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Desert Hot Springs, CA PERMIT NO 00005
Friday, January 21, 2022 Vol. 20 No. 6
“Protect CA Public Lands” Coalition Presses Senators to Protect CA Public Lands By Suzanne Potter/PNS A coalition of more than 50 local elected officials is pleading for action on the Public Lands Act. This bill would add protections for more than a million acres of land and 500 miles of rivers in California.
The group released a letter today thanking U.S. Sens Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, both D-Calif., for their support of the legislation. Ventura County Supervisor Carmen Ramirez said more must be done to safeguard
the state’s pristine wilderness areas before it’s too late. “These are places with abundant diversity,” she said. “That’s where a lot of our clean water comes from. We have tribal cultural sites. And oil drilling and other harmful
industries should not be permitted where we have our natural resources.” The letter emphasized the importance of public lands in the fight against climate change, and For promoting access to the outdoors for public health and economic recovery.
In 2019, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, California’s outdoor-recreation economy contributed more to the national Gross Domestic Product than any other state. It generates more than $57 billion in economic.
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New Program to Pay CA College Students $10K for Volunteer Service
By Suzanne Potter/PNS California is launching a new program that will pay college students $10,000 to volunteer to do public service work for a year. Announced on Tuesday, some 6,500 students will be able to join the new Californians for All College Corps and be required to put in 450 service hours, working on COVID-19 recovery, climate change, and education. Josh Fryday, chief service officer for the state, said it’s a way to help lowincome students afford college, earn credits and gain valuable work experience. “Like the G.I. bill,” he said,
“if you are willing to serve your community and give back in a meaningful way, we are going to help you pay for college.” Across the state, 45 campuses will participate, including schools from the University of California and California State University systems, plus community colleges and some private institutions. On a Californians for All College Corps website, you can find a list of schools and details on how to apply. Gov. Gavin Newsom said the shared experience of giving back is intended to foster a new generation of civic-minded leaders.
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