California News & Current Events | Public News Service

Water purification in Orange County's Groundwater Replenishment System involves three steps: microfiltration, reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

CA facilities could turn sewage into tap water, but public acceptance lags

By Matt Vasilogambros and Kevin Hardy for Stateline.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Jour…

Data suggested contrary to popular belief, rural and urban voters in America share many bedrock values. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Monday, October 7, 2024

As election nears, experts explore issues uniting rural, urban voters

During this contentious election season, people may think rural and urban voters are hopelessly divided but experts said it is largely a myth…

Elkhorn Slough near Monterey is one of many areas likely to be included in the list of protected areas under the state's 30x30 plan. (Kerstin Wasson)

Monday, October 7, 2024

Ocean Protection Council refines plans to protect CA coastal waters

California has set a goal to protect 30% of its land and waters by the year 2030, so the Ocean Protection Council is working on which waters should …

A recent study from UC Berkeley and UCLA found millions of Californians who do not get insurance through their job, Medi-Cal or Medicare will see big premium increases unless federal tax credits are extended. (Andy Dean/Adobe Stock)

Advocates warn health costs will skyrocket unless Congress extends subsidies

Experts warn health insurance premiums could rise an average of $1,000 a year for more than 2 million Californians who buy coverage on the individual …

Participants display their paintings from a community art healing project run by a nonprofit called The Cambodian Family in Santa Ana. (The Cambodian Family)

Report: CA faces big shortage of bilingual mental health professionals

One in four Californians is an immigrant and a new report showed many are refugees who may need mental health services but have trouble finding treatm…

Doctors say patients should be tested regularly to monitor their cholesterol, an important indicator of cardiovascular health. (LAONG/Adobe Stock)

During Health Literacy Month, tips on monitoring cholesterol

October is Health Literacy Month - so experts are educating people on an important indicator of health - cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein…

More babies are born during September than almost any other month (August is #1), with Sept. 9, 12 and 19 ranking as the most common birthdates on the calendar. (Phoompiphat/Adobe Stock)

New treatment, tips for taming postpartum depression

More new babies are born in the fall than any other time of year which also means some people who give birth may be heading into the winter months wit…

Many banks, credit unions and nonprofit agencies offer free financial counseling and can connect people with programs to establish credit or aid first-time home buyers. (Self-Help Federal Credit Union)<br />

During Hispanic Heritage Month, tips on financial literacy

During National Hispanic American Heritage Month, financial experts are speaking out to help Latino families build wealth. Federal data show that …

Lawmakers introduced the Freedom from Intimidation in Elections Act in Congress on Wednesday. The bill would limit the ability to openly carry a gun at a polling place. (Krakenimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Newsom signs bill to fight intimidation at CA polling places

With the election six weeks away, concern is building about attempts to intimidate voters at the polls - so, lawmakers are taking action at the state …

Starting in January, Californians' credit scores will no longer be affected by most medical debt. <br />(Orcea David/Adobe Stock)

Gov. Newsom signs bill to eliminate medical debt from credit reports

Starting in January, medical debt will no longer count against millions of Californians' credit scores thanks to a bill signed Tuesday by Gov…

The Endow-a-Bed program at Sierra College in Rocklin will begin serving students within two years. <br />

CA community college sets up endowment to fund dorm beds

A community college north of Sacramento is trying out an innovative way to lower costs for needy students with a new "Endow-a-Bed" program. Sierra …

Health care students at four San Diego-area community colleges are now able to be reimbursed for fees associated with professional testing, certification and licensing. (James Lantzy/Wikimedia Commons)

New CA program helps health care grads afford tests and licensing

California is facing a huge shortage of qualified health care workers, so the San Diego Community College District is stepping in to help recent …

Historically, the U.S. had tens of thousands of gray wolves but now fewer than 5,000 remain, spread over a few Western states including California. (Gary Kramer/USFWS)

Conservation groups slam federal effort to reduce gray wolf protections

Environmental groups are slamming a Biden administration effort to remove federal protections for the endangered gray wolf. The U.S. Fish and …

Latino Conservation Week, an initiative of Hispanic Access Foundation, started in 2014. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

Dozens of CA events this weekend honor Latino Conservation Week

Latino Conservation Week is in full swing, with 330 events across the U.S. and 90 in California alone. The 11th annual event runs through Sunday…

A 2023 report by Oceana and Turtle Island Restoration Network found that more than half of the animals caught in gillnets are thrown overboard as waste. (Oceana and Blancpain)

Deep dives near CA's southern islands aim to show harm from gillnet fishing

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Groups fighting hunger will hold a panel discussion in Los Angeles, called

Feeding the unhoused in LA.: Searching for best practices

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …

The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)<br />

Environmental advocates call on Newsom to sign 'make polluters pay' bills

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

As of 2021, California was 18th in the nation for lowest rate of youth confined in juvenile justice facilities, at 58 youth per 100-thousand. (Framestock/Adobe Stock)

New data show massive drop in youth arrests, incarceration

The number of youth held in juvenile justice facilities in California and across the U.S. dropped 75% between 2000 and 2022 - according to a new …

Youth Truth sponsors workshops to empower students to find their voice and get involved in their communities. (Ruby Wallau/YouthTruth)

Survey: Only 53% of high school students think voting is important

About 53% of high school students think voting is important, according to a survey out today from the nonprofit Youth Truth. Researchers polled 115,0…

A California law banning restrictive crates for pigs could be invalidated by a provision in the Republican proposal for the new Farm Bill. (Animal Equality)

How meat industry shapes U.S. politics and vice versa

Agribusiness has spent $500 million so far to lobby for changes to the next farm bill - in particular to invalidate a California law that bans extreme…

Childhood vaccines are stored in temperature-controlled refrigerators at pediatrician Eric Ball's practice in Orange County, Calif. (Jackie Forti�r/KFF Health News)

Pedatricians cut back on COVID shots as interest wanes

By Jackie Fortiér for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public Ne…

E-scooter companies say shared micromobility can be made safer if more people wear helmets, streets are properly maintained, and more cities add protected bike lanes. (Bondariev Volodymyr/Adobe Stock)<br />

8 years into America’s e-scooter experiment, what have we learned?

By Syris Valentine for Grist.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service, reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public …

A new study suggests that partisanship is less pronounced in local races when a particular local issue is deeply felt by voters. (The Stock Photo Girl/Adobe Stock)<br />

Study: 40% of voters willing to cross party lines on local issues

A common narrative suggests that deeply polarized American voters always support their party's candidates, but a new study suggests otherwise in …

The Parent Institute for Quality Education offers a

Nonprofit works to improve Latino graduation rates in CA

Latinos make up 40% of California's population and more than 56% of K-12 public school students. However, Latino high school graduation rates are …

Brazil and Vietnam are currently the largest coffee-producing countries in the world. Production is increasing in China and even in California and on the Gulf Coast. (Somchai20162516/Adobe Stock)

Climate solutions for the future of coffee

By Anne Connor for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public Ne…

A new California bill requiring speed warning systems on vehicles does not require data to be stored. Privacy issues would remain in the hands of car manufacturers. (Rawintanpin/Adobe Stock)

Newsom urged to sign bill to require speeding alert systems on cars

Groups fighting for safer roads are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill requiring new vehicles to have a speed-monitoring system to warn drivers …

Medicare enrollees will not have to spend more than $2,000 annually on prescription drugs, starting next year. (Burlingham/Adobe Stock)

Report: New prescription drug cap for Medicare means big savings

Hundreds of thousands of older Californians will see huge savings on prescription drugs starting in January, according to a new report from AARP…

Workers protested layoffs outside the Chet Holifield Federal Building in Laguna Niguel on June 21. (U.E. Local 1008)<br />

Layoffs at CA immigration services center lead to protests

The feds are laying off more than 400 workers at an immigration application processing center in Laguna Niguel, a move labor advocates say is union-…

A new online resource helps LGBTQ+ people navigate end-of-life decisions.(Cultura Creative/Adobe Stock)

New online tool aids LGBTQ+ people in making end-of-life decisions

LGBTQ+ Americans are twice as likely to experience discrimination in health care, including as they age, according to a new survey from the Kaiser …

Citizens of the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation participate in the Netlh-'ii~-ne Steward program along the northern California coast, covering natural-resources management strategies and cultural practices. (Rosa Laucci/Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation)

CA tribes ask Newsom to sign bill on co-management of lands, waters

Indigenous leaders are asking California Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill that would allow federally recognized tribes to sign agreements with the …

Opponents of changes to California's auto lemon law include the National Consumer League and the Consumer Federation of America. (AA+W/Adobe Stock)

Consumer groups blast bill to change CA Lemon Law

Consumer groups are calling for the withdrawal of a bill that would change the way California's auto lemon law works - before the legislative session …

Salmon are the most consumed fish in the world by value, and tuna are the most consumed by volume. (Jakub Rutkiewicz/Adobe Stock)

'Humane' and 'sustainable' fish labels may be misleading

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Coll…

In California, 750,000 fast-food workers were covered by the increase in the minimum wage in the sector from $16 to $20 per hour. (BlueSkyImages/Adobe Stock)

Fast food jobs increasing in CA despite rising minimum wage

New data show fast food jobs have been on the upswing in the four months since the minimum wage in the sector went from $16 to $20 an hour. The …

The Laura Rodriguez Medical Assistant Institute is training members of the local community to reduce shortages in the health care workforce. (LRMAI)

CA program combats shortage of medical assistants

California faces a big shortage in the health care workforce, so health centers in San Diego are taking matters into their own hands, launching a …

The Compassionate Care Act would create a public awareness campaign that encourages conversations between patients, their families and doctors about end-of-life wishes. (Nimito/Adobe Stock)

New bill in Congress would improve end-of-life care

A bill just introduced in Congress would raise public awareness of issues surrounding the end of life, including palliative care, and hospice…

Groups that fight for criminal justice reform argue that public safety improves when justice-involved people can clear their records and find better jobs and housing. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

New rules coming soon to help people clear old criminal records

Starting October 1st, it will get a lot easier for people with old felony convictions to get them expunged from their record - as Senate Bill 731…

A job retraining program from Merit America hopes to help an additional 2,000 people transition from low-wage work into technology careers as it expands its efforts in the Bay Area. (Merit America)<br />

As CA workers seek higher wages, a program seeks to help them move up

Unions representing fast food workers are asking the state's new Fast Food Council to support a 70-cent-per-hour boost in the minimum wage at its next…

CA delegation rides wave of excitement at DNC

The Democratic National Convention in Chicago kicked off last night with huge crowds and the biggest delegation, some 500 strong, hails from …

A bill would establish a partnership between the California Departments of Public Health, Civil Rights and Justice to share data on racial bias in health care when patients suffer adverse events. (N F/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Black women’s groups fight bias in health care

A bill headed to the State Senate floor this week would require California to start tracking discrimination in health care. Assembly Bill 3161 asks …

The Park Fire in Northern California is causing widespread air quality issues due to heavy smoke. (Cal Fire)

Massive blazes give rise to increased issues with 'fire brain'

Mental-health experts are sounding the alarm about "fire brain" - a condition caused by exposure to toxic wildfire smoke. One study found that …

Jos� Alejandro Lemuz, from the Los Angeles area, spoke out in favor of the End of Life Options Act before using medical aid in dying to end his suffering this past March. (Compassion & Choices)

Report: More Hispanic Californians using medical aid in dying

More and more Hispanic people are taking advantage of California's medical aid-in-dying law, according to a new report from the California Department …

On 2nd anniversary of Inflation Reduction Act, investments start to pay off

Two years ago this week, the U.S. made the biggest investment ever in the fight against climate change as the Inflation Reduction Act became law…

Concentrated animal feeding operations often house thousands of cattle at a single location. (Lukas Vincour/Zv�rata Nej�me/We Animals Media)

Report: CA factory farms perilously close to your produce

By Gabriella Sotelo for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collab…

Crime data covering 48 California cities reporting to the FBI show an 11% decline in theft and a 17% drop in burglary for the first three months of 2024, compared with 2023. (Sergey/Adobe Stock)

Report: Contrary to popular belief, property crime is down in CA

Property crime in California is near record lows, according to the latest statistics from the California Department of Justice. A new report from …

According to Consumer Affairs, more than 1.2 million vehicles were repossessed from borrowers nationwide in 2022. (FotoDax/Adobe Stock)

CA consumer groups pan bill 'repo man' would give rave review

Consumer groups are speaking out against legislation proposed in California which would make it easier to repossess a car or other property, by …

Agricultural interests from around the state are contributing to efforts to defeat Measure J in Sonoma County, which seeks to ban concentrated animal feeding operations. (Marcelo/Adobe Stock)

Sonoma County ballot measure would ban large livestock farms

This November, voters in Sonoma County will decide on a first-of-its-kind proposal, known as "Measure J," to ban large concentrated animal feeding …

Counties across the nation are hiring now, in order to be ready for the presidential election on Nov. 5. (Studio Romantic/Adobe Stock)

Good-gov groups promote National Poll Worker Recruitment Day

Today is National Poll Worker Recruitment Day - and county elections offices across California are staffing up. The event was established by the …

The public comment period is now open on proposals by four utility companies to blend hydrogen gas to the natural gas pipelines. (Valto/Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups question projects to blend hydrogen, natural gas

A coalition of environmental groups is asking the California Public Utilities Commission to dismiss a plan by gas utilities to blend hydrogen into the…

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