat 500. visit fiatusa.com ?ñ >> welcome back to the war room. we said we were going to have an interview with jean shaheen. join us tomorrow night for that. we had a little issue with that. we will show you tomorrow night. we want you to send us your stuff. look at this fine plate of the and jackie kennedy. >> that's so nice t

leap year celebration drawing big crowds here in california and florida. visitors will be able to see whaits like to walk down main street in the wee hours of the night. parents will see how long their toddlers can take aitz well. disney is the parent company of abc 7 news. and this is the first time they've done it. >> until kids start crying. you know? >> yes. >> and there is sandhya patel keeping an eye on changing weather. >> it's here. >> there is a winter storm and we're not done with wet weather yet. and there is look at powder on the ground ichl getting tweets from die hard skiers out there saying that this is just amazing. and like i said they've gotten about a foot and a half. and there is flurries and there is a glimpse of sun, there are blue sky but showers are going in. take a look at live doppler 7, you'll see it's raining now. there are a lot returns in the north bay. there is spotty near clear lake area, and down the peninsula, light returns and there is street level. saratoga drive is getting wet weather. across the bridge getting wet now

it's the save california act initiative to abolish capital punishment in california. if successful, it would end the death sentences of more than 700 prisoners on death row in san quentin. >> so those serving sentences, the 720s sentences will be change without the possibility of parole. and thereafter, there will be no judge or jury that will be imposing a death sentence. >> initiative backers say that aside from a moral issue, the death penalty is too expensive. taxpayers spend $180 million a year for death row prisoners including lawyers and security. >>> and according to our exclusive eyewitness news poll, 61% of california voters say they would vote to keep the death penalty. 29% would vote to eliminate it and 9% would not vote. >>> 4:37. berkeley police are reviewing how the department responded the night a man was beaten to death outside his home in the berkeley hills. dispatch tapes indicate officers were not sent to the home when the victim called about an intruder. the "chronicle" reports officers did not answer that nonemergency call because their priority

in california the answer is often a state hospital. it is a sometimes temporary and often permanent home to more than 1,000 violent murderers, rapist, and men who have agreed to psychiatric treatment. they have agreed to let cameras in to observe what it is like to live and work in one could easily be one of the most dangerous places in the country. only miles off of the central coast of california and quietly nestled among wineries and rolling hills is atascadero state hospital. beyond this unrestricted entrance lives some of the most violent and dangerous criminals. they are considered the worst of the worst. too dangerous to be allowed back into society. over the next hour, you will be able to decide as we take you inside for an extraordinary look at atascadero, california's hospital for the criminally insane. >> i don't remember standing in a line anywhere saying i want to be a child molester. >> harry chase is a child molester and his chilling admission can frighten any child and any parent. >> i just told myself, i'm going to kil

tonight, we honor the philippine nurses association of northern california. [applause] >> in our human moments of weakness, vulnerability, and need, the care provided by our filipino nurses remains unparalleled. for 50 years, the philippine nurses association of northern california has served our nurses through professional development, education, information, and providing a support system that has given them strength and visibility. in its golden years, the philippine nurses association of northern california posted the philippine nurses association of america, bringing in hundreds of philippine nurses from all over the united states into san francisco, treasuring the legacy of our health care's industry was the finest philippine nurses. the san francisco bay area philippine american community salutes this milestone, a legacy of nurturing and a passion for life. >> representing the philippine nurses association of northern california are board members of the philippine nurses association of northern california. [applause] [applause] >> thank you. >> much of

act is an initiative that would abolish capital punishment in california. voters will be asked to spare the lives and change the sentences of more than 700 prisoners. >> so that those who are serving sentences to 720, their sentences will be changed to life without the possibility of parole. and there after, there will be no judge or jury that will be imposing a death sentence. >> state california backers say aside from a moral question, the death penalty is too expensive. taxpayers spend $180 million a year for death row prisoners now because of extra security and also because the law provides each of them to have their own team of lawyers and because it takes so long. an average of 25 years from conviction to execution. in fact, there have only been 13 executions in california since the death penalty was reinvatted in 1978. moat on death row are not high profile killers, but will the public be able to stomach the idea out of death row? joe vazquez, cbs 5. >> according to our exclusive eyewitness news poll, 61% of california voters polled say they would vo

california county and in other states. and they have quietly abandoned the death penalty even though they have not explicitly said that this is what they are doing. >> do you feel that -- the district attorney that we have, gason, -- gaston, fits into this category? >> i will have to see what happens. >> i will go to john thompson. we were talking about how often, you have public opinion polls on the death penalty but the last -- the wrong question is asked, do you support the death penalty or something like that. can you elaborate on this? >> this is a tricky question that we have been tricked into believing, so that people say, do you support the death penalty. this is a trick question. you will not put yourself in that position of being placed under arrest based on these reports. we ask you if you support this and eliminates you automatically. if you ask that same question in a different way, meaning the use of what the state killing you, that is the question. you have no control over the death penalty. he is the only o

today lawmakers, farmers and consumers gather forward california ag day. and promote aid movement which encourages californians to eat california-grown products at least one day per week. >> we're excite that had 20 counties passed similar resolutions recognizing the agriculture industry that california. >> there is about california and ought to sell excess and let other people enjoy same thing that god has given us. >> california farmers generate $38 billion in revenue each year. >> and for more than three hours, the is 30 senators delivering back to back speeches for one of their own. the democrat is reaching a milestone in history of congress, she's 75, the longest-serving female senator in congress. and when she arrived in washington take a listen to this. >> we would not have this important bench mark i'm honored to do. i want people to know i still am that young girl that watched her father open that grocery store every zpai said good morning, can i help you?. >> wow. when arriving in washington in 1976 there were 19 women in congress, today there ar

in california we'd be making different arguments. depends on which part of california. talking about central valley and san francisco and l.a., what do you see as the trends? maybe because of the partisan realignment in texas, things are getting worse. not necessarily better. in the sense of what percentages are necessary, or maybe they're getting better because you think over time they can rely on greater crossover voting in the areas where they're in high concentration. >> i mean, if i can just in for a second here, it seems that one of the fundamental differences between california and texas which your question kind of alludes to, in texas you're moving in some very important ways towards the system right now in which there's a white political party in there, and a nonwhite political party in texas. that's not the case in california at all. that is the democratic party in texas is the multiracial, multiethnic party. the republicans in part because they guessed so badly at the prop 180 phase remains an overwhelmingly white political of redistricting one of the members

mish can't compete just compete against california california can't compete against other states, it's, we are competing all of us against china, countries who are aggressive whose leaders wake up every single day and say how can i create jobs for my people. that's what the republicans should be doing in the use. they should be saying, what can we do to create jobs here in competition with countries that are aggressive rather than just off. >> i don't want its hands off. the government has its hands all over the market that's why the president is saying it's easy to here. we have to beeped bring them down to sanity levels. one department told him he can't recycle his water, another one sent hill honored saying he had to. that's too many regulations, we need to bring it down to a sane level and the jobs will come back here. it's not like americas want toú go work somewhere else. and the laws of economics haven't been repealed. this can work again we have to have a better balance. >> part of the issue is going to be training people to be able to take on the more sophisticated level of ma

[applause] member of the california state assembly, fiona ma.] and a majority of your board of supervisors are here, which is a good thing. [laughter] the president of the board, david chiu. [applause] the rev. of the board, sean elsbernd. [applause] and the three women that are always undying loyalty you in support almost everything you'd do, and i will introduce the three of them together -- jane kim, leah komen and carmen chu. [applause] mark farrell. [applause] scott wiener, member of the board of supervisors. [applause] eric mar, a member of the board of supervisors. david campos, a member of the board of supervisors. [applause] you have some other city officials who are here. you have, of course, the man who takes all of our money, the treasurer, jose camos. [applause] campos would like to be there one of these days. i am so focused on campos, he owes me one. [laughter] the public defender, the man who he looked to -- you look to it you got arrested and are broke. -- if you got arrested and are broke. [applause] and the city attorney denni

welcome to "this week in northern california." joining me on my news panel are rachael mryrow, and rachel gordon, san francisco chronicle, city hall reporter. and nanette asimov and david lazarus, "los angeles times" and ktla businessçó analyst, thank u for joining us. >> it's been too long. >> why is the supreme court going to take so long to hear this case? one of the most unusual things about it. is that not true? >> you are right about that, belva. normally, a handful, half hour here, half hour there of argument. we haven't seen longer amounts of argument. certainly brown versus board of education had more time. miranda rights had more time. financial reform had more time. really underlying the monumental nature of the health care reform decisions afoot and three days set. for everyone playing along at home, the first day at home is going to tackle basic questions of should the court be considering this now, or put it off until 2015 after the exchanges and the mandates kick in? that's the first day. the second day actually tac

passionate feelings about the state of california education. live at san francisco civic center david stevenson, ktvu channel 2 news. [ music playing ] >>> castro valley high school also took part at a stand for schools rally. parents and teachers and students spoke out today. they will consider a number of steps including layoffs, larger classes and other cuts. >>> our coverage continues online on www.ktvu.com. there you can find raw video from today's day of action. >>> the coroner identified a man killed yesterday in a crash on 101. he lost control of his ford on south bound 101. the chp said he spun around and struck a light. he suffered a serious head injury. his brother, who was a passenger was injured. the cause is under investigation. >>> a mother is accusing a former high school teacher of abuse now that he is living with his daughter. jacquline james hooker resigned after police launched a investigation into an investigation with his student, jordan powers. jordan powers was 14 when they met and they said they didn't start dating till

together, we can end the death penalty in california. [applause] >> thank you for having me here today. i would like to close by saying i have had the opportunity to view this issue from every point of view, having been the warden at san quentin state prison. i am absolutely impassioned about the fact that it is time to end the death penalty in this state. life without possibility of parole is the real sentence. hold people accountable and gives them the opportunity to change within the prison system, and they can give back by working within the prison system, giving restitution to family members and working on behalf of the state of california on a variety of projects that go on inside prisons. i also want to echo what the process said -- please join, please help -- i also want to echo what natasha said. talk to 10 of your friends, send e-mails, send letters. thank you. [applause] >> 1985, when i was sentenced to death for a crime i did not commit, i thought right away that this would be rectified. i was convicted of two different crime

. >> los estudiantes indocumentados tienen ahora a su favor la ley del dream act de california . >> tenemosn . >> cubrir la inscripcion cada semestre le causa incertidumbre. >> gerardo es un estudiante av540. >> mi padre también me ha ayudado mucho . >> Él y miles de estudiantes podrán estar beneficiados con el dream act de california . >> la comisión de ayuda financiera, dará una solicitud especial para que los dreamers puedan inscribirse. >> lo vamos a transmitir a las instituciones que piensan asistir . >> los estudiantes o los universitarios, podrán pedir ayuda sin temor de las autoridades . >> para este estudiantes como miles de otros la ayuda será fundamental . >> caos víal, retrasos en los aeropuerto, eso dejaron las lluvias que han azotado a la región . >> pero se esperan varios días con más lluvias y hasta nieve. >> llega al norte de california el sistema que cambia todo por completo, nieve para las zonas de montaña. >> hasta cuando viene el sistema?. >> los detalles al regresar... . >> el servicio meteorológico nacional emitio una señal de advertencia porque podrían caer dos pies

in california, half of the people who commit murder are not caught. we need to catch the people committing murder. this is what she means when punishment must be firm, if people get away with murder, they learn that they can and the community learns that they can. this is really the fundamental problem. we can do much better job if we were actually to replace the death penalty to life without parole and invest the money saved in solving homicides. every victim's family should have some justice. >> i wanted to ask you to perhaps tell the audience about the controversy related to the death qualified jury. many people did not realize that when we select a jury for the death penalty case, this is comprised of different members of the city. >> people look to california as we continue to send a lot of people to death row every year, with the highest number of new death sentences. people look at the state and they see how many people in california are moving away from the death penalty, who favor replacing the death penalty and how can you have so many peopl

@n univisero o dudaision univis@@ne un ionnoero unionivisio@@ticierivin california, hay innumerablesblando. >>> se estima rápidamente la magnitud y pueden enviar el mensaje a los lugares de la región que están más apartados del terremoto.univn@@noticiero n >>> california espera hace 30 años el llamado "big one" o el grande, santiago trabaja en un nuevo sistema, que enviariaion señales notipoo univnision @@cin teléfonos celulares y radio.cieo @@ ellos han recibido noticiero para ponerlo a funcionar. >>> pero los expertos cuestionan la efectividad de este sistema en california, porque ¿cuánto tiempo le pueden tomar a una persona reaccionar ante la posibilidad de un terremoto y qué hacer? >>> creo que ese dinero sería mejor usado en caso de educar a la gente qué tiene que hacer en caso de sismos. >>> creo que es mejor que latic administración nos envíe información de qué tenemos que hacer en caso de sismos. >>> así llegamos al final del noticiero univisión, gracias por estar conisionunivis@@noticiuni@

this morning's protest starts at 7:30 outside california hall. that is where much of the upper administration works here at cal. protestors say they are targeting the add minute's role in privatizing the system and repression of "occupy" cal. the larger message calling for governor brown to reject any budget deal that including education cuts or tuition hikes. they are supporting tax hikes on the rich. so gathering at sproul plaza at noon, then marching to oakland city hall, a big rally at 5 p.m. and as you mentioned, this is a prelude to a larger event next monday. thousands of students from all over the state will be marching in sacramento talking about occupying education and occupying the capital. back to you. >> berkeley leading the charge. all right. anne makovec live in berkeley, thank you. >>> in the meantime, students in livermore will be back in class after their school was locked down for several hours. a woman reported seeing a gunman inside east avenue middle school yesterday so for two hours police searched every room in the buildin

it happened to him in the state of california in their eugenics program, so why won't california make amends now? details on that ahead. [ laura ] maine is known for its lighthouses, rocky shore, and most importantly, its lobster. it's the tastiest, the sweetest, the freshest. nobody can ever get enough. [ male announcer ] it's lobsterfest at red lobster, the one time of year you can savor 12 exciting lobster entrees like lobster lover's dream or new maine lobster and shrimp trio. [ laura ] hot, right out of the shell. i love lobster. i'm laura mclennan from spruce head, maine, and i sea food differently. hi, i just switched jobs, and i want to roll over my old 401(k) into a fidelity ira. man: okay, no problem. it's easy to get started; i can help you with the paperwork. um...this green line just appeared on my floor. yeah, that's fidelity helping you reach your financial goals. could you hold on a second? it's your money. roll over your old 401(k) into a fidelity ira and take control of your personal economy. this is going to be helpful. call or come in today. fidelity investments. t

dan is going to talk to us about his most recent experience in california. really running a statewide program through which community input was solicited that informed the maps that the legal center with their consortium of community based groups drew and submitted during this latest redistricting process. then our wrap-up will be provided by keesha gaskins. prior to joining the brennan center, she was executive director for the league of women voters in minnesota where she worked on voting rights issues. she had a particular focus on voter suppression issues including voter identification and proof of citizenship laws. she is going to close with out with emerging issues involving the voter suppression and some of the national litigation that is taking place. >> first of all, it's a pleasure to be here. the invitation to come out and speak on this issue is both opportune and appreciated. my colleagues and i crafted what is a 40-page article for the forth coming issue of the slipper on titled votes and the one person one vote problem. i'm going to endeavor to

and so is the stevens' journey to california. it started when a bulldozer blade severed stevens' thumb in mississippi. surgeons in alabama told him he would never be the same. >> told him he could do it. but he would need his index finger there. but it wasn't a guarantee. that would mean like a double-loss to us. >> reporter: regina knew her husband was devastated. >> he works. that's what we do. we have a family that we take care of. and that's what we have to do. and if we were going to rely on everybody else, they would have settled for mike being disabled. and that was not an option. >> reporter: she started e-mailing surgeons. dr. charles lee answered that e-mail in november. and operated wednesday. >> it looks pretty good right now. and it's going to function even hopefully better. >> reporter: lee honestly admits he spent hours in the o.r. at a reduced rate, to make sure stevens got the care he needs. he also said while he has performed toe-to-thumb transplants before, this one was tricky because so much of the thumb was g