California

SACRAMENTO, Aug. 16, 2016 – The State Water Resources Control Board today posted “stress tests” submitted by water suppliers to demonstrate whether they have adequate supplies to withstand three additional dry years. Water suppliers that pass their “stress test” will not face a state-mandated conservation standard through January 2017, but are expected to keep conserving […]

FRESNO, Calif. August 15, 2016 – Jonathan Cornelius Bourne, 59, of Mammoth Lakes, pleaded guilty today to unauthorized transportation of archeological resources and unauthorized excavation, removal, damage, or defacement of archeological resources, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. On September 17, 2015, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Bourne, charging him with […]

Lower Lake August 15, 2016 – CAL FIRE law enforcement officers, in cooperation with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake County District Attorney’s office, arrested a Clearlake man on suspicion of 17 counts of arson in connection with numerous fires in Lake County over the past year.  Damin Anthony Pashilk, 40, was booked […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. August 15, 2016 – Do political conventions motivate people to register to vote? In a word: Yes.  During both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions California saw significant spikes in activity on its online voter registration site. In the three days leading up to the Republican National Convention the average daily number of […]

OAKLAND, Calif. August 15, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to assist the State of California to combat the Chimney Fire burning in San Luis Obispo County. On August 14, 2016, the State of California submitted a request for a Fire […]

OAKLAND, Calif. August 15, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to assist the State of California to combat the Clayton Fire burning in Lake County. On August 14, 2016, the State of California submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance […]

August 15, 2016 – Nitrogen is essential for agriculture but also has health and environmental impacts. The California Nitrogen Assessment, a new report from the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at the University of California, Davis, presents a big picture of the scale and impacts of nitrogen in the state.  The report, published by UC Press, offers […]

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 […]