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California Hall of Fame Announces 2026 Inductees, Honoring Social and Cultural Trailblazers

California Hall of Fame Announces 2026 Inductees, Honoring Social and Cultural Trailblazers

The California Hall of Fame has announced its 20th class of inductees for 2026, recognizing individuals who have made significant social and cultural contributions to both California and the United States. The honorees were selected by Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The induction ceremony is scheduled to take place at the California Museum in Sacramento in December. This year's class includes leaders from various sectors such as public service, entertainment, music, sports, arts, literature, food and wine, and business. Notable inductees include Nancy Pelosi, the first woman Speaker of the House; Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro; musicians like Metallica, Joni Mitchell, and Huey Lewis; Major League Baseball player Barry Bonds; and artist Shepard Fairey. Posthumous inductions will honor figures such as Betty Charbonnet Reid Soskin, the oldest full-time National Park Service ranger, and Felicitas Méndez, an advocate for public education.
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Richmond Black Panther Elders Reflect on 60th Anniversary, Highlight Local Legacy

Richmond Black Panther Elders Reflect on 60th Anniversary, Highlight Local Legacy

Elders of the Black Panther Party in Richmond, California, recently gathered to commemorate the organization's 60th anniversary, reflecting on its significant but often overlooked local history. James Wheaton, 83, who joined the party in 1967, shared memories of preparing breakfast for schoolchildren, soliciting food from local businesses, and selling the party's newspaper. Linda Whitmore, an organizer with the Richmond Black Historical Legacy Project, emphasized that many are unaware of Richmond's deep connection to the Panthers, often associating the movement primarily with Oakland and San Francisco. The project, in collaboration with the Richmond Museum of History & Culture, created an exhibit to highlight this local legacy. The party's presence in Richmond was spurred by the 1967 killing of Denzil Dowell by a Contra Costa County sheriff's deputy, which led to the creation of the Black Panther newspaper to counter mainstream media narratives.
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California Accused of Deceptive Biofuels Emissions Accounting and High Carbon Dumping

California Accused of Deceptive Biofuels Emissions Accounting and High Carbon Dumping

California is facing criticism for its reliance on 'renewable diesel' to claim greenhouse gas emissions reductions, despite scientific evidence suggesting that liquid biofuels may not be carbon neutral and can even lead to increased emissions. According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB)'s 2026 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, approximately 30% of the state's claimed emissions reductions for 2024 are attributed to the burning of 'renewable diesel.' However, the California Energy Commission (CEC) and CARB have admitted to 'resource shuffling,' where California imports 'renewable diesel' while exporting petroleum-based diesel to other jurisdictions. This practice, combined with CARB's accounting methodology that treats 'renewable diesel' as carbon neutral, is being challenged as deceptive, with critics arguing that it masks the true emissions from the transportation sector and contributes to global deforestation.
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Fuji Food Products Inc. Announces Layoffs Affecting 35 Employees in California

Fuji Food Products Inc. Announces Layoffs Affecting 35 Employees in California

Fuji Food Products Inc. Announces Layoffs Affecting 35 Employees in California
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Korean Adoptees Seek Unredacted Records and Independent Oversight Amidst Government Accountability

Korean Adoptees Seek Unredacted Records and Independent Oversight Amidst Government Accountability

Korean-born adoptees in the U.S. and globally are advocating for access to their unredacted birth records and the establishment of an independent governing body to manage these files. This movement follows South Korea's recent acknowledgment of its role in enabling private adoption agencies to facilitate the 'mass export' of Korean children, sometimes without the consent of birth families. Oh Myo Kim, a professor at Boston College and founder of the Emergency Action for Records Storage, highlights the systemic roadblocks adoptees face in obtaining information, often being told files are confidential or that photographs, the only images of birth families, are discarded. The records, initially slated for a freezing storage center, are now being moved to the National Archives after protests, marking the second relocation. Adoptees report receiving inconsistent information regarding what data will be preserved, with some agency workers admitting to discarding photographs not considered part of official adoptio...
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California Legislators Advance New Child Safety and AI Oversight Laws

California Legislators Advance New Child Safety and AI Oversight Laws

California has enacted several new laws focusing on child safety, data privacy, and artificial intelligence (AI) oversight. Assembly Bill 1709 prohibits covered platforms from providing "addictive features" like autoplay or infinite feeds to users under 16, requiring age verification under the Digital Age Assurance Act (DAAA) and deletion of accounts for underage users if addictive features are not provided. Assembly Bill 2 makes social media platforms with over $100 million in annual revenue liable for statutory damages if they fail to exercise ordinary care, causing injury to minors under 18. Assembly Bill 2246 replaces the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, imposing obligations on businesses to prevent harm to children from online services. Assembly Bill 1856 amends the DAAA, requiring operating system providers to offer an interface for age indication at account setup, with the age bracket signal provided to app stores or developers. Senate Bill 1119, known as "Adam's Law," mandates child safe...
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PG Seeks Senior Program Manager for Critical Infrastructure Protection

PG Seeks Senior Program Manager for Critical Infrastructure Protection

PG Seeks Senior Program Manager for Critical Infrastructure Protection
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Manzana Products Relocates Operations to Former Seneca Foods Plant in Sunnyside, Washington

Manzana Products Relocates Operations to Former Seneca Foods Plant in Sunnyside, Washington

Manzana Products Relocates Operations to Former Seneca Foods Plant in Sunnyside, Washington
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Palmetto Superfoods Expands Presence with New Petaluma Location

Palmetto Superfoods Expands Presence with New Petaluma Location

Palmetto Superfoods Expands Presence with New Petaluma Location
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Conducts Multiple Arrests Across San Mateo County

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Conducts Multiple Arrests Across San Mateo County

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out five arrests on Tuesday across San Mateo County, California. These arrests were confirmed by alerts from Faith in Action Bay Area, an immigrant rights organization that manages the Rapid Response Hotline for the county, and the San Mateo County Office of Community Affairs. Two arrests occurred in East Palo Alto, one at a Chevron gas station at 6 a.m. and another on Woodland Avenue at 9:45 a.m. A third arrest took place at 10 a.m. in the parking lot of a Dollar Tree and Home Depot in San Carlos. Additionally, two individuals were arrested in the city of San Mateo, one at Chavez Supermarket at 7:45 a.m. and another on South Idaho Street at 11 a.m. Faith in Action Bay Area reported that ICE enforcement has recently intensified in the county, with at least 16 people detained by ICE within the last 10 days. The organization also noted a consistent ICE presence outside the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City since Friday.
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Los Angeles Public Health Responses Show Evolving Equity Focus in Disease Outbreaks

Los Angeles Public Health Responses Show Evolving Equity Focus in Disease Outbreaks

Los Angeles has demonstrated an evolving approach to health equity in its public health responses to disease outbreaks over time, according to a recent analysis. Historically, responses to diseases like tuberculosis in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were marked by significant racial and economic discrimination, with public health officials often blaming immigrants and poorer communities and restricting their access to care. Decades later, the HIV/AIDS epidemic saw Los Angeles emerge as a national leader in equitable responses at the city level, passing landmark anti-discrimination laws, though county-level responses were slower. Most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic saw health equity explicitly integrated into public health strategies in Los Angeles and California, with policies aimed at directing resources to communities with the greatest need. Despite these advancements, underlying structural factors continue to create uneven impacts, indicating that while equity is emphasized, sustained effort is...
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Weyerhaeuser Seeks Forklift and Building Material Operator in Fontana Distribution Center

Weyerhaeuser Seeks Forklift and Building Material Operator in Fontana Distribution Center

Weyerhaeuser Seeks Forklift and Building Material Operator in Fontana Distribution Center