By Saeed Villanueva |Staff Writer| New California law will force all Uber and Lyft drivers to undergo criminal background checks. On September 28 California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill into law that will require all Uber and Lyft drivers or any other transportation network company, to do complete background checks on drivers according to the LA Times. As of today the law only requires background checks to cover the past seven years for any driver. According to the LA Times, the law will prohibit people who are registered sex offenders, have any violent felonies and anybody who has had a DUI within the past seven years. Stories of sexual assaults, harassment, … [Read more...] about Uber and Lyft new law for criminal background checks
jerry brown
Reduce petroleum use
By Jennifer Martinez |Staff Writer| Gov. Jerry Brown is planning to move forward with his goal of reducing California’s petroleum use in half by 2030, according to the LA Times. Last month, Gov. Brown submitted a budget to the California State Legislature that proposed spending a third of the state’s cap-and-trade funds, which is approximately $1 billion. according to the LA Times. Brown’s goal is to cut oil use by 50 percent and with the state’s funds, he would invest in public transportation, promoting electric vehicles, and other environmentally friendly programs. “If you're not successful on the first go-round, it doesn't mean you abandon your … [Read more...] about Reduce petroleum use
Job skills gap continues to grow
By Cherie Brower |Staff Writer| California’s field of employment becomes more barren as the years pass. By 2030, there will be 1.1 million fewer bachelor degree holding Californians in the state’s workforce, according to the Campaign for College Opportunity. The job skills gap continues to grow and become disproportionate as retiring baby boomers leave their cubicles in a great exodus. Newer generations who step foot into the workforce now find fewer positions to fill, and more demands to meet, but do not hold the education level equivalent of employees who came before them. In 2013, it was estimated that four-year college degree … [Read more...] about Job skills gap continues to grow
Gov. Brown pushes for pot
By Raequan Harrison |Staff Writer| Gov. Jerry Brown is advocating for new bills to govern medical marijuana laws. Three bills were approved to the ballot this past week that propose reform in the medical marijuana industry. According to thecannabist.com, “The California medical marijuana legislation includes separate licenses for indoor and outdoor cultivation, transportation, product testing, distribution and dispensaries of different sizes.It also charges various state agencies to develop guidelines for packaging, potency, pesticide use and advertising.” According to the Los Angeles Times, an estimated 1,250 medical marijuana dispensaries are operating in the state, with sales of … [Read more...] about Gov. Brown pushes for pot
CSU wants money for more students
By Daniela Rueda |Staff Writer| The California State University system hopes to get $59 million more in state funding to expand enrollment in the next academic year by 10,000 students. Gov. Jerry Brown announced that he has included an additional $157 million for CSUs in the latest version of his budget plan, according to an article on KPCC. Brown's updated budget suggests his January plan will increase the universities' $3-billion base budget by $120 million, or four percent, and does not include any new money to expand in-state enrollment, according to KPCC. CSU Chancellor Tim White stated that to get the funding necessary, Cal State plans to call on students, labor leaders, … [Read more...] about CSU wants money for more students
CSUs may receive millions
By Jorge Campos |Staff Writer| Gov. Jerry Brown proposed a $115.3 million spending plan that could provide millions for the Cal State University system. In return for the spending plan, Brown proposed on Thursday, May 14, to freeze undergraduate tuition for in-state students and establish new tax credit for the working lower class. Lawmakers have until midnight, June 15, to present a fair budget plan and send it to Brown for his signature, according to The San Bernardino Sun. Brown’s budget even calls for another $38 million in funding for CSUs, but the fund will be divided in half, with some of the money going towards enrollment funds as well as investing in ways to get students … [Read more...] about CSUs may receive millions
CA universities postpones maintenance
By Santiago Castillo |Staff Writer| The CSU system has $1.8 billion in critical maintenance backlog due to budget cuts. “CSU hasn’t received funding for deferred maintenance since 2007-08,” according to The San Bernardino Sun. Due to the maintenance backlog, the CSU system faces a crisis because it has disrupted education and remains a threat in the safety and effectiveness of buildings used for educational purposes. Nearly half of the CSU system buildings are more than 40 years old and infrastructure such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning are deteriorating. Statewide laboratories have been shutdown and other locations have faced power outages. Such occurrences have … [Read more...] about CA universities postpones maintenance
Obama turns attention toward California drought
By Greg Avetisyan |Assistant Sports Editor| The state of California is in its worst dry spell in the last 100 years. President Obama made a trip down to Southern California to address the drought. Obama and Governor Jerry Brown met with farmers in Fresno, CA. Fresno’s farmland has suffered through a winter with a lack of rain and snow. Obama has pledged over $183 million from an existing federal fund to help farmers recover from the severe drought. “Water has been seen as a zero-sum game: Agriculture against urban, north against south. We’re going to have to figure out how to play a different game. We can’t afford years of litigation and no real action,” Obama said to The Huffington … [Read more...] about Obama turns attention toward California drought
New law creates shorter sentence for ankle bracelet violators
By Torilynn Qualls |Staff Writer| The passing of Senate Bill 57 can now sentence paroled sex offenders who remove their GPS ankle bracelets to 180 days in county jail. According to city-data.com, there are 576 registered sex offenders in San Bernardino alone; and roughly 43 elementary schools in the San Bernardino Unified School District. Meaning, if a paroled sex offender in San Bernardino were to remove his or her ankle bracelet, many children could be at risk. After serving the 180-day sentence, offenders will again be released on parole and monitored by their bracelet. Before the passing of this bill, “parolees who violated the terms of their release were housed in overcrowded … [Read more...] about New law creates shorter sentence for ankle bracelet violators
Prop 30: Not living up to its promises
By Lynn Post |Staff Writer| Students in California believed that Proposition 30 promised no more tuition hikes, but as usual this political mash up has just created confusion about where the money was supposed to go and where it actually went. The voter guide for California has descriptions for each proposition, Proposition 30 has education finally mentioned in the last line promising, “In 2012–13, planned spending reductions, primarily to education programs, would not occur.” According to edSource.org only $2 billion of the $6 billion supposedly collected is actually going to schools in California. The rest will go to, “reducing debt and expanding medical care under the federal … [Read more...] about Prop 30: Not living up to its promises
Recent Comments