August 2020

Commentary

Ban on hunting trophies risks funding for healthy African ecosystems

The ability of African nations to conserve ecosystems would be undermined by a bill that would ban Californians from hunting and possessing hunting trophies.

By

Guest Commentary

• August 27, 2020

Capitol

Students succeed with support, not threats from probation officers

I wasn’t on probation and hadn’t been charged with a crime, but the probation officer made me feel like a “bad kid.” Gov. Newsom can change that.

By

Guest Commentary

• August 27, 2020

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Dan Walters

Semi-secret ‘trailer bills’ pop up

The California Legislature's budget "trailer bills" have morphed into vehicles to make major policy decrees outside of the usual legislative process.

By

Dan Walters

• August 27, 2020

Maya Suzuki Daniels se sienta con su hijo de 14 meses en la mesa donde enseña inglés en la escuela secundaria. Ella espera que su bebé aparezca con frecuencia durante sus clases de Zoom. Fotografía de Anne Wernikoff para CalMatters vía Google Hangout

CalMatters en Español

La lucha docente: ¿Cómo los maestros de California esperan evitar 60,000 despidos?

Después de una primavera de crisis en la educación, los sindicatos de maestros esperan convertir muchas batallas exitosas de reapertura en grandes victorias electorales. Pero también se preparan para el despido de hasta 60,000 educadores, y algunos maestros todavía están luchando por un mínimo de suministros.

By

Lauren Hepler

• August 26, 2020

Residentes de todas las edades se reúnen en un puesto de control de CHP en la autopista 1 para atraer atención hacia la comunidad de Bonny Doon en la montaña de Santa Cruz, el 21 de agosto de 2020. Las familias han tenido que evacuar y dicen que no hay suficientes bomberos asignados a esa zona para salvar la comunidad. Foto de Kevin Painchaud, Santa Cruz Sentinel

CalMatters en Español

Los incendios forestales incineraron los planes escolares de más de 70,000 alumnos

Ya tambaleándose por la pandemia del coronavirus, escuelas de zonas rurales como la Bonny Doon deben ahora enfrentarse a los incendios forestales y problemas relacionados, tales como apagones, mala calidad del aire e infraestructura de Internet dañada.

By

Ricardo Cano

• August 26, 2020

A nursing student does patient check-in and hands out requisition forms allowing patients to get their COVID-19 test results online at Cal Expo in Sacramento. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Health

‘Game changer’ in California coronavirus testing to double capacity and speed up results

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new deal today with a diagnostics company that he says will add 150,000 more tests a day, with results back in 24 to 48 hours.

By

Ana B. Ibarra

• August 26, 2020

Kathy Miranda, a resident of a homeless encampment named Dream Camp, brushes off a table at the communal kitchen, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020. Fresno homeless advocate Dez Martinez set up the camp with community donations and help. She was frustrated by the lack of safety on Santa Clara Street. Photo by John Walker, The Fresno Bee

California Divide

She’s ‘breaking the law’ to help Fresno’s homeless. Will the government stop her?

When Alejandra Hernandez arrived at the Dream Camp on Aug. 9, she dropped to her knees and kissed the dirt. The single mother of three boys lost her job and her home in June over COVID-19. They tried sleeping in their truck on Santa Clara Street, the only place in Fresno untouched by the city’s […]

By

Manuela Tobias

• August 26, 2020

Homeless men hunt for salvageable items in piles along F Street, near Santa Clara Street and the Poverello House, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020. Frustrated by the lack of safety on Santa Clara Street and the county’s inability to shelter more people, homeless advocate Dez Martinez started a safe homeless camp on her own.

California Divide

More than 1,000 new people became homeless in the Fresno-area last year – before COVID-19

By

Manuela Tobias

• August 26, 2020

Residents of all ages gather together at a CHP checkpoint on Highway 1 to bring attention to the Santa Cruz Mountain community of Bonny Doon on August 21, 2020. Families have had to evacuate and say there aren't enough firefighters assigned to the area to save the community. Photo by Kevin Painchaud, Santa Cruz Sentinel

Education

Wildfires set school plans ablaze for more than 70,000 students

Already reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, schools in rural areas like Bonny Doon must now contend with wildfires and related problems like blackouts, poor air quality and damaged internet infrastructure.

By

Ricardo Cano

• August 26, 2020

Maya Suzuki Daniels sits with her 14-month-old at the table where she teaches high school English. Daniel’s expects that her son will make frequent appearances during her zoom lectures. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters via Google Hangout

Education

Blackboard brawl: How California’s teachers hope to avoid 60,000 layoffs

After a spring of crisis education, teachers’ unions hope to parlay many successful reopening battles into bigger electoral victories. But they're also bracing for layoffs of up to 60,000 educators, and some teachers are still scrambling for bare-minimum supplies.

By

Lauren Hepler

• August 26, 2020