Jim Newton

The main justification for the explosion of warehouses in the Inland Empire has been their economic benefits, primarily around job creation. But the wages they provide barely keep people out of poverty, and this work may soon disappear altogether because of automation. Is the region prepared for what comes next?

The difference in how politicians responded to the recent Los Angeles Unified School District strike and the ongoing writers' strike in Hollywood speaks to their respective places in L.A.'s political and cultural landscape. The writers' strike could ultimately cost Los Angeles billions of dollars and eliminate thousands of jobs, but the impact won't be felt for a while.

Los Angeles mayors have historically taken different approaches to their involvement with education issues. Even though Karen Bass has prioritized homelessness and public safety and tried to sidestep a recent strike at L.A. Unified, issues affecting children and families are difficult for mayors to avoid.

Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan died Wednesday night at 92. CalMatters contributor Jim Newton reflects on a man he covered closely for years, and what his failed gubernatorial bid in 2001 revealed about California politics.

Karen Bass was considered the more liberal candidate in the Los Angeles mayoral race, but as all mayors quickly discover, there's no liberal or conservative way to fill potholes. Problems are simply problems. Her proposal to increase the police budget reveals how she has adjusted to the realities of city government.

California politicians need to show visible results in order to justify ongoing spending on homelessness. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom agree that clearing encampments is key. But making homelessness invisible fails to solve the root problems. As Bass emphasizes permanent solutions, will small gains be enough?

The water crisis in the West and the decline of the Colorado River are going to require painful changes for Southern California farms, and a lot less water.

Southern California could reassert itself as the political epicenter of California after Senator Dianne Feinstein retires next year. The congressional candidates vying to succeed her, and the vacancies their campaigns have created, provide opportunities for officeholders who are younger, more liberal and more rooted in Southern California.

From affluent Riverside neighborhoods to disadvantaged communities in San Bernardino, the proliferation of warehouses across the Inland Empire is affecting everyone who calls this region home. Yet despite the increased pollution and risk of displacement near proposed sites, residents are struggling to be heard by their elected representatives.

The recent reappointment of Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore focused the attention on his work as a reformer rather than a crime-fighter. As L.A. history shows, law enforcement can do both. The more recent stumbles are less about the false choice between the two approaches, and more about the effectiveness of management.