Imperial Valley Bakery Offers Treats For People With Diabetes

Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, August 22, 2024…

• As record-breaking temperatures melt California this summer, medical professionals are sounding the alarm about the added risks extreme heat poses to people with diabetes. But one bakery and cafe in Imperial County has some solutions.
• The Newsom administration has cut a deal with Google and OpenAI to kill two state bills that would have made tech platforms share ad revenues with news organizations. 
• San Bernardino County is California’s largest county in terms of size, with a population of just over 2 million people. The county has studied the idea of seceding from the rest of California, arguing that San Bernardino County doesn’t get its fair share of state money. But a new independent study that’s out says that argument is just wrong.

An El Centro Cafe Brings Sweet Solutions For People With Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body can’t regulate high blood sugar levels, and has long been correlated with obesity. The disease attacks blood vessels, can cause nerve and organ damage, and can lead to blindness, amputations and death.

Diabetes death rates in Imperial Valley are almost double that of California. The number of people with diabetes in the Valley hovers just under half the population. Over 60% of adults and almost 40% of children are overweight or obese. More than a third of Imperial Valley adults drink one or more sugary sodas a day.

Elsa Ordona’s bakery cafe in El Centro has turned out to be a life changer for many people with diabetes. Her treats are diabetes friendly. Keto friendly. All sugarless and low in carbohydrates which break down into sugars in the body. Like many of her patrons Ordona has diabetes, but she has made it her business to help her customers cut their weight without losing the flavors they love.

Newsom Strikes Deal With Google And OpenAI To Support California Newsrooms

The Newsom Administration, news publishers and major tech players, most notably Google and OpenAI, have reached a deal that will kill two state bills that would have forced tech platforms to share ad revenues with news organizations.

The five-year, $250 million agreement promises to provide funding over the next five years to newsrooms across California and launch a “National AI Innovation Accelerator.” The accelerator would provide financial resources “and other support” to enable newsrooms to experiment with AI to bolster their work.

In a statement, Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote the agreement leverages “substantial tech industry resources without imposing new taxes on Californians.” As part of the deal, the Newsom Administration is committing $70 million from the state’s general fund.

Report Finds San Bernardino County Better Off In California, Despite Some Resource Gaps

San Bernardino County is better off not leaving California. In fact, the County generally gets its fair share of state and federal resources, despite some hurdles with some services, according to a recently released independent report.

Voters in 2022 supported a ballot measure that required County officials to look at options for secession. Last year, the County Board of Supervisors hired Blue Sky Consulting Group to get answers on whether the County was receiving its fair share of state and federal dollars.

The county receives about $66 per person more than the average statewide. Blue Sky’s ‘Fair Share’ analysis also shows that the County is getting funding to support jails, school districts and law enforcement in the region.