Kamala Harris

WhatMatters

Dangerous fire conditions ahead

Good morning, California. It’s Friday, September 25. Incoming: heat wave Another big heat wave is set to blanket California this weekend — bringing with it gusty winds, increased fire risk, unhealthy air quality and potential power shutoffs even as Californians reel from what is already the worst fire season in recorded history. Temperatures could spike […]

By Emily Hoeven • September 25, 2020

WhatMatters

10,000 unemployment claims backlogged per day — claims paused for 2 weeks

Planning on applying for unemployment benefits? Well, you won’t be able to do so for the next two weeks. California’s beleaguered unemployment department is putting a pause on new claims until Oct. 5 to give it time to implement an automatic identity-verification tool to speed up processing times. The move follows recommendations outlined in a […]

By Emily Hoeven • September 21, 2020

WhatMatters

Coronavirus positivity rate hits record low

Amid record-breaking fires, apocalyptic orange skies and smoke-choked air, Californians finally have a bright spot of news: Coronavirus positivity rates statewide fell to an all-time low of 3.6% over the past 14 days and 3.3% over the past week. As a result, travelers from California no longer have to quarantine for two weeks upon arriving […]

By Emily Hoeven • September 16, 2020

WhatMatters

Trump, Biden face off over California wildfires

Good morning, California. It’s Tuesday, September 15. Golden State in the spotlight California took center stage on the national campaign trail Monday, with Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden leveraging the state’s record-breaking fires to advance their respective political visions. The faceoff will likely continue today, with Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala […]

By Emily Hoeven • September 15, 2020

CalMatters en Español

Elección 2020: Preguntas frequencias

Read our voter guide in English. Lo que necesitas saber sobre las votaciones Fechas importantes: 19 de octubre: Último día para registrarse en línea para votar.  27 de octubre: Último día para solicitar una boleta de voto por correo si no la obtuviste automáticamente. 3 de noviembre: Último día para votar por correo o en […]

By CalMatters Staff • September 10, 2020

WhatMatters

‘We are in uncharted territory’: High winds spreading already-historic fires

Never has so much of California burned. And as powerful winds continue to blast the state, the likelihood of historic fires metastasizing and others exploding looms large for overworked firefighters and exhausted residents. In Southern California, strong Santa Ana winds could push the Bobcat fire toward homes in foothill communities. The fire, which is currently […]

By Emily Hoeven • September 9, 2020

Commentary

Follow the trail of Kamala Harris’ rise to VP nomination back to Phil Burton’s influence on California politics

Those who can trace their political lineage directly, or indirectly, to Phil Burton include Nancy Pelosi, Gavin Newsom and Willie Brown.

By Guest Commentary • August 29, 2020

WhatMatters

Crises collide as fires rage

Disasters abound in California right now. Fires raging across the state have forced thousands to evacuate, put a severe strain on firefighting crews, and contributed to poor air quality amid a scorching heat wave that led to blackouts. Oh, and there’s also the global pandemic. Lightning struck California more than 10,849 times in the last […]

By Emily Hoeven • August 20, 2020

Dan Walters

Presidential race will put California’s foibles on trial

With Kamala Harris on the Democratic presidential ticket, President Donald Trump's campaign will likely make California's shortcomings a foil.

By Dan Walters • August 20, 2020

Elections

At Dem convention, California Bernie delegates given virtually no chance to cause a ruckus

Delegates can't unfurl a banner, stage a walkout or heckle a speaker from the isolation of their living room couch.

By Ben Christopher • August 19, 2020