California

Many California workers are afraid to speak up. These policies could address that
New research shows that almost 2 in 5 California workers have experienced a workplace violation, but few report it because they fear retaliation. Lawmakers could address those concerns by creating a retaliation fund, educating workers on their rights and reconsidering the "at will" employment model.
CalMatters for Learning brings trusted nonpartisan news to libraries, communities across California
CalMatters for Learning is a free learning hub for library staff, educators and community organizers.
Another police shooting, another haunting video
Last Friday, the Memphis Police Department released its videos of the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, prompting an outpouring of protest, grief and commemoration across the country, including in California where Nichols spent much of his life. One day earlier — and initially receiving little public notice — Anthony Lowe Jr., a 36-year-old Black man

Stem cell agency chooses new board chair amidst funding uncertainty
Come March 28, Vito Imbascani is scheduled to be sworn in as the new chairman of the $12 billion California stem cell agency – an 18-year-old state program to develop revolutionary treatments for such things as brain and blood cancers, heart disease, diabetes, sickle cell disease, spina bifida, incontinence, blindness, arthritis, HIV, stroke, epilepsy and much more.
Governor to announce new gun safety legislation Wednesday
POLITICAL PULSE: In the wake of two mass shootings that claimed the lives of 18 people and left ten others wounded, Gov. Newsom, along with Attorney General Rob Bonta and other legislative leaders – and gun safety advocates – will announce new efforts to advance gun safety legislation.
Victim of a violent crime? California may have money for you.
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: In the wake of the horrific January 21 shooting that killed 11 people in Monterey Park, Gov. Newsom visited hospitalized survivors. His conversation with one patient revealed an added stress for survivors of gun violence and other violent crime: the inability to cover expenses incurred or wages lost due to the incident.

Parents and teachers worry Kindergarten cuts could spell “death” for small school
This week, parents across the city will be agonizing over which public schools they should apply to ahead of this Friday’s deadline. Each parent can pick dozens of schools, ranking Parents and teachers worry Kindergarten cuts could spell “death” for small school
‘Pro-Chesa’ speakers screened at SF City Hall Tyre Nichols event
A City Hall gathering of politicians and activists recognizing Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old Black man brutally killed by Memphis police this month, temporarily devolved into mayhem on Wednesday. That came ‘Pro-Chesa’ speakers screened at SF City Hall Tyre Nichols event
SF nixes cap on delivery fees — reeling restaurateurs prepare to pay up to 30%
San Francisco was the first city in the nation to place a permanent cap on food fees charged of restaurants by delivery services. But as of Tuesday that 15 percent SF nixes cap on delivery fees — reeling restaurateurs prepare to pay up to 30%

UPDATE: Education leaders can’t stop Sunnyvale school closure
Santa Clara County education leaders are questioning the probable closure of a charter school in June as parents scramble to find a new place for their children. The Santa Clara County Board of Education received a report Wednesday regarding Summit Denali, a charter middle and high school in Sunnyvale run by Summit Public Schools. Charter... The post UPDATE: Education leaders can’t stop Sunnyvale school closure appeared first on San José Spotlight.
Santa Clara County closing mass COVID vaccine and testing sites
Santa Clara County will close its mass COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites by the end of February, but the pandemic is far from over for those with compromised health conditions. County health officials gathered Wednesday to discuss the closures, which are set to happen by Feb. 28. But the pandemic’s long-term impacts on vulnerable populations cannot... The post Santa Clara County closing mass COVID vaccine and testing sites appeared first on San José Spotlight.
San Jose mayor to be inaugurated
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is focused on getting back to basics. That’s also the cornerstone of the newly-elected mayor’s inauguration today. The celebratory evening is not just a chance to kickstart Mahan’s two-year term, it also lays the groundwork for his top issues: crime, blight and homelessness. “No matter who you voted for, today is... The post San Jose mayor to be inaugurated appeared first on San José Spotlight.

The Lefty Lawyer: What’s ‘reasonable’ about Long Beach’s use of Facial Recognition Technology?
This is the first in a series that will explore the Fourth Amendment, the one that – sort of, sometimes, at least in theory – protects us from unwarranted police invasions into our privacy. In this inaugural edition, legal expert Caitlin Bellis points out that also “our personal data is the price of admission to much of modern life.” In the days of cell phones, fitness trackers, and other increasingly powerful technologies that can identify and locate us, Bellis discusses why folks should do everything they can to protect their right to privacy and the opportunity City Council currently has to address this issue.

SF State student found dead in residential housing
A student was found unresponsive at Village at Centennial Square on the early morning of Jan. 23. In an email sent to campus housing residents last Wednesday, Director of Residential Life David Rourke said a parent informed the campus about concerns for the student. The call was followed by a wellness check conducted by the...
Parking
Finding parking at SF State is notoriously difficult on an average day. On the first day of the semester, it’s a nightmare. What started as a seemingly slow scene in the Lot 20 parking garage at 8:30 a.m. seemed a cacophony of honks, squeals and slamming doors an hour later. As students lined up outside...

Hollister middle school students take regional honors
Information provided by Rancho Maze Band Boosters Please join us in congratulating CMEA Central Coast Section Honor Band musicians, Thomas Feci, Benny Gomez Jr., Shyloh Gonzalez, Jaxon Lopez, Matthias Morgan, Megan Phillips, Kayla Reames, and Charles Schilke! As representatives of the Rancho Maze Band (RMB) and Hollister Youth Music Network (HYMN), each of these The post Hollister middle school students take regional honors appeared first on BenitoLink.

Plan for 82,000 Homes in San Francisco Moves Forward, Under Pressure From State
The Board of Supervisors passed a plan to build 82,000 housing units over the next eight years, maintaining city control over the permitting and building processes. Some critics said the plan does not do enough to prevent low-income residents from displacement as more market-rate apartments are built. The post Plan for 82,000 Homes in San Francisco Moves Forward, Under Pressure From State appeared first on San Francisco Public Press.
California Indian Tribes Denied Resources for Decades as Federal Acknowledgement Lags
In the last 13 years, the U.S. Department of Interior has actively reviewed applications for acknowledgement of only 18 tribes, even as hundreds remain in line. The Public Press has identified more than 400 tribes seeking federal recognition and is working to confirm that 200 others with publicly listed applications are genuine. Many have been waiting for decades. The Death Valley TimbiSha Shoshone Band is the only California tribe that has been recognized in the 44 years since the federal […]
San Francisco Rent Relief Tracker
More than one month after statewide eviction protections expired on June 30, less than 4% of rent relief funds requested by San Francisco households remain unprocessed, with 55% of funds paid out. The post San Francisco Rent Relief Tracker appeared first on San Francisco Public Press.
As Statewide Eviction Protections Expire, SF Measure Kicks In
Although a statewide eviction moratorium for tenants with pending rent relief applications expired Thursday, some tenants in San Francisco and Los Angeles saw a glimmer of hope as previously voided local protections kicked back in. Cities and advocates hope the enactment of new protections will help to fill the gap for struggling tenants facing eviction for rent due after June 30. The post As Statewide Eviction Protections Expire, SF Measure Kicks In appeared first on San Francisco Public Press.
Expanding View of Domestic Violence Gives Survivors New Tool, but Unsympathetic Judges Remain an Obstacle
A California law enacted in 2021 allows domestic violence victims to claim coercive control — a broad range of behaviors including humiliation, surveillance, intimidation, gaslighting and isolation that strips an intimate partner of a sense of autonomy and personhood. Experts in domestic violence say judicial skepticism of abuse victims, often with misogynistic overtones, has long been widespread in U.S. family court, creating dangerous hurdles to justice. The expanded conception of domestic […]

Berkeley Wire
News about Berkeley from around the web.
The state rejected Berkeley’s housing plans. What happens next?
The city has now missed a key deadline to have its housing plan approved. But there is disagreement over what that means.
At SF IndieFest: Jolly pranksters, sonic tricksters and a madcap murder spree
'Poundcake,' about the media circus set off by a serial killer who targets Brooklyn's white men, is hilarious. Also worth seeing: Ryan Worsley's 'Stand by Failure,' about the band Negativland, and 'Chop and Steele,' about the creators of the Found Footage Festival.
Remembering Patricia DeVito, co-founder of Berkeley Path Wanderers Association
DeVito, 89, was a wife, mother, traveler, walker and advocate for women and seniors.
All the East Bay restaurants that closed in January
Restaurants of note that closed in Berkeley, Oakland and beyond in January 2023.

What’s in Oakland’s new sweeping 8-year plan for housing?
What’s in Oakland’s new sweeping 8-year plan for housing? A year in the making, the Housing Element will now go to the state for approval.
All aboard the USS Potomac, a piece of history docked in Oakland’s Jack London Square
All aboard the USS Potomac, a piece of history docked in Oakland’s Jack London Square The famous Presidential Yacht is now under the leadership of one of Franklin. D. Roosevelt’s grandchildren.
OUSD’s abandoned Lake Merritt headquarters is getting a new life
OUSD’s abandoned Lake Merritt headquarters is getting a new life A coalition of youth, educators, and community groups are working to transform the property, which has sat vacant for 10 years.