Here's your daily briefing...
Storm expected to hit North State this week: Caltrans is urging motorists to keep chains handy today, tomorrow and Friday as a cold winter storm bears down on the North State. According to NSPR’s Marc Albert, areas impacted include Shasta County and the Sierra foothills. Before heading out on the road, Caltrans recommends checking weather conditions at their website or by phone: 225-3452.
Redding welcomes new leadership: Redding has a new mayor, and two new council members following last night’s swearing-in of Julie Winter and Adam McElvain. NSPR’s Kelly Frost reports that Brent Weaver was chosen as the new mayor, and will serve for a one-year term.
Housing, full-day kindergarten, debt-free college among Democratic legislative priorities: According to Capital Public Radio, Democrats in the state senate have laid out a $13 billion package of measures to provide money for affordable housing and the state’s aging infrastructure. While the Democrats in the state assembly has outlined full-day kindergarten, debt-free college, and an expansion of a tax credit for low-income families as priorities for the next state budget.
Campaign highlights issues of driving under the influence of drugs: A new movement is highlighting the consequences of DUI after taking drugs. The effort comes a month after California legalized recreational marijuana, but according to reporter Ja’Nel Johnson the statewide campaign is targeting illicit and prescription drugs too. Johnson reports in 2014, 38 percent of California drivers killed in accidents were under the influence of some sort of drug.
The California Report … continues to follow the developments of the ‘Ghost Ship’ warehouse fire that killed 36 people in Oakland on Friday. Fire investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are still at the scene searching for the cause of the fire.