State

$42 Million State Program Offers Free Community College Tuition

CALIFORNIA—California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation for the 2019-2020 state budget on Tuesday, August 27, which provides two years of free college tuition for 33,000 full-time students. The $42.6 million investment is an expansion of California Promise Program (CPP). “This is real help for students trying to improve their lives and build their future,” said Governor Newsom. “No one can...

CHP Officer Killed In Freeway Shooting

RIVERSIDE—California Highway Patrol Officer, Andre Moye Jr. was shot and killed during a shootout on freeway 215 on Tuesday, August 13. During a routine traffic stop, Officer Moye pulled over a White GMC pick-up truck. Officer Moye was in the process of calling to have the truck towed and impounded, when the driver of the truck opened fire with a...

Development Firm Announces Permanent Housing Prototype, MicroPAD

SAN FRANCISCO—The owner of Panoramic Interests, a development firm that is dedicated to creating “dense, mixed-use, mixed-income” housing and work-spaces for the Bay Area since 1990, has generated new means to look at housing in an area with severe chronic homelessness. Patrick Kennedy, the owner of Panoramic Interests and East Bay native, has used Smart Growth principles—mixed land usage to...

SF Legislation Will Charge 25¢ For Disposable Foodware

SAN FRANCISCO—San Francisco Board of Supervisor for District 3, Aaron Peskin, has proposed legislation that would work to reduce single-use foodware and disposable cups. The legislation was announced on Tuesday, July 23 and would require all food vendors to charge their customers 25-cents for to-go disposable cups and plates. Businesses would provide reusable dishes for customers dining in, but in...

4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO—The Bay Area experienced a 4.3 magnitude earthquake near the fault line of Livermore on Tuesday, July 16 at 1:11 p.m. The earthquake had a 12.4-kilometer depth and was rated as a level 6 in terms of intensity on USGS’s shakemap. The main earthquake was followed by a 3.4 magnitude aftershock at 1:24 p.m. in the same area. No...

PG&E Makes Changes To 2019 Wildfire Safety Program

SAN FRANCISCO—Pacific Gas and Electric company (PG&E), California’s largest natural gas and electric utility, announced their Community Wildfire Safety Program’s progress in a news release on Monday, July 15. The program was introduced in February 2019 and its main objective is to “enhance, accelerate, and new programs that PG&E is and will aggressively continue to implement to prevent wildfires...

Governor Authorizes Healthcare For Undocumented Residents

CALIFORNIA—On Wednesday, July 10, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that will offer assistance to undocumented adults from lower-income communities and families between the ages of 19-25 to have healthcare. The bill is on route to go into effect in 2020. The state of California offers Medicaid to individuals under the age of 18, whether they are undocumented or a...

Billionaire Tom Steyer Announces Presidential Campaign

SAN FRANCISCO—San Francisco billionaire and philanthropist, Tom Steyer, announced his campaign for the 2020 presidential election on Tuesday, July 9 after denying his interest to run earlier this year. Steyer joined the race a day after Eric Swalwell, the 37-year-old congressman and Democratic presidential candidate dropped from running. Steyer will replace him as the 23rd presidential candidate on an already...

Southern CA Experiences Biggest Earthquake Since 1999

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA—A 5.4 aftershock earthquake hit Southern California one day after the 6.4 earthquake occurred in the isolated Mojave Desert Thursday, July 4. On Friday, July 5 at approximately 11:07 a.m., an aftershock with a magnitude of 5.4 occurred in the desolate Searles Valley in Southern California. The quake was 7 kilometers deep and was rated as “very strong” on...

San Francisco Transportation Fares Increase With New Month

SAN FRANCISCO—Major Bay Area transit agencies just raised their fares as On Monday, July 1, transportation fares increased for Muni, AC Transit, San Francisco Bay Ferry, and Golden Gate Transit. BART and Caltrain prices have not increased, but with the increase in other transportation fares, it is more expensive to cross the Golden Gate Bridge. California drivers are being hit with...