SACRAMENTO — California no longer will require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses when the state reopens on June 15, the state's top health official said Friday. State health director Dr. Mark Ghaly said that dramatically lower virus cases and increasing vaccinations mean it’s safe for the...
Newsom Unveils $5.1B Water Infrastructure & Drought Package
While visiting San Luis Reservoir on Monday afternoon, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a $5.1 billion package for immediate drought response and long-term investments in water. The governor's goal is to build regional capacity to endure drought and safeguard water supplies for communities, the economy, and the environment. Newsom's proposal came as part...
California Population Fell by More Than 182K Last Year, State Says
SACRAMENTO — California’s population fell by more than 182,000 people in 2020, marking the first year-over-year loss ever recorded for the nation’s most populous state. State officials announced Friday that California’s population dipped 0.46% to just under 39.5 million people from January 2020 to January 2021. The news comes one...
California Closes Prison That Trains Firefighters
SACRAMENTO — A decade after prison crowding forced California to realign its criminal justice system, the population in what once was the nation's largest state correctional system has shrunk to the point where officials announced Tuesday they will close one of two inmate firefighter training centers. The California Correctional Center...
Before Plunging Off California Cliff, Car Drove Through Parking Lot
BODEGA BAY — Dozens of people at a popular Northern California coastal overlook watched as an SUV drove through a parking lot without braking and then plunged off a cliff into the rocks below, killing the two women inside, investigators said Monday. The cause of the weekend crash was still...
Will Biden Give Californians Some Tax Relief?
Seven Democratic governors called on President Joe Biden to lift the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions Friday that was a part of former President Donald Trump's massive 2017 tax law, arguing the “assault” disproportionately targeted Democratic-run states and ultimately increased taxes on families. The letter comes a...
With No March Miracle, California Prepares for Another Drought
LOS ANGELES — California’s hopes for a wet “March miracle” did not materialize and a dousing of April showers may as well be a mirage at this point. The state appears in the midst of another drought only a few years after a punishing 5-year dry spell dried up rural...
This is California’s Third-Driest Year on Record
The water content of California’s Sierra Nevada snowpack was measured at 59% of the April 1 average, when it historically is at its peak, the state’s chief of snow surveys and water supply forecasting said Thursday. The unsurprising result follows the second consecutive dry winter and comes amid indicators that...
Does California Bill Limiting Vaccine Protests Violate First Amendment?
A proposed bill that would place limitations on vaccine site protests is drawing criticism from one prominent California civil rights attorney. State Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, introduced SB 742, which would place limitations on vaccine site protests. The law is modeled after a 2012 state law that limits protests at...
Will Fresno, Central Districts Change School Reopening Plans After State Offer?
Fresno's three largest school districts will be in for a share of the $6.6 billion school reopening spending package that state leaders have agreed to, including $4.6 billion for academic interventions, wellness programs, or other needs that the pandemic has created. The spending packages comes nearly a year after the...