Some homeowners across California are on the verge of sticker shock. The state’s largest insurer is requesting its biggest increase ever. State Farm wants to raise rates by an average of 30%. It’d be way higher for renters at 52%. The company claims it’s facing increased losses due to water damage and liability claims, on top of billions spent in 2017 and 2018 for catastrophic wildfires. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara says this raises serious questions about their financial condition and he plans to investigate.
This is the last weekend before new California laws begin. Come Monday, businesses will no longer be allowed to hide fees until checkout. Hotels and short-term rentals on Airbnb and Vrbo must also show the total price up front. Renters will only have to pay one month’s security deposit, buying a gun will include an 11-percent tax, and police can’t stop a driver for expired tags unless at least a month has passed since the expiration.
The Sonoma County Civil Grand Jury is criticizing the Department of Health Services’ response to revelations about the county’s for-profit homeless services provider, DEMA. The grand jury published a report on Wednesday called “DEMA: Let’s All Play ‘Pass the Buck.'” Earlier this year, an outside accounting firm proved Sonoma County paid DEMA millions of dollars, despite the company never providing proper documentation for its billing. The report says several leaders of county agencies were not willing to take responsibility for the issue but were willing to point out other department heads’ mistakes. The grand jury interviewed 18 current and former county officials and outside providers for its report.
A bill banning transgender parent notification policies in California schools is heading to the governor’s desk. The legislation will prevent school districts across the state from passing policies that require school staff to notify parents if their child is transgender or uses different names or pronouns in school. The bill passed the Senate and Assembly and now awaits Gavin Newsom’s signature. Opponents say the bill is an overreach into family matters and infringes upon the rights of parents.
A Delta Breeze will keep the end of June temperatures mild, but triple digits are expected soon. The National Weather Service has issued a heat warning for the Sacramento Valley, with temperatures expected to reach 100 degrees or higher in the first week of July. Sacramento could reach 102 degrees on July 1st, and Redding has a 93-percent chance of hitting triple digits. A moderate heat risk warning is in place for July 2nd and 3rd, with temperatures possibly reaching highs of 104.
The state has launched an audit of Mendocino County. The audit will include finance, contracts and procurements, and elections according to a news release. Once approved by the governor, the state will conduct the audit over the next 18 months. While it isn’t unusual for the state to do these types of audits, county officials say it’s coming at what many call a tipping point. With the recent indictment of the county auditor, the Board of Supervisors declaring a fiscal crisis, and the botched ballot issues during the primary election, it’s been a rough year. Some officials see the audit as the appropriate next step. Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire said in a statement that the audit will help rebuild trust in the community. He said it will allow everyone to see the facts and make sound decisions for the future of Mendocino County.
A crashed Tesla near Anderson Valley left Firefighters with a difficult task. The Tesla caught fire after crashing into a tree on State Route 128 early Wednesday morning. The fire posed unique challenges to firefighters because of the EV batteries, which are difficult to extinguish. The environmental impact is also significant, as EV battery fires can require up to 28,000 gallons of water to control. Firefighters used special tools to meet those challenges, including blankets to smother the flames and devices to cool the batteries. CalTrans said the road was closed for about 3 hours while crews put the fire out and cleaned up the crash.
