Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker A feasibility report using historical maps and ecological data is raising excitement: ‘It would be a slow process’ On the eve of the gold rush, California was teeming with grizzly bears – as many as 10,000 of them They were so popular that the Bear Flag Republic – a short-lived attempt by a group of US settlers to break away from Mexico in 1846 – used the animals as their mascot; an image that still adorns California’s flag The last documented sighting of a grizzly bear in California was in the spring of 1924 in Sequoia national park an inevitable question has hung in the air: could the majestic grizzly return to the Golden state New research says they could. Peter Alagona, an environmental historian at the University of California at Santa Barbara who led the feasibility report started researching grizzlies more than a decade ago As he pored over historical maps and ecological data he started to feel excited about the potential for the species to return “The extinction of grizzlies in California had not been inevitable by any means and their recovery is probably not impossible either,” he says “even though that’s the story people have been kind of telling for 100 years.” The California state flag on 2 December 2023 Photograph: George Rose/Getty ImagesAt 800lb (360kg) and standing 9ft (2.5 meters) tall the bears served as a powerful symbol for Indigenous groups and California settlers alike They were probably among the world’s biggest and most carnivorous brown bears a group that also lives in eastern Europe and Russia fewer than 2,000 grizzlies live in the contiguous US California could host more than 1,000 more Returning them to the state could offer numerous benefits including keeping herbivore populations in check aerating the soil with their digging and cycling nutrients which contributes to ecological diversity and health There are still many parts of the state that could support a robust grizzly population They pinpoint three regions: the north-west forest near the Oregon border the southern Sierra Nevada and the south-western region that includes the mountains near Santa Barbara Even after the animals disappeared due to conflicts with humans large areas of their former habitat remained the prospect is an exciting change to the narrative he has grown up with “But science actually shows that’s not the case “We’ve got the largest acreage of protected areas of any state California still has plenty of space for one or more populations of grizzlies I think that the question is really whether people are interested enthusiastic and willing to support this.” Alagona says it’s not the fault of the bears “The way we handle them and the way we live with them is the problem.” There are some areas where humans and grizzlies live together And any reintroduction effort would happen slowly Officials would start reintroducing a very small number of wild-born female bears from Montana Idaho or Wyoming into the most remote areas of habitat – probably in the southern Sierra So it’s unlikely that Californians – even in the future – would catch a glimpse of them “And then you’d learn and monitor and watch and let people know how it’s going and work with local people in the communities deliberate and careful process,” Alagona says Ultimately, it will be up to the people of California to make this feasibility plan a reality. Wilder, who was not involved in the study, remembers seeing the state flag since the time she was in kindergarten, and thinking the bear was a symbol of what was lost – a ghost relic of times gone, and a reminder of human destruction. “Instead, if we bring it back, it reminds us of a new future,” she says. “And I think we need hope right now.” being older and homeless comes with unique difficulties.00:00 / Gregory Sovick spent a decade sleeping on the streets of Redding He’s not alone. In recent years, more older adults like Sovick — many with steady work histories — are being priced out and pushed into homelessness for the first time. Nationally, about 20% of the homeless population is now 55 or older ended up in Redding after a series of family deaths and financial losses “I just hung out with nothing else to do,” he said Sovick grew up in East Los Angeles and worked for years as a dog groomer he brought in a little cash fixing bicycles and building bike trailers “I just made it out there as best I could,” he said Gregory Sovick in his apartment in Redding He lost his nose to cancer while living on the streets Sovick’s story reflects a growing pattern across the country: older adults who once made ends meet now find themselves without a place to call home “I’m old enough that when I started in this work, we were like, ‘Oh, Social Security solves homelessness,’ and now it doesn’t,” said Dr. Margot Kushel, director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative at the University of California physically demanding jobs with no money left over for savings “And then after the age of 50, something happened‚" she said They couldn’t keep up their physically demanding work This kind of life disruption is more common than most realize. According to Kushel, almost half of them have never been homeless before The financial strain is severe — people over 50 are most likely to spend more than half of their income on rent Being older and homeless comes with special challenges Sometimes housing options are physically inaccessible or there’s just not enough housing available Related: Millions of seniors struggle to afford housing — and it’s about to get a lot worse Government programs help millions of older adults with housing, but a 2023 study shows there just isn’t enough to go around — and in some places Kushel said older homeless people have high rates of chronic disease and incredibly high mortality rates. One of her studies found that homeless older adults die much earlier than expected — with death rates more than three times higher than the general population The study says the average age of death among these older homeless adults ranges from 42-52 “These are people who’ve paid into Social Security their whole lives their rate of death is such that many will never live long enough to get the Social Security out,” Kushel said While some older adults lose housing entirely others need help to make their home somewhere they can stay Hearts for Seniors a housing program based in Southern Oregon focuses on this problem: helping older adults with whatever they need whether it’s getting food or fixing up their house “When we hear about these seniors who are going to be evicted if they don’t have clear pathways we try to get teams that can go in and help keep them in their homes,” said Stephanie Miller A team of volunteers fans out to seniors’ homes installing a ramp or just providing company Miller said they serve 80-90 seniors each week in Jackson One of them is 82-year-old Bob Welch in Medford He broke his hip falling on the unstable front steps of his house and I had a yard full of carpenters building me a ramp,” Welch said He speaks highly of their work and said the best part is the weekly hangout with “my buddy,” one of the volunteers But for older people who do become homeless finding their way back into housing can be difficult and tedious — as Sovick knows first hand he was finally able to get a housing voucher and move into an apartment “We need to look ourselves in the mirror as a society,” Kushel said “We are letting our elders die out alone in the cold or the heat Jane Vaughan is a reporter with Jefferson Public Radio This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page Tags: Homelessness, Seniors, Southern Oregon, California Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now Official website of the State of California What you need to know: California’s economy continues to dominate and grow at a faster rate than the world’s top economies with new data showing it has overtaken Japan as the 4th largest economy in the world “California isn’t just keeping pace with the world—we’re setting the pace Our economy is thriving because we invest in people we recognize that our progress is threatened by the reckless tariff policies of the current federal administration According to the IMF’s 2024 World Economic Outlook data released yesterday and BEA data California’s nominal GDP reached $4.1 trillion and placing California behind only the United States California’s GDP figure is based on the latest state-level GDP data from the BEA California’s economy is growing at a faster rate than the world’s top three economies California’s growth rate of 6% outpaced the top three economies: U.S California’s success is long-term –the state’s economy grew strongly over the last four years with an average nominal GDP growth of 7.5% from 2021 to 2024 Preliminary data indicates India is projected to surpass California by 2026 The state drives national economic growth and also sends over $83 billion more to the federal government than it receives in federal funding California is the leading agricultural producer in the country and is also the center for manufacturing output in the United States with over 36,000 manufacturing firms employing over 1.1 million Californians The Golden State’s manufacturing firms have created new industries and supplied the world with manufactured goods spanning aerospace caused hundreds of billions of dollars in losses and inflicted higher costs for consumers and businesses as President Trump’s tariffs are projected to shrink the U.S Economy, Press Releases, Recent News, Top Story News What you need to know: The Governor honored the contributions of fallen California law enforcement officers at the annual California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony California – Honoring the contributions of fallen California peace officers,.. News What you need to know: California applied to the federal government today to update the state's benchmark plan which would expand coverage requirements for essential health benefits (EHBs) like hearing aids and wheelchairs in the individual and small group.. News What you need to know: California remains the #1 state for tourism with record-high tourism spending reaching $157.3 billion in 2024 the Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric are driving away tourists © Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) House of Representatives has voted to undo three federal waivers that let California set strict vehicle pollution standards the House voted against two waivers involving heavy trucking it voted to reverse a state rule that would require all new vehicles in the state to be zero-emission by 2035 Two nonpartisan government entities have advised Congress that it can't actually reverse those waivers through the mechanism it's using The Senate now needs to decide whether to follow that guidance — or follow the House California's standards have been described by supporters as ambitious the state requires 35% of new cars sold by any given automaker to be zero-emission about 25% of new cars sold in California are electric; the national average is closer to 10% These rules are not something automakers can brush off or overlook California is a huge state and a major auto market Other states can't set their own standards and about a dozen have adopted its zero-emission rule The result is that more than 30% of the U.S auto market is governed by California's policies "California's waiver has a massive impact," Stephanie Brinley the associate director of AutoIntelligence at S&P Global Mobility Environmental groups such as the Union of Concerned Scientists argue that flexibilities built into the rules make them more achievable than they seem And they say stricter regulations are important for protecting public health and the climate "This vote is an unprecedented and reckless attack on states' legal authority to address the vehicle pollution causing asthma lung disease and heart conditions," Kathy Harris Director of Clean Vehicles at the Natural Resources Defense Council palm trees and picturesque homes — that were impossible to see behind a thick haze That choking smog was fueled by air pollution from cars and industry which became trapped mid-air by mountains and wind patterns the state began regulating air pollution well before the federal government did can impose its own emissions standards that are stricter than the nation's the House voted to rescind the waiver that let California issue its zero-emission rule for passenger cars along with two more that allow California to set rules for heavy trucks One rule would require more heavy trucks to be electric while the other would require new diesel vehicles to become cleaner Those three California rules aren't just about reducing smog. Cars and trucks are a major source of the carbon dioxide emissions that are warming the planet. Increasingly, California has become a global leader in reducing the carbon emissions that fuel climate change and zero-emission vehicles are a key part of those climate policies The Trump administration is working to eliminate a number of the Biden administration's pro-EV policies, from freezing EV charger funding to reconsidering federal vehicle standards But even if the administration eases federal standards California's tougher rules still push the auto industry to move aggressively toward EVs That's why reversing these waivers is a key part of the Trump administration's broader deregulation plan the federal government revoked a waiver that allowed California to set its own vehicle standards Some companies that had already made costly investments based on existing rules and that were looking for some consistency among flip-flopping policies They agreed to follow the state's rules regardless of whether they were legally required to Others sided with the Trump administration Over the next few years California made its rules even stricter requiring a new waiver to be granted — the one on passenger vehicles that the House just voted to nix The new Trump administration is now trying a different tactic to eliminate these waivers it was also the EPA that revoked the passenger vehicle waiver Congress is attempting to use the Congressional Review Act to reverse the EPA's decision to grant these waivers in the first place It's a little bit like pressing an "undo" button The Congressional Review Act also states that actions taken under it are not subject to judicial review meaning that courts can't overturn Congress' decision But if the California waiver is in fact revoked under the CRA "It's guaranteed," says Christopher "Smitty" Smith "And that's something I'm willing to state: It's guaranteed to result in litigation." and while her rulings hold significant weight in the Senate But overruling the parliamentarian violates long-held Senate norms — the same norms that keep the filibuster in place Reports indicate that some Republican senators have been weighing whether eliminating the California rules justifies breaking that norm with traditional automakers and the oil industry pushing hard for Congress to eliminate the rules and public health groups like the American Lung Association joining environmental and EV groups to defend California's policies Become an NPR sponsor Gavin Newsom discusses his revised 2024-25 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento Gavin Newsom signed legislation Monday to close a $2.8 billion budget gap in the state’s Medicaid services and ensure coverage through June for 15 million people Here’s what to know about California’s Medicaid gap: California first extended health care benefits to low-income children without legal status in 2015 and later added the benefits for young adults and people over the age of 50 The program was expanded again last year to cover adults ages 26 to 49 The cost of the recent expansion to cover all low-income adults is $2.7 billion more than the state budgeted because California underestimated the number of people who would sign up for services California officials said they only had a month of data last year when the state had to produce projections for the budget The state hasn’t said how many people have enrolled through the expansion the state projected that about 700,000 state residents who are living in the U.S illegally would gain full health coverage to access preventive care and other treatment which also expanded coverage in recent years to more low-income residents regardless of immigration status JB Pritzker is proposing a $330 million cut to coverage for immigrants ages 42 to 64 Newsom’s administration told lawmakers in March that it took out a $3.44 billion loan from the general fund to make payments for March The additional $2.8 billion in state funding will also unlock matching federal money to cover costs already committed through June State officials this month said the situation is “unsustainable” and told lawmakers the state is finding ways to cut costs next year Newsom previously told reporters that rolling back the coverage expansion “is not on my docket.” including Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire also vowed to safeguard benefits for immigrants but acknowledged “tough choices ahead.” The budget hole has reignited criticism from Republican lawmakers about the expansion with some calling for an audit of the state’s Medicaid “Democrats’ bad accounting has brought Medi-Cal to the breaking point making it harder for patients to get in to see a doctor,” Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher said in a statement “We owe it to Californians — and to the vulnerable people who depend on this program — to make sure Medi-Cal is meeting their needs.” The $6.2 billion budget gap is “solvable,” state lawmakers said But Congress’ threats of a Medicaid funding cut could add further strain limit enrollment or raise taxes to help cover the costs if Congress follows through State officials said they’re certain it would upend coverage for millions of people in the state More than half the state’s Medicaid funding comes from the federal government Federal funding doesn’t cover costs related to preventive care for immigrants without legal status A once-glamorous resort was rusting away in the California desert three friends brought it—and the entire town­—back to life Rosecrans Baldwin is a Los Angeles Times best-selling author and essayist His writing has appeared in The New York Times A fast-moving wildfire has burned over 1,500 acres and prompted evacuations in multiple counties in central California The Silver fire began Sunday afternoon north of Bishop, a city located between Yosemite National Park and Death Valley National Park in Inyo County. More than 400 personnel are on the scene at the vegetation fire About 800 homes were issued evacuation notices a spokesperson for Cal Fire in San Bernardino Highway 6 was closed off before being reopened Monday morning As of 6:59 p.m. PST, the fire charred 1,589 acres and was 47% contained, according to Cal Fire Authorities have set up an evacuation center at a senior center in Bishop, California. The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, a popular tourist destination and home to the oldest trees in the world "The fire is actively threatening structures, critical infrastructure, endangered species habitats, watersheds, and cultural and heritage resources," Cal Fire's San Bernardino Unit posted on X Monday with significant runs driven by wind and terrain alignment Air and ground resources have been significantly increased to support suppression efforts." The cause of the Silver Fire remains under investigation The blaze comes nearly three months after the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires in the Los Angeles region killed at least 29 people and damaged or destroyed more than 16,000 structures The Silver fire also arrived as the National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for parts of central California until 9 p.m Southwest winds between 25 and 35 mph and gusts up to 65 mph are in the forecast for the area potentially leading to the fire spreading further Deadly L.A. fires finally contained: Palisades and Eaton wildfires 100% contained after nearly a month of burning The strong winds have already grounded some firefighting aircraft and complicated containment efforts Shane Croucher is a Breaking News Editor based in London Shane joined Newsweek in February 2018 from IBT UK where he held various editorial roles covering different beats He is a graduate of the University of Lincoln You can reach Shane by emailing s.croucher@newsweek.com Her focus is on polling and California politics including the 2024 election and pro-Palestine protests at U.S Martha joined Newsweek in 2024 from The Independent and had previously freelanced at The Sun She is a graduate of Durham University and did her NCTJ at News Associates You can get in touch with Martha by emailing m.mchardy@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content California Governor Gavin Newsom said he has directed his administration to "look at new opportunities to expand trade" as he tries to steer his state around President Donald Trump's sprawling import tariffs As the largest importer and second-largest exporter among U.S potentially increasing costs for California businesses and putting pressure on vital industries within the state Newsom addressed the U.S.'s global trading partners writing "California is here and ready to talk." It comes after a Fox News report revealed that Newsom is directing his state to pursue "strategic" relationships with countries announcing retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. urging them to exclude California-made products from those taxes In response, White House spokesperson Kush Desai told Fox News: "Gavin Newsom should focus on out-of-control homelessness and unaffordability in California instead of trying his hand at international dealmaking." On Wednesday, the White House imposed a 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports allies and non-economically active regions along with higher rates for countries with large trade surpluses against the U.S The tariffs include a 34 percent tax on imports from China, a 20 percent tax on imports from the European Union 24 percent on Japan and 32 percent on Taiwan but the 25 percent tariffs that Trump levied on both countries last month will remain intact Trump's announcement sent the markets into turmoil on Thursday with Wall Street recording its worst day since 2020 China hit back with a 34 percent retaliatory tariff on Friday in the first signs of an all-out trade war that could cripple imports and exports Other nations are now also mulling over retaliatory tariffs the Newsom administration is concerned that retaliatory tariffs could hit California hard can't be directly targeted in international trade retaliation countries could choose to retaliate against Trump's tariffs by targeting goods commonly produced in states other than California—like soybeans or pork—instead of products like California wine or walnuts an agricultural and resource economics professor at UC Davis Newsom administration officials are particularly concerned that California's almond industry and the European Union impose retaliatory tariffs Almond exports were valued at $4.7 billion in 2022 supporting 110,000 jobs and contributing $9.2 billion to California's GDP With 76 percent of the world's almonds grown in California—and most exported—trade restrictions could cost the industry up to $875 million Other food prices may also rise as a result of the tariffs Ninety percent of avocados consumed in the U.S so restrictions could drive up prices and reduce consumption California milk prices could increase if tariffs make canola from Canada more expensive forcing farmers to switch to pricier alternatives The wine and alcohol industries face rising costs as well Tariffs on European wines may lead California winemakers to hike prices while reliance on imported materials like corks and capsules from Mexico and Canada could further push prices upward the state's manufacturing sector—especially in Los Angeles—is at risk The region employed over 313,000 manufacturing workers last year and plays a central role in California's $1 trillion county economy Economist Jock O'Connell warned that reduced imports and exports could lead to fewer jobs at ports and throughout supply chains California exported nearly $160 billion in manufactured goods led by $47.9 billion in computer and electronic products along with $18.4 billion in machinery and $16.2 billion in chemicals These sectors could also face retaliatory tariffs from trade partners State officials also expressed concern that retaliatory tariffs will cause significant disruptions to supply chains between California and Baja arguing that taxing goods each time they cross the border will raise final product prices a Newsom official also told Fox News that the new Trump tariffs will hinder access to essential supplies needed to rebuild after the Los Angeles wildfires currently imposes a 14 percent duty on Canadian lumber with the rate possibly rising to nearly 27 percent this year But Sumner is doubtful that Newsom's directive will go anywhere toward helping the state "The standard theory about retaliation lists is to hurt the offending government politically. That would already suggest going after products from places that supported President Trump. Back when the Democrats had power it was natural to hit California wine because Speaker Pelosi and other Californians had power That is much less true now," he told Newsweek Analysis by the Yale Budget Lab found that the Trump Administration's announced tariffs are expected to drive up overall inflation by 2.3 percent this year alone This includes a projected 2.8 percent increase in food prices and an 8.4 percent jump in automotive prices—resulting in an estimated $3,800 hit to the average American household Gavin Newsom said in video posted to X: "Donald Trump's tariffs do not represent all Americans and on behalf of 40 million Americans that live in the great state of California the dominant manufacturing state in America Our state of mind is around supporting stable trading relationships around the globe And that's why today I've directed my administration to look at new opportunities to expand trade and to remind our trading partners around the globe that California remains a stable partner." he added: "California leads the nation as the #1 state for agriculture and manufacturing — and it's our workers and farmers who stand to lose the most from this Trump tax hike and trade war To our international partners: As the fifth largest economy in the world no matter the turbulence coming out of Washington told Newsweek: "California is not a separate country so there would not be California as a country of origin an importer could retaliate against specific goods that tend to come from states other than California but instead make a point of going after soybeans and pork instead it is harder to tell if it is a California product or has substantial content "The standard theory about retaliation lists is to hurt the offending government politically That would already suggest going after products from places that supported President Trump Back when the Democrats had power it was natural to hit California wine because Speaker Pelosi and other Californians had power "The other response to Governor Newsome may well be from federal agencies that decide to close California offices or cancel programs that benefit California That may have a bigger economic impact than the import policy responses Donald Trump said on Thursday: "The markets are going to boom and the rest of the world wants to see is there any way they can make a deal It's our declaration of economic independence hardworking American citizens were forced to sit on the sidelines as other nations got rich and powerful use trillions and trillions of dollars to reduce our taxes and pay down our national debt Trump's tariffs are set to go into effect between April 5 and April 9 The administration expects the new rates to remain in place until the U.S narrows a $1.2 trillion trade imbalance recorded last year ET: This article has been updated with comment from Daniel Sumner Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsletters in your inbox See all and a third filed in Montana by members of the Blackfeet Nation - a Native American tribe that spans Montana and Canada's Alberta province - challenging Trump's tariffs on Canada.Experts say Trump tariffs are on shaky legal ground because the law cited by Trump is meant to address "unusual and extraordinary" threats to the U.S.The trade deficits and decline in U.S manufacturing that Trump has identified as justification for the tariffs do not meet that standard and are instead a natural consequence of U.S policies that have aimed to lower trade barriers since World War Two a professor who teaches international trade law at Brooklyn Law School."It is very hard to understand how these circumstances are 'unusual and extraordinary'," Pahis said by telephone and they have to mean something."Reporting By Brendan Pierson Dietrich Knauth and Jon Stempel in New York and Nate Raymond in Boston Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Brendan Pierson reports on product liability litigation and on all areas of health care law. He can be reached at brendan.pierson@thomsonreuters.com. , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved 20-year-old Marcelus Angelo Rodriguez of Porterville (Courtesy: Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.) (KATU) — The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office recovered a body along the shore of the Willamette River Deputies were dispatched shortly after 1:00 p.m following reports of a body in a difficult-to-reach location The Marine Unit accessed the area using boats to recover the individual The Clackamas County Medical Examiner’s Office is working to confirm the identity PAST COVERAGE: 911 calls detail harrowing moments before kayaker's disappearance over Willamette Falls Angelo Rodriguez went missing after being seen going over Willamette Falls around 10:52 p.m Multiple 911 callers reported a kayaker in distress on the Willamette River This story will be updated when the body's identity is confirmed please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot Get the most important global markets news at your fingertips with a Bloomberg.com subscription University of Texas System Chancellor JB Milliken will leave the 256,000-student system to take a new out-of-state position as University of California president "We are fortunate to have had Chancellor Milliken at the helm of the UT System for almost seven years,” said UT System Regents' Chair Kevin P “The board and I are grateful for our close and very productive relationship with him and we are proud of what we accomplished together He has led the UT System admirably and innovatively." Milliken was appointed as UT System chancellor in 2018 after spending years as chancellor for City University of New York and has also served as president of the University of Nebraska Milliken was named the new president of the University of California on Friday according to statements from UC and the UT System the University of Texas System’s executive vice chancellor for health affairs and a former Republican member of the Texas House will serve as acting chancellor when Milliken leaves in June according to a news release from the UT System retired from the Legislature in 2019 after seven terms in the House at one point serving as chair of the budget-writing House Appropriations committee Eltife praised Zerwas’ work as vice chancellor and his ability to strengthen partnerships between UT and health institutions Zerwas’ long and distinguished service in the Texas Legislature as a higher education advocate and budget expert,” Eltife said Milliken’s exit is not the only pre-summer leadership shakeup at UT and other major Texas universities. was appointed as interim president of the University of Texas at Austin campus in February months before former president Jay Hartzell indicated he would step down for a new role as Southern Methodist University’s next president the university’s longest-serving chancellor Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar will take on the role July 1 The transitions in university leadership come at a time where college campuses across Texas and the nation are under increased scrutiny from lawmakers A bill passed by the state Senate would limit how universities could teach about race and history while another passed by the House would require schools including universities adopt a controversial definition of antisemitism Those bills come in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests across university campuses in Texas and the United States last year and as lawmakers continue to crack down on diversity Milliken was one of several university leaders who testified during a 2024 state Senate subcommittee hearing aimed at ensuring campuses were complying with a 2023 ban on DEI offices and programs “Those degrees change the lives of our graduates for the better But they also change the trajectories of families and communities,” Milliken said in remarks to the UC Board of Regents during their meeting on Friday we know that confidence in higher education is at the lowest levels in the decades since it’s been measured Yet I remain firmly convinced that higher education is more important than at any point in our history.” University of Texas at Austin and University of Texas System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival Texas’ breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase Choose an amount or learn more about membership Print Insights We humans if we are to live intentional and thoughtful lives almost always return to a series of timeless questions: Who are we To answer those questions some turn to religion I have spent 30 years as a professor of history trying to answer fundamental questions about the history of California and its peoples That work has largely been made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities underfunded government agency gutted by President Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency It is impossible to quantify the vital role that the NEH has played in our national search for meaning and self-knowledge but the endowment’s website begins to tell the story the NEH has funded more than 70,000 projects in all 50 states It has made possible the research and publication of 9,000 books including 20 Pulitzer Prize winners the creation of 500 film and media programs and the editing and publication of the papers of 12 U.S presidents as well as such towering figures as Mark Twain Congress sought to affirm and acknowledge that a healthy democracy “demands wisdom and vision in its citizens” and that the federal government must give “full value and support” to the humanities “in order to achieve a better understanding of the past and a better view of the future.” While it would be hard to argue that Congress has ever lived up to those words the money that it has allocated has been vital to the humanities across the country In what now appears to have been a Golden Age of federally funded humanities projects over its 60 years of existence the NEH disbursed about $6.5 billion all of it administered through a rigorous peer-review process This averages out to about $100 million per year over three generations Most of that funding has been parceled out in grants of $50,000 or less and more than half of that funding flowed directly to individual states’ humanities councils have touched the lives of millions and changed how the history of the U.S My own studies of colonial California have had a more regional impact with a little bit of money going a very long way In 1993 I was a graduate student struggling to write a dissertation on colonial California I was fortunate to receive a dissertation fellowship from the NEH that allowed me a final year to complete my thesis It was one of the first studies of colonial California anchored in Spanish-language sources and the experiences of Indigenous Californians. The fellowship allowed me to take chances, and in the book that the thesis became — whose writing was also in part funded by the NEH — I argued that California had its own colonial history that for reasons of “chronology and teleology” had been left out of our national narrative one historically focused on the Founding Fathers and the 13 British colonies It may just have been a few words in the book’s introduction but that one statement and the book that it introduced were an early call for historians of colonial America to look beyond Virginia and Massachusetts and to work collectively toward a more comparative and continental vision of early America one that today is widely embraced as Vast Early America In the early 2000s I worked with the Huntington Library Research Division to secure a large NEH grant to help create an online database of all people — Natives missionaries — who were in one way or another affiliated with the California missions before 1850 The database has informed dozens of articles and books on early California and has allowed thousands of people to trace their own ancestry back to 18th century California pueblos that NEH-funded database helps people today understand who they are where they came from and how they fit into contemporary California In the 2010s, again with NEH support, I worked with a team of researchers to create visualizations of the movements of Natives to the California missions that have been featured in museums across Southern California and that allow us to see how California was transformed by Spanish colonization I received an NEH-supported grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation that made possible the creation and installation of a new gallery exhibition at Mission San Gabriel that centers the history of the mission on Native experiences and helped decolonize the collection by inviting Native voices and Native practitioners into the curatorial process the exhibit again helps Southern Californians understand their place in the world These projects of mine are just a small fraction of the NEH’s contributions to the cultural fabric of Southern California NEH funding in 2024 amounted to about $200,000,000 or 0.0029% of the $6.8-trillion federal budget The savings in zeroing out the endowment are trivial but the loss to our society today and to future generations will be incalculable When each day brings new challenges to the constitutional order and education and science are singled out for budget cuts and ideological conformity we need a robust humanities sector as we strive to understand and live up to the nation’s motto As the congressional legislation creating the National Endowment for the Humanities articulated the federal government has a “necessary and appropriate” role “to help create and sustain not only a climate encouraging freedom of thought and inquiry but also the material conditions” facilitating humanistic inquiry Steven W. Hackel, chair of the Department of History at UC Riverside, is the author of, among other books, “Junipero Serra: California’s Founding Father.” Insights does not appear on any news articles The following AI-generated content is powered by Perplexity. The Los Angeles Times editorial staff does not create or edit the content. California World & Nation Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map To provide some context and perspective on the story who lives and works and owns racehorses in California and has for many years whose support of the federal racing integrity law led to his ouster as a director of the United States Trotting Association has been following the Cal-Expo story for decades Years after his departure from Trackmaster he’s still keeping track of wagering data and what it portends What happened at Cal Expo and why do you think it happened SIEGEL: Cal Expo harness racing is really not a unique story It is representative of what has happened to harness racing (and Thoroughbred racing) over the last 30 years the public has spoken loud and clear about their interest in racing the interest has and will continue to decline I could write volumes just on this one point but handle numbers bear out this fact clearly Casino gambling and more recently the introduction of legalized sports wagering has given the public more choices for their wagering dollars Add that to the fact that the equivalent take-out for sports and casinos is around 5 percent or less it makes the case for racing tougher to convince consumers to put their money there.The particulars of Cal Expo are simple Thoroughbred racing in northern California was basically killed when Golden Gate Fields closed One attempt to resurrect the racing at Pleasanton failed miserably as there were simply not enough horses and wagering to sustain that meet with the State Fair at Cal Expo being one of those The state then made an assessment that maintaining the track just for 38 days of harness racing was simply not worth it given their next best use of that property was So they made an economic decision to exercise an early lease termination right they had in the lease agreement with the harness operators COHEN: You crunched some numbers on this last week And the charts (that accompany this interview) quite clearly show the scope of the decline Race days have declined precipitously over the last 20 years the Cal Expo operators adjusted the race days so that purses per day remained roughly flat even in a couple of years a modest increase So while real (inflation adjusted) handle declinced 80% or so in the time period did a fantastic job in minimizing the impact of lack of public interest to keep the lights on A huge amount of recognition should be given to Chris for managing this situation as well as he did over the last many years This drop in handle and total purses is only the tip of the iceberg a more stringent (and therefore costly) regulatory environment and other challenges made keeping the Cal-Expo harness operation afloat a near impossibility I personally feel very sorry for the horsemen who will find relocation difficult or impossible and I can only hope they planned for this day as it should have been clear to most that this day was coming many of which are also seeing drops in handle?SIEGEL: You asked the $64,000 question that frankly and some people are not going to like my answer Given the competitive environment for the wagering dollar I don't see a practical way for any kind of growth it at least does something to appease (better) the animal rights folks and even regular folks who look unfavorably at all of the kinds of cheating that goes on as we all know the Standardbreds are so much better than Thoroughbreds in this regard But we need to improve in changing how the public perceives drug use and other forms of cheating Next thing we need to at least try are some innovative improvements in the gaming side of things fixed odds are better positioned to attract sports bettors than pari-mutually based odds now possible with real-time tracking systems is another innovation already being done in the UK for Thoroughbred races with good success We should be pushing regulators to allow for this innovation Racetracks can also use some modern-day technology to put together more competitive races and studies have proven that based on wagering patterns these races have greater parity in the pools and have resulted in modest increases in wagering I know this is only possible with great contraction in the number of races being run since the tracks are largely a fixed cost operation but you asked about protecting what we have left This is what WILL happen naturally if and when the subsidies end anyway do everything one can to keep the subsidies flowing so the industry should do all it can to minimize this risk This is what baffles me the most about the USTA's position on HISA will inevitably end?SIEGEL: I think the public is catching onto the fact that the public really has little to no interest in the underlying product There are only two arguments I hear to justify these subsidies (as opposed to having the same casinos that those monies now destined for purses go to other worthy causes - homelessness This goes to the open fields where hay is grown or where mares and foals roam But how big?The other reason is economic impact But there are scores of examples of the public losing interest in industries over time the industry should do all it can to maintain these funds the individuals in it need to understand the economics behind the justification for the subsidies and in doing so should understand that they are likely to decline over time as much as they don't want to believe it I think they do understand that without them most facilities cannot survive.COHEN: Thanks I know that there are other smart people in harness racing who share this generally pessimistic view And I know of a great many people in the sport who see problems growing without any sort of comprehensive vision or plan from within the industry to solve them Every minute the United States Trotting Association spends spinning propaganda about HISA is a minute the USTA hasn’t spent figuring out how to improve the basic economics of the sport It is no mystery why Cal-Expo closed or why Freehold Raceway in New Jersey closed last year How many more tracks have to close before we see some sense of urgency It is likely the most we will ever know of what is essentially the USTA’s justification for the sanctions against Diamond Creek and company The USTA didn’t answer the many questions I have about the SRIF investigation and the USTA’s role in embracing it but it did provide important details that help us figure out what exactly happened here.I give the USTA credit for releasing this information And it’s up to Diamond Creek and Howard Taylor to decide whether they want to continue this discussion in public There are still far too many unanswered questions about the Surick investigation like why the USTA chose to pick a fight with Diamond Creek for its first published SRIF investigation Here’s the biggest one of all: What’s the USTA going to do about the conflict of interest its president has when it comes to investigating his breeding farm’s competitors?I continue to receive feedback from within the Standardbred community about this saga Some folks are more supportive of the USTA some are more supportive of Diamond Creek’s decision but I have not yet heard from anyone who says that he or she is confident that the investigation and its results were as fair or transparent as they ought to have been Some owners say they’ll leave the sport if they ever are the subject of an SRIF investigation This pushback was certainly foreseeable (if not inevitable) once the USTA created an investigative arm to look at things that state regulators can’t look at or (more precisely) won’t look at By Andy Cohen is a three-time winner of the John Hervey Award for reporting on horse racing and a two-time winner of Canada’s Joe O’Brien Award for racing commentary See someone else’s good coverage of a racing integrity topic you want us to share Let us know via email at andrew@paulickreport.com has an 80 percent chance of rain on Kentucky Derby day Trey Sweeney and Kerry Carpenter had four-hit games en route to an easy win The finale of a four-game weekend set against the Los Angeles California Anaheim Los Angeles Angels saw the Detroit Tigers go for the series win.. in an easy 13-1 victory to take three games out of four Reese Olson made his seventh start of the season for the Detroiters although his walk rate is up a notch from his previous two years he’d only given up one home run in 33 innings and batters were slugging a paltry .292 against him which Baseball Reference says is pronounced KO-hawn-o-witz: emphasis on the first syllable and that “cz” at the end is a “ts,” and I’m going to take a wild guess that name is Polish Kochanwicz is in his second year in the majors after being drafted out of high school in 2019: he’ll typically give you five-ish innings a start and give up his fair share of hits and walks Olson got into some trouble in the first with a single a walk and a hit-by-pitch loading the bases with two outs But he got Luis Rengifo swinging on a nasty slider at his ankles for strike three and the threat was extinguished that was the closest the Angels would get to taking a lead The Tigers got on the board in the second: a pair of walks and a Trey Sweeney single made it a 1-0 game and Kerry Carpenter smashed a double to the wall in right to score a pair more runs for a 3-0 lead That was almost one heck of a catch by Jo Adell Spencer Torkelson singled up the middle and Colt Keith followed with his third home run of the road trip the fun continued: Javier Báez singled with one out and Carpenter made sure to put this one over the wall When the dust settled it was 8-0 for the Tigers and the rout was on Olson’s day concluded with two outs in the bottom of the sixth; he was looking great all game but he walked a pair of guys and why put more stress on his arm with an eight-run lead Adell popped-out to Keith in foul territory on the second pitch The Tigers put runners on first and second in the seventh with two outs via a walk and a hit-batsman Sweeney then joined the three-run-dinger party for an 11-0 lead A ground-rule double in the bottom of the seventh by the pesky Zach Neto spoiled the shutout Beau Brieske came out for the bottom of the eighth spending a couple of weeks on the shelf with an ankle problem but also just not pitching very well with his fastball topping 98 mph (158 km/h) and getting a pair of strikeouts Hopefully the ankle thing is behind him and he’s pointed in the right direction Sweeney collected his fourth hit of the day in the ninth inning a two-run single to right that pushed the score to 13-1 and I’m too lazy to research this but I’m going to say that’s a career high Trey Sweeney the 4th player in Detroit Tigers history to drive in 6 runs as a shortstop:Dick McAuliffe - 5/10/63Chris Gomez - 5/17/94Carlos Guillen - 8/21/2004Trey Sweeney - 5/4/2025 Will Vest pitched the bottom of the ninth to try to right his ship a bit after a tough outing in Houston on Tuesday striking out a pair and only giving up a harmless single The Tigers head to the thin air of Colorado for a three-game series starting on Tuesday but all the weather reports seem to suggest that Tuesday-night game is going to be postponed That might mean some roster moves are in the offing to make sure the pitching stays on schedule The University of California Board of Regents today approved the appointment of James B Milliken as the 22nd president of UC’s world-renowned system of 10 campuses and three nationally affiliated laboratories Milliken has been serving as the chancellor of the University of Texas (UT) system since 2018 His distinguished career also includes serving as chancellor of The City University of New York (CUNY) from 2014 to 2018 president of the University of Nebraska from 2004 to 2014 and senior vice president at the University of North Carolina from 1998 to 2004 “The University of California is universally regarded as the preeminent public research university in the world and I am deeply honored to have an opportunity to join the many talented faculty It is more important than ever that we expand the education and public service for which UC is so widely admired and which has benefited so many Californians,” said Milliken Guided by his commitment to expanding opportunity and student success Milliken has been a leader in expanding access to higher education for low-income students he led a bold initiative to cover the full cost of tuition and fees for qualifying students whose families have incomes under $100,000 Milliken’s leadership at UT also includes record-setting enrollment levels and almost $5 billion in annual research expenditures is one of the largest health care providers in the nation “Chancellor Milliken embodies the qualities and leadership experiences the University of California community needs at this moment,” said Janet Reilly “He understands how critical UC’s contributions are to the state and the country and he has decades of experience leading public institutions during times of unprecedented change in higher education Chancellor Milliken is simply the right person for UC at just the right time.” Download UC President-designate James B. Milliken’s bio (PDF) View and download media assets (Includes video remarks from UC President-designate James B Milliken and UC Board Chair Janet Reilly.) UC Board of Regents Chair Janet Reilly’s remarks UC President Michael V. Drake’s remarks UC President-designate James B. Milliken’s remarks Milliken expanded a pilot program called ASAP (Accelerated Study in Associate Programs) nearly doubling the three-year graduation rate of community college students and oversaw the launch of the CUNY School of Medicine focused specifically on underserved communities in New York City Milliken was a distinguished professor of Law Public Policy and Education at The CUNY Graduate Center Milliken led a record fundraising campaign and launched a partnership with the United States Strategic Command creating one of the few University Affiliated Research Centers in the country he provided free tuition and mandatory fees for students whose family income was less than $50,000 he held faculty positions in the schools of law and public policy “Chancellor Milliken has the depth of wisdom and experience to handle the challenges and opportunities of this position,” said current UC President Michael V “I have great confidence in both his leadership and his commitment to the University’s enduring values I’m excited about his appointment and look forward to seeing all that he will accomplish at the University.” Milliken was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Nebraska and earned a law degree from New York University He has received numerous prestigious honors including the Distinguished Nebraskan Award presented by the state’s governor the Lifetime Achievement Award from City & State New York and the President’s Award from One Hundred Black Men of New York Milliken is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Council on Education and previously served on the board of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations “Over the last year we heard extensively from students alumni and partners about the profound impact UC has had on their lives and their aspirations for the future In Chancellor Milliken we found common ground in support of a leader who will serve with integrity openness and a deep commitment to the promise of public education — to advance opportunity access and outcomes in service to the diverse communities of this state,” said Carmen Chu UC regent and chair of the Special Committee to Consider the Selection of a President “Chancellor Milliken’s distinguished career and lifelong commitment to public education prepares him to lead the University of California in this new era it is critical we engage leaders adept at navigating change and positioning the institution for long-term success I am proud to welcome Chancellor Milliken and look forward to working with him I would be remiss if I did not thank my colleagues on the Special Committee for their unwavering dedication and guidance in the process and our amazing search team for their partnership and advice through this process.” Milliken will assume his role as UC president on August 1 with a Board-approved annual salary of $1,475,000 who has served as the University’s president since 2020 and who announced that he would step down in July 2025 “Chancellor Milliken’s strong track record of collaborative leadership and his talent for building consensus serve him well as we enter a time of great change in higher education,” said Steven W we have found a highly respected leader who shares our highest aspirations for UC I am confident that he will build on the University’s tradition of academic excellence and exceptional talent to ensure its continued positive impact on society and the world.” The six-month-long search for the University’s next systemwide leader began in November 2024. Guided by rigorous criteria approved by the regents the extensive search process incorporated valuable input from a broad range of stakeholders With nearly 300,000 students and generating over $80 billion in economic activity UC enhances the daily lives of people in California and across the country through world-class educational opportunities “Serving on the search committee was a tremendous responsibility and an opportunity to represent student voices,” said Student Regent Josiah Beharry we were searching for more than just a leader — we were looking for someone who could speak the language of equity with action who understands that affordability is not a privilege we found someone who not only believes in the transformative power of public higher education but who knows how to communicate its worth — to students He is someone who will champion those within the UC system and honor our responsibility to the communities beyond its walls His collaborative spirit and unwavering belief in the power of education to open doors make him the kind of leader this moment demands." For media inquiries (reporters only), please email media@ucop.edu For Health-related media inquiries, please email uchealthnews@ucop.edu The University of California opened its doors in 1869 with just 10 faculty members and 40 students the UC system has more than 295,000 students and 265,000 faculty and staff with 2.0 million alumni living and working around the world.