In today's newscast:
Monterey County warns against scams
The Monterey County District Attorney’s office is warning residents about scammers impersonating local officials.
DA investigator Justin Bell says caller IDs and email addresses can be manipulated to look legitimate.
"And now with AI, it's very easy to use voice changesr to sound like someone that works at an office or someone that's been on TV," he said.
The DA’s office recommends asking for a name and title, then hanging up and calling the agency or company directly.
Proposed bill would lower electricity rates and change fire payouts
California wildfire survivors and elected officials are demanding utility reforms, including full compensation for losses when a utility company causes a fire.
Our California newsroom partner KQED reports that PG&E started dozens of large fires between 2015 and 2018. Survivors who lost property have gotten some payments, around 70%, through a trust set up during the utility's 2019 bankruptcy.
But North Bay fire survivor Will Abrams says, considering delays and inflation, it's a lot less than 70%. He's advocating for a bill requiring 100% of losses to be paid. He says PG&E is criminally liable.
"And we're just supposed to say, well, OK, whatever you can make do is fine?" he said. "No! They have to be held accountable."
The bill—AB 2700—authored by Assembly member James Gallagher would take money from profits and investor dividends and seeks to be rate neutral.
The bill would also direct the California Public Utilities Commission to cut electricity rates by 30% by 2028.
