California Connected Newsroom

The Orange County Register reports that foreclosures are on the rise in Orange County. “Banks sent owners 665 notices of default in November, a 125 percent increase from a year ago and an 11 percent rise from October, DataQuick reported Wednesday,” the Register reports. “It’s the highest monthly total in more than seven years.” The […]

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that two Democratic congressmen from the Bay Area intend to challenge the 401(k) and health insurance industries to better serve Americans. Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, says retirement firms that manage 401(k) accounts need to do more to disclose fees that eat into Amercans’ savings. Rep. Pete Stark, D-Fremont, who will […]

The Sacramento Bee’s Dan Walters reports on Governor Schwarzenegger’s keen interest in reviving the San Joaquin Valley, arguing that his commitment to the region could be one for the history books. “The governor’s interest has helped local leaders overcome a long-standing vacuum in regional leadership and cooperation and the effort seems to be paying off,” […]

Associate Producer Hal MacDermot looks at Wal-Mart paradox.

Napa Junction vineyard. Photo by Thor Muller.
The beautiful Napa Valley in northern California is famous for its wine and fine-dining.
Did you know that Wal-Mart has plans to come for dinner too?
If all goes well, a new store is slated to open in January 2007 in the […]

The Sacramento Bee reports that applications for California’s game warden academy dropped by about two-thirds this year. The new numbers deepen concerns about the dwindling ranks at the state’s wildlife protection agency, the California Department of Fish and Game. Its 75 vacancies are due to rigorous testing, low pay and retirement.
“Maybe it’s going to take […]

The Contra Costa Times reports that a tighter ban on salmon fishing along the Northern California coast has left local fishermen reeling economically.
“The ban was inevitable, although there was no shortage of salmon in the ocean, so that one particular salmon population in the Klamath River along the Oregon-California border could be protected,” the […]

The Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times report that the Los Angeles city attorney’s office has filed criminal charges and a civil lawsuit against hospital group Kaiser Permanente for ‘dumping’ an elderly homeless woman on skid row. It is the first criminal prosecution of its kind. Carol Ann Reyes, 63 years old, suffers from […]

The Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee, Orange County Register, San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News all report today that a prediction of a $5.5 billion state deficit next year may require a smaller budget and tighter spending. “At this advanced stage of the economic expansion, one would expect states would be running operating […]

America’s Health Insurance Plans’ proposals for universal health care.
The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday on a new proposal from the country’s largest insurance organization to provide health coverage to all uninsured citizens and to better control skyrocketing costs. America’s Health Insurance Plans, which represents companies that cover more than 60 percent of the nation’s population, […]

The San Francisco Chronicle and the Sacramento Bee report on the political and fiscal hurdles Gov. Schwarzenegger faces now that he has been reelected. As was reported this summer, the San Francisco Chronicle reminds us that the cost of health care benefits for future public-sector retirees will be massive, costing California taxpayers $140 billion over […]