Schools eye smaller classes, teacher raises after California budget deal
by Diana Lambert and Jim Sanders, Sacramento Bee
After Gov. Brown and legislative leaders agreed to increase education funding, local districts are eager to expand programs for the first time since budget cuts hit schools in 2009. Read More ›
Hands-free systems in cars are more distracting than handheld phones, study says
by Gary Richards, San Jose Mercury News
The research shows that distracted drivers don’t move their eyes from the road as often; drivers check their mirrors less frequently and are less likely to notice hazards not directly in front of them. Read More ›
House panel to probe alleged seizure of California medical records by IRS
by Elise Viebeck, The Hill
A House committee launched another probe of the IRS after a lawsuit alleged that the agency improperly seized millions of personal medical records in California. Read More ›
Comcast is turning homes into public Wi-Fi hotspots
by Kevin Fitchard, Bloomberg BusinessWeek
Comcast has revealed that they already have the largest Wi-Fi hotspot in the U.S., and have plans to make that Wi-Fi network far bigger. Read More ›
Doctors brace for pain as 10% cut to Medi-Cal rates looms
by Anna Gorman and Anthony York, Los Angeles Times
The cuts, affecting physicians, dentists and pharmacists, were enacted in 2011 to counter a budget deficit. Now medical providers want to restore funds for poor Californians. Read More ›
Closure of Southern California nuke plant shouldn’t lead to blackouts in Northern California this summer, state says
by Paul Rogers, San Jose Mercury News
A statewide summer electricity forecast found that even if San Onofre was not operating, the state should have enough electricity to get through the summer without the kinds of blackouts in 2000 and 2001. Read More ›
Apple to add kill switches to iPhones
by Jaxon Van Derbeken, San Francisco Chronicle
Apple said it will equip its new iPhones with a kill switch, rendering the devices useless if stolen. Read More ›
California utility will close troubled nuclear plant
by Michael Blood, ABC News
The troubled San Onofre nuclear power plant is closing after a 16-month battle over whether the reactors could be safely restarted with millions of people living nearby. Read More ›
Californians uneasy about fracking’s safety, lack of oversight
by Evan Halper, Los Angeles Times
More than 70 percent of voters favor banning or heavily regulating chemical injections into the ground to tap oil and natural gas, a poll finds. Read More ›
Minimum wage boost on track so far
by Samantha Gallegos, Capitol Weekly
Californian minimum-wage earners are one step closer to seeing their pay tied to the cost of living, a goal that advocates for low-income workers have sought for years. Read More ›
California to receive largest share of proposed Universal Preschool funds
by Deepa Fernandes , KPCC
California will receive $334 million for the first year to pay for the universal preschool program. The money will cover 90 percent of the state’s first year costs. California would have to chip in 10 percent in the first year, about $34 million. Read More ›
PG&E shorted gas-system safety, audit finds
by Jaxon Van Derbeken, San Francisco Chronicle
PG & E failed to spend more than $50 million intended to improve the natural gas lines that run through residential neighborhoods in the decade leading up to the San Bruno explosion, and the company has not done enough since the 2010 disaster to make up for shortchanging safety efforts, a state-ordered audit says. Read More ›
iPhones, iPads face U.S. ban as Apple loses ITC case to Samsung
by Diane Bartz, Reuters
Samsung Electronics scored a point on Tuesday over global rival Apple in their long-running battle over mobile device patents. Read More ›