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Foreground shows an individual wearing a respirator mask looking downward. In the background, another person in a mask examines the scene using a mobile phone. A burned-out car sits amidst the charred remnants of a structure, with trees and other fire-damaged areas visible in the distance under a hazy sky.

WhatMatters

LA fires bring scrutiny to worker safety, private firefighting

Scheduling note: WhatMatters is taking Monday off to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and will be back in your inboxes Tuesday. Describing the active wildfires in Southern California as a “catastrophe at an unprecedented scale,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas of Salinas gathered with dozens of Assemblymembers on Thursday in Los Angeles to introduce new bills […]

By

Lynn La

• January 17, 2025

Flames and smoke can be seen coming out of a building as businesses in the Altadena area burn due to the Eaton Fire. Nearby, a person rides their bike as burnt debris float in the sky as smoke fills the atmosphere.

WhatMatters

Ongoing LA blazes raise wildfire recovery questions

Fires in Southern California continue to burn as people in parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties remain under red flag warnings. Dry conditions are expected to last through today, according to Cal Fire, but this weekend is expected to bring “calmer and more humid weather.” To date, the death toll has climbed to at […]

By

Lynn La

• January 16, 2025

A gray and white commercial truck drives down a street. Another green and white commercial truck can be seen up a hill in the distance alongside several cargo containers labeled "Matson" on the side.

WhatMatters

CA abandons clean-air rules on diesel trucks

In a striking setback to reduce California’s air pollution but a win for trucking companies, state regulators have walked away from their ambitious plan to phase out diesel trucks less than a week before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House. As CalMatters’ Alejandro Lazo explains, in 2023 the California Air Resources Board voted […]

By

Lynn La

• January 15, 2025

A lawmaker stands behind a podium as a person stands and smiles on the far left side of the frame.

WhatMatters

California prepares its anti-Trump fund

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders plan to set aside $50 million in state money to pay for the legal costs of fighting President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. The deal comes two months after Newsom first called a special session on how to address Trump’s presidency. The Assembly is expected to consider a bill that […]

By

Lynn La

• January 14, 2025

Smolder of debris and rubble of what used to be homes on the shores of a beach in Malibu. Small clouds of smoke can be seen rising up from the ashes.

WhatMatters

L.A. fires still rage as possible reasons emerge

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 […]

By

Lynn La

• January 13, 2025

A person in a suit speaks passionately at a microphone, gesturing with a raised hand. The background is blurred, with individuals and an industrial setting partially visible. The lighting creates a focused, dynamic atmosphere.

WhatMatters

Brace yourselves, here comes another CA budget proposal

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 […]

By

Lynn La

• January 10, 2025

The back of a firefighter holding a hose connected to a fire truck as they look at a fire burning across the street nearby.

WhatMatters

LA County fires grow, death count rises

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 […]

By

Lynn La

• January 9, 2025

A lone beachgoer walks along the coast as a large dark plume of smoke passes over the beach in Santa Monica from a wildfire in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, 2025. Photo by Richard Vogel, AP Photo

WhatMatters

LA County fires, fueled by powerful winds, destroy homes

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. […]

By

Lynn La

• January 8, 2025

People sit in rows of red theater chairs during an event in Sacramento. One person in the center holds both hands up in frustration while speaking.

WhatMatters

‘People are still mad’: Will California pass reparations bills?

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. […]

By

Lynn La

• January 7, 2025

Assemblymembers sitting at their desks look at their phones and other devices during a floor session.

WhatMatters

CA lawmakers go to work on affordability, battling Trump

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 […]

By

Lynn La

• January 6, 2025