California Connected Newsroom

Executive Producer Bret Marcus rejoices at recent duPont-Columbia awards.
We at California Connected are very proud of winning our first duPont Columbia Award recently in New York. We won a “silver baton” for our half-hour special on veterans of the Iraq War with traumatic brain injuries, called “War Stories from Ward 7-D”.
If you’re not familiar with […]

Producer Angela Shelley returns to San Pasqual Academy to shoot a half-hour special that includes updates on the students and grandparents, a memorable graduation ceremony, and much more. Watch this special episode of California Connected on December 22nd.
Here are some photos from our second shoot during graduation at San Pasqual Academy in Escondido. The crew […]

Intern Gloria Angelina Castillo spotlights the bright side of Prop. 87’s defeat.
The Los Angeles Times reported last Thursday that although Proposition 87 was defeated at the polls, California may still choose alternatives to petroleum in the near future. Votes against the oil-tax initiative that would have pumped about $4 billion into alternative energy programs, came […]

Intern Gloria Angelina Castillo highlights San Benito bellwether.
The Los Angeles Times reports that for the eighth year in a row, San Benito County has stayed true to its microcosm-like politics with an election-day voting record that almost exactly matches the rest of California. Californians reelected Gov. Schwarzenegger over Treasurer Phil Angelides by 57 percent to […]

Associate Producer Hal MacDermot decodes those pesky pump prices.

Oil-fired power plant and steelworks. Photo by Charlie Yack.
California gas prices have fallen to around $2.40 per gallon for regular.
Big deal. In 2000, a gallon cost about $1.50.
So why does gas cost so much?
First off, because oil prices went up. The price of standard crude […]

Associate Producer Hal MacDermot sizes up a political battle brewing under Mt. Shasta.

Mt. Shasta from near rivertown McCloud. Photo by sssnole.
All over California, there’s a battle going on between Nature and People. Houses and smog march inland at a relentless pace. Fertile countryside is converted into residential ranchettes. Los Angeles sucks the moisture out of […]

Associate Producer Hal MacDermot makes a quick wake-up call on state money matters.
On November 7th, California has a wealth of democratic choices to make. We can vote for everything from borrowing money to fix roads, to taxing cigarettes and oil.
There’s also the chance to vote on relatively obscure officials, who control vast […]

Intern Gloria Angelina Castillo sizes up Prop. 83 story.
The Los Angeles Times reports a new report indicates that Proposition 83, the sex-offender initiative known as ‘Jessica’s Law,’ will make taxpayers pay-up without greatly enhancing safety. The report shows that state correction officials are preparing several financial scenarios but that outcomes depend on which sex offenders […]

Intern Gloria Angelina Castillo highlights breast cancer story
Inside Bay Area reports that exposure to pollution during a woman’s childhood or pregnancy may cause breast cancer in her offspring and grandchildren. The possible connection was found when Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia exposed laboratory mice to hormone-like-chemicals.
“This is not a humongous dose […]

Associate Producer Hal MacDermot examines the wisdom of soybean fried chicken.

Photo by Mike Stringer.
Respect the Colonel.
KFC has just announced that it’s replacing unhealthy trans-fat cooking oil with healthy soybean oil.
It’s about time someone did something.
According to California’s Department of Health Services, a third of California kids are overweight along with 1 […]