WhatMatters

From CalMatters economy reporter Levi Sumagaysay: Insurance companies have paid out $4.2 billion in claims so far to survivors of the Los Angeles County fires, the state Insurance Department said Thursday. That figure includes home, business, living expenses and other disaster-related claims related to the Eaton and Palisades fires, the department said, citing data from […]

Artificial intelligence may be at the forefront of a pioneering new chapter in tech, and California AI companies are major contributors to the state’s economy. But the technology requires a lot of energy, which has led some state lawmakers to consider a potential, albeit controversial, solution: nuclear power. As CalMatters’ Alex Shultz explains, AI technology […]

President Donald Trump has called for a temporary freeze on certain federal aid — sowing confusion and concern among California’s state officials and advocacy groups.  As CalMatters’ reporters explain, a memo from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget directed federal agencies to pause financial grants and loans that could be “implicated” by any of […]

The wildfires still burning in Southern California have destroyed thousands of homes. A freshman state lawmaker, whose district includes one of the epicenters of the blazes, aims to rebuild those communities faster. How? Through a task force and coordinator to work with local, state and federal authorities. It’s an idea that looks to Texas as […]

The wildfires still burning in Southern California continue to thrust the state onto the national stage: Although President Donald Trump promised Friday to give Los Angeles the help it needs, he also has repeatedly threatened to withhold federal aid unless California aligns with his policies on water, or forestry management, or immigration or voter ID. […]

With President Donald Trump bound for Los Angeles today and once again threatening to withhold wildfire aid to California unless the state abides by his water policies, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills Thursday to provide $2.5 billion in state funding for wildfire response and preparedness, writes CalMatters’ Sameea Kamal. State and local agencies can […]

From CalMatters’ Wendy Fry:  In a significant escalation of immigration enforcement, the Pentagon said today that 1,500 active-duty troops will be deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border.  This follows President Donald Trump’s “Day One” executive orders ostensibly aimed at bolstering border security. The troops’ responsibilities will include operating helicopters, assisting border patrol agents, providing airlift support […]

From CalMatters criminal justice reporter Nigel Duara: Resistance state Round 2 officially began Tuesday when California filed its first lawsuit against the new Donald Trump administration. Eighteen states, including California, filed a lawsuit in federal court, challenging an executive order by Trump that would revoke the right of guaranteed citizenship to anyone born in the […]

With assurances that “sunlight is pouring over the entire world,” President Donald Trump was sworn into office Monday for his second term. He wasted no time taking potshots at California. During his 30-minute inauguration speech, Trump said the Los Angeles County wildfires, which broke out two weeks ago, burned without “a token of defense.” (This […]

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 […]