San Jose Spotlight: San Jose firefighters take part in cancer research after initial denial

San Jose said no to letting its firefighters participate in a state-funded cancer prevention and research program — until pressure forced the city to reverse course.

Thirteen state legislators advocated for San Jose firefighters in a Feb. 14 letter to participate in the program that wouldn’t cost the city a dime. San Jose was awarded a full grant under Assembly Bill 700 — a recently-passed law allowing the University of California to oversee the California Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Research Program. But the city manager’s office refused to authorize the request, labor groups and lawmakers told San José Spotlight. View the full story here.