The Sacramento Bee

Deadly bacteria outbreak linked to cheese from California company after decade of reports

A listeria outbreak — linked to cheese, crema and yogurt — has been reported 26 times in 11 states over the last 10 years. Now, investigators know where it came from. Interviews with infected people and recent listeria findings in both cheese and a production facility confirmed queso fresco and cotija from Rizo-López Foods, based in Modesto, are “making people in this outbreak sick,” the CDC stated. The company voluntarily recalled all its cheeses and dairy products made in its facility on Monday due to potential contamination. Eight cases have been reported in California as of Monday, the lar...

The complex way California pays 300,000 state workers each month, and how new raises are added

If California’s state payroll system were a person, it would be nearing its 70th birthday this year. Like some septuagenarians, the payroll system periodically finds itself struggling to keep pace in the modern age. Unions, workers and lawmakers alike have taken turns over the years bashing the system for delays in payroll changes and occasional pay mistakes. In the last six years, two different state worker unions have either taken or threatened legal action against the state due to delayed raises. Still, despite the burden of a cumbersome and outdated apparatus, the State Controller’s Office...

Why a top California fire expert is so worried about Caldor fire as it approaches Tahoe

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Scott Stephens, a professor of fire science at the University of California, Berkeley, has been watching the Caldor fire with worry as it heads toward Lake Tahoe, one of California’s most important natural landscapes and home to thousands of people. Stephens, one of the top scientists in his field, spoke to The Sacramento Bee on Monday about why he’s concerned, what firefighters are likely to experience and what needs to be done to make California’s fires safer and more manageable. This interview has been condensed for length and clarity. Q: How concerned should we be that...

From Your Site Articles

Is anybody listening? Pandemic fatigue sets in among Californians as state faces 'viral tsunami'

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When coronavirus cases in California began a dangerous ascent in November, Gov. Gavin Newsom tried a new approach. The state imposed a nighttime curfew for the state’s hardest-hit counties, saying it was crucial to decrease transmission and slow hospitalizations. “We are sounding the alarm,” Newsom said as he issued the order on Nov. 19. It didn’t appear to work. Some local sheriffs, like those in Sacramento and El Dorado County, quickly said they wouldn’t enforce a curfew. Others questioned whether the coronavirus was spreading much at night. Within two weeks, Newsom was ...

From Your Site Articles

Deadly bacteria outbreak linked to cheese from California company after decade of reports

The complex way California pays 300,000 state workers each month, and how new raises are added

Why a top California fire expert is so worried about Caldor fire as it approaches Tahoe

Is anybody listening? Pandemic fatigue sets in among Californians as state faces 'viral tsunami'