WhatMatters

The more things change, the more things stay the same. California is set to fully reopen its economy and end its mask mandate on June 15 — but it appears many of us could still be wearing masks well past that date. That’s because the state’s workplace safety agency on Thursday night passed rules that […]

California churches are coming out of the pandemic smelling like roses. The state agreed this week to two settlements that block it from imposing new coronavirus restrictions on houses of worship tougher than those for similar secular activities, CalMatters’ Ben Christopher and I report. It’s the latest legal blow churches have dealt Gov. Gavin Newsom’s […]

California kicked off a two-year study into how the state might compensate African Americans for slavery and its lingering effects on Tuesday, when a newly formed reparations committee met for the first time. The first-in-the-nation committee is the result of Gov. Gavin Newsom last year signing a bill authored by then-Assemblymember Shirley Weber, whom he […]

The death penalty in California could be on the precipice of a dramatic change. On Wednesday, the California Supreme Court will begin hearings in a case challenging the state’s application of the death penalty. The state’s highest court will consider whether to raise the bar for when a jury can sentence a defendant to capital […]

Good morning, California. It’s Friday, May 28. Note: Due to Memorial Day, the newsletter will pause until Tuesday. More money up for grabs Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday unveiled the country’s largest vaccine incentive program at a high school in Los Angeles — a city in which only 7% of high schoolers have returned for […]

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, May 27. Surge in gun violence A Wednesday mass shooting at a San Jose rail yard that left nine people dead, including the gunman, has revived what seems to be an endless cycle: calls for immediate action that eventually peter out until the next crisis hits. President Joe Biden, condemning […]

Good morning, California. It’s Wednesday, May 26. Approval rating grows The scales appear to be tipping in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s favor. The governor’s approval rating is ticking back up after months of decline, with 54% of likely voters giving high marks for his job performance, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll released […]

Good morning, California. It’s Tuesday, May 25. Two elections for same seat When you get your November 2022 ballot, it might feel as though you’re seeing double: For the first time in history, a race for the same California seat in the U.S. Senate will likely appear twice. That’s because lawmakers are rushing to tweak […]

Despite California’s high unemployment rate, many positions at restaurants, bars and retail stores are going unfilled — causing some business owners to fear they won’t be able to fully reopen even when the state gives the green light on June 15. The Golden State’s unemployment rate remained unchanged between March and April, holding steady at […]

Good morning, California. It’s Friday, May 21. Goodbye to all that Thursday was a brutal day in the state Legislature. Hundreds of bills met their demise or were watered down as lawmakers raced through an opaque process called the “suspense file,” a tool often used to euthanize proposals without having to cast a politically precarious […]