WhatMatters

Firefighters continue to battle wildfires that broke out Tuesday in Southern California as more than 100,000 residents remain under evacuation orders.  To date, the fires have killed at least 24 people and destroyed 12,000 structures. Powerful Santa Ana winds, which have come on the heels of an unusually dry season, show no signs of letting […]

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office is unveiling its 2025-26 state budget proposal today, laying the groundwork for negotiations between the governor and legislative leaders over the state’s fiscal priorities, write CalMatters’ Mikhail Zinshteyn and Yue Stella Yu.  Following last year’s endeavor to close a $46 billion budget shortfall, Newsom on Monday said lawmakers are working to […]

Powerful Santa Ana winds reaching speeds up to 100 mph continue to fuel at least five fires in Los Angeles County as firefighters work through Wednesday evening to battle the blazes that began Tuesday.  The biggest is the Palisades Fire, which has destroyed at least 1,000 structures and forced tens and thousands of residents to […]

Tens of thousands of Los Angeles County residents evacuated from at least three blazes whipped up by fierce Santa Ana winds Tuesday: the Palisades Fire along the coast in Pacific Palisades, the Eaton Fire against the San Gabriel Mountains in the northern part of the county, and the Hurst Fire, just south of Santa Clarita. […]

After two reparations bills stalled in the final day of session last year, reparation advocates are campaigning today at the state Capitol to drum up support for the same measures. In partnership with the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California, the advocates are calling the rally “the first reparations advocacy day” in state history. […]

After a restful holiday break I’m returning to your inboxes — and state lawmakers are also returning to Sacramento today to begin the new legislative session in earnest. CalMatters’ Alexei Koseff dives into some of the most prominent issues on their to-do list, such as: State budget: Gov. Gavin Newsom has until the end of […]

Scheduling note: WhatMatters is taking a well-deserved holiday break and will return to your inboxes on Monday, Jan. 6. For California nurses seeking help with alcohol or drug abuse, the road to recovery through a program managed by their licensing board can be fraught, writes CalMatters health reporter Kristen Hwang. Research shows that at least […]

For nearly three years, bird flu has devastated poultry farms across the U.S. and California. The virus has since spread among cattle and there have been 34 confirmed human cases in the state — mostly among poultry and dairy workers — since the spring.  While there have been no known cases of human-to-human transmission so […]

From CalMatters’ Wendy Fry:  As California’s “Trump-proofing” efforts continue, Attorney General Rob Bonta was in Los Angeles Tuesday, issuing new “Know Your Rights” guidance for immigrant communities and warning people about notario fraud.  Bonta reminded immigrants of their rights to an attorney; to access their police report; to apply for secure housing without sharing their […]

Public frustrations about organized retail theft and drug crimes galvanized California voters to overwhelmingly pass Proposition 36 in November. But the measure may invite another consequence, writes CalMatters criminal justice reporter Nigel Duara: More deaths in California jails. Championed by law enforcement groups, Republican legislators and some Democrats, Prop. 36 increases penalties for certain crimes […]