The New America Foundation, based in Washington and headed by Ted Halstead (co-author with Michael Lind of The Radical Center: The Future of American Politics), has opened a Sacramento office with the intent to establish a major California presence. David Lesher, until recently the editor of California Journal and a former L.A. Times political reporter, has been hired as the California director. Funding from the James Irvine Foundation will cover seven yearly fellowships for research and writing on California policy areas.