Claim OwnershipCalifornia in Focus
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The podcast bringing you the most important stories out of California from TheCenterSquare.com. Join us as we dive into the top headlines and provide insightful commentary and analysis.
129 Episodes
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(The Center Square) - The City of Huntington Beach is suing to overturn the state’s sanctuary state laws protecting illegal immigrants, arguing they violate federal immigration laws and the state and national constitution. Huntington Beach and the state government have long been at odds, with the state government recently winning a court battle requiring the city to follow state housing laws, and Huntington Beach emerging victorious — or at least for now — in a state challenge to its voter ID requirement for city elections. Huntington Beach claims the state’s sanctuary state laws, which limit cooperation between state and local law enforcement with federal immigration authorities, force city officials to violate federal law, which, under the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause, preempts state law. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_6bb77552-cd56-11ef-91f6-1bae19416cde.html
(The Center Square) – Three major wildfires are tearing through Southern California while firefighters struggle to contain them with major Santa Ana winds getting up to 100 mph. As of Wednesday morning, two people have been killed and over 1,000 homes, businesses and other buildings have been destroyed in Los Angeles County. "Last night was one of the most devastating and terrifying nights that we've seen in any part of our city in any part of our history," Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said during a Wednesday morning news conference. The City of Los Angeles has declared a state of emergency and the national guard has been deployed to assist the hundreds of firefighters tackling the fires.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_d4d257aa-cdf6-11ef-baed-53d1dc21eb02.html
(The Center Square) - California quietly doubled down on its termination of single family zoning, ending loopholes that allowed municipalities to block an earlier state law designed to let owners build four homes on existing single family lots. As reported earlier this year by the Wall Street Journal, fewer than 500 homes have been built since a 2021 law, SB 9, was passed allowing owners to split their single family home lots in two, and build two homes on each new lot. Cities quickly passed restrictions to SB 9 properties, such a Temple City’s requirement that 1,000 square foot courtyards be constructed to create distance between housing units, and Redondo Beach won a lawsuit against the law when a judge found it cannot apply to charter cities, and does not meet the purpose of providing affordable housing by not requiring that SB 9 homes be income-restricted “affordable” housing. With Kin’s ruling in effect, lawmakers moved ahead with SB 450, a bill signed into law by the governor in the fall that significantly reduces the power of local authorities to reject SB 9 projects, and redefines state housing goals with regard to charter cities’ power over municipal affairs.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_ec839ece-c7af-11ef-a03d-93f8e3efc572.html
(The Center Square) - A winter storm carried off the end of the Santa Cruz wharf two days before Christmas, indefinitely shutting down the tourist attraction that houses 17 stores and restaurants. City records show a successful environmental lawsuit from local residents to block repairs and upgrades to the over 100-year-old, half-mile long pier may have been the deciding factor in the wharf’s collapse. The pier, dating back to 1914, sits on over 4,000 aging wood pilings that need to be frequently replaced or repaired. By the start of 2024, the city estimated the pier had accumulated an over $14 million backlog of necessary repairs. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_bb2fc7f6-c473-11ef-a5a8-33bbaa579e06.html
(The Center Square) - The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a waiver to allow California and the twelve other states that have adopted its emissions standards to ban gas-powered cars in 2035. Starting in model year 2026, which for most car manufacturers begins halfway through 2025, 35% of passenger vehicles sold in California and the states that have adopted California air regulation standards for passenger vehicles. These twelve states, including Washington, D.C., cover nearly half of America’s new light-duty vehicle and over a quarter of its heavy-duty vehicle market.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_9bb5aac2-bd5b-11ef-be65-1322f8962652.html
(The Center Square) - California lost 156,300 jobs in the first six months of 2024, according to new federal quarterly payroll data, contradicting California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s claims about job growth in the state. Politicians nationwide often cite optimistic preliminary jobs survey data, which is often significantly revised downward once more accurate payroll information is finalized. Adjusted California payroll data for June counted 17,881,600 jobs, while January counted 18,037,900 jobs, meaning the state lost 156,300 jobs in the first six months of 2024, the most recent time for which quarterly payroll data covering 95% of jobs is available.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_4edad3b4-bcb4-11ef-9963-af0a6ca94415.html
(The Center Square) - Safeway is shutting down its grocery store in San Francisco’s Fillmore District, in part citing “ongoing concerns about associate and customer safety." One year ago, Safeway announced it would be shutting down the location as part of a deal with a developer to turn the store into a mixed-use development with housing and commercial spaces — which could mean space for another grocery store in the future. San Francisco Mayor London Breed agreed to send more police to the store to keep it open longer, saying, “Longtime Fillmore customers and residents have also expressed concerns with public safety in the area. As part of the site’s extension of services, Mayor Breed has directed the San Francisco Police Department to commit additional resources at this location.”Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_f666d742-b82f-11ef-8e47-a7372eb67854.html
(The Center Square) — A quarter of the homeless shelter beds in the City of Los Angeles are empty each night, causing a loss of $218 million from 2019 to 2023, according to a new report from the city controller. The report also notes the city has tripled its homeless shelter capacity since 2019, which led to a reduction in the city’s unsheltered homeless population at the start of 2024. The report also said the number of individuals placed into “permanent” housing, including permanently “free” supportive housing paid for by taxpayers that the report supports, has only increased by 21% since 2019. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_eff5afcc-b817-11ef-bd1c-f395ced5f0a0.html
(The Center Square) – U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., reiterated the state’s commitment to continued funding for the deportation defense of migrants and undocumented immigrants. President-elect Donald Trump’s promised mass deportations could have a major impact on California, which hosts approximately 2.7 million undocumented immigrants. “If it’s legal assistance, legal advice, legal support, that’s just the California way,” Padilla said when asked if the state would fund legal defenses of undocumented immigrants facing deportation. “We embrace our diversity. Our diversity has made our communities thrive and our economy thrive.” Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_06dcfade-b0d3-11ef-850b-a31f65b0a900.html
California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office now says unemployment insurance taxes on businesses must rise by 2117% nearly a year after declaring the state’s unemployment benefits program “structurally insolvent.” The LAO’s new report explains that the state’s unemployment fund runs a structural deficit of $2 billion per year, beyond the $20 billion debt and $1 billion in annual interest payments to the federal government to help cover $55 billion in fraudulent COVID lockdown-era benefits payments. These interest payments are paid by the state’s general fund, while the existence of unemployment benefits debt to the federal government triggers automatic tax increases of $21 per employee per year after two years of unpaid debt. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_e84ab5ea-b260-11ef-8acd-5b9973b3ac0b.html
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said if President-elect Donald Trump ends the $7,500 electric vehicle rebate program, he’ll get Californians to pay for new credits. However, the credits would not include Tesla, which is the most popular EV company and the only EV manufacturer in the state. This comes weeks after Newsom and his administration passed new refinery and carbon credit regulations that will add up to $1.15 per gallon of gasoline and require Californians with gasoline-powered cars to earn up to another $1,000 per year in pretax income to afford.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_93376a9e-ab80-11ef-bcb4-07aafecb40b0.html
The federal government has allocated $159 million in FEMA funding to “provide humanitarian services to noncitizen migrants” in California since 2023, according to federal grants reviewed by The Center Square. California has been a sanctuary state since 2017, and recently enacted a new law allowing individuals convicted of crimes that could impact immigration proceedings to petition for resentencing. The state has an estimated 1.9 million illegal immigrants, according to Pew. Given president-elect Donald Trump’s opposition to funding services for undocumented immigrants, and California’s limited fiscal capacity, it’s unclear if these programs will persist. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_e45ad614-a5f3-11ef-8b50-334b0fe35eb7.html
California’s nonpartisan state analysis agency warned the state has “no capacity for new commitments,” and faces annual deficits of $20 billion or more starting in 2026 as spending growth outpaces weak sales tax revenue. For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the Legislative Analyst’s Office said the state faces a $2 billion shortfall — assuming the Trump administration does not withhold any federal funding in response to California’s sanctuary state policies regarding undocumented immigrants. About half the $161 billion budget for Medi-Cal, the state’s taxpayer-funded healthcare system that covers one-third of Californians, comes from the federal government. This spending includes about $5 billion for covering undocumented immigrants, according to the California Department of Health and Human Services. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_dff26146-a797-11ef-8806-1758912f94a3.html
Technology group NetChoice filed for an emergency injunction Monday to block California's new social media law before it takes effect January 1, arguing the requirement that platforms verify users' ages would effectively end anonymous speech on major social media sites. The law requires platforms to obtain parental consent for minors to access personalized feeds and limits minors' social media use to one hour per day unless parents override the restriction. The lawsuit, filed against California Attorney General Rob Bonta, argues the law creates arbitrary distinctions - allowing streaming services to use recommendation algorithms while regulating similar features on YouTube, and permitting ESPN to send notifications at any hour while restricting social media platforms from doing the same.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_b1a8674a-a125-11ef-83ec-6b897f4947f5.html
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is in the nation’s capital seeking federal waivers for eight of California’s emissions policies. Without the Republican-opposed waivers, California could be unable to enforce its multi-state emissions policies that are more strict than the federal standard. The United States Clean Air Act authorizes California to set and enforce emissions standards more strict than the federal standard, so long as the Environmental Protection Agency grants the state a waiver for each new standard. The first Trump administration attempted to revoke California’s EPA waivers, a move that was held up in court and never definitively ruled on. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story:https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_c3be549a-a1e2-11ef-a910-df5e546cf7cc.html
Makers of electric vehicles, such as Rivian and Tesla, are taking a central role in the $162 billion fuel cost hike being voted on in California in Friday, which will largely be paid for by poorer drivers who tend to live farther from work due to the state’s high cost of housing. The Low Carbon Fuel Standard program provides credits to EV makers when drivers use the makers’ home charging systems and agree to let the manufacturer take the credit, or when drivers use the makers’ public charging networks. When refineries make gasoline or other carbon intensive fuels for California, they must purchase credits, the cost of which is passed on to consumers. The average EV financing cost is $783 per month, which means government and utility rebates in the thousands of dollars for chargers or vehicle financing still keep EVs out of working families’ reach. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_eaace2d2-9d24-11ef-99a2-4777ec6c82aa.html
Californians voted by wide margins to crack down on theft and drug crime, passing Proposition 36 and replacing Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon with former U.S. federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman. Prop. 36, which passed with the support of 70.4% of voters as of the time of publication, allows for prosecutors to pursue felony charges for serial thieves and major drug crimes after Prop. 47, passed in 2014, made many only chargeable as misdemeanors that would be rarely prosecuted. Prop. 36 also created a new class of crime called “treatment-mandated felony” that would allow individuals to complete mental health or substance abuse treatment instead of going to prison; this portion of the measure is targeted at the state’s homeless population, which includes many individuals who refuse services and treatment for addictions and disorders. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_dea3a64c-9c5c-11ef-af55-1312ebbcfce8.html
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his plan to more than double the state’s tax credits for film and television, aiming to raise the refundable credit by $420 million. The state’s own studies have found half of the projects that apply for but don’t get film subsidies end up staying anyway. In 2023, Newsom made the program a refundable credit, meaning that if the credits exceed owed taxes, a recipient gets cash from the state. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_5a6e0680-957f-11ef-8e16-43b902b4dbe1.html
A California regulatory agency says it won’t release new information on a new carbon credit proposal that it said earlier could raise the cost of each gallon of gasoline by 35 cents next year, and significantly raise the costs of goods shipped through California, and airline tickets leaving or entering California. The California Air Resources Board is voting on November 8 on whether or not to adopt more stringent requirements for its Low Carbon Fuel Standard program, by which the state uses a system of credits and deficits to reward or punish producers that make fuel better or worse than the rising “clean” standard.” While the current LCFS guidelines aim for a 20% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 compared to 2010, the proposed amendments would aim for a 90% reduction by 2045, thereby necessitating much steeper cuts.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_b39ff2d2-9641-11ef-b08e-e75024defaaa.html
A major study involving Children's Hospital Los Angeles - the second-largest provider of child medical gender reassignment interventions, and largest youth gender clinic in the country - is currently being withheld from publication due to the author's fear its results could be "weaponized" against the practice of giving children sex change hormones. The nearly $10 million study, the New York Times reports, found no improvement in mental health for children receiving puberty blocker sex change hormones, which contradicts and earlier Dutch study from 2011 that has been used to promote the benefit of this medical intervention in children.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx
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