Will the third time be the charm for Gov. Gavin Newsom and his somewhat erratic efforts to battle the COVID-19 pandemic while preventing irreparable damage to the state’s once-vibrant economy? Newsom won widespread praise for his earliest efforts at preventing spread of the sometimes fatal coronavirus six months ago, ordering...
Newsom Signs Eviction Relief Bill Amid Virus
SACRAMENTO — Californians who haven't paid their rent since March 1 because of the coronavirus can stay in their homes through at least Jan. 31 under a new state law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed late late Monday — one day before statewide eviction protections are set to expire. The pandemic...
Hair Salons & Barbershops Reopen in Fresno, Major Chain Shifts Hours
Hair finally hit the indoor floor again Monday in Fresno County hair salons and barbershops. It was a sight not seen since mid-July due to the industry's COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. Phones rang, check-in apps went into overdrive, and sidewalk signs let passing drivers know that shops were open for business....
Long Delayed Casino on Highway 99 Will Be Built, Tribe Says After High Court Ruling
A major new Indian gaming casino and hotel will be built adjacent to Highway 99 near Madera, North Fork tribal officials said Monday, following a decision by the California Supreme Court. “We are thrilled that the Court has finally decided this case in our favor,” said North Fork Rancheria Tribal...
Salons & Barbershops Reopening After Mayor Brand Texts Newsom
Hair salons and barbershops, along with their customers, finally got good news Friday after months of waiting: They can reopen Monday. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that hair salons and barbershops across California can resume indoor operations — with modifications. However, nail salons will have to wait. The state also introduced...
Eviction Deal Extends California Protections Into 2021
SACRAMENTO — Californians who can't pay rent because of the coronavirus could stay in their homes through at least Jan. 31, but only if they pay a portion of some missed payments under a proposal endorsed Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislative leaders. The California court system has...
Newsom Supports Fresno County’s Effort to Close Defiant School
Governor Gavin Newsom supports Fresno County's efforts to shut down a defiant Reedley school. Fresno County filed legal action against Immanuel Schools to shut it down. The private K-12 school opened on Aug. 13, defying state and county health orders that prohibit schools from offering full, in-person instruction when the...
Newsom Announces New Reopening Plan. Says Indoor Salon, Barbershop Services OK.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday a new process for reopening businesses that is slower and more gradual than what the state tried earlier this summer amid the coronavirus pandemic. The new rules create a four-tier, color-coded system that counties will move through based on their number of cases and percentage...
With Improving Virus Data, California Looks To Reopen Again
Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to announce plans today for reopening businesses that have been shuttered since July amid soaring coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. In anticipation of the governor's announcement, there is a common refrain coming from businesses and local governments buffeted by the outbreak: We need clarity. Counties need...
Walters: Semi-Secret ‘Trailer Bills’ Pop Up
Conceptually, writing legislation to implement the annual state budget makes perfect sense. In practice, so-called “trailer bills” have become vehicles to semi-secretly do things that might otherwise be difficult to do, often with little or no relationship to the budget. They are drafted behind closed doors and quickly enacted with...