Bill Bans Hand Counting Ballots; Community College to UC Easy Transfer | California Today – Oct. 6

Good evening, everyone. Welcome to California Today. I'm David Zhang. Here is a preview of some of today's top stories. California officially bans hand-count ballots for most elections. This is one of many bills the governor has signed in recent weeks. An ex-gynecologist has died while awaiting trial. The man over a dozen criminal charges for allegedly abusing his patients sexually. The Airbnb guest has refused to leave or pay rent for over 540 days. She's also demanding a payout of $100,000 if the owner wants her to move out. The governor signed a bill that bans hand-counting ballots in nearly all elections in California. One county is already suing the state over the new law. Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB-969 on October 4, authored by Assemblywoman Gail Pellerin. The bill took effect immediately. The law forbids any election officials from performing a manual vote count in an irregular election with more than 1,000 registered voters or a regular election with more than 5,000 voters. Exceptions are available to officials who receive approval from the California Secretary of State. Other exceptions include natural disasters or during states of emergency. In a social media post, Pellerin wrote the bill puts in important guardrails to ensure that California's elections remain accessible, accurate, and auditable. The bill passed the legislature along party lines, with Republicans in opposition. The Election Integrity Project California is among the organizations that oppose the legislation. They claim AB-969 dictatorially removes from the table any election model other than the one fully reliant on the very technology that so many people worldwide not only believe, but know to be unreliable and manipulatable. Meanwhile, Shasta County has already moved to sue California over the new law. Earlier this year, it moved toward holding future elections entirely with paper ballots, with results counted by hand. Members of the County Board of Supervisors who approved the plan said it's a way to avoid cyber attacks. Officials in the county have been waiting for Secretary of State Shirley Weber to accept their hand count plan, but it hasn't been approved yet. A California bill that would streamline the process for some community college students to transfer to a UC campus is one step away from becoming law. But the Student Association opposed the bill, saying that it does not have the input from education experts and students. AB-1291, introduced by Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, would establish a pilot program that prioritizes community college students who complete associate degrees in certain majors for admission into UC campuses. The pilot would begin at UCLA and then expand to other UC campuses by the 2028-29 school year. It would require those campuses to have 12 majors eligible for the program and four to be in the science, technology, engineering, or mathematics fields. McCarty said that the bill would streamline the state's community college transfer system to UC schools. But the UC Students Association argued that the bill was drafted without input from education experts, college practitioners, and students. According to them, the transfer should be eligible for all majors, not just the select number of majors as proposed in the bill. The bill unanimously passed the Assembly and the Senate. It is waiting for the governor's approval or veto by October 14th. The ex-gynecologist from a Southern California university in the midst of a waiting trial has died. NTD's Christina Corona has more on the story. George Tindall, the former USC gynecologist, was accused of sexually abusing his patients. According to his lawyer, he was found dead at the age of 76 in his home on Wednesday. Leonard Levine, Tindall's attorney, told The Times a friend of Tindall became concerned when he failed to answer his phone calls and went to check on him. That friend said he found Tindall unresponsive and cold to the touch. Tindall was accused of inappropriately touching 16 women as a gynecologist. He faced 29 criminal charges for sexual offenses in 2019 and entered a plea of not guilty. Tindall had served as an OBGYN at the university for nearly three decades before his termination in 2017. In 2021, USC reached a historic settlement of $1.1 billion to resolve numerous lawsuits related to allegations of sexual abuse involving Tindall. This agreement addressed civil claims brought by 710 former patients of Tindall. Audrey Nafziger, a former patient who had accused Tindall of inappropriately touching her and taking photos of her genitals, told the Los Angeles Times, I'm not happy that he died. I wanted to see him convicted for what he did. There has been no reported official cause of death as of yet. Christina Corona, NTD News, Los Angeles. The largest defraud scheme in a nation targeting a federal COVID reimbursement program. The DOJ says they have charged a Southern California doctor for stealing $150 million. NTD's David Lam reports. 64-year-old Anthony Howden of Newport Coast, a licensed doctor of osteopathy, was recently charged for defrauding a COVID-19 program for uninsured patients. The DOJ accuses DEN of submitting over a quarter billion dollars in claims, ultimately receiving about $150 million in payments. For treating patients already insured, giving services not actually rendered, or not medically necessary, officials said. The HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program reimburses health care providers who conducted COVID testing or treatment for uninsured individuals from 2020 to 2022. Now, according to the government page, the program stopped accepting claims due to a lack of sufficient funds. The Orange County doctor was an ear, nose, and throat specialist, as well as a facial plastic surgeon. He was charged on September 27th in an 18-count indictment for phony claims made from July 2020 to March 2021. The feds alleged he was involved in money laundering, and this is the largest fraud scheme in the nation targeting this federal program, which is discovered at this time. Two other defendants were also charged, including DEN's sister. If convicted, the defendant DEN could face a total of 50 years in prison. As of 2023, the Justice Department says they seized over $1.4 billion in stolen COVID-19 relief funds and charged over 3,000 defendants across the country. David Lam, Entity News, California. Los Angeles County is proposing to raise debt from medical bills for residents. Officials estimate the accumulated debt totals to over $2.6 billion. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion on Tuesday to reduce medical debt. In a statement, Supervisor Janice Han said, Far too many people in my district, particularly our essential workers, Black, Latinx, and low-income families with children, have been burdened by medical debt. The decision would pave way for a new ordinance that would require hospitals within LA County to publicly share debt-related data online for patients. Officials will also find ways to recommend new policies and practices to reduce residents' debt. The total debt the county's residents have accumulated is estimated to be over $2.6 billion. The county intends to pay for it. The Department of Public Health estimates a $24 million investment over two to three years of sustained funding can possibly help relieve the debt. NTD reached out to Han's office for a comment on how the county will pay for the debt, but did not hear back by airtime. For 540 days, a woman has been refusing to leave or pay rent at an Airbnb rental in Los Angeles. In an ongoing legal battle, a judge so far has ruled that the landlord does not have the legal right to evict the woman. NTD's Jason Blair has more on the story. A California woman rented a luxury guest house in an upscale LA neighborhood for six months through Airbnb. However, the guest is refusing to leave and has been living in the house for a year and a half without paying. She is demanding a $100,000 relocation fee before moving out. The guest house is located right next to the landlord's home on the same property. Due to some needed repairs during the rental, the landlord made an agreement to extend the time. Since the agreement wasn't made through Airbnb, the homestay company is no longer involved and a complex legal battle between the guest and the landlord has been ongoing. A city ordinance put in place during the COVID pandemic has been giving the guest the right to stay without paying and protecting her from eviction. The guest's attorney also says her client hasn't paid because part of the home wasn't correctly permitted. In addition, the guest is suing for harassment, among other things. The landlord, Sasha Jovanovic, told Eyewitness News that he's gone public with the story in hopes to prevent it from happening to others. And, quote, to live in a nightmare like this and not feel protected by the city, not feel protected by the police, is a terrible feeling. Jovanovic wants the tenant out and is seeking around $60,000 in rent. The Daily Mail reported that the guest was previously kicked out of an Oakland rental two months before moving into the LA home. Jason Blair, Entity News, California. We'll take a short break now, everybody, but here's a look at what we have for you when we come back. iPhone 15 has some overheating issues. Apple says the newest iOS update will solve these problems. A battle over water rights has led to a carrot boycott. Farmers and residents have now taken the dispute to court. Young chefs learn the importance of healthy eating habits through cooking. We'll see what's cooking in the Little Kitchen Academy. Those stories and more coming up on California Today. Welcome back to California Today. I'm your host, David Zhang. Apple said it is addressing an overheating issue for the iPhone 15. The tech giant blames popular apps and games that use more processing power for the heating issues. Apple has released an iOS 17 system update that includes a fix to prevent the iPhone 15 lineup from becoming uncomfortably hot. According to the release's accompanying notes, The new update, quote, "...addresses an issue that may cause the iPhone to run warmer than expected." The Cupertino-based company blamed a software bug and other issues tied to popular apps such as Instagram and Uber for causing the new phone to heat up. It's not unusual for new iPhones to get uncomfortably warm during the first few days of use or when they're being restored with backup information stored in the cloud, issues that Apple already warns users about. The devices also can get hot when using apps such as video games and augmented reality technology that require a lot of processing power. But the heating issues with the iPhone 15 models have gone beyond those typical situations. In its acknowledgement, Apple stressed that the trouble isn't related to its new processor or titanium casing that houses the high-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple also dismissed speculation that the overheating problem might be tied to a shift from its lightning charging cable to the more widely used USB-C port. The shift was to comply with a mandate issued by European regulators. In Southern California, a fight ensues between local farmers and residents and some of the nation's largest carrot growers. Now they're calling for a boycott of their carrots. Two years ago, Grimway Farms and Bolthouse Land Co. sued scores of small farmers, cattle ranchers and others living in the remote farm country hills of New Quiama. The companies sought to assert their rights to the groundwater needed to farm there. Locals started a campaign to boycott the company's carrots. We're asking people to boycott carrots because that is a way to tell these companies that we're unhappy with the way they're operating and the way they're treating a community and where they farm. Grimway, which has grown carrots in Quiama for more than three decades, is currently farming less than a third of its 20 square miles. Over the years, they saw groundwater levels decline and the cost of pumping rise. We want to be here for decades to come. We've been here for a long time. We've done a lot of conservation efforts, whether it's upgrading our sprinkler pipes or the sprinkler heads themselves, reducing the acreage. But residents are angered by the company's decision to take them to court, and some have taken to organizing a boycott of carrots to call attention to the issue. And they have been over-pumping our groundwater, and that means that there's more groundwater being taken out of the valley than is being replenished by rainfall. And this is a valley that's entirely dependent on groundwater. So that's a huge issue. Residents said the water district serving a cluster of small homes told them it's raising rates to cover legal fees. Lee Harrington, who started growing pistachios after shifting away from water-consuming hay, said his legal bills exceed $50,000, and the court case has barely started. For the last 40 years, the water's been going down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down. It was a huge pool. But now it's going down, down, and the pools will be empty. So then they're going to leave. And when they're leaving, they're leaving this dust bowl. It's going to turn to weeds, tumbleweeds. It's going to be a nightmare. Until recently, California didn't regulate groundwater, allowing farmers and residents alike to drill wells and take what they needed. That changed in 2014 when the state faced a historic drought, and as ever-deeper wells caused land in some places to sink and water quality to erode. The idea was to form local groundwater sustainability agencies and task users to reach consensus on how to manage their water. It hasn't been easy as many landowners want to pin down exactly how much water they'll get into the future. That prompted lawsuits to determine how much water each property can use, a process that hulls an entire community into court. In Cuyama, Grimway and Bolthouse initially supported the local groundwater sustainability agency and plan, but they think other farmers are getting a pass and want the courts to create a fairer solution to reduce pumping throughout the basin, not just on their lots. Water users, fortunately, are very, very good water users. When you look at the tonnage that produces with just the amount of water that carrots use, you know, we're going to adjust and work with, you know, whether it's the committees, the governments, whatever it has to, to reduce the water that's necessary so that we can all be here for a long time. Most of the country's carrots are grown in California, with consumers demanding year-round supply of the vegetable. The state's arid climate is a prime place for growing. According to state statistics, carrots are one of California's top 10 agricultural commodities, valued at $1.1 billion last year. Mini-chefs discover the magic of cooking and nutrition. A cooking school in Los Angeles gives young kids the opportunity to gain valuable life skills. NTD's Stephanie Sikal has more. In our world of foodie fun, even kids can join the adventure. Take a look at these tiny chefs in the making. Little Kitchen Academy is on a mission to teach children as young as three about cooking and healthy eating habits through hands-on experiences. In the three-hour classes, kids acquire practical cooking skills and learn about the origins and health benefits of their food. Little Kitchen Academy is a beautifully designed, first-of-its-kind, Montessori-inspired academy where children can come in and understand, develop and refine their senses and their confidence in the kitchen. Safety is a top priority, but the program also encourages children to become more independent, fostering personal growth. The academy's unique setup allows kids to select ingredients from a living food wall, enhancing their culinary knowledge and sensory experiences. The one thing I learned was how to use some of the tools properly. We learned how to hold a knife so we don't cut our fingers off. We learned how to grip it, which I think is important to learn in the kitchen. Currently available for children aged three to 18, Little Kitchen Academy plans to expand to more locations in the future. Teaching kids how to cook is not just about making meals. It's about equipping them with valuable life skills to promote healthier living, independence and personal development. Stephanie Sikal, NTD News, Los Angeles. Now let's check in with NTD's Carlos Reyes for our sports roundup. This is your California sports roundup, and I'm Carlos Reyes. In a thrilling showdown set to unfold tomorrow, the San Jose Earthquakes are gearing up to clash with FC Dallas in a high-stakes MLS battle that could determine their postseason fate. With both teams locked in an intense battle for an automatic MLS Cup playoff spot, the stakes have never been higher. Currently occupying the eighth spot in the Western Conference standings with 42 points, the Earthquakes hold a razor-thin advantage over their Texan rivals, FC Dallas, who are breathing down their necks with 41 points in ninth place. It's a must-win situation for both sides as they vie for the coveted playoff berth. The Earthquakes have shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season, led by their dynamic attacking duo, but inconsistency has plagued them at times. The San Jose club has had multiple opportunities to earn a playoff berth, but hasn't been able to capitalize. Recently, the San Jose Earthquakes and Minnesota United FC played to a 1-1 draw on the road at Allianz Field. A late equalizer from defender Paul Marie earned the Quakes a crucial point on the road. Tomorrow's clash promises to be a nail-biter with fans from both sides on the edge of their seats. Now let's shift it over to Tyler Castillo for some 49ers coverage. The San Francisco 49ers running back breaks a record for the franchise. They took on the Arizona Cardinals in a Sunday game. Christian McCaffrey scored a touchdown in his 13th straight game on the Niners, breaking all-time great Jerry Rice's record of 12 straight games with a touchdown for the 49ers. But not only did McCaffrey score a touchdown to beat the record, he scored four touchdowns in this one game. The man landed three rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown, with one of them including a McCaffrey hurdle over a player going in for the tack on him. Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant, he also had the best game we've ever seen with 20 out of 21 completions. Purdy also scored on a quarterback sneak. 49ers defeated the Cardinals 35-16 and will play their rivals, Dallas Cowboys, next week. That is it for today's Sports Roundup. Thank you for watching. I'm Carlos Reyes. Thanks Carlos. That's all we've got for you tonight. We would like you to join us again on California Today every weekday at 8 p.m. Make sure to check out our broadcasts at ntd.com slash california dash today. You can also find all of our top latest clips there, ready to share with friends and family. Send us a message on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Gungeon World, or through our email california.today at ntd.com. I'm David Zhang. Have a wonderful weekend.