California Dolphin

California’s highest-ranking court officials are warning of a growing “constitutional crisis” playing out across the state’s judicial system, as hundreds of thousands of hearings are held without a precise record of what occurred. The problem is a shortage of public court reporters, the stenographers who transcribe proceedings, and state law that bars electronic recording devices from being used in certain types of hearings — even when a reporter isn’t available. Courts have tried to triage the problem by reserving available court reporters for the most important cases, such as felony trials. But other critically important proceedings — such as for domestic violence restraining orders and child custody disputes — routinely are going unrecorded. On a daily basis, litigants are told they can either hire their own reporters — for hundreds or even thousands of dollars per hearing — or simply go without a record. The result, officials and advocates agree, is that poorer Californians have less access to justice. Without a verbatim record of a proceeding, litigants can struggle to defend their rights — including against abusers — and find it impossible to appeal rulings

Of all the sounds now vanished from the heart of old downtown Los Angeles — the songs of the Tongva , the whistles of steam locomotives, the clanging of streetcars — there’s one you’d never have expected: the Rebel Yell. The battle cry of the Confederacy resounded a long way from its home, but throughout the Civil War, you could hear it in secessionist hangouts like the old Bella Union Hotel. The yell usually went along with hollering and arguing, and maybe the bibulous singing of “We’ll Hang Abe Lincoln To A Tree.” That was the Confederates’ poor rejoinder to the Yankees’ insult song about the Confederate president, “We’ll Hang Jeff Davis From a Sour Apple Tree.” (Poor, because the meter doesn’t scan, and who hangs anyone to a tree, anyway?) Like the song, the Confederacy was a failure. But here — here, in now politically azure-blue L.A. — sympathy for the South was muscular and, as far as the U.S. government was concerned, a potential menace. Think of Jets and Sharks decked out in buckskins or Yankee blue, ambling down our grubby streets, swapping

After the Supreme Court overturned the Roe vs. Wade decision in 2022, jeopardizing abortion access for millions nationwide, California emerged as a “hot spot” and saw a surge in procedures — an influx probably due in part to out-of-staters facing new restrictions and looking for care. Tuesday’s decision by the Arizona Supreme Court that aims to impose a near-total abortion ban in the neighboring state has put Southern California providers on alert and reignited leading state Democrats’ efforts to provide a “safe haven” for reproductive rights. “We stand with the people of Arizona, and all those who live in states that have enacted dangerous abortion bans and restrictions. No matter what comes, we remain steadfast in our resolve to protect and expand access to safe and legal abortion care for all,” said Darrah DiGiorgio Johnson, president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. The regional Planned Parenthood operates clinics in Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties, where 10% of patients are from outside California. Arizonans were already traveling to California for abortion, because before this week’s ruling the state banned abortions at

With two major expansions of downtown Los Angeles cultural institutions in the works, Bunker Hill is primed to elevate its status as the region’s leading arts center even as the area around it struggles with persistent homelessness and post-pandemic losses of office tenants. Bunker Hill will soon have the largest concentration of buildings designed by Frank Gehry in the world and promises to become a cultural center “like no other place,” the architect told the Los Angeles Times. The Broad recently announced a $100-million project that will increase gallery space at one of the city’s most popular museums by 70%, and the Colburn School for performing arts just broke ground on a $335-million expansion that will include a mid-size concert hall — designed by Gehry — that is expected to be in near-constant use for events put on by students, professional artists and academics. Gehry has been a key player in the decades-long comeback of Bunker Hill, a former residential neighborhood that is now home to cultural institutions, office skyscrapers, apartment towers and hotels. With the coming additions, Gehry said, Bunker Hill stands to surpass

Sunday is Tia Mowry’s favorite day of the week because it’s the day that she gets to do whatever she wants. “With my career, there’s always some sort of schedule,” the actor and entrepreneur said. But on Sundays, “it’s just really free-flowing. I mean, yes, there are some routines and traditions that we have on Sunday, but it’s not a strict schedule.” Mowry has been lighting up our TV screens since her debut on the beloved ‘90s sitcom “Sister, Sister” alongside her twin sister, Tamera. Since then, Mowry has picked up several other notable roles on shows and films like “The Game,” “Twitches” and “Family Reunion.” She also starred in a Style Network reality show about her and her sister’s lives called “Tia & Tamera,” released two cookbooks and launched 4u by Tia, a sustainable, science-backed hair care line for natural hair. In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends. The latest venture for the mom of two? Mowry

By Shawna Mizelle April 12, 2024 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS News Katie Hobbs backs repeal of 1864 abortion ban Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs calls for repeal of near-total abortion ban 10:57 A Colorado campaign that’s trying to enshrine abortion rights into the state’s constitution has gathered enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot this November, CBS News has learned.  To amend Colorado’s constitution, petitioners must gather 124,238 signatures from the state’s voters, including 2% of the total registered voters in each of Colorado’s 35 Senate districts, according to the secretary of state’s office. Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom said its volunteers gathered more than 225,000 signatures and met the district requirements, as well. The deadline to turn the signatures in is April 18. A person familiar with the operation told CBS News that the group expects challenges from opposition groups on the validity of the signatures. The announcement underscores the ongoing push to put abortion on the ballot at the state level after the Supreme Court ended federal abortion protections with the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, which struck down the landmark

Updated on: April 12, 2024 / 5:53 AM EDT / CBS/AP How will O.J. Simpson be remembered? How will O.J. Simpson be remembered? 04:29 Los Angeles — O.J. Simpson died Thursday without having paid the lion’s share of the $33.5 million judgment a California civil jury awarded to the families of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. Acquitted at a criminal trial, Simpson was found liable by jurors in a 1997 wrongful death lawsuit. The public is now likely to get a closer look Simpson’s finances, and the families are likely to have a better shot at collecting — if there’s anything to collect. David Cook, an attorney who’s been seeking to collect the civil judgment for Goldman’s family since 2008, said Simpson “died without penance. We don’t know what he has, where it is or who is in control. We will pick up where we are and keep going with it.”  Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in undated photos. CBS News How the next few months may play out Whether or not he left behind a will, and whatever

By Phil Galewitz April 12, 2024 / 5:00 AM EDT / KFF Health News Americans struggling to pay for health care Many working-age Americans struggling to pay for health care 05:15 Nearly a quarter of adults disenrolled from Medicaid in the past year say they are now uninsured, according to a survey released Friday that details how tens of millions of Americans struggled to retain coverage in the government insurance program for low-income people after pandemic-era protections began expiring last spring . The first national survey of adults whose Medicaid eligibility was reviewed during the unwinding found nearly half of people who lost their government coverage signed back up weeks or months later — suggesting they should never have been dropped in the first place. While 23% reported being uninsured, an additional 28% found other coverage — through an employer, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplace, or health care for members of the military, the survey by KFF found. “Twenty-three percent is a striking number especially when you think about the number of people who lost Medicaid coverage,” said Chima Ndumele, an associate professor

Sensorio will celebrate five years in May and the popular art destination will mark its anniversary with a new exhibit. The Paso Robles-based art center first opened in 2019 and announced the new exhibit on Thursday. According to a press release, the new exhibit is called “DIMENSIONS” and will feature large geometric metal sculptures that guests can walk through as lights and music shift around them in a 33-minute continuous show. Sensorio says “DIMENSIONS” has been in the works for three years. It was created by Los Angeles-based artists HYBYCOZO, a collaborative partnership between Serge Beaulieu and Yelena Filipchuk. According to Sensorio, the new, immersive exhibit is set to open on Friday, May 24. Sensorio’s 5-year celebration event will take place on May 24 and will include live music, the rollout of a new performance stage area and more. To read more about the new exhibit, click here.

The Atascadero Police Department is warning the public about escalating use of illegal motorcycle riding in the Salinas Riverbed. In recent months, police say there has been a surge in unauthorized motorcycle activity within the riverbed area, posing significant risks to both the riders and the community at large. Police say these actions violate local and state ordinances and also endanger public safety and the delicate ecosystem of the riverbed. The Atascadero Police Department is urging all residents and visitors to refrain from engaging in illegal motorcycle riding activities. If you are caught doing so, these are the potential consequences; Safety Hazard: Riding motorcycles in the riverbed presents a severe safety hazard to riders, equestrian riders, pedestrians, and nearby residents. The rugged terrain and unpredictable conditions increase the likelihood of accidents, potentially resulting in serious injuries or fatalities. Environmental Damage: The delicate ecosystem of the Salinas Riverbed is under threat from illegal motorcycle riding. Such activities can cause soil erosion, damage vegetation, and disrupt wildlife habitats, leading to long-term environmental degradation. Noise Pollution: The loud noise generated by motorcycle engines disrupts the tranquility of the