The hype over hemp sparked a rush of enthusiasm from farmers looking to add it to their crop rotations after it was legalized in the 2018 Farm Bill. Stuck in a declining farm economy, Politico says hemp offers a new source of income for farmers who’ve been hit from all sides by a trade…… MORE
PG&E Agrees to Pay $65M to Settle California Records Claims
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has agreed to pay $65 million to settle California claims that it falsified records about how it notified construction workers about underground gas and electric lines. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, regulators alleged that PG&E employees frequently misrepresented how quickly they responded to excavators’ requests…… MORE
Calif. Bans ‘Deep Fakes’ Within 60 Days of Elections
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California is trying to stop the use of deceptively edited videos and audio aimed at influencing elections. Legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom targets “deep fakes.” That includes deceptively edited audio and video designed to give someone a false impression about a political candidate’s actions or words. A state Democratic lawmaker…… MORE
Fresno Army Veteran Scammed Out of $30,000 in Fake Social Security Scheme
FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – An Army veteran becomes the victim of a social security scam, after nine months of serving the US military in Syria. 22-year-old Ruben Diaz was convinced by con artists impersonating Army staff that his social security information had been stolen by a Mexican drug cartel to launder money. They told…… MORE
DMC Payments Top $300 Million
More than 22,000 dairy farmers enrolled in the new Dairy Margin Coverage program have be paid more than $300 million this year. The National Milk Producers Federation says none of the assistance would have occurred under the old Margin Protection Program. The DMC program replaced MPP in the 2018 farm bill. Monthly milk price/feed…… MORE
Search Underway for Fresno Co. Sex Offender
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ News) — The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office is asking for your help in locating a registered sex offender, who’s failed to update his address. James Kenyon, 53, is a convicted rapist, who was released from prison in 1988. Kenyon was last known to be residing near Tulare and Locan Avenues in Fresno. Kenyon…… MORE
Gov. Newsom Signs Sweeping Charter School Law
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a law overhauling charter schools in the state. Charter schools are public schools that operate by different rules than traditional public schools. Anyone can apply for a charter school, and state law requires school districts to OK them if they meet certain basic requirements This…… MORE
Organic Livestock Rule Comment Period
The Department of Agriculture reopened the public comment period for the National Organic Program Origin of Livestock proposed rule. First introduced in 2015, the proposal would add requirements about transitioning dairy animals to organic production. Current regulations provide two tracks for replacing dairy animals which are tied to how dairy farmers transition to organic…… MORE
New Calif. Law Allows Local Governments to Form Public Banks
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – A new state law in California lets local governments form their own banks to handle taxpayer money. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that he signed a law co-authored by Assemblymen David Chiu of San Francisco and Miguel Santiago of Los Angeles. They argued that because public banks don’t have to worry…… MORE
CA Adopts 22 New Laws Addressing Wildfire Danger
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California is adopting nearly two dozen new laws aimed at preventing and fighting the devastating wildfires that have charred large swaths of the state in recent years, killing scores and destroying a Sierra foothills city last fall. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced signing the 22 bills Wednesday, saying several will also help…… MORE
