March 24, 2026

The warden at a privately run immigrant detention center in San Diego County has authority to decide how to investigate rape reports there. A county supervisor wants to revisit the agreement giving that power to CoreCivic.

Chad Bianco, a Republican sheriff running for governor, seized 2025 ballots for a voter fraud investigation. California is asking a court to halt the inquiry.

Every incarcerated person in a California prison has a digital tablet enabling communication with the outside world. A new vendor is bringing more streaming entertainment, but with a cost.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is retracting Medi-Cal for immigrants, years after he wrongly figured a state surplus. And President Trump is cutting health funds to states.

Over 250 college students spent a day lobbying at the California Capitol recently, holding over 100 meetings with state leaders and their staff. The students are backing several bills aimed at increasing basic needs support, including one to streamline CalFresh applications and another to reform the process for building student housing. They also are leading the push to add more student voting power to the UC Board of Regents.

The public helped create tech fortunes via government grants, defense contracts and corporate-friendly regulation. Some payback is in order.

California is suing the Trump administration over an order to restart a long-shuttered offshore oil operation.