Category: Government & Politics
Assembly Passes FAST Food Recovery Act
Sacramento, CA – Today, Assemblymember Chris Holden’s legislation, AB-257 FAST Food Recovery Act, passed the Assembly Floor with 41 votes and is now headed to the Senate. If signed into law, California could lead the nation in the fight for systemic change within the fast-food sector. “Employees should not have to choose between safe working…
Fines and Fees Are a Barrier to Criminal Record-Clearing
Jurisdictions can take several steps to eliminate the financial barriers imposed by fines and fees, which would help system-impacted individuals clear their records and reenter society. One in 3 people in the United States has a criminal record. These individuals are subject to more than 44,000 legal sanctions and collateral consequences that create barriers to…
Free Los Angeles Covid Testing Site Opens to Community Jan. 18th in Hawthorne Amidst Significant Testing Shortage
Los Angeles, California (Jan. 17, 2022) – As the Omicron variant surges throughout Los Angeles, significant testing shortages are magnifying the strain on families and individuals across the region. A free COVID-19 testing site, hosted by Reliant Health Services and sanctioned by the City of Hawthorne, will be open to the community beginning January 18th….
“The Paid Jailer” Report Examines How Political Contributions to Sheriffs Create Conflicts of Interest and Fuel Mass Incarceration
In the United States, more than 3,000 sheriffs possess extensive or even total authority over arrests, incarceration, and civil enforcement in their jurisdictions. A new report released today by Common Cause and Communities for Sheriff Accountability examines how campaign contributions to sheriffs across the country and their business relationships with donors can encourage and incentivize…
HUD Reaches Settlement With Southern California Housing Providers Resolving Claims Of National Origin Discrimination
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has reached a Conciliation/Voluntary Compliance Agreement with National Community Renaissance, National Community Renaissance of California, Desert Meadows Housing Partners, LP, Victorville Housing Partners L.P., and Cathedral Family Housing Partners, L.P., management agents and owners of four HUD-subsidized apartment complexes in…
Holiday scam reminder: Gift cards are never used to make tax payments
This holiday season the IRS reminds taxpayers, the agency won’t ask for or accept gift cards as payment for a tax bill. However, that doesn’t stop scammers from targeting taxpayers by asking them to pay a fake tax bill with gift cards. They may also use a compromised email account to send emails requesting gift…
Coca-Cola Recalling Thousands of Popular Beverages
The Coca-Cola Company announced a voluntary recall on nearly 7,500 cases of Minute Maid products in eight states due to potential foreign matter contamination. Specifically, the Coca-Cola recall is being initiated because metal bolts or washers could be present in the affected beverages, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. According to a spokesperson…
Governor Newsom Announces Rewards for Four Unsolved Crimes
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced four $50,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators of unsolved murders in Fresno, San Pablo, Visalia and unincorporated Butte County. California law authorizes the Governor to offer rewards in certain unsolved cases for information leading to apprehension of the perpetrators. Law enforcement…
A Climate Change Solution Direct from the Congo
Former US Diplomat finds scalable climate change solution from the people on the frontline NEW YORK, USA – A landmark account published by Business Green and authored by former US Diplomat and World Bank Group (IFC) official Oliver Griffith provides a compelling perspective on a scalable solution for climate change. Investigating the impact of…
California’s Nation-Leading Mortgage Relief Program Receives Federal Approval
The California Mortgage Relief Program will be the largest in the nation $1 billion in funds to help tens of thousands of homeowners save their homes SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that California’s plan to provide $1 billion in mortgage relief grants to tens of thousands of homeowners who have fallen behind on…
Ring in the New Year with Health Care Savings
The New Year is right around the corner and it’s a time to set new goals. One opportunity that everyone should embrace is to make sure that you have access to quality health care in 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic and the new Omicron variant have highlighted the importance of our health, and now is the…
Ask the DMV – What You Need to Know for Holiday Travel Season
Whether you’re planning to travel by car or plane this upcoming holiday season, the last thing you need is added stress. In this edition of Ask the DMV, learn how you can expedite your travels with DMV online services, DMV NOW Kiosks and our Business Partner Automation (BPA) program, while also knowing what documentation is…
Senator Steven Bradford Named Regional Legislator of the Year by National Black Caucus of State Legislators
SACRAMENTO -– Last week the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) awarded Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) the Regional Legislator of the Year Award during their 45th Annual Legislative Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Each year, hundreds of African-American legislators, along with advocates, policy experts, corporate executives, and community leaders, attend NBCSL’s premier event to discuss…
San Bernardino County to Open Third Phase of Bloomington Affordable Housing Community
San Bernardino County and Related California executives celebrated the grand opening on Tuesday, November 30th. It is the third phase of an approximately 5-acre site containing 98 new affordable housing units. The housing units are located at 17906 Valley Blvd., Bloomington, CA. The development’s first phase, completed in 2016, featured the new 6,500- square-foot Bloomington…
Governor Newsom Doubles Down on Ending Organized Retail Crime Rings
SACRAMENTO — In response to a recent increase in organized retail theft activities across the state, Governor Gavin Newsom has directed the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to increase their presence near major retail sites and announced a proposed increase in the 2022-2023 state budget to combat retail theft. “The level of organized retail theft we…
U.S. Department of Education Announces $20 Million in American Rescue Plan Grants to Promote American Indian Resilience in Education for Native Communities During Pandemic
Advancing its commitment to equity, meaningful consultation, and relief for Tribal Nations, the U.S. Department of Education announced approximately $20 million in grants to Tribal Educational Agencies (TEAs) to meet the urgent needs of students in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The American Rescue Plan Act’s American Indian Resilience in Education (AIRE) grant program will…
District Attorney’s Office Turns Down Unemployment Insurance Fraud Compliant Against Victorville Councilmember Blanca Gomez
November 15, 2021 SAN BERNARDINO Calif. –The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office has turned down a complaint made by the City of Victorville against Councilmember Blanca Gomez, alleging unemployment insurance fraud. Our Office has investigated the complaint and based on the information available, there is insufficient evidence of a criminal law violation to justify…
Angel City Football Club Announces Yaamava’ Resort & Casino At San Manuel As The Team’s Official Casino Partner
ACFC and Yaamava’ Join Forces to Promote Youth Soccer in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES (November 16, 2021) ‒ Today, Angel City Football Club (ACFC) announced Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel as the team’s official casino partner. With this sponsorship, Yaamava’ and ACFC will support the youth of the Inland Empire region of Southern…
Aguilar Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Streamline Veterans’ Benefits Claims
Washington, DC—Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar announced that he has introduced the Wounded Warriors Access Act, a bipartisan bill to streamline the process for veterans to submit a claim for benefits to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). When a veteran files a claim with the VA, a claims file, or a C-file, is created. These…
CDAA Hosts Town Hall Meeting on Prosecutor Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
November 5, 2021 – On Thursday, November 4, the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA) hosted its second Diversity Project Town Hall entitled, “Journey to Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in California District Attorney Offices” to discuss the measures prosecutor offices can take to create work environments that reflect the multi-cultural communities in which we live….
Union Pharmacy Workers at Kaiser Permanente Set Date for SoCal Strike
Nearly 150 KP Medical Facilities in Southern California and 2,500 Pharmacy Employees, from SD to Kern County, Impacted by Potential Work Stoppage Los Angeles– Facing stalled negotiations and low-ball contract offers, six UFCW Local Unions in Southern California issued a 10-day notice of strike to Kaiser Permanente. The notice informed Kaiser of the members’ intention…
Black Activists Meet With ATT in Support of One America News Project 21 Rejects NAACP Attempt to Silence News Channel
Washington, D.C. – Representatives of the Project 21 black leadership network plan to meet with AT&T leaders Tuesday to urge the telecommunications giant to maintain its business relationship with the One America News (OAN) Network. The NAACP recently demanded that the company “drop OAN immediately.” “It seems odd that a purported civil rights group like…
California Law Enforcement Training is Great but Could Be Better, Officers Say in Little Hoover Commission Survey
An overwhelming majority of California peace officers say their training is superior to that in other states, but strong majorities also say California should monitor training outcomes, incorporate research, and adjust curricula accordingly, the Little Hoover Commission finds in its latest Issue Brief. In the Brief, its newest resource for state policymakers that outlines current…
CDC Issues Orders Operationalizing the President’s Safer, More Stringent International Travel System
Today (10/25/21), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing Orders to implement the new travel policy announced by the Biden administration to safely resume global travel to the United States while protecting the health and safety of American communities from COVID-19. These Orders put in place a stringent and consistent global international…
Aguilar and González-Colón Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Civil Rights for Students
Washington, DC—Today, Reps. Pete Aguilar and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-Puerto Rico) announced the introduction of the Protecting Students’ Civil Rights Act, a bill to address racial inequity within American colleges and universities. The bill would require institutions of higher education to designate at least one employee to coordinate compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights…
