Posts Tagged: economic

News

California’s jobless rate up to 4.1% amid mixed economic signals

A worker makes repairs to an electric rotor turbine unit at a geothermal plant. (Photo: VG Photo, via Shutterstock)

One month does not equal a trend, but can be a cause for concern. For instance, employers in California added 19,900 nonfarm payroll jobs in August after registering 84,800 new hires in July. Meanwhile, the Golden State’s unemployment rate rose to 4.1% in August from July’s 3.9%, according to the state Employment Development Department.

Opinion

Boosting state support to working class communities makes sense

A view of downtown Los Angeles from a nearby residential community. (Photo: Hayk_Shalunts, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: Last year was a terrible year for many working class Californians. The pandemic raged on, claiming lives, disrupting schools, and endangering workplaces, but one by one, the programs put in place to support frontline workers evaporated. Meanwhile, the cost of basic necessities across the board – from groceries, to utility bills, to gasoline – soared.

Opinion

Public higher education: Key to economic vitality

UCLA graduates on campus with the Bruin Bear. (Photo: Michael Gordon, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: At a time when the United States is seeking to expand economic opportunity and address social inequities, Californians should vigorously support an institution that does both: our public colleges and universities.

Opinion

California needs to establish an Office of Racial Equity

Demonstrators seeking racial justice for the Asian community at a March rally in Alhambra. (Photo: Ringo Chiu, via Shutterstock)

As the nation continues to grapple with devastating police violence against African Americans and rising hate crimes against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander Community, many government leaders continue to talk a good game about the importance of racial justice.

We need a lot more than talk. It’s long past time to

Opinion

Bills for recycle program well intentioned, but fall short

Recycle bins behind a supermarket in Scotts Valley, Calif. (Photo: Michael Barajas, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: Every year during the end-of-session debates in the Legislature, bills that had previously stalled suddenly get new life. Sometimes, it’s the result of a grand bargain struck to advance long-held policy objectives. Other times, it’s the result of public pressure created by an emerging crisis. 

News

Facing COVID-19 on California’s rural front

A lonely road in Inyo County near Lone Pine, Calif., with the Sierra Nevada in the background. (Photo: Nella, via Shutterstock)

California’s most heavily populated counties are drawing the most attention as COVID-19 spikes and spreads, with Los Angeles reporting more than 140,000 cases and nearly 3,900 deaths since March. But California’s rural counties also face immense challenges. And while their populations are less dense and the infection levels lower overall than the larger counties, the available health services often are scant.

Opinion

Clippers arena: A great opportunity for Inglewood

A roadside sign for the city of Inglewood near Los Angeles. The picture was taken in April. (Photo: Albert Campbell)

The California economy is booming at a record pace.  The State’s unemployment rate is at a historic low of 4.2 percent, with investments in technology, health care, transportation and construction projects helping lead the way. But the Golden State’s success has been uneven.The economic wave of prosperity missed some of California’s most vulnerable populations, leaving some of the most diverse and socio-economically disadvantaged communities behind. The City of Inglewood is one of those communities. 

Opinion

COIN: Building economic clout to fight neighborhood poverty

A view of a densely populated area of the eastern San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles. (Photo: Trekandshoot, Shutterstock)

OPINION: According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s report The Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2015, nearly eight million people in California were living in poverty in 2015. The report indicated that the state’s poverty rate was 20.6 percent—well above the national rate of 15.1 percent—and surpassed the rates of every other state in the nation.

News

Stem cell: Knee arthritis in new $33 million research plan

A Liquid Nitrogen bank containing a suspension of stem cells. (Photo: Elena Pavlovich)

The California stem cell agency this week approved nearly $33 million for clinical stage research projects testing treatments for type 1 diabetes, arthritis of the knee, ALS and an immunodeficiency affliction.

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