Economy

A close view shows a person using a laptop displaying a news website with a headline and photo on the screen. Another laptop sits nearby on the desk, and the scene is set in a modern office environment with glass walls and overhead lighting.

Technology

It was John Wayne’s political club. Now it’s spending millions on online influence

The Lincoln Media Foundation has spent big to push ‘local’ conservative messaging

By

Colin Lecher

• March 9, 2026

An illustration in green, red, blue and yellow tones that shows a desktop computer screen with an open window tab that resembles a Pokemon battle scene. At one end of the screen is a pixelated student and at the other is a wolf that represents a chatbot. The illustration includes a bubble text that reads "where can students get free food on campus?" alongside other bubbles of text with red exclamation points.

College Beat

California colleges spend millions on faulty AI systems: ‘The chatbot is outdated’

Community colleges are spending millions on AI-powered chatbots that students say often give inaccurate answers. Many might see upgrades this year.

By

Martin Romero

• March 6, 2026

Rows of while shipping containers sit idle while overlooking stacks of pink and red shipping containers nearby.

Economy

California, 23 other states sue Trump over new tariffs

The states argue that President Trump is incorrectly using a never-before-invoked law to put these tariffs in place.

By

Levi Sumagaysay

• March 5, 2026

Front view of a light-colored house with a peaked roof, wooden double doors, and a landscaped garden. Trees and shrubs frame the foreground, and sunlight illuminates the facade under a partly cloudy sky.

Economy

California’s next insurance commissioner will have ‘brutal’ balancing act

Ricardo Lara’s successor will have a full plate. Insurance premiums are rising; fire survivors are struggling; the FAIR Plan is still growing.

By

Levi Sumagaysay

• March 5, 2026

A poster with information for students on using ChatGPT, an AI platform, in English teacher Jen Roberts' class at Point Loma High School in San Diego on May 3, 2024. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters

Education

A handful of California schools embraced Trump’s AI challenge. Many haven’t heard of it

California schools that are already running artificial intelligence programs have a head start in the Trump administration's AI challenge, but many campuses just aren't participating.

By

Z. Waite

• March 4, 2026

A football player in a red jersey leaps with arms fully extended to catch a pass while a defender in a white uniform runs toward them on a field, with sideline figures blurred in the background.

Technology

To attend prom or a football game, California students first had to surrender their data

The state’s privacy protection agency is fining PlayOn $1.1 million for violating state law. The company, which operates the ticketing service GoFan, required students and parents to share their data to access tickets for high school events.

By

Adam Echelman

• March 3, 2026

An aerial view of vehicles driving through a highway surrounded by farmland on both ends.

Politics

California GOP lawmakers are incensed over a gas tax study. Rural groups say they need it

California’s gas is so radioactive, even a bill to study alternatives is fraught. Rural officials are frustrated over the partisan fight because their local industries depend on well-maintained roads.

By

Yue Stella Yu

• March 2, 2026

A close-up view of a lawmaker, with short blonde hair and wearing a blue blazer, as they sit behind a dias during a congressional meeting.

Technology

Following CalMatters investigation, Congress finds data brokers cost consumers tens of billions of dollars

A congressional investigation estimates broker breaches have cost consumers $20 billion in identity theft. Major brokers now promise to make it easier to opt out of their databases.

By

Colin Lecher

• February 27, 2026

Technology

AI images scandalized a California elementary school. Now the state is pushing new safeguards

Adobe's artificial intelligence generated sexualized images in response to prompts for a 4th grade book project. The incident coincided with the release of new state guidelines to prevent harmful AI in schools.

By

Khari Johnson

• February 26, 2026

A roadside device mounted on a small trailer sits on the shoulder beside a two-lane road as a blurred van drives past, with utility poles, trees, and rocky hills in the background under a clear sky.

Justice

He saw an abandoned trailer. Then, he uncovered a surveillance network on California’s border

Southern California residents are noticing new license plate readers that appear to be operated by the Border Patrol. Some have had confusing encounters with agents.

By

Wendy Fry

and

Khari Johnson

• February 26, 2026