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Melissa Melendez

Alex Armstrong, 51 and his wife, Paula Armstrong, 45, prepare pick up orders during lunch hour at their Long Beach restaurant, VBurger, on June 8, 2021. "It's been very challenging for us, but we couldn't back out," said Armstrong of opening mid-pandemic last year. Photo by Pablo Unzueta for CalMatters
WhatMatters
Masks at work? California can’t decide
Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, June 10. School: Yes. Work: Maybe. Masks at school, but not at the store. Well, unless you work at the store. But store employees may only have to wear masks until June 28. As long as they’re fully vaccinated. But it’s up to businesses to figure out how to verify […]
By • June 10, 2021
Voters drop off their ballots at the outdoor polling station at San Francisco City Hall on Super Tuesday 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
Elections
California GOP in legal standoff over ‘ballot harvesting’ with unofficial drop boxes
After the electoral hammering California Republicans took in 2018, the party decided to put aside any misgivings it had about “ballot harvesting” and set up its own operation. In so doing, it’s now earned itself a cease-and-desist letter from California’s Democratic secretary of state. At issue: Unofficial ballot drop boxes that the state GOP purchased […]
By • October 12, 2020
Sen. Scott Wiener on the Senate floor on the last day of the legislative session on Aug. 31, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
Elections
Falsehoods about sex-offender law hit the campaign trail
For over a year a bill — signed into California law this month — that gives judges discretion over whether or not to require someone convicted of statutory rape to register as a sex offender, has been at the center of a storm of viral misinformation. Now it’s become an issue in a handful of […]
By • September 23, 2020
Sen. Scott Wilk reacts after mouthing the F-word Friday morning during the senate floor session. Image via Senate livestream
Politics
Unmasked: Tempers flare and patience frays as California lawmakers hit viral end of session
For anyone who has spent the last five months working from home, these teleconference call mishaps ought to sound familiar:  Your lunch delivery arrives smack in the middle of a presentation, or your dog won’t stop yapping.  An exasperated colleague drops a muted but unmistakable F-bomb.  A co-worker mocks a colleague’s comments to his “hon” […]
By • August 31, 2020

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