California News & Current Events | Public News Service

More than 2,000 cities and towns have worked to protect the monarch butterfly by joining the Mayor's Monarch Pledge, organized by the National Wildlife Federation. (Dave/Adobe Stock)

Friday, November 29, 2024

Big decision coming on protections for monarch butterflies

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to decide whether to protect the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act within the next …

A new report from the Aspen Institute looked at Native American youth attitudes toward culture, resource access, mental health and civic engagement. (Center for Native American Youth)<br />

New survey shows a shift toward 'Indigenous' over 'American Indian'

A new survey of Native American teens and young adults highlights a growing preference for the term "Indigenous" rather than being referred to as "Ame…

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Tips on navigating post-election sensitivities this Thanksgiving

At Thanksgiving, millions of Americans will see relatives who may be on the other side of the political divide for the first time since the election …

The Hispanic Access Foundation's wildfire management toolkit encourages families to proactively seek out local news and CalFire updates rather than waiting for evacuation orders from the authorities. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

Wildfire toolkit helps CA Hispanic families prepare

Low-income Latino communities often bear the brunt of wildfires, so the Hispanic Access Foundation offers a wildfire management toolkit and video …

Senate confirmation hearings will likely start in January for President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, including Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)<br />

Health experts speak out against RFK Jr. leading Health and Human Services

Groups fighting to improve access to health care are asking the U.S. Senate to reject Robert F. Kennedy Jr's nomination for Secretary of Health and …

Glitches last winter with federal student aid forms, known as the FAFSA, led the feds to temporarily relax document verification standards - creating fertile ground for bad actors seeking to defraud California colleges. (Piter2121/Adobe Stock)

CA community colleges lose millions to financial aid fraud

State data first reported by EdSource show that fraudsters have stolen more than $7.5 million in student financial aid from California community colle…

Brendan Carr, President-elect Trump's nominee to be Federal Communications Commission chair, would have significant influence over issues concerning satellite networks like those owned by billionaire Elon Musk. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

Internet, press freedom groups sound alarm at Trump's choice for FCC

President-elect Donald Trump's choice of Brendan Carr to lead the Federal Communications Commission is raising red flags among groups that advocate fo…

On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Mustafa Kasubhai to a federal judgeship in Oregon. (Wikilaw contributor/Wikimedia Commons)

Advocacy groups protest as Trump tells Senate to halt judicial appointments

On Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump called on the U.S. Senate to stop confirming President Joe Biden's nominees to federal judgeships, even as …

Health experts said it is unclear whether the next Trump administration will continue drug price negotiations in Medicare or seek to repeal or weaken them. (Eric Hood)

Health experts brace for Trump Administration 2.0

California could be in for some big cuts to health care for low-income families under a second Trump administration, according to health experts…

Some experts predict federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency could be hobbled by an exodus of experienced administrators during a second Trump administration. (A.F.G.E./Wikimedia Commons)

CA expert: Trump working to greatly expand presidential power

California good governance experts are warning the expansion of presidential power under a second Trump administration could cast aside expertise and …

Funds from the Inflation Reduction Act are now flowing to help California families afford energy-efficient electric heat pumps. (Isengard/Adobe Stock)

New CA rebate program launched to cut home energy costs

A new rebate program could save California families up to $8,000 on an electric heat pump for home heating and cooling. The Home Electrification and …

Animal-welfare groups accuse state authorities of turning a blind eye to allegations of neglect at California poultry farms. (Roibu/Adobe Stock)

Mixed results for CA measures to end factory farming

A measure to end factory farming in Sonoma County has only received about 15% of the vote so far - so supporters are gathering tomorrow in Santa Rosa …

Coalition forms to reaffirm 'California values' in 2nd Trump era

This weekend, a new coalition called "We Are California" is holding meetings up and down the state, preparing to resist what it sees as anticipated …

The California Undocumented Coalition for Higher Education took part in an advocacy day in Sacramento in January 2020. (California Campaign for College Opportunity)

CA undocumented student groups worry about incoming Trump administration

As President-elect Donald Trump announces immigration hard-liners as his deputy chief of staff and border czar this week, groups supporting …

Antibiotics have been widely overused worldwide, according to experts in California and elsewhere, giving the

Proposed bill would fight crisis of antibiotic-resistant infections

According to experts in the field, the system of developing new antibiotics is broken and doctors are running out of ways to treat deadly infections…

The new Los Angeles County Office of Food Equity will work with Social Services to encourage physicians to prescribe healthy food as medicine. (Alicja Neumiler/Adobe Stock)

Los Angeles tackles hunger with new Office of Food Equity

About one-third of the population in Los Angeles does not have reliable access to healthy food, so leading philanthropic organizations are teaming up …

California voters rejected the latest effort to raise the minimum wage statewide and to allow cities to enact local rent control. (IcemanJ/Adobe Stock)

Experts analyze why CA propositions on minimum wage, rent control failed

California political analysts say inflation and voter confusion contributed to the failure of propositions to raise the minimum wage and allow stronge…

Proposition 36 rolls back key parts of Proposition 47, passed in 2014 as part of an effort to emphasize crime prevention over incarceration. (Negro Elkha/Adobe Stock)

CA criminal justice reform suffers blow with passage of Prop. 36

Advocates of criminal-justice reform warn the passage of Proposition 36 will mean a sharp reduction in funds to anti-crime initiatives. The measure …

Artificial intelligence can easily be used to generate false images, a problem authorities fear will spread during the post-election period. (terovesalainen/Adobe Stock)

Experts express caution over post-election AI deepfakes

As the votes are being counted, experts warned people to be wary of videos purporting to show voting irregularities because they could be artificial …

By law, any court disputes of election results must be resolved by December 16th, and the Electoral College convenes the following day. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: What CA voters can expect on election night

Election experts are urging calm and patience - as Californians, and all Americans - head to the polls on Election Day. Rules that forbid counting …

Conservation groups speak out in favor of Proposition 4

On this year's California ballot, Proposition 4 has not received much attention but it could have a huge effect on the Golden State. The $10 billion …

Consumer groups say a new court decision means used cars sold with manufacturer's warranties in California will not be subject to state

Consumer groups slam CA Supreme Court ruling on lemon law

Millions of Californians buy used cars still under a manufacturer's warranty - but consumer groups say those warranties are now essentially unenforcea…

Latino anglers bait their hooks in Imperial Beach, Calif. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

Report: CA Latinos fishing for subsistence eat twice the legal limit of mercury

Hispanic families who fish to put food on the table are disproportionately affected by mercury, which accumulates in seafood in Southern California…

DISCOVER students at Cedars-Sinai observe a rotation of the Women's Guild Simulation Center for Advanced Clinical Skills. (Cedars-Sinai)

Cedars-Sinai in LA uses college internship to diversify health care workforce

Lack of diversity in the medical field is a big problem. Data show fewer than 6% of active physicians in the U.S. are Black and fewer than 7% are …

The proposed Chuckwalla National Monument near Joshua Tree National Park is home to more than 50 species which are threatened, endangered, sensitive or otherwise of concern. (Adobe Stock)

CA Tribes call for national monuments at world biodiversity conference

This week, more than 100 Californians are in Cali, Columbia, for the 16th United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity. Tribes, policymakers …

Forty percent of the funds for climate projects in the Inflation Reduction Act must be spent in underserved communities. The SolarCorps helps low-income families install residential solar. (New Africa/Adobe Stock)

Climate Corps workers: California here we come

By Yessenia Funes for Atmos.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News…

Kate McQueen and Jesse Vasquez lead the Pollen Initiative's journalism program at the Central California Women's Facility. (Anya Petrone Slepyan/Daily Yonder)

CA prison journalism spreads from urban to rural facilities

By Claire Carlson and Anya Petrone Slepyan for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service for the Public News Se…

At Ocean Rainforest's Santa Barbara research farm, giant kelp grows at different depths on horizontal lines strung between buoys. (Ocean Rainforest)

Seaweed farming works toward a greener future

By Alexandra Talty for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publi…

Breast surgical oncologist Tran Ho, DO, FSSO, speaks with a patient at El Camino Health about her mammogram. (El Camino Health)

Breast cancer rates rising in women younger than 40, Asian women

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month - and experts say in recent years, they've seen a rise in diagnoses among women younger than age 40…

Activists spoke out in San Leandro last week supporting Prop. 6 and opposing Prop. 36. (Jesus

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Criminal justice reform advocates rally behind Prop 6, reject Prop 36

Groups that fight for criminal justice reform are urging California voters to support Proposition Six and reject Proposition 36. Prop. 36 would …

Researchers at the World Resources Institute said the average American can cut their environmental footprint in half by reducing dairy and meat consumption. (Molly Condit/Sinergia Animal/We Animals)

Congressional briefing promotes dairy digesters to curb methane emissions

By Dawn Attride for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborat…

A YouthTruth study found most high school students in California and around the country wanted to make a difference in their communities but felt they needed more civics education to participate. (Adobe Stock)

Voting at 16: more than a teen dream

A national voting rights group supports a push to lower the voting age in California and other states to 16 for state and local elections. The Vote16…

The transition from diesel school buses to electric ones has been several years in the making. (California Energy Commission)

Thousands of clean air school buses in CA hit the road this semester

By Hannah Wallace for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Ne…

Responding to California's troubled community college transfer system, Merit America travels to job fairs around the state, offering certificate programs in cyber security, data analytics, IT support, UX design and project management. (Merit America)

Audit: CA higher ed transfer portals too narrow

It is not easy for California students to transfer between community colleges and the California State University and University of California systems…

Open enrollment for Medicare runs now through Dec. 7. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobestock)

Medicare open enrollment now through Dec. 7

Nearly 6.5 million Californians on Medicare can change their plan during the open enrollment period, which just got underway and runs through Dec. 7…

Union membership has remained stable in California over the past two decades, despite a dip in membership nationwide. (Michaeljung/Adobe Stock)

Union organizers make big push to get out the vote in CA

As election season comes to a close, unions are out pounding the pavement urging all Californians to vote. The Golden State is home to about 2.5 …

Crime survivors spoke out against Prop 36 at the opening of a new trauma-recovery center in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday. (Californians for Safety and Justice)

Crime survivors celebrate new trauma recovery center, slam Prop 36

Survivors of crime are speaking out against Proposition 36, which goes before California voters in November. The ballot measure would increase …

Contents of a net fished in the North Atlantic mesopelagic are being sorted onboard the RV Celtic Explorer. (HulloThere/Wikimedia Commons)

A call for moratorium on catching deep-sea mesopelagic fish

By Shi En Kim for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboratio…

The Salton Sea, south of the Palm Springs area, is a heavily polluted lake with large geothermal and lithium resources beneath it. (Dr. Manuel Pastor)<br />

Rural community seeks to benefit from lithium boom

Local groups in the Imperial Valley are working to make sure the coming boom in lithium extraction will benefit the community, as well as the …

Votes on bills comprised 80% of each legislator's grade on the 2023-24 Pro-Kid Scorecard, with budget and leadership actions making up the remaining 20%. (MikeFusaro/Adobe Stock)<br />

New legislative scorecard highlights leaders on children’s issues

The biannual Pro-Kid Scorecard from the Children Now Action Fund was released today. In it, 12 state Assembly members and seven state Senators …

Water purification in Orange County's Groundwater Replenishment System involves three steps: microfiltration, reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation. (Adobe Stock)

CA facilities could turn sewage into tap water, but public acceptance lags

By Matt Vasilogambros and Kevin Hardy for Stateline.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Jour…

Data suggested contrary to popular belief, rural and urban voters in America share many bedrock values. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

As election nears, experts explore issues uniting rural, urban voters

During this contentious election season, people may think rural and urban voters are hopelessly divided but experts said it is largely a myth…

Elkhorn Slough near Monterey is one of many areas likely to be included in the list of protected areas under the state's 30x30 plan. (Kerstin Wasson)

Ocean Protection Council refines plans to protect CA coastal waters

California has set a goal to protect 30% of its land and waters by the year 2030, so the Ocean Protection Council is working on which waters should …

A recent study from UC Berkeley and UCLA found millions of Californians who do not get insurance through their job, Medi-Cal or Medicare will see big premium increases unless federal tax credits are extended. (Andy Dean/Adobe Stock)

Advocates warn health costs will skyrocket unless Congress extends subsidies

Experts warn health insurance premiums could rise an average of $1,000 a year for more than 2 million Californians who buy coverage on the individual …

Participants display their paintings from a community art healing project run by a nonprofit called The Cambodian Family in Santa Ana. (The Cambodian Family)

Report: CA faces big shortage of bilingual mental health professionals

One in four Californians is an immigrant and a new report showed many are refugees who may need mental health services but have trouble finding treatm…

Doctors say patients should be tested regularly to monitor their cholesterol, an important indicator of cardiovascular health. (LAONG/Adobe Stock)

During Health Literacy Month, tips on monitoring cholesterol

October is Health Literacy Month - so experts are educating people on an important indicator of health - cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein…

More babies are born during September than almost any other month (August is #1), with Sept. 9, 12 and 19 ranking as the most common birthdates on the calendar. (Phoompiphat/Adobe Stock)

New treatment, tips for taming postpartum depression

More new babies are born in the fall than any other time of year which also means some people who give birth may be heading into the winter months wit…

Many banks, credit unions and nonprofit agencies offer free financial counseling and can connect people with programs to establish credit or aid first-time home buyers. (Self-Help Federal Credit Union)<br />

During Hispanic Heritage Month, tips on financial literacy

During National Hispanic American Heritage Month, financial experts are speaking out to help Latino families build wealth. Federal data show that …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - November 29, 2024

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