Salem-News.com California articles Page 3

California Reaches $4 Million Settlement with eBay over Anticompetitive ``No-Poach`` Agreement with Intuit

Within ninety days following the court’s preliminary approval of the settlement, current and former employees who are potential members of the three pools will receive an email and a letter providing information on how to submit a claim for restitution.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced a nearly $4 million settlement with eBay over allegations the company violated state anticompetitive laws by making a “no-poach” agreement with Intuit between 2006 and 2009.

“California’s technology sector is at its best when competition and creativity are allowed to thrive,” Attorney General Harris said. “No-poach agreements unfairly punish talented workers and stunt our state’s economic growth....”

Sierra Club: Fracking California... A Disaster Waiting to Happen

The environment is essential, especially since we don’t know the potential health risks associated with fracking.

(SAN LUIS OBISPO) - Sometimes fact is so much stranger than anything even the best novelist could write. Take California, which sits atop a 1,700-square-mile oil shale deposit that is threatened to be accessed by hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

Fracking is an ugly, largely unregulated process that forces massive amounts of water, sand and an unknown cocktail of chemicals into the ground, the end result of which is to release more dirty fossil-fuel pollution into our environment.

More Troubles for Criminally Indicted PG&E

After all the sound and fury is over, PG&E will probably start operating as usual.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) was recently criminally indicted for twelve violations of the federal Pipeline Safety Act. No executives of PG&E were indicted.

The federal indictment follows PG&E's alleged negligence in safely maintaining its natural gas pipeline infrastructure which resulted in a massive explosion in the Crestmoor residential neighborhood of San Bruno on September 9, 2010.

Northern California Politics are Changing!

Kathie Thelen has separated herself from her fellow political candidates by managing her own campaign with friends, and not hiring outside consulting firms.

(SACRAMENTO) - This past month of March has seen a new breed of political candidates in the Northern California area. Regular citizens some new to the political arena have stepped into the ring putting their time and energy into changing their communities.

In Yuba County a community activist and retired hotel hospitality manager, Kathie Thelen is running for Board of Supervisor in District 5.

Kelly Slater Wins Oakley Wave of the Winter Powered by Surfline

11-time World Champ also claims CLIF Bar Overall Performance Award for stellar Pipe season

(HUNTINGTON BEACH GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - 11-time World Champ Kelly Slater's no-handed Pipeline bomb earned top honor as the Wave of the Winter for the 2013-14 North Shore season.

After much scrutiny of a host of top rides, the expert judging panel of Gerry Lopez, Pancho Sullivan and Ross Williams declared Slater the winner based on wave size, degree of difficulty of maneuvers, style, and an overall "heaviness" factor.

A Cat Story With a Happy Ending

The moral is do not just throw an unwanted cat or dog out to fend for themselves. There are shelters for unwanted animals in most cities.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - First a little background before telling this nice story about a lost cat. We have two three-year old feral indoor cats, one a male named Noche -- because he's black -- and Amber a small tortortoiseshell female.

Both are now socialized. Both have been neutered. When cats are neutered, the tip of their right ear is clipped.

California Bans Retail Sale of Super-Toxic Rat Poisons

The order from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation targets products sold to the general public in retail outlets and limits super-toxic rodenticide use beyond 50 feet of manmade structures.

(SACRAMENTO) - California has approved a statewide ban on direct-to-consumer sale of some of the most dangerous rat poisons but loopholes still leave many wildlife species at risk.

The ban approved Tuesday, which will go into effect July 1, prohibits the sale of certain products by d-CON, the only second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide sold directly to the general public.

Christie, Parker & Hale Client Vederi Wins Appeal Against Google

The original lawsuit filed by Vederi alleges that Google’s Street View infringes four of Vederi’s patents issued between 2007 and 2009.

(GLENDALE, CA) - Christie, Parker & Hale, LLP (cph.com), a leading Southern California intellectual property law firm, today announced that its client, Vederi, LLC, won an appeal against Google, Inc. in a patent infringement case involving Google's Street View service.

Because the district court erred in its claim construction, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated a summary judgment of non-infringement and remanded the case to the district court for further proceedings.

Attorney General Kamala D. Harris Announces 2 Arrests and Seizure of 400 Firearms

The arrests and seizures are the result of a investigation conducted by the California Attorney General’s Office that began in early 2014.

(LOS ANGELES) - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the seizure of over 400 firearms and the arrest of two individuals who allegedly trafficked illegal firearms.

“California has laws that regulate the sales and purchase of firearms. These individuals broke the law by illegaly selling firearms for personal profit,” Attorney General Harris said.

Eliminating Pre-Dispute Arbitration Clauses in Consumer Contracts

While arbitration may be a faster, cheaper way to resolve a dispute, they are generally unfair to consumers because it eliminates the right to appeal and access to discovery, and arbitration clauses often prohibit class actions.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - Over the years, arbitration has become a take-it-or-leave contract provision in many consumer contracts.

And available evidence suggests that the arbitration playing field has tilted against consumers.