2025 - Page 121 of 145

A person wearing a dark pink collared shirt and blue jeans stands inside a garage under construction.

Housing

No new ADUs here: When California law and homeowner association rules collide

He says state law gives him the right to turn his garage into an apartment. His HOA says it doesn’t. Who's right?

By

Ben Christopher

• February 21, 2025

The backs of two people as they hold each other while looking at the burnt rubble that used to be their home.

Commentary

Should fossil fuel companies be forced to pay for Los Angeles wildfire losses?

A proposal by state Sen. Scott Wiener creates a new wrinkle in four interrelated issues: climate change, the future of California’s petroleum industry, the scourge of wildfires and the reluctance of many insurers to write new policies.

By

Dan Walters

• February 21, 2025

A large oil refinery is illuminated against the backdrop of a twilight sky. Tall distillation towers with staircases and platforms rise into the air, with numerous lights glowing across the industrial structure. A plume of black smoke drifts from one of the stacks, contrasting with the warm hues of the sunset. Metal pipes, walkways, and scaffolding weave throughout the refinery, creating a dense, industrial landscape.

CalMatters en Español

La oficina legal estatal rechaza las controvertidas nuevas normas sobre combustibles de California

La nueva norma de California sobre combustibles con bajas emisiones de carbono se ha estancado por falta de "claridad". La nueva norma, que ofrece incentivos para combustibles más limpios, es muy controvertida porque aumentaría los precios de la gasolina.

By

Alejandro Lazo

• February 20, 2025

Environment

California’s controversial new fuel rules rejected by state legal office

California’s new Low Carbon Fuel Standard has been stalled because it lacks ”clarity.” The new standard, which offers incentives for cleaner fuels, is highly controversial because it would raise gas prices.

By

Alejandro Lazo

• February 20, 2025

A view of two silhouettes of students walking through a dark hallway of a school with light shining through a doorway at the end of the hallway. One silhouette holds a lunch box and a water bottle in one hand.

CalMatters en Español

‘Con temor de ir a la escuela’: el miedo se apodera de las familias inmigrantes en la zona central de California

Las amenazas de deportación han causado ansiedad entre los inmigrantes, pero las escuelas en el Valle de Salinas están ayudando a consolar a los niños y aliviar los temores de los padres.

By

Carolyn Jones

• February 20, 2025

K-12 Education

‘Afraid to go to school’: Immigrant families in the Salinas Valley are gripped by fear

Threats of deportation have caused anxiety among immigrants, but schools in the Salinas Valley are helping comfort children and easing parents’ fears.

By

Carolyn Jones

• February 20, 2025

A person wearing a red Team USA jacket holds up a large Olympic flag with five interlocking rings, bordered with multicolored fringe. They are smiling while standing in front of an airplane exit. Two individuals in Olympic-themed apparel stand nearby, smiling. One wears a blue cap and jacket, while the other wears a white t-shirt and black cap. The background features part of an airplane with an open door and a visible emergency exit sign.

Commentary

How will Los Angeles balance fire recovery, Olympics prep and homelessness?

Los Angeles has committed to radically reducing its homeless population, while at the same time rebuilding Pacific Palisades and preparing to host the Olympics. And it's expected to accomplish all of that with an unreliable partner in the White House.

By

Jim Newton

• February 20, 2025

A mechanic wearing a cap, a dark work uniform, and orange gloves works underneath a lifted car, using a tool to adjust a component near the catalytic converter in an automotive repair shop.

Politics

California lawmakers scramble to fix ‘lemon’ vehicle law — again

California lawmakers are rushing to fix last year’s controversial changes to the state’s lemon law, which critics say weakened protections for car buyers.

By

Ryan Sabalow

• February 20, 2025

CalMatters en Español

Legisladores de California buscan arreglar la ley de vehículos defectuosos nuevamente

Los legisladores se apresuran a arreglar los controvertidos cambios del año pasado a la ley de autos defectuosos o 'ley limón' de California, que según los críticos debilitaron las protecciones para los compradores de automóviles.

By

Ryan Sabalow

• February 20, 2025

A tattered American flag stands amid the ruins of a burned-down structure, surrounded by charred debris and remnants of walls. The ground is covered in ash and broken materials. In the background, leafless trees and a partially collapsed fence add to the scene of destruction. The golden light of the setting or rising sun filters through the trees, casting a somber glow over the aftermath.

Commentary

Los Angeles wildfires intensify political jousting over home insurance premiums

If nothing else, the Los Angeles fires underscored the absolutely vital role of a healthy insurance market — not only in protecting the investments that Californians have in their homes and businesses, but as a key component for buying and selling real estate.

By

Dan Walters

• February 20, 2025