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CA primary election | North State residents to sit on state agricultural board | Orange County shooting update

The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Wednesday, May 18.

California primary election three weeks away

Hundreds of thousands of voters were shifted to new legislative and congressional districts based on the 2020 Census and may be in new political districts for the upcoming primary election. Kim Alexander, with the non-partisan California Voter Foundation, said voters should've received election materials by now.

"If you have not gotten anything in the mail from your county, like your ballot or your Secretary of State Voter Guide, you're probably not registered at your current address,” Alexander said. “Now is a really great time to check your status and make sure you're registered."

You can check your status and register to vote on the Secretary of State's website.

— CapRadio Staff

Two North State residents to sit on the state’s agricultural board

Patricia Stock, dean of Chico State’s College of Agriculture, was recently appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. The state commission will advise Gov. Newsom on issues related to farming and ranching.

Stock said she is honored to represent the region on the board. Her term will expire in January of 2023. The other representative from the North State on the board is Bryce Lundberg. Lundberg was re-appointed to the position and is the vice president of agriculture at Lundberg Family Farms. His term expires in January of 2025.

— Ken Devol, NSPR

Orange County shooting is being investigated as a federal hate crime

The FBI has opened a federal hate crime investigation into the shooting at an Orange County Church on Sunday. Law enforcement officials said suspected gunman David Chou left behind evidence of hating Taiwanese people, including notes in his car. All the victims were of Taiwanese descent and were shot while congregating at a Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods.

Chou reportedly lived in Taiwan when he was young and indicated that he was not treated well there. According to the Orange County Sheriff, the targeting of a Presbyterian Church was quickly noted by scholars who follow relations between China and Taiwan, which the mainland considers a breakaway province.

Lev Nachman of the Harvard Fairbanks Center for China Studies said the Presbyterian Church is known for supporting the pro-independence movement in Taiwan.

“When Taiwanese began to flee to the United States, it was Taiwanese Presbyterian churches that became these community centers for the independence cause in the United States,” Nachman said.

Scholars warned though against extrapolating a political narrative from a single tragedy.

— Josie Huang (KQED), The California Report

Interview: Can California meet its energy goals without Diablo Canyon?

It’s been nearly six years since a decision was made to close California’s only remaining active nuclear power plant.

PG&E's Diablo Canyon sits on the coast in San Luis Obispo County and has been a source of conflict for decades. It’s also been a low-carbon source of energy for the state with only a couple of years remaining before the plant is expected to go offline.

That’s leading some, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, to question whether California can meet its green energy goals once Diablo Canyon goes dark.

CalMatters environment reporter Nadia Lopez spoke with CapRadio’s Randol White about the issue and what options are currently available for keeping the power plant open. Listen to the interview in today’s headlines.

— CapRadio Staff

Stories from NPR partner stations are edited by NSPR Staff for digital presentation and credited as requested.

In other news

  • Chico State graduation ceremonies begin this week: “Starting Thursday, soon-to-be Chico State fgraduates will be donning their caps, gowns and accessories to get their degrees before an audience of family and friends.” — Chico Enterprise-Record

In case you missed it

Headlines is published every weekday morning at 8:30 a.m. Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and NPR One. Theme song Borough is courtesy of Blue Dot Sessions

Angel Huracha has been a part of the journalism field since 2006 and has covered a range of topics. He is a graduate of Chico State with a Bachelor's degree in news-editorial and public relations with a minor in English.
Alec Stutson grew up in Colorado and graduated from the University of Missouri with degrees in Radio Journalism, 20th/21st Century Literature, and a minor in Film Studies. He is a huge podcast junkie, as well as a movie nerd and musician.
Adia White is a broadcast journalist and producer with nearly 10 years of experience. Her work has appeared on WNYC, This American Life, Capital Public Radio and other local and national programs. She started at North State Public Radio as a freelance reporter in 2017 before leaving for a stint at Northern California Public Media in Santa Rosa.