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Lynn La

Newsletter Writer

Lynn La is the newsletter writer for CalMatters, focusing on California’s top political, policy and Capitol stories every weekday. She produces and curates WhatMatters, CalMatters’ flagship daily newsletter with more than 150,000 subscribers.    

In the newsletter, Lynn analyzes the state’s policy issues for a broader audience, through original reporting and by summarizing and compiling stories from CalMatters and other news sources. Recently, she has reported on bills to address California’s worsening fentanyl epidemic, tackle retail theft and legislate happiness. She also reveals more about lawmakers by interviewing them for an occasional series on first-term legislators in 2023 and new committee chairpersons in 2024. 

Through WhatMatters, Lynn also plays a crucial role in CalMatters election coverage, helping to keep track of daily developments in key campaigns, including legislative and congressional races and ballot measures.  

Prior to joining CalMatters in March 2023, she wrote for the education technology startup Guild and was a senior editor at CNET. She also covered public health at The Sacramento Bee as a Kaiser media fellow and was an intern reporter at Capitol Weekly. 

Lynn is based in the Bay Area. She graduated from UC Davis and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Other languages spoken: Vietnamese (basic)

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Latest Stories

People stand on a balcony of the California State Capitol building, partially obscured by tree branches in the foreground. The white building features tall columns and arched windows.
A close-up view of a pregnant woman wearing a navy blue shirt and light brown cardigan, holding both her hands together near her belly while she sits on a brown leather couch.
A person with short, curly hair sits indoors near a window, hands clasped in their lap, with a calm expression. Sunlight falls across part of their face and shoulder, while the rest of the room remains in shadow. Small potted plants sit on a ledge beside them, and shelves with framed items and greenery are visible in the softly lit background.
A wide-view of people standing in front of a building while they hold signs and photos of people who have been killed by drunk drivers. One person holds a sign that reads "no diversion for vehicular manslaughter."
Silhouette of a person standing in front of a window looking out with the sunlight shining in. The photo is shot with a blurred effect, giving the image a dreamlike feeling.
A worn outdoor sign for a law office reads “Fitzgerald, Alvarez & Ciummo – A Professional Law Corporation, Administration,” mounted in front of a low building with bushes and a small parking area in the background.
A medical personnel member places a blood pressure cuff on a person's arm while the person faces away. In the background, a mobile medical unit is inside an equipment barn on a farm. Another medical personnel member is watching as the other puts on the meter.
A person wearing a sweatsuit and sneakers is sitting on a set of bleachers in a dark gym, with light coming from one side of the room, creating a silhouette of the person and darkening their face to protect their identity.

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