Prison Overcrowding Reverberates on County Level
Last month, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling upheld a court order forcing California to slash the number of inmates stuffed into its prison system. The state has two years to reduce the inmate population by roughly 30,000. On Tuesday, state officials must give a panel of federal judges a road map for getting there.
Protest Over Use of Controversial Pesticide
Activists have been trying to stop the use of the pesticide methyl iodide over concerns about its effects on the health of farmworkers. The state approved its use in December, however, and the first California farmer to use the pesticide applied it to a pepper field near Fresno a few weeks ago. There was a demonstration yesterday outside the office that issued the permit.