California
Governor Newsom inaugurated to second term
Newsom’s inaugural address lifted up California’s work to protect & advance fundamental rights & freedoms under attack across the U.S.
SACRAMENTO – On the two-year anniversary of the attack on U.S. Capitol, Governor Gavin Newsom was today inaugurated to a second term as California’s Chief Executive.
The Governor delivered his inaugural address with the historic State Capitol at his back, lifting up California’s work to protect and advance the fundamental rights and freedoms under attack across the country amid rising extremism and oppression, and underscoring the state’s commitment to continue leading the way forward to prosperity and progress for all.
(Photo Credit: Office of the Governor)
Newsom celebrated the start of his second term choosing the moment to contrast California’s progressive and inclusive values with the “ugliness that overflowed on January 6.”
Tapping into the symbolism of the day when insurrectionists stormed the Capitol building in Washington, Newsom drew on his own Golden State upbringing to define diametrically opposite visions of America in his inaugural address, delivered under cloudy skies near the steps of the California statehouse.
Full text of Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2nd inaugural address
Time has done its usual trick on me.
It says it has been four years since I stood in the shadow of this Capitol and delivered my first inaugural address.
Four years, disaster and plague, they bend the clock in strange ways.
It feels like both a flash, and an eternity.
In the longest hours of my first term, trying to plot a course through pandemic, wildfire, mass shootings, and social unrest … I found myself looking backward, as much as I was looking forward.
I recalled the late-1970s, when I was 10 or 11 years old, a child of divorce and dyslexia, trying to find my bearings.
I was a kid, traveling back and forth across the Golden Gate Bridge, between the two very different lives of my mother and father.
I couldn’t read, and was looking for any way to ditch classes. I’d fake stomach aches and dizziness. I’d bite down on the thermometer in the nurse’s office trying to make the temperature rise past 100.
My mom, busy juggling three jobs, had no patience for a truant.
My father, the judge, guilty because he had left us, was an easier touch.
I remember one time during the middle of school, when he picked me up in his Volkswagen bug, and took me to San Francisco’s Chinatown.
On its face, this was a mission for food.
But I didn’t understand back then, it was also HIS mission, to give me a slice of San Francisco, our place, and the story of California.
We crossed one of the many demarcations in the city, and suddenly we had entered another realm.
Through the gate at the intersection of Bush and Grant, my eyes and nose took it all in.
Pagoda-style storefronts. Red lanterns hanging from above. Giant statues of Buddha in the windows. Roasted duck. Fresh baked cookies.
My father wasn’t content with just showing me the unfamiliar. He wanted me to see past the façade, to the people themselves.
The humble entrepreneurs and immigrant parents, building better lives for their kids. To the journey that had brought them to enrich our city – and our state.
This was the same California that drew my great, great grandparents from County Cork in Ireland to start a new life during the first years of California’s statehood.
William Newsom the first, became a beat cop in San Francisco. And the Newsoms began to plant roots as working-class Irish, in a land where anything was possible.
The journey from policeman to politician took 150 years.
My wife Jennifer, the First Partner, is the second in her family to be born in the Golden State.
My children – Montana, Hunter, Brooklyn, and Dutch – now 5th generation Californians.
And all of you here today. No two California origin stories are the same, but we share aspirations, and ambitions.
These ties bind us, sometimes unknowingly, to our state’s past – and to each other.
I remember hot summer days with my dad, riding a raft down wild stretches of the American River. Those cold waters were the same ones where James Marshall found gold nuggets that would sell the California Dream to the world, and alter the course of American history.
But I’m mindful that there’s another side to that story, not the fairytale.
California’s statehood, after all, was also sealed with a brutal genocide against native people.
Reconciling that complexity has always guided my own understanding of myself, and of the state that I love so deeply.
The shameful chapters of our history do not lessen my love for my home state. They make it more complicated, yes, deeper, richer, and serve as a reminder that we can always become better.
The California that beckoned my forebears 170 years ago had a population of 93,000. Today, we’re nearly 40 million strong, each with our own California story.
I hear the echoes of my own family’s story in those who are still coming to California to pursue their dreams, drawn by the myth and magic of this place.
I hear the echoes in the stories of migrants that cross our southern border seeking something better.
In people who come from every continent on earth to flee political persecution, or from other states to educate themselves in our world-class universities, to start businesses that support their families, or change the world.
Whether your family came here for work, or for safety, California offered freedom to access it, not contingent on you looking a certain way, talking a certain way, thinking a certain way.
And that’s what makes California special – it’s in our genes. We’re a state of dreamers and doers. Bound by our live-and-let-live embrace of personal freedom.
But like I’ve said, we’ve made mistakes … Lord knows we’ve made our share.
Let’s not forget, the Chinatown I visited as a boy is a remnant of the bigotry of agitator Denis Kearney, and the Chinese Exclusion Act of the 1880s.
Tens of thousands of Japanese Americans were interned right here during World War II.
In the post-war era, as California’s suburbs grew, the racist practice of exclusionary zoning took hold, denying Black, Asian, Armenian and Latino residents the right to live on the good side of town and build wealth.
This planted the seeds of the housing and homeless crisis we face today.
Even California indulged homophobic hate at the ballot box, with the Briggs Initiative – the 1970s version of “Don’t Say Gay.”
And of course, the 1990s brought a wave of anti-immigrant xenophobia, manifesting in Proposition 187.
These are dark moments in California’s journey. But in the end, we confronted our errors with humility and conviction, paving the way for rights and freedom to prevail.
Every day, California commits itself to the process of getting it right for the next generation.
In nearly 30 years in politics, I have had the opportunity to see this process firsthand, learning as we go, and etching these learnings on the consciousness of a country that perhaps hasn’t yet caught up.
When we started issuing same-sex marriage licenses in San Francisco in 2004, it felt as if history moved at light-speed, in the right direction, decades of advocacy culminating in that beautiful Winter of Love.
But that victory, to expand rights and freedom to marry, was snatched away by a backlash that resulted in Proposition 8.
Eventually, after many setbacks, and many steps forward, just a few weeks ago, President Biden signed legislation enshrining the freedom to marry.
That has been the story of progress throughout our history.
It is not always easy, and not always linear.
But in the end, the verdict is clear – expanding rights is always the right thing to do.
And yet, there are still forces in America that want to take the nation backward.
We saw that two years ago, on this day, when the unthinkable happened at a place most Americans assumed was invincible.
An insurrectionist mob ransacking a sacred pillar of our democracy, violently clashing with sworn officers upholding the rule of law.
Just like the brave men and women whose heroism we inscribe, here on our own Peace Officers’ Memorial.
Since that terrible day, we’ve wrestled with what those events say about us as a country.
The ugliness that overflowed on January 6th, 2021, was in fact decades in the making. Fomented by people who have a very different vision of America’s future.
Red state politicians, and the media empire behind them, selling regression as progress, oppression as freedom.
And as we know too well, there is nothing original about their demagoguery.
All across the nation, anxiety about social change has awakened long-dormant authoritarian impulses.
Calling into question what America is to become, freer and fairer … or reverting to a darker past.
Instead of finding solutions, these politicians void of any new ideas, pursuing power at any cost, prey upon our fears and paranoias.
“The struggle to be who we ought to be,” as a nation is difficult and demanding.
And that’s why we should be clear-eyed about their aims.
They’re promoting grievance and victimhood, in an attempt to erase so much of the progress you and I have witnessed in our lifetimes.
They make it harder to vote and easier to buy illegal guns.
They silence speech, fire teachers, kidnap migrants, subjugate women, attack the Special Olympics, and even demonize Mickey Mouse.
All camouflaged under a hijacking of the word “freedom.”
But what they really want is more control – intrusive government, command over your most intimate decisions – when to have a family, how you raise your kids, how you love.
While they cry freedom, they dictate the choices people are allowed to make. Fanning the flames of these exhausting culture wars. Banning abortion, banning books, banning free speech in the classroom, and in the boardroom.
They sell fear and panic when it comes to crime and immigration.
But they sell calm and indifference when the threat is greenhouse gases destroying our planet, or big oil raking in windfall profits at your expense.
But California offers reason for hope.
“There is no soil better adapted” to liberty and opportunity – the sense of possibility, than here in our home state.
Now, the fourth largest economy in the world.
The most venture capital and startups in America.
Leading the world in the transition to a low-carbon, green growth future.
An advanced industrial economy in biotherapeutics, genomics. Aerospace and battery storage.
High-speed internet connecting the Central Valley to the Central Coast.
Rebuilding roads from Yreka to San Ysidro.
Providing clean water from Colusa to Coachella.
A new Cal Poly in Humboldt, conveying more scientists, engineers, researchers, Nobel laureates than any other state.
Debt free college for hundreds of thousands of students…
And the largest state volunteer corps in America.
I am mindful, though, that California, like the nation, is two rivers at once, a mix of light and shadows.
So as we go forward, we must continue our quest for an honest accounting of where we’ve fallen short: on affordability, on housing, on homelessness.
In our pursuit of belonging, and equal justice, California must be the enduring proof of concept.
We must reconcile our shortcomings. Bring everyone along in our prosperity.
After all, a healthy democracy must be inclusive.
Government by the people and for the people, requires people willing to fight to protect and advance it.
Just like Californians did last year, when we overwhelmingly voted to enshrine reproductive rights into our State Constitution.
We chose choice.
In our finest hours, California has been freedom’s force multiplier. Protecting liberty from a rising tide of oppression taking root in statehouses.
Weakness, masquerading as strength. Small men in big offices.
More than any people, in any place, California has bridged the historic expanse between freedom for some, and freedom for all.
We open our arms not clench our fists. We turn our gaze upward, not inward.
Freedom is our essence, our brand name – the abiding idea that right here, anyone from anywhere can accomplish anything.
We’ve overcome the destructive impulses of extremism, racism, and nativism.
And shown the rest of America it’s not only achievable – it’s undeniable.
Going forward, California will continue to lead out loud, by advancing a far-reaching freedom agenda.
A full-throated answer to those demagogues of division, determined to regress and oppress.
Freedom for teachers to teach, free of litmus tests about their political party, or the person they love.
Freedom to access health care for all Californians, regardless of their immigration status.
Freedom from Big Pharma’s grip, competing head-on by manufacturing our own life-saving drugs.
Freedom to vote without intimidation, with results decided by the people, not the politicians.
The battle lines are drawn. And yes, once again, it’s time for choosing.
Let’s not forget that policies that started here that were once considered nothing more than romantic possibilities have now become commonplace across the other 49 states.
California “lights out the territory for the rest.”
That’s what we do best. Giving shape to the future – molding the character of the nation.
Just like those rivers that sculpted so many of California’s deepest valleys.
The places of my childhood memories. Those rafting and camping trips with my dad. Falling in love with California. Over and over again.
My father died shortly after I was elected governor in 2018. He never got to see his son assume the office.
Nor did my mother Tessa, who died just before I became Mayor of San Francisco.
Their dreams, their spirit, their love of California, is with me every day.
Just as they were last year, when I found myself with the leaders of California’s most populous tribe, the Yurok. Floating down another great river, the Klamath, in a traditional dugout canoe.
We stopped for dinner on the riverbank and prepared salmon smoked on redwood, over a traditional firepit.
The bark infused flavor into the fish, imparting a taste familiar to the Yurok people stretching back to their earliest ancestors.
Just a few weeks ago, I returned to the Klamath and met with Yurok, Karuk, and Klamath tribal leaders.
This time, to celebrate the removal of four dams … America’s largest dam removal project in history.
Setting the river free once more, restoring natural salmon runs and in so doing, righting a historical wrong.
Because this is what California does. And it’s what I’ve dedicated my life to.
Standing up for ideals, striking out against injustice.
After all, history reminds us that each of us will be judged … and ultimately judge ourselves, to the extent we contribute, as Bobby Kennedy said, to the life of our cities, our state, our nation, and the world we are trying to build.
That brings me back to time.
Time is undefeated, it is relentless.
So in our fleeting moment, we must fight against our worst impulses, and find our better angels.
Because at the end of the day, our lives are just too short, our wisdom too limited, to win fleeting victories at other people’s expense.
We must all triumph together.
Thank you.
Community Services - PSA
LGBTQ+ voter education town hall held tonight in Los Angeles
Unique Women’s Coalition, Equality California and FLUX host discussion on upcoming election.
The Unique Women’s Coalition, Equality California and FLUX, a national division of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, will host their second annual voter education town hall today at the Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center in Los Angeles from 7PM to 9PM tonight.
The organizations will present and discuss ballot propositions and measures that will appear on the November ballot and that affect the LGBTQ+ community in this part of the town hall series titled ‘The Issues.’
“The trans and nonbinary community is taking its seat at the table, and we are taking the time and space to be informed and prepare the voter base,” said Queen Victoria Ortega, international president of FLUX.
The town hall will feature conversations through a Q&A followed by a reception for program participants, organizational partners and LGBTQ+ city and county officials.
There will later be a third town hall before the election and The Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center will also become a voting location for anyone who feels like they need a safe space to vote, regardless of what voting district they are a part of.
“Our community is really asking for a place to talk about what all of this actually means because although we live in a blue sphere, housing and other forms of discrimination are still a very real threat,” said Scottie Jeanette Madden, director of advocacy at The Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center.
BY DIANA LAMBERT AND MONICA VELEZ | LAist — A trailblazing state law prohibiting California school boards from passing resolutions that require teachers and school staff to notify parents if they believe a child is transgender isn’t likely to put an end to this polarizing issue.
The Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth, or SAFETY Act, was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on July 15. It will prohibit school districts from requiring staff to disclose to parents’ information related to a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity, and will protect school staff from retaliation if they refuse to notify parents of a child’s gender preference. The legislation, which will go into effect Jan. 1, also provides additional resources and support for LGBTQ students at junior high and high schools.
“California is the first state to pass a law explicitly prohibiting school districts from enacting forced outing policies in the nation,” said Mike Blount, spokesperson for the author of the bill, Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego).
The legislation was passed in response to the more than a dozen California school boards that proposed or passed parental notification policies in just over a year. The policies require school staff to inform parents if a child asks to use a name or pronoun different from the one assigned at birth, or if they engage in activities and use facilities designed for the opposite sex. At least seven California school districts passed the controversial policies, often after heated public debate.
First lawsuit filed
By Tuesday evening, the conservative nonprofit Liberty Justice Center said it had filed a lawsuit challenging the new law on behalf of Chino Valley Unified, which passed a parental notification policy last year.
“School officials do not have the right to keep secrets from parents, but parents do have a constitutional right to know what their minor children are doing at school,” said Emily Rae, senior counsel at the Liberty Justice Center in a press release. “Parents are the legal guardians of their children, not Gov. Newsom, Attorney General (Rob) Bonta, or Supt. (Tony) Thurmond. We will continue to defend parents’ rights and children’s well-being by challenging invasive laws like AB 1955 in court, at no cost to taxpayers.”
Other opponents, including Assemblyman Bill Essayli (R-Riverside) indicated that the issue will be settled in court. He is “committed to challenging the bill in court, and he’s confident he’s on the right side constitutionally,” said Shawn Lewis, Essayli’s chief of staff. Essayli plans to work with a coalition of advocates to challenge the bill, Lewis said.
Election issue
Parental rights is the overarching issue for the Republican Party, but right now it is focused on the parental notification issue, Essayli said in an August interview with EdSource. “This is an issue we want to run on in 2024,” he said.
The newly passed legislation also resulted in a flurry of press releases and social media comments from opponents and supporters. Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk weighed in, calling the new law the “final straw” in his decision to move the headquarters for X, formerly known as Twitter, to Texas.
“I did make it clear to Gov. Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children,” Musk wrote on X.
Proponents of the parental notification policies have said that parents have the right to know what is going on with their children at school and that minors do not have a right to privacy. Opponents say these policies could endanger already vulnerable students who should be able to decide when they want to come out to their parents.
Chino Valley Unified in San Bernardino County, Murrieta Valley Unified, and Temecula Valley Unified in Riverside County, in Orange County, in Anderson Union High School District in Shasta County, and Rocklin Unified and Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District in Placer County are among the districts that have passed parental notification policies.
California’s parental notification board policies have their origin in Assembly Bill 1314, proposed by Essayli, which was denied a committee hearing at the state Capitol last year. After that, Essayli, parents’ rights groups and attorneys wrote a model board policy for school boards.
On Monday, Essayli released a statement about the new law: “Today, Gov. Gavin Newsom defied parents’ constitutional and God-given right to raise their children by signing AB 1955 which codifies the government’s authority to keep secrets from parents,” he said. “AB 1955 endangers children by excluding parents from important matters impacting their child’s health and welfare at school. Governor Newsom signing AB 1955 is both immoral and unconstitutional, and we will challenge it in court to stop the government from keeping secrets from parents.”
Eight states have passed laws requiring school districts to inform parents if their children ask to use names or pronouns associated with another gender, according to the Movement Advancement Project.
LGBTQ rights threatened
School parental notification policies have impacted the mental health of LGBTQ students and can lead to bullying, harassment, and discrimination, according to a press release from Ward’s office.
“Politically motivated attacks on the rights, safety, and dignity of transgender, nonbinary, and other LGBTQ+ youth are on the rise nationwide, including in California,” said Ward, who introduced the legislation along with the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.
“While some school districts have adopted policies to forcibly out students, the SAFETY Act ensures that discussions about gender identity remain a private matter within the family,” he said. “As a parent, I urge all parents to talk to their children, listen to them, and love them unconditionally for who they are.”
The California Teachers Association and its members have been major opponents of parental notification policies, saying that they drive a wedge between educators and students, and endanger already vulnerable students. Teachers working in districts with parental notification policies have worried they could lose their jobs if they do not comply with the district requirement or end up in court if they disobey federal and state laws and policies.
“This historic legislation will strengthen existing protections against forced outing and allow educators to continue to create a safe learning environment where all students feel accepted, nurtured, and encouraged to pursue their dreams,” said California Teachers Association President David Goldberg. “As educators, we are charged with providing a high-quality education to every student. No educator should experience retaliation or have their livelihood jeopardized for following the law and providing safe and supportive learning environments for our students.”
Policies spawn lawsuits
Attorney General Rob Bonta has said parental notification policies break California state law and violate students’ civil rights and their right to privacy. He issued warnings to districts and filed a lawsuit against Chino Valley Unified in San Bernardino County last year.
A lawsuit was also filed against Temecula Valley Unified by a coalition of students, teachers and parents who oppose the district’s parental notification policy, along with a policy that bans “critical race theory.”
California courts have had differing opinions. In San Diego, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez last year ruled that Escondido Union School District violated parents’ rights when it followed California state policy and allowed students to decide whether to tell their parents they identify as transgender.
In Sacramento earlier that year, U.S. District Judge John Mendez dismissed a lawsuit against Chico Unified. The suit claimed that district policies allowed school staff “to socially transition” students and prohibited staff from informing parents of the change. Mendez said students have a right to tell their parents about their gender and sexuality on their own terms.
The new law will also require districts to provide support or affinity groups and safe spaces for LGBTQ students; anti-bullying and harassment policies and complaint procedures; counseling services; anti-bias or other training to support LGBTQ students and their families; suicide prevention policies and procedures; and access to community-based organizations to support LGBTQ students as well as local physical and mental health providers with experience in treating and supporting families of LGBTQ youth.
California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus Chair Susan Eggman said the legislation reaffirms California’s position as a leader and safe haven for LGBTQ youth.
“I am also deeply grateful for all the parents, teachers, youth, LGBTQ+ leaders, and so many other groups who came together to support this bill,” Eggman said. “Their support reaffirmed what this caucus already knew: Safe and supportive schools for all our children should be our top priority. And at the end of the day, that’s what this bill does, ensures our K-12 campuses remain safe and affirming places for our youth no matter how they identify.”
Northern California
Anti-LGBTQ school board members recalled after banning Pride flags
Vote took place in East Bay’s Sunol Glen Unified School District
A parent-led movement succeeded in recalling two school board members who approved a policy to ban schools in the Sunol Glen Unified School District in the East Bay from flying a Pride flag or any flag that was not a U.S. or California state flag, according to reports.
The vote on July 2 came a year after Molleen Barnes, the superintendent and principal of Sunol Glen School, hoisted the Progress Pride flag on her campus, a little more than an hour’s drive southeast of San Francisco.
After that, two members of the Sunol Glen Unified School District — school board president Ryan Jergensen and Linda Hurley — subsequently approved the new, restricted flag policy, with a third member voting in opposition. Ted Romo accused his fellow officials of “censorship.” Romo is now the only one who kept his seat on the three-member school board.
A parent of children attending Sunol Glen, Matt Sylvester, launched the recall effort. On July 2, he and other residents voted to recall Jergensen by a vote of 254 to 218, a difference of fewer than 40 votes. For Hurley, the count was 249 to 223, leaving her just 26 votes shy of keeping her seat.
The results of the election must be certified by the Alameda County Board of Education, which will then appoint temporary replacements for the school board members until a new election can be held. That isn’t likely before November, according to reports.
Sylvester told the San Francisco Chronicle why he took action.
“They pulled a fast one on us with the flag ban resolution,” Sylvester said. “It was sneaky behavior, and then they pushed it through without listening to people. There’s been no compromise. This recall is about making a point that we will not stand for this.”
Southern California
Triple A: SoCal gas prices continue dropping quickly
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.87, which is 11 cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – Gas prices in Southern California have dropped by more than 50 cents a gallon in most areas after two straight months of price declines, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.87, which is 11 cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.46, which is two cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.83 per gallon, which is 10 cents less than last week and 13 cents less than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.85, which is 10 cents lower than last week and eight cents lower than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.97, which is five cents lower than last week and two cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.75, which is 10 cents lower than last week and 10 cents lower than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $4.96 average price is eight cents less than last week and nine cents higher than a year ago today.
“Oil Price Information Service reports the latest Energy Information Administration data shows that West Coast refinery utilization rates reached their highest production levels of 2024 at the beginning of this month,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “California continues to have the highest gas prices in the U.S., but this week for the first time since March, gas prices in most local areas are lower than at this time a year ago.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on June 13, averages are:
Southern California
Triple A: Statewide gas price average drops below $5 a gallon
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.98, which is 11 cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – The California gas price average dropped below $5 a gallon for the first time since late March, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.98, which is 11 cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.48, which is eight cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.93 per gallon, which is 12 cents less than last week and the same price as last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.95, which is 12 cents lower than last week and six cents higher than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.02, which is eight cents lower than last week and 12 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.95, which is 11 cents lower than last week and three cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.04 average price is eight cents less than last week and 17 cents higher than a year ago today.
“According to Oil Price Information Service, Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices are dropping as large supplies of imported gasoline continue to arrive in Southern California,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “A few Southern California gas stations are now charging less than $4.10 a gallon for regular unleaded.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on June 6, averages are:
Southern California
‘Heat dome’ brings scorching conditions but coastal areas spared
The Los Angeles County Health Officer has issued an excessive heat warning as high temperatures have been forecast
OXNARD, Calif. – The first significant heat of the season has arrived for the interior, and is expected to last into Thursday. Temperatures will be warmest Wednesday and Thursday, with highs in the deserts from 98 to 108, and 92 to 102 for the mountains and interior valleys.
Drier conditions along with breezy conditions will lead to an increased risk for grass fires. Reduce exposure to the heat, and stay hydrated. Look before locking vehicles for children, elderly and pets. Vehicles can become dangerously hot in a short period of time. Report any wildfires to authorities.
High Temperatures Forecast for Parts of Los Angeles County
The Los Angeles County Health Officer has issued an excessive heat warning as high temperatures have been forecast for the following areas:
- Antelope Valley: Wednesday June 05, 2024 through Thursday June 06, 2024
- Western Antelope Valley: Wednesday June 05, 2024 through Thursday June 06, 2024
- Eastern Antelope Valley: Wednesday June 05, 2024 through Thursday June 06, 2024
Public Health reminds everyone to take precautions to avoid heat-related illness, especially older adults, young children, outdoor workers, athletes, and people with a chronic medical condition who are especially sensitive to negative health impacts from extreme heat. Public Health offers the following recommendations during high temperature days:
- Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated throughout the day.
- If you must go out, plan your day to avoid going out during the hottest hours, and wear sunscreen. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothes, and wear a hat or use an umbrella.
- Cars get very hot inside, even if the windows are ‘cracked’ or open. Never leave children or pets in cars. Call 911 if you see a child or pet in a car alone.
- Beware of and know what to do for heat-related illness, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Call 911 right away if you see these symptoms: high body temperature (103°F or higher), vomiting, dizziness, confusion, and hot, red, dry, or damp skin. Heat stroke is a medical emergency.
- Check on those at risk for heat-related illness, like those who are sick or have chronic conditions, older adults, pregnant women, children, those who live alone, pets, and outdoor workers and athletes.
- If you are wearing a mask, avoid strenuous workouts wearing face coverings or masks not intended for athletic purpose
- Visit your power company’s website or contact them by phone to determine if you are scheduled for a rolling power outage.
“On hot days, it’s important for everyone to both take care of themselves and check on others, especially those who have a higher chance of getting ill due to the heat. Some of them include children, the elderly, those with health conditions, pregnant people, those living alone, and pets,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer. “Hot days can be dangerous for anyone, so it’s crucial to stay cool and hydrated. Never leave children, the elderly, or pets alone in hot homes, places, or vehicles. Make sure to check on elderly or unwell neighbors and relatives regularly.”
County and City partners have planned ways to safely operate cooling centers during times of high heat. Residents who do not have access to air conditioning are encouraged to take advantage of these free cooling centers. To find a location near you, visit https://ready.lacounty.gov/heat/ or call 211.
Los Angeles County residents and business owners, including people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs can call 2-1-1 for emergency preparedness information and other referral services. The toll-free 2-1-1 number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 211 LA County services can also be accessed by visiting 211la.org.
Southern California
Triple A: Finally, some SoCal cities drop below $5 a gallon
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.09, which is six cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – Six straight weeks of price drops at Southern California gas stations have pushed average prices below $5 a gallon in a few cities, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.09, which is six cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.56, which is four cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.05 per gallon, which is six cents less than last week and 12 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $5.07, which is six cents lower than last week and 17 cents higher than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.10, which is six cents lower than last week and 21 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.96, which is six cents lower than last week and 13 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.12 average price is five cents less than last week and 29 cents higher than a year ago today.
“Oil Price Information Service reports that wholesale Los Angeles gasoline prices are continuing to drop because of increased availability of imported gasoline and reportedly lower levels of demand compared to last year,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “Those factors should help pump price drops to continue for now.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on May 30, averages are:
California
Governor Newsom launches resources website: ready.ca.gov
With the unofficial start of summer, Newsom today is highlighting how the state is preparing for summer emergencies, extreme heat, and fires
SACRAMENTO – With seasonal challenges on the horizon as temperatures increase and Californians head outside, Governor Gavin Newsom visited the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) today to announce ready.ca.gov – a new, one-stop shop for Californians to prepare for emergencies and extreme weather.
The new website is part of Listos California, which is a state effort that connects communities with resources before, during and after emergencies.
During his visit to Cal OES, the Governor was briefed by emergency managers on the administration’s preparedness for summer and peak wildfire season, including progress made in building forest resilience to catastrophic wildfires, firefighter staffing levels and firefighting fleet readiness, and the administration’s Extreme Temperature Response Plan that was developed to coordinate an all-hands response by government to mitigate the state’s most deadly natural weather event.
“California is prepared for summer and peak wildfire season — with a surge in firefighters and equipment, better forest management, and one of the most tried and tested emergency management systems in the world. Make sure your family is prepared too. Visit ready.ca.gov — a new resource to help keep Californians safe this weekend and all summer long,” said
Governor Newsom.
Combined with a comprehensive suite of translated messaging and materials, Listos California at Cal OES continues to uplift life-saving messages through interactive, community-based tactics, including peer-to-peer phone banking efforts, in-person events, and door-to-door engagements.
Preparing for Memorial Day weekend & summer
Extreme heat preparation: Listos California recently kicked off its summer season campaign efforts, beginning with its Wildfire Awareness Campaign in rural communities. Community leaders are encouraged to sign up for local emergency alerts and share these resources with family, friends and neighbors to build resiliency and help communities stay safe this summer.
Snowmelt & swift water preparedness: California’s waterways can conceal dangers below the surface. With a melting snowpack, the volume and speed of the water are creating hazardous conditions. Across the Administration, state departments and agencies are promoting swift water safety and drowning prevention messaging in honor of the summer season. Water safety messages in more than a dozen languages can be found at Listos California.
Wildfire & emergency preparedness: CAL FIRE has worked to reduce the risk of fires all year round, including increased fire prevention efforts, better firefighting technology and resources, and community preparedness initiatives. In 2023, there was a 93.87% reduction in structures destroyed compared to 2022. Potential mega-fires were kept small, protecting communities and limiting smoke impacts and CAL FIRE met its 100,000-acre goal for fuel reduction activities for the fourth straight year. Through the Ready for Wildfire initiative, Californians can learn the necessary steps to prepare their homes to be better prepared if a wildfire strikes.
Roadway safety: Heading into Memorial Day, the California Highway Patrol is initiating a statewide Maximum Enforcement Period from Friday to Monday to address the expected surge in holiday travelers on California roads. In 2023 over the holiday weekend, 46 people were killed in crashes and more than 1,100 arrested for driving under the influence throughout the state.
ready.ca.gov
Southern California
Triple A: Memorial Day travelers get a break at the pump
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.15, which is nine cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – Gas prices continued downward for a fifth straight week, giving some Southern California Memorial Day travelers the chance to fill up for about $4.50 a gallon or even less in a few areas, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.15, which is nine cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.61, which is one cent higher than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.11 per gallon, which is ten cents less than last week, 27 cents less than last month, and 25 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $5.13, which is ten cents lower than last week, 23 cents lower than last month, and 29 cents higher than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.16, which is five cents lower than last week, 17 cents lower than last month, and 30 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $5.02, which is ten cents lower than last week, 28 cents lower than last month and 25 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.17 average price is five cents less than last week, 15 cents less than last month, and 36 cents higher than a year ago today.
“With an all-time record number of Southern California travelers expected for this Memorial Day getaway weekend, the gas price drops are providing some welcome relief,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “Those travelers who are planning out-of-state trips should expect to pay even less when they fuel up for their return, since California continues to be the only U.S. state with a gas price average above $5 a gallon.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on May 23, averages are:
California
1,000+ reported acts of hate in first year of Calif. vs hate hotline
This reporting system is 1st of its kind – operating separately from law enforcement & partnering with community organizations across Calif.
SACRAMENTO – The California Civil Rights Department (CRD), alongside state and community partners, today released new data highlighting the impact of California vs Hate in its first year of operation and announced new and ongoing initiatives to combat hate across the state.
Officially launched a year ago this month by Governor Gavin Newsom, CA vs Hate is the state’s first-ever multilingual statewide hotline and online portal that provides a safe, anonymous reporting option for victims and witnesses of hate acts. In the first full year of operation, initial data submitted to CRD shows approximately 1,020 acts of hate reported to the hotline.
“CA vs Hate is about recognizing and protecting the incredible diversity of our state and sending a clear message that hate will never be tolerated,” said Governor Newsom.
“When California was confronted by an alarming increase in hate, we didn’t just sit back and hope it got better,” said CRD Director Kevin Kish. “We came together and launched an array of nation-leading programs to ensure all our communities feel welcome and protected. I’m incredibly proud of our state’s resilience and commitment to a California for all. This work is only just beginning, but it would not be possible without the advocacy of our community partners and the foresight of our state’s Administration and Legislature. With CA vs Hate, we’re doing our part to ensure that when people report they get support.”
Many hate crimes have historically gone unreported due to a variety of factors, including fear of retaliation, lack of culturally competent resources, concern around potential immigration consequences, and distrust of law enforcement. CA vs Hate aims to help address some of these issues by offering people targeted for hate — and their communities — additional resources to report acts of hate through a community-centered approach that does not require engagement with the criminal legal system.
Hotline services are confidential and provided for free, regardless of immigration status. CA vs Hate accepts all reports of hate and is not limited to only receiving reports that are criminal in nature. Whether individuals report to CA vs Hate online or by phone, they are eligible to receive ongoing care coordination to ensure people impacted by hate are able to access resources and support, including legal, financial, mental health, and mediation services.
As part of the effort to make CA vs Hate as inclusive and easy-to-use as possible, individuals who report an act of hate can remain anonymous and, recognizing that hate can target multiple aspects of a person’s identity, may select multiple bias motivations related to the report. To the extent that individuals who report are comfortable doing so, CA vs Hate staff engage extensively with them through initial contacts over the phone or follow up care coordination to better understand the incident and services needed.
In the first full year of operation, initial data submitted to CRD shows approximately 1,020 acts of hate reported to the hotline, across nearly 80% of the state’s counties.
For a subset of 560 reports where data were further validated by CA vs Hate staff, the most cited bias motivations included:
- race and ethnicity (35.1%)
- gender identity (15.1%)
- sexual orientation (10.8%)
Most common reasons for reporting:
- Discriminatory treatment 18.4%
- Verbal harassment 16.7%
- Derogatory names or slurs 16.7%
Most common locations where incidents occurred:
- Residential 29.9%
- Workplace 9.7%
More granular data verified through that process is also included below. While CA vs Hate data serves as an important indicator, the hotline is new, and the data should not be treated as being representative of all acts of hate in California. In all, people who reported to CA vs Hate were directed to more than 100 different forms of resources and support. In the first full year of operation, CA vs Hate:
- Had 2,118 contacts from members of the public seeking assistance — including non-hate related reports — and directed people to resources, regardless of whether a report was tied to an act of hate. Of those contacts:
- The most common reasons cited for the reports were discriminatory treatment (18.4%), verbal harassment (16.7%), and derogatory names or slurs (16.7%).
- The most common location types for where an incident occurred were residential (29.9%), workplace (9.7%), and public facilities (9.1%).
- Received 1,020 actual reports of hate based on the information provided by the individual reporting the act. Of those reports:
- Roughly four out of six people agreed to follow up for care coordination services, including direct and ongoing support accessing legal aid or counseling.
- Nearly 80% of California’s counties were represented, including all 10 of the state’s most populated counties.
- Further validated bias motivation information for 560 reports through additional CA vs Hate staff review. Of those reports:
- Race and ethnicity (35.1%), gender identity (15.1%), and sexual orientation (10.8%) were the most cited bias motivations.
- Anti-Black (26.8%), anti-Latino (15.4%), and anti-Asian (14.3%) bias were the most cited reasons for reports related to race and ethnicity.
As reported hate crimes have risen in recent years, California has led the charge in responding through increased grant funding, innovative programs, and expansive outreach efforts across state government and in collaboration with community-based organizations.
These partnerships — whether through the Stop the Hate Program or Ethnic Media Outreach Grants — are critical to CA vs Hate’s success. As CA vs Hate continues to grow, the program is launching new initiatives and building on existing efforts aimed at strengthening the hotline’s statewide support network and improving access to resources for all of California’s diverse communities. These ongoing or upcoming efforts include:
Outreach Campaigns
- Kicking off CA vs Hate’s first-ever billboard campaign to support increased awareness of the hotline and available resources across half a dozen cities.
- Launching targeted outreach materials to support increased access to CA vs Hate resources for historically hard-to-reach and underserved Californians, including new digital assets developed in coordination with tribal partners and members of the AAPI community.
- Developing new pathways to reach members of the public, including through a digital ad partnership with the California Department of Motor Vehicles and in-person event engagement with California-based sports teams.
Capacity Building
- Launching a partnership with UC Berkeley’s Possibility Lab to support increased data collection and analysis going forward.
- Exploring the launch of a text-responsive reporting option to support increased access to the CA vs Hate hotline.
- Stepping up statewide coordination efforts through ongoing collaboration with United Against Hate Week.
Community Engagement
- Bolstering community-specific engagement through the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act grant to ensure communities most targeted for hate have access to resources, including a new partnership with California Black Media.
- Establishing new quarterly meetings with city and county government partners to support increased responsiveness to local communities and build on existing feedback mechanisms in place for community-based organizations.
- Standing up a coalition of faith-based leaders from a range of backgrounds to better address acts of hate targeting Californians on the basis of religion.
Information about the hotline and online portal:
CA vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hate crime and incident reporting hotline and online portal. Reports can be made anonymously by calling (833) 866-4283, or 833-8-NO-HATE, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT or online at any time.
Hate acts can be reported in 15 different languages through the online portal and in over 200 languages when calling the hotline.
For individuals who want to report a hate crime to law enforcement immediately or who are in imminent danger, please call 911.
For more information on CA vs Hate, please visit CAvsHate.org.
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