California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. August 12, 2016 – A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Francisco Barcellos-Ramirez, 34, of Mexico, charging him with conspiring to manufacture and manufacturing marijuana, damaging public lands, and harming a police canine, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between April 30, 2016, and […]

MINERAL, CA August 12, 2016 – As of this week, Lassen Volcanic National Park has implemented an emergency closure that affects how backcountry visitors store their food.  Visitors venturing into Lassen’s backcountry on overnight trips are now required to store their food and other scented items in an approved food storage container (bear canister).   “We […]

VENTURA, Calif. August 11, 2016 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the successful recovery of three out of four unique subspecies of island fox on San Miguel, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz islands, removing them from the endangered species list. The agency also upgraded the protection status of the Santa Catalina Island […]

SACRAMENTO, CA, Aug. 11, 2016 – Yesterday, the Joint Legislative Audit Committee voted to launch an audit into funding for the California WaterFix (Delta Tunnels) as requested by Assemblymember Susan Eggman and Senator Lois Wolk. At a State Capitol hearing, the legislators said the $16B cost, lack of legislative oversight, and murky funding mechanisms all […]

SANTA MONICA, CA, Aug. 10, 2016 – Yesterday, the California Department of Insurance made public a decision by an Administrative Law Judge, issued after an extensive hearing requested by Consumer Watchdog, ordering State Farm to decrease its homeowners insurance rates by 7.0%, and to refund policyholders $85 million for overcharges collected since July 15, 2015.
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SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 9, 2016—A federal jury found Pacific Gas and Electric Company (“PG&E”) guilty today of multiple willful violations of the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 (“PSA”) and obstructing an agency proceeding, announced U.S. Attorney Brian J. Stretch, California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen M. Wagstaffe, […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. Aug. 9 2016— Pushing a wheelbarrow filled with 350,000 petition signatures, concerned Californians gathered outside the capitol today to urge Gov. Jerry Brown and the California Water Resources Control Board to stop the potentially dangerous practice of using wastewater from oil drilling to irrigate California’s crops. The wastewater, sold by Chevron and California […]

MARINA, CA, Aug. 9, 2016 – Effective Aug. 9, the Bureau of Land Management is implementing fire restrictions on public lands managed by the Central Coast Field Office. The fire restrictions will remain in effect until further notice. All campfires and barbeques are limited to designated fire rings in designated campgrounds. Portable stoves with gas, […]

August 9, 2016 – On August 4, 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the ruling in Mony Preap et al. v. Johnson. The class action successfully challenged the federal government’s practice in California of detaining certain immigrants without bond, often for many months, while they face deportation proceedings. Today’s ruling […]

Yreka, Calif. August 6, 2016 – Yesterday afternoon and evening a thunderstorm moved across Siskiyou County with 165 lightning strikes recorded. As of this morning the lightning had resulted in fifteen small fires throughout the County. The Klamath National Forest reported five new fires. The 1/2 acre Crest fire and 1/4 acre Pointer fire are […]

SACRAMENTO August 5, 2016 – California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith today announced the first confirmed death in California due to West Nile virus (WNV). The deceased person was a senior citizen in Sacramento County. “West Nile virus can cause a deadly infection in humans, and the […]

SAN FRANCISCO August 2, 2016 – Melinda Van Horne was sentenced today to 12 months and a day in prison for damaging national conservation land through her marijuana cultivation operation, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch. Van Horne, 43, of Whitethorn, pleaded guilty on March 23, 2016, to depredation against the property of the […]

SANTA MONICA, CA, Aug. 2, 2016 – Consumer Watchdog filed a petition challenging State Farm’s proposed rates for its dwelling insurance, charging that California’s largest homeowners insurer will be overcharging over 280,000 policyholders unless it cuts its rate by as much as 40%, or nearly $100 million. Consumer Watchdog’s analysis found that State Farm overestimated […]

August 2, 2016 – College students face significant barriers when it comes to accessing federal food assistance programs because of outdated state and federal requirements. Aligning the criteria can make it easier for students to get food assistance. These findings, along with recommendations to ease access to aid programs, are shared in SNAP and the […]