CARES Act

Portrait of Ohio State President Michael V. Drake in front of Bricker Hall on The Ohio State University campus. Photo via Wikimedia Commons

WhatMatters

UC names Michael Drake first Black president

Good morning, California. It’s Wednesday, July 8. Drake to helm system at pivotal moment Michael V. Drake was named president of the University of California on Tuesday, becoming the first Black person to lead the system in its 152-year history. Drake, who turns 70 on Thursday, will be responsible for steering the system through massive […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• July 8, 2020

California's cities such as Carpinteria are only beginning to absorb the devastating blows of this pandemic — and strategizing about how to survive the COVID recession. Above Carpinteria. Image via iStock.

Economy

“Everything happened all at once”: Can California cities weather the COVID recession?

For local governments still sporting the budgetary scars of the last “once in a generation” recession, this downturn is at once familiar — forcing elected leaders to cut, furlough and delay — and entirely new. Never before in state history has so much economic activity ground to a halt so quickly.

By

Ben Christopher

• May 8, 2020

A student walks back to her car after picking up eggs, milk, produce and dried goods from the weekly drive-thru food pantry at Santa Monica College. Photo by Mikhail Zinshteyn for CalMatters

Higher Education

How California community college foundations are trying to help students

Community college foundations are giving extra aid now to undocumented and low-income students, whose needs are unmet by federal pandemic relief programs.

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• May 7, 2020