WhatMatters

The chain of California nursing homes owned by Shlomo Rechnitz has faced state scrutiny for years, including an unsuccessful effort by then-Attorney General Kamala Harris to stop him from acquiring more facilities. Now, a series of recent lawsuits has brought renewed attention to his companies.  Elder care advocates say Rechnitz’ companies are Exhibit A in […]

In October, an immigrant truck driver — who federal authorities alleged does not have legal status — killed three people in an Ontario car crash. In a letter sent last week, the U.S. Transportation Department’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration claimed the collision “may have been avoided,” if California had complied with new federal rules […]

A San Francisco state senator unveiled legislation Tuesday that aims to give Californians the right to seek damages from federal agents, as President Donald Trump’s administration continues to ramp up immigration enforcement across the U.S. The bill authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat and congressional hopeful, would enable people to file a lawsuit or […]

Though it doesn’t sound like a big deal that Culver City changed the minimum number of staircases apartment buildings must have, this obscure tweak could supercharge urban housing construction in California, supporters say. As CalMatters’ Ben Christopher explains, nearly every other city in the U.S. requires buildings taller than three stories to have at least […]

From CalMatters homelessness reporter Marisa Kendall:  For weeks, California’s homeless service providers have worried about rumors that the federal government was going to cut funds for permanent housing. Now, those cuts are here. Shortly after the federal government reopened, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a policy change that will shift the […]

People continue to die from drug overdoses in Los Angeles County jails — yet the county’s Department of Health Services has scaled back the accessibility of opioid addiction treatment for people behind bars, writes CalMatters’ Cayla Mihalovich. In a Sept. 16 memo obtained by CalMatters, Chief Medical Officer Sean Henderson said that Correctional Health Services […]

From CalMatters homelessness reporter Marisa Kendall: Youth homelessness has declined by nearly a quarter since 2019 in California, according to a new report that offers a bright spot amid the state’s ongoing struggle to bring people off the streets. Last year’s homeless census counted about 9,900 unhoused Californians under age 24 — a 24% reduction […]

After a rural California hospital shut down its maternity ward in 2022, pregnant women in Plumas County had to travel at least 70 miles to give birth. It was among dozens of California communities that lost labor and delivery services in the past decade.  That may change by next year, though, after Gov. Gavin Newsom […]

Scheduling note: WhatMatters is honoring our veterans on Tuesday and will return to your inboxes on Wednesday. First unveiled in 2017, Google Lens enables users of Google devices and software to look up physical objects, translate text and conduct visual searches within seconds. But with the proliferation of artificial intelligence, its use inside the classroom […]

Earlier this summer, California lawmakers including Gov. Gavin Newsom worked to close a multibillion-dollar deficit. But a closer look at “pork-barrel spending” raises questions about whether the state’s $325-billion spending plan is going to those who need it most, writes CalMatters’ Ryan Sabalow. To win the favor of their constituencies and tip the scales for […]