At the start of the pandemic a year ago, today’s news would have seemed unimaginable: The Golden State is sitting on a budget surplus so big, it’s considering giving $600 stimulus checks to California workers making up to $75,000, paying off back rent of tenants affected by COVID and helping millions of residents catch up […]
California
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Countdown to the Redwood Sky Walk’s Opening (with Slideshow)
The two-week countdown is on until the much-anticipated opening of the Redwood Sky Walk at the Sequoia Park Zoo. Starting May 14, zoo visitors can access the 100-foot-high suspended pathways through the trees, which is the longest in the western United States, according to the zoo, at just under a fourth of a mile to […]
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Why Millions of California Students Lack Broadband Access
About twice a week, the $9.99 per month internet connection falters. It’s often as Mario Ramírez finally wrangles his kids into their seats — the fourth-grader studies in the bedroom he shares with his 12 year-old sister, who studied in her parents bedroom — in time for virtual class. The screens freeze — sometimes during online […]
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California Loses Congressional Seat for First Time
For the first time in its 171-year history, California’s political voice is about to get a little quieter. After months of delay, the U.S. Census Bureau on Monday released new population estimates for each state. The bad news for California: It loses a seat in Congress, down from 53 House districts to 52. The worse […]
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Video: California’s Police Use-of-Force Law Explained
In the culmination of one of the fiercest political battles in recent years, California in 2020 put in place a new legal standard tightening the rules around when police can use deadly force. The new standard was a compromise between police and civil rights groups. It legally permits police to use deadly force only when “necessary […]
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‘People are Dying as We Wait’: Bid to Tighten California Nursing Home Oversight Sputters
An effort to fix problems with the oversight of California’s nursing homes has stalled, sparking fears that the bill is doomed — and prompting elder care advocates to warn that even a delay jeopardizes residents’ safety. “I’m incredibly frustrated,” said Democratic Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi of Los Angeles, author of Assembly Bill 1502. “The pandemic has […]
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State Slated to Reopen in Mid-June, Humboldt Moves to Orange Tier
Humboldt County has been moved into the state’s “orange,” or moderate COVID-19 risk ranking, after long stays in the more restrictive “red” and “purple” tiers. The new status will allow more business sectors open and expand indoor operations capacity for restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, places of worship and other organizations. (Find more information here.) The […]
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Is California Blowing it on Unemployment Reform?
If not for a persistent mail carrier, Lance Hastings might not have discovered all of the fake unemployment claims. Last September, the head of the California Manufacturers & Technology Association got the first jobless claim from a worker he’d never employed. Mistakes happen, he thought, and reported the letter sent to the group’s boarded-up former […]
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COVID-19 Vaccine Line Opening to 50-Plus Next Week, 16-Plus April 15
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced today that California residents age 50 and older will join the ranks of those eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations beginning April 1, with all individuals 16 years and older entering the line on April 15. “With vaccine supply increasing and by expanding eligibility to more Californians, the light at the end of […]
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Democrats Have Newsom’s Back as Recall Campaign Ramps Up
Gov. Gavin Newsom officially launched a campaign Monday against the effort to oust him from office, as fellow Democrats closed ranks to support him and his opponents plan this week to submit the last batch of signatures needed to trigger a recall election. Since Newsom’s flashy State of the State speech last week that looked like […]
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Humboldt Still Seeing Red; County had been Prepared to Stall Move to Purple COVID-19 Risk Tier
Humboldt County will continue to remain in the “substantial” or red COVID-19 risk tier for at least another week in what was apparently a close call. State data released at noon shows a local case positivity rate of 2.3 percent and 6.6 cases per 100,000 compared to the California average of a 2.8 percent positivity […]
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California Upends How It’s Divvying Up Scarce Vaccines; More May Land in Humboldt
Another sudden shift in state policy has triggered an array of concerns and confusion today about how California’s still-scarce COVID-19 vaccine supplies will be divvied up. Mark Ghaly, the state’s top health official, announced that 40 percent of California’s vaccine supply, starting with 2 million doses, will go to the poorest and most diverse communities. […]