The gloves come off for chefs: 5 must-read local headlines

That was fast. Less than three months after a state law requiring chefs and bartenders to wear gloves took effect, one of its sponsors wants a do-over. Assemblyman Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) has introduced emergency legislation to replace the prohibition of bare-hand contact with food with directions to “minimize bare hand and arm contact with exposed food.” The bill, AB 2130, is expected to pass.

Pan is wisely responding to an outcry from chefs and other professional food handlers who saw the law as a sledgehammer approach to reducing food-borne illnesses. Why mandate gloves for every food handler when even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised that good kitchen practices, such as frequent hand washing and keeping raw meat separate from fruits and vegetables, can significantly reduce food contamination?

Plus, the law was tremendously wasteful. One restaurant manager told the San Francisco Business Times his establishment went through 175 pairs of gloves per shift.

“It’s not about whether there are gloves or not, it should be about whether the local business and the health inspector have worked together to create a safe environment for the customer,” Pan said at a news conference.

This was a law of unintended consequences, and it’s good to see that California legislators are moving fast to fix their mistake.

State Sen. Calderon wants to see evidence before taking leave or resigning, Los Angeles Times

State Sen. Ronald S. Calderon, indicted for allegedly taking $100,000 in bribes, will not make any decisions on whether to take a leave of absence or resign until he reviews the evidence against him, his attorney said.

After indictments, 5 lessons from Ron and Tom Calderon, D.J. Waldie at KCET

It’s been 30 years since Charles Calderon first won elected office as a member of the Montebello school board and began boosting his brothers into political life. The Calderon brothers always made a point of hiring family to work in the family business. The resulting concentration of power sustained the Calderon brothers through previous ethics scrapes, until now.

The Abbey announces a ban on anti-gay politicians, Laist

Effective immediately, every legislator in any state that votes for bills to allow for discrimination against LGBT people will be added to the “Deny Entry List” at The Abbey. The Abbey will also have headshots of each state representative who support such bills on the security list.

L.A. council panel backs limits on e-cigarettes, Los Angeles Times

Proposed ordinance would treat them like conventional cigarettes, outlawing their use in most workplaces and many public areas.

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