Scandals Put Focus on Campaign Finance in Secretary of State Race
Recent scandals have turned the normally sleepy secretary of state campaign into one of the most hotly contested races of the year. Four candidates vying for the job debated each other in Sacramento on Wednesday. Not present: Leland Yee, who continues to impact the race even after ending his campaign in the wake of being charged with corruption and firearms trafficking. The charges that Yee and another state senator, Ron Calderon, took bribes for favors have made campaign finance a major issue in the race.
California Nurses Seek Greater Workplace Protections
Just last weekend, a patient at a Los Angeles hospital stabbed a nurse with a pencil. The same day, another nurse at another L.A. hospital was attacked with a knife. Nurses across the state are calling for greater protections from violent patients. Lawmakers will vote on a bill Thursday that would require hospitals to do more to prevent violence at their facilities.
In Turnaround, Californians Like the Way Education is Headed
Four years ago, Californians were worried. They hated the deep budget cuts at their local schools, and they wanted the state to make education a top priority. Today, Californians say they like the way education is headed in the Golden State. That's based on an annual survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). What happened? PPIC's survey director points to Common Core, a new set of academic standards.