July 2024

A property damaged by wildfire is seen in the aftermath of the Park Fire in the Cohasset community of Butte County on July 28, 2024. Photo by Eugene Garcia, AP Photo

CalMatters en Español

El papel higiénico y los neumáticos pinchados: las extrañas formas en que los californianos provocan incendios forestales

Los californianos provocan miles de incendios forestales cada año con malas decisiones y comportamiento imprudente. El incendio Park, iniciado por un hombre que empujaba un automóvil en llamas, fue uno de ellos.

By

Julie Cart

• July 31, 2024

California Wildfires

Toilet paper and flat tires — the strange ways that people ignite California wildfires

People trigger thousands of wildfires in California every year with unfortunate choices and sometimes reckless behavior. The 2024 Airport Fire, caused by an Orange County crew trying ro prevent wildfires, was one. The Park Fire, ignited by a man pushing a burning car, was another.

By

Julie Cart

• July 31, 2024

A firefighter monitors a burn operation on Highway 32 to combat the Park Fire near Forest Ranch on July 28, 2024. Photo by Nic Coury, AP Photo

Water

Park Fire jeopardizing one of California’s most iconic species: ‘This species could blink out’

The fire is moving into areas where salmon are waiting to spawn. Already in dire shape, experts worry that the Park Fire could be the deathblow to these fish.

By

Rachel Becker

• July 31, 2024

CalMatters en Español

El incendio Park pone en peligro una de las especies más emblemáticas de California y ‘esta especie podría llegar a desaparecer’

El fuego se está desplazando hacia zonas donde los salmones esperan para desovar. Los expertos, que ya se encuentran en una situación desesperada, temen que el incendio Park pueda ser el golpe mortal para estos peces.

By

Rachel Becker

• July 31, 2024

Tents outside the Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles on April 22, 2024. Photo by Ted Soqui for CalMatters

Commentary

Newsom’s push to enforce anti-camping laws repeats California’s past mistakes on homelessness

Newsom's executive order to enforce sweeps of homeless encampments only harms unhoused people further. Clearing encampments cause people to lose their belongings, connections to family and friends, and dignity — it is not the answer to the homelessness crisis.

By Reba Stevens • July 31, 2024

Bay Area tenants from the KDF Tenants Association protest housing conditions and rent increases outside the office complex that houses KDF Communities LLC's office in Newport Beach, on Oct. 26, 2023. Photo by Julie A Hotz for CalMatters

Commentary

California’s voters face competing ballot measures as interest groups clash

California's initiative process casts voters as judges of political policy issues. Sometimes they're parsing competing measures on the same topic.

By

Dan Walters

• July 31, 2024

An unaccompanied migrant child seeking asylum, is registered by a border patrol agent after she crossed the Rio Grande river from Mexico into Roma, Texas on May 14, 2022. Photo by Adrees Latif, Reuters

CalMatters en Español

California ayudó a un adolescente a luchar contra la deportación pero ahora el programa que le ayudó podría ser eliminado

Los fondos estatales para defender legalmente a los niños inmigrantes no acompañados pronto podrían agotarse.

By

Wendy Fry

• July 30, 2024

California Divide

California helped this teen fight deportation. Now the program is on the chopping block

State funds to legally advocate for unaccompanied immigrant children could soon dry up.

By

Wendy Fry

• July 30, 2024

Attorney Jeffrey L. Fisher speaks at the California Supreme Court in San Francisco on May 21, 2024. Photo by Martin Novitski, Supreme Court of California

Justice

‘Stinging barbs’: California high court allows lawsuit over single use of N word in SF DA office

'An isolated act of harassment may be actionable if it is sufficiently severe,' the California Supreme Court wrote in reviving a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by a Black woman in the San Francisco District Attorney's Office.

By

Shaanth Nanguneri

• July 30, 2024

Illustration by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

CalMatters en Español

Diez años después California finalmente podría permitir dar subsidios al servicio celular de inmigrantes indocumentados

Los defensores dicen que la promesa de hace 10 años de la Comisión de Servicios Públicos de California de poner el programa estatal de subsidio de servicios de telefonía celular a disposición de inmigrantes indocumentados podría cumplirse en noviembre.

By

Alejandra Reyes-Velarde

• July 30, 2024