california

Vance says $1.3 billion in Medicaid payments to California will be deferred over fraud concerns

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Vance says .3 billion in Medicaid payments to California will be deferred over fraud concerns

Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that the Trump administration is deferring $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements to California over concerns the state is allowing “fraudsters” to drive up costs to taxpayers, including by pushing unnecessary medications on unsuspecting patients. “There are California taxpayers and American taxpayers who are being defrauded because California isn’t taking … Read more

Why one of California’s most popular jingles just got banned

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Why one of California’s most popular jingles just got banned

The frustratingly unforgettable Kars4kids jingle, which has been worming its way into listeners’ brains for decades, is officially banned from the airwaves in California. While the 1-877-KARS4KIDS song has been called one of the most memorable jingles in history, a court has ruled it is misleading. A California man took the group behind it to … Read more

Tax windfall may rescue Newsom’s final budget as governor

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Tax windfall may rescue Newsom’s final budget as governor

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised $349.9-billion budget proposal largely relies on a tax windfall to erase California’s deficit over the next two fiscal years, allowing the Democratic governor to end his term with a surplus and say he’s providing a cushion for his successor. The budget, which Newsom presented Thursday, showcases the governor’s desire to leave … Read more

California says two air contaminants may pose ‘unacceptable’ higher cancer risk

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California says two air contaminants may pose ‘unacceptable’ higher cancer risk

Two toxic contaminants present in California’s ambient air appear to be much stronger carcinogens than previously known, state environmental health officials announced Thursday. The draft finding from the state’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment says that acrolein and ethylene oxide may pose an estimated cancer risk more than 10 times higher than benzene, a … Read more

Judge denies move to dismiss State Farm collusion lawsuit

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Judge denies move to dismiss State Farm collusion lawsuit

A Los Angeles judge has denied a petition by State Farm and other insurers to dismiss two lawsuits accusing them of colluding to drive homeowners onto California’s FAIR Plan. The lawsuits, which accuse the insurers of violating the state’s antirust and unfair competition laws, were largely upheld in a decision Thursday by Los Angeles County … Read more

Border wall construction is desecrating sacred Indigenous sites

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Border wall construction is desecrating sacred Indigenous sites

TECATE, Mexico — White sage burning, Norma Meza Calles gathers guests at a Mexican wellness resort into a semicircle facing Kuuchamaa Mountain and asks everyone to close their eyes and feel its presence. “This is sacred to us like a church for you all. The mountain is our healer, our psychologist,” said Meza Calles, a Kumeyaay Nation … Read more