Here’s what’s happening in the Bay Area, as curated by KALW News:
Bay Area reservoirs still far from full: Conservation experts hope that drought lessons last // San Mateo Daily Journal
“While recent storms restored some of the state’s largest reservoirs to near-normal levels, those that millions of Bay Area residents rely on have yet to come close to recovering from the long-standing drought.
“With a promising snowpack and hopeful for continued El Niño showers, state water officials may loosen up on California conservation mandates in the coming months.”
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Latino caucus demands ouster over ‘racist and incendiary’ remark // Sacramento Bee
California’s Latino Legislative Caucus on Tuesday urged Calaveras County supervisors to remove a planning commissioner who referred to Mexicans immigrants as an invasive species.
During a discussion about a plan to eradicate invasive plant and animal species earlier this month, Calaveras County Planning Commissioner Kelly Wooster remarked the term should cover “people from Mexico.”
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More transgender residents in SF connected with in-demand surgeons // SF Examiner
“More transgender residents in San Francisco are having sexual reassignment surgeries through a city program that streamlines the lengthy and complicated medical process for people whose bodies don’t match their identities.
“Transgender Health Services started in 2013 as a city program that paid for sexual reassignment surgery for uninsured residents with gender dysphoria, also known as gender identity disorder. The program was the first of its kind in the nation, according to its director Julie Graham.”
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Homeless S.F. Man Gets $100,000 Reward for Helping Nab Jail Escapees // KQED News
“A homeless San Francisco man who pointed police toward two Southern California jail escapees will get the lion’s share of a $150,000 reward set up for their successful capture, the
Orange County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday.
“The board awarded Matthew Hay-Chapman $100,000, said Jean Pasco, a county spokeswoman.”
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San Francisco board backs dog owners in fight with GGNRA over proposed restrictions // KRON4 News
“The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Tuesday threw its support behind dog owners fighting a proposal to reduce the areas within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area where dogs are allowed.
“The board voted 10-1 in favor of a resolution by Supervisor Katy Tang opposing plans by the National Park Service to reduce dog access in areas including Ocean Beach, Crissy Field, Baker Beach, Lands End, Sutro Heights Park and Fort Funston.”
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East Bay State Senator Loni Hancock has thrown down a legislative gauntlet to stop coal exports from going through Oakland — and the rest of California // East Bay Express
“The coal industry — responsible for much of the CO2 pollution driving climate change — is dying, and State Senator Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, wants to help bury it. Hancock, whose district encompasses much of the East Bay, from Rodeo to San Leandro, has spent the last half year drafting legislation designed to prevent millions of tons of coal from being transported by train through the East Bay and exported from a marine terminal that is to be built in Oakland near the foot of the Bay Bridge. Hancock also wants to block any future coal export schemes in the state.”
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