San Benito County Local Families & Children News Articles and Digest

Education Families & Children Community Service & Support Government

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.

From Capital & Main...

Public Safety Education Families & Children Government

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.

From Capital & Main...

Families & Children Parks & Recreation

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.

From CalMatters...

COVID-19 Families & Children Health Government

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.

From Edible Monterey Bay...

Families & Children Agriculture, Food & Gardening Community Service & Support

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.

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Families & Children Health Community Service & Support Government

California Hospitals Closed 46 Maternity Wards Since 2012

11/16/2023
Image for display with article titled California Hospitals Closed 46 Maternity Wards As Pregnancy-Related Deaths Hit 10-Year High

Closures ongoing since 2012, but last 3 years have seen 27 maternity ward shutdowns.

From Gilroy Dispatch...

Families & Children Community Service & Support City of Gilroy

Local Scene: Spectrum Grants $5K to St. Joseph’s Family Center

11/15/2023
Image for display with article titled Spectrum Grants $5K to St. Joseph’s Family Center

Spectrum donated $5,000 to St. Joseph’s Family Center of Gilroy (SJFC) through the company’s national community philanthropic program, Spectrum Employee Community Grants.

From Sacramento Bee...

Families & Children Health State of California

State Debuting Mental Health App for Young People Next Year

11/15/2023
The state will offer a free mental health app beginning Jan. 1 for people ages 13-25. It is currently being tested in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.

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Families & Children Elections & Politics Crime & Justice

What Reparations Could Look Like in California

10/31/2023
Image for display with article titled What Reparations Could Look Like in California: A KQED Series

Ongoing series looks at varied effort reparations could require

From Los Angeles Times...

Families & Children Health

A Story With Teeth: Why California Kids Lag in Dental Health

10/31/2023
California kids have some of the lowest-ranked dental health in the United States, with challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. Here’s a look at the problem and what’s being done to address it.

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Families & Children Health Government

Hospitals Ignore Bias Training as Black Maternal Deaths Remain High

10/30/2023
Image for display with article titled California Hospitals Ignore Required Bias Training as Black Maternal Death Rate Remains High

Black women account for 5 percent of all California pregnancies but 21 percent of maternal deaths.

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COVID-19 Business, Economy & Jobs Families & Children Government

Expiring COVID Aid Sending California Workers Into Poverty

10/26/2023
Image for display with article titled As COVID Aid Programs Expire, Working Californians are Sliding Into Poverty

Even as the economy expands, workers are falling into poverty as the government withdraws crucial aid programs.

From CalMatters...

Education Families & Children Government

California Colleges Miss Deadline for Student Parents’ Priority Registration

10/24/2023
Signed by the governor in September 2022, AB 2881 aims to help student parents in California by offering them priority registration. Advocates are optimistic the law will formalize data collection, allowing them to better serve this student population that represents 1 in 5 students nationally.

From CapPublicRadio...

Families & Children Crime & Justice State of California

California Joins States Suing Meta

10/24/2023
More than 40 states are suing the social media giant. The legal actions allege that Meta has deceived the public about the harms of Facebook and Instagram, which the attorneys general say “exploit and manipulate” children.

From CalMatters...

COVID-19 Education Families & Children Community Service & Support Government

California Student Test Scores Remain Low

10/18/2023
Despite an influx of money to counter learning loss during the pandemic, English language arts and math test scores remain low.

From Benito Link...

Education Families & Children Parks & Recreation

Cerra Vista, District Celebrate Playground Upgrades

10/17/2023
The student body at Cerra Vista Elementary School looked on as Hollister School District leaders held a ribbon cutting to officially open the much-improved playground.

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Families & Children Health Community Service & Support Government

Newsom Vetoes Hearing Aid Coverage for Kids—Again

10/15/2023
Image for display with article titled Newsom Vetoes Bill Requiring Insurance to Cover Kids’ Hearing Aids—For Second Time

Gov. cites existing state program to help buy hearing aids, but parents call it a ‘nightmare’

From CalMatters...

Families & Children Health Government

Kaiser To Pay $200 million Settlement for Botched Mental Health Appointment System

10/12/2023
Kaiser patients waited 19 days for follow-up mental health appointments in 2019, nine days longer than state law permits. The settlement includes the largest-ever penalty issued by California’s behavioral health regulator.

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Families & Children Health Government

Newsom Vetoes Bill to Stop Counties Swiping Foster Kids Benefits

10/11/2023

Image for display with article titled California Counties Swipe Foster Kids’ Social Security Benefits; Newsom Vetoes Bill to Stop Them

Many states have ended the practice of confiscating benefits from orphaned and disabled kids, but California will let it continue.

From CalMatters...

Business, Economy & Jobs Families & Children Elections & Politics State of California

Labor Leaders Despair But Keep Pushing for Striker Unemployment After Newsom Veto

10/01/2023
Newsom rejected Senate Bill 799, which would have paid striking workers California unemployment benefits after two weeks, and SB 686, which would have extended workplace safety protections to domestic workers, such as housekeepers and nannies.

San Benito County Local News: Families & Children