Here is what is happening in the Bay Area as curated by KALW News:
Right to die: California Gov. Jerry Brown signs law //San Jose Mercury News
“Granting terminally ill patients the right to end their lives with a doctor's help, Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed the End of Life Option Act, a measure that triggered personal and passionate conflict across the state -- and in the conscience of the governor himself.
“Brown's signature concludes a 23-year effort to pass a "right-to-die" law in a state of 39 million, more than quadrupling Americans' access to life-ending drugs, with one in eight people living in states where it is now legal. California is the fifth state to take such a step, and its implementation of the new law -- which will go into effect next year -- will be closely watched throughout the nation.”
Debts, Loans and Scams - What You Don’t Know Could Hurt You//New America Media
“Anyone can become a target for scam artists, creditors and collection agencies, and end up losing all of their savings. But immigrants are especially vulnerable, according to Maeva Elise Brown, co-founder and executive director of the California non-profit organization Housing and Economic Rights Advocates (HERA). The group provides free legal counseling for those who become, as one of their attorneys put it, “servants to their own debt.” New America Media health editor Viji Sundaram recently interviewed Brown.”
State bill could impose stricter gun regulations on college campuses //The Daily Californian
“With votes along partisan lines, California legislators passed expanded restrictions regarding gun policy on school grounds and college campuses throughout the state.
“Senate Bill 707, which is pending the approval of Gov. Jerry Brown, would remove a current exemption in state law that allows individuals with concealed carry weapon, or CCW, licenses to possess guns on campuses. Under California’s Gun-Free School Zone Act of 1995, individuals are prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition within 1,000 feet of any school or on college campuses without permission from school officials.”
BART, Muni stations get their report cards in new study on transit //San Francisco Business Times
“The Bay Area's two main transit systems, Muni and BART, have been graded by a new report studying transportation – and both ranked surprisingly high. The report prepared for public policy nonprofit Next 10 by the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment at the UC Berkeley School of Law, gave BART an overall B- grade, while Muni got a solid B.
"Environment, Asian Pacific Environmental Network and the Sierra Club are seeking a new review over the effects of coal under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which could delay the construction of the project for years.”
SF Residents Opine on the Mission Moratorium//Mission Local
“Early voting starts today, and of all the housing measures on the November ballot, perhaps none is more contentious than Prop. I, the Mission moratorium.
“The measure, which requires a simple majority to pass, would pause all market-rate housing for 18 months and prevent the conversion of light industrial space, known as production, distribution, and retail (PDR), in the Mission District. Proponents say it will give the city and non-profits time to formulate a plan for developing affordable housing in the Mission, while opponents claim any pause in construction is counterproductive if the goal is to build more housing.”
Marin lags among counties in providing eye care to low-income children //Marin Independent Journal
“By many measures, Marin County is among the healthiest places in California. But when it comes to the eyesight of children, Marin has for years had a more dubious distinction.
“Children dependent on Medi-Cal in the county receive eye exams and glasses at a much lower rate than their counterparts in most other counties in the state. In the five most recent years for which state data is available, Marin has ranked near or at the bottom every year.”
