Commentary

A person stands on a sidewalk beside a storefront with a metal shutter and near a utility pole with a traffic signal. In the background is parked cars and street signs are visible in the background

He’s trying to break generational ties to gangs. Los Angeles police keep targeting him

LAPD launched an internal investigation after a swarm of officers allegedly profiled and detained young men the day they were set to graduate from a second-chance program.

By George B. Sánchez-Tello

Facebook employees take a photo in front of the new Meta sign at the company headquarters in Menlo Park on Oct. 28, 2021. Photo by Tony Avelar, AP Photo

Tech billionaires are spending millions to reshape California’s Legislature

Tech billionaires funding PACs have enjoyed recent growth in personal and corporate wealth and are spending it to handpick the California Legislature.

By Crystal Zermeño

A voter fills out their ballot at a voting site at the Hamilton School gymnasium in central Fresno on June 7, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters

Unsure about the bond measures on California’s ballot? These 2 questions can help

There are two main questions to consider when evaluating bond measures on the November ballot. And the answers vary depending on the proposition.

By Chris Hoene

Two women sit at microphones during a public discussion. The woman in the foreground, wearing a bright blue blazer, gestures while speaking, as the woman beside her in a gray blazer smiles and looks toward her.

Neither LA mayoral candidate has a compelling answer to the affordability crisis

Beyond their ideas on how to curb housing prices, Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman have little to offer that would lower living costs in L.A.

By Jim Newton

A smartphone displays the Kalshi app listing in the Apple App Store while resting on a laptop keyboard.

Commentary

What Californians could lose betting on life through prediction markets

Prediction markets are becoming mainstream. But when people bet on an election or a public crisis, it becomes easier to ignore the human stakes.

By William Lu • July 15, 2026

A firefighter wearing yellow protective gear and a helmet walks through a smoky forest, surrounded by tall trees and scattered branches. The scene is hazy with smoke.

Commentary

California is making progress on fire prevention. Federal retreat, shaky funding put it at risk

California set an ambitious target to reduce wildfire hazards each year, and is making real progress. Preserving that momentum as federal partnerships fade and state funding declines is crucial.

By Bradley Franklin and Kyle Greenspan • July 15, 2026

Two people ride a bicycle and an electric bicycle in opposite directions on a paved path through a park.

Commentary

Making e-bikes safer in California is smart. Smothering this new technology is not

Lawmakers in Sacramento introduced a flurry of bills this year targeting e-bike safety. Thankfully, the ones that risked undermining their adoption have been tossed out.

By Paul Thornton • July 13, 2026

A person uses a tablet to complete a digital standardized test while seated at a desk.

Commentary

Reviving SAT requirements won’t fix California’s university admissions problems

In college admissions in California, the real quandary isn’t about requiring the SAT. It’s about how to select applicants when they all seem to be exceptional.

By Robert Kaplan • July 11, 2026

Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a podium during a news conference, flanked by lawmakers and officials.

Commentary

How Newsom’s complex history with the oil industry could affect a presidential run

Newsom's longtime personal and political dealings with Big Oil include ties to the Getty family and several recent state regulation changes.

By Dan Walters • July 10, 2026

PG&E crews install underground utility conduit along a rural roadside as workers stand beside an open trench and an excavator during construction.

Commentary

Lowering California’s high utility costs takes more than flashy slogans. It needs these reforms

Wildfire spending is the largest driver of rate increases, adding hundreds of dollars to power bills. The state has let utilities work around cost limits.

By Travis Ritchie • July 10, 2026

Students sit at desks in a sunlit classroom, facing a whiteboard covered with posters and math diagrams. A boy in a yellow shirt is in the foreground, mid-gesture, while a row of blue bins filled with composition notebooks lines the right side of the room under partially closed blinds.

Commentary

Does crowning California’s governor the education czar mean academic results will improve?

Lawmakers just passed a bill that would let the next governor pick the state's schools chief, in place of the state school leader voters elect.

By Dan Walters • July 9, 2026

A voter hands paperwork to an election worker seated at a check-in table inside a polling place while another voter fills out paperwork in the foreground.

Commentary

California ponders a fundamental question: Should voting be easier or harder?

This year offers a series of opportunities for Californians to consider their voting principles and whether they should enlarge or constrain participation.

By Jim Newton • July 9, 2026

A student sits at a cafeteria table holding a cucumber slice beside a school lunch tray containing a turkey sandwich, sliced deli meat, fresh vegetables, yogurt, applesauce and a carton of fat-free milk.

Commentary

They’ve got milk, but many California kids can’t tolerate it. Schools can now offer alternatives

A federal law change lets schools offer nondairy beverages instead of milk, but they’re more expensive. More money became available in the California budget.

By Suzy Sayre and Emily Lin • July 8, 2026

A police officer crouches down as they wrap yellow police tape around a light post in a street during an active crime scene on a night in Los Angeles.

Commentary

How crime and the politics of crime rise and fall in California

Over two decades, political pressure forced California lawmakers to toughen criminal penalties. Now that crime is down, what's next?

By Dan Walters • July 8, 2026

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