Sooner or later, reality rears its ugly head and that seems to be happening with the state’s very expensive — but apparently failing — efforts to close a yawning “achievement gap” among the state’s nearly 6 million elementary and secondary school students. Early in the decade, as Jerry Brown began his second...
Feds Allow Use of Opioid Funds to Stem Meth, Cocaine Surge
WASHINGTON — Alarmed by a deadly new twist in the nation's drug addiction crisis, the government will allow states to use federal money earmarked for the opioid epidemic to help growing numbers of people struggling with meth and cocaine. The little-noticed change is buried in a massive spending bill passed...
California May Require Beverage Makers to Handle Recycling
SACRAMENTO — Lawmakers are considering upending California's struggling bottle and can recycling program by requiring beverage distributors to create a new system to take back their own containers, similar to one that has been successful in neighboring Oregon. A state Senate committee is set to consider the proposal Wednesday as...
California May Switch to Shorter Probation Terms
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing to overhaul California's probation system by greatly reducing the time a convict is under supervised release, but increasing rehabilitation programs at the outset of the probationary period, when they are considered the most effective. He wants to put what he called “an unprecedented...
White House Welcomes Court Ruling on Border Wall Spending
WASHINGTON — The White House says construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall will move forward after a federal appeals court ruling that frees up construction money. The 2-1 ruling on Wednesday halted a federal judge’s ruling in December that had prevented the government from spending $3.6 billion diverted from 127 military...
AP FACT CHECK: Trump Minimizes IS Risk, Distorts Iran Payout
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump wrongly dismissed the continuing threat of the Islamic State group and spread a false tale of the U.S. paying out billions of dollars to Iran as part of the multinational deal freezing its nuclear program in an address Wednesday that fell short on facts. A look at...
AP-NORC Poll: 66% Favor Endorsement Money for NCAA Athletes
As the NCAA grapples with how to provide athletes opportunities to be compensated for their fame, about two-thirds of Americans support college players being permitted to earn money for endorsements. That's according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Support for the NCAA allowing...
Walters: Promises Made, but Not Kept
Last month, McClatchy Newspapers and the ProPublica news organization published an investigative article delving into how billions of dollars meant to reduce repeat criminal activity by improving local jails and probation services were siphoned off for other purposes. “Since 2011, California has sent more than $8 billion to counties to cover the costs of the massive...
Your Money: Focus on Monthly Tasks to Hit 2020 Goals
A year is built one day at a time. It’s the busy Tuesdays when you never have a moment and the lazy Sundays when you can finally relax. Focusing on small, cumulative actions can take you far, whether you want to train for a marathon, clean out your garage or...
Minister: Texas Gunman Grew Angry in Past Over Cash Requests
WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas — The man who opened fire inside a Texas church, killing two people before being shot to death, visited the church several other times this year and was given food but got angry when officials refused to give him money, the minister said. Keith Thomas Kinnunen, 43,...