By Chris Neklason
Published Mar 10, 2025

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti delivers testimony on the fiscal year 2025 budget request at the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Defense hearing in Washington D.C., April 16, 2024.

Image credit: US Navy MCC Michael B. Zingaro Public Domain

Women's History Month

Chris here, thinking of Admiral Lisa M. Francetti, the former Chief of U.S. Naval Operations and the first woman to serve in that capacity and to sit on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

And frankly, reading her biography on Wikipedia, I'm angry.

I'm angry that someone so capable, so tested and so proven, who spent her career in the service of this country, was fired from her position as the head of the United States Navy a few weeks ago—on February 21—because in the end that wasn't good enough for the current administration. She was a woman and she had to go.

I could go on, but the national scene is outside of our lane here at California Local, where we (try to) stay focused on our state, our counties and our communities.

It's Women's History Month, and this issue of The Newsletter salutes the women who shaped California and continue to work tirelessly to make their communities better and the Golden State shine a little brighter.

Sisters, rock on.

Groundbreakers

The history of Women's History Month goes back to 1911 here in the United States with the first celebration of International Women's Day.

By 1969, International Women's Day was almost forgotten and rarely celebrated. A women's rights advocate who called herself Laura X led a march in Berkeley, California, to raise awareness, and the rest, as they say, is history. Or rather, herstory.

Below, we present three articles celebrating some groundbreaking women.

25 California Women Who Made History

California women have played a significant role in shaping every major industry within the U.S. and the world. Here are a few of them.

Doing Good: The League of Women Voters

A portrait of the first Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters in Chicago in 1920.

The decades of work to win the right to vote for women was only the beginning.

Doing Good: Soroptimist International

Sign for Baliuag Lodge No. 301 - Soroptimist International (Pan-Philippine Highway, San Rafael, Bulacan)

Making a better world for women and preparing women to make a better world.

Recipe of the Week

Our friends at Sacramento Digs Gardening publish a recipe from their gardens every Sunday, which we feature here so you can start your week with some yum.

See more recipes in their Taste Winter! cookbook.

Make the most of spring berries with this easy dessert

Fresh berry parfaits layered with cream and chopped almonds are easy to make. Frozen berries will work in this, too.

New! Berry-berry parfait with strawberries and blackberries (or blueberries)

Good News in the Animal Kingdom

Because times are weird, we offer a couple of tidbits of good news from the animal kingdom:

Check out the Friends of Big Bear Valley live stream of bald eagles and their just hatched brood.
Monarchs wintering in Mexico are rebounding, so expect to see some colorful migrants here in California later in the year.

From Our Media Allies

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	California Comment on Latest Small Business Optimism Index
	Small business optimism across the nation fell a bit in January but for the third consecutive month, came in higher than its 51-year average, according to the release Feb. 11 of the monthly Small Business Optimism Index by the National …

Recent Statewide News

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● The Salton Sea Is California’s Most Imperiled Lake. Can a New Conservancy Save It?

A new conservancy will oversee work to improve vegetation, water quality and natural habitat in the Salton Sea. Will nearly half a billion dollars in projects be enough?

(03/11/2025) CalMatters

● California Considers Raising Inmate Firefighters Wage

California Assembly Bill 247 would significantly raise the hourly wage of inmate firefighters. Read on to learn more.

(03/11/2025) Los Angeles Times

● California Lawmakers Propose Fixes for ‘Insurance Industry in Shambles’

From pushing for oversight of the FAIR Plan to providing tax breaks for premiums, California lawmakers try to fix insurance market problems.

(03/10/2025) CalMatters

● They Tried to Pay Their Overdue Rent. Their Landlord Wouldn’t Accept It

It’s legal in California to evict tenants for nonpayment even when they can pay all their overdue rent. A proposal pending in the Legislature seeks to change that.

(03/09/2025) CalMatters

● Bipartisanship Is Rare in the California Legislature. Here Are the Bills Breaking the Divide

In these hyper-partisan times, less than 1% of the more than 2,000 bills California lawmakers filed this year have bipartisan coauthors. Here are some of the issues on which Republicans and Democrats agree.

(03/09/2025) CalMatters

● CA Bill Addressing Armed Vigilantism Draws Swift GOP Backlash

Los Angeles Assemblymember Rick Zbur says he wants to narrow the standards for justifiable homicide. Critics say he wants to make self-defense illegal.

(03/06/2025) CalMatters

● An Audit Found California Was Unprepared to Help Vulnerable People in a Fire. Five Years Later, Lawmakers Finally Talk About It

Five years ago, as COVID-19 hit the state, legislators cancelled a hearing to discuss a state audit that found the state’s office of emergency services and at least three California counties weren’t prepared to help vulnerable people during natural disasters.

(03/06/2025) CalMatters

● Gavin Newsom Shocks LGBTQ Allies With Criticism of Transgender Athletes

Gov. Gavin Newsom called it “deeply unfair” for transgender athletes to participate in girls' sports today — a notable change in his position that thrust the Democratic governor into the center of a national maelstrom. It was unclear whether he will act on his new position as Republicans urged him to follow conservative states in banning transgender athletes from girls' sports.

(03/06/2025) CalMatters

● California Is Spending Billions on Mental Health Housing. Will It Reach Those Most in Need?

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to see tangible results from the $6.4 billion mental health bond voters approved last year. Moving fast carries a risk of neglecting under-resourced communities.

(03/05/2025) CalMatters

● Bay Area City Backs Down After Proposing on Ban ‘Aiding and Abetting’ Homeless Encampments

The Fremont city council has revised a new city camping ordinance, removing what had become a controversial clause — first reported on by CalMatters — that could have punished those “aiding and abetting” encampments.

(03/05/2025) CalMatters

● First-of-Its Kind Court Order Halts Sweep of California Homeless Camp

This appears to be the first such injunction since the U.S. Supreme Court let cities crack down on homeless encampments in California and beyond.

(03/04/2025) CalMatters

● Towing Companies Can Sell Your Car — And the DMV Gets to Keep the Profit Without Telling You

Since 2016, the DMV has collected more than $8 million from nearly 5,300 car sales, according to a CalMatters analysis.

(03/03/2025) CalMatters

● ‘Too Damn Hard to Build’: a Key California Democrat’s Push for Speedier Construction

Oakland Democrat Buffy Wicks said lawmakers will soon see 20 bills to speed up housing construction, along with more on energy, water and transit.

(03/03/2025) CalMatters

● Return to Office: Newsom Orders California State Workers Back Four Days a Week

The governor’s announcement affects most of the state workforce and will take effect on July 1.

(03/03/2025) CalMatters

Government Announcements

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	New York Wholesale Group Recalls Zaarah Herbals Rasayan Churan, Zaarah Herbals Gurmar Powder, Zaarah Herbals Vasaka Powder and Zaarah Herbals Bhringraj Powder Because of Possible Health Risk
New York Wholesale Group of Hicksville, NY is recalling Zaarah Herbals Rasayan Churan, Zaarah Herbals Gurmar Powder, Zaarah Herbals Vasaka Powder, and Zaarah Herbals Bhringraj Powder to the consumer/user level because it has the potential to be contaminated with elevated levels of lead and arsenic. United States (03/10/2025)

	ADM Recalls Select Pelleted Cattle Nutrition Feed Products
ADM Animal Nutrition, a division of ADM (NYSE: ADM), is recalling specific pelleted animal feed products because they may contain elevated levels of copper or have levels of zinc below the represented amounts which could be harmful to cattle. United States (03/05/2025)

	U.S. Trading Company of Hayward, CA is Recalling Joy Luck Brand Lily Flowers Because it May Contain Undeclared Sulfites
U.S. Trading Company of Hayward, CA is recalling Joy Luck Brand Lily Flowers because it may contain undeclared SULFITES. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to sulfites run the risk of serious allergic reaction if they consume these products. United States (03/04/2025)

	AKT Trading Inc. Recalls Prepared Vegetable Products Because of Possible Health Risk
AKT Trading Inc. of Torrance, California, is recalling certain prepared vegetable products manufactured by Choshiya Honten Co., Ltd. due to a potential risk of Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. The products lack the necessary "Keep Refrigerated" s United States (03/03/2025)

	Little Leaf Farms Announces Limited Voluntary Withdrawal of a Specific Lot Code of Southwest Salad Kit Due to Undeclared Fish and Wheat
Little Leaf Farms is voluntarily recalling a specific lot code of its Southwest Salad Kits due to the potential presence of undeclared fish and wheat allergens. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat and/or fish run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they United States (02/28/2025)

	Lyons Magnus Recalls Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes Manufactured by Third Party Because of Possible Health Risk
Lyons Magnus LLC ("Lyons Magnus") today announced that it is voluntarily recalling 4 oz. Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes due to the potential for the products to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Lyons Magnus is taking this action in response to a recall of t United States (02/22/2025)

	Kayco Issues an Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk in Limited Units of Glicks Dark Chocolate Conettos
Kayco, a Bayonne NJ company is recalling their Glicks Dark Chocolate Conettos because it may contain undeclared milk. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk, run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. United States (02/21/2025)

	Kedake Inc. Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Sesame, Soy, Wheat, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, and Red No. 6 in Botana Mix Snacks
KEDAKE, INC. of Houston, TX is recalling it's 2 lb packages of Las Ollas Botana Mix Snacks because they may contain undeclared Sesame, Soy, Wheat, Yellow No 5, Yellow No 6, and Red No 6. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to Sesame, Soy, Wheat, Yellow No 5, Yellow No 6 and Red No 6, ru United States (02/20/2025)

	ZB Importing Issue Voluntary Recall and Allergy Alert on Undeclared Egg, Wheat and Milk in Certain Ulker Brand Products
ZB Importing LLC is voluntarily recalling certain lots of six varieties of Ulker Brand snack rolls, biscuits, and wafers due to undeclared wheat, egg and/or milk in the Ingredient List and/or Contains Statement on the product labels. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat, egg, or United States (02/18/2025)

	Naturipe Value Added Fresh LLC Issues Allergy Alert On Undeclared Wheat & Eggs In "Berry Buddies, Berries & Pancakes" Lot # 1097901
Naturipe Value Added Fresh LLC. of Alma, GA, is recalling its 2.1 oz./60 gram packages of "Berry Buddies, Berries & Pancakes" bento box snack packs because they contain wheat and EGGS that were not declared on the label. People who have allergies to WHEAT and/or EGGS run the risk of serious allergic United States (02/18/2025)