California unemployment claims drop, backlog and fraud persists
State data provided by the Employment Development Department (EDD) has unemployment claims for last week down to just 158,877 – a six-month low.
Fired Vallejo officer details killing Ronell Foster, lax investigations in deposition
Testimony from former Vallejo police Officer Ryan McMahon over the shooting of an unarmed Black man raises new questions about how thoroughly the killing was investigated.
COVID-19 patients moved to nursing home, 12 resident deaths reported
A massive COVID-19 outbreak at a Santa Clara County nursing home has left a dozen dead and infected 75 residents after hospital patients were moved into a separate wing of the Gilroy facility two months ago.
California farmworkers endure harsh conditions, wildfires and the coronavirus
California farmworkers are facing rising risks to their health as they deal with harsh conditions including extreme heat, smoky air and increased exposure to COVID-19.
After two week pause, EDD accepts new unemployment claims, but phone delays persist
After the Employment Development Department’s unemployment help line was on hold for two weeks to improve claim processing and address backlogged claims and fraud, it remains difficult to access assistance from the agency.
Cal Fire focused on remote vineyard in probe into cause of Glass Fire
Investigators with Cal Fire are set up on a remote vineyard on a secluded hillside in Napa Valley as they probe for the origin and cause of the destructive Glass Fire. Several neighbors told KTVU they witnessed flames erupt from the same area when the fire first ignited.
Trouble reaching EDD? Here's how to get your unemployment benefits
California's EDD is a vital office for people who've lost their job, but the department is beset by problems. Here are ways to reach the EDD.
Stolen mail found dumped as thieves target mailboxes
Mail theft is on the rise across California and it has been for at least three years. In one case, thieves targeted a series of apartment buildings using counterfeit keys to steal from dozens of mailboxes night after night.
Vallejo police chief pledges reform, but community wary after decade of controversial killings
Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams has pledged to reform the police department following a decade of scandal and controversial police killings. Civil Right's groups and family members of people killed by police are skeptical he has what it takes.
A decade of police killings in Vallejo and no discipline for officers
Since 2010, Vallejo police have killed 19 people, all but one of which were shootings. And in all that time, no officers have received any discipline.
Milpitas woman uses man’s identity to claim unemployment benefits on his behalf
When 20-year-old Sebastian Alvarez opened a recording studio last spring, he couldn’t have anticipated that a pandemic would halt his business before it could get off the ground. But upon approval for unemployment insurance, he found himself in another unforeseeable situation—he couldn’t access any funds, because someone allegedly purchased his social security number, and was using his identity to collect benefits.
A look at the people killed by Vallejo police since 2010
None of the officers have been charged criminally for any of these shootings in the last decade, as each case was deemed justified. Yet, many of these men's families say that police have acted with excessive force and have given false accounts about why they felt the need to shoot and kill their loved ones.
California EDD money keeps getting mailed to New York address
Unemployment letters, checks and debit cards from California's Employment Development Department have arrived in a New Yorker's mailbox, pointing to potential fraud at the EDD.
EDD investigating fraud linked to pandemic unemployment money
California has distributed $77 billion in unemployment benefits and 12 million claims have been filed since March, which is more than any other state, indicating potential identity theft and fraud surrounding the state's Employment Development Dept.
California inmates battling wildfires despite COVID-19, early releases
Inmate firefighters feel they've been forgotten by the California Department of Corrections and forced to keep battling wildfires as prisoners convicted of similar or more serious crimes are let out of prison early amid the coronavirus pandemic.
San Rafael has highest number of COVID-19 cases in Marin County
Three quarters of all confirmed cases of COVID-19 are among the Latino and Hispanic community in Marin County.
Man accused of bloody spree in SF was released from earlier psychiatric hold
A man accused of a bloody rampage earlier this year in San Francisco's Tenderloin had been placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold but was released after only a few hours, records show.
Prison officials turned down free COVID-19 testing for San Quentin
On two different occasions offers by a group of scientists at UC Berkeley for free rapid COVID-19 testing at San Quentin were denied by California prison officials.
Oakland police chief: no excuse for thousands of 911 delays
The Oakland Police Department failed to properly handle the 200,000 emergency calls it received in 2019, leaving thousands on hold. Interim Police Chief Susan Manheimer admitted the department fell short.
Oakland 911 failed 18,000 emergency callers last year
Every year, thousands of emergency calls in Oakland go unanswered for far longer than a state standard allows, leaving potential victims of violent crimes on hold. A recent grand jury investigation found negligent oversight explaining the city can’t competently handle the 200,000 emergency calls it gets every year.