SACRAMENTO
Governor Newsom calls for legislation cracking down on property crime
Building on partnerships with law enforcement and the Legislature, successful efforts to fight crime, and record-level investments to strengthen public safety, Governor Gavin Newsom today called for new legislation expanding criminal penalties, bolstering police and prosecutor tools to combat theft and take down professional criminals who profit from smash and grabs, retail theft, and car burglaries.
The Governor’s legislative framework calls for the creation of new laws and expanding criminal penalties to crack down on professional thieves — those who profit from stealing goods for resale — bolstering law enforcement’s ability to arrest suspects, creating a new crime addressing organized auto burglary committed to resell stolen property, eliminating the sunset provision for the organized retail crime statute, and exploring increased penalties for high-volume resellers of stolen goods.
Today’s announcement builds on the Governor’s Real Public Safety Plan – which focuses on strengthening local law enforcement response, ensuring perpetrators are held accountable, and getting guns and drugs off our streets. In 2023, the Governor announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in California history, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety. Since 2019, the state has invested $1.1 billion to fight crime and improve public safety.
California law provides existing robust tools for law enforcement and prosecutors to arrest and charge suspects involved in organized retail crime — including up to three years of jail time for organized retail theft. The state has the 10th lowest threshold nationally for prosecutors to charge suspects with a felony, $950. 40 other states — including Texas ($2,500), Alabama ($1,500), and Mississippi ($1,000) — require higher dollar amounts for suspects to be charged with a felony.
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LAKEPORT
2024 Master Gardener Pruning Workshops
The Master Gardeners are a University of California based group of volunteers dedicated to educating the community regarding any gardening questions they might have primarily in Lake County.
Pruning and Training Fruit Trees for the Home Orchard – Wednesday, January 17, 10 am to noon inside the Agricultural Center at 883 Lakeport Blvd, Lakeport.
Please call to RSVP at 707-263-6838.*RSVP is required to attend workshop. A $5 donation is requested and includes informational materials.
Pruning and Training Fruit Trees for the Home Orchard – Wednesday, January 24, 4pm to 6pm
Inside the Agricultural Center at 883 Lakeport Blvd, Lakeport. Please call to RSVP at 707-263-6838.*RSVP is required to attend workshop. A $5 donation is requested and includes informational materials.
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ALAMEDA
Girl Scouts of Northern California kicks off 2024 cookie season January 29 through March 17
Girl Scouts of Northern California will kick off their 2024 Cookie Season on January 29. Consumers in all 19 counties from Gilroy to the Oregon Border can support their local girl entrepreneurs by ordering from the iconic cookie lineup online at ilovecookies.org. Local shoppers can also locate cookie booths starting February 11 for in-person cookie sales. The 2024 Northern California cookie season will run through March 17, and all cookie flavors are $6 a box (shipping fees additional).
Girls Scouts of Northern California is one of the largest councils in the country, offering unique outdoor experiences, civic engagement, entrepreneurship opportunities, skill-building, leadership, and fun. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the cookie program are used locally and provide critical funds for girls’ access to affordable programming, the outdoors, camp and program centers, STEM, financial aid, and volunteer support services. Girl Scouts and their troops depend on these funds to support their community service efforts.
This year, over 16,000 Girl Scouts in Northern California will participate in the cookie entrepreneurship program with the goal of selling $4.3M packages of cookies.
“I am thrilled to kick off another exciting cookie season and to support our cookie entrepreneurs in having a fun and successful year,” said Bri Seoane, CEO of Girl Scouts of Northern California. “Each year, these budding entrepreneurs impress us with their dedication to achieving their goals and supporting local initiatives. Through this program, they contribute to their communities and gain invaluable life and business skills that will serve them for a lifetime. I am immensely proud of each and every participant”
During this highly-anticipated time of the year, girls acquire essential life skills, including money management, team building, public speaking, and decision-making. Girl Scouts can earn a variety of badges and awards to develop valuable business skills, including Cookie Business badges, Financial Literacy badges, Cookie Entrepreneur Family pins, and Entrepreneur badges. Ultimately, this entrepreneurship program serves as a vital stepping stone, equipping girls and gender-expansive youth with lifelong skills, and instilling a deep sense of confidence that they carry into the future.
How to purchase Girl Scout Cookies this year
Starting January 29, consumers can source Girl Scout online via digital cookie stores at ilovecookies.org and have their favorite cookies delivered straight to their home or anywhere in the country, or find the closest Girl Scout booth for in-person cookie sales starting February 11 at select businesses and neighborhoods in Northern California communities until March 17.
About Girl Scouts of Northern California
The mission of Girl Scouts of Northern California is to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. As one of the largest councils in the country, Girl Scouts of Northern California serves a diverse membership of over 24,000 youth and over 21,000 adult volunteers in a 19-county area that stretches from Gilroy to the Oregon border. To learn more about Girl Scouts of Northern California, visit www.gsnorcal.org.
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