Westley
Did you know someone in California figured out how to turn dates into crunchy little crystals? That snack invention dates back to a desert family business from the 1920s. I love that a gift can come with a backstory like that. The more I looked, the more surprises popped up....
Sacramento, CA — A California Public Utilities Commission proposal would affect planned utility work in Tuolumne, Calaveras, Amador, and Mariposa counties. The CPUC is planning to vote on new guidelines (SPD-37 Joint IOU Application) on November 19. It would set stricter rules, evaluation formulas, audit standards, and cost-recovery conditions that utilities must meet to build long-term underground power-line networks.
California Chamber of Commerce v. Bonta , 2026 WL 3255527 (9th Cir. 2026) California Senate Bill 399, which took effect on January 1, 2025, prohibits employers from taking or threatening adverse action against an employee who declines to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or to receive communications the purpose of which is to convey the employer’s opinion about “religious or political matters” – a term the statute broadly defines to include the decision to join or support a labor organization. The law imposes a $500 per employee/per violation civil penalty and creates a private right of action. Three industry groups sued, and the district court preliminarily enjoined enforcement of the law. The Ninth Circuit affirmed, holding that at least one plaintiff (the Western Growers Association) had standing because its members hold “all-hands” meetings at which they communicate their views on political matters and face a credible threat of enforcement. The Court rejected the State’s argument that SB 399 regulates conduct rather than speech, concluding that the law is both content-based and speaker-based (it is triggered only when the employer communicates its opinion about politics or religion) and, therefore, is subject to strict scrutiny review under the First Amendment.
Pacific Power is monitoring the approaching storms that could impact customers in parts of Oregon and California. The weather forecast indicates the potential for strong winds and rain, which could increase the potential for power outages. Pacific Power’s meteorology team is closely monitoring the storm, and crews are ready to respond to weather-related outages. Pacific Power encourages customers to always be prepared for outages. State and local emergency management organizations also recommend having an emergency plan and to be prepared for up to 72 hours without essential services. Here are some simple steps customers can take to prepare and stay informed: Update your contact information so we can reach you. Sign up to receive outage alerts by text, email or phone. Restock your outage kit. Keep mobile devices charged so that they may be used in an emergency. Track outages, update your contact info and do more with our free app. Text OUT to 722797 to report your outage or STAT to check status. Visit PacificPower.net/Outages for outage and restoration updates. As a reminder, stay away from all downed power lines and utility lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Customers should
California Republican Party Chair Corrin Rankin said Wednesday she would not run for reelection next spring following the party’s historic losses in last week’s midterms. “This decision comes with tremendous gratitude and pride in what we have built. Leadership is not simply about holding a position. It is about leaving an organization stronger, better equipped, and more prepared for the future than when you found it,” Rankin wrote to delegates on Wednesday night. “Although I will not seek another term, my commitment to California, our Republican candidates, and the principles that brought me into public service remains unchanged.” The state GOP’s legislative superminority could shrink even further after Republican Assembly incumbents Greg Wallis, Tri Ta, Leticia Castillo, Jeff Gonzalez, Josh Hoover and Sen. Tony Strickland lost their seats in last week’s election. Both Assembly Minority Leader Alexandra Macedo and Senate Minority Leader Roger Niello faced razor-thin margins in their bids for reelection as of Thursday morning. State GOP delegates elected Rankin chair in March 2025 , making her the first Black woman to lead the party. Before then, she had served as party vice chair and as a state surrogate for President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2024, helping shore
The Chemehuevi Indian Tribe has unveiled a sweeping master plan that would reshape its reservation on the California side of Lake Havasu over the next 50 years, with new housing, schools, a yacht club and even a cross-lake ferry route all on the drawing board. Construction on the plan's first project is expected to begin in 2027.
Scientists are highly confident about the risk of coastal seawater flooding and beach erosion. But when it comes to predicting the power of winter storms, there is far less consensus.
Higher tides and bigger waves along the California coast are a hallmark of El Niño. If the two align this winter, it “could cost the state billions,” according to one expert.
After a tight race, Californians sided with Democratic leaders, approving their proposed change to the recall process. The recall will take place in two parts: first, whether an official should be recalled, then, who should replace them.
Kirsten Axelsen, MS, discusses gaps in biomarker testing, nonmedical barriers, and utilization management from a new report on access to CLL care. (CLL), raising 5-year survival rates to nearly 90%, yet many patients still do not receive the testing and treatment that guidelines recommend. A September 2026 report from Charles River Associates (CRA), commissioned by BeOne Medicines USA and developed with input from.
Metrolink passengers traveling through San Clemente and other parts of Orange County will avoid significant service reductions after the state committed $20 million to help maintain the regional rail system’s operations. The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) announced the funding on Thursday, Nov. 5, preventing service cuts that were...
A California wine brand is writing a new playbook on getting Gen Z’s attention. But the wine industry might not like what it says.
Disabled veterans who own a home in Montana, California, Boston or Anchorage can ask for a property tax break for 2027, and each place sets its own amount and deadline. California’s basic exemption rises to $185,889 for the 2027 lien date, Boston’s Clause 22 relief starts at $423 for fiscal 2027, and Anchorage exempts up […] The post Disabled veterans in Montana, California, Boston and Anchorage have property tax exemptions to claim for 2027, and California’s basic exemption rises to $185,889 appeared first on The Money Overview .
California’s wine industry headed into 2026 with more uncertainty than at any point in the past two decades, according to experts. The USDA’s final Grape Crush Report, released in April, found that a structural reset is taking place for the state’s wine-grape industry. Wine‑grape acreage across the...
The Marijuana Herald - Marijuana news and information California officials have proposed eliminating random marijuana testing for certain state correctional and parole officers, extending protections for off-duty marijuana use that have already been … Continue reading The post California Proposes Ending Random Marijuana Testing for State Corrections Officers, Expanding Off-Duty Use Protections appeared first on The Marijuana Herald .
Some former Sequoia tenants whose leases at Sequoia-managed California communities ended between September 25, 2019, and September 16, 2026, may qualify under the applicable security-deposit or defamation class criteria and claim a share of a roughly $3.1 million settlement over how the company allegedly handled move-out deposits. The deadline to file a claim or opt out is December 3, 2026, and the money is split between direct cash payments and automatic debt relief for renters whose old balances allegedly ended up at a collection agency.
Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Attorney General Rob Bonta is urging a federal appeals court to maintain protections for the health of detainees… who sued the Trump administration over dangerous conditions at an immigration jail in California’s Mojave Desert. Alameda County...
Good morning, California. El Niño is bringing some unusual visitors to California waters. The warmer waters are attracting devil rays, rare sharks and other marine life in Southern California. "And while they may be fascinating sights to behold, the warmer waters do more than just pave the way for unusual sea creature sightings; such conditions can also pose risks to the local ecosystem," California Connect reporter Daniella Segura is reporting. Read more about the the potential risks to marine ecosystems . Watch video of the fascinating sea creatures that are visiting our shores . Here's what else is going on in the Golden State. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Influx of sea creatures brings some 'danger'
El Niño and a marine heat wave are bringing warmer ocean water temperatures off the coast of California and with them, in recent weeks, an oddity of sea creatures. From endangered turtles nesting on beaches to a whale shark swimming off San Diego, the coast of Southern California is seeing a wave of marine species not typically found in the region. And while they may be fascinating sights to behold, the warmer waters do more than just pave the way for unusual sea creature sightings; such conditions can also pose risks to the local ecosystem. "It's important to remember that a lot of our local species that we normally find in San Diego aren't quite adapted for these higher temperatures, so we're very closely monitoring those species and trying to figure out how the warm water will affect them and how the ecosystem may change over time as our oceans continue to warm," Zach Merson, a PhD student at the Simmons Lab at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography , said in a Facebook video. What is El Niño? El Niño , a naturally occurring phenomenon that warms ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean,
Thanks to El Niño, scientists are marveling at the scope and scale of a weather event unfolding along California’s coast that’s never occurred before – at least not in recorded history. A marine heat wave is making the Pacific Ocean feel more like Florida, with astounding temperatures double digits above normal. “We have never seen […]
