The common value of a gallon of fuel has formally surpassed $6 for the primary time in California — and U.S. — historical past.
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The Golden State set a brand new report Wednesday with a mean per-gallon value of $6.05, although the value climbed as excessive as $7 in distant Mono County, in line with AAA. The nationwide common, in the meantime, was practically $1.50 cheaper at $4.56 per gallon.
Gov. Gavin Newsom — apparently sensing that skyrocketing inflation charges would possibly high rising COVID charges on many Californians’ listing of issues — pivoted from vaccines to the hovering value of dwelling whereas talking Wednesday at a Bakersfield clinic after receiving his second booster shot.
Newsom: “We’re proposing an $18.1 billion extra package deal of aid … to deal with the pressures, the price pressures, the inflationary pressures, that everyone’s feeling. … We acknowledge the world we’re dwelling in, the anxiousness and stress so many individuals are going through. However this state is healthier positioned than every other state to deal with these points head-on, and we look ahead to making actual on these guarantees … by finalizing funds negotiations with the Legislature and getting these checks out.”
Senate Republican Chief Scott Wilk of Lancaster tweeted: “To make use of Gavin Newsom-style lingo, CA Democrats have left CA’s most weak in petrol purgatory by dangling the promise of aid. Republicans have a plan to offer it NOW” by suspending the fuel excise tax.
The price of dwelling was additionally a serious point of interest of a Wednesday occasion hosted by Californians In opposition to Retail and Residential Theft, a brand new group composed largely of enterprise associations that goals to teach lawmakers and the general public in regards to the “rising wave of theft” it says has been enabled by Proposition 47.
Amid high-profile smash-and-grab-robberies and rising voter issues about crime, Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike launched quite a lot of payments to toughen the 2014 voter-approved poll measure that decreased penalties for sure theft and drug offenses — to no avail.
David Nelson, director of public coverage for the California Asian Chamber of Commerce, informed me: “The overarching level, it’s true — it’s a political calculation. And I believe that’s why we proceed to face headwinds inside the Capitol. However … look, it’s an election 12 months and we’re socializing these points from a political perspective with candidates.”
One notably highly effective argument, the group appeared to recommend: the affect on on a regular basis Californians’ pocketbooks.
Richard Wardwell, president of Superior Grocers and member of the California Grocers Affiliation: “As a enterprise, if I’m making $100 a day in revenue and I lose $100 in theft, I now have zero revenue. So in an effort to make a revenue, I’ve to boost retail costs. … So you may have the rising value of gas, you may have the rising value of labor, you may have the rising value of theft, the rising value of insurance coverage … If an worker approaches an individual stealing and will get harm, then the employee’s comp element goes into play and that’s a big affect to the enterprise as nicely. So all of that relates again to the price on the shelf and the way individuals can afford to purchase it.”
In associated information:
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The coronavirus backside line: As of Monday, California had 8,757,871 confirmed instances(+0.6% from earlier day) and 90,219 deaths(+0.1% from earlier day), in line with state information now up to date simply twice every week on Tuesdays and Fridays. CalMatters can be monitoring coronavirus hospitalizations by county.
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California has administered 75,489,752vaccine doses, and 75.2% of eligible Californians are totally vaccinated.
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Different Tales You Ought to Know
1 State investigating Kaiser psychological well being care
The facade of the Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Heart hospital on April 17, 2017. Picture by Mike Blake, Reuters
From CalMatters well being reporter Ana B. Ibarra: California well being authorities are investigating whether or not Kaiser Permanente is offering enough and well timed psychological well being protection to the greater than 9 million residents it serves, the state’s Division of Managed Well being Care stated Wednesday.
The division obtained a 20% improve in behavioral well being complaints for Kaiser in 2021 in comparison with 2020, spokesperson Rachel Arrezola stated in an e mail. It plans to conduct a “non-routine survey” into Kaiser’s supplier community, its appointment scheduling and follow-up processes, and care response instances, amongst different issues.
The investigation follows years of mounting strain from sufferers, advocates and even Kaiser’s personal psychological well being suppliers, who’ve repeatedly voiced issues about and gone on strikes to protest months-long appointment wait instances.
Kaiser spokesperson Steve Shivinsky stated the well being care big “has been on a multiyear journey” to enhance its psychological well being care system, together with by increasing digital care, embedding psychological well being professionals in additional settings and in search of modern methods to develop its workforce. However, Shivinsky stated, challenges stay.
Shivinsky: “The necessity for psychological well being care in America has by no means been better, and on the identical time tougher to ship. The nationwide scarcity of psychological well being clinicians was a disaster earlier than the pandemic … and the pandemic has set us all again. We additionally know the pandemic has strained our psychological well being clinicians.”
The Nationwide Union of Healthcare Employees, which represents Kaiser’s psychological well being clinicians, stated Kaiser is unprepared to adjust to a state regulation — set to enter impact July 1 — that may require all well being plans to offer follow-up psychological well being remedy appointments inside ten enterprise days.
The union stated Kaiser shouldn’t be allowed to develop its Medi-Cal presence, as outlined in a controversial no-bid contract proposal at the moment making its manner by way of the Legislature, till the state can assure that Kaiser will have the ability to meet entry requirements as required by regulation.
2 An enormous day on the Capitol
An evening view of the California State Capitol dome in Sacramento. Picture by way of iStock
Completely satisfied Suspense File Day to all who have a good time! At present, state lawmakers are slated to embark on a rapid-fire and infrequently mysterious process that enables them to think about enormous piles of expensive payments abruptly and gauge their fiscal priorities. However, as CalMatters has beforehand reported, the Capitol’s strongest legislators may use the suspense file to dam controversial payments from advancing — usually with out rationalization, and typically with out a public vote that would power their colleagues into politically precarious positions. There are practically 1,000 payments on the state Meeting and Senate‘s suspense information mixed, in line with veteran lobbyist and adjunct regulation professor Chris Micheli.
Right here’s a take a look at among the payments CalMatters will likely be monitoring:
3 Newsom will get 2nd booster shot
Gov. Gavin Newsom obtained a Moderna COVID-19 booster shot from California Well being and Human Providers Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly in Oakland on Oct. 27, 2021. Picture by Jeff Chiu, AP Picture
Newsom on Wednesday obtained his second booster shot of the Moderna vaccine at a Bakersfield clinic — “You’ve obtained all of the contours of my muscular tissues, proper?” he joked with photojournalists — about seven months after receiving his first booster. The governor acknowledged that California’s COVID check positivity fee is ticking again up — this week, it reached 5% for the primary time since February — however managed to work in a dig at Florida, noting its check positivity fee is over 12%.
Newsom: “This waning immunity is a factor of — I don’t wish to say of concern — however one thing we have to monitor, one thing we have to be targeted on, notably now as we’re seeing our positivity fee break 5%. … We’re beginning to see hospital numbers creep modestly again up, ICUs modestly. Nothing to be alarmed at, at this second, we’ve a plan, it’s the SMARTER plan — we have been the primary state to place out an endemic plan.”
Additionally Wednesday, the California Division of Public Well being introduced plans to improve 146 state-funded OptumServe testing clinics to “Check to Deal with websites,” which can enable residents to get examined for COVID and, if discovered optimistic, join just about with a supplier and probably be prescribed antiviral tablets. State well being officers famous that companies are free and designed for uninsured residents; discover a collaborating testing location close to you right here.
4 California atmosphere updates
The Contra Costa Canal winds by way of Oakley on Feb. 9, 2022. Picture by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters
Just a few fast environmental updates for you:
Amid California’s pervasive drought, Democratic state Sens. Melissa Hurtado of Hanford and Dave Cortese of Campbell requested the U.S. Division of Justice in a Tuesday letter to “intervene instantly” within the “sharp improve within the buying of water rights by hedge-funds which have been happening at the least since 2015.” This “anti-competitive” follow, the senators allege, “has the potential to subvert our regional water and our general safety.” In addition they famous that thieves have been stealing California’s scarce water to irrigate unlawful marijuana farms.
California now has till July 5 to resolve whether or not it needs to maintain open the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Energy Plant, after the federal authorities introduced Wednesday a 47-day extension of the funding software deadline.
Beginning immediately and lasting by way of Friday, most of Northern California will likely be underneath a fireplace climate watch as excessive temperatures, low humidity, gusty winds and dry vegetation collide to type what forecasters warn could possibly be a veritable tinderbox.
CalMatters Commentary
CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: Of the 4 proposed poll measures to legalize sports activities betting in California, simply two stay — and just one would possibly face voters this 12 months.
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Different issues value your time
Some tales could require a subscription to learn
Elon Musk says three issues are ruining California. // The Road
Feds ship group to analyze Tesla crash in Southern California that killed 3. // MarketWatch
Girl serving life in California jail led $2 million unemployment fraud scheme, prosecutors say. // Los Angeles Instances
Sacramento police chief confronts ‘alarming’ gun violence in first months on job. // Sacramento Bee
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Survivors of sexual abuse on the California Legislature and public universities shouldn’t be excluded. // Each day Information
Girls who accused CSU official of misconduct dismayed at outcome. // Los Angeles Instances
How did a small California college find yourself with a $12 million portray? // Mercury Information
College college students acquire housing help. Why can’t group faculty college students? // Finish Poverty in California
LAUSD anticipating 30% enrollment drop within the subsequent decade. // Los Angeles Instances
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Extra CSU college students graduate throughout pandemic, however drop could loom. // EdSource
Colleges have dominated elections for the previous 12 months. So why is the state superintendent race such a sleep? // San Francisco Chronicle
Editorial: San Jose voters ought to reject shifting mayoral election. // Mercury Information
Redistricting drama continues as elections commissioner resigns in wake of turmoil. // San Francisco Commonplace
How Kevin Kiley received Donald Trump’s California Congress endorsement. // Sacramento Bee
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With Feuer out, Caruso, Bass, De León vie for the undecideds. // Los Angeles Instances
Homeless households dwelling in automobiles are filling this quiet S.F. neighborhood. // San Francisco Chronicle
Omar Passons, who heads county’s Workplace of Homeless Options, is leaving place. // San Diego Union-Tribune
Time for California to imitate Vancouver’s secure drug-use websites. // Los Angeles Instances
Metropolis Council will declare Oakland a pro-choice sanctuary metropolis. // The Oaklandside
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Will Fresno Starbucks organizing spur union ‘awakening’ for employees? // Fresno Bee
Owners sue SoCal Edison, claiming defective gear sparked Coastal hearth. // Los Angeles Instances
FEMA turned down California county’s request for wildfire help. Residents beg Biden for assist. // Sacramento Bee
East County’s $950M water recycling mission could possibly be in jeopardy as San Diego nixes pipeline deal. // San Diego Union-Tribune
SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites to orbit early Sunday morning (Nov. 24).
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink spacecraft — 13 of which are capable of beaming service directly to smartphones — lifted off from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base on Sunday at 12:25 a.m. EST (0525 GMT; 9:25 p.m. on Nov. 23 local California time).
The Falcon 9’s first stage returned to Earth about eight minutes after liftoff as planned, touching down on the SpaceX droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean.
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The first stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket rests on the deck of a droneship shortly after launching 20 Starlink internet satellites to orbit from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base on Nov. 24, 2024. (Image credit: SpaceX)
It was the 15th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description. Twelve of those flights have been Starlink missions.
The Falcon 9’s upper stage hauled the 20 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, deploying them there about an hour after liftoff as planned, SpaceX reported in a post on X.
Sunday’s launch was the 115th Falcon 9 flight of the year. Nearly 70% of those liftoffs have been devoted to building out Starlink, the largest satellite constellation ever assembled.
The megaconstellation currently consists of more than 6,600 active satellites, and, as Sunday’s mission shows, it’s growing all the time.
Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!
SONOMA COUNTY – A man died when he was found in a flooded vehicle after an atmospheric river dumped heavy rain in Northern California, authorities said.
In Sonoma County’s Guerneville, first responders responded to a report around 11:30 a.m. Saturday for a vehicle that was seen in floodwaters near Mays Canyon Road and Highway 116.
The caller believed that at least one person was inside the vehicle.
When crews arrived, they said the vehicle was recovered but a man was pronounced dead at the scene. He has not been identified.
The Russian River, which flows through Guerneville, reached the flood stage on Friday evening and exceeded what was forecasted.
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This area went into a flood warning around 2 p.m. Friday and was still in place as of Saturday afternoon.
Guerneville is about 75 miles north of San Francisco.
Around 8:45 a.m. Saturday in Santa Rosa, a man was found dead in Piner Creek just south of Guerneville Road, the police department said. His death is being investigated.
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Brandon Downs
Brandon Downs is a digital content producer at CBS Sacramento.
Laura Richardson emerged the victor of the competitive, costly and feisty election to win a South Los Angeles seat in the state Senate — completing her political comeback more than 10 years after a tumultuous tenure in the House of Representatives.
Richardson narrowly won the race against Michelle Chambers, a community justice advocate who faced accusations of misconduct in prior public office. The Associated Press called the race Friday after weeks of ballot counting.
The contest between two Democrats with similar social policies but differing views on crime and business attracted huge spending by special interests.
Independent expenditure committees poured more than $7.6 million into the race, making it the most expensive election for state Legislature this year, according to California Target Book, a political database. Negative campaigning dominated the race as business interests and labor unions battled for their favored candidate.
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Richardson, a moderate Democrat, will join a Democratic supermajority in the Legislature. But Republicans are on track to flip three legislative seats this year, one in the Senate and two in the Assembly.
Richardson’s biggest supporters were businesses, including PACs funded by oil companies, and law enforcement associations that said they advocated for candidates who shared their beliefs on free enterprise and public safety. Meanwhile, Chambers’ biggest portion of support came from healthcare workers and teachers unions, who spent millions of dollars backing her.
Chambers wrote in a statement she was “proud of the campaign we ran,” thanking supporters who canvassed, phone-banked or cast votes for her “vision of better jobs, better wages and a California that works for everybody, not just the wealthy and well-connected.”
“This was the closest state senate race in the state, but unfortunately it appears that we will fall just short of victory,” she added. “Our people-powered efforts were not quite enough to overcome millions of dollars in outside spending on lies from the oil and tobacco industry and their allies.“
Richardson will succeed Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) in the 35th District, which encompasses the cities of Carson, Compton and stretches down to the harbor. Bradford, who had endorsed Chambers, said he believed both candidates were “qualified to do the job.”
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Bradford, who championed reparations legislation during his tenure, hoped the future senator would be “willing to meet with all factions of the community, because it’s a great diverse need in this district.”
“I’m also deeply sad to see how negative this campaign was, probably one of the most negative campaigns I’ve experienced in my 30-plus years of being involved with elections,” he said. “I just hope that we can come together after such a negative campaign, regardless of who the victor is, and understand that we have to work together.”
Richardson and Chambers took aim at each other’s past controversies. For Chambers, who had picked up the endorsement of various state and local elected officials, opposition groups seized on a criminal misdemeanor charge from 30 years ago. She was also accused of bullying and intimidation from her time as a Compton City Council member, allegations that she has repeatedly denied.
Richardson faced criticism over her tenure in Congress, where a House Ethics Committee investigation found her guilty in 2012 of compelling congressional staff to work on her campaign. The committee report also accused Richardson of obstructing the committee investigation “through the alteration or destruction of evidence” and “the deliberate failure to produce documents.”
Richardson admitted to wrongdoing, according to the report, and accepted a reprimand and $10,000 fine for the violations. She previously said that during her time in Congress, Republicans frequently targeted members of the Black Caucus. After she lost her reelection bid for a fourth term, Richardson said she worked at an employment firm to improve her managerial skills and has recognized previous mistakes.
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“It’s been said voters are very forgiving, and if you stand up and you accept responsibility and you improve in the work that you do — we need people who’ve been through things, who understand what it’s like to have had difficulties,” she previously told The Times. “And so that’s exactly what I did. I didn’t shy away from it.”
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25739950/247386_Elon_Musk_Open_AI_CVirginia.jpg "Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI")
