Workers across California are taking to the streets.
Today, the United Farm Workers union will begin a 24-day march, 335 miles from Delano to Sacramento to urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill that would allow farmworkers to vote from home in union elections. Farm workers and their supporters will arrive at the state Capitol on August 26, just days before the end of the legislative session.
The “March for the Governor’s Signature” comes about a year after Newsom vetoed a similar bill, prompting angry farmworkers to march on the French Laundry, the upscale Napa County restaurant where Newsom was caught in the early days of the pandemic. eating without masks with lobbyists.
The governor’s relationship with farmworkers has since suffered further strains: In March, Newsom angered union members by embarking on a family trip to Central and South America just before César Chávez Day, when farm leaders had sought to meet with him. to discuss this year’s version of the mail-in voting bill. Frustrated farm workers ended up holding rallies in 13 cities across the state.
Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, who as a member of the Assembly authored the bill that Newsom vetoed, said she plans to join the march near Stockton. Gonzalez Fletcher last week took over the leadership of the California Federation of Labor, bringing the United Farm Workers with him. The farm worker vote bill is priority legislation for the powerful alliance of unions.
- Assemblyman Mark Stone, the Santa Cruz Democrat who sponsored this year’s bill, told the Fresno Bee that supporters “don’t have an agreement with the governor’s office yet,” but he’s “very hopeful” it will go through.
Meanwhile, a union representing 2,000 Kaiser Northern California mental health workers announced plans on Tuesday for an open-ended strike starting Aug. 15, citing unsustainable workloads and patients waiting weeks or even months to get in. caution, reports Jocelyn Wiener of CalMatters.
The union also claims Kaiser risks running afoul of a state law that took effect July 1 that requires patients to receive follow-up mental health care within 10 business days unless a provider determines a longer wait it will not be harmful.
Separately, California health authorities in May launched an investigation into whether Kaiser is providing adequate and timely mental health coverage to its more than 9 million enrollees.
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The end of the coronavirus: As of Monday, California had 9,983,370 confirmed cases (+0.6% from the previous day) AND 92,889 deaths (+0.1% from the previous day)according to state data it is now only updated twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. CalMatters is also tracking coronavirus hospitalizations by county.
California has administered 78,762,612 vaccine dosesAND 71.7% Eligible Californians are fully vaccinated.
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Other stories you should know
1
Water savings improve, but not enough
Californians living in urban areas cut their water use by 7.6% in June compared to the same period two years ago, according to figures released Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board — a slight improvement from the decline of the 7.5% Newsom administration officials reported last week. based on preliminary reports from water systems that serve 95% of the population. The final report shows that every region of the state saw a decrease in water use compared to 2020, ranging from a 4.2% decrease in the Colorado River region in the southeastern part of the state to a 12.6% decrease in the Bay Area. San Francisco.
- The Water Board said in a statement: “During hot, dry summers, water use usually increases significantly because plants are thirstier. So the fact that we saw more water savings in June suggests that the aggressive actions taken by the state and local suppliers are being implemented.” But, the board added, “We must make up ground lost from previous months to meet the 15% statewide conservation goal” set by Newsom last July.
- Indeed, from July 2021 to June 2022, Californians cut water use by just 2.7% compared to 2020 levels, water board data show.
- Meanwhile, water prices in California are at an all-time high. Bloomberg reports.
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2
Where are the crime statistics in California?
We know that murders in California increased by 31% in 2020, but what happens in 2021? According to a letter on Monday Republican Assemblyman Tom Lackey of Palmdale sent Attorney General Bonta. “Legislators, researchers, local agencies and our constituents rely on this data to make informed policy decisions regarding crime and public safety in California,” Lackey wrote. “With just over a month left in the legislative session, it is imperative that we are able to account for the latest trends in crime and public safety as we consider important reforms to the criminal justice system.”
- Asked when Bonta’s office plans to release the 2021 crime report, a spokesperson told me in an email “we are working to get the reports out as soon as possible.” The spokesman added that the office is helping law enforcement agencies secure approval for improved data management systems so they can submit crime data to a new federal database and “this ongoing transition has influenced the collection of data and the publication of annual crime reports this year.” The spokesman said the state’s system itself was certified by the FBI earlier this year.
- Meanwhile, the Department of Justice’s online public records portal is still offline more than a month after it briefly released the personal identifying information of more than 240,000 concealed-carry license applicants. “We are working to get the site back online as soon as possible,” the spokesperson wrote. “At this time, we do not have an update on when (the portal) will be back online.” Bonta’s office is conducting an internal investigation into the release of the records, and Republican lawmakers have also called for an independent state audit.
3
A busy day in LA
Tuesday was a pretty big day for residents of Los Angeles County, home to about 25% of California’s population:
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Vin Scully, forever the voice of the Dodgers, dead at 94. / Los Angeles Times
Pelosi’s Taiwan trip prompts new military activity in the Pacific. // Hills
Anthony Rendon intends to stay as Speaker of the California Assembly. // KCRA
SF School member Ann Hsu joins in the unanimous vote for her warning. // The San Francisco Standard
California’s local governments may soon be more capable to remove disruptive meeting participants. // Sacramento Bee
San Clemente City Council to consider abortion ban within the city limits. // OC’s voice
California family shooting victims weapons distributor. // KPBS
A new CSU dataset shows disciplined professors for sexual harassment. // EdSource
SDSU opens its own investigation into suspected gang rape by football players 9 months later. // San Diego Union-Tribune
Judge stops Sacramento from cleaning up homeless camping in tents until August 25. // Sacramento Bee
Biden, Harris support Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race. // Los Angeles Times
Gavin Newsom’s fundraising power it’s because of wealthy Bay Area donors. // San Francisco Chronicle
A California union president sent members $25 gift cards. An uproar and scolding ensued. // Sacramento Bee
Failure to disclose evidence in a murder case led to the full review of DA Brooke Jenkins’ work under Chesa Boudin. // The San Francisco Standard
Kingston received huge fines for improper transfers, then he left behind needles, medications. // Bakersfield Californian
California regulators sue Mercury Insurance, claiming to charge drivers, homeowners. // Sacramento Bee
Rent-A-Center is claimed The California Price Dispute. // Associated Press
California with a criminal record still face housing barriers. // Los Angeles Times
Sellers start making concessions as Bay Area home prices fall. // Mercury News
Court blocks major ski development at Lake Tahoe in the Olympic Valley. // San Francisco Chronicle
Demand for workers fell in June at the lowest level in 9 months. // Wall Street Journal
A man rode BART for 7 hours. He was pronounced dead at the end of the line. // San Francisco Chronicle
Thieves rob 7 businesses in Oakland’s Little Saigon during the 90-minute raid. // San Francisco Chronicle
The 6th Street Bridge: A Civic Wonder That Reflects LA’s Promise and his boiling problems. // Los Angeles Times
The state may seek environmental protections for Oroville Dam beyond federal regulations, The California Supreme Court rules. // San Francisco Chronicle
Toxic Algae in Clear Northern California Lake corrupting drinking water and causing ‘terrible’ smells. // San Francisco Chronicle
