Ricardo Lara

Newsletters

It’s Election Day. Here’s what matters in California

Election Day in California, turnout, Orange County, Legislature, supermajority, moderates, spending, death in childbirth, maternal mortality, greenwashing.

By Dan Morain • November 6, 2018

Newsletters

Weed delivery, school bonds and mental health ‘care’

By Dan Morain • November 2, 2018

Politics

California politics are hella NorCal. Will voters shake that up this year?

Several statewide races this year pit NorCal against SoCal, testing the political power and competing priorities of the Golden State’s two most populous regions.

By Laurel Rosenhall • October 23, 2018

Elections

Poizner’s independent run has a red tint

Insurance commissioner candidate Steve Poizner is shunning partisanship in his bid to become the first no-party-preference candidate to win statewide office in California. But he is raising much of his campaign money from donors who gave to him when he ran for governor as a Republican.

By Dan Morain • October 16, 2018

Newsletters

School test scores, #MeToo laws and CURES

California's school test scores, how the CURES opioid database happened, Jerry Brown's #MeToo bills, Orange County political money and teen pregnancy.

By Dan Morain • October 3, 2018

Environment

A blizzard of pledges, a planet-scanning satellite: Brown wraps up his climate summit

The conference featured promises to reduce greenhouse gases, vows to banish carbon, multilateral pacts and sincere handshakes.

By Julie Cart • September 14, 2018

Newsletters

Will fire victims get relief? The Dude abides

Soaring claims for fire damage are driving up premiums in the Sierra foothills and other fire-prone areas. Legislators seem likely to adjourn for the year without real relief for homeowners who are unable to buy fire insurance.

By Dan Morain • August 20, 2018

Economy

Legislature has been snuffing out bills that aim to help insured homeowners in wildfire country

Of all the constituencies clamoring for help as firenados ravage California, homeowners worried about their fire insurance seem among the least likely this year to get legislative relief.

By Antoinette Siu • August 19, 2018

Capitol

Special interests win as lawmakers cut last-minute deals to pull initiatives off your ballot

An optimist might cheer the fact that lawmakers were doing their jobs. Others label it legal extortion.

By Laurel Rosenhall • June 29, 2018

Health

In California, a fight over clinics for kidney patients

An influential union wants the state to limit profits on privately owned dialysis clinics, where kidney patients receive life-sustaining treatment. Dialysis companies are fighting back.

By Elizabeth Aguilera and David Gorn • May 30, 2018