CALIFORNIA – The majority of collisions in Central Division that end in death or injury begin with a speeding or aggressive driver. To address this issue, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has embarked on a yearlong, lifesaving endeavor to reduce the frequency of these collisions.

SACRAMENTO – Cal Fire inspectors have begun conducting Defensible Space inspections throughout the 31 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA) in California. “Creating and maintaining Defensible Space is critical for the protection of homes,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire director. “It has never been more critical to strengthen our fire prevention efforts in light of the elevated fire ...

SACRAMENTO – With Daylight Saving Time beginning on Sunday. Mar. 9, Cal Fire officials are reminding all Californians to ensure they have working smoke alarms in their homes. Studies have shown that most homes have smoke alarms, however nearly two-thirds of home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no working smoke alarms.

From the website of Congressman Tom McClintock, 4th District of California CALIFORNIA – The Rim Fire Emergency Salvage Act by Congressman McClintock was approved today by the House of Representatives as part of a larger bill, H.R. 2954 (The Public Access and Lands Improvement Act). Title IX of that bill compromises the Rim Fire Salvage Act. The salvage language is ...

SACRAMENTO – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) released a draft economic analysis of its proposal to designate 1,831,820 acres of critical habitat in California for the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, the northern distinct population segment of the mountain yellow-legged frog, and the Yosemite toad. The draft economic analysis estimates the costs associated with the designation of critical habitat ...

SAN FRANCISCO – With California facing water shortfalls in the driest year in recorded state history, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today proclaimed a State of Emergency and directed state officials to take all necessary actions to prepare for these drought conditions. “We can’t make it rain, but we can be much better prepared for the terrible consequences that California’s ...

SAN FRANCISCO – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris kicked off Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week by issuing tips for Californians to follow to prevent tax-related identity theft as the annual tax compiling and filing process begins. Tax-related identity theft increases in January and commonly occurs when: -Thieves use stolen personal information to file tax returns in someone else’s name in ...

SACRAMENTO – The California Highway Patrol (CHP) joins the U.S. Department of Justice in observing National AMBER Alert Awareness Day on Monday, Jan. 13. This special day was created to raise public awareness of the AMBER Alert program. The goal of the program, which can be found in every state in the nation, is to instantly spur the entire community ...

California Braces for Possible Third Dry YearSACRAMENTO – As California’s dry weather pushes into the new year, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced that its first snow survey of the winter found more bare ground than snow. Manual and electronic readings record the snowpack’s statewide water content at about 20 percent of average for this time of year.

MADERA COUNTY – Influenza activity is increasing in California, including Madera County, according to the Madera County Public Health Department. Many areas are reporting patients who are critically ill with influenza, including healthy young adults. The primary strain of influenza circulating so far is the H1N1 strain, which emerged during the 2009 pandemic. This strain causes more illness in children ...