Author: Alex Trent

Many fast-food and healthcare workers in California now make a minimum of $20 an hour after a new wage increase went into effect on April 1st, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom last year. Now, one month into the wage bump, other workers want a taste of the pay increase too, feeling they also deserve more money. Prices Rising Source: Wikipedia Commons California workers are watching wage increases for their peers in other industries while they are stuck at a lower tier, paying for the same inflated prices on goods as everyone else.  The minimum wage in California is…

California Governor Gavin Newsom seems to be unable to escape criticism for the state’s problems no matter what he posts on social media. After making a post on X celebrating record California tourism, he was bombarded with pushback from residents bringing up the recent influx of migrants into the state and other problems that have also been setting records. Newsom’s Post Source: Gavin Newsom/X Newsom recorded a short video standing on top of the Golden Gate Bridge on Sunday to share the news of California’s tourism numbers. “We couldn’t be more proud to announce today record-breaking tourism numbers in the…

Cryptocurrency exchange and trading company FTX has filed an amended bankruptcy plan that it says will be more than enough to pay many of its creditors. The company previously held a lofty spot in the crypto world before a collapse in November 2022 when allegations emerged that the company had been misusing customer funds. FTX Statement Source: Art Rachen/Unsplash In a statement by FTX, the company anticipates that it will be able to pay many of its creditors in full. “The plan contemplates payment in full of all non-governmental creditors based on the value of their claims as determined by…

A survey of LGBTQ+ college faculty members found that 36% of respondents said they have considered withdrawing from academia to avoid the repercussions of anti-DEI laws. This attitude among faculty follows recent efforts by several states to pass legislation banning DEI training and programs on college campuses, which critics accuse of being discriminatory and divisive. LGBTQ+ Report Source: Alexander Grey/Unsplash A recently released report by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law examined the impacts of recent legislation against DEI on LGBTQ+ faculty in higher education. As part of this report, they surveyed 84 LGBTQ+ college faculty members with…

Officials near the San Diego border, one of the most frequented places where migrants cross into the US, are raising alarm bells about one unintended consequence of the border crisis: the risk of wildfires. As California approaches the summer, higher temperatures and drier conditions could make the fires that migrants set for cooking and warmth contribute to an already growing wildfire risk in the state. El Cajon Mayor Source: Bill Wells/X Bill Wells is the mayor of El Cajon, a city located in San Diego County. During the past weekend, he commented on a video that captured migrants tearing down…

Reports say that New York City is making plans to start removing migrants who have been staying long-term in shelter facilities to make room for a predicted influx of new migrants in the summer while the US border continues to see record levels of crossings. NYC’s government has reportedly sent a list of long-staying migrants it wants evicted in a short time frame to one of the largest providers of shelter housing in the city. Short-Notice Source: Jason Briscoe/Unsplash A report from Documented New York citing interviews with immigrant families asserted that the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) has given…

Health officials in Long Beach, California have declared a health emergency after a tuberculosis outbreak has infected at least 14 people, with 1 confirmed death and at least 9 have been hospitalized. The outbreak is confirmed by officials to have originated in a hotel where homeless people are being sheltered. However, they would not disclose the location due to health regulations and patient privacy concerns. Health Emergency Source: Towfiqu Barbhuiya/Unsplash Long Beach Health Officer Dr. Annisa Davis declared a public health emergency on Thursday after more information was found about the tuberculosis outbreak. “Today, May 2, 2024, City Health Officer…

Starting on July 1, a law in California will make hidden fees and extra charges on restaurant bills and in other industries in the state illegal, according to the California’s attorney general. Restaurants will no longer be able to add on extra fees when a customer goes to pay the bill, and must include all charges on the menu items themselves. California Senate Bill 478 Source: Wikipedia Commons The new law, called SB478 or the Consumers Legal Redemies Act, was passed in September of last year. This act aimed to address misleading advertising and price-offering practices used by businesses like…

Republican Senator Bill Blessing from Coleraine Township in Ohio has introduced a bill that would hike the state’s minimum wage for non-tipped workers to $15 an hour by 2028. The bill’s introduction comes amidst a proposed ballot issue in November that would have voters decide the same question, leaving some skeptical about the bill’s timing and motivation. Ohio Minimum Wage Source: Shoes For Crews/Facebook Currently, Ohio’s minimum wage is $10.45 for non-tipped workers and $5.25 for tipped workers. In 2024, the minimum wage had increased by 35 cents from the previous $10.10 it was for non-tipped employees. Ohio’s minimum wage…

A new 65-page report released by US Senate Democrats concludes a multi-year investigation into the history of Oil companies and climate change. The investigation found evidence that major oil companies knew ahead of the public about the dangers of their emissions in the environment, but worked to hide evidence of these dangers and hoped to downplay any urgency in addressing the problem. Senate Report Source: Wikimedia Commons The report, titled “Denial, Disinformation, And DoubleSpeak: Big Oil’s Evolving Efforts to Avoid Accountability for Climate Change” details what it calls a “decades-long deception campaign” by oil companies to deceive Americans after learning…