California workplace safety chief to be tapped to lead OSHA
By Rebecca Rainey , Eleanor Mueller04/09/2021 02:41 PM EDT Updated: 04/09/2021 04:21 PM EDT President Joe Biden will nominate California’s workplace safety chief, Doug Parker, to lead the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the White House said Friday. The role has taken on outsize importance amid the pandemic and as the administration is weighing whether […]
California restaurants want a state refund after facing pandemic restrictions
By Katy Murphy 10/26/2020 09:50 PM EDT California’s pandemic-battered restaurant sector has been shuttered or operating with strict public health restrictions for most of the year. Now it is demanding its money back. The news: A group of restaurant owners filed claims in five counties on Monday, as well as with the state of California, asking […]
California’s most intense campaign: The private pursuit of Harris’ Senate seat
By Carla Marinucci10/27/2020 05:52 PM EDT Updated: 10/28/2020 10:16 AM EDT OAKLAND — California political icon John Burton emailed Gov. Gavin Newsom soon after Sen. Kamala Harris vaulted to the party’s presidential ticket. The colorful former Democratic congressman and state legislative leader nodded toward what looms as the biggest appointment of Newsom’s career — replacing Harris for […]
Environmentalists challenge state approval of bonds to build Delta tunnel
By Debra Kahn 10/29/2020 04:55 PM EDT Five environmental groups are suing California over plans to issue bonds that would enable the state to revamp its central water delivery hub, the groups announced Thursday. What happened: The suit filed Tuesday in Sacramento County Superior Court by the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity and three other groups […]
L.A. launches rapid Covid-19 testing effort that could help first responders, schools
By Victoria Colliver 10/27/2020 07:46 PM EDT Los Angeles city and county officials on Tuesday unveiled a rapid Covid-19 testing pilot project aimed at helping first responders and schoolchildren limit coronavirus spread. The pilot will be conducted by researchers at the University of Southern California in conjunction with the city and county. It will make […]
Newsom sidesteps Prop 22 position, signals desire for gig industry deal
By Jeremy B. White 10/29/2020 04:13 PM EDT Just after casting his ballot Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom declined to say how he voted on California’s landmark gig economy fight, signaling his continued desire for a compromise. The Democratic governor deflected a question about Proposition 22, a tech industry-funded measure to shield companies like Uber from […]
California air regulators tell vehicle makers to come clean on emissions cheating
By Debra Kahn 10/14/2020 06:39 PM EDT California officials sent an open letter to vehicle manufacturers Wednesday encouraging them to come clean about any cheating on emissions rules — or else face stiff penalties next year when the state’s new testing lab opens. Impact: The letter from Air Resources Board deputy executive officer Steve Cliff puts manufacturers […]
Silicon Valley faces a world of trouble
By Leah Nylen10/21/2020 06:12 PM EDT Probes of the big four U.S. tech companies have sprouted across the United States and Europe as authorities investigate accusations of antitrust abuses, privacy violations and other misconduct. These are among the most important: Google U.S. — The search giant faces an antitrust suit by the Justice Department and 11 state […]
Newsom’s top climate adviser opens door for carbon capture role in California
By Colby Bermel 10/22/2020 06:39 PM EDT Gov. Gavin Newsom’s top climate adviser voiced support Thursday for carbon capture and storage but stopped short of a commitment to further expanding the technology’s application toward California’s ambitious climate targets. Impact: The remarks by Kate Gordon, director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, are nevertheless a […]
California split-roll, affirmative action measures struggle to gain traction
By Carla Marinucci 10/22/2020 12:01 AM EDT OAKLAND — Despite support from Gov. Gavin Newsom and organizations aligned with Democrats, ballot measures that would increase commercial property taxes and reinstate affirmative action are struggling to gain traction as time runs short before Election Day. Californians remain sharply divided on Prop 15, a ballot measure that […]
