State

California, World Leaders Set Tone for Climate Change

CALIFORNIA—On Tuesday, May 19, Governor Jerry Brown and leaders of 11 states and provinces including North America, South America and Europe signed an agreement to help tackle climate change. The Memorandum of Understanding, officially knows as "Under 2 MOU" focuses on limiting the output of greenhouse gases 80 to 95 percent by 2050. The 'under 2' represents keeping the increase of global...

Terminally Ill Californian’s Fight For Right to Die

CALIFORNIA–On May 15, Compassion & Choices filed a suit against the state of California on behalf of three terminally ill Californians for the right to die. The suit wants state law to allow physician assisted death for patients with conditions that modern medicine has no treatment for. This law would give physicians the authority to prescribe medication for mentally sound adults...

Sugar Tax Denied By State Assembly

CALIFORNIA—On Tuesday, May 12, state lawmakers opposed a sugar tax that would add 2 cents per ounce on sweetened beverages. The Assembly Health Committee voted 10-6, leading to the dismissal of Assembly Bill 1357. Created by Assemblyman Richard Bloom of Santa Monica, the bill was introduced as a way to fight off increased diabetes and obesity rates. According to the State Department of...

Government Budget Could Keep UC Tuition The Same

WESTWOOD—A government proposed budget submitted on Thursday, May 14 could help keep UCLA and other University of California campuses tuition the same for the 2016-2017 school year. The proposal was submitted by Governor Jerry Brown and would postpone the UC’s Board of Regent’s new policy of a 5 percent tuition increase per year for the next five years, which was approved in...

State Senate Mandates Vaccination For Schoolchildren

CALIFORNIA—On Thursday, May 14, the State Senate passed legislation that would mandate vaccination for all schoolchildren. Sentate Bill 277, introduced by Sen. Richard Pan, of Sacramento and Ben Allen, of Santa Monica passed with a 25-10 vote. The bill was introduced after fear rose from the measles outbreak in Disneyland that infected over 130 people in California. SB 277 overrides the...

Smokeless Tobacco Banned In SF Ballparks

Smokeless tobacco
SAN FRANCISCO—Beginning January 1, 2016, smokeless tobacco and chewing tobacco will be banned at sporting venues across the city. The new ordinance, signed Friday by Mayor Edward Lee, makes San Francisco the first city in the United States to ban a product that has been synonymous with baseball. Supporters of the ordinance have argued that the ban will push impressionable youngsters...

Riot Proceeds Death Of Vacaville Inmate

Riot
CALIFORNIA—Just hours after a violent prison riot in California State Prison Solano, an inmate was found dead inside his housing unit in what has been termed a homicide. The riot began at approximately 7:00 a.m. on Monday, May 4, when a group of 58 inmates began brawling in the Level III medium-security yards. The riot was broken-up by corrections officers using pepper...

Seismic Activity Alarms Bay Area Residents

Golden Gate Bridge toll, Golden gate Bridge, San Francisco,
SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Bay Area was subject to some unusual seismic activity over a weekend in which five earthquakes were recorded in San Francisco alone. At 2:05 p.m. on May 3, a 2.5 magnitude quake rumbled the ground near Concord, a city suburb located approximately 30 miles northeast of Downtown San Francisco. The weekend’s largest earthquake came just 10 minutes later,...

Governor Proposes $10,000 Water Wasting Fine

LOS ANGELES—Governor Jerry Brown released a statement on Tuesday, April 27 proposing a new maximum penalty of $10,000 to individuals wasting water. Brown also advocated for more efficient processing of water conservation proposals -- a response to floating criticisms that there’s too much rigidity surrounding the current process. The proposed $10,000 fine is a significant increase from the current $500...

California Home Prices Hit 7-Year High

CALIFORNIA—After a slow start this year, the price of California homes and condos have reached a new high. With steady job growth and the incline of the economy over the past year, more potential buyers are feeling optimistic about the housing market. In Southern California, where homes are pricey, the bids are coming in well over the asking price. Sales in Los...