SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – A federal judge says executives for a California utility blamed for huge wildfires in recent years have put greed before safety. The judge told Pacific Gas & Electric at a hearing Wednesday that it should plan to have at least 1,100 more tree trimmers to reduce the chances of causing even…… MORE
Newsom: Calif. Should Lower Bar for Forced Mental Health Treatment
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California’s governor says the state should lower the legal bar for providing forced treatment to the mentally ill and building more homeless shelters. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday took the unusual step of devoting most of his second State of the State address to the intertwined issues of homelessness and housing.…… MORE
Governor Newsom Delivers State of the State Address on Homelessness
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom delivered his State of the State address on homelessness before a joint convention of the California Legislature today. Below is the text as prepared for delivery: State of the State Address California Governor Gavin Newsom February 19, 2020 Thank you, Madame Lieutenant Governor. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for welcoming…… MORE
Hemp Farmers on Legal Edge
Hemp producers around the country feel they’re being treated like criminals according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. That’s because laboratories that test the crop must be certified by the Drug Enforcement Administration, something that has the country’s producers uneasy. USDA’s new hemp regulations say farmers have to ship some of their crops off…… MORE
Legislation Would Bar Calif. Insurers From Denying Fire Coverage
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Owners of California homes that meet new safety standards would be guaranteed fire insurance coverage under an Assembly bill introduced on Tuesday. The legislation from lawmakers and the California insurance commissioner aims to provide relief for homeowners in high-risk fire areas who are rejected for coverage. The bill would set new…… MORE
Analyst Urges California to Reject Switch to Short Probation
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California’s nonpartisan legislative analyst says Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to sharply reduce the time a convict is under supervised release could wind up sending more criminals to jail or prison. That’s the reverse of what he intends. The analyst on Tuesday recommended that California lawmakers reject the idea. Newsom wants to…… MORE
Thief Steals Autistic Man’s Trike After Cutting Bike Lock Outside of Fresno Winco
FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – A Fresno man now has to walk six miles to work and back every day after someone stole his only means of transportation, his trike. Lee Sawyer is autistic and can’t ride a regular bike, so he’s been traveling the streets of Fresno for years on that trike. But…… MORE
Interior Secretary Speaks at California Water Forum in Tulare
TULARE CA, (KMJ) – Interior Secretary David Bernhardt headlines a water forum on Tuesday in the South Valley. The California Water Forum took place at International Ag Center in Tulare Tuesday afternoon. “Eighty percent, approximately of all the water that falls in California, is north of the Delta, but over 70%, close to…… MORE
Phase One Trade Deal Officially Takes Effect
Not only was Friday Valentine’s Day, but it was also the first official day that the Phase One Trade Deal was in effect. Tariffs on both sides of the agreement officially began coming down. The coronavirus outbreak is causing concern about China meeting its obligations under the agreement. An Agri-Pulse report says U.S. experts…… MORE
‘Not Guilty’ Plea in Deadly Greyhound Bus Shooting
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) – A man accused of opening fire aboard a Greyhound bus in California has pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder. The Bakersfield Californian reports that 33-year-old Anthony Devonte Williams of Capital Heights, Maryland, entered his pleas Thursday in Kern County Superior Court. The…… MORE
