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Monterey County Families & Children Digest



Youth Alliance Distributes Donated Laptops

03/12/2024

200 laptop computers were donated to Youth Alliance by AT&T, Monterey Peninsula Foundation and Human-I-T, for distribution to Hollister and Gilroy residents lacking "digital basics".

New California Teaching Standards Increase Focus on Family Engagement, Social-Emotional Learning

02/12/2024

The state is to implement long-awaited new guidelines in 2025 despite some calls for a year’s delay.

Cost Estimate for Pacific Grove Skatepark Over $130K

02/10/2024

The Pacific Grove City Council will hear the costs of building a temporary skatepark at the City Hall parking lot during the next council meeting.

Parents’ Lawsuit Forces California to Spend $2 Billion on Learning Loss. Here’s What Will Change

02/02/2024

Learning loss during the pandemic hit California’s low-income students hardest. An agreement requires the state to focus spending there.

Parents’ Rights Groups Mobilize as California Advances a Ban on Youth Tackle Football

01/15/2024

The Assembly has until the end of January to decide the fate of the youth tackle football bill, which would prevent kids under 12 from playing the sport to protect them from brain trauma.

Fourth Graders Might Lose Free Access to California State Parks

01/12/2024

California’s projected budget deficit of close to $38 billion likely means some cuts are coming. Among them, Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed ending the California State Park Adventure Pass, which offers free access to some state parks for fourth graders.

Pasadena Named Travel Destination for 2024 by NY Times

01/09/2024

Pasadena is the only California city named a travel destination for 2024 by The New York Times. This comes despite the Los Angeles-area city being just the 45th-largest city in the state.

California Still Struggling to Support Young Students, Report Finds

01/08/2024

The 2024 California Children’s Report Card from an organization called Children Now noted that the state has failed to improve economic disparities for students. The report also dings the state for things like STEM offerings, early intervention and special education.

San Diego County Schools Face Post-Pandemic Funding Woes

01/04/2024

San Diego Unified School District has received more than $700 million in federal and state relief funds since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with these funds ending, some schools could be facing serious deficits.

Group to Sue California AG Over Title of Ballot Initiative Seeking to Prohibit Gender-Affirming Care for Trans Youth

01/03/2024

Leaders of a parental rights advocacy group announced they’re planning to sue California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the way his office has characterized a 2024 ballot initiative they authored.

California Community College Students Helping Peers

01/03/2024

Two-thirds of community college students in California admit to struggling to meet basic needs. The California Community Colleges’ Student Ambassador Program has empowered more than 50 students to act as resource guides to help them.

Law Goes Into Effect Blocking Guns in Many California Public Places

01/02/2024

A law passed by the California legislature in 2023 has gone into effect banning licensed gun holders from bringing their firearms to places like playgrounds, churches and casinos. The law faces an ongoing challenge in the federal court system.

CA Minimum Wage Hits $16 an Hour

01/02/2024

The dawn of 2024 meant that California’s minimum wage rose from $15.50 to $16 an hour. That puts the Golden State at the second-highest minimum wage for a U.S. state, trailing only Washington state at $16.28 an hour.

Gender-Neutral Toy Law Goes Into Effect

01/01/2024

A 2021 law passed by the California legislature went into effect Jan. 1, requiring major retailers to maintain an aisle of toys marketed to people of either gender. The bill’s author, Evan Low, said the legislation will help kids “express themselves freely and without bias.”

Californians Can Now Save Money on Vasectomies, Other Birth Control

12/31/2023

California adopted several laws to increase access to contraception and abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. The latest one eliminates out-of-pocket charges for birth control for millions of Californians.

Science Doesn’t Yet Support Broad Restrictions on Teens’ Access to Social Media

12/26/2023

In a report released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, researchers instead lay out a plan for what society might do to improve adolescents’ interactions with social media.

Happy New Year, California Workers! You Now Get More Paid Sick Days

12/26/2023

Under a new law, employees in California are guaranteed five paid sick days a year, two days more than previously. Worker advocacy groups say the benefit is needed, but business groups warn of additional costs.

Domestic Violence Shelters Play a Key Role in Fighting Homelessness. Now They Face Deep Funding Cuts

12/19/2023

Federal funding for domestic violence shelters and housing programs is declining. Advocates want the state to step in, but with a record projected deficit new spending is unlikely.

Pacific Grove Mom and Son Create AI Video Storytelling Company

12/16/2023

The new company takes a child into a fantasy world via a storytelling video created through artificial intelligence tools where the kid is the hero of the tale and can learn about self-confidence and problem solving in the process.

CA AG Backs Motion to Oppose Actions of SoCal School Board

12/13/2023

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has formally backed an August motion by two law groups to keep the Temecula Valley Unified School District from being able to notify parents about transgender children or censor instruction about race. A hearing for the motion is scheduled for Jan. 24.

California Company Used Child Labor for Dangerous Poultry Processing Work

12/13/2023

The Exclusive Poultry Inc. agreed to pay $3.8 million in wages, damages and penalties in part for hiring children for dangerous work. The case is one of hundreds federal labor officials investigated last year.

Supreme Court Upholds California Ban on Conversion Therapy

12/11/2023

By declining to hear a conservative group’s challenge, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a California ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth. California is one of 22 states to ban this practice.

At-Home COVID Tests Can Be Reimbursable in California

12/07/2023

Although the federal government is providing four free COVID tests per month, that’s not the only way to get them. Aetna and Blue Shield of California members can be reimbursed for up to eight at-home tests per month, while Kaiser Permanente is offering discounts on tests.

Moms Who Suffer Domestic Abuse Can Lose Their Kids. But Does This Policy Make Any Sense?

12/06/2023

California’s “failure to protect” law allows child welfare agencies to take kids from households scarred by domestic violence. Advocates say the separation can worsen a family’s trauma.

Christmas at Closter Park

12/04/2023

Christmas at Closter Park returns to Salinas for its third year with different family activities live performances, arts and crafts, real snow and raffled Christmas trees, which sponsors decorate and donate.

State Invested $53 Million in Teaching Low-Performing Kids to Read. Here's How it's Paying Off

12/03/2023

In 2020, the state agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit that claimed too many students were not learning to read. As part of that agreement, the state spent over $50 million on 75 schools with the lowest reading scores.

Border Patrol Dumped 42,000 migrants on San Diego Streets. The County Needs Help to Help Them

12/03/2023

San Diego-area nonprofits and faith organizations struggle to provide for tens of thousands of migrants border agents have released on San Diego streets.

Right-Wing Takeover of SoCal School Board Stirs Angst

12/01/2023

Students and teachers alike are decrying the actions of the Temecula Valley Unified School District board, which became conservative in majority following the recent elections of three members. The board’s actions include banning critical race theory and mandating parental notification if their child is transgender.

Ohana Campus in Monterey Houses New Approach to Youth Mental Health

11/30/2023

Montage Health’s new Ohana Campus, which will house the first-of-its-kind program for California youth and families, was celebrated with an opening event for media and special guests.

Utility Increases Loom for 16 Million California Households

11/30/2023

Utility giant PG&E is set to raise its rates an average of 13% on Jan. 1. That equals an extra $32.50 a month, or $390 for the year.

Big Breakthrough for Food Access in Monterey County

11/28/2023

The Double Up Food Bucks program—with its proven ability to connect food-insecure families and individuals to more fresh produce—officially debuted in Monterey County.

Will Kids Still Take Their Medicine? New State Law Forces Pharmacies to Take Out the Flavor

11/28/2023

Parents say flavored medication can help ensure their kids finish a prescription. Far fewer California pharmacies are offering that service as they await new rules from a state regulator.

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