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Santa Clara County Families & Children Articles



San Jose Inside logo LOCAL NEWS
Meta Accused by CA and Other States of Luring Children to Instagram, Facebook

Meta was accused of knowingly using features on Instagram and Facebook to hook children to its platforms, even as the company said its social media sites were safe for young people.

Image caption: Research shows kids with hearing loss suffer developmental setbacks if they cannot use hearing aids.
Newsom Vetoes Hearing Aid Coverage for Kids—Again

More than 30 states require insurers to provide some level of coverage for kids’ hearing aids. California isn’t one of them, and Gov. Newsom for the second time has vetoed a bill to close that gap.

San Jose Inside logo LOCAL NEWS
Owners of South San Jose Daycare Center Arrested on Felony Charges after Two Toddlers Drown

Nina Fathizadeh, 41, and her 64-year-old mother, Shahin Gheblehshenas, are the owners of Happy Happy Daycare in San Jose where two unattended children drowned in a backyard swimming pool Oct. 2.

Image caption: To pay for the cost of foster child care, counties routinely appropriate Social Security benefits meant for orphans and disabled kids.
Newsom Vetoes Bill to Stop Counties Swiping Foster Kids Benefits

States across the United States are banning the practice of billing kids for the cost of their foster care. Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar effort in California, citing costs to the state.

San Jose Inside logo LOCAL NEWS
Two Children Die After Falling Into Pool at Residential Day Care Center in San Jose

Despite life-saving efforts, two were pronounced dead at the hospital. The third's status was later updated to non-life threatening, police said.

San Jose Inside logo LOCAL NEWS
County Revives Grant Program to Build Playgrounds for Kids and Adults with Disabilities

Up to $2 million will be available for projects in each of the five supervisor districts, providing matching grants to cities, school districts and nonprofits to build all-inclusive playgrounds.

San Jose Inside logo LOCAL NEWS
Raging Waters Announces Permanent Closure of San Jose Water Park

City officials are reportedly scouting for a new operator of the park, located on 23 acres on South White Road in East San Jose.

Image caption: A victory by McDonald's workers at a Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, location was a rarity among retaliation cases.
Workers Suffering Increased Retaliation for On-Job Complaints

More workers are filing claims with the state alleging employers are retaliating against them for engaging in legally protected activities, such as seeking overtime pay or reporting wage theft or discrimination.

Image caption: Protests have erupted statewide in response to right-wing activists in California school districts who are trying to put anti-LGBTQ+ policies in place.
State Moves to Stop Anti-LGBTQ+ Local School Board Policies

Under a system that has long prioritized local control for school districts. state officials now are fighting some recent board decisions regarding LGBTQ students.

Image caption: Data shows that homelessness immediately decreased once renter protections were put in place.
Here's How California Policy Makes Homelessness Worse

Renter protections and eviction bans put in place for the COVID-19 pandemic have expired. By keeping them in place, California could slow the spread of homelessness. But that's not happening.

Image caption: School board meetings about educating children have deteriorated into battles over hot-button culture war issues in some districts.
State Moves to Stop Culture Wars Upending California School Boards

California grants school boards much local control, but recent events have pushed the state to take steps to stop local school board meetings from turning into potentially dangerous culture war battlegrounds.

Morgan Hill Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Local mother on a mission to prevent child drownings

After Morgan Hill resident Kristina Andrews lost her daughter, Kourtney, to a drowning accident about six years ago, the local mother knew she wanted to do something to help prevent other families from suffering similar tragedies. The desire to make …

Los Gatan logo LOCAL NEWS
EXCLUSIVE: Assemblymember announces $1 million for LGS Recreation

Many of the 30 or so people who filed into the linoleum-floored community center, Tuesday, had no idea what was about to be announced, but with the balloons and the heightened sense of anticipation you could tell it would be …

Image caption: In 2001, Barbie faced her first real competition when MGA’s Bratz hit the market.
Ten Trendsetting Toys

Barbie is the most famous California-born toy. But there are other iconic playthings that were created or brought to market here.

Image caption: Barbie is suddenly a movie star, but the toy has long played a big role in one of Southern California’s major industries.
Barbie, Mattel, and California’s Toy Empire

Here's how the iconic Barbie doll and its manufacturer, toy giant Mattel, built an industry in Southern California that pours billions into the state’s economy.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
South County Youth Task Force events draw community together

South County Youth Task Force (SCYTF) and its community partners have been busy at work this spring and start of the summer to create a welcoming, responsive and unified South County. This year’s work began with “The Day of the …

Los Gatan logo LOCAL NEWS
Hillbrook School’s Scott Center Fosters Social Entrepreneurs

“What matters to you and what are you doing about it?” Those are the questions asked of each student at Hillbrook School’s Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship. The Los Gatos school was founded in 1935 to support the idea of …

Image caption: Forced and child marriage survivors arrive at a protest, organized to support a ban on child marriage, at the state Capitol in Sacramento on June 22, 2023.
Child Marriage Survivors Press California to Ban the Practice

You have to be 18 to get divorced in California, but there’s no minimum age to get married. Child marriage survivors protested at the state Capitol, but the Legislature likely won’t act until next year.

Image caption: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield voted to toughen welfare work requirements, while state lawmakers back home chose another tack.
CA May Loosen Welfare Work Rules as US Tightens Them

State lawmakers want to loosen CalWORKs job requirements so people keep cash benefits. Congress’ debt limit deal could curb that.

Los Gatan logo LOCAL NEWS
Supervisor tours Los Gatos’ transitional kindergarten ‘hub’

Transitional kindergarten teacher Kajsa Byrne had the children in her Lexington Elementary class gathered around a circular table, engrossed in a literacy assignment. They scarcely noticed some of the region’s most powerful educational figures enter the room. Michael Stock, a …

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