California News & Current Events | Public News Service

Protestors at the University of California-Berkeley demonstrate in support of student groups that passed a bylaw pledging not to invite pro-Zionist speakers. (Palestine Legal)

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Palestinian Advocates Praise New Fact Sheet on Religious Discrimination

Groups fighting for Palestinian rights are praising a new fact sheet on religious discrimination from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for …

Experts say a rise in the number of monarch butterflies is encouraging, but does not reverse decades of decline for the species. (R. Gino Santa Maria/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Monarch Butterfly Winter Count Shows Significant Improvement

This winter, volunteers counted more than 335,000 Western monarch butterflies in an annual survey, a big improvement over the last few years…

Around 44 million American families are carrying approximately $1.7 trillion in student debt. (Burlingham/Adobestock)

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Tips for Student Loan Borrowers Waiting for Answers on Debt Relief

Millions of Americans with student loans are anxious to hear if the Supreme Court will uphold President Joe Biden's plan to offer up to $20,000 in stu…

CA 'Just Safe' Campaign Aims to Redefine Public Safety

Social justice advocates have just launched a new public education campaign. It's called "Just Safe," and it's aimed at changing the conversation …

New data show in California, 2021-22 state testing scores are even lower than the state's historically low testing scores. (Rawpixel/Adobe Stock)

Scorecard CA Shows Kids Still Struggling, Post-Pandemic

Many of California's 13.5 million children and teens have not bounced back after the pandemic, especially children of color, according to the just-…

The Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank distributes fresh produce in the rural area in the mountains near San Diego. (Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank)

$100K Grant Will Fund CA Food-Box Program to Fight Child Hunger

San Diego may seem like a wealthy area, but the mountain communities in the eastern part of the county still struggle with hunger and poverty. Now…

The primary risk factors for cardiovascular disease are hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, family history and advanced age. (Andrey Popov/Adobe Stock)

Hypertension: A Silent Killer in Communities of Color

About 45% of Black Americans have hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, compared to 31% of white Americans. Now, a new program in Southern …

The proposed Alberstons/Kroger merger was announced in October and is currently under federal review. (MortalConviction at English Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons)

Albertsons-Kroger Merger Raises Concerns for Rural CA

The proposed merger between supermarket giants Albertsons and Kroger is raising alarm bells in rural communities worried about the impact on consumers…

The San Francisco-San Joaquin Delta is the heart of California's water system. (Steve Martarano/USFWS)

Conservation Groups Criticize State Water Board's Side Deals for Delta Water

The State Water Board now says it will take another two years to finalize the San Francisco-San Joaquin Delta water management plan, and it is …

The new State Natural Resources Building in Sacramento earned the Platinum LEED Certification in 2022. (CA Natural Resources Agency)

California 4th in Nation for Green Buildings

California ranked fourth in the nation for green buildings for 2022 and has made the top 10 states for the tenth year in a row. The U.S. Green …

The requirement for the state to maintain continuous Medi-Cal health insurance coverage regardless of eligibility will end March 31. (Lordn/Adobestock)

State Projects Millions Could Lose Medi-Cal as Renewals Start Back Up

Starting in April, an estimated 2-3 million people could be dropped from Medi-Cal, the state's health insurance program for low-income people…

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has expressed support for a congressional investigation into whether public schools stayed closed too long during the pandemic, and whether the federal government has promoted

Education Poll: Parents Reject Culture War; Want to Get Back to Basics

Congressman Kevin McCarthy from Bakersfield announced in his first address as U.S. House Speaker that he wants to combat what he describes as "woke …

Organizers of the National Day on Racial Healing promote racial equity, which affirms all people, regardless of racial or ethnic group identification, skin color or physical traits, deserve an equal opportunity to experience well-being in a just society. (Thomathzac23/Adobe Stock)

Events Across CA, U.S. to Celebrate National Day of Racial Healing

Tomorrow is the 7th Annual National Day of Racial Healing, which is commemorated every year, always on the day after the Martin Luther King Jr…

The Los Angeles City Council passed a resolution officially supporting legislation mandating 100% of vehicles sold in California be zero emission by 2030, helping ensure the need for more skilled workers in the field of electric vehicle manufacturing.(Adobe Stock)

Vehicle Electrification Creates Job Opportunities for Disadvantaged Workers

By Larry Buhl for Capital and Main.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for California News Service reporting for the Capital and Main-Public News Serv…

On Wednesday, tenants' rights groups urged the Los Angeles City Council to act before current protections expire on Jan. 31. (Agueda Dudley-Berrios/Community Power Collective)

Rise in Evictions Expected Feb. 1 as L.A. Protections Expire

By Jaisal Noor for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

The California Food Assistance Program currently works alongside CalFresh to benefit many income-eligible people who hold green cards. (JetCityImage/Adobe Stock)<br />

CA Anti-Hunger Groups Slam Governor’s Proposed Budget

Groups that fight hunger say they're "deeply disappointed" in the new budget proposal released Tuesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Last year, the …

Crickets are now being used in some types of pet food as an alternative source of protein. (Leekris/Adobe Stock)

Lowering Your Dog's Carbon Pawprint with Insect-based Food

By Claire Elise Thompson for Grist.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collabo…

Last April the California Fish and Game Commission rejected a petition from the <a href=

Humane Society to eliminate the state's bear hunt altogether. (California Department of Fish and Wildlife)">

Fight over CA Black Bear Hunt Heats Up This Week

A controversial proposal to let individual hunters kill two bears per season instead of one is on the agenda at a meeting of the California Fish and…

Legislators are expected to introduce bills in the upcoming session to ban pretextual stops and consent searches. (Dusanpetkovic1/Adobestock)

Data on CA Police Stops Confirms Continuing Racial Disparities

Black teenagers ages 15 to 17 are six times more likely to be searched by police compared with their white counterparts, according to a report from …

The name Shelterwood is intended to reference the larger trees sheltering the rest of the forest, and the collective providing a safe place for the BIPOC and queer communities. (Shelterwood)

Healing the Land and Themselves

By Michaela Haas for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

About 15% of cars affected by the Takata airbag recall in the United States still need to be repaired and are likely still on the road. (Bizoo_n/Adobe Stock)

Consumer Groups: Recalled Airbags Pose Greater Threat in 2023

It's a brand-new year, and consumer auto safety groups are hoping to avoid further deaths from faulty Takata air bags by raising awareness about the …

Inhaling the essential oils of trees or ingesting microparticles of healthy bacteria from soil is believed to boost the immune system. (Ronstik/Adobe Stock)

“Forest Bathing”: A Worthy New Year’s Resolution?

Get in shape. It's a common New Year's resolution, but research shows the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku - or "forest bathing" - has multiple …

The F-T-C says some student loan scammers will use a website that mimics the U.S. Department of Education of your loan servicer and that correspondence may even have tidbits of the borrower's real information, such as the current payment amount. (Fizkes/Adobestock)

Feds Issue Warning About Student-Loan Debt-Relief Scams

Scammers targeting student-loan borrowers are shifting into high gear - spurred by the uncertainty surrounding President Joseph R. Biden's debt-…

Yemima Rodriguez, a former international student from Guatemala, got connected to Lassen Community College through a soccer coach. (Salgu Wissmath)

Postcards from the College Journey in CA's Central Valley

By Nick Fouriezos for Open Campus Media.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Open Source Media-Public New…

The California Parent and Youth Helpline is open to the state's 9.3 million children, as well as their parents and caregivers. (Sebra/Adobe Stock)<br /> <br />

Holiday Season Brings Uptick in Calls to CA Parent & Youth Helpline

Active crisis calls have jumped 50% in the run-up to the holidays, according to officials at the California Parent and Youth Helpline. The helpline …

An estimated 52% of immigrant-owned businesses were started by people using their personal savings, according to the Immigration Research Library. (Adobe Stock)

A Taste of Home: How Ethnic Grocery Stores Create Community

Michelle Chen wrote the original version of this story for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for California News Service reporting for …

Members of Communities for a New California speak at a redistricting hearing in Indio. (Anna Lisa Vargas)

The Latino Vote: Countering the 'Sleeping Giant' Narrative

Groups promoting Latino political participation are keen to get rid of the stereotype of Latino voters as a "sleeping giant," especially in light of t…

California's rate of people without health insurance dropped almost 60% between 2013 and 2021. (Amadeoemaja/Adobe Stock)

Mixed Bag for CA in Annual Health Rankings

Data from the first two years of the pandemic are in, and the "America's Health Rankings 2022 Annual Report" shows California has a few bright spots…

Pile burning in Whitaker Research Forest within Redwood Mountain Grove. (Rob York/UC Berkeley)

Coalition Teams Up to Save Sequoias

California's old-growth sequoia trees are dying at an alarming rate - so land managers across the Sierras are mounting an emergency response…

Statistics show that enrollment of male students of color dropped significantly more than other student populations. (mdurson/Adobestock)

Report: How Schools Can Lure Students Back to Community College

During the pandemic, California community colleges lost 19% of their enrollment, but as a new report found, a handful of schools bucked the trend…

The California Reparations Task Force will release its final recommendations next July. (AndriiKoval/Adobestock)

CA Reparations Task Force Meets Today in Oakland

By PennElys Droz for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

About 57% of Americans plan to shop online during the holidays this year, according to a survey from Statista. (Adobe Stock)

Tips to Avoid the Latest Holiday Scams

With the holiday shopping season in full swing, scammers are hard at work, so the experts have some tips on how to shop smarter. The most common …

Union protestors demonstrated in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, asking for more funding for the National Labor Relations Board. (Office of Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-New York)

Union Members Rally in D.C. for National Labor Relations Board

On Tuesday, union members and lawmakers rallied on Capitol Hill to pressure Congress to support workers, by better funding the agency set up to …

The pilot project in Turlock will test a variety of canal widths and solar panel types. (Solar Aquagrid)

Solar Panels Planned on Aqueduct to Save Power and Energy

By Caleigh Wells for KCRW.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News S…

The group Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety protested at the CarMax location in Roseville in 2014, the same year the lawsuit was filed. (Mike Norris/CARS)

Consumer Groups Slam Settlement with CarMax

Auto safety consumer groups are blasting a recent settlement between 36 states and CarMax - which fined the company $1 million for claiming its cars …

A new report says more than one million residents of the Los Angeles area experienced food insecurity at least once in 2021. (Liliya Trott/Adobe Stock)

L.A. County, Nonprofits Team Up to Tackle Food Insecurity

Before the pandemic, one in five people in Los Angeles County lacked consistent access to food - and in 2021, one in four low-income families …

In April, the continuous-coverage provision of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act will expire, and states will start redetermining eligibility for more than 80 million people enrolled in Medicaid. (PintoArt/Adobe Stock)

CA Pandemic Protections Held Line on Children’s Health Insurance

During 2021, the first year after the pandemic began, California managed to keep more than 96% of children insured, according to a new report from …

This offshore floating wind turbine was the first of its kind in the country to provide power to the grid. (University of Maine)

Offshore Wind Leases Kick Off Race to Build Renewable Energy of the Future

California's first-ever auction for offshore wind leases just brought in more than $757 million in bids. The Department of the Interior announced …

Small businesses like the Goddess Mercado in East Los Angeles employ almost half of all private-sector workers in California. (Martin Gamez/Goddess Mercado)<br />

Survey: 2022 Holiday Shopping at Local Small Businesses Could Hit $88 Billion

This holiday season, shopping at local small businesses could bring them as much as $88 billion, according to a survey from Intuit QuickBooks…

A new report from the Hispanic Access Foundation finds that Los Angeles is one of the biggest hot spots for nature loss within communities of color. (Andy Dean/Adobestock)

Report: Improved Access to Nature Bolsters Biodiversity, Community

Promoting access to nature for underserved communities can improve quality of life while bolstering biodiversity and fighting climate change…

Climate activists held a press conference at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Monday. (A. Tamunan/Greenpeace)

Local Officials Praise Move to Stop Gas-Price Gouging

Governor Gavin Newsom convened a special session of the Legislature on Monday to consider his newly unveiled proposal to cap excess oil and gas profit…

Small cell facilities are often attached to utility poles within the public right-of-way. (Oxford Science/Wikimedia Commons)

L.A. County Eyes Ordinance to Fast-Track Approvals for Wireless

Thousands of wireless transmitters could pop up across unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County in the next few years if the Board of Supervisors ap…

The Echo Park Trash Club is staffed by a rotating cast of volunteers. Two similar clubs have now formed in the Silver Lake and Lincoln Heights neighborhoods of Los Angeles. (Echo Park Trash Club)

L.A. 'Trash Club' Helps Unhoused People and the Community

By Caroline Tracey for High Country News.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Networ…

Backers of the Public Lands Act said it would improve public access to nature for millions living in densely populated areas of Los Angeles. (Daxiao Productions/Adobe Stock)

CA Outdoor Recreation Worth $54 Billion Per Year: Federal Data

California is number one in the country for dollars spent on camping, hiking, climbing, and biking, according to the latest federal data. The most …

A snowy egret hunts for food in its coastal habitat in Santa Cruz. (Carter Kremer/Audubon Photography Awards)

Proposed Coastal Conservancy Plan Would Tackle Climate Resiliency in CA

The state Coastal Conservancy will vote next week on a strategic plan to guide how hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars get spent over the next fi…

People with diabetes have medical expenses approximately 2.3 times higher than those who do not<br />have the disease, according to the American Diabetes Association. (Allen/Adobestock)

Fight for Affordable Insulin Continues During National Diabetes Month

November is National Diabetes Month - and the American Diabetes Association reports at least 3.2 million Californians have been diagnosed with the dis…

The site of the old Orick Mill has been a top priority for conservation groups because it is a scar on the landscape in California's old-growth redwood forest. (Save the Redwoods League)

Work on Gateway to Redwood National Park Winds Down for 2022

Crews are making progress in building a new gateway to Redwood National Park in Humboldt County. Work has just wrapped up for the year at the site …

Mikami Vineyards in Lodi uses compost made from food scraps collected in San Francisco to produce award-winning wines. (Larry Strong)

This Thanksgiving, Compost Your Food Scraps and Help Save the Planet

By Hannah Wallace for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Ne…

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