State GovernmentWhy fentanyl bills are stalling in the California LegislatureApril 18, 2023 | Nicole NixonNearly 6,000 Californians died from fentanyl overdose in 2021, but some Democratic lawmakers are hesitant to raise criminal penalties and repeat policies of the war on drugs.
State GovernmentTobacco sales phaseout withers in California without support from anti-tobacco advocatesApril 15, 2023A bill to phase out all tobacco sales in California has been shelved, and anti-tobacco groups won’t say why they didn’t offer support. The bill was amended to focus on enforcing an existing ban on flavored tobacco.
State GovernmentSuspect in custody after ‘threat,’ evacuation of California State Capitol April 13, 2023 | Nicole NixonThe California state Capitol was temporarily closed and sessions delayed Thursday due to a threat connected to gunfire in Roseville the night before. The suspect accused of making the threats has since been apprehended.
Mid Pacific | Episode 3‘A Potent Political Force’April 13, 2023Can Asian-American political identity be defined? What issues unites us? Sarah examines some recent examples of powerful political organizing, including a school board recall in San Francisco, the Oakland Mayor’s race and at the State Capitol. Listen / download audio Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
State GovernmentCalifornia doesn’t allow accent marks on official documents, like IDs and birth certificates. Proposed bill could change thatApril 12, 2023Diacritical marks are placed above, below or next to a letter to indicate a particular pronunciation. A Sacramento-area family is pushing to get California to recognize those marks on state-issued documents.
Health CareGov. Newsom wanted California to cut ties with Walgreens. Then federal law got in the way.April 9, 2023Gov. Gavin Newsom declared that California would cut ties with Walgreens after the company said it would not distribute abortion pills in some states.
State GovernmentA failure to communicate: California government cuts back press accessApril 8, 2023Accelerated by the COVID pandemic, a shift by state officials toward emails and written statements is making it more difficult for journalists to be watchdogs for Californians.
State GovernmentPlanned construction could forever change the California Capitol’s west steps. What would that mean for protests and events?April 6, 2023 | Nicole NixonPlans to build an underground visitor’s center on the west side of the Capitol could displace large gatherings for years and permanently alter the space’s ability to host thousands of people. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
California launches program reimbursing CalFresh recipients for buying produce grown in-stateApril 4, 2023 | Vicki Gonzalez | Megan ManataCalFresh issued its last round of pandemic-era extra payments in March. The state has launched a new program aimed at making fresh fruit and vegetables more accessible and affordable to those receiving assistance.
Health CareRoundtable explores solutions to fentanyl crisis in California Native American communitiesApril 3, 2023 | Kate WolffeTribal leaders say kids as young as 13 are addicted to fentanyl, as the synthetic opioid hits Native American communities harder than others in its path. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
