At 36, Adam Schiff was the youngest member of the California State Senate when he took office in 1996. He was sworn in last week as California's 48th United States Senator.
Throughout California right now, people are being sworn into office—some for the first time, and others in the midst of long careers. It's an annual rite of democracy. In city council chambers and those of boards of supervisors, in offices of school boards and directors of public hospitals—anywhere public money is being spent, the recently-elected guardians of the public trust are taking oaths of office.
On the floor of the US Senate, Adam Schiff was sworn in last week as the 48th person to represent our state in that august body. Schiff took his first oath of office in the California State Senate 28 years ago, and went on to build a career as a bipartisan dealmaker—not as the firebrand who has spent recent years in the national spotlight. Here's a quick read.
But first: Happy Hollidays from the capital of California! Below, as always, you can find one-click links to stories from trusted news sources about the most important stuff happening in your community, and—a recipe to make the season brighter and tastier.
CARE Courts in the News
Sacramento County last week announced the expansion of the CARE court program to provide treatment to homeless residents with psychiatric issues. California now offers access to Community, Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment courts in all 58 counties—the law creating these courts was launched in seven counties just last year. Meanwhile, The Washington Post reports that "California's CARE Courts are falling short." Here, Jonathan Vankin explains how this controversial humanitarian effort came to pass.
The Tahoe Conservancy awarded a $601,700 grant to the North Tahoe Fire Protection District to aid in resilience and fuel reduction efforts. Read on to learn how the funds will be used over a three-year period.
(12/16/2024) South Tahoe Now
KFOK Community Radio in Georgetown is the recipient of a grant to fund a power backup system. Learn more about the grant, and the role KFOK will play in any upcoming emergency.
(12/12/2024) Georgetown Gazette
Learn how the El Dorado County Superior Court is accepting petitions for local individuals suffering mental illness or addiction under the recently passed Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) act. Read on to learn more.
(12/12/2024) Georgetown Gazette
If your project improves the Lake Tahoe environment, read on to learn more about how to apply for a 2025 Tahoe Fund Grant.
(12/11/2024) Mountain Democrat
El Dorado County planning officials are proposing amendments to cell and communications tower ordinances. Read on to learn more.
(12/11/2024) Mountain Democrat
The US EPA granted California’s waiver, which the incoming Trump administration is likely to try to overturn in the courts. The state’s zero-emission vehicle mandates have been the driving force behind California’s progress in cleaning up dangerous air pollutants.
(12/17/2024) CalMatters
Child care centers throughout California struggled to find people with the right credentials to look after their babies, toddlers and preschoolers. At the same time, many people who wanted to become early childhood educators faced difficulties in earning the credentials.
(12/17/2024) CalMatters
Use this explainer by the National Science Foundation-sponsored National Center for Atmospheric Research to understand atmospheric rivers and how they'll change as the climate warms.
(12/17/2024) YubaNet
California recorded historically high numbers of deaths in county jails for the past six years. Now, counties expect to house more prisoners as Prop. 36 takes effect.
(12/16/2024) CalMatters
Gov. Newsom and legislative Democrats pushed through a law that bans employers from requiring workers to attend ‘captive audience meetings.’ It was the latest victory for the labor movement at the state Capitol.
(12/16/2024) CalMatters
There’s no law requiring California property owners to carry insurance, but the vast majority buy it to protect themselves from fire and other perils, or are required to do so by their mortgage lenders.
(12/16/2024) CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “Master Plan for Career Education” seeks to help the nearly 7 million adults in California who lack college degrees by giving them college credit for their work experience and by changing the requirements on some state jobs.
(12/16/2024) CalMatters
The Supreme Court justices agreed to review whether oil companies have standing to try to overturn a federal waiver for a California clean-car rule that ramped up electric car sales. The standards are the cornerstone of California’s efforts to clean its air and combat climate change.
(12/13/2024) CalMatters
Some rural California communities are resisting efforts to streamline permitting for wind and solar farms and battery storage for environmental or safety reasons.
(12/13/2024) CalMatters
When disaster strikes, California gets federal funding to hire temporary workers to clean debris. But the jobs are tough, and some agencies struggle to manage the grants.
(12/12/2024) CalMatters
Gov. Newsom launched an ambitious program that uses Medi-Cal to help Californians access housing, healthy food and more. Now, its fate is in the hands of President-Elect Trump.
(12/11/2024) CalMatters
The Biden administration is awarding Inflation Reduction Act money to help clean the air before President-elect Trump takes over.
(12/11/2024) CalMatters
In a December 10 press conference, Governor Newsom urged lawmakers to press forward in building the Sites Reservoir in Colusa County. Read on to learn more about the project, the largest new reservoirs to be built in California in the last 50 years.
(12/10/2024) The Mercury News
