In today's newscast:
Watsonville Community Hospital nurses hold a town hall
Nurses are asking Watsonville Community Hospital to keep obstetric services open. Nurse Roseanne Ferris was one of the speakers at a town hall over the weekend, intending to call attention to proposed cuts.
"Back in July, they closed the NICU," said Ferris, “ now they're, it feels like, railroading through a decision to very quickly close our OB services and NICU department permanently."
At a meeting this coming Wednesday, the hospital board will consider a resolution that could authorize the closure of labor and delivery and neonatal services.
Dr. Andrew Harkins has worked at the hospital for seven years.
"On a at least monthly, if not more often basis, we have mothers who come in, and deliver within 10 minutes of getting to the hospital," said Harkins. "Watsonville is right between Salinas, between Dominican — and with traffic, we all know that that could be an hour."
The resolution would require 120 days notice before a closure can occur. And even if it passes, it leaves the door open for the board to reconsider.
Independent state oversight organization looks into California housing
The Little Hoover Commission studies how California's government runs. Recently, it's focused on the housing shortage by holding a series of hearings on why the state isn’t building enough homes.
Placer County Supervisor Bonnie Gore said part of the problem is state housing rules are written for big cities, not counties like hers, which stretch from Sacramento's suburbs to rural Lake Tahoe.
"I think it’s important that we acknowledge that one size fits all solutions don't always work," said Gore. "Communities need flexibility."
The commission will shape the testimony into recommendations for the governor and the Legislature once it finishes its housing study.
That reporting from our partners CapRadio.
