WhatMatters

Good morning, California. It’s Monday, January 11. Long to-do list Lawmakers return to Sacramento today to kick off a new legislative session — but time is already running out to respond to some of the pandemic’s most pressing issues.  Around 2 million Californians could lose their homes on Feb. 1 if lawmakers don’t extend the […]

Good morning, California. It’s Friday, January 8. McClintock to speak in Sacramento Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Senator-designate Alex Padilla were among the prominent California officials who called for President Donald Trump’s removal from office Thursday, a day after a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Pelosi, Feinstein […]

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, January 7. State, congressional leaders respond As a violent mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday — temporarily preventing Congress from certifying the Electoral College votes to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory — protests broke out at California’s Capitol building in Sacramento and in cities […]

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday unveiled a $4.5 billion plan for business and job recovery, dedicating one-third of the funding to eliminating new gas-powered cars by 2035. The plan offers a glimpse into Newsom’s priorities for the 2021-22 budget, which will be released in full on Friday, kicking off months of negotiations with the Legislature. […]

Good morning, California. It’s Tuesday, January 5. New strategies on the way Three weeks after doses of the coronavirus vaccine began arriving in California, only 35% of them have ended up in people’s arms — raising questions about the effectiveness of the state’s vaccination strategy at a critical phase in the pandemic. California has administered […]

As California confronts its darkest moment yet of the pandemic, complications in the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine — which Gov. Gavin Newsom billed as the “light at the end of the tunnel” — suggest that the tunnel may be longer than previously thought. Although the Golden State was slated to receive around 2.1 million […]

School reopenings will likely take center stage in 2021 as one of California’s biggest political battles. It’s a battle all the more noteworthy because it pits two groups that are often allies — unions and Democratic lawmakers — against each other. This week, the state’s two largest teachers unions — the California Teachers Association and […]

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, December 17. People leaving for other states California’s population is growing at the slowest rate in more than a century, showcasing the contradictions of a state known for its innovation, beauty and diversity but also for its high cost of living, destructive wildfires and homelessness. The Golden State’s population increased […]

Good morning, California. It’s Wednesday, December 16. Big budget deficits Even as California cities face yawning budget deficits, many are still on the hook for raises promised to public employee unions — leaving local governments with little choice but to lay off employees or slash services. With Congress gridlocked over a relief package, the cities […]

Good morning, California. It’s Tuesday, December 15. ‘Essential workers’ next Health care workers at a Los Angeles hospital were among the first Californians to receive the COVID-19 vaccine Monday, launching a fierce battle over who gets to be next in line. The state hasn’t yet specified which groups will follow health care workers and nursing […]