Latest news with #KevinKiley
CBS News
6 days ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Major Highway 65 expansion project aims to ease Rocklin traffic
If you've driven along Highway 65 in Rocklin, you know the struggle of bumper-to-bumper traffic, long delays, and daily frustration for commuters. But change is on the way, as local and federal officials push forward with a major highway expansion aimed at relieving congestion and improving safety. The project focuses on a 1.4-mile stretch of southbound Highway 65 between Blue Oaks and Galleria Boulevard, an area that often sees some of the worst backups. Plans call for an additional southbound lane and a new auxiliary lane to help with merging traffic and reduce bottlenecks. "It's a daily headache," said one driver. "The traffic on it is crazy." Another added, "I always see cars backed up trying to get on there." Placer County is one of the fastest-growing regions in California and the traffic has grown with it. "Congestion affects people in a number of ways," said Rick Carter with the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency. "We see increased population every year." The $22.5 million project is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation through its BUILD grant program. Lawmakers say the return on investment could be massive. "Just when it comes to the time savings for trucks, it's estimated to be $70 million," said Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley. "So it pays for the grant many times over." In addition to cutting travel times, the expansion is expected to improve safety. Between 2013 and 2022, the corridor saw 227 accidents and eight traffic fatalities. Officials say the crashes are often caused by stop-and-go congestion and sudden drops in speed. The improvements may also benefit emergency response times. Carter said ambulance crews often avoid the highway altogether due to traffic. "We spoke with the ambulance provider in the area," Carter said. "They talked about how they often don't take 65 when transporting patients to the hospital because it's so congested. They're taking surface streets. With the improvements here, it's going to make a significant difference." Once complete, officials estimate the upgrades could cut travel times by up to 50%. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2027 and is expected to be completed by late 2028.
Fox News
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
GOP lawmaker calls SJSU's latest chapter in trans athlete controversy 'highly disturbing'
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., reacted on Monday following a Fox News Digital report that the Mountain West Conference hired the same law firm to investigate the transgender athlete Brooke Fleming's misconduct allegations that the conference was using to defend the athlete's eligibility for the conference tournament in court. Kiley had been outspoken against transgender athletes competing against girls and women in sports and was at odds with California Gov. Gavin Newsom as the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against the state over alleged Title IX violations. "The absurdity and unfairness of forcing young women and girls to compete against males also poses obvious safety risks," Kiley said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The revelations from Fox News Digital are highly disturbing, but sadly unsurprising: the same institutions that willingly subject student-athletes to the risk of physical harm are failing to adequately respond when those harms materialize. "Fortunately, the tide has decisively turned against the backwards politicians and organizations who have defied common sense and biological reality in their attempt to undermine hard-won civil rights protections for female athletes." Former San Jose State women's volleyball player Brooke Slusser was the apparent target of an alleged plan by Fleming and a Colorado State player to have Slusser spiked in the face during an Oct. 3 game. Slusser was never spiked in the face during that game. Fleming had 10 errors as SJSU lost to Colorado State in straight sets. Fox News Digital previously reported that Mountain West hired the firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher (WFG) to investigate the allegations. The Mountain West hired the firm to handle the investigation in the same month that the same firm represented the conference to protect Fleming's eligibility in a request for preliminary injunction to have the trans athlete disqualified from women's competition and the conference tournament. The investigation was closed after three days, with Fleming being cleared of impropriety. But no evidence was ever disclosed by the conference, as Fleming went on to finish out the season, earn all-conference honors and even led SJSU all the way to the Mountain West championship game. The WFG attorney who led the investigation into allegations against Fleming, Tim Heaphy, later offered the school legal counsel to help it navigate a federal Title IX investigation over the same situation, as seen in public records obtained by Fox News Digital. The offer was declined. None of WFG's attorneys have been accused of violating any applicable rules of professional conduct. Fox News Digital reached out to the firm Wilkie Farr & Gallagher, the Mountain West Conference and the California State University system for a response on Kiley's statement. Slusser spoke late last month about the recent findings in an appearance on Fox News Channel's "America Reports." "It's obvious once this was put out into the public that there's so much bias in this situation, and they're trying to just sweep these things under the rug and not have to deal with it when there's obvious problems going on all over the place," she said. "They need to be held accountable for using the same law firm and not doing a thorough investigation because Title IX was built to protect women, and they're obviously deciding to protect the man in this situation when they were blatantly trying to harm a female athlete at their school, and they're still backing this male athlete and that's just wrong all over the place. And there's schools all over the nation doing this, they're just not getting the spotlight it deserves." Slusser ultimately hopes that no other female athletes have to deal with the same things she experienced. "The goal is to never have to let another female athlete go through what I did. The sport was ruined for me my senior season," she said. "So, the goal is to give back to those young girls who had the same dream that I did but to be able to love it the entire time." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Hindustan Times
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
California in violation of Title IX? Trump sues CDE, CIF over policy allowing trans athletes in girls' sports
The Trump administration declared that it would bring legal action against the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and the California Department of Education (CDE) for suspected Title IX breaches. The California Department of Education has denied any violation of Title IX pertaining to transgender athletes, stating that it will not enter into a resolution deal with the US Department of Education.(AP) After a transgender athlete won many events in girls' track and field contests earlier this year, the Trump administration is seeking a ban against the state's regulation that permits transgender athletes to compete in girls' school sports, Fox News reported. The US Education Department stated that California has violated Title IX. What is Title IX? Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, passed by Congress, mandates that no one be subjected to sex-based discrimination, refused access to, or barred from participation in 'any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.' It permits regulations to be issued by any government agency that offers such help in order to enforce the ban on sex discrimination. If an institution refuses to comply freely, it also permits the termination of financial aid. Here's what California Department of Education has said The California Department of Education has denied any violation of Title IX pertaining to transgender athletes, stating that it will not enter into a resolution deal with the US Department of Education. The development comes as CDC sent an email to the US Department of Education, rejecting the invitation to sign the Trump administration's Proposed Resolution Agreement. 'The California Department of Education received the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights' June 25, 2025 Letter of Finding and Proposed Resolution Agreement in the above referenced OCR-matter,' the CDE stated in the email. 'The CDE respectfully disagrees with OCR's analysis, and it will not sign the Proposed Resolution Agreement.' Among several key things, the Resolution Agreement mandates that 'CDE will require all Recipients, including CIF, to restore to female athletes all Individual records, titles, and awards misappropriated by male athletes competing in female competitions.' As per the resolution, the CDE will write a handwritten letter of apology on behalf of California to every female athlete whose unique distinction is restored, expressing regret for 'allowing her educational experience to be marred by sex discrimination.' Kevin Kiley shares email exchange The email exchange between the two departments was shared on X Monday morning by U.S. Representative Kevin Kiley, a Republican from California, who referred to the CDE's action as reckless and unlawful. 'California is refusing to change its policy of forcing girls to compete against biological males. The Education Department says it 'disagrees' with the federal civil rights laws,' he wrote. 'This reckless and illegal decision puts our state's federal funding at risk.' Also Read: Melania Trump's Texas floods post sparks outrage as she offers just two things to victims; 'You and your husband…'
Fox News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Rep Kevin Kiley reflects on impact of California trans athlete conflict amid state's battle with Trump
California is officially in a standoff with President Donald Trump's administration in the battle to "Save Women's Sports." The state rejected the Trump admin's proposal to comply with Title IX on Monday, and now, a referral to the U.S. Department of Justice is likely. The DOJ already launched a lawsuit against the state of Maine in April for similar defiance. The tension between the state and Trump heightened at the end of May, before the state's track and field championship, which saw a trans athlete take first place in two girls' events. Trump himself sent two lengthy Truth Social posts addressing the girls' track and field controversy, in warnings to Newsom. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., is well aware of the anxiety his constituents have faced amid that. Prior to the track and field championships, several other had confirmed controversial incidents involving trans athletes competing in girls' high school volleyball, basketball and cross-country. "We need to absolutely look at what's going on in our schools," Kiley said. "We see in a lot of these cases, that there were influences within the school system in some cases, ultimately had an impact on the young person's thinking," he added, regarding how a male athlete could have ended up competing in girls' sports amid the wave of incidents in his state. Additionally, the presence of those trans athletes have pushed many of the state's female athletes to speak out or protest. Multiple athletes wore shirts that read "Protect Girls Sports" or "Save Girls Sports" at postseason track meets this past spring, and Stone Ridge Christian High School's girls' volleyball team even forfeited a playoff game to a team with a trans athlete last fall. "I think it made a big difference. I think the student athletes themselves are the most powerful voice for bringing about the change that we're now starting to see," Kiley said. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the governing body of high school sports in the state, acknowledged that its officials made athletes who wore the "Protect Girls Sports" shirts during a postseason meet in early May. "Per the CIF Southern Section Playoff Bulletin, all athletes must be dressed in proper, school issued, track uniforms. The student-athletes were asked to comply with this while in the on-field event area, as they were wearing said shirts over their school-issued uniform," the CIF said in a statement previously provided to Fox News Digital. However, multiple girls' athletes who competed at the event previously told Fox News Digital that other athletes who wore non-school-issued shirts without the activist messaging, such as college shirts, were not given the same orders. Kiley sided with the female athletes in that debate. "That's absolutely outrageous! I mean to say, we're not just going to deprive them of the opportunity to compete in a fair environment, but now we're going to take away their voice to actually advocate for fairness. That adds insult to injury and likely raises first amendment issues as well," Kiley said. The issue also manifested in California's state universities last fall, when San Jose State University came under a national microscope for allowing trans athlete Blaire Fleming to compete on the women's volleyball team. As California has tax-payer-funded institutions, Kiley hopes the university is held "accountable" and wants to see a similar outcome to the one recently made by the University of Pennsylvania, which agreed to rescind all women's records earned by former trans swimmer Lia Thomas, and apologize to all the women who had to compete with Thomas. "It's outrageous that this one university thinks it can compromise the integrity of university competition for all student athletes," Kiley said. SJSU is currently under an ongoing Title IX investigation by the U.S. Department of Education. As the rest of the state faces potential legal action from the DOJ on the issue, Kiley is anxious about the possibility of the state losing federal funding, and hopes it "doesn't come to that." Other major GOP figures in the state have joined his cause as well. State Reps. James Gallagher and Kate Sanchez released statements condemning the California Department of Education and Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday. Gallagher said the issue of having trans athletes in girls' sports boiled down to fairness. "California continues to push the dangerous insanity of letting men compete in women's sports," he said. "This is about fairness, safety, and the rule of law. Superintendent (Tony) Thurmond and Governor Newsom are jeopardizing school sports programs across the state, all to appease a radical agenda and advance their political careers." Sanchez added, "Newsom's department of education is blatantly violating Title IX" and was "doubling down." "They refuse to protect girls' sports for biological girls. It's a shocking civil rights violation that could cost California billions in federal education funding." Mark Trammell, CEO of the Center for American Liberty, provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the state's conflict. "California can 'disagree' all it wants but it won't make the state's actions miraculously legal. The law is clear, Title IX demands equal opportunities for women and girls. California must abide by federal law and cease its discriminatory practices," Trammell said. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
GOP lawmakers rip Newsom, California officials for allowing trans athletes to compete in girls' sports
Republican California lawmakers took aim at Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state's education department and athletics association after they refused to comply with the U.S. Education Department's Office of Civil Rights' (OCR) resolution agreement after it was found to be in violation of Title IX for allowing trans athletes to compete in girls' sports. U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley and state Reps. James Gallagher and Kate Sanchez released statements after Education Secretary Linda McMahon made known that the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) dismissed the Trump administration's demands. "California's blatant disregard for the safety and civil rights of young women and girls is shameful," Kiley said in a statement. "The state's political leaders are willing to forfeit federal funding in order to maintain the deeply unfair policy of allowing biological males to compete in women's sports. This is a clear violation of federal law and common sense. "As Chair of the House K-12 Education Subcommittee, I will use every tool of oversight available to hold the state's politicians accountable, protect our student-athletes, and restore integrity to female athletics." Gallagher said the issue of having trans athletes in girls' sports boiled down to fairness. "California continues to push the dangerous insanity of letting men compete in women's sports," he said. "This is about fairness, safety, and the rule of law. Superintendent (Tony) Thurmond and Governor Newsom are jeopardizing school sports programs across the state, all to appease a radical agenda and advance their political careers." Sanchez added, "Newsom's department of education is blatantly violating Title IX" and was "doubling down." "They refuse to protect girls' sports for biological girls. It's a shocking civil rights violation that could cost California billions in federal education funding." Fox News Digital reached out to the California Department of Education for comment. McMahon shared CDE general counsel Len Garfinkel's letter to OCR regional director Bradley R. Burke on Monday. "The California Department of Education (CDE) received the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights' (OCR's) June 25, 2025 Letter of Finding and Proposed Resolution Agreement in the above-referenced OCR matter," the letter read. "The CDE respectfully disagrees with OCR's analysis, and it will not sign the Proposed Resolution Agreement." McMahon also shared the CIF's response from its general counsel, Diane Marshall-Freeman. "The office of the General Counsel for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) is in receipt of your letter, dated June 25, 2025, directed to Dr. Ronald W. Nocetti, the Executive Director of the CIF," Marshall-Freeman wrote. "I write in response to your request that the CIF inform you 'in writing by 12:00 p.m. non, eastern time, July 7, 2025,' as to whether the CIF will sign the United States Department of Education's, Office for Civil Rights' ('OCR') proposed resolution agreement in the above-entitled matter. "In reply to your request, please be advised that the CIF concurs with the response of the California Department of Education ("CDE") submitted to your office earlier today, July 7, 2025. I have attached a copy of the CDE's response for your references. Consequently, the CIF will not be signing the proposed resolution agreement." "California has just REJECTED our resolution agreement to follow federal law and keep men out of women's sports," she wrote on X. "Turns out Gov. Newsom's acknowledgment that 'it's an issue of fairness' was empty political grandstanding. "@CAgovernor, you'll be hearing from @AGPamBondi." The OCR announced late last month that the CIF and the CDE were in violation of Title IX. The announcement came weeks after transgender high school track and field athlete AB Hernandez won medals in girls' competitions during the California state championships. The transgender athlete's participation in the events sparked nationwide outrage, specifically from President Donald Trump after he signed the "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order, which prohibits transgender athletes from competing against biological girls and women in sports. The Education Department said the CIF and the CDE had 10 days to agree to the agency's proposed resolution agreement, part of which stated, "to each female to whom an individual recognition is restored, CDE will send a personalized letter to that girl or woman apologizing on behalf of the state of California for allowing her educational experience to be marred by sex discrimination." Additionally, "The CDE will issue a Notice to all recipients of federal funding (Recipients) that operate interscholastic athletic programs in California requiring them to comply with Title IX. This will specify that Title IX and its implementing regulations forbids schools from allowing males from participating in female sports and from occupying female intimate facilities, and that Recipients must adopt biology-based definitions of the words 'male' and 'female.' "The CDE and CIF will rescind any guidance that advised local school districts or CIF members to permit male athletes to participate in women's and girls sports to reflect that Title IX preempts state law when state law conflicts with Title IX. "The CDE will require each Recipient and CIF to submit to CDE an annual certification that the Recipient and CIF have complied with Title IX. Accordingly, CDE will also propose to OCR a Monitoring Plan to ensure that Recipients are fully complying with Title IX." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
