EPA allows California to ban sales of new gas cars by 2035 | Fast Company

December 18, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday granted two requests from California to enforce strict standards for vehicle emissions, including a rule aimed at banning sales of new gasoline-powered cars in the state by 2035. The incoming Trump administration is likely to try to reverse the action.

The California rule is stricter than a federal rule adopted this year that tightens emissions standards but does not require sales of electric vehicles.

EPA said its review found that opponents of the two waivers did not meet their legal burden to show how either the EV rule or a separate measure on heavy-duty vehicles was inconsistent with the federal Clean Air Act.

Deadly California earthquake leaves thousands without power | BBC News

December 21, 2022December 20, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Two people have died and tens of thousands of households were left without power after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked northern California.

The tremor, 215 miles (350km) north of San Francisco, has caused widespread damage to roadways.

“Anything that was on the walls broke off the walls,” said JB Mathers, a resident of the coastal city of Eureka.

Authorities have closed several roads and warned the public to brace for aftershocks.

The quake struck at 02:34 PST (10:34 GMT) on Tuesday. It spawned up to 80 smaller quakes between magnitude 4.6 and 2.5, according to the US Geological Survey.

Amazon to pay $500,000 for not sharing Covid data | BBC News

November 17, 2021November 16, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Amazon has reached a legal settlement in California over claims it failed to adequately inform its warehouse workers about Covid-19 cases in the workplace.

California’s attorney general said workers had been left “terrified and powerless”.

The delivery giant will pay $500,000 but did not admit wrongdoing in agreeing on the settlement.

Amazon said the law did not require it to share total numbers of cases with staff, but it had now started to do so.

Cut water use by 15% this summer, California governor says | Fast Company

July 12, 2021July 11, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

California Governor Gavin Newsom has asked residents and businesses statewide to cut their water usage by 15% this summer, as low precipitation and low snowpack threaten reservoir levels and raise the specter of another deadly wildfire season.

While some California counties have already instituted mandatory water restrictions, Newsom’s request to reduce usage is voluntary.

“We’re hopeful that people will take that mindset they brought into the last drought and extend that forward,” he said at a Thursday press conference, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Uber Won’t Let California Drivers Set Their Own Prices Anymore After Rider Cancellations Increased 117% | Forbes

April 9, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Uber will no longer allow drivers in California to set their own prices after rider cancellations increased 117% over the past year, the latest change to Uber’s service following the passage of Proposition 22, which made ride-hailing drivers independent contractors.

California’s Disneyland to become Covid vaccination site | BBC News

January 13, 2021January 12, 2021 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

California’s Disneyland theme park is set to become a massive Covid-19 vaccination site this week, county officials announced on Monday.

The “happiest place on earth” is one of several large distribution sites opening up in the state as cases soar and hospitals near capacity.

The most populous US state has lagged behind in its vaccination rate, doling out around a third of its doses so far.

This California Farm Town Is Launching Startups Faster Than Seattle, Boston, and the Bay Area | Inc.com

February 6, 2020February 5, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Once a recurring punch line in Johnny Carson’s monologues, the agriculture-and-oil town of Bakersfield, California–home to the country’s most prolific carrot farm–is not the most obvious example of a West Coast startup hub.

But the Central Valley city, population 400,000, has vaulted onto this year’s Surge Cities list by outperforming 46 other metro areas–including the Bay Area, Boston, and Seattle–in net job and business creation in the past year.

“Incredible things are happening here,” says Irma Olguin Jr., co-founder and CEO of Bitwise Industries, a Fresno-based tech academy and software startup that’s helped create about 1,000 jobs in the area. It’s opening a Bakersfield location in 2020. “We’re seeing validation from VCs and investment banks, and there is a momentum around local revitalization.”

California’s high rents undermine tenants’ retirement chances | Fast Company

December 4, 2018December 3, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

One of Bill Ware’s various jobs in recent years was as a part-time insurance salesman. In that role, he has helped people prepare for unexpected hardships—burglaries, falling trees, car accidents, medical emergencies, and even death. But Ware recently faced the unexpected himself when his income took a dive.

Early this year a tax consultancy that works to resolve problems with the IRS and state agencies hit a trough and, in April, he says, the consultancy suddenly cut his income by 60%. Soon after, as the credit card bills piled up, he realized he needed to take action.

The internet industry is suing California over its net neutrality law | Money CNN

October 4, 2018October 3, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The internet industry is suing the state of California over its days-old net neutrality law.

The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday by major trade groups representing broadband companies, is the second major lawsuit filed against the state over the law — the first was brought by the Justice Department.

On Sunday evening, California Governor Jerry Brown signed what is considered to be the strictest net neutrality law in the country. Under the law, internet service providers will not be allowed to block or slow specific types of content or applications, or charge apps or companies fees for faster access to customers.

Dramatic Photos of the California Wildfires | The Atlantic

August 10, 2018 ~ jtweetcustombpscom ~ Leave a comment

Dry conditions, high temperatures, and strong winds have once more spawned several large and destructive wildfires across the state of California. Thousands of firefighters are now battling multiple blazes that have burned hundreds of thousands of acres in the past few weeks, and recently claimed at least eight lives. Gathered below: a collection of images of those affected by these recent fires, and some of the dramatic scenes of destruction left in their wake.