The Census Bureau is hiring

To apply, call toll-free 866-861-2010.

The Census Bureau is hiring

To apply, call toll-free 866-861-2010.

Our state still doesn’t have a budget worked out.

There’s a special budget session going in Sacramento this week. Governor Schwarzenegger’s meeting with democrats today to work on a deal. He says California could run out of money by February if they don’t hammer something out soon.

You could get a break on your taxes this year.

President Elect Barrack Obama had his first full day in Washington yesterday and he gave a few details on his economic recovery plan. He says we need to do whatever it takes to fix the economy including cut taxes. Most workers could get a $500, and businesses will get more than $1 billion to create jobs and buy equipment. All together the plan will cost more than $700 billion.

Exercise keeps your brain from shrinking

If you feel like your brain just isn’t as sharp as it used to be, get some exercise. The CDC says once we turn 40 our brain starts shrinking a little bit every year. But, regular exercise seems to slow it down. They say the pumped up blood flow from exercise helps with other stuff too like diabetes, stress, and high cholesterol.

You can get into Disneyland for free on your birthday.

Actually, you can get into any Disney theme park free on your birthday in 2009. Just a special promotion they’re doing. You can go tot heir website and register yourself and your kids.

God and prayer could be missing from inauguration...

If some people have their way, there won’t be any prayer or talk about God on inauguration day. Atheists filed a lawsuit to get rid of the phrase “so help me God” when Obama is sworn in and yesterday a judge in DC said there’s good reason to listen to this case so he will. The guy that filed the lawsuit is the same guy who fought the words “under God” in the pledge of allegiance so we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Time to get rid of your Christmas tree?

Now that Christmas is over, time to get rid of that tree. Tree recycling is going on in 9 different places in Riverside County until January 17th. You can get in touch with the county to find out where to go. Or you can put it outside and trash collectors will be making special tree pickups all week.

Hyundai says you can give your car back

Car companies are being hit by the economy pretty hard, but Hyundai is trying to keep their sales up by offering you a new perk. If you buy one of their cars and lose your job within the first year – you can give the car back – no penalties. Hyundai’s sales went down by almost half last month and they’re hoping programs like this will give you more confidence to buy from them.

Maybe you noticed gas prices creeping up again.

They’re lower than last month but still higher than a week ago. The average price per gallon in the IE right now –$1.75. The money guys think we could be paying more by the end of the week because of all the stuff going on with Israel and Hamas, and prices could hit $3 a gallon by this summer.

We got a pretty good shaking in the IE this weekend.

A small quake hit the Banning Pass yesterday morning and then 5 aftershocks hit right after that. Nothing was damaged and no one got hurt – but we keep getting these little reminders to be ready for something bigger.

OC Bus fares going up

Riding the bus in the OC will cost you more starting this week. Prices are going up a quarter to $1.50. Senior prices go up to 60 cents. This is only the second time fares have gone up in Orange County in almost 20 years.

San Bernardino getting safer

San Bernardino turned out to be a safer place in 2008 than it was in 2007. The number of people who lost their lives to some sort of violence in the city was down from 56 in 07 to 35. Cops say they’re trying different gang programs to make it safer for you and your family and it seems to be working.

Israel has the largest city in Gaza surrounded.

Countries all over the world are asking Israel to pull back and work out a ceasefire. Israel says it’s going to keep defending itself as long as Hamas keeps attacking. The US is of course backing Israel. This whole situation could really use your prayers.

This might be a good year for you to travel.

2009 will be filled with deals and bargain prices. Vegas, Mexico, and Orlando are a few of the hot spots Americans are expected to hit this summer. Cruises to the Caribbean also made the list of best bargain destinations.

Marley was the top dog at the box office again..

this weekend – maybe she got your $10 bucks – Adam Sandler’s new movie “Bedtime Stories” was second, and Brad Pitt’s latest – the Curious Case of Benjamin Button came in 3rd.

John Travolta's son passed away

John Travolta and his family are just heartbroken – his oldest son Jet passed away this weekend. The family was on vacation in the Bahamas when it happened. Doctors say his passing may have had something to do with severe seizures he’s had his whole life. He was only 16 years old.

ANY kind of cigarette is dangerous for embryos

If you think light cigarettes are better than regular cigarettes, think again. Folks at UC Riverside looked into it and say they actually do more harm to developing embryos. They say the bottom line from their study – there is no safe cigarette even though some companies want you to think so.

The fighting in Gaza hasn’t slowed any.

If anything it’s more intense. Israel is pounding Hamas targets and Hamas is firing rockets right back. Almost 400 people have lost their lives in the fighting. If you’re a praying person, that area of the world could sure use your prayers today.

It’s getting cheaper for you to buy a home.

Prices fell almost 20% from last year. Home prices in Phoenix dropped the most followed by Vegas, Frisco, Miami LA and San Diego.

Traffic tickets will cost you more in 2009

Starting this Thursday – January 1st you can tack on an extra $35 for every ticket you get. Traffic school fees are going up $25 statewide. And those “fix it” tickets for window tinting and stuff like that goes up from $10 to $25. California’s going to use all the extra money to build and repair courthouses.

The economy is slowing down illegal immigration.

The Border Patrol Agency says more border patrol agents, more fencing, and yes the economy is bringing the numbers to their lowest since the 70’s. But in California - the numbers are up. They think it’s because it’s gotten harder to cross into Arizona and that’s driving people to cross here in San Diego.

Processed foods linked to lung tumors

You might want to go easy on processed foods like meats, cheeses, baked goods and soda. They could be linked to lung tumors. Scientists think it’s the additives like phosphates. They say there’s still testing to do to be sure but, they are warning people to cut back.

You may be running out of elbow room.

The Census Bureau says when the New Year dawns, the US population will hit 305 million. Our population has grown 1% just in the last 12 months. They say whether it’s a new birth or someone getting their citizenship – we get a new American every 14 seconds.

Sarah Palin’s a grandma.

Her daughter Bristol had a healthy baby boy yesterday in Alaska. She named him Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston.

San Bernardino PD has a warning...

We’re only 2 days away from 2009 and San Bernardino PD has a warning – no firing into the air to celebrate. It’s a felony and it can get you 16 months or more behind bars. Your teenager especially should be warned about how serious it is.

Earthquake swarms at Yellowstone Nat'l Park

Scientists have their eyes on Yellowstone National Park because a swarm of 250 quakes have hit there since Friday. They say they get quakes all the time but never this many in such a short time span so they’re studying what’s going on.

Flight delays and cancellations are still causing headaches

There are still some flight delays and cancellations because of snow and ice storms around the country. So, if you’re catching a flight today, you might want to call ahead.

Gas prices are creeping up

after being on the downslide for weeks. If you’re filling up so you can head out on your Christmas trip the average you’ll pay in the IE is $1.75. Prices went up 4 cents over - night, and up 7 cents from last week.

It could take a year to know what really happened with that denver plane crash.

It veered off the runway Saturday and 38 people on board were hurt. So far investigators say they can’t find anything wrong with the plane. But they say with the fire damage they see, it’s a miracle everyone on board survived.

New movies this Christmas weekend...

Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Jennifer Anniston just a few of the celebs with new movies coming out Christmas day and over the weekend – and if you want to a family friendly review just to see what’s appropriate for your family you can check out pluggedinonline.com – it’s a website by Focus on the Family.

California could run out of $$ by February

Governor Schwarzenegger says he and lawmakers will have a budget they agree on by Christmas. Right now they’re trying to close a $15 billion shortage that could grow to $43 billion quickly. If they don’t hammer something out soon, our state could run out of money by February.

The IE's having bad air days...

You know how our air looks kinda nasty and brown sometimes, well that stuff gets down into our lungs and can cause major health issues. The EPA says the IE has a long way to go to get the level of dangerous air particles under control. 29 counties in California failed the standards tests.

Pastor's attackers behind bars...

Maybe you remember hearing about the pastor of a church in Highland who was attacked when he went outside his church to get a box of Christmas decorations – cops say they finally have the 2 guys that did it in custody. The Pastor’s been in the hospital for a few weeks but he’s going to make a full recovery.

Getting to grandma’s house this Christmas has turned into a nightmare.

Flights are being canceled like crazy because of snow and ice storms around the country. People have been stranded at LAX for days now. If you’re flying out you may want to call ahead and check on your flight. And if you’re driving – please check on road conditions.

Where's the bailout money?

Maybe you’ve curious about what banks are doing with the $700 billion in bailout money. After all, it is your tax money. The largest banks in the country say they can’t really track exactly how they’re spending it. Some banks say they’re not giving that information to the public. Lawmakers are starting to put the pressure on for some accountability.

The top news story for 2008...

of course, the presidential election. It was the most reported on story of the year. The economic meltdown came in 2nd.

The hot state right now is Utah.

Utah’s population jumped by 3% in the past year – more than any place else in the county. Arizona was 2nd, then Texas, North Carolina and Colorado. California is still the most populous state.

Mall food court no-no's

You might be clocking some serious hours at the mall these days to get your Christmas shopping done. But if you get hungry and head to the food- court, there are some food court no-no’s. Quizno’s Large Tuna Melt Club, it has more than 1,800 calories. PF Chang’s Tam’s Noodles are the 2nd worst thing you can eat at the food court with more than 1,600 hundred calories.

There’s still no agreement on our state budget.

Governor Schwarzenegger held a news conference from the 405 freeway yesterday to make a point that freeway work and repairs won’t happen until the budget is worked out. He says he and lawmakers should have an agreement by Christmas. Otherwise, California could run out of money by February.

Hold on to your car keys.

The Auto Club says this time of the year, during the Christmas shopping rush thousands of us lock our keys in the car. In December of last year, the auto club helped more than 76,000 people who locked themselves out.

No word on when it would happen but,

nurses at University of California medical centers in Los Angeles, Irvine, San Diego, San Francisco and Davis voted to ok a strike. They’re not happy with staffing conditions and they say it’s affecting safety.

Hemet fire station closing

If you have an emergency at home, it’ll take crews longer to get to you. The fire station in Hemet is shutting down because of a budget crunch. The fire chief said closing station 5 will save the city almost $2 million bucks a year. Instead of the average response time taking 5 to 7 minutes, it’ll take about 8 to 12 minutes.

You’re paying the lowest gas prices in almost 5 years.

The national average is $1.66. Just this past July, we were paying $4.11 a gallon.

It may not be a white Christmas but, it will be a wet one.

Two storms are headed our way this week. Rain from the first storm has started to come down. The second storm should touch down on Christmas Eve.

Chances are you know someone struggling to find work right now.

The jobless rate in the IE is 9.5 %. That’s the highest it’s been in this area since 1995.

If you’re catching a flight today

you may want to call ahead and check the status. Lots of flights to Seattle and Oregon are being canceled because of a huge storm. But, bad weather across the country is affecting flights because crews are getting snowed in.

The next time you’re in church take a good look around.

You may notice church is changing. It’s becoming more and more diverse, casual and energetic. A study says not only are more races mixing during worship service but there’s more singing, clapping, hand raising and “amen-ing” out loud.

Maybe you saw a movie this weekend.

Jim Carey’s new flick “Yes Man” came in at number 1. Will Smith’s new film “Seven Pounds” was number 2 and Matthew Broderick’s new animated film “The Tale of Despereaux” came in at number 3. Across the country though, the number of people going to the theaters is down by almost half from last year.

The little guys - our kids suffer the most from America’s toxic air.

1 in every 6 schools is only about a half a mile away from an industrial plant spewing out that nasty air. Louisiana had the most schools affected. In California some of the schools affected the most are in the Berkeley area.

It’s shopping day for 1,700 needy kids in Ontario.

They’ve got $40 gift certificates to Toys R Us thanks to donations from different groups. And the Fred Jordan Mission sent over a huge truck full of food baskets for their families.

We keep getting these little reminders to be ready for the big one.

We’ve had swarms of small quakes in the IE for a few weeks now, and over the weekend a 4.1 quake hit Norcal. It was about 100 miles south of Frisco. Thankfully though no one got hurt and it didn’t do any damage.

Jobs may be hard to come by in the IE but generosity sure isn’t.

The Salvation Army says in the Riverside area their little red kettles are full. People haven’t slowed down their giving. They want to raise $80 grand by Christmas and it’s looking good right now. Whatever money they raise gets invested right back into the community.

Rim of the World School District snowed in again..–

Some other mountain schools are closed too – you might want to check your school's website to see if it’s open today.

The auto bailout is on the way....

President Bush held a news conference a little while ago. He announced that the feds will grant a $13 billion loan to auto makers. They’ll have 3 months to restructure their companies. If they can’t restructure in 3 months, they’ll have to file chapter 11 and repay the loan. The money’s coming out of that $700 billion package congress ok’d a few months ago.

This is a really sad sign of the times

Schools in the IE are reporting more and more homeless kids. Their parents are losing their jobs, homes are being foreclosed – this year the number of homeless students jumped 26% from last year.

There’s a whole lotta fighting going on over our state budget.

Yesterday democrats pushed through an $18 billion package full of taxes re-named as fees. Also new taxes. It would have us all paying higher gas taxes at the gas pump, higher state sales tax on the stuff we buy and so on. Not one republican voted for it. And, Governor Schwarzenegger says he’s so disappointed with it, he’s not going to sign it. So, we’re back to square one. If they don’t do something soon though – we’re headed for a $42 billion shortage next year.

We’re heading into “Super Saturday”

It's the last major shopping day before Christmas. Some stores will stay open 24 hours so you can shop any time. When you shop make sure ask about any last minutes specials or discounts. Some retailers will be slashing prices 50% or more just to make that last minute sale.

Fast food isn’t exactly healthy, but

it may be better for you than sit down restaurants. And that’s because fast food meals give you smaller portions than the typical sit down place. Eating a nice home cooked meal though has fewer calories than either of them.

Checking on gas prices...

The average price for a gallon of regular in the IE is $1.67. A month ago you were paying $2.23.

And baby makes – 18 kids!

The Duggars, the Arkansas family from the TV show “17 Kids and Counting” just added a baby girl. Jim Bob, the dad says this is the ultimate Christmas gift from God. They now have 10 boys and 8 girls, and aren’t done yet.

School Closures:

Hesperia school district, Rim of the World School District, Bear Valley, Snowline, Silver Valley, Apple Valley, Victor Elementary, Victor Valley Union High School, Helendale, Oro Grande, Lucerne Valley, Morongo, Anza Idyllwild

Another snow day for some kids in the IE.

It affects schools in the Hesperia school district, Rim of the World School District, and a bunch of others. We’ve got the full list of school closures at ksgn.com.

Finally, there’s a bright spot in our economy.

The number of folks applying for unemployment fell by 21,000 applications last week.

There was supposed to be a vote on our state budget yesterday but,

it was held off until later today. Lawmakers are still trying to figure out how to deal with being billions and billions of dollars short. The plan they’re looking at today would re-classify some taxes as fees, and then raise taxes in other areas of the budget. They say no matter what snags they run into, they want to have something passed by Christmas.

Maybe you think the bigger your car the safer

it is for you and your family but, small cars are making a safety comeback. The top scores on front-end crash tests went to the Pontiac Vibe, Toyota Matrix, and the Suzuki SX4. The Chrysler PT Cruiser got the worst score.

US homes going cell phone only...

Almost 20% of American homes have given up traditional land lines and are only using cell phones.

Which toys didn't make the safe list?

Silly Fish Squirters, Pony Land Scented Pony Pet, and Red Plastic Super Car all made the list. If you’re not sure if the toys you bought are safe you can always go to the consumer product safety website.

Popular Pastor will pray at Obama's inauguration

You might know Pastor Rick Warren from Saddleback Church in the OC or from his book “The Purpose Driven Life” – he’s accepted an invitation pray at President Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration January 20th. Some groups are protesting though because Pastor Rick supported prop 8.

Chrysler’s shutting down all 30 of its manufacturing plants for a month.

They say they can’t sell the cars they’ve already made so it doesn’t make sense to keep making more cars. Plus it’ll help them save money while they wait for the bailout to come through.

It’s raining, it’s pouring –

too bad you’re not home snoring. Flash flood warnings will stay in affect until late tonight. Right now more voluntary evacuations are going on in the burn areas around Yorba Linda and Diamond Bar. Crews are busy sandbagging. So far those homes have held up ok. It’s even snowing in the Cajon Pass, Big Bear, Hesperia, and chains are still required for the mountain areas. Please be careful on the roads.

Be careful using your internet explorer browser

or stop using it all together for the next few days. Microsoft is working on an emergency patch to fix a security hole. Your private info and your computer could be hijacked. This is the 2nd time in 3 months Microsoft has had to repair a breach.

People Magazine’s person of the year for 2008 is….

Barack Obama. They say they picked him because of all the obstacles he overcame to become our 44th president.

The feds get their scissors out...

We were waiting to see if it happened and it did. The feds cut a key interest rate yesterday down to almost zero. That’s like unheard of. But it works out for you if you’ve got a home equity line of credit or a credit card tied to their prime rate, then you could see your interest rate drop.

If you’re heading out towards Vegas today

you better do it before they start blasting. They’re going to blast mountain rocks and get rid of some debris around Mountain Pass. Part of the 15 will be shut down from 10am til 2pm. The shut down is on the Vegas side but very slow on both sides.

Your snoring problem could be helping you burn calories.

Researchers say if you are the worst kind of snorer, you’re burning off an extra 373 calories a day. They say changes are triggered in your nervous system when you snore and that causes you to burn more calories. The down side though – you may be hungrier in the day time.

Oh Santa, be careful where you park your sleigh

In NY a retired school teacher dressed up as Santa, riding in a horse drawn carriage, handing out gifts to children. But he had an SUV loaded up with presents following behind him - they pulled over for some kids but cops say the SUV double parked and they gave him a ticket. Santa says he’s gonna fight $115 fine.

If you just don’t know what to get the man that has everything...

How about a new fragrance this Christmas? There’s nothing like the smell of a flame broiled meat patty. Burger King has a new burger body spray. It’ll set you back about $4.

22 schools in the IE are getting props for progress.

200 schools across the state were selected for making strides in academic performance. They’ll be honored at a huge ceremony in Anaheim this coming April. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS Here's a list of schools in Riverside and San Bernardino counties that received the 2008-09 Title I Academic Achievement Award Riverside County: Sundance Elementary (Beaumont Unified) Dr. Reynaldo J. Carreon Jr. Academy (Desert Sands Unified) Abraham Lincoln Elementary (Desert Sands Unified) Martin Van Buren Elementary (Desert Sands Unified) Fruitvale Elementary (Hemet Unified) Stone Avenue Elementary (Jurupa Unified) Withrow Elementary (Lake Elsinore Unified) William Collier Elementary (Lake Elsinore Unified) Rancho Mirage Elementary (Palm Springs Unified) Sunny Sands Elementary (Palm Springs Unified) Val Verde Elementary (Val Verde Unified) Victoriano Elementary (Val Verde Unified) San Bernardino County: Donald F. Bradach Elementary (Adelanto Elementary) Sycamore Rocks Elementary (Apple Valley Unified) Dorothy Grant Elementary (Fontana Unified) Carmel Elementary (Hesperia Unified) Edison Elementary (Ontario-Montclair Elementary) McKinley Elementary (Redlands Unified) Middle College High (San Bernardino City Unified) Richardson Prep Hi (San Bernardino City Unified) Sixth Street Prep (Victor Elementary) University Preparatory (Victor Valley Union High) Source: California Department of Education

You’ll need your chains today if you’re headed for the mountains.

Chains are required for drivers in all areas of the San Bernardino Mountains per Caltrans. That goes for the 330, the 138, the 395, the 18 and the 2. Snow’s at about 4,000 feet.

Really scary for moments for students...

and staff at an adult school in Anaheim yesterday. The roof collapsed during class. At least 12 people were hurt. They talked to some of the students on the news and you could hear in their voices and see in their eyes how frightening it was. One student talked about a steal beam coming down and trapping the teacher. The fire department says the drains on the roof were too full and the heavy water brought the roof down.

Another Kennedy is stepping onto the political scene.

Caroline Kennedy told the Governor of New York yesterday that she wants Hilary Clinton’s old Senate seat. She has never held any kind of office but the governor says so far she’s one of the most qualified candidates to ask about the job.

Attacked Pastor doing ok...

The Pastor of a church in Highland who went outside the church to get a box of Christmas decorations was then attacked by a couple of guys. Well, he is out of a coma and breathing on his own now. His wife said “We want to give thanks to God. He is faithful, he is trustworthy, and He is totally in control.

Hands free cell phones still not safe...

Maybe you’re really careful to use your hands free cell phone, but it may not be any safer than just holding the phone. If you’re talking and driving, hands free or not, you’re 4 times more likely to crash. A new study says it’s all about being distracted.

CHP officer fatally hit in rain accident...

There were hundreds of rain related accidents on our freeways, and a CHP officer lost his life in one yesterday. He was directing traffic around a crash on the 60 freeway in Hacienda Heights when he was hit by an out of control driver. Joe Saunders of Corona was 29 years old, a husband and father of 3 and his wife is carrying their 4th child. If you’re a praying person maybe you could remember this family today.

Firefighters are being hit by the bad economy.

Riverside and San Bernardino Counties are letting go of 158 seasonal workers way ahead of schedule. They’re trying to save around $6million. Not to worry though, if there’s an emergency in or around your home they say they have enough staff to keep the public safe.

The big storm is here...

flash flood warnings and advisories are in effect everywhere today. The wet weather should last all day and dump around 3-4 inches of rain. It’s snowing in the Cajon Pass. All schools in the Rim of the World School District are closed today because of snow and slippery roads. Right now that’s the only school district reporting closures.

Voluntary evacs in the burn areas

In the burn areas around Yorba Linda and Diamond Bar there are voluntary evacuations going on right now. So far there haven’t been any problems with mudslides but of course homeowners are on edge. If you need some sandbags you can get up to 25 bags at some local fire departments.

Eartquake swarms are still active

Those earthquake swarms haven’t slowed down any. They’ve been going on in San Bernardino County for a few weeks now. Over the weekend there was a 4.0 quake in the same area but nothing got damaged. So far no one’s been hurt in any of these quakes.

$$ for switching from wood to gas...

If you convert your wood burning fireplace to a gas one you could get $125 – well sort of. The Air Quality Management District will give $125 dollars off the purchase of a gas fire place. They’re doing it because they want folks in the IE especially to realize that wood can be hazardous to your health and to our air quality.

President Bush spent part of his weekend dodging shoes.

He made a surprise visit to Iraq and during a news conference an Iraqi reporter threw both his shoes at the president. The President dodged both shoes and then joked about it later.

The state's unemployment funds are running out

30 states including California are about to run out money. Governor Schwarzenegger says the state may have to cut the weekly pay out amount to get through this, and most states are having to borrow money from the feds to make their pay outs.

Here's what happened at the box office this weekend

Maybe you went to check out Keanu Reeves’ new flick this weekend – The Day the Earth Stood Still – most moviegoers did. It made $31 million. Four Christmas’ came in 2nd, Bolt was 3rd and Australia was 4th.

Today is the busiest mailing day of the year.

If you’re trying to get a package to a loved one before Christmas – tomorrow is your deadline for regular mail. You have until the 20th for first class or priority mail. The lines at the post office will be ridiculous. They say you can save yourself some time if you go to their website and pre print your postage and mailing labels.

Gas prices...

If you’re planning a getaway this weekend, we’re checking on the latest gas prices. $1.65 is the average price for a gallon of regular in the IE. That’s down from $2.98 a year ago and down from $2.40 a month ago.

It’s getting safer on the roads for you and your family these days.

Traffic fatalities are way down and the numbers will probably go even lower by the end of the year. Folks are driving less because of higher gas prices so that’s what’s helping to bring those numbers down.

The FDA wants to ban some popular asthma medicines

- Serevent and Foradil because they do more harm than good especially in kids. They were also looking at banning Advair and Symbicort but they say those 2 are ok.

Maybe you have an opinion on this

more Americans believe in angels and the devil than they do in evolution. 80% of adults believe in God, 71% believe in Jesus and life after death. Only about half of that say they actually believe in Darwin’s theory.

Things got a little heated at the last budget meeting in Sacramento.

Democrats and Republicans were all pointing fingers at each other over California’s budget shortfall. Now they’re hung up over spending caps and incentives. Democrats are promising us to have a vote by Christmas though.

Carpool lanes becoming toll lanes

At least 3 major freeways. It’s a $210 million project - the carpool lanes between Pasadena and Irwindale on the 210, the 10 San Bernardino freeway from Union Station east to the San Gabriel 605, and parts of the 110 Harbor Freeway will all be converted to toll roads. No word how long the project will take.

A device to keep teens from driving while talking on the cell phone

It’s an ignition key that runs off of Bluetooth technology. Most states have banned teens from driving and talking but this just gives you a little extra peace of mind.

California’s money troubles could hang around for a while.

The money guys say 2009 will be another tough year for housing, unemployment, all that stuff. Our state’s budget is running short $15 billion. It could be late 2010 before things turn around.

3 industries have the hot jobs right now.

It is tough right now if you’re looking for work but there are at least 3 industries where the jobs are booming – Education, health services and financial jobs like accounting are all pretty hot right now.

The deadline to mail your Christmas packages is getting close.

If you’re sending packages in the US you have until December 16th. If you have loved ones in the military serving overseas – today is the deadline to get those packages out. There is an express service you can pay for and that’ll buy you a few extra days if you’re running late.

Do you google?

Te number one google search for 2008 is Barack Obama. Sarah Palin, the Beijing Olympics, Facebook, the iPhone, YouTube, also topped the list.

The auto guys are a step closer to getting their bailout.

The house ok’d a $14 billion plan to keep them from going under. That’s $14 billion of our tax dollars. Now it has to pass the senate, and that might be a bit harder. Senate Republicans aren’t thrilled with the bailout plan. We could find out today if it’s a go.

Pet adoption fees down for Christmas

Maybe your kids are asking for a new puppy or a new kitten for Christmas. Riverside County Animal Services is lowering pet adoption fees for the holidays. Fees are down from $95 to $65 for dogs and down from $75 to $45 for cats. They’re calling it the Home For the Holidays project.

Is your 8th grader on the right track for college?

One of these days you’ll send your kids off to college. But 2 in 10 8th graders aren’t on the right track academically. Once they get to high school it’s too late to bring them up to speed. A research study says how your kid does in the 8th grade is a pretty good measure for how they’ll do in high school, college and maybe even in the workforce.

The unhealthiest things on the $1 menu

When your money’s tight the dollar menu comes in handy. But, it can be pretty unhealthy. Jack “N’ the Box’s Junior Bacon Cheeseburger topped the list of the unhealthiest. It’s packing 400 calories, 23 grams of fat and only 1 gram of fiber. Taco Bells cheesy double beef burrito for 89 cents came in 2nd – it has more than 1,600 grams of sodium. Burger King's breakfast sausage biscuit, McDonald's Mc Double cheeseburger and Wendy's junior bacon cheeseburger also made the list.

California has some of the safest big cities in the country.

We all want to live and raise our families in a safe place – but these big cities really stood out this year - LA came in at number 8, San Diego was 6th and San Jose came in at number 4.

Swarms of earthquakes have been hitting the IE

for a few weeks now. A 4.4 hit San Bernardino County yesterday and a minute later a 3.6 hit between Rialto and Devore. Seismologists are taking a good look at what it might mean. All we can do is make sure our family is prepared in case something bigger happens.

Vitamins C and E not cancer fighters

Maybe you pop your vitamins faithfully every day hoping you’re doing something good for your health. But, vitamins C and E won’t do anything to help fight cancer. Studies done a few years ago thought these 2 might do a lot to fight certain cancers especially prostate cancer. But, they did an 8 year follow up and were pretty disappointed with the results.

Property taxes due...

Just a reminder for homeowners – it’s property tax deadline day. They’re due by 5 o’clock and if you’re using snail mail they have to be postmarked by today. It’ll cost you an extra 10% if you’re late.

Car makers getting $15 billion of your tax dollars

Around $15 billion of your tax dollars will probably go to help car makers stay in business. The White House and Congress could vote on deal today. It would give the government a lot of power over the auto industry. Some one would be named the ‘car czar’ and basically he or she will make sure the auto guys use the money the way they’re supposed to.

Cancer becoming top disease

By the year 2010 more people will lose their lives to cancer than to any other disease. Heart disease has been at the top of the list for a long time but because so many people in developing countries are heavy smokers – cancer will move to the top. This year 12 million people will find out they have cancer.

Your dog's barking could cost you

If your 4 legged family member has a habit of barking through the night - the city could hit you in your wallet pretty hard. Riverside County is thinking of sending out fines to habitual barkers. Some fines could be as much as $500. They’ll have public hearings before they pass the new law.

Prayers for a family.. and a pilot

A Marine Corps jet had some problems and crashed into a San Diego house on Monday. A woman, her 15 month old baby, her newborn baby and her mother all lost their lives. If you think about it today please keep this family in your prayers. Her husband says his wife, his babies and his mother in law are in heaven now and asked for prayers for the pilot. He said he doesn’t have any anger towards him and doesn’t want him to feel guilty about the crash.

Obama plans to create millions of jobs

If President Elect Barack Obama has his way, more than 2 million Americans will be back to work soon. He’s rolling out an economic recovery plan to do stuff like repair roads, bridges, and schools, hoping that’ll create some jobs. He says he’ll be pressing Congress for fast action on this stuff as soon as he takes office.

This weekend's box office numbers

3 Christmas’s was number 1 at the box office this weekend, again. Twilight was number 2, Bolt was number 3 and Nicole Kidman’s new movie Australia came in 4th.

It’s good to know so many Americans pray.

90% of us say we talk to God just to make it through the day. 8 out 10 times we start off saying something like “Dear Lord” or “Hello Jesus”. Mostly we’re praying for ourselves, our families, health and employment.

Trimming back on Christmas because of $$

More than half of all Americans are giving something up this Christmas season, whether it’s cutting back on travel, eating out, or spending way less on gifts. 65% of us say we’re keeping a tighter hold on our money this year.

The "My Three Sons" mom passed away.

Maybe you remember the TV show My 3 Sons from way back in the day. Beverly Garland, the actress who played the mom passed away. She was 82 years old.

Gas for under a buck a gallon?

The money guys are saying that in 2009 gas could go under $1. Let's hope they're right about this one.

It's rockin' and rollin' in SoCal...

There was a 5.1 just east of Barstow Friday night. It didn’t do any real damage or anything just shook a few bottles off of store shelves. Yesterday 3 more small quakes hit. One near Malibu, another near Barstow and one near Ridgecrest.

If you or someone you know is looking for work...

the Census Bureau needs help. They're gearing up for the 2010 Census Recruitment for workers is ongoing. Potential workers need to pass a test of basic skills, which are conducted throughout the region. Upcoming test dates for non-supervisory positions in western Riverside County are: Corona 10 a.m. today 10 a.m. Dec. 15 10 a.m. Dec. 29 Riverside 10 a.m. and noon Tuesday noon Dec. 16 10 a.m. and noon Dec. 23 10 a.m. and noon Dec. 30 Lake Elsinore 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 17 Temecula noon Friday noon Dec. 26 Perris 1 p.m. Wednesday 1 p.m. Dec. 17 1 p.m. Dec. 24 Hemet 2 p.m. Thursday 2 p.m. Dec. 16 9:30 a.m. Dec. 19 10 a.m. Dec. 23 10 a.m. Dec. 30 Information: To reserve a seat and get testing site addresses or other info, call 1-866-861-2010. Info from Press Enterprise