California theme parks call Newsom rules ‘offensive,’ say litigation possible
By Victoria Colliver 10/21/2020 06:13 PM EDT OAKLAND — California theme park operators said Wednesday they’re not ruling out the possibility of filing a lawsuit over the state’s newly issued reopening guidance, which they believe could keep large parks closed indefinitely. Executives from the state’s largest theme parks — including Disneyland, Universal Studios and Legoland California […]
California’s $100M dialysis battle comes with ancillary benefits for labor union
By Victoria Colliver10/19/2020 08:01 AM EDT Updated: 10/19/2020 02:04 PM EDT OAKLAND — In initiative-happy California, one set of ads stands out — those involving dialysis clinics, an industry that’s historically been a lower-profile player in politics. The ads are unusual not only because of their unlikely topic but their volume, which is high because […]
CTA says too soon to reopen schools, California big city mayors say otherwise
By Mackenzie Mays 10/15/2020 09:08 PM EDT SACRAMENTO — The California Teachers Association on Thursday reiterated its belief that schools should remain closed despite more counties being allowed to reopen campuses — and just as big city mayors called on Gov. Gavin Newsom and state schools chief Tony Thurmond to bring students back across the […]
California schools chief: Distance learning ‘our best option’ in many communities for now
By Mackenzie Mays 10/14/2020 07:00 PM EDT SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California schools chief Tony Thurmond stood firm Wednesday against wide- scale campus reopening and said districts should make decisions based on public health standards, not politics. “Safety is the highest order at this time. I don’t want to politicize this issue,” Thurmond said at a […]
Newsom policing advisers support legislative effort requiring officers to intervene
By Jeremy B. White 10/13/2020 03:55 PM EDT Gov. Gavin Newsom’s policing advisers say California legislators should take up bills compelling peace officers to intervene or report on fellow officers who use excessive force. As protests over police violence and racial inequality engulfed the country this year, Newsom enlisted former East Palo Alto police chief […]
Trump reverses FEMA denial of emergency aid for California fires
By Debra Kahn 10/16/2020 02:59 PM EDT Updated: 10/16/2020 04:42 PM EDT President Donald Trump has agreed to reverse his administration’s decision to deny federal cleanup funding for six California wildfires, including the largest single fire in state history located in the Republican-heavy Central Valley, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday. Impact: The reversal comes after Republican […]
Newsom appoints first openly gay justice — and 3rd African American man — to California Supreme Court
By Carla Marinucci 10/05/2020 03:01 PM EDT OAKLAND — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is appointing Martin Jenkins to the California Supreme Court, the first openly gay justice and third African American man nominated for the state’s highest court. Jenkins, 66, currently serves as Newsom’s judicial appointments secretary. A native of San Francisco and the son […]
California has first million-acre megafire as devastating season sets new records
By Colby Bermel 10/05/2020 05:06 PM EDT SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The August Complex of wildfires surpassed the grim milestone Monday of over 1 million acres burned, the first blaze in recorded California history to reach seven figures of acreage. The update by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection on the August Complex in […]
SoCalGas charged customer account to stymie efficiency standards, new document shows
By Colby Bermel 10/02/2020 08:07 PM EDT Southern California Gas charged a ratepayer account from 2014 through 2017 to pay for lobbying work against stronger energy efficiency standards, according to a new document published Friday. Impact: A joint statement of stipulated facts was posted by the company, environmentalists and state consumer watchdogs but is not an admission of […]
Californians hang on to health coverage, but low Medi-Cal enrollment remains a mystery
By Victoria Colliver 10/02/2020 03:01 AM EDT A new report finds Californians largely held on to their job-based health insurance through the early stages of the pandemic, a finding that may partially explain why the state’s Medicaid enrollment figures have remained remarkably flat during the public health crisis. While about 2.6 million Californians lost their […]
