The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Thursday, May 26.
California tribes call for improved watershed management
Tribes and environmental groups gathered outside the headquarters of the State Water Resources Control Board Tuesday to submit a petition demanding improved management of the Bay-Delta watershed.
Reports have shown declining numbers of salmon and an uptick in harmful algal blooms. Caleen Sisk, chief of the Winnemem Wintu tribe, said communities depending on the watershed should have a say in its future.
“We're the ones who are left with the water deficiency and the water pollution so that a handful of people can get rich off of that water,” she said.
In the petition, the coalition asked the board to revise water quality standards and demanded affected groups, like tribes, be involved in discussions about the Bay-Delta’s management. Read the full story.
— CapRadio Staff
Gov. Newsom vows to speed up rollout of new gun control laws
California lawmakers are vowing to speed up a collection of new gun control bills in the wake of the school shooting in Texas that left 21 dead.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he hopes to sign the bills by the end of next month. One of them would ban ghost guns. Another would allow private citizens to sue gun makers and sellers if their weapons are used illegally.
Republicans around the country have continued to oppose new gun control measures, but Newsom pointed to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing California has a lower per-capita rate of gun deaths than Texas and other states with lax gun laws.
“We know these policies work to save lives. Are they exclusively the only approach? Absolutely not,” he said.
Newsom said he wants lawmakers to pass new gun control bills by a two-thirds majority, which would allow them to take effect immediately, rather than on Jan.1.
— CapRadio Staff
State water board votes to implement new restrictions
California's water board voted Tuesday to roll out statewide mandatory water restrictions in the face of an ongoing drought. Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom urged residents to voluntarily cut their water use by 15%. But by March, usage was actually up by 19%.
The new regulations ban irrigating turf at commercial, industrial and institutional properties and require urban water suppliers to limit homes to just two days a week of yard watering, which about half had still not done. Violators can now be charged up to $500.
— Kate Wolffe (KQED), The California Report
Health advocates raise concern about workers leaving the industry
Public health advocates say California is losing nurses, epidemiologists, lab directors and other front-line workers because of competition from the private sector and the politicization of COVID-19.
Michelle Gibbons, executive director of the County Health Executive Associations of California, says the organization is asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to commit $186 million of the state budget surplus to bolster the workforce of health agencies by paying for things like student-loan forgiveness and signing bonuses.
“This is a mixture of training investments, recruitment and retention investments, all intended to build our workforce pipeline," she said.
Newsom has already proposed spending $300 million in annual ongoing funding to rebuild California's public health system.
— CapRadio Staff
Stories from NPR partner stations are edited by NSPR Staff for digital presentation and credited as requested.
In other news
- Hit-and-run in Salyer under investigation: “CHP is asking for help identifying a driver that collided with a motorcycle and left the scene in another vehicle in a hit-and-run incident Tuesday, May 24, in Salyer.” — The Trinity Journal
- Enterprise students speak out after school lockdown: “When the alarm sounded at Enterprise High School on Wednesday morning, students didn’t take it seriously at first.” — Redding Record Searchlight
- Firefighters to burn vegetation in two Oroville locations: “Cal Fire-Butte County plans to conduct a series of control burns Thursday, May 26 and Friday, May 27.” — Chico Enterprise-Record
- Tehama County organizations awarded funds following Dixie Fire settlement: “The Tehama County Board of Supervisors Tuesday awarded funds to local organizations used for emergencies and fire crises from the settlement for the Dixie Fire from Pacific Gas and Electric Co.” — Red Bluff Daily News
- 63 animals seized in case involving potential abuse: “Multiple animals were seized Tuesday after a warrant was served due to suspected animal cruelty and neglect in Pleasant Grove. According to the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office, 63 animals including 39 dogs, 13 horses, seven cats and four exotic birds were seized in the “vicinity” of the 3400 block of Sankey Road in Pleasant Grove through the combined efforts of the Sutter Animal Services Authority, Sutter County Sheriff’s Office and Sutter County Code Enforcement.” — The Appeal-Democrat
In case you missed it
- Local health emergency terminated in Butte County — NSPR (Headlines, May 25)
- Chico’s Pallet shelter for the unhoused about half full — NSPR (Headlines, May 25)
- Texas shooting live updates: As Uvalde reckons with tragedy, survivors of past shootings express outrage — NPR
- The outlook for Wednesday will mark a first for Redding in 2022 — Redding Record Searchlight
- Highway 70 open; had been impacted by overturned big rig — Plumas News
- PG&E recognizes National Dam Safety Awareness Day on May 31 — Lassen County Times
- Chief: Fire west of Orland 60% contained at about 60 acres — Chico Enterprise-Record
- Local drought emergency continued in Colusa County — The Appeal-Democrat
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