Public News Service

Groups fighting hunger will hold a panel discussion in Los Angeles, called

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Feeding the unhoused in LA.: Searching for best practices

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …

A California law banning restrictive crates for pigs could be invalidated by a provision in the Republican proposal for the new Farm Bill. (Animal Equality)

How meat industry shapes U.S. politics and vice versa

Agribusiness has spent $500 million so far to lobby for changes to the next farm bill - in particular to invalidate a California law that bans extreme…

Un nuevo proyecto de ley que exige la instalaci�n de sistemas de advertencia de velocidad en los veh�culos no exige el almacenamiento de datos. Las cuestiones de privacidad quedar�an en manos de los fabricantes de autom�viles. (Rawintanpin/Adobe Stock)<br />

Ugen a Newsom firmar ley que exiga alertas de exceso de velocidad en automóviles

Grupos que luchan por carreteras más seguras llaman al gobernador Gavin Newsom a que firme un proyecto de ley que obligaría a los vehíc…

A new California bill requiring speed warning systems on vehicles does not require data to be stored. Privacy issues would remain in the hands of car manufacturers. (Rawintanpin/Adobe Stock)

Newsom urged to sign bill to require speeding alert systems on cars

Groups fighting for safer roads are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill requiring new vehicles to have a speed-monitoring system to warn drivers …

A partir del a�o que viene, los afiliados a Medicare no tendr�n que gastar ni un centavo m�s de $2,000 por a�o en medicamentos recetados.

Informe: Nuevo límite de recetas médicas para Medicare supone gran ahorro

Según un to nuevo informe de AARP, cientos de miles de californianos de edad avanzada se ahorrarán mucho en medicamentos a partir de enero…

Medicare enrollees will not have to spend more than $2,000 annually on prescription drugs, starting next year. (Burlingham/Adobe Stock)

Report: New prescription drug cap for Medicare means big savings

Hundreds of thousands of older Californians will see huge savings on prescription drugs starting in January, according to a new report from AARP…

Opponents of changes to California's auto lemon law include the National Consumer League and the Consumer Federation of America. (AA+W/Adobe Stock)

Consumer groups blast bill to change CA Lemon Law

Consumer groups are calling for the withdrawal of a bill that would change the way California's auto lemon law works - before the legislative session …

In California, 750,000 fast-food workers were covered by the increase in the minimum wage in the sector from $16 to $20 per hour. (BlueSkyImages/Adobe Stock)

Fast food jobs increasing in CA despite rising minimum wage

New data show fast food jobs have been on the upswing in the four months since the minimum wage in the sector went from $16 to $20 an hour. The …

According to Consumer Affairs, more than 1.2 million vehicles were repossessed from borrowers nationwide in 2022. (FotoDax/Adobe Stock)

CA consumer groups pan bill 'repo man' would give rave review

Consumer groups are speaking out against legislation proposed in California which would make it easier to repossess a car or other property, by …

A map from the University of Southern California shows communities in the Los Angeles area considered

USC researchers call for legislation to combat 'pharmacy deserts'

Research shows many people in low-income California communities are having a hard time filling their prescriptions because pharmacies in their area ar…

Activists protested high rents at a Blackstone property in the San Diego area earlier this year. (Fanguiano/Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment)

Tenants’ rights groups press lawmakers to rein in corporate landlords

Tenant's rights groups are asking policymakers to move on several fronts to rein in corporate landlords who they said are worsening California's housi…

Home buyers will soon be required to sign a buyer representation agreement in order for a real estate agent to show them a home on the Multiple Listing Service. (Goodluz/Adobe Stock)

Big changes this week for buying, selling homes in CA, nationwide

Big changes are imminent in the way homes are bought and sold, as the new forms for transactions in California come out today. The forms are linked …

Los consumidores pueden presentar quejas sobre productos y servicios financieros, incluidos pr�stamos para autom�viles, en el sitio web del Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (Freedomz/Adobe Stock)

Feds multan banco con 20 millones por prácticas ilegales en seguros de autos

Fifth Third Bank acaba de aceptar pagar una multa de $20 millones para resolver los cargos por obligar a los compradores de automóviles a adquiri…

Consumers can submit complaints about financial products and services, including auto loans, to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau website. (Freedomz/Adobe Stock)

Feds fine bank $20 million for illegal car insurance practices

Fifth Third Bank just agreed to pay a $20 million fine to settle charges it forced car buyers to purchase unnecessary insurance and created fake accou…

Drowning is a leading cause of death for toddlers up to age 4, so close supervision and lifejackets are a must. (Triocean/Adobe Stock)

Tips to stay safe as July 4th heatwave envelops the Golden State

This year, the 4th of July weekend arrives with an extreme heat advisory in California, with triple-digit temperatures in many inland areas well into …

Environmental groups are working to attract more Latino families to enjoy the great outdoors on public lands such as the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area in southern Inyo County. (Louis Medina)

Latino environmental groups push for greater access to public lands

Conservation groups are circulating a petition asking the feds to give "America the Beautiful National Parks and Recreation Lands" passes to new citiz…

Consumer groups allege a new cryptocurrency regulation bill contains loopholes, undermining investor protection. (BBbirdZAdobestock)

Financial-justice advocates criticize crypto regulation bill

Consumer advocates are coming out against a bill to regulate the cryptocurrency market, saying it is a wolf in sheep's clothing. The Financial …

A new study showed polluting chemicals in car interiors are a bigger risk for children and for people who drive for a living or have long commutes. (Dmindphoto/Adobe Stock)

Consumer groups call on feds to regulate flame retardants in cars

UPDATE: A response has been added from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. (2:02 p.m. PDT, May 14, 2024) A new study showed the flame …

A new comic book in Spanish and English educates consumers on best practices when buying a used car. (Oregon Consumer Justice)

Can a comic coloring book help you avoid used car scams?

Buying a used car can be a risky proposition but a new consumer guide can help people avoid common pitfalls. The nonprofit Oregon Consumer Justice …

Los defensores de los ni�os est�n presionando a los legisladores para que aprueben el Proyecto de Ley 2956 de la Asamblea, que continuar�a con las flexibilidades de la era de la pandemia en Medi-Cal que permitir�an que m�s personas calificaran. (Fizkes/Adobestock)

Cientos de miles de niños de CA dejaron de recibir Medi-Cal desde el año pasado

Medi-Cal ha eliminado a varios cientos de miles de niños de bajos ingresos de las listas de seguro médico desde abril de 2023, según …

Children's advocates are pressing lawmakers to pass Assembly Bill 2956, which would continue pandemic-era flexibilities in Medi-Cal that allow more people to qualify. (Fizkes/Adobestock)

Hundreds of thousands of CA children dropped off Medi-Cal since last year

Medi-Cal has dropped several hundred thousand low-income children from the health insurance rolls since April 2023, according to a new report from …

Households in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Francisco counties pay the highest prices for groceries in the state. (Stokkete/Adobe Stock)

Feds: Grocery chain profits soared during and after pandemic

Consumer groups are accusing major grocery retailers - like Amazon, Kroger and Walmart - of price gouging, both during and after the pandemic…

Environmental advocates are asking California's next state budget to prioritize climate mitigation and cut tax breaks for fossil fuel companies. (The Climate Center)

Climate groups seek to remove tax breaks for oil and gas companies

As state budget negotiations continue, groups fighting climate change are asking California lawmakers to cut subsidies for oil and gas companies …

The new, free IRS Direct File site offers access to live customer service reps who can answer tax questions. (MargJohnsonVA/Adobestock)

IRS promotes new program to file your taxes for free

This year Californians can file simple tax forms for free and save time to boot, thanks to a new pilot project from the Internal Revenue Service …

San Diego State University is one of 23 California State University campuses. A new grant will simplify the admissions process. (SDSU)

Cal State system wins $750K in Great Admissions Redesign challenge

In the next few years, big changes are coming to the Cal State University admissions process, thanks to a $750-thousand grant from Lumina …

AT&T also wants to give up its designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier, and no longer accept federal funds to provide high-quality, affordable telephone service in low-income areas. (New Africa/Adobestock)

CA to hold hearings on whether AT&T must continue to offer landline service

Time is running out for the public to weigh in on whether AT&T should be allowed to stop offering landline service across most of the Golden State…

Water flows through part of Dos Rios Ranch Preserve. The former farmland now acts as a storage area for floodwaters during wet years. (Cameron Nielsen/Grist)

How can California solve its water woes? By flooding its best farmland

By Jake Bittle for Grist.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collaboration Th…

Waymo is currently offering a free introductory ride-share service in Los Angeles and uses a paid model in San Francisco. (Waymo)

Backlash after regulators permit robotaxis on LA, SF freeways

A bill to grant local cities the ability to regulate autonomous vehicles is getting a lot more attention after the California Public Utilities Commiss…

A report from the Public Policy Institute of California found that shoplifting rose more than 28% in 2022 after dipping during the pandemic, but remains 8% below its pre-pandemic level. (Mihail/Adobe Stock)

Hearing on CA retail theft draws diverse views

California lawmakers are considering a range of options to combat a rise over the last two years of felony retail theft - large-scale shoplifting - an…

Asian Health Services in Oakland, like many community health centers, tailors healthcare to their region, with culturally competent staff who speak multiple languages. (Asian Health Center)

Community health leaders press Congress for more stable funding

Community Health Center leaders are pleading with Congress to pass a budget deal by March 8 to avoid a partial government shutdown - arguing that the …

An online presentation for Safer Internet Day today will address topics such as artificial intelligence, media literacy, civility, cyberbullying, respect and the dangers of online predators. (New Africa/Adobe Stock)

On Safer Internet Day, experts offer tips to protect your family

Today is Safer Internet Day, a day to focus on ways to help your family thrive in the digital age. The National Parent Teacher Association and a …

Millions expected to wear red today for start of 'American Heart Month'

Today is National Wear Red Day, part of American Heart Month in February. Lots of celebrities and news anchors will be wearing red, and many iconic …

Leaders at the Community Action Program of San Luis Obispo said they would like to have more Section 8 vouchers to be able to find permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness. (CAPSLO)<br /><br />

Community leaders call for more housing to combat rising poverty

January is National Poverty in America Awareness Month and community action agencies across the state are working to change lives for the 5 million Ca…

The California Public Utilities Commission rejected a plan by So Cal Edison to help consumers buy new appliances, like electric heat pumps, arguing current state and federal programs are sufficient. (Arnt Brandseth/Wikimedia Commons)

CA Public Utilities Commission rejects electrification plan, draws criticism

The California Public Utilities Commission rejected Southern California Edison's plan to help families trade in their gas appliances for electric…

The Health4All coalition has pushed for many years for full-scope Medi-Cal for all income-eligible Californians regardless of immigration status. (Health4All Coalition)

Medi-Cal immigration status exclusion ends Monday

Starting Monday, California becomes the first state to cover health care for all income-eligible people regardless of their age or immigration status…

Una nueva encuesta revela que s�lo el 18% de los votantes que hab�an completado una directiva anticipada o testamento en vida la hab�an compartido tanto con su apoderado de atenci�n m�dica como con su m�dico. (WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

Encuesta revela discriminación rampante en la atención médica

Según una nueva encuesta." patrocinada por Compassion & Choices, el cual es un grupo de defensa para los cuidados al final de la vida, el 25% de …

A new poll finds that 45% of voters with an advance directive or living will have shared it with their healthcare proxy but just 18% have shared it with their doctor as well. (WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

Survey finds rampant discrimination in health care

In a new poll, 25% of voters say they have "personally experienced or witnessed discrimination in health care due to race, ethnicity, gender…

Around 28% of clients at community-development financial institutions across the United States are rural and 47% are women. (Luis G. Vergara/Adobestock)

Feds tighten rules on new community-development financial institutions

The federal government is increasing oversight on Community Development Financial Institutions, making the application process more rigorous to weed …

Congress is considering a bill to ease the tax burden on consumers who win a judgment in fraud cases. (Pakhnyushchyy/Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers propose bill to stop double taxation after fraud lawsuits

Democrats in Congress reintroduced legislation this week to protect consumers who win lawsuits against big corporations from being overtaxed by the In…

Los expertos en prevenci�n de fraudes aconsejan a las personas que verifiquen si est�n siendo manipulados o que compren tarjetas de regalo en l�nea directamente de la empresa. (Kenishirotie/Adobestock)

Expertos en fraude de AARP aconsejan cómo evitar estafas navideñas

Los estafadores navideños están mejorando su juego este año, según los expertos de AARP FraudWatch Network. Los malos actores …

Fraud-prevention experts advise people to check for tampering or buy gift cards online directly from the company. (Kenishirotie/Adobe Stock)

AARP fraud experts promote tips on avoiding holiday scams

Holiday scammers are upping their game this year, according to experts at the AARP FraudWatch Network. Bad actors bombard people with emails…

Last year Americans gave about $3.1 billion on Giving Tuesday, 15% more than in 2021. (DM/Adobe Stock)

On Giving Tuesday, tips to make sure scammers don't get your donation

Today is Giving Tuesday, a day when millions of Americans are expected to make charitable donations. But it can also be a field day for scammers…

The new California state budget made it possible to 'zero out' hospital deductibles in Silver plans for people with incomes under 250% of the Federal Poverty Level, saving people about $5,400 next year. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Open enrollment in CoveredCA health insurance marketplace begins today

If you do not have health insurance or if your employer-sponsored plan is too expensive, you may be in luck. Open enrollment starts today for the …

The Biden administration and the credit bureaus have announced a plan to clear an estimated 70% of negative medical debt from consumer credit reports. (Adobe Stock)

During Health Literacy Month, protect yourself from big hospital bills

October is Health Literacy Month and advocates are speaking out against big hospital bills. Studies show about two-thirds of bankruptcies in the U.S…

Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, speaks with Andy Naja-Riese of the Agricultural Institute of Marin at the Clement Street Farmer's Market in San Francisco. (Felice Thorpe)

Anti-hunger advocates seek federal funds, honor CA lawmaker

Groups that fight hunger are calling for a fair shake in the upcoming farm bill, which provides federal matching funds for programs that help low-…

A new report looks at best practices in artificial intelligence, which is used for myriad applications including facial recognition programs. (DedMityay/Adobestock)

Companies establish standards to build trust in artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is growing quickly, so companies such as Google, Amazon, Verizon, Microsoft and more have come together to establish best …

El gobernador Gavin Newsom tiene hasta el s�bado para firmar o vetar cualquier proyecto de ley, incluido uno que cambiar�a los l�mites de las demandas sobre veh�culos defectuosos. (Patcharanan/Adobe Stock)

Grupos de consumidores y seguridad automotriz urgen vetar ley para cambiar límites en demandas judiciales

Grupos que luchan por los consumidores y la seguridad automotriz llaman al gobernador Gavin Newsom a vetar un proyecto de ley que, según ellos…

Gov. Gavin Newsom has until Saturday to sign or veto any bill, including one that would change the limits on lawsuits over defective vehicles. (Patcharanan/Adobe Stock)

Consumer, auto safety groups urge veto on bill to change lawsuit limits

Groups that fight for consumers and auto safety are urging Governor Gavin Newsom to veto a bill that they say would make it harder for Californians wh…

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Public News Service (podcast)"
	"Hey Google, play the Public News Service podcast"
	"Alexa, play Public News Service podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Alexa, play 2000 24 Talks podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Alexa, play the Yonder Report podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 18, 2024

2024Talks - September 18, 2024

The Yonder Report - September 19, 2024

CA: Consumer