Category: California State Politics
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Public Schools Become Political Battleground
The recent political debate over education arrived in San Francisco as voters in this famously progressive city overwhelmingly recalled three members of the city’s school board. Analysts attribute the recall to unpopular initiatives and for putting politics over the needs of children. Particularly unpopular were the board’s effort to rename a third of the schools […]
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California Joins Other States and Relaxes Pandemic Restrictions
State political leaders in California announced the relaxation of some of the country’s most restrictive COVID policies. Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state would no longer mandate masks in indoor settings for vaccinated residents. The current rules were instituted during the December omicron wave but will be allowed to expire on February 15. California […]
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Newsom Prevails in Recall Election
California voters handily rejected a costly, highly- charged recall effort in the state, thereby allowing Governor Gavin Newsom to serve the remainder of his term. With the tabulation of votes still incomplete, Newsom’s lead was substantial enough for the networks to call the race early after polls closed. Polls conducted in the summer months projected […]
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LA Issues New Limits as COVID Cases Surge
Los Angeles County officials announced a new stay-at-home order as COVID-19 cases exceeded a 4,500 daily average over five days. Though not as sweeping as previous lockdowns, the three-week “Safer at Home” order is the latest effort by local officials to contain a surging virus in Southern California. The order was bad timing for many […]
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PG&E Pleads Guilty to Cal. Wildfire Deaths
On March 23, Pacific Gas & Electric announced that the company has plead guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter related to the devastating 2018 Camp Fire. In the plea deal, PG&E has agreed to increase regulatory oversight and to pay the maximum fine of about $4 million. In exchange, prosecutors have agreed to withhold […]
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Latest Wave of California Wildfires
Wildfires have burned through over 100,000 acres of land in Southern and Northern California as firefighters struggle to contain 8 separate blazes across the state. In just two weeks, fires have resulted in millions of dollars in property damage, hundreds of families evacuated and numerous casualties. Instructors, click the link below to download this week’s […]
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California to End Private Prisons
On October 11, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that would create a state-wide ban on current and future contracts with all for-profit prisons including federal immigration detention facilities. The bill is set to take effect at the end of 2019 and comes after a long history of overcrowding and abuses in […]
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Synagogue Shooting in California
A recent shooting at a California synagogue left one person dead and three others injured. The shooting in Poway, just north of San Diego, occurred on the last day of Passover and adds to the ongoing national debate about guns, anti-Semitism, and hate in our society. Instructors, click the link below to download this week’s […]