School reopening

Gov. Gavin Newsom presents the breakdown for his revised budget at the Secretary of State building auditorium in Sacramento on May 14, 2021. The proposal focused on education, housing and climate resiliency measures. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters

Politics

Three things to know about Gavin Newsom’s spending spree

Gov. Newsom is proposing to spend California's $100 billion windfall on schools, small businesses, homelessness and more, while campaigning against the recall at the same time.

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• May 14, 2021

Gov. Gavin Newsom holds a press conference at The Unity Council in Oakland to announce an estimated $75.7 billion surplus and in addition to stimulus checks, tax rebates and additional rent relief on May 10, 2021. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters

WhatMatters

California is overflowing with money

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 […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• May 11, 2021

A recall campaign sign is surrounded by floating cash. As the campaign to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom gets underway, recall supporters have collected more donations but the governor has more ready to spend. Illustration by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters; iStock

Politics

Recall backers raise more, but Newsom’s side has more cash in the bank

While the governor's opponents have burned through most of the money they've collected to date, his defenders have some $2.5 million in the bank.

By

Ben Christopher

• May 4, 2021

Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to the press during a visit to Ruby Bridges Elementary School in Alameda on March 16, 2021. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters

WhatMatters

More good news for Newsom

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, April 29. High marks on schools Things are looking up for Gov. Gavin Newsom. Majorities of Californians — 58% of likely voters and 64% of public school parents — approve of how the governor is handling the state’s public K-12 education system, and a solid 59% of likely voters give […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• April 29, 2021

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

Newsom puts rosy spin on job report

Gov. Gavin Newsom, facing a recall election, puts positive spin on latest job numbers, but the reality is cloudier.

By

Dan Walters

• April 20, 2021

WhatMatters

Key reason unemployment rate fell: Californians dropped out of workforce

It’s a troubling trend: For two out of three months in 2021, California’s unemployment rate shrank partly from thousands of people dropping out of the workforce. The Golden State’s unemployment rate hit a pandemic low of 8.3% in March, down from 8.5% in February, according to figures released Friday by the Employment Development Department. But […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• April 19, 2021

Silhouettes of students walking between buildings are seen reflected in a window at Ruby Bridges Elementary school in Alameda on March 16, 2021. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters

WhatMatters

Newsom overstates school reopening progress

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, April 15. Minimal in-person learning Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday touted the state’s progress in reopening schools, even as California continues to offer its students the least amount of in-person learning in the country. At a press conference at a Sonoma County elementary school that had reopened two days before, […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• April 15, 2021

Brandy Brager, a small business owner in San Jose, poses for a portrait with her children at their home on April 1, 2021. Her children went back to school last week, but she’s working spread out hours, often into the night. “The way I think about my career changed. I had to cut my salary. My business had to take a bit of the back seat.” Photo by Dai Sugano, Bay Area News Group

California Divide

For moms, back to school is not back to normal

Women’s participation in the labor force hasn’t been this low since 1988.

By

Laurence Du Sault

• April 12, 2021

Alameda County Fire Department employee Max Shih dispenses of a syringe after administering a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during a distribution clinic at St. Rose hospital in Hayward on Jan. 27, 2021. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters

WhatMatters

Vaccine supply shrinks ahead of state’s 16+ expansion

Welcome to open season. On Thursday, California will expand vaccine eligibility to everyone 16 and older — the same day the vast majority of counties will get the green light to resume indoor concerts, conferences, weddings and other gatherings under certain conditions. But the promising news comes amid some not-so-promising numbers: The Golden State’s vaccine […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• April 12, 2021

Commentary

Pandemic has damaged California’s school children

A new report on Los Angeles schools reveals how California's public school students have suffered during the pandemic.

By

Dan Walters

• April 11, 2021

School Reopening