Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, (D-Chatsworth), Chair of the Select Committee on Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure, convened a joint informational hearing at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator to walk through updates to the electric vehicle industry since the last hearing of the select committee, to examine persistent barriers to charging access and reliability and outline successful and efficient programs that foster innovation and progress in the middle of shifting federal priorities. The hearing brought together leaders from state agencies, utilities, the EV industry, community organizations, ports and companies making the transition, and more to provide comprehensive updates on the challenges and progress of electrifying transportation across California. “California has made tremendous progress over the last decade improving charging reliability, expanding access, increasing affordability, and supporting innovation across the EV industry,” said Assemblywoman Schiavo. “But the transition is far from seamless, and federal roadblocks now threaten the policies and investments that helped us get here. Yesterday’s hearing was about protecting that progress and charting the next chapter of California’s clean transportation future.” The hearing featured three panels providing statewide perspectives, sector-specific challenges and detailed recommendations for legislative action. State agencies updated the committee on the host of programs and technical assistance providers as well as positive market trends in EV adoption with over 29% of new cars sold being EVs. The following panel dug into challenges and opportunities in passenger vehicles. Comments identified the need for flexibility in funding for technologies that fit the lifestyles of all Californians. Finally, the panel on the medium and heavy duty commercial sector provided an opportunity to hear first hand from companies making the transition to EVs on the challenges and also benefits in maintenance and driver quality of life that they’ve seen from the transition. At the root of all of the discussions were the need for California to continue as a leader in the backdrop of federal headwinds in consistently supporting technological innovation, money-wise programs that address access and affordability and guiding the transition to emission free transit. “As we move into the next legislative year, the insights shared today will help drive smarter, more forward-thinking policy,” said Schiavo. “California must continue to lead, not just in vehicle innovation, but in creating an EV charging experience that is seamless, affordable and accessible for every community.” Below is a full list of panelists, and the full committee hearing can be found here. Statewide Overview & Recommendations Gia Vacin, Deputy Director, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) Nancy Skinner, Commissioner, California Energy Commission Michelle Buffington, Chief, Mobile Sources Control Division, California Air Resources Board (CARB) Passenger Vehicle / Light Duty Sector Laura Renger, Executive Director, CalETC Mike Murphy, Chief Executive Officer, American EV Jobs Alliance Minh Le, General Manager, Los Angeles County Energy & Environmental Services Emil Abdelshehid, Director, Power New Business and Electrification Division, LADWP Daniel Barad, Western States Policy Manager, Union of Concerned Scientists Commercial Vehicle / Medium & Heavy-Duty Sector Adam Browning, Executive Vice President for Policy & Communications, Forum Mobility Rudy Diaz, Chief Executive Officer, Hight Logistics Artie Mandel, Director of Government Affairs, Port of Los Angeles Chanel Parson, Director of Clean Energy and Demand Response, Southern California Edison Joseph K. Lyou, Ph. D., Chief Executive Officer, Coalition for Clean Air.
https://scvnews.com/schiavo-convenes-hearing-on-ev-charging-affordability-infrastructure-needs/
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Coinbase Supercharges Solana With High-Speed Vector Integration
A breakout wave of Solana-driven onchain activity is accelerating as Coinbase moves to fuse Vector’s high-speed infrastructure into its platform, aiming to unlock faster discovery, deeper liquidity and relentless 24/7 execution for global crypto traders. Coinbase Pushes Into High-Velocity Solana Onchain Trading A surge in demand for faster, deeper onchain execution is reshaping the crypto [.] Source:.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/tech/coinbase-supercharges-solana-with-high-speed-vector-integration/
Giants Trade For Ex-Top 100 Prospect, Giving Up No Players in Return
Under new manager Tony Vitello, the San Francisco Giants will be looking to build a roster capable of better than the 81-81 record that saw them finish 12 games behind their longtime archrivals, the National League West-winning Los Angeles Dodgers. After trading seven-year veteran Mike Yastrzemski to the Kansas City Royals at the trade deadline, the Giants made a move to address their outfield depth on Friday. The trade came just hours before the 5 p. m. ET deadline by which teams must inform players who are arbitration-eligible if they will be offered new contracts, or simply let go that is, non-tendered. The Miami Marlins appeared certain to non-tender 26-year-old outfielder Joey Wiemer on Friday, after designating him for assignment earlier this week. Instead, they traded him to San Francisco. Wiemer was the Milwaukee Brewers’ fourth-round draft pick in 2020, a year when the annual MLB Draft was sliced to only five rounds from 40 as owners looked to cut costs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He quickly rose through the Brewers’ farm system, reaching the Triple-A level in 2022. The righty-swinging outfielder was listed as the No. 90 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline going into the 2023 season. Baseball Prospectus placed him at No. 65. He was selected to play in the 2022 Futures Game, and MLB Pipeline rated Wiemer the No. 3 prospect in Milwaukee’s system in 2023. But Wiemer struggled in his rookie season of 2023, coming to the plate 410 times with only 75 hits and 36 walks, a . 283 on-base percentage. The 6-foot-4, 226-pound Wiemer displayed some power, hitting 13 home runs and 19 doubles, but it was not good enough. At the 2024 trade deadline, Milwaukee traded Wiemer and one other player to the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Frankie Montas. More MLB: Dodgers Tabbed to Trade No. 5 Prospect River Ryan For 4-Time Gold Glover His stay with the Reds lasted only a few months. Cincinnati dealt him along with 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India to the Kansas City Royals for another pitcher, Brady Singer. The Royals placed him on waivers in August this year, where the Marlins picked him up. The Giants were able to acquire Wiemer without giving up any players of their own, sending only an undisclosed amount of cash to Miami for the former prospect. The Giants are clearly hoping that Wiemer can revitalize his career in San Francisco. “Beyond his above-average power versus lefties, Wiemer is capable of playing all three outfield spots and doing so at a fairly high level,” wrote Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors on Friday. “Even bearish scouting reports on him over the years have labeled him as a potential plus defender. Defensive metrics bear that out. Because Wiemer has no remaining minor league options, the Giants must keep him on the major league roster or designate him for assignment once again.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/joey-wiemer-giants-trade-11091155
Justice Department says it reverses Michael Gates’ firing, will accept his resignation
The U. S. Department of Justice said it “rescinds and will remove” records that its former deputy assistant U. S. attorney general, Michael Gates, was terminated and will instead accept his voluntary resignation. The Justice Department, in a letter to Gates dated Friday, Nov. 21, said it will update Gates’ personnel file to note that he voluntarily resigned from his position in its Civil Rights Division. Gates, the former Huntington Beach city attorney, announced on social media on Sunday, Nov. 9, that he had resigned his position in the Trump administration and was returning home to work for the city once more. He said he was “very conflicted” about leaving because the job was “the honor of a lifetime,” but the months felt like years as he missed his family and their events. But the Justice Department had said Gates was terminated from his position “for cause,” personnel records obtained through a records request showed. A Justice Department source did confirm the validity of the letter Gates received on Friday accepting his resignation. There was no further information about the change of decision. “Please accept this letter as formal notification that the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has accepted your voluntary resignation from the position of Deputy Assistant Attorney General, effective November, 9, 2025. Accordingly, the Division rescinds and will remove from your personnel record any previous reference to your termination.” Gates had maintained that he was fired, but rather was planning to resign from the Justice Department. “They were angry I resigned, and I know this because it was well known throughout the office for months that anybody resigning would make them look bad,” Gates said in an interview last week. “When other people resigned, they were so mad. I’ve seen it with my own eyes because they thought it would make them look bad.” Gates could not immediately be reached for comment Friday evening. But in a Facebook post, Gates called the letter “total vindication.” “DOJ just sent a letter completely reversing now recognizing my resignation!” he posted. Earlier Friday, the Huntington Beach City Council met in closed session for 90 minutes, discussing the rehiring of Gates to work in the city attorney’s office. At its regular meeting on Tuesday, the council called for a special meeting to address “anticipated litigation” in two emails from Gates’ attorney, Benjamin G. Chew, regarding Gates’ employment with the city. In the resignation letter Gates had posted to social media earlier this month, it indicated his last day with the Justice Department would be Nov. 22. The Justice Department’s letter on Friday said his resignation is effective Nov. 9. Gates was elected as Huntington Beach’s city attorney in 2014 and won reelection twice more. He had said he would run for his old post again next year. But in the meantime, Gates said he has accepted the city’s offer to be “chief assistant city attorney” starting Nov. 24. He had been one of the more outspoken elected officials in Huntington Beach and the county, leading his office to fight the state on multiple local control issues, including challenging the state’s sanctuary law, fighting for the city’s voter ID law, and preventing California from mandating the coastal city to build more housing. He announced in February that he was leaving his post as Huntington Beach’s city attorney to head to the Justice Department in Washington, D. C. In his resignation letter, Gates said: “My decision to resign was not made easily but, in light of many circumstances, and after my experiences working at the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D. C., this year, I believe this is the best decision for me and my family.” Staff writer Claire Wang contributed to this report.
https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2025/11/21/justice-department-says-it-reverses-michael-gates-firing-will-accept-his-resignation/
Trump Bill Strips Nursing Of ‘Professional’ Status And Puts Future Patient Care At Risk
US nursing students face new financial barriers after the Department of Education excluded their courses from the ‘professional degree’ category under a sweeping overhaul of federal loan programmes. The reclassification, which significantly lowers the borrowing cap for postgraduate nursing studies, has drawn sharp criticism from industry leaders who warn it will deepen the nation’s healthcare workforce crisis. Nurse Courses Not A ‘Professional Degree’ Anymore The legislation, titled the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’, eliminates the Grad PLUS loans that many students have relied on to pay for postgraduate study and replaces them with a tighter system of caps and categories. Under the new rules, only students on recognised ‘professional degree’ tracks can access the highest loan limit of approximately £157, 000, while everyone else studying at graduate level is restricted to roughly £78, 000 in total borrowing. The exclusion of nursing means thousands of trainee nurses will have to finance years of expensive clinical education within that lower ceiling or abandon their plans altogether. At the same time, the bill delivers more than £1. 2 trillion ($1. 5 trillion) in tax cuts for the wealthiest 5 per cent of Americans, a contrast that has drawn criticism from healthcare unions. For working-class and first-generation students in particular, the American Nursing Association (ANA) warns that the new borrowing limits will act as a significant barrier to advanced training, closing off pathways into specialist roles that communities urgently need. With nurse shortages already running into the tens of thousands across the country, unions argue the law reads less like a technical funding fix and more like a policy detrimental to the future of the profession. Why Fewer Students in Nursing Courses Threatens Patient Care The ANA has warned that this change will impact patient outcomes as well as student finances. In a strongly worded letter, association President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy stated that excluding nursing will ‘severely restrict access to critical funding for graduate nursing education, undermining efforts to grow and sustain the nursing workforce. ‘ She argued that at a time of a ‘historic nurse shortage’, the move threatens the ‘very foundation of patient care’. Experts note this is particularly dangerous for rural and underserved communities. In many parts of the country, advanced practice registered nurses are the primary, and sometimes only, source of essential healthcare. By making it harder for these nurses to access the graduate-level training they need, the policy risks cutting off access to care for the most vulnerable populations, turning a student finance issue into a public health crisis. Campaigners fear it will deter talented students from entering a field that already demands long hours, intense emotional labour and exposure to trauma, citing research that links recognition and respect to retention in high-stress roles. As one health policy expert put it, the change is ‘a gut punch for nursing’, sending a message that the professionals who provide critical care are somehow less deserving of investment than lawyers or doctors.
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/trump-bill-strips-nursing-professional-status-puts-future-patient-care-risk-1757080
Adrian Fontes condemns President Trump for saying Mark Kelly should face death penalty
PHOENIX Arizona’s top elections official said President Donald Trump’s recent comments about congressional Democrats who reminded military members not to obey unlawful orders are dangerous for democracy. “The Democrats did the same thing my drill instructors did in Marine Corps boot camp. They told us, ‘You’re not to obey unlawful orders.’ Pretty simple. I think everybody whoever wore the uniform knows that,” Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told KTAR News 92. 3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos on Friday. One of the Democrats Trump condemned was U. S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, who said he and the other Democrats were specifically referring to recent strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea, which he believes are “really close” to crossing over into illegal activity. They delivered their message in a Tuesday video post. Two days later, Trump lashed out on Truth Social in a response to a Washington Examiner article about the video. What did President Donald Trump say in response to ‘unlawful orders’ post? “It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL,” the president posted. “Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.” Trump later added that he believes the video was “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” He also shared a post by a user who wrote, “HANG THEM.” “The president of the United States of America threatened American citizens and political opponents with death. That’s not what we do in this country. That’s not how you America,” Fontes said. Trump’s comments are putting the country down a dark path, he added. “This is some serious stuff here and particularly when you’ve got calls for political violence, which this is clearly,” Fontes said. “It’s not just unseemly and way beneath the office, but it’s disturbing, and it really takes us to a much darker place than, I think, we’ve been in before in this country.”.
https://ktar.com/arizona-news/unlawful-orders-trump-fontes-kelly/5780611/
Watch: New Submarine-Hunting Underwater Drones Undergo Tests in Baltic Sea
New underwater drones, designed to sniff out hard-to-detect submarines and threats to vulnerable undersea cables, are being tested in the Baltic Sea. The GreyShark, developed by German technology companies EUROATLAS and EvoLogics, is a penguin-shaped autonomous underwater vehicle Gap that flows out into the northern Atlantic. The 17-sensor GreyShark drones were not designed with Russia in mind specifically, but can help plug gaps currently yawning in NATO military stocks before they can be backfilled, said Eugen Ciemnyjewski, EUROATLAS’s managing director. This may be some of the most expensive platforms, like frigates or submarines, he told Newsweek. But the drones are designed to work alongside NATO vessels, including when combating Russian submarines, Ciemnyjewski said. The AUV moving ahead of a ship may pick up a signal from a Russian submarine, and can then relay that back to the larger platform to then target, he added. A swarm, or group, of the underwater drones can also form a “protective shield” around much larger, more expensive vessels, Ciemnyjewski said. NATO nations in Europe have pledged to dramatically raise defense spending, spurred on by the threat of Russia and by the uncertainty around the U. S.’s future on the continent under President Donald Trump. Washington has historically propped up defense in Europe, providing many of the most costly capabilities. The war in Ukraine has also driven a firm push toward often cheap, unmanned systems that can be mass-produced and pack a punch against much more complicated, pricey platforms. Drones have ripped away hiding spaces for expensive, sophisticated kit like frigates, and peeled back the role manned systems will have going forward, said Ciemnyjewski. “You cannot hide as a frigate, you cannot hide as a mine-hunter, you cannot hide as a tank,” he said. “There’s no hiding space anymore in the world, unless [you’re] in the undersea domain. The timing, which changes slightly with different analyses, hinges on the outcome of the war in Ukraine. Many politicians across the alliance insist NATO is quickly driving forward with a vast military buildup, underpinned by a defense industrial boom in Europe. Others, including industry sources, are less convinced Europe is moving fast enough to meet the potential threat in time. “We are under threat,” said Ciemnyjewski. “Everyone should have understood this.”.
https://www.newsweek.com/watch-new-submarine-hunting-underwater-drones-undergo-tests-baltic-sea-11091957
Some crimes trend downward in Englewood while ‘crimes against society’ continue to rise
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. The Englewood Police Department tracks crime stats through the year, measuring trends and responding to them. Denver7 is taking a look at those trends and sharing the takeaways for residents to know. Preliminary data shows there’s been a 52% reduction in car thefts compared to last year. Division Chief David LeClair said community involvement has been significant is lowering the number of these crimes. “Not leaving your vehicle unattended while it’s unlocked or keys in the car, anti-theft device, like a steering wheel lock we’ve seen a lot of that,” LeClair said. He said technology has also revelaed certain areas where car thefts appear to be happening most, so the department places officers to patrol those areas as a deterrent. There was also a 40% drop in burglaries. “Often the burglars themselves are using stolen motor vehicles to commit those crimes either take them to or from (the scene). That reduction, I think, is heavily correlated between the two,” LeClair explained. However, there’s one type of crime that continues to increase in Englewood: Crimes against society. “It’s people doing drugs in the open, drinking alcohol, open containers, disorderly conduct in the parks. That’s why it’s deemed ‘crime against society.’ It’s because it’s what makes you not want to go to a park, or why you wouldn’t want to go out shopping,” LeClair said. Preliminary data shows that starting in 2023, there was a big spike in crimes against society followed by another jump in 2024. According to the police department, that increase is associated to increased enforcement or what they call “proactive policing. What we consider proactive, is that we can place our officers and our patrols where we think something’s going to happen, or where we know something is potentially (going to) happen, and a lot of times, either stop it or limit it,” LeClair said. He said the strategy is designed to see a big initial spike as officers encounter those crimes, then eventually the areas that see the most crime calm down. “We’re changing what’s accepted in these places in the culture,” he said. LeClair said he is confident because of the proactive policing strategy, as well as support from community reporting, those numbers will begin to plateau and eventually go down. The final crime stats for 2025 will be released in January.
https://www.denver7.com/news/front-range/englewood/some-crimes-trend-downward-in-englewood-while-crimes-against-society-continue-to-rise
Justin Haak tells The Post that NYCFC contract talks ‘getting better’ — but interest is growing elsewhere
Just The 24-year-old defender will become a free agent when NYCFC’s season concludes the club is in the middle of a playoff run, facing the Union on Sunday in the Eastern Conference semifinals but multiple reports have indicated that other organizations are starting to line up for his servives. Speaking with The Post at NYCFC’s training facility in Orangeburg, Haak revealed the conversations between the club and his reps. “Yeah, there have been talks that have been getting better here,” Haak said. “It started off slow, I would say, but since the season’s been going well as well, I feel like it’s picked up a little bit.” Haak is a shining example of NYCFC’s academy program, with the Brooklyn native becoming a big part of the club’s recent success and developing into one of the league’s top defenders. It’s part of the reason why he’s likely drawn such an interest from teams across the globe. Sixteen MLS teams have reached out to inquire about Haak’s services, and six clubs from the English Football League Championship, the country’s second division, amNewYork reported Thursday. NYCFC head coach Pascal Jansen indicated that his focus was on the club’s upcoming playoff match on Sunday against Philadelphia when asked about the reports. “Personal interest about individual players or whatever they plan for the next season is irrelevant,” he said. Jansen and Haak have developed a strong relationship over the course of the gaffer’s first year with the club. Still among the teams mentioned that have shown interest in Haak, both Coventry City and Middlesbrough have been mentioned as both clubs could be looking at a promotion to the Premier League, depending on the way things shake out this season for them. Haak said Thursday that he was aware of his contract situation when the season began and has been focused on just playing his best on the pitch. He has appeared in 35 matches for NYCFC this season, recording a goal and being one of 10 players in MLS to log more than 3, 000 minutes. He’s also been one of the best ball movers in the league, completing 1, 747 passes, good for 16th-best in MLS. While Haak said that he’s been in regular communication with his reps, the message has always been the same. “Throughout the season, there’s been a bunch of talks going on, but it’s always been that I just need to do my job on the field,” he said. “That’s always been my biggest focus and they’ll take care of the rest.”.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/21/sports/justin-haak-tells-the-post-nycfc-contract-talks-getting-better/
Texas seeks Supreme Court order to use a congressional map judges held is likely racially biased
By MARK SHERMAN WASHINGTON (AP) Texas on Friday asked the Supreme Court for an emergency order to be allowed to use a congressional redistricting plan pushed by President Donald Trump that is favorable to Republicans in the 2026 elections despite a lower court ruling that it likely discriminates on the basis of race. The state is calling on the high court to intervene to avoid confusion as congressional primary elections approach in March. The justices have blocked past lower-court rulings in congressional redistricting cases, most recently in Alabama and Louisiana, that came several months before elections. Texas redrew its congressional map in the summer as part of Trump’s efforts to preserve a slim Republican majority in the House in next year’s elections, touching off a nationwide redistricting battle. The new redistricting map was engineered to give Republicans five additional House seats, but a panel of federal judges in El Paso ruled 2-1 Tuesday that the civil rights groups that challenged the map on behalf of Black and Hispanic voters were likely to win their case. If the ruling holds for now, Texas could be forced to hold elections next year using the map drawn by the GOP-controlled Legislature in 2021 based on the 2020 census. Texas was the first state to meet Trump’s demands in what has become an expanding national battle over redistricting. Republicans drew the state’s new map to give the GOP five additional seats, and Missouri and North Carolina followed with new maps adding an additional Republican seat each. To counter those moves, California voters approved a ballot initiative to give Democrats an additional five seats there. The redrawn maps are facing court challenges in California, Missouri and North Carolina.
https://www.whittierdailynews.com/2025/11/21/election-2026-redistricting-texas-scotus/