WhatMatters

Comparing utility companies to terrorists, Democratic state lawmakers are pushing back against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s complex proposal that would reduce how much utilities pay for the wildfires they cause. As CalMatters’ Jeanne Kuang and Levi Sumagaysay explain, the proposal’s most controversial provisions include capping compensation for fire victims; curbing insurance companies’ right to recover wildfire […]

We know two of California’s top public universities are paying tens of millions of dollars a year to student athletes, and now CalMatters is suing to find out the details of how taxpayer dollars are being spent. As CalMatters’ Adam Echelman explains, in 2021 California allowed college athletes to profit off their own name, image […]

Hotter, wilder and more destructive fires in America’s dry West are forcing a reckoning in how to manage the blazes, prompting a cascade of disagreements between the Trump administration and some states. Reporters from half a dozen newsrooms spanning six states, including Rachel Becker of CalMatters, collaborated on two stories that unpack the central tension […]

Near-misses with a kid whizzing by on an electric bicycle may be a common nuisance these days, but some incidents can end in tragedy. As a growing number of e-bike related accidents — particularly ones involving children — raise alarm among residents and legislators, two bills that aim to expand e-bike safety in California are […]

Xavier Becerra considers it just being careful — though his critics could call it being noncommittal. Unlike his Republican opponent Steve Hilton who is campaigning on big promises such as $3-a-gallon gas and halving electricity bills, the Democratic candidate has avoided tying himself to lofty goals in his bid to lead California, reports CalMatters’ Jeanne […]

California Forever wanted a ‘yes’ — and fast.  In the weeks before the end of the legislative year last September, representatives for the tech billionaire-backed mega development emailed, called and texted Solano County officials, hoping to secure support for proposed legislation that would speed up environmental review for a shipyard that could yield thousands of new […]

About 15 years ago, the former prison towns of Blythe and Susanville were getting by relatively well. Many of towns’ residents were steadily employed by the state, and their good wages and benefits helped fuel the local, albeit isolated, economies. But after changes in California’s criminal sentencing laws led to fewer people being incarcerated — […]

Gregory Oveross’ job was to take care of his elderly clients’ money. Instead, state prosecutors say, he and his partner stole $6 million from his clients’ accounts.  And then he left key parts of his reports to the courts blank, according to court records.  Over the last two decades, California has set up systems to […]

Seven months ago I visited the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge in Stanislaus County, as part of a birding trip to see wintering migratory birds. Even on chilly January days in years past, it was possible to see and hear more than 100 kinds of birds at the Vierra Wetlands nestled inside the 7,500-acre […]

I last visited the California Museum in downtown Sacramento as a chaperone for an elementary school field trip. The kids crowded around a statue of Mickey Mouse for photos and elbowed each other to control an educational video game.  This week the museum is taking on a more controversial theme with a special exhibit looking […]