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The Echo Park Trash Club is staffed by a rotating cast of volunteers. Two similar clubs have now formed in the Silver Lake and Lincoln Heights neighborhoods of Los Angeles. (Echo Park Trash Club)

Monday, November 28, 2022

L.A. 'Trash Club' Helps Unhoused People and the Community

By Caroline Tracey for High Country News.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Networ…

Backers of the Public Lands Act said it would improve public access to nature for millions living in densely populated areas of Los Angeles. (Daxiao Productions/Adobe Stock)

CA Outdoor Recreation Worth $54 Billion Per Year: Federal Data

California is number one in the country for dollars spent on camping, hiking, climbing, and biking, according to the latest federal data. The most …

A snowy egret hunts for food in its coastal habitat in Santa Cruz. (Carter Kremer/Audubon Photography Awards)

Proposed Coastal Conservancy Plan Would Tackle Climate Resiliency in CA

The state Coastal Conservancy will vote next week on a strategic plan to guide how hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars get spent over the next fi…

People with diabetes have medical expenses approximately 2.3 times higher than those who do not<br />have the disease, according to the American Diabetes Association. (Allen/Adobestock)

Fight for Affordable Insulin Continues During National Diabetes Month

November is National Diabetes Month - and the American Diabetes Association reports at least 3.2 million Californians have been diagnosed with the dis…

The site of the old Orick Mill has been a top priority for conservation groups because it is a scar on the landscape in California's old-growth redwood forest. (Save the Redwoods League)

Work on Gateway to Redwood National Park Winds Down for 2022

Crews are making progress in building a new gateway to Redwood National Park in Humboldt County. Work has just wrapped up for the year at the site …

Mikami Vineyards in Lodi uses compost made from food scraps collected in San Francisco to produce award-winning wines. (Larry Strong)

This Thanksgiving, Compost Your Food Scraps and Help Save the Planet

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

A new report finds the most common reason people lack fast internet service is either the cost or that the service they can afford isn't fast or reliable enough to justify the expense. (Peshkova/Adobestock)

Low-Income L.A. Neighborhoods Offered Internet at Higher Prices: Report

Internet service in Los Angeles County is often offered at higher prices in low-income neighborhoods, while better deals are offered in wealthier …

Federal data show that college students who transfer to another school lose an average of 43% of their credits in the transfer process. (Jeanine Hill/Chaffey College)

Colleges Turn to Data Analytics to Smooth Path for Transfer Students

Some local colleges and universities in Southern California are turning to data analytics to streamline their programs, so students can transfer more …

This spring, a California state Senate bill to reform the 340B process with respect to insurance company pharmacy benefit managers was pulled for lack of support. (18percentgrey/Adobe Stock)

Health Centers Fight 'Big Pharma' Over Drug Savings Program

Opening statements start today in a case pitting "Big Pharma" against Community Health Centers serving low-income and uninsured patients. At issue …

A new short film explores issues around the potential drying of the landscape in Long Valley and Little Round Valley in the Eastern Sierra. (Keep Long Valley Green Coalition)

New Film Highlights Water Struggle Between Rural High Desert and L.A.

UPDATE: A response from the L.A. Dept. of Water & Power has been added, which arrived after deadline. (10:35 a.m. MDT, Nov. 15, 2022) A new film …

Dr. Maribel Gonzalez, a child psychiatrist, waits on-screen for her next patient in one of Shasta Community Health Center's telemedicine exam rooms in California. (Annelise Pierce)

Shortage of Specialist Doctors in Northwest CA Increases Obstacles to Care

By Annelise Pierce for the Shasta Scout via The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service for the Public News Servi…

Fifth-grade teacher Brittany Jefferson looks for ways to discuss climate change without traumatizing her students at Citizens of the World Silver Lake charter school. (Caleigh Wells)

L.A.'s Lessons on Climate Change Balance Data with Hope

By Caleigh Wells for KCRW.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News S…

According to the Pew Research Center, the number of eligible Hispanic voters in the United States has increased by 4.7 million since 2018. (Adobe Stock)

Expert: Both Political Parties Missed Opportunity to Drive Latino Turnout

Conventional wisdom said in a close election like this week's midterms, turnout is key, and a new poll from a Latino rights group found both parties …

Election watchers have not reported any significant issues with early voting in California so far this year. (Arsenypopel/Adobestock)

On Midterm Election Day, Experts Tackle Election Myths

Millions of Californians have already voted but millions more will head to the polls today - to either vote in person or drop off their mail-in ballo…

Fields amid a sinking delta in California's Central Valley. (California Dept. of Water Resources)

Carbon Credits versus the Big Gulp

By Katherine Ellison for Hothouse.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publi…

A group of state attorneys general is asking the feds to enforce the antitrust provisions of the 1929 and even the playing field between meat processors and producers. (Branex/Adobestock)

Feds Move to Increase Meatpacking Competition, Lower Consumer Prices

With the election approaching, the Biden administration has announced millions of dollars in grants Wednesday to diversify the meat-processing …

California is expected to need more than 1.2 million chargers by 2030 to meet the fueling demands of the 7.5 million electric vehicles anticipated to be on the state's roadways. (Artinun/Adobe Stock)

Building CA's Workforce to Expand Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

By Jessica Goodheart for Capital and Main.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Capital and Main-Public Ne…

According to the Center for Palliative Care, about 6 million Americans could benefit from palliative care each year. (Alexander Raths/Adobestock)

Advocates Raise Awareness During Hospice and Palliative Care Month

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month National Hospice and Palliative Care Month - but a lot of people confuse the two, so experts …

The General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Digital Storm/Adobe Stock)

CA Older Voters Expected to Dominate Midterm Election

Early in-person voting starts this Saturday in dozens of counties across the Golden State, and this year, older adults are expected to have outsized …

All water agencies across California have until 2024 to provide the state with a full inventory of lead water lines, galvanized pipes and fittings that need to be replaced. (Pololia/Adobe Stock)

Advocates Press for Changes to CA Lead Pipe Replacement Program

October has been Children's Environmental Health Month and this week is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, so groups in California that …

After the passage of Prop 209, the University of California-Los Angeles and the University of California-Berkeley saw the largest relative drop in the predicted probability of admissions of underrepresented minorities at University of California schools. (Daniel Ernst/Adobestock)

Supreme Court to Mull Ending Affirmative Action in Higher Ed

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Monday in a pair of cases which could spell the end of affirmative action on American college campuses…

Warmer, dryer weather conditions have helped create larger wildfires that have killed millions of Joshua trees. (Caleigh Wells)

Advocates Push CA to List Joshua Trees as Endangered Species

By Caleigh Wells for KCRW.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the KCRW-Public News Service Collaboration Th…

As of 2019, 1.83 million Californians worked in the food-service industry. (Seventyfour/Adobestock)

Advocates Press Congress to Support Restaurant Workers' Bill of Rights

Food-service workers and their allies are calling on Congress to support the new "Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights," a document calling for higher wa…

According to Edmunds.com, the average price for a new EV was $60,054 in February, which was $1,820 more than their average manufacturers suggested retail price of $58,234. (Buffaloboy/Adobe Stock)

Report: Electric Vehicles Jump in Popularity; Prices Leap, Too

Electric vehicles now make up almost 18% of the car-buying market in California. That's up 42% from 2021, according to the latest data from the …

A huge oil spill in Santa Barbara in 1969 fueled the environmental movement that campaigned for the passage of the Clean Water Act three years later. (Antandrus/Wikimedia Commons)

On Clean Water Act’s 50th Anniversary, Issue Returns to Supreme Court

The Clean Water Act turns 50 years old this week, but parts of it are currently under attack in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The case could …

Students at UC Berkeley protest the occupation of Gaza by Israeli forces. (LSJP)

Controversy Over Free Speech Roils Berkeley Law School

Pro-Palestinian advocates are speaking out to support student groups at the University of California-Berkeley Law School who voted not to host Zionist…

Gas prices Monday in Richmond, California, hit $6.39 a gallon. (Eduardo Martinez)

Local Officials Call for Windfall Tax on Companies That Overcharge for Gas

Gas prices have soared in recent months, and local officials are speaking out in support of a windfall tax on companies engaging in price gouging…

A 2021 study by CoveredCA.com found the average emergency-room visit cost about $8,000 for someone uninsured. But people who had health insurance paid about $375. (GDM photo and video/Adobe Stock)

CA Health-Insurance Open Enrollment Starts in Two Weeks

This year's open enrollment period for health insurance is right around the corner, starting Nov. 1, and some employer-based health plans start their …

A new report calls on utilities to aggressively build out renewable-energy resources and abandon plans to build gas plants in order to reach the country's climate goals. (Agnormark/Adobestock)

New Report Details 'Dirty Truth About Utility Climate Pledges'

A new report from the Sierra Club called "The Dirty Truth About Utility Climate Pledges" finds that dozens of utility companies across the U.S…

Tobacco advertising for menthol products in particular has long targeted the African American community. (American Heart Association)

New CA Report Details Tobacco Industry Marketing to Vulnerable Groups

A new report from Stanford University finds tobacco companies continue to directly target African Americans, women, and young people with their …

According to a report from Northwestern University, one in four American households with children has trouble putting enough food on the table. (Disha1980/Adobe Stock)

CA Hunger-Fighting Groups Optimistic after White House Conference

Groups fighting hunger in California say untold suffering could be avoided if the policies championed at the latest White House conference are put int…

The U.S. Postal Service says it's ramping up to process 60 million packages every day this holiday season, seven million more per day than last year. (Oleksandr/Adobe Stock)

Amid Holiday Hiring, Postal Unions Fight for Service Standards

The U.S. Postal Service said it is hiring 28,000 seasonal employees ahead of the surge in end-of-year holiday letters and packages, including some in …

UCLA scientists tracking SoCal mountain lions found that 93% have abnormal sperm rates and others have deformed tails and testicular defects, signs of inbreeding. (Christian/Adobe Stock)

Governor Signs Bill to Integrate Wildlife Corridors into Highway Plans

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law on Friday to require Caltrans to integrate wildlife corridors into its plans as roads are built around the …

About 80% of Latino college students in California graduate in four years, compared to about 88% of white students, according to the California Dept. of Education. (Digitalskillet1/Adobe Stock)

New CA Laws Aim to Improve College Graduation Rates

On the last day to sign bills this legislative session, Gov Gavin Newsom approved a slew of measures to improve college graduation rates, …

A 2021 study in the journal Science found that fine particulate matter, one of the main pollutants produced by gas-burning vehicles, is responsible for 85,000 to 200,000 excess premature deaths per year in the United States. (Aleksandr Kondratov/Adobestock)

Local Officials Call on Feds to Adopt CA Clean-Car Standards

Local officials concerned about climate change are calling on the Biden Environmental Protection Agency to adopt strict national clean car standards -…

The fine print for most cell phones advises people to hold wireless devices away from the body; not to press it to their ear or carry it in a pocket. (insta_photos/Adobestock)

Lawsuit Goes to Court Alleging Cell Phones Cause Brain Tumors

Evidentiary hearings are underway in a Washington, D.C., courtroom this week, to decide if a massive lawsuit against the cellphone industry will be …

Greenhouse-grown hydroponic tomatoes use 90% less water than traditional tomato crops grown outdoors, according to the U.S. National Park Service. (Caleigh Wells)

Future of Tomatoes in CA Drought: Hydroponic Farming?

By Caleigh Wells for KCRW.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the KCRW-Public News Service Collaboration Wh…

The California Rebuilding Fund estimates that every $1 it makes in loans to small business generates $2 in economic activity. (Daniilvolkov/Adobestock)

CA Small Business Fund Revitalized by $15 Million Infusion

A renewed lifeline for small business owners still struggling after the pandemic - as the California Rebuilding Fund has announced it is making an add…

Experts in end-of-life care urge families to discuss their wishes with loved ones before serious illness strikes. (Fotos 593/Adobestock)

Report: Inequities Persist in End-of-Life Care for Latinos

Latinos and other underserved communities face persistent inequities in end-of-life care, according to a new report from Compassion & Choices and the …

The Biden administration is working on new nationwide regulations for methane gas emissions from oil and gas sites. (Leonid Ikan/Adobe Stock)

Report: 40% of Regional Methane Pollution Linked to "Super Emitters"

A relatively small number of so-called "super emitters" are responsible for 40% of the methane emissions in oil and gas hotspots such as California's …

U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., says she plans to call a legislative hearing on the practices of credit reporting agencies. (Kalafoto/Adobe Stock)

Consumer Groups Press for Bill to Reform Credit Reporting

Consumer groups are pressing for legislation to reform the way credit agencies handle errors on credit reports. The calls to amend the Fair Credit …

The Brookings Institute predicts the broadband buildout across the U.S. will create 200,000 new jobs for telecom technicians in the coming years. (Photomix Company/Pexels)

New $5.8M Grant Will Train Technicians to Build Out CA Broadband

California is going to need tens of thousands of workers over the next six years as we continue to build the broadband network to bring high-speed int…

Elementary school students on a field trip marvel at the size of a redwood tree. (Victoria Reeder)

For Students, A Trip to the Forest is a Game Changer

As California's children settle into the new school year, about 1,500 students will soon take the field trip of a lifetime to see the giant redwoods…

Grant Program to Fund Innovative Solutions to Rural Child Hunger

Child hunger is a persistent problem in California and across the U.S., especially in rural areas, and now, a new grant program will promote and fund …

Families hike in the mountains near Riverside, Calif. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

For Hispanic Heritage Month, People Reconnect with Public Lands

Hispanic Heritage Month begins this week and runs through mid-October, and conservation groups are encouraging people to celebrate by getting the …

The Food and Drug Administration estimates that food prices have risen by 8.5% to 9.5% in 2022.(Pamela/Adobestock)

County Funding for L.A.'s Healthy-Food Vouchers May be Slashed in Half

A program to provide low-income people vouchers to buy fresh fruits and vegetables may see its county funding cut in half at the Board of Supervisors'…

Critics of a draft proposal to expedite the permitting process for energy projects say it would open up more oil and gas drilling on public lands, on and offshore, running counter to the nation's efforts to curb climate change. (Bob Wick/Bureau of Land Management/Flickr)

Elected Officials Condemn Proposal to Fast-Track Energy Permits

Local officials concerned about climate change are urging Democrats to scuttle a deal reached with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to pass a bill to fast-…

A protest is expected today in Los Angeles, similar to one that took place in Chicago during the negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2011. (Arthur Stamoulis/Trade Justice Education Fund)

International Trade Talks Start Today in L.A.

Labor and environmental groups are asking for a seat in the "room where it happens" as government trade representatives gather today in Los Angeles to…

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