California is starting July with several new laws. And one aims to protect people from getting roofied. All bars and clubs are now required to sell or give away kits that test for date rape drugs. Businesses that serve alcohol must buy their own and post signs about them. Other laws include adding an 11% tax to buy a gun, limiting a renter’s deposit to one month, and preventing school suspensions for willful defiance. There’s another law that affects drivers. Police can no longer pull someone over only for expired tags unless two months have passed.
Another new law today isn’t applying to California restaurants after all. They can continue surcharges as long as the amount is clearly stated on the menu. Governor Newsom is giving them a year to comply. He signed an emergency bill Saturday night that exempts restaurants from the ban on hidden fees. But other businesses like concert venues, hotels, and Airbnb must reveal the total price upfront so customers aren’t surprised at checkout.
Northern California faces heightened wildfire risk ahead of intense heat this week. A Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service for parts of the Valley from Monday night through Tuesday warns of dry conditions and temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. Wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour are expected, particularly on the west side of the Sacramento Valley. Caution is advised outdoors due to dry grass and brush, despite lighter winds expected on Wednesday and the 4th of July.
As if the heat wave isn’t enough, now there’s the threat of power outages. PG&E says it may have to turn the lights off tomorrow morning in several counties, including Lake. That means 12-thousand customers could be in the dark with no air conditioning or electricity to keep refrigerators running. Most are in Shasta County, with about 19-hundred in Tehama County and 550 in Colusa County. The shut offs could also impact 360 people in Glenn County, 200 in Yolo County and 100 each in Lake, Napa and Solano counties. The planned outages are meant to help prevent wildfires as red flag warnings kick in tonight.
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed California’s budget for the upcoming 2024-2025 fiscal year. They sliced, diced, and made major cuts to the $298 billion spending plan. The cuts will close a roughly 47-billion-dollar deficit for the state. This budget includes many programs like funding for homelessness grants, in-home supportive services for undocumented immigrants, and affordable housing programs. It also dips into state reserves, cuts state operations by nearly 8% and delays a new health care worker minimum wage law.
California voters will decide this fall whether to increase penalties for drug possession and theft. Councilwoman Traci Park announced Friday that the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act has officially qualified for the November ballot. Park is also a member of the group “Californians for Safer Communities Coalition” and she’s urging voters to support the Prop 47 reform initiative. It changes Prop 47 to enhance punishments for repeat offenders and requires those who steal for a third time to spend up to three years in prison. Some California Democrats have been trying to get the initiative off the ballot and could potentially put a crime measure to compete with it.
California is giving hundreds of first-generation homebuyers the chance to purchase a home. Under the Dream For All Program, the state will assist with down payments for up to 1700 first-generation homebuyers. The program will provide homebuyers with vouchers offering up to 20% of a home’s value for down payment and closing cost assistance. Governor Gavin Newsom says the move is part of the state’s “efforts to improve, build generational wealth and unlock access to housing.”
A woman is dead and a man is in custody after what Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office called a violent assault in Willits. Deputies responded to a home on Blue Lakes Road in Willits after several calls about a disturbance in the area. When they got there, they found a 77 year old woman suffering from obvious injuries. First responders gave the victim CPR, but she was eventually pronounced dead at the scene. While deputies were still at the scene Michael Coleman of Willits showed up. Officials said there was evidence that Coleman was involved in the assault. He was arrested and taken to Mendocino County Jail on suspicion of homicide, where he’s being held without bail. The Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office is investigating and said more charges will likely be requested.
A man who’d been reported missing along the Mendocino Coast has been found dead. California State Parks and Mendocino Volunteer Fire Department launched a search operation on Sunday afternoon for an elderly man who was reported missing near Van Damme State Beach. According to reports, the missing man suffered from Parkinson’s Disease. Responders searched the shoreline along State Route 1, just south of Mendocino where the 70 year old was last seen. Officials said the man had gone for a swim and had not returned a few hours later. The Incident Commander said the man’s body was recovered just after 3:30pm. The victim has not yet been identified.
A suspected drunk driver flooded an intersection in Ukiah. It happened late Friday afternoon at the intersection of Orchard Avenue and East Perkin Street, according to a press release. Ukiah PD responded to a multi-vehicle crash where one of the vehicles knocked a fire hydrant off it’s mount. Water flooded the intersection, causing officers to close part of it for safety. Officials from the City utility had to shut off the water so crews could clean up. Ukiah PD reported the driver of a Toyota Tundra, Jason Hamby, was speeding down South Orchard and did not stop for the red light. The Tundra hit a Corolla, which crashed into the hydrant. Hamby was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was booked into the Mendocino County Jail. The driver of the Corolla was taken to Adventist Health Ukiah Valley for their injuries.
