Covered California announces biggest increase in premiums since 2018. Here’s how much
CALMatters, KRISTEN HWANG: "Premiums for health insurance sold through the state marketplace will increase by nearly 10% next year, the highest rate hike since 2018, Covered California officials announced Tuesday.
The projected 9.6% hike is the result of a “complicated time for health care,” Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman said during a media briefing, but many Californians will be shielded from the increases as a result of federal and state financial assistance."
Police can’t search the trunk of a car without good cause, California court rules
The Chronicle, BOB EGELKO: "If police have a reason to search the inside of a car for contraband, such as seeing the driver shove something under the front seat, a state appeals court says it doesn’t mean they can also unlock and search the trunk.
In a 3-0 ruling Tuesday, the Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento overturned a judge’s decision allowing Stockton police to offer evidence in court of a loaded handgun an officer had found in a car trunk. The officer had seen a youth walk stiffsly as hse entered the car, reach toward his waistband, then walk out smoothly. When a search of the interior turned up nothing, the officer opened the trunk and found the gun."https://calmatters.org/health/2023/07/covered-california-2024-health-rates/
Migrants arrived in Sacramento wanting to work. Here’s why they can’t legally secure jobs
Sac Bee, MATHEW MIRANDA: " They left their countries, traveled thousands of miles and boarded planes to Sacramento with one goal: to work.
But securing jobs is nearly impossible for the 36 Latin American migrants that arrived in early June. Like thousands seeking asylum in the United States, they are faced with a stark reality — federal law prevents them from working legally. In some cases, working can negatively affect them moving forward."
Education gap between Latino and white students widens, report says
LA Times, CHELSEA HYLTON: "Crossing the stage and graduating is not an easy task, and for Latino students it seems to be even more difficult, as the education gap between Latino and white, non-Hispanic students has widened within the last four years.
A recent report by Excelencia in Education, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that promotes Latino student achievement, shows that the number of Latino students enrolled in colleges is up but the graduation rate has not seen an increase."
Vince Iwuchukwu’s collapse helped prepare USC staff to treat Bronny James’ sudden cardiac arrest
LA Times, RYAN KARTJE: "When Vince Iwuchukwu collapsed on the court during a summer workout at Galen Center on July 1 last year, USC’s training staff rushed to revive the 7-foot freshman whose heart had stopped suddenly.
A trio of certified athletic trainers converged on Iwuchukwu and began administering CPR. One staff member called 911. Another retrieved the automated external defibrillator (AED) that hangs in a hallway off the main court. The speed with which the USC’s staff reacted ultimately saved Iwuchukwu’s life — and later allowed for him to resume playing competitive basketball."
Job training a valuable tool for managing uncertain job market
Capitol Weekly, DAVID M. SMITH: "The recent fluctuations in California’s job market have led to concerns among residents about near-term job prospects and long-term careers. While the state’s economy had been experiencing positive growth for 14 consecutive months until December 2022, the start of 2023 brought about job cuts in the tech industry, leading to cross-industry cutbacks, layoffs, and rescinded job offers. This has resulted in an increase in unemployment rates, with the most recent monthly rate in California at 4.5%, up from 4.1% in January. Although these circumstances may cause anxiety, it is important to recognize that job market gyrations are not uncommon.
To mitigate the impact of an uncertain job market, education and job training are valuable tools. Acquiring job skills equips individuals with the knowledge, competencies, and qualifications sought by employers, enhancing their employability and opening up opportunities in California’s diverse economy."
A Netflix hit, a FB flood and an overdue reckoning: How Taiwan's #MeToo finally took off
LA Times, STEPHANIE YANG, DAVID SHEN: "In a pivotal scene from the hit Taiwanese drama “Wave Makers,” senior political staffer Weng Wen-fang crouches outside a rollicking karaoke room, making a drunken call to another woman on her team, Chang Ya-ching.
Chang had been sexually harassed by a male colleague but, assuming futility, declined to file a complaint. On the phone, Weng urges Chang not to brush it off, and promises to stand firmly by her younger co-worker."
Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey cleared of all charges of sexual assault
CNN, WIRE SERVICE: "A London jury has found Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey not guilty of seven sexual assault and two other sexual offenses against four men.
The Hollywood star, 64, had faced historical sex offense charges that allegedly took place between 2004 and 2013, during which time Spacey served as artistic director at the Old Vic theater in the British capital. He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges."
Twitter’s rebrand to X could cost billions in brand recognition, but Elon Musk defiant about change
The Chronicle, ROLAND LI: "Twitter’s name change to X could erase billions of dollars in company value, but owner Elon Musk was defiant on Tuesday about the decision.
“X will become the most valuable brand on Earth,” he posted on the social network, which still retains a twitter.com domain name."
Column: Elon Musk has replaced Twitter with X — and an actual business with science fiction
LA Times, BRIAN MERCHANT: "R.I.P. Twitter. Welcome to the world, uh, X.
We all know that the world’s richest man is impetuous and more than happy to court controversy. Even so, Elon Musk’s sudden move over the weekend to transform Twitter, the social media company he purchased for $44 billion last year, into an entity obliquely named after the 24th letter of the alphabet, struck even his admirers as bizarre and ill-conceived."
Saratoga’s economy bounces back from pandemic, but major budget deficit still looms
BANG*Mercury News, HANNAH KANIK: "The City of Saratoga’s local economy bounced back from the pandemic last fiscal year, but a potential budget deficit could still be growing.
Staff said Saratoga’s revenue sources were nearly 8% higher than anticipated for fiscal year 2022-23, and its expenditures came in 2% under budget. Higher than expected revenue from property taxes along with a boost in charges for services caused the increase."
New bill makes its easier to build multiunit homes on S.F.’s west side
The Chronicle, JK DINEEN: "West side San Francisco homeowners interested in adding more units to their family homes will face fewer restrictions and less red tape, thanks to legislation the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved on Tuesday.
The “family housing opportunity” legislation, introduced by Supervisor Myrna Melgar, tackles a problem that most space-deprived city residents can only dream of having: too much square footage in a single-family home."
Home sales at fraud-tied San Jose project stall, Fremont site advances
BANG*Mercury News, GEORGE AVALOS: "Two Bay Area condo projects, one in San Jose and the other in Fremont, that were both tangled in a massive Bay Area real estate fraud case, are experiencing greatly differing levels of success — and obstacles.
Both the projects were developed by Silicon Sage Builders and its principal executive Sanjeev Acharya, whose Bay Area real estate empire crumbled in 2020."
S.F. police scandal: D.A. says 132 narcotics cases in city under review
The Chronicle, ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH: "San Francisco prosecutors are reviewing 132 cases tied to a local narcotics officer accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a confidential informant, according to documents obtained by The Chronicle.
Prosecutors sent a list of the potentially affected cases in a July 17 letter to the Bar Association of San Francisco and the public defender’s office."
Man beaten by San Rafael police files suit for damages against city, officers
The Chronicle, BOB EGELKO: "A gardener who was beaten by San Rafael police while sipping beer with friends after work has sued the city and its police officers, saying they brutalized someone who posed no resistance or threat.
Julio Lopez said he suffered a brain injury and a broken nose and needed shoulder surgery after being punched and beaten, sending him to the ground, outside his truck in San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood last July. Lopez said he is 5 feet tall and weighs 130 pounds, while the officer who beat him, Brandon Nail, stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 250 pounds."
