WhatMatters

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 […]

Thousands of California health care workers may receive their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine today, marking a promising new chapter in the state’s battle with the pandemic even as deadly outbreaks flare up.  Portions of California’s initial allotment of 327,000 doses were slated to begin arriving at health care facilities Sunday night, with shipments […]

Good morning, California. It’s Friday, December 11. Daniel Kim departing Yet another top official is departing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration, leaving the governor to replace the leaders of two departments central to California’s pandemic response as he faces a make-or-break point in his career. Daniel Kim, the director of the Department of General Services, will […]

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, December 10. Newsom at an inflection point Even as 59% of Californians expect the state to be bogged down by widespread unemployment and financial depression for the next five years, 58% approve of how Gov. Gavin Newsom is handling the economy. The findings, from a statewide Public Policy Institute of […]

Good morning, California. It’s Wednesday, December 9. ICUs under pressure As California races past grim coronavirus milestones — more than 10,000 hospitalizations, more than 20,000 deaths, 100% ICU capacity in some counties — pressure is increasing on the state to provide data justifying its restrictions. A superior court judge on Tuesday issued a withering rebuke […]

Good morning, California. It’s Tuesday, December 8. New app coming Thurs. Against a backdrop of escalating crises, Gov. Gavin Newsom gave a 90-minute press conference Monday in which he unveiled a coronavirus exposure app and public education campaign but failed to address some of the state’s biggest challenges. The app, CA Notify, launches Thursday. Once […]

Let the political jockeying begin — again. With the surprise announcement Sunday that President-elect Joe Biden chose California Attorney General Xavier Becerra as his secretary of health and human services, Gov. Gavin Newsom could be staring down at least two — and quite possibly three — high-stakes political appointments. If Becerra is confirmed by the […]

Good morning, California. It’s Friday, December 4. Vaccine doses on the way Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a regional stay-at-home order Thursday after nearly a week of anticipation — but the state’s strictest measure in months doesn’t currently apply to any of California’s counties. The order, which goes into effect Saturday afternoon, stipulates that if a […]

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, December 3. Calls to prioritize teacher vaccines It’s the question on everyone’s minds: When will Gov. Gavin Newsom announce a new stay-at-home order? The governor hasn’t made a public appearance since Monday, when he said he planned to be “ubiquitous” during “an incredibly important week in the history of this […]

California elected officials are rapidly losing credibility at a critical point in the pandemic, with hospitalizations at an all-time high and Gov. Gavin Newsom expected to announce a state lockdown today. On Tuesday, the San Francisco Chronicle broke the news that Mayor London Breed attended a dinner party with seven other people at the three-Michelin-starred […]