California
Harmful algae bloom in Santa Barbara, Ventura counties poisoning sea lions and dolphins
![Harmful algae bloom in Santa Barbara, Ventura counties poisoning sea lions and dolphins](https://cdn.abcotvs.com/dip/images/13412332_062123-kabc-3pm-algae-bloom-poisoning-vid.jpg?w=1600)
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KABC) — Hundreds of sea lions and dolphins are dying along the California coast and experts believe it’s due to high concentrations of toxic algae.
While algae blooms aren’t rare, they say this time, it’s particularly concerning.
This comes after a sea lion recently washed up on shore in Malibu.
“It was just bobbing its head, not normal behavior than usual,” said Malibu resident Maurice Henao. “We see it out in the water, having fun, doing what sea lions do.”
Sadly, it’s been an alarming trend the last couple of weeks, especially along the coast of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties where about 100 dolphins have been impacted.
“The sea lions appear to be seizuring on the beach and most of the dolphins are showing up dead,” said Michelle Kowalewski, the executive director of the Channel Islands Cetacean Research Unit (CICRU), a nonprofit that works to assess any manmade or natural detriments to whales, dolphins, and porpoises (cetaceans) in and around the Santa Barbara Channel.
Kowalewski said it’s likely due to a domoic acid toxin that’s produced by an algae.
“That algae gets eaten by anchovies and then the dolphins and the sea lions eat the anchovies and get sick from the toxin,” said Kowalewski. “It affects their brain and then they die.”
The blooms are nothing new, but what’s shocking this time is the intensity.
“We’re getting about 10 dolphins a day, and even at the peak of very strong blooms that we’ve seen in the past, it’s usually been about three or four dolphins a day, so we’ve never seen anything like this,” said Kowalewski.
Wildlife rescue organizations have reportedly been overwhelmed with calls that it’s getting hard for them to keep up.
They’re hoping the peak is behind them.
“Usually, we see about two weeks of peak intensity and then we’ll see, kind of, some animals keep washing ashore for another two weeks, but again, this year is not typical so I don’t know for sure,” explained Kowalewski.
In the meantime, people are urged to stay away if they see an animal in distress.
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California
Over 100 horses at Southern California facility at risk of being displaced
![Over 100 horses at Southern California facility at risk of being displaced](https://ktla.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/06/Lakewood-Equesterian-Center-5.png?w=1280)
More than 100 horses are in danger of being displaced, including some that are too old to be moved and would need to be euthanized, after the city of Lakewood announced it could no longer afford to run the beloved equestrian center.
The Lakewood Equestrian Center also houses miniature horses and some mules. Some of the horses are old and have been retired, while others are used for training and riding.
Taylor Cohen, who works as a first responder and boards her horse at the center, explained that horses provide people with the opportunity to relax and just love their animals.
Hearing news that the city plans to shutter the equestrian center, she said, was devastating.
“Having been a first responder [for] the last 18 years of my life, finding ways to manage the stress that you come into is huge,” Cohen explained. “There has to be other ways [to do that] besides going and seeing a therapist.”
Part of the land the equestrian center sits on is owned by the county. Another portion is owned by Southern California Edison.
The city has announced plans to wipe the equestrian center out and build a park with pickleball courts, though, according to Cohen and others, this comes with a huge problem.
“There’s nowhere for these horses to go,” she said. “Some of them won’t be able to be moved because of age or health issues. There’s actually no place around that will be able to board all these horses.”
Lakewood City Council halted their vote on the issue to give people more time to come up with a proposal for taking it over, but the facility needs at least $6 million in repairs and Edison is owed more than $40,000 on the lease, leaving some people who use the center at a loss.
“We have nowhere else to go,” Noah Grove, who boards his animals at the facility, told KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw. “Huntington Beach Equestrian Center, their full and have a 35-horse waitlist. I’m actually from Huntington Beach. I drive 18 to 30 minutes to get here, depending on traffic, and I’m up here sometimes twice a day.”
Riders like Makella Mahan are hoping someone can grab the reins of the facility and save this haven for her and the horses.
“Honestly, all these beautiful horses would be out of a home, and I think that would be very sad,” she said.
For its part, city officials have said they don’t necessarily want to close the facility and are hoping to come up with a plan, along with the equestrian community, for making the center profitable or even getting it to break even.
California
New law requiring California bars to offer drink spiking drug test kits takes effect July 1 | CNN
![New law requiring California bars to offer drink spiking drug test kits takes effect July 1 | CNN](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/gettyimages-980583384.jpg?c=16x9&q=w_800,c_fill)
CNN
—
A new law requiring many California bars and nightclubs to offer common date-rape drug test kits will take effect Tuesday, according to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
The law, Assembly Bill 1013, requires approximately 2,400 establishments with a Type 48 license to have signage letting patrons know that drug testing kits are available.
Type 48 licenses are issued to bars and nightclubs and authorize the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits, according to the department.
The signage reads, “Don’t get roofied! Drink spiking drug test kits available here. Ask a staff member for details.”
The drug testing devices will either be offered for sale at a reasonable price or be given to customers for free, according to the department.
Devices could include test strips, stickers, or straws that can detect the presence of controlled substances in drinks.
California
California bars required to offer drug testing kits starting July 1
![California bars required to offer drug testing kits starting July 1](https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2024/06/30/7fb790a6-5c07-4ea0-b5b9-486a813e607f/thumbnail/1200x630/1b4a404b11be318e69d430a3e82eaa11/2618a4d0e77bc2a5874f3462d4d1abfe.jpg?v=a23cb4bdf4fa7f3cb72e5118085577f9)
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