The Park Fire is holding steady at 59% contained. CalFire said crews are diligently working on mop-up, removing hazardous trees, and making sure the fire stays within its perimeter. They’re hoping rain showers forecast for Friday evening will help with suppression efforts.
With the start of the fall semester this week, pro-Palestinian protests have returned to the Sonoma State University campus. But, this time, demonstrators must follow a new California State University policy regarding protests. The Time, Place and Manner policy, adopted by Sonoma State a week ago, includes limits on where demonstrations can take place with and without school approval. Posters, signs, banners and chalking are no longer allowed without a university official’s written permission. Encampments and overnight demonstrations are also not allowed. The goal of the policy, according to CSU officials, is to “facilitate academic freedom, freedom of expression, and CSU’s educational mission while protecting the right to learn and work in a safe environment.”
California Senate Republicans are blasting legislation that aims to change how teachers can address and notify law enforcement about unlawful student behavior. The bill makes it optional instead of mandatory for students to be reported to law enforcement for drug possession, if they willfully disturb a public school meeting, or if a teacher or staff is assaulted or threatened. GOP lawmakers, like Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, believe it’s a dangerous risk for school safety. Jones said he expects the bill to go before the Senate Floor again sometime next week.
State lawmakers are pushing for new legislation to protect farm workers from extreme heat. They aim to improve inspections and enforcement to ensure that employers provide necessary heat illness prevention training and take appropriate measures to protect their workers from heat-related risks. This comes after an investigation showed a decline in field inspections and violations issued to employers by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The investigation revealed the number of field inspections by Cal/OSHA dropped by nearly 30% between 2017 and 2023, and the number of violations issued fell by more than 40%. To address these issues, lawmakers are advocating for legislative changes, particularly in agricultural settings.
Northern California is about to experience a rare weather system bringing cooler temperatures, gusty winds, and the possibility of rain showers and thunderstorms. The storm is coming in from Canada starting today and lasting into Friday and Saturday. According to the National Weather Service, we can expect gusty winds and much cooler temperatures with a rare possibility of snow on the mountaintops. After the storm passes, temps will rise again, with the potential for triple digits again across Northern California early next week.
A California congresswoman is ready to pass the torch. Nancy Pelosi took the stage at last night’s Democratic National Convention, telling voters to turn to a new generation of leaders. She says fellow hometown star Vice President Harris is ready to take the country to new heights. Pelosi has been in Chicago since Sunday and joins nearly 500 state delegates. They’ll be wrapping up tonight when Harris accepts the presidential nomination.
This is the day to chime in on California’s most visited national park. Yosemite is holding a virtual public meeting on its website at 4 p.m. Officials will answer questions and provide information about plans to handle the surge of visitors, which leads to overcrowding and traffic congestion. One idea is to make the reservation system permanent during peak hours. Those who can’t attend can still offer feedback through September.
California is being named the second most fun state to visit. It scores high for having a lot of restaurants, amusement parks, movie theaters and fitness centers. The personal finance website WalletHub says it has the most scenic byways per capita, the best beach access in the nation, and the fourth-best weather. If that’s not enough, the study also found it’s the sixth-least expensive for wine thanks in part to local production.
The state’s first pizza vending machine is up and running. PizzaForno installed it in late June at a shopping mall in Sacramento County. It stores frozen pizzas and once one is ordered, it goes through a conduction oven. The owner says robotic arms lift it up from the pizza box, cook it and put back in the box. Customers can choose from six flavors including pepperoni and vegetarian. The machine gets restocked every few days.
