California
Invasive Species: California’s three-billion dollar problem
(FOX40.COM) — Invasive species cause billions of dollars worth of damage in the United States annually, and California is no exception.
In 2021, it was reported that the United States spent between $120 billion and 137 billion per year on the environmental damage caused by invasive species, which are defined as organisms (plants, animals, microbes) that are not native to an environment, and once introduced, quickly reproduce, spread and cause harm to the environment, economy or even human health.
In California, at least $3 billion is spent annually on eradicating invasive pests, according to the University of California Riverside. The university adds that 80% of endangered species are threatened globally by invasive species, making them second to habitat destruction as the largest threats that native species face.
California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife says it has identified numerous invasive species that have already established populations in the state. Additionally, the agency has identified potential invasive species that haven’t been introduced but could cause harm if brought onto state grounds.
“By educating the public about these species, their likely impacts, the pathways of introduction, and what to do if they are encountered, we aim to prevent introductions and intercept populations before they can establish, spread, and cause harm,” CDFW said.
CDFW has identified these animals as invasive species that are present in California:
Fishes such as snakeheads, piranhas, northern pike, bighead carp, silver carp, and black carp are considered invasive to California, but the animals are not currently present in the state, CDFW says.
According to CalMatters, California spends about $3 million annually to eliminate nutria. The organization adds that the number is only a fraction of the costs because eradication efforts are typically unsuccessful.
CDFW asks that the public take basic steps to ensure that the animals on its invasive species list don’t become more of an issue than they currently present. The most important step is to not release the animal into the wild. If someone has an unwanted animal that is also on the invasive species list, the CDFW recommends either finding the animal a new home, learning how to handle the animal, or contacting animal control.
If an invasive animal is spotted, the CDFW recommends filling out a “suspect invasive species sighting report,” which can be found here.
California
Letters to the Editor: The entire premise of California’s proposed one-time wealth tax is misleading
To the editor: Having been a tax practitioner now for more than 60 years — much of it involving the very wealthy — the entire project of the California wealth tax is ludicrous because the premise for its one-time imposition is misleading, if not dishonest (“Is California’s proposed billionaire tax smart policy? History holds lessons,” Jan. 26).
The proposed tax is being sold as a replacement for the imminent loss of federal Medicaid. Any “tax expert” with common sense is well aware that many — perhaps a significant majority — of the targets of the tax will contest it (and aggressively discount their assets in self-assessing their tax) at the administrative (appeals) level and, if not satisfied, will proceed with litigation.
This process takes years to play out. The state administrative behemoth will be spending enormous amounts of (non-billionaire) taxpayer dollars to collect money that will arrive far into the future and long after the alleged need for imminent spending on any healthcare needs — if it arrives at all.
The proponents should know this quite well, indicating that the entire initiative is an asset seizure masquerading as moral virtue.
Kip Dellinger, Santa Monica
This writer is the former tax policy and practice columnist for Tax Notes magazine.
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To the editor: Rather than imposing a “wealth tax,” wouldn’t it make more sense to just rewrite the tax code so that the loopholes that essentially give multimillionaires and billionaires a free ride were sewn up so that they had to pay their fair share?
Susan Greenberg, Los Angeles
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To the editor: The backers of the wealth tax bill claimed that they learned from Europe’s experience. But why did the European countries that repealed such wealth taxes repeal them outright instead of learning from what happened and improving on how the taxes were implemented?
Ming Lai, Frisco, Texas
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A California mother was arrested on felony child abuse charges after a viral video showed her 19-month-old child falling from a moving SUV at a busy Fullerton intersection, police said Monday.
The Fullerton Police Department said it became aware of the video, which shows a black SUV turning at an intersection when a passenger-side door suddenly opens. A small child then falls out of the vehicle and onto the roadway.
The SUV immediately stops, and a car following behind narrowly avoids colliding with it. The car stops just short of the child on the roadway.
The video shows an adult woman running from the driver’s side, picking up the child and placing the toddler back inside the SUV before driving away.
MAN RUNS INTO FLORIDA STREET TO SAVE TWO YOUNG CHILDREN WHO WANDERED AWAY FROM RENTAL HOME
A black SUV turns at an intersection when a passenger-side door suddenly opens and a small child falls out of the vehicle and onto the roadway. (Fullerton Police Department)
A witness called police on Saturday and provided identifying information about the vehicle. Officers traced the SUV to a home in La Habra, where they located the vehicle, the child and a suspect believed to be the woman seen in the video.
A car following the SUV narrowly avoided hitting the child and SUV. (Fullerton Police Department)
Police identified the child as a 19-month-old who suffered injuries consistent with the fall. The toddler was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.
FLORIDA DEPUTIES RACE TO SAVE 4-YEAR-OLD WHO STOPPED BREATHING AND HAD NO PULSE ON INTERSTATE, VIDEO SHOWS
The suspect was identified as Jacqueline Hernandez, 35, of La Habra, and the child’s mother. She was arrested and booked into the Fullerton City Jail for felony child abuse, police said.
The child’s mother, identified as Jacqueline Hernandez, 35, of La Habra, picks the child up from the road. Hernandez was later arrested and charged with felony child abuse, police said. (Fullerton Police Department)
Neighbors told FOX11 Los Angeles that the family has several children and could not believe the mother would put her children in such a dangerous situation.
“I can’t excuse something like that, I’m sorry,” a neighbor who wished to remain anonymous told the local station.
Investigators believe the incident occurred between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Jan. 20. Police said they did not receive any emergency calls related to the incident at the time.
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The investigation remains ongoing, and police are asking anyone with additional information to contact the Fullerton Police Department’s Sensitive Crimes Unit.
Several of the candidates vying to become California’s next governor gathered Monday at the University of California, San Francisco to make their case to voters.
Seven Democrats took the stage at UCSF to outline their priorities for their first 100 days in office. Republican candidates were invited but declined to participate.
On June 2, California voters will narrow the field to two candidates in an open primary. Those two will then face off on Nov. 3.
NBC Bay Area’s Velena Jones has more in the video report above.
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