RCRC gathered at its annual reception on Wednesday, January 8th, to celebrate the RCRC 2025 Officers and to honor the recipients of the 2024 Rural Leadership Awards. The Rural Leadership Awards are presented to two...
On Friday, January 10th, Governor Newsom released his Administration’s 2025-26 Proposed Budget. This proposal begins the budget development process between the Governor and Legislature; with the onus on lawmakers who must pass a budget by June 15th for the...
On December 23, RCRC submitted extensive comments to the Assembly Select Committee on Permitting Reform, including several suggestions to improve the California Environmental Quality Act. In the letter, RCRC noted that local governments act as...
On Tuesday, the USDA Forest Service (USFS) announced the withdrawal of the notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the National Old Growth Amendment, which was first released in draft...
On January 3, the first day of the 119th Congress, Representative Doug LaMalfa (R-Butte) introduced the Targeted Operations to Remove Catastrophic Hazards (TORCH) Act, which aims to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health. The...
On January 8, California’s U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff led 47 bipartisan members of the California Congressional delegation in urging President Biden to grant Governor Gavin Newsom’s request for a major disaster declaration...
On January 7, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will award 25 California projects a combined $258 million for transportation infrastructure upgrades. Several projects selected for funding are located...
Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of rural county importance.
Billions of dollars are up for grabs to public agencies and other entities, including tribes and businesses. Grant seekers can access a centralized portal of grant and loan opportunities here, or sign up to receive new grant opportunities...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties.
Anthony Chavez, of Auburn, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement. Chavez has been Director of Operations at California Volunteers since 2021. He was Director of Finance and Administration at California Volunteers from 2011 to 2021. Chavez earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from California State University, Humbolt. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $190,536. Chavez is a Democrat.
Christina Dempsey, of Roseville, has been appointed Deputy Director of Government Affairs at the California Department of Cannabis Control. Dempsey has been the Director of the Cannabis Policy Lab since 2023. She has had two positions at the California Department of Cannabis Control from 2021 to 2023 including Deputy Director of Policy & Research from 2022 to 2023, and Acting Deputy Director of External Affairs from 2021 to 2022. Dempsey had two positions at the California Department of Public Health from 2017 to 2021 including Chief of Policy & Outreach – Manufactured Cannabis Safety Branch from 2019 to 2021, and Education, Training & Outreach Manager – Manufactured Cannabis Safety Branch from 2017 to 2019. She was a Consultant at Grand Central Communications from 2014 to 2017. Dempsey was a Research & Special Project Intern – Golf Channel at NBC Universal in 2014. She was an Intern for the Orlando Film Commission at the Orlando Economic Partnership in 2013. Dempsey was a Senior Account Coordinator at Sara Brady Public Relations from 2011 to 2012. She is a member of the American Society for Testing and Materials. Dempsey earned her Master of Business Administration degree from Rollins College, and her Bachelor of Science degree in Risk Management and Business Administration from Florida State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $133,932. Dempsey is registered without party preference.
Mariam El-Menshawi, of Granite Bay, has been appointed Chief of the Office of Victims and Survivor Rights and Services at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. El-Menshawi is a Hearing Officer at California Hearing Officers since 2024, Director of Legal Services at the California Victim Resource Center, University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law since 2024, and an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law since 2018. She has held three additional positions at the Victim Resource Center at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law from 2012 to 2024 including Executive Director from 2023 to 2024, Director from 2013 to 2022, and Assistant Director from 2012 to 2013. El-Menshawi is a member of the United States Attorney’s Office Hate Crime Task Force, the California Office of Emergency Services Statewide Victims of Crime Act Steering Committee, and the Consortium on Victims’ Rights and Services. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, her Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, Sacramento, and her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Virginia Commonwealth University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $173,004. El-Menshawi is registered without party preference.
RCRC press releases and related news clips about RCRC and our member counties. Please note that a subscription may be required to read some external publications.
New York City now mandates composting. Next comes the hard part. – Canary Media
RCRC Senior Policy Advocate John Kennedy was featured in an article regarding New York City’s recent launch of a municipal composting program which explores comparisons with California’s experiences with compost recycling. Kennedy was quoted regarding RCRC’s advocacy efforts to secure more flexible composting regulations in California for smaller, lower-population counties.
California Was Already in Home-Insurance Crisis Before Los Angeles Infernos – Wall Street Journal
Leading insurers have pulled back from the state, leaving many in the path of the fires with only bare-bones insurance provided by a state-sponsored insurer of last resort—or worse, no insurance at all.
CPUC Reaches Milestone $1 Billion in Broadband Grants to Connect Communities Across California – Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) marked a historic achievement by surpassing $1 billion in grants dedicated to expanding broadband networks throughout California.
Information related to the current status of legislation impacting California’s rural counties.
AB 1 (Connolly) Residential property insurance: wildfire risk. Current Department of Insurance regulations prohibit an insurer from using a rating plan that does not take into account and reflect specified wildfire risk mitigation, including property-level building hardening measures. This bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2030, and every 5 years thereafter, to consider whether or not to update its regulations to include additional building hardening measures for property-level mitigation efforts and communitywide wildfire mitigation programs. As part of this consideration, the bill would require the department to consult with specified agencies to identify additional building hardening measures to consider, as well as to develop and implement a public participation process during the evaluation. (Based on 12/02/2024 text) Location: Assembly PRINT Status: 12/03/2024 – From printer. May be heard in committee January 2. Position: Support Lobbyist: Staci (1), Tracy (2)
