Surf's up in California, where it's now the official state sport.Governor Jerry Brown announced that he has signed a bill making it so.The new law declares surfing to be "an iconic California sport" - though it acknowledges that surfing originated with the Polynesian people and was imported into California from Hawaii.Still, it says Californians have embraced surfing and made important contributions to the modern sport."I am stoked that surfing is now California's official sport. No other sport represents the California Dream better than surfing -- riding the waves of opportunity and living in harmony with nature," avid surfer and Democratic state Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi of Torrance said in a statement.The state's 1,770 kilometers of coastline are home to a number of world-famous surf breaks, and California hosts the Surfers' Hall of Fame, the International Surfing Museum, and the California Surf Museum. It's also the site of the International Surf Festival, the US Open of Surfing, … [Read more...] about California claims surfing as its own
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Dramatic moment people dive in to rescue family who drove into the sea in California
BYSTANDERS and lifeguards had to leap to rescue a pair who drove into a marina. Two people and a dog were saved from a sinking station wagon after the driver over-shot a car park and landed in the sea. The truck crashed through a metal railing at a Southern California marina and started to sink. Video shared by a witness on Saturday shows people scrambling to pull the dog, the woman and then the man from the vehicle as it rapidly fills with water. People can be heard shouting: "Get them out!" Jeff Jones, who took the video and ran to the lifeguard station to get help, tells KCBS-TV the truck barrelled through the railing at the car park at Alamitos Bay Marina in Long Beach, south of Los Angeles. He added: "It was very hectic, the fire trucks came, the local Marine patrol came. "It just got pretty chaotic, very fast." The car was being driven by a man, with his mum in the passenger seat and pet dog in the back. LAWLESS LONDON Three people gunned down in … [Read more...] about Dramatic moment people dive in to rescue family who drove into the sea in California
California firefighters perform random acts of kindness while battling wildfires
SHASTA, Calif. — California firefighters working long hours in dangerous conditions have often done more than put out the flames. They not only saved Jeff Grant's home — one firefighter took time to save his garden. "This note was in the front door, saying, 'I have watered your flowers and garden a couple of days. Hope they make it,'" Grants said. The firefighter who left the note is Ray Barber, the fire chief in Red Bluff, California. "I realized that this garden was still intact, still salvageable, and so that morning I watered it and then returned that evening and then again the next day," Barber said. "He didn't have to do that," Grants said. "He just took it under into his heart that to help us out." California's fires are creating another problem: Fleeing insurers Are devastating wildfires a new normal? "It's actually worse than that," climate scientist says Even as they work to the point of exhaustion, social media posts show firefighter's small acts of … [Read more...] about California firefighters perform random acts of kindness while battling wildfires
Inmates who volunteer to fight California’s largest fires denied access to jobs on release
opinion Nick Sibilla Opinion contributor Published 10:00 p.m. UTC Aug 20, 2018 As California struggles to contain the largest fire in state history, more than 2,000 inmates have volunteered to fight the flames. Offering just $1 an hour, the state has long encouraged low-level prisoners to risk their lives and serve alongside professional firefighters, who earn nearly $74,000 a year on average. Firefighting, along with less life-threatening trades like plumbing, welding, and cosmetology, is one of several vocational training programs offered to prisoners by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. But in a bitterly ironic twist, once inmates leave prison, they often can’t work as firefighters, despite their frontline experience. In California, nearly all counties require firefighters to become licensed emergency medical technician (EMTs) — a credential that can be denied to … [Read more...] about Inmates who volunteer to fight California’s largest fires denied access to jobs on release
No soda for you! California bill wants to restrict kids from drinking sugary drinks at restaurants
A California bill wants to curb the amount of sugary drinks consumed by children by having restaurants provide two default choices - water or milk. Some parents are angry, saying the state shouldn't interfere in the matter. The bill, which is aimed at tackling childhood obesity, would require that children are served milk or water unless a parent explicitly asks for something else. In that case, a child would still be allowed to drink soda or juice. The bill has passed the California State Assembly and is now making its way to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown. If it passes, it will make California the first state to have such a law. However, similar restrictions have already been introduced in individual cities in California and other parts of the country, according to CBS News. Read more The bill is being supported by the American Cancer Society. “Some of these kids are drinking up to three sodas a day. This is setting them up for tremendous cancer risks down the road,” … [Read more...] about No soda for you! California bill wants to restrict kids from drinking sugary drinks at restaurants