Drought

We need state water regulators to avoid repeating the mistakes of the last drought that hurt salmon, fishermen and women.

Responding with half-measures will only feed worsening drought, heat waves and firestorms; state leaders must support SB 582.

June 15 will be a big day for California. That’s when the state will ease its mask mandate to allow fully vaccinated people to forgo face coverings in most places, Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s health and human services secretary, said Monday. It’s also when California will lift capacity limits on businesses, permitting the state […]

With most of the state gripped by extreme dryness, some conditions are better, some worse, than the last record-breaking drought. Over-pumping of wells hasn’t stopped. But urban residents haven’t lapsed back into water-wasting lifestyles.

It’s only May, and I’m already having to write about wildfires forcing Californians to evacuate their homes. Around 1,000 people were displaced from their homes Sunday as the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County grew to more than 1,300 acres. The blaze, which was 0% contained as of Sunday afternoon, carved a path through dense, […]

Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing a mask dilemma. If he updates the state’s mask guidance to align with that of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — which on Thursday announced that fully vaccinated people no longer have to wear masks or physically distance in most places — he risks contradicting his own […]

The Legislative Analyst’s Office warns California lawmakers to prepare to dispatch emergency drinking water to vulnerable communities, particularly in the Central Valley.

Good morning, California. It’s Tuesday, May 11. Good timing for Newsom The message was clear Monday when Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has attended recent public events in jeans and a bear-emblazoned jacket, stood behind a podium bearing the slogan “California Roars Back” while wearing a suit and tie. The message: I mean business — and the […]

Pressured by growers and legislators, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a drought emergency in 39 counties as most of California experiences severe drought. The order, which affects more than half of the state, will expedite water sales among growers while allowing state officials to keep reservoirs full and river fish protected.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is facing a recall election, wants to use the state’s sizable budget surplus to put money in the majority of Californians’ pockets.  The governor today will unveil an $11.9 billion proposal that would send $600 stimulus checks to two-thirds of Californians and an additional $500 to families with kids. Details, including […]