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Desert Hot Springs, CA PERMIT NO 00005
Septmeber 29, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 76
“Climate Emergency” Governor Newsom Signs $15 Billion Climate-Change Package By Suzanne Potter/PNS SACRAMENTO, Calif. -Climate activists praise Gov. Gavin Newsom for signing a $15 billion climate action package Thursday but argued he should go one step further
and declare an official “climate emergency” in California. The bills will fund projects to build up wildfire resilience and combat the drought. Heidi Harmon, former mayor of San Luis Obispo,
said the state needs to think even bigger. “People in the state of California and everywhere will not do small things for small goals, but they will do big things for big goals,” Harmon
so-called “smart agriculture” projects and put more zeroasserted. “And California emission vehicles on the road. is a big vision state.” Newsom said the investment The package also includes is the largest in state history. money to plant more trees Paul Koretz, a member of in cities to combat the heat the Los Angeles City Council, island effect and improve air quality. It would also fund Continues on Page 3
Murders in the US rose 30% in 2020 – FBI By Desert Star Staff The latest crime report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows a historic rise in murders in the US for 2020. Murders in the US rose by 30% from 2019 to 2020. The surge represents the most significant year-to-year increase that has been seen since such records began being kept in the 1960s. There was a total of 21,570 murders in 2020, an increase of approximately 4900 in 2019. About 77% of those murders were committed with a firearm, a slight increase from 74% in the previous year. Multiple cities, including Albuquerque, Milwaukee,
Memphis, and Des Moines, have recorded high murder rates. Major crimes, however, decreased overall for 2020, though violent crime – including assault and rape – increased by 5%. The number of murders, however, has not hit its peak, with the 1990s still representing record highs. A total of 25,000 murders were recorded in 1991, for instance. New York City and Los Angeles also accounted for more than 10% of murders nationally in 1990 but account for less than 5% today. Both cities still saw slight increases in their murder rates Continues on Page 3