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LOS ANGELES - Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1783 to close a loophole in state law that allowed former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez to influence decision-making at the Department of Insurance without registering as a lobbyist. 

AB 1783 by Assembly Member Marc Levine (D - North Bay) arose from a government corruption scandal involving the Department of Insurance and the workers' compensation insurer Applied Underwriters.

FRESNO  -  For the third year in a row, Lozano Smith was named by Law360 as a leading law firm in the areas of diversity and gender equity within the 101-250 attorney category. The firm ranked first overall in Law360's Glass Ceiling Report, a data-driven review of female attorney representation at law firms, and third overall in the Diversity Snapshot.

Lozano Smith ranked first in diversity amongst its equity partnership, first in gender equity amongst its nonequity partnership, and in the top five throughout several other diversity and equity categories within Law360's national reports, including:

SACRAMENTO -  Sherri Papini, 39, of Redding, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison to be followed by 36 months of supervised release for making materially false statements to FBI agents about the circumstances of her own hoax kidnapping and committing mail fraud based on her being a kidnapping victim, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today.

Papini was ordered to pay $309,902 in restitution for losses incurred by the California Victim Compensation Board, the Social Security Administration, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Perry Robert Harper, Jr. passed away September 4, 2022, in Albuquerque, NM, after a long, courageous battle with Alzheimer's. Perry is survived by his wife of 65 years, Rose, and his daughter Robyn. Rose and Robyn were by his side as Perry passed away. He is preceded in death by his father, Perry Robert Harper, Sr., his mother, Martha Lilly Harper, his brother Thomas Earl Harper and nephew Eric Harper.

Perry was born in Daniels, West Virginia, on April 22, 1934. He graduated. from Shady Springs High School, WV, in 1953. Perry was the first freshman to play on the Varsity football team. He was Senior class President and earned many honors. Perry attended New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, NM, on a football scholarship. He never missed a game in four years, playing offense and defense. Perry was on the Frontier Conference All-Star teams in their Junior and Senior years.

MADERA -- Workers at Nutrablend, a subsidiary of Land of Lakes, have voted by more than a two-to-one margin to join Teamsters Local 517. The 67 workers are responsible for the production of animal feed.

"These workers stood strong in the face of a nasty anti-union campaign because they knew Land of Lakes was making promises they weren't going to fulfill," said Greg Landers, Local 517 Secretary-Treasurer. "We're looking forward to negotiating a contract that addresses the issues they care about the most – ending favoritism, annual wage increases, improved health care, retirement benefits, protection against unjust retaliation, and more."

FRESNO -  A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against residents of Everett, Washington, Brian Ulises Rangel, 21, and Martin Velazquez, 29, charging Rael with being a felon in possession of a firearm and Velazquez with being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 15. 2022, law enforcement officers in Fresno County conducted a traffic stop on a car occupied by Rangel and Velazquez. Because neither individual had a valid driver’s license, the car was towed. During a search of the car, two firearms (one stolen and the other with an obliterated serial number) and ammunition were found.