Sonoma County - CalMatters

Long lines of people wait for over two hours for a COVID-19 test at a testing site in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 5, 2022. Photo by Raquel Natalicchio for CalMatters

California teeters on edge of more COVID shutdowns

by Emily Hoeven January 12, 2022January 12, 2022

How long will California be able to avoid shutdowns of schools, health care facilities and businesses if the omicron wave doesn’t peak soon?

Meredith Reyes, a lab technician, labels COVID-19 test swabs before processing at the Sonoma County Department of Public Health in Santa Rosa. California counties are fighting for more state health funds. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters

County health agencies — fighting disease — also have to fight for state funds

by Barbara Feder Ostrov and Ana B. Ibarra June 11, 2021September 28, 2021

Lake Mendocino, a reservoir serving the region, is largely dried up due to drought conditions. Photo by Bobby Cochran Photography courtesy of Russian River Flood Control, & Water Conservation Improvement District

Drought emergency inflames political tensions

by Emily Hoeven April 22, 2021April 22, 2021

Drought conditions visible at Lake Mendocino in January. Photo by Bobby Cochran Photography courtesy of Russian River Flood Control, & Water Conservation Improvement District

Governor declares drought emergency in northwest counties

by Rachel Becker April 21, 2021July 14, 2021

OptumServe is opening vaccine clinics across California despite several counties expressing dissatisfaction with a vaccination pilot program and COVID-19 testing sites. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters

Counties raise concerns as OptumServe gets bigger role in vaccination

by Emily Hoeven February 26, 2021February 26, 2021

Jill Borges, far right, a teacher at Cupertino High School, protests school closings in the Cupertino and Sunnyvale school districts with her three children, from left to right, Emry, 9, Cruz, 7, and Brooklyn, 9, in front of Fremont High School in Sunnyvale on Feb. 23, 2021. Photo by Nhat V. Meyer, Bay Area News Group

Who has the power to reopen California classrooms?

by Laurel Rosenhall February 26, 2021March 9, 2021

A steady flow of Sonoma County voters went to the polling place at Petaluma’s Community Center in Lucchesi Park to cast their votes on Nov. 3, 2020. Photo by Crissy Pascual, Argus-Courier staff

Elections, Politics

Hills above Santa Rosa harbor peacocks, foxes — and some of California’s most engaged voters

by Lewis Griswold December 16, 2020December 17, 2020

"Simple. Secure. Trustworthy. Counted." A sign reads in Spanish encouraging voters to vote by mail Off I-5 on November 3, 2020. Photo by Clara Mokri for CalMatters

Elections, Politics

How election officials fought fiction with fact

by Freddy Brewster and Katie Licari December 2, 2020December 3, 2020

An ambulance rides past the Oakland Fox Theater on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland during the first shelter-in-place order on March 24, 2020. Photo by Ray Chavez, Bay Area News Group

With ICUs filling up, Gov. Newsom says state lockdown possible this week

by Emily Hoeven December 1, 2020December 1, 2020

Due to high winds and dry conditions PG&E will turn off the power to over 361,000 customers in 36 counties to protect them from possible wildfires caused by downed power lines. Photo by Jose Carlos Fajardo, Bay Area News Group

Orange County besieged with blazes; Northern California largely spared

by Emily Hoeven October 27, 2020October 27, 2020