California to Stop Tax Refunds and Welfare Checks

California controller to suspend tax refunds, welfare checks:

State Controller John Chiang announced today that his office would suspend tax refunds, welfare checks, student grants and other payments owed to Californians starting Feb. 1, as a result of the state's cash crisis.

Chiang said he had no choice but to stop making some $3.7 billion in payments in the absence of action by the governor and lawmakers to close the state's nearly $42-billion budget deficit. More than half of those payments are tax refunds.

The controller said the suspended payments could be rolled into IOUs if California still lacked sufficient cash to pay its bills come March or April....

The payments to be frozen include nearly $2 billion in tax refunds; $300 million in cash grants for needy families and the aged, blind and disabled; and $13 million in grants for college students.

California New Year DUI Arrests Down, Traffic Deaths Rise

DUI arrests on California highways were down during the New Year's holiday reporting period according to the California Highway Patrol. Statewide, the CHP made 986 DUI arrests compared to 1,082 arrests last year during the same period. The CHP's maximum enforcement period began New Year's Eve and ended midnight Sunday.

CHP reported the number of traffic fatalities in collisions was 19 deaths compared to 15 last year.