Authored by Assemblymembers Ash Kalra (D–San Jose) and Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D–Los Angeles), Assembly Bill (AB) 1157 — known as the Affordable Rent Act — failed last week to advance out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, marking the second consecutive year the rent control proposal has been halted in the Legislature.
Authored by Assemblymembers Ash Kalra (D–San Jose) and Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D–Los Angeles), Assembly Bill (AB) 1157 — known as the Affordable Rent Act — failed last week to advance out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, marking the second consecutive year the rent control proposal has been halted in the Legislature.
Responding to recent fatal shootings and an uptick in misconduct and excessive use-of-force incidents by federal policing agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), California lawmakers are proposing some legal guardrails to prevent them and hold officers accountable.
The ice will be hot at the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, as the results of the senior events will significantly factor into the selection of the U.S. team that will compete at the Olympic Winter Games in February. When the senior men take to the ice on Jan. 7, Emmanuel Savary will look to make his mark in what will likely be his final U.S. nationals.
Here in 2026, we must not forget His benefits from 2025. We have already received and continue to receive Spiritual Blessings. Apostle Paul declares that God has blessed believers with “every spiritual blessing.” They encompass gifts of redemption, including forgiveness, grace, and the promise of eternal life. These blessings are not based on human merit but are freely given by God’s grace.
Survivors of violence, community activists, and lawmakers from across California joined forces at a press conference at the State Capitol on Jan. 13.
In the largest Medicare Advantage fraud settlement to date, Kaiser Permanente has agreed to pay $556 million to settle Justice Department allegations that it billed the government for medical conditions patients didn’t have.
For nearly three decades, the Rev. Wesley Crawford Sr., a longtime civil rights advocate and Kern County leader, has carried the torch of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in Bakersfield, organizing annual MLK Day Breakfasts that serve as both celebration and call to action for the community.
Each year on the third Monday in January, communities across the nation honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. In Bakersfield and throughout Kern County, that legacy is reflected not only in remembrance ceremonies, but in hands-on service and community care.
Dr. Irma Carson, a barrier-breaking public servant whose decades of work helped widen doors in local government, law enforcement, education, and community health, has died. Her passing marks the loss of a historic figure whose life of service reshaped civic leadership in Bakersfield and inspired generations within the Black community.
For nearly three decades, the Rev. Wesley Crawford Sr., a longtime civil rights advocate and Kern County leader, has carried the torch of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in Bakersfield, organizing annual MLK Day Breakfasts that serve as both celebration and call to action for the community.
Classrooms should be places of opportunity, not obstacles. But for many students with disabilities, especially students of color and English learners, school often reinforces the inequities it’s supposed to erase.
When Matthew Hurley was looking to take PrEP to prevent HIV, the doctor hadn’t heard of the medicine, and when he finally did prescribe PrEP, the bills sent to Hurley were expensive … and wrong. “I decided to write in because the process was really super frustrating.” At one point, Hurley asked, “Am I just going to stop this medication to stop having to deal with these coding issues and these scary bills?”
The U.S. Secret Service is preparing for one of the largest expansions in its history as officials confront what they describe as an unprecedented volume of credible threats, fueled by escalating global tensions and a series of aggressive U.S. actions overseas that have triggered unrest at home and abroad.
On the fifth anniversary of January 6, a date now fixed in the American conscience, Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn returned to the moment that altered his life and the nation’s course. Appearing on “Let It Be Known,” Dunn spoke about the unforgettable day that’s shaped by time, pain, and resolve, revisiting what he has called the worst day of his life.
Let’s talk about real dollars and real opportunity in the new year. At OIC of America, we like to say, “Skills pay bills.” And in this moment — when employers across the country are scrambling for trained workers — the people who hold the right certifications are the ones writing their own ticket. If you’re trying to increase your income without the cost or time commitment of a four-year degree, skill-based certifications might be the smartest investment you can make.
America no longer wakes up to news. It wakes up to damage reports, and the reports keep piling up faster than the country can absorb them.
Let’s talk about real dollars and real opportunity in the new year. At OIC of America, we like to say, “Skills pay bills.” And in this moment — when employers across the country are scrambling for trained workers — the people who hold the right certifications are the ones writing their own ticket. If you’re trying to increase your income without the cost or time commitment of a four-year degree, skill-based certifications might be the smartest investment you can make.
California’s 2026–27 budget debate opened on Jan. 9 with Finance Director Joe Stephenshaw presenting the budget proposal.
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