California

Saturday, September 28, 2024

Governor Newsom signs bill to eliminate most medical debt from CA credit reports

  Suzanne Potter, producer/reporter, California News Service, a bureau of Public News Service.    Starting in January, medical debt will no longer count against millions of Californians’ credit scores thanks to a bill signed recently by Governor Gavin Newsom. Senate Bill 1061 will ban almost all medical debt from showing up on people’s credit reports. Jenn Engstrom, state director for the […]
Thursday, August 29, 2024

Fast food jobs increase in CA despite rising minimum wage

  Suzanne Potter, reporter/producer, California News Service, a bureau of Public News Service.   New data shows fast food jobs have been on the upswing in the four months since the minimum wage in the sector went from $16 to $20 an hour. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found California added 11,000 new fast-food jobs from April to July and showed increases […]
Monday, August 19, 2024

Mega Millions lottery jackpot balloons to $498 million

The Mega Millions jackpot is huge at an estimated $498 million! That money pot could grow even more by tomorrow night’s draw. Meanwhile, California Lottery officials are waiting for someone to claim a million-dollar-plus prize from last Friday’s draw. The ticket was sold at an Orange County supermarket — Pavilions Place 21181 Newport Coast Drive in Newport Coast. The ticket […]
Thursday, August 15, 2024

Wildfires may spark “fire brain” issues

  Suzanne Potter, reporter/producer, California News Service, a bureau of Public News Service.   Mental health experts are sounding the alarm about “fire brain” – a condition caused by exposure to toxic wildfire smoke. One study found that wildfire smoke can cause brain inflammation that lasts for a month. Suzie Dukes, Chico LMFT and survivor of the Paradise Fire said the massive Park […]
Thursday, August 8, 2024

New report says property crime down in CA

  Suzanne Potter, reporter/producer, California News Service, a bureau of Public News Service.    Property crime in California is near record lows, according to the latest statistics from the California Department of Justice. A new report from the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice finds property crime is down 53% statewide since 2005, and 16% since 2009, when criminal justice reforms began […]
Saturday, August 3, 2024

New data shows wildfires threaten food production as well as lives and property

Mason Kennedy, reporter, Oregon News Service, a bureau of Public News Service.    Firefighters are battling several wildfires in Oregon and California. The massive Park fire near Sacramento has grown to the fourth largest in state history. Among the other wildfires burning are the Lake Fire in Santa Barbara County, which is 98 percent contained, the Borel Fire in Kern […]
Saturday, July 27, 2024

Major changes in the way homes are bought and sold in CA

  Suzanne Potter, reporter/producer, California News Service, a bureau of Public News Service.    Big changes are imminent in the way homes are bought and sold in California. That’s because some new required forms for transactions came out a few days ago. The forms are linked to the proposed legal settlement by the National Association of Realtors. This settlement ends the […]
Friday, July 19, 2024

CA workers encouraged to know their rights for hot days

  Suzanne Potter, reporter/producer, California News Service, a bureau of Public News Service.    California shattered heat records left and right this month and temperatures are forecast to be 10 degrees above normal for several days. Therefore,  the state wants to remind workers of their right to shade, free cold water, and rest breaks. Also, employers are required to train […]
Wednesday, July 3, 2024

How to stay safe during a California heat wave

  By Suzanne Potter Reporter/Producer, California News Service, a bureau of Public News Service.    This year, the 4th of July weekend arrives with an extreme heat advisory in California, with triple-digit temperatures in many inland areas well into next week. So, public health experts are asking people to take extra precautions to stay safe. Anyone is susceptible to heat-related […]