SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — In his 2012 State of the State speech, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. said California is “on the mend” and laid out an ambitious agenda for economic growth in the year ahead. The full text of the speech follows: (Remarks as prepared)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments. First, John Banuelos, 67, of Elk Grove, has been appointed to the California Boating and Waterways Commission. Banuelos worked at the California Conservation Corps from 1997 to 2004 and from 1977 to 1992 in multiple positions, including program and evaluation manager.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — California Governor Edmund G. Brown issued a Proclamation declaring January 15th 2012 as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed an agreement to expand a state and federal partnership that has, over the last two years, paved the way for more than a dozen utility-scale solar energy projects and more than 130 renewable power projects in California.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments. First, Nathaniel Kirtman III, 40, of Sherman Oaks, has been appointed to the California Lottery Commission. Kirtman has been senior vice president of publicity for NBC Universal since 2009 after serving as a vice president from 2006 to 2009.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — On Tuesday, San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee and Supervisor Malia Cohen today introduced a resolution at the Board of Supervisors to ensure that major redevelopment projects, such as Mission Bay, the Hunters Point Shipyard, and Transbay as well as affordable housing projects under the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency can continue after the State required their elimination.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ — L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck today announced the 2011 results of the City’s Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) program including a successful 2011 Summer Night Lights (SNL) program resulting in a 35 percent reduction in gang related Part 1 crimes for all SNL sites.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) today announced that he will move forward with Senate Bill 331, which would prohibit new tobacco retailers from locating within 600 feet of a school.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee joined by Supervisors Scott Wiener, David Campos and Christina Olague announced the introduction at the Board of Supervisors a $1.8 million budget supplemental for HIV/AIDS care and treatment funding to protect essential services to the City’s most vulnerable despite severe budget shortfalls.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ –- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments. First, Denise Brown, 60, of Fair Oaks, has been appointed director of the California Department of Consumer Affairs.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — On the same day as the college football national championship game, California State Senator Alex Padilla announced he will be introducing legislation that would require that student-athletes injured during their college career be provided the necessary medical and financial support to complete their degree.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — S.F. Mayor Edwin M. Lee today appointed Christina Olague as District 5 Supervisor, filling the vacancy left by Ross Mirkarimi. ‘Christina Olague is my appointment for District 5 Supervisor,’ said Mayor Lee.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — On Friday, San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee announced that Salesforce.com is again expanding and creating more jobs in San Francisco, entering into the largest long-term lease in the City in more than a decade. Salesforce will occupy 400,000 square feet of office space at 50 Fremont, which when fully occupied, will accommodate 2,000 employees.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced today a partnership with Code for America to launch the world’s first Civic Startup Accelerator. Based in downtown San Francisco, the Code for America Accelerator will support entrepreneurs that launch companies to make City government more responsive, efficient and connected.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — This week Mayor Edwin M. Lee and Police Chief Greg Suhr released the year end crime statistics showing continued historic low crime trends for the City of San Francisco. Mayor Lee and Chief Suhr announced that 2011 violent crime rates in San Francisco are down 6 percent from last year.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck today announced the City’s 2011 year-end crime statistics that showed violent crime and property crime were reduced across Los Angeles for the 9th consecutive year.