By Andrew Ysiano – Latino Times A new report from the American Lung Association “State of the Air” finds that between 2020 and 2022 people in the U.S. experienced the most days with “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” air quality in 25 years. In total, the report finds that 131 million people (39%) are living in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution. In California, the impacts of dirty air are the most severe of any state with more than 98% Californians living in a community that earned a failing grade for unhealthy ozone (smog) pollution days. Notably, Los Angeles, the most polluted city ..read more

Democrats completely dominate California’s state government, and one aspect of that hegemony is their ability to act without compunction. When doing whatever they want to do, Democratic officeholders don’t have to worry about competition from the state’s shriveled-up Republican Party nor, for the most part, criticism from equally shrunken political media. Thus, the Capitol has become an echo chamber rather than a forum for forthright debate about issues. The syndrome explains why its leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, ignored indications that as California emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic ..read more

California’s Legislature is getting crazy busy as key bill deadlines get closer — and we’re keeping track. Tuesday, some bills didn’t survive crucial committee hearings, while others were watered down to stay alive. CalMatters homelessness reporter Marisa Kendall watched the Senate Public Safety Committee kill a bill for a statewide ban on homeless encampments near parks and schools, for the second year in a row. The Democratic legislators against the bill said they didn’t want to penalize down-and-out residents who sleep on public property. • Sen. Aisha Wahab, a Democrat from Fremont and chai ..read more

Gov. Gavin Newsom sought to make California a haven for abortion rights. Now he’s trying to bring women in neighboring Arizona under those protections. Wednesday, members of the Legislative Women’s Caucus and Newsom formally introduced a bill that would enable Arizona doctors to temporarily provide abortion services for their patients traveling to California through Nov. 30. The measure, Senate Bill 233, is in direct response to an Arizona Supreme Court ruling earlier this month upholding an 1864 abortion ban, which goes into effect on June 8. Efforts to repeal the ban are underway; a bill to ..read more

There may be times in our life when we are faced with an unimaginable situation, and we call out for help or pray for a miracle. When Amanda Jurado’s son, Xavier Martinez, a 15-year-old Stagg High School Student, went missing in the Calaveras River she desperately appealed to the community for help. On March 13th, Xavier and his friend, who were involved in a fight, fled the campus and jumped into the nearby river. Xavier’s friend resurfaced from the river, but tragically, Xavier did not. Although many volunteers and agencies responded to the search, including the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Departm ..read more

University tuition is free! No, wait, the full cost of college is tens of thousands of dollars annually. Hold up. There’s enough financial aid to bring down the price tag to just a few thousand dollars a year — tuition, food and housing included. All of those statements are true, depending on where you attend and how much you or the parents who claim you on their taxes earn. For something as consequential — and at times more costly than a small condo — as affording a degree, understanding how much a family must shell out for a better shot at higher wages can be complicated.  This guide i ..read more

While most schools in the United States do not report using corporal punishment — the use of pain as punishment — it still impacts tens of thousands of students annually, particularly in states where it remains legal. Jaime Peterson, a pediatrician and assistant professor at Oregon Health and Science University, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a call this fall again to end of such practices in school. “As pediatricians, we don’t recommend corporal punishment. We know it’s not an effective form of discipline. Spanking and hitting a child might help a behavior in the short t ..read more

The pain and discomfort of a herniated disk can significantly impact the quality of your life. Here is what you should know about having a herniated disk, including what it is, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Plus, learn about the medication, self-care, surgery and lifestyle options that may help relieve pain. What is a herniated disk? The Cleveland Clinic describes a herniated disk as a spinal injury. Your spinal cord is made up of bony parts called vertebrae; between the vertebrae are disks that act as cushions. These make it easier to bend and move. When one tears or leaks, i ..read more

A majority of U.S. Hispanics (75%) describe the recent increase in the number of migrants seeking to enter the United States at its border with Mexico as a major problem or a crisis. A majority (74%) are also critical of the way the U.S. government is handling the situation at the southern border. But Hispanics are less likely than non-Hispanics to describe the migrant situation at the border as a crisis or to say it is leading to more crime. Both groups also disagree on the possible effects of several policy proposals on the migrant border situation. Yet Latinos are just as likely as other A ..read more

One year after the multilingual CA vs Hate reporting hotline was launched, how has it answered hate?  At a Friday, March 15 Ethnic Media Services briefing, CA vs Hate staff, civil rights state organizers and community organizations on the ground discussed hate crime trends throughout California, and how the hotline connects those experiencing hate with local resources including mental health support, legal aid and financial help. The hotline Since the CA vs Hate line was launched in May 2023, “we have received 823 reports of hate across 79% of the counties in California,” said Chantel Ber ..read more