Category: Regional & State News

School District Suspended 2 Students for ‘Misgendering’ Trans Teacher in 2022

The Glendale Unified School District in Southern California suspended two students last year for “misgendering” a transgender teacher and had the students undergo a “restorative justice” training, according to an email obtained by a district parent group. In the May 2022 email, former Herbert Hoover High School principal Jennifer Earl said she suspended two students…


‘Locally Acquired’ Malaria Outbreak in Florida Infects 6 People in Sarasota County

Florida was the epicenter of an outbreak of malaria, the first time the tropical disease was contracted in the state in 20 years. Six cases of “locally acquired” malaria were reported in southwest Florida in May and June, according to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH). All six cases were localized in Sarasota County—halfway between…


Japanese Garden in Balboa Park Celebrates Tanabata Festival

Hundreds of people—many wearing kimonos and other traditional Japanese clothing—gathered to celebrate the annual Tanabata Festival held by the Japanese Friendship Garden at Balboa Park in San Diego on July 7. Also known as the “Star Festival,” the event originates from Chinese culture and celebrates the one day a year star-crossed lovers, Orihime, a weaver,…


IN-DEPTH: Florida, California GOP Push Back Against Claims of Anti-Trump Bias

Some supporters of former President Donald Trump are concerned that GOP rule changes in a pair of key states may hurt his bid to become the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nominee. The changes also could help his second-place challenger, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, gain ground, Mr. Trump’s allies allege. But Republican leaders in the two…


Orange County Grand Jury Highlights Challenges of Regulating Sober Living Homes

An Orange County Grand Jury published a report (pdf) in June raising concerns about the impact of group homes, including sober living homes, in the Southern California county and recommended cities come together to better regulate the homes. The jurors said cities should develop a model ordinance and pool resources together to defend against potential…


Grand Jury Highlights Challenges of Regulating Sober Living Homes

An Orange County Grand Jury published a report (pdf) in June raising concerns about the impact of group homes, including sober living homes, in the Southern California county and recommended cities come together to better regulate the homes. The jurors said cities should develop a model ordinance and pool resources together to defend against potential…


Recycling Toilet Waste: California Considers Making Domestic Wastewater Drinkable

California has put forward a proposal to convert domestic and industrial wastewater into a “climate-resilient” drinking water source even as safety concerns remain regarding its consumption. On Tuesday, California’s State Water Resources Control Board announced a series of proposed regulations that would allow for municipal wastewater to be mixed in with water systems as part…


California School Board Trustee Responds to Anti-Parent Legislative Agenda

Commentary Standing up for parental rights over our children’s education is more than a campaign slogan—it is essential. As parents are taking action to regain control of their children’s education, we are seeing disinformation campaigns launched to upend their efforts. As a newly seated Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) board member, I’m compelled to…


‘Not Normal’ Disney World Crowd Size Draws Response From CEO

Disney CEO Bob Iger responded to reports showing that Disney World’s wait times for rides and attractions have dropped this summer, suggesting that fewer people are going to the theme park. In a comment to CNBC this week, Mr. Iger was asked about the trend, and he attributed it to an overall slump in tourism…


Google Being Sued Over New AI Data-Scraping Privacy Policy

One week after Google updated its user privacy policy to allow data scraping from millions of users for artificial intelligence (AI) training purposes, the tech giant is now facing a class-action lawsuit. Google, its parent company Alphabet, and Google’s AI subsidiary DeepMind, were accused in a July 11 filing in a federal court in San…