Tag: california

California Changes Girls’ Track and Field Championship Rules After Trump Threatens Funding Over Trans Athlete

California sports officials changed the eligibility rules of a high school track and field state championship last minute after President Donald Trump called out the state for allowing a transgender-identifying male to snag a victory and disenfranchise female athletes.

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that the competition will now include the female athletes who did not qualify for the competition, who may have placed higher if the transgender-identifying athlete were not participating. The announcement occurred only hours after Trump posted to Truth Social, threatening to withhold federal funding from the state over the debacle. President Trump said:

California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newscum, continues to ILLEGALLY allow “MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN’S SPORTS.” This week a transitioned Male athlete, at a major event, won “everything,” and is now qualified to compete in the “State Finals” next weekend. As a Male, he was a less than average competitor. As a Female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable. THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS. Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not adhered to. The Governor, himself, said it is “UNFAIR.” I will speak to him today to find out which way he wants to go??? In the meantime I am ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals. This is a totally ridiculous situation!!!

The federation claims it decided to change its policy after the end of Saturday’s Masters Qualifiers round, not after President Trump’s statement.  

“The CIF values all of our student-athletes, and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law and Education Code. With this in mind, the CIF will be implementing a pilot entry process for the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships,” the federation said in a statement. 

Under this pilot entry process, any biological female student-athlete who would have earned the next qualifying mark for one of their Section’s automatic qualifying entries in the CIF State meet, and did not achieve the CIF State at-large mark in the finals at their Section meet, was extended an opportunity to participate in the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships. The CIF believes this pilot entry process achieves the participation opportunities we seek to afford our student-athletes.

The policy change will ultimately allow at least two female athletes to compete for the state title after they lose to a trans-identifying male. The male athlete competing as a girl for Jurupa Valley High School won first place for the triple jump and long jump over the weekend, according to the report. 

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California Senators Kill Bill To Create Psychedelic Therapy Pilot Program For Veterans And Former First Responders

A California Senate committee has declined to advance a bipartisan bill that would have created a psilocybin pilot program for military veterans and former first responders.

After moving through two other panels with unanimous support, the measure from Sens. Josh Becker (D) and Brian Jones (R) was shelved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Friday—with members declining to take it up or designate it as a two-year bill that could be revived later in the session.

The proposal as amended in a prior committee would have established a pilot program that would have been overseen by the University of California (UC) system. UC would have been requested to study and develop “psilocybin services” for eligible patients in up to five counties across the state in partnership with licensed clinics.

The universities would have been responsible for “protocol design, institutional review board approvals, training of psilocybin facilitators, data collection, and reporting” of the pilot program.

Under the legislation, the state would have also established a “Veterans and First Responders Research Pilot Special Fund,” with continuous appropriations to fund the work.

“Emerging research suggests that psilocybin and psilocyn, when used in a controlled setting, may offer significant benefits in treating mental health disorders, particularly those related to trauma and stress,” the bill’s findings section said.

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If California’s Marijuana Tax Hike Takes Effect Next Month, Consumers And Businesses Will Suffer—But There’s A Solution

A critical inflection point threatening the world’s largest legal cannabis market currently looms over California’s industry: A scheduled excise tax raise from the current rate of 15 percent to an unprecedented rate of 19 percent is set to take effect on July 1.

When California voters approved adult-use cannabis in 2016, they envisioned a thriving—and equitable—regulated industry. Unfortunately, the reality is that licensed operators are being strangled by regulations that push consumers straight to the illicit market. And despite the legal market generating approximately $7 billion in tax revenue since 2018, this hike would be a devastating blow.

The Reality of California’s Cannabis Market

On the ground in California, the illicit market continues to dominate cannabis sales. According to recent data from the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), approximately 63 percent of the 3.8 million pounds of cannabis consumed by Californians in 2024 came from unlicensed production—unsurprising when considering the price differential consumers face.

When a consumer purchases cannabis from a licensed retailer, they’re not just paying for the product. They’re paying layers of taxes that can increase the final price by nearly 44 percent in some jurisdictions.

The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration’s (CDTFA) own example shows how a $35 purchase quickly balloons to over $50 due to combined taxes—and that’s before this tax increase. With the planned hike, that same purchase would approach $60.

Not only will consumers feel this increase in each purchase, many small businesses—particularly social equity operators and independent retailers already operating on razor-thin margins—simply won’t survive another tax increase of this magnitude.

Meanwhile, states like Michigan and Missouri are demonstrating steady sales growth thanks to lower taxes and fewer barriers to entry, and they are already exceeding the average per capita cannabis sales of California.

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Beloved gay porn star, Colton Ford, found dead at 62 after mysterious hiking accident

A beloved gay porn star, Glenn Soukesian, better known as Colton Ford, was found dead in a mysterious hiking accident outside Palm Springs, California, authorities confirmed.

Ford, 62, was found dead Monday night on the Goat Trails in the California desert oasis, according to the Bay Area Reporter.

Police found his remains on Monday after his friends had reported him missing when he failed to return from a hike the day before.

Authorities do not yet have a cause of death, but the local coroner has ruled out foul play, a spokesperson for the Palm Springs Police Department told the Reporter.

Ford, from Pasadena, was a silver fox success story, launching his 22-year adult film career at the age of 40, according to Out magazine.

He worked with studios including MRS Releasing, RawF—kClub, All Worlds, Mustang, and Falcon Studios.

“He was a brilliant artist who always kept a song in his heart …Sweet, funny, kind, sassy – and hopelessly handsome,” Ford’s friend Tim Wood wrote on Facebook.

Ford had been a recording artist before his porn career, working with Denise Rich’s production company MIDE Productions as well as Virgin Records.

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California hiker who fell off cliff and survived three weeks in wilderness hit by shocking claim

A hiker who was found after falling off a cliff and surviving for three weeks in the California wilderness has been called out by skeptics who are questioning if she’s telling the truth about her journey. 

Tiffany Slaton, 28, was reported missing by her family on April 29 after not hearing from her for nine days, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said. 

The department then sent out several alerts about her disappearance and called on the public to look out for her, as one tip confirmed she was last seen at Huntington Lake on April 20. 

Slaton, of Jeffersonville, Georgia was on a solo trip through the Sierra Nevada when she said she suddenly became lost after falling off a cliff. 

After her fall, Slaton said she endured a treacherous three weeks before she was finally found on May 14. 

She was located inside a cabin at the Vermilion Valley Resort near Lake Edison, the sheriff’s office said. 

Despite making it out of the situation alive, many are now wondering if Slaton’s shocking survival journey is truthful and if her family’s fundraising motives were created with the right intentions. 

‘I’m glad to see that other people don’t believe this story. So many things don’t add up, I hope this office investigates fully since resources were used,’ one commenter said. 

‘Something‘s very off about the story. I don’t believe her at all. I think she’s just looking for fame or money,’ wrote another. 

‘It’s embarrassing to think people believe someone fell off a cliff, survived 2 hours unconscious (guess she was timing it), popped her knee back into place, and traveled 20 miles after splinting her leg,’ another wrote. 

While many are unsure if the story is factual or fictional, a lot of people stood up for Slaton after she returned home. 

‘The kid went on an adventure with no reception. It’s not her fault search and rescue crews didn’t listen to the family and found her weeks later,’ someone said. 

Another stated: ‘Tiffany is a true survivor and fighter to the end. Sounds like a movie in the making.’ 

After falling from a cliff, Slaton said  she was unable to return to the main road because she was then hit by an avalanche, causing her to fall unconscious for two hours. 

When she finally woke up, she realized she injured herself and went on to splint one of her legs and pop her knee back into place, she recalled. 

She then proceeded on her journey, where she made it through 13 snowstorms, two landslides, had to eat wild leeks, boil snow melt for drinking water, and also got her tent, electric bike, phone and two sleeping bags stolen, according to the hiker. 

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Cop who claimed total disability was seen ‘dancing and drinking’ at Stagecoach, ran 5Ks, and went to Disneyland: DA

A former police officer from California claimed she couldn’t perform her duties after sustaining a head injury on the job — and then she was seen dancing at a music festival.

According to a press release from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, 39-year-old Nicole Brown was a police officer with the Westminster Police Department when she was injured on the job in March 2022. The release stated that Brown sustained “a minor abrasion to her forehead while attempting to arrest and handcuff an uncooperative suspect.” She was examined at the emergency room after she complained about headaches, but was released without any medical restrictions.

Brown then allegedly called out sick for several days and claimed she’d been diagnosed with severe concussion syndrome, which resulted in her being placed on total temporary disability.

While unable to perform her duties as an officer, Brown was entitled to workers’ compensation benefits after sustaining her alleged injury while on the job — including her full salary, tax-free, paid for by “the city, county, or state agency that employs the officer,” according to the DA. After a one-year period, that amount decreases to 2/3 of her full salary but can pay out for up to 104 weeks.

According to the DA, Brown collected more than $600,000 in benefits.

However, evidence obtained by the DA’s office called Brown’s so-called “total disability” into question. While out on disability, Brown allegedly claimed that she suffered from “headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and noise, problems processing thoughts and words, and an inability to work on the computer or do any screentime.”

But on April 23, 2023 — a full year after Brown went on disability and while still claiming to be suffering symptoms of a concussion — Brown was seen by “several people” who had knowledge of her medical status “dancing and drinking at the Stagecoach Music Festival, with more than 75,000 people in attendance with loud music and bright lights everywhere and temperatures in excess of 100 degrees.”

After those people reported Brown’s activities at Stagecoach to the Westminster Police Department, an investigation into the officer’s disability claims began.

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Palm Springs Bomber Identified, Identifies As ‘Pro-Mortalist’

According to a report, the bomber who destroyed a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, Saturday has been identified, and he is allegedly 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus, who hails from the nearby desert city of Twentynine Palms. One person was killed (many are speculating that it was the bomber, although that hasn’t been officially announced yet), and four were wounded in the explosion that left a 250-yard debris field and could be felt miles away.

According to a 30-minute audiotape he left behind, Bartkus was a “pro-mortalist,” which is a bizarre philosophy that, among other things, decries the fact that we didn’t give our consent to be born.

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NO EMBRYOS harmed in Palm Springs fertility clinic bombing, officials reveal deceased suspect’s identity

Federal authorities have identified the man behind the bombing of a Palm Springs fertility clinic, describing the act as terrorism and confirming that no embryos were destroyed in the attack.

The suspect, 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus of Twentynine Palms, died in the explosion, which also injured four others. Officials said Bartkus had attempted to livestream the bombing, but the footage did not upload online.

“Make no mistake: This is an intentional act of terrorism,” said Akil Davis, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, during a press conference Sunday evening.

Davis confirmed that Bartkus left behind a series of writings, some of which investigators believe expressed “nihilistic ideations.” According to the Associated Press, the suspect reportedly believed “the world should not be populated.” Authorities are reviewing those materials to better understand his motive.

The bombing occurred Saturday at the American Reproductive Centers, a single-story clinic in an upscale area of Palm Springs. The explosion caused significant damage to the facility, but no patients were present at the time.

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The Story of a Weed that Could Make Californians Rich!

It was 1930s and the last thing the depression era needed was an invasive plant that took over farmland and pastures. The Klamath weed, or goatweed, a native of Europe, first appeared in the United States in 1793 near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. By 1900 it had reached California in the vicinity of the Klamath River, hence the name locally given to it. By 1929 it had occupied about 100,000 acres of rangeland, and by 1952 it had invaded some two and one half million acres. Livestock consuming “the weed” became sore-mouthed and lost weight so the government and chemical (pesticide) companies took action! Tons of herbicides like 2,4-D (a component of the notorious chemical weapon called “Agent Orange”)1 were used and millions of dollars were spent to control the weed with little success. Local rivers and soil were contaminated with the harmful chemicals that accumulate in animals and humans and can cause neuroendocrine disruptions (More details in my article Do Pesticides Impact Fertility, Masculinity and Miscarriages? An Overview of Scientific Literature).

The “invasion” problem was finally solved when species of beetles (native to southern France) were imported in 1944, that mainly fed upon the “weed.”

In her 1962 book Silent Spring, Rachel Carson discusses Klamath weed as an example of how poorly researched chemical approaches to pest control can have unintended negative consequences. But today, we know the yellow-flowered perennial Americans called Klamath “weed” was called St. Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum) in Europe with amazing medicinal and therapeutic properties!

The herb St. John’s Wort (SJW) now sells for $20 a pound and in concentrated pill for $100 a pound! This is the same plant that Californians spent millions of dollars to (unsuccessfully) eradicate by contaminating their precious soil and water resources!

The herb, when organic and untreated, is used for relief of menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, treatment of insomnia, depression, nerve pain (neuralgia) and wounds.

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One dead after bomb explodes outside reproductive center in Downtown Palm Springs, police say it appears to be an “intentional act of violence”

One person is confirmed dead after an explosion rocked the American Reproductive Centers building on North Indian Canyon Drive near East Tachevah Drive just before 11 a.m. this morning. Regional news outlets have reported several injuries, but so far that has not been confirmed.

Lt. William Hutchinson with the Palm Springs Police Department confirms it was a bomb in or near a vehicle parked at the building.

Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills said in a statement, “The blast appears to be an intentional act of violence and the blast field extends for blocks with several buildings damaged-some severely. Mills confirmed the FBI is on scene.

“We’ve got a vehicle that appears to have exploded,” a Palm Springs Police Department official said moments ago. “It appears that we have a deceased person. … (E)verything’s in question whether this is an act of terrorism, or what it is.”

About two hours after the explosion, authorities expanded the safety zone, blocking off more parts of the street using SunLine Transit buses.

Matt Spencer, a resident who lives nearby at Sunset Palms apartment complex, ran outside with his dog Tippy as soon as he heard the explosion and reports he saw human remains and what was left of a car outside the building.

Spencer said he saw what looked like human remains in the middle of the road.

“In front of the building [the car] was blown clear across four lanes into the parking lot of [Desert Regional Medical Center],” Spencer said. “I could see the back of the car still on fire and the rims, that was the only thing that distinguishes it as a car.”

He also saw parts of the frame of a car and its suspension, and that it looked “completely disintegrated.”

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