San Francisco Sues Federal Government Over Gun Access
San Francisco, Philadelphia, and New York are bringing the federal government to court over guns. They say the Department of Defense is not living up to its legal obligation to alert the FBI's criminal background check system about convictions among service members. The suit claims these gaps in reporting allow individuals who would otherwise be denied access to guns to buy them.
Former Gang Members Work to Stop Cycle of Violence
Want to break the cycle of violence and incarceration in urban communities? Hire someone who’s lived it. Agencies in Los Angeles and Orange County are finding former gang members and the formerly incarcerated are some of the best equipped to help those at risk. A San Diego class aims to professionalize the craft there, too.
Reporter: Megan Burks
Riverside's First Rose Parade Float in Nearly 60 Years
It’s kind of a big deal to have a float in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on New Year’s Day. Lots of Southern California cities spend all year designing and building their entries. But the Southland’s 6th largest city hasn’t rolled down Colorado Boulevard in nearly 60 years. That’s going to change this year.
Reporter: Steven Cuevas
Kern County School's Disciplinary Measures Face Criticism
Expulsions and suspensions are down in California - by 40 and 50 percent. The state’s pushed for these reductions. But the story behind the numbers is complicated. As schools stop relying on suspensions and expulsions to discipline students, some struggle to find other ways to keep bad behavior in check. At one middle school in Kern County, that’s lead to some drastic measures.
Reporter: Vanessa Rancano
Five Newspapers Near Bakersfield Set to Close
A Bakersfield publishing company has announced it’s closing five local papers serving nearby towns this month. These newspapers have been the primary source of local goings-on since as early as 1927.
Reporter: Katrina Schwartz
Advocates Push to Increase Penalties for Pesticide Law Violations
A Bay Area state legislator is proposing to increase fines for violating California's pesticide laws and expand the power of the state's pesticide regulator. The first hearing on the bill comes next month after four separate chemical drift incidents sickened more than 150 farmworkers in the Central Valley and Central Coast this year.
Reporter: Ted Goldberg