Food Insecuity

WhatMatters

Newsom, Democrats lose effort to force Trump to release taxes—and it wasn’t close

California loses battle for Trump's taxes. State to sue Trump administration over Delta water shipments. Power shutoffs leaves residents hungry.

By Dan Morain • November 22, 2019

California Divide

“We need the food that we lost.” Low-income families still reeling from blackouts

Pacific Gas & Electric turned off power to Ana Patricia Rios’ neighborhood in Sonoma County for eight days in October, three at the beginning of the month and five near the end. The mother of three young boys watched twice as nearly all of the food in her refrigerator spoiled. She threw out at least […]

By Jackie Botts • November 22, 2019

WhatMatters

PG&E has a come-to-Newsom moment + how schools spend their bills + a mental health care initiative, perhaps

Newsom meets with PG&E chief to discuss utility's future. Audit finds problems in school funding. Certain groups miss out on food stamps.

By Dan Morain • November 6, 2019

California Divide

California families are hungry while a third of crops rot in fields

Maximina Molina Sanchez is worried about going hungry this winter. She depends on a food bank in Huron to feed her husband and two kids. But with most agricultural workers out of jobs during the winter, demand is bound to increase, so she worries there won’t be enough food to feed everyone who needs it. […]

By Manuela Tobias • October 18, 2019

Capitol

Why CA didn’t overhaul student aid this year — but could soon

It has long been a refrain among California students struggling to pay for housing, food and textbooks: There’s more to the high cost of college than tuition. Early this year, as state lawmakers convened, hopes were high that finally, California was listening.  Moved by reports of homelessness, food insecurity and consumer ripoffs on campus — […]

By Felicia Mello • October 17, 2019

WhatMatters

Public health and cannabis vapes, police use of force and mental illness, and parents seeking a better life get a break

Hospitalizations tied to cannabis vaping. California to offer child care help for parent-students. Will new use-of-force law protect mentally ill?

By Dan Morain • September 30, 2019

California Divide

Food banks struggle to meet basic needs of LA County residents

Nonprofits distribute 80 million pounds of food in Los Angeles County per year, helping low-income people survive. 

By Jorge Macías • September 27, 2019

California Divide

Getting food stamps to poor Californians is surprisingly difficult

Pressure is increasing on counties to sign up more people for food stamps in a state with one of the nation’s lowest participation rates. But greater enrollment may require more money or more state intervention.

By Jackie Botts and Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado • September 2, 2019

California Divide

“We’re not going to be able to survive:” Why Californians could bear the brunt of Trump food stamp cuts

A Trump administration proposal would cut food stamps to 3.1 million Americans—largely working families with high housing, childcare and medical costs. That could hit hard in California, a state where both the cost of living and the minimum wage are on the rise.

By Jackie Botts • July 29, 2019

WhatMatters

Newsom steps into PG&E ownership fight, mending the DMV, and Trump’s food stamp cuts

Newsom unveils plan for fixing DMV and introduces its new boss. Trump proposes cuts to food aid. Podcast looks at dangers of policing in U.S.

By Dan Morain and Barbara Harvey • July 24, 2019