Category: California

States Weigh Banning A Widely Used Pesticide Even Though EPA Won’t

The pesticide chlorpyrifos has been linked to developmental problems in children. Some state and federal lawmakers want the chemical banned, but federal regulators are fighting to keep it on the market.

The Homeless Are Dying In Record Numbers On The Streets Of L.A.

Deaths of homeless people in Los Angeles County have jumped 76% in the past five years, outpacing the growth of the homeless population, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis of the coroner’s data. Experts say drug and alcohol abuse are significant factors.

Liver Illness Strikes Latino Children Like A ‘Silent Tsunami’

Potentially deadly fatty liver disease, linked to overconsumption of sugar in drinks and food, often starts in childhood. The goal: Get children to change their habits.

How to Fight ‘Scary’ Superbugs? Cooperation — And A Special Soap

Hospitals and nursing homes in California and Illinois hope that regional cooperation — and a special soap — will help them gain the upper hand against deadly antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

Heavy Rains, End Of Drought Could Help Keep West Nile Virus Subdued — For Now

Scientists say drought can spur transmission of the disease and that wetter winters since 2015 have helped reduce the number of infections in California. In the long term, however, climate change could mean more drought — and more infections.

Big Soda Pours Big Bucks Into California’s Capitol

The soda industry spent $11.8 million to influence policy statewide in 2017 and 2018. As politicians once again consider bills that would tax and label sugary drinks, more big money is expected to flow.

Mourning Paradise: Collective Trauma In A Town Destroyed

The depth of psychological damage after the fire in Paradise, Calif., may depend on how much help residents are getting now.

Popular Weed Killer’s Alleged Link To Cancer Spreads Concern

The main ingredient in numerous popular herbicides has been implicated by two juries in the cancers of frequent users, but major public health agencies disagree over whether it is a carcinogen. Can you use it safely in your garden? Here are some answers to questions you may have about the weed killer glyphosate.

Finding Homeless Patients A Place To Heal

California hospitals must comply with a new state law that requires them to try to find a safe place for homeless patients upon discharge. But hospitals say doing so isn’t as easy as calling a shelter and securing a cot.

California Hospitals See Massive Surge In Homeless Patients

Homeless patients accounted for about 100,000 visits to California hospitals in 2017, marking a 28% increase from just two years earlier. Health officials attribute the surge to the overall rise in California’s homeless numbers and the large proportion of people living on the streets with mental illness.