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California is by far the largest food producer in the United States. In 2023, our state’s agricultural economy was worth nearly $60 billion. The state’s roughly 63,000 farms grow over a third of all vegetables and around three-quarters of the fruits and nuts produced nationwide.

The lettuce and tomato on your hamburger very likely came from California. The almonds and pistachios you snack on as well. There’s a good chance the olive oil on your pasta is from California. Did you pair that with a glass of wine? Probably California, too.

It’s taken four decades, but using phonics to teach English soon could be state policy. Phonics is where kids are taught a language with a phonetic alphabet by sounding out the letters and separate syllables. Unfortunately, in many schools students still are taught “whole word” reading.” The kids are supposed to recognize a complete word, such as “incomprehensible.”

Needless to say, it’s not working.

WATSONVILLE — Adding 72 new units to Watsonville’s housing stock — almost half of which are reserved for farmworker families — the city celebrated the grand opening of its new Sparrow Terrace apartment complex with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday.

From housing reform to immigrant protections, California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas is delivering real results for working families, just as his grandfather did for farm workers generations ago. 

For decades, I’ve fought to uplift the voices of workers, immigrants and underserved communities across California. And for the past 15 years, Rivas had been a true ally in that fight. 

Marion Joseph died in 2022 and therefore cannot celebrate what at long last is happening in California to improve children’s abysmal levels of reading comprehension.

SOLEDAD, Calif. —

Sen. Adam Schiff took a tour of Braga Fresh’s farm in Soledad Wednesday afternoon.

The intention behind the visit was to get an in-person look at local agricultural operations to advocate for the needs of California farmers on a national scale.

This is not Schiff’s first farm tour. The senator has been visiting farming communities across the state since becoming the first California senator in 30 years to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

SOLEDAD, Calif. (KION-TV) -- U.S. Senator Adam Schiff and State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas visited the Central Coast today in support of California's agriculture industry.

This, while a lot of people feel that local agriculture is being threatened by policy coming out of the White House.

Senator Adam Schiff is the first representative from California to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in decades, trying to ensure issues specific to California farmers are being considered on Capitol Hill.

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has nudged parties at odds on how early literacy should be taught to agree to legislation that could significantly advance reading proficiency in California.

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A bill that could reshape literacy education in California elementary schools cleared a major hurdle in the Legislature this week after...

HOOKED ON PHONICS — Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas is throwing his weight behind literacy legislation that would emphasize the “science of reading” in classrooms after reaching an agreement with Assemblymembers Al Muratsuchi, Blanca Rubio and several interest groups on the topic.