November 2019

Riverside County is the first to take advantage of new state law that aims to create an entry point into the food industry for amateur chefs — especially immigrants, women and people of color.

California’s affordable housing shortage has become a full-blown crisis and the numbers are staggering. Meanwhile, the state’s growing homeless population is straining public health systems. CalMatters, The Milken Institute and The Los Angeles Times have teamed up to organize a town hall that examines the many factors leading to explosive rates of homelessness, and the […]

Kim Delfino, Defenders of Wildlife: Gov. Newsom, the Trump Administration’s water plan is an extinction plan and does not reflect California's values. We expect you to defend the health of our Bay Delta ecosystem for the benefit of all Californians.

Abortion rights law backfires. Seizures of illegal marijuana grows spike. Surgeon general finds common thread among mass shooters.

California lawmakers knew Assemblyman David Chiu's reproductive FACT Act had constitutional issues, but passed the NARAL-sponsored bill anyway. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned it, and the settlements in NIFLA v. Becerra have been a windfall for conservatives fighting reproductive rights here and nationally. 

Mike Gatto, former assemblyman: A comprehensive solution to homelessness would address people who are homeless for reasons that diminish logical behavior, like addiction or mental illness. I won’t be drawn into a debate about what percentages of homeless people are so. But even if it is 40% or 30%, what are we doing to reach them? That is why I have proposed a ballot initiative that would treat certain existing crimes as opportunities to engage the homeless.

Newsom summons PG&E leaders to Sacramento. New energy 'czar' is a familiar face. Lobbyists increase spending to shape policy in Sacramento.

The financial woes of a small fire district in Stanislaus County demonstrate the effects of rapidly rising pension costs.

Darby Patterson, writer in Pollock Pines: Sitting in the dark for seven days, we respect Mother Nature but resent PG&E for not keeping up with maintenance. Of the seven days, we had one day of big wind up in Pollock Pines. It was a day to be grateful PG&Es neglected power lines were not providing us service.

A new report, timed to coincide with two tax increase proposals, contends that more money is needed to improve California's schools. But is it true?