Gov. Gavin Newsom has now completed three rounds of the annual ritual of deciding what should become law in California by giving a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to hundreds of bills sent to him by the Legislature. In year one, he used the routine to demonstrate differences from his predecessor, signing dozens...
How Much Do Wildfires Really Cost California’s Economy?
Not a single structure burned down in the city of South Lake Tahoe. And yet, the threat of the fast approaching Caldor Fire cost surrounding El Dorado County tens of millions of dollars, if not more. In South Lake Tahoe, Domi Chavarria, co-owner of Verde Mexican Rotisserie, felt the devastation...
Newsom’s Bill Signing Flurry Results in 770 New Laws
You’d be forgiven for not knowing Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed the largest expansion of California’s college financial aid system in a generation — he did so during the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants’ first playoff game Friday night. Emily Hoeven Calmatters Hours later, it was all over: Newsom signed...
Universal Transitional Kindergarten Will Be a Game Changer
On a Tuesday evening in May, third-grade teacher Clara Yanez and second-grade teacher Jackie Gonzalez stood in front of their board of education and asked them to count little plastic farm animals. While not a typical agenda item at Buttonwillow Union Elementary School, this exercise in “counting collections” was a...
We Can’t Fight Today’s Devastating Wildfires the Same Old Way
Three years ago, the town of Paradise was destroyed by the Camp Fire, which was later designated the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history. I saw the devastation first-hand because I served as the National Guard dual-status commander at the Camp Fire and was responsible for coordinating the military’s involvement...
Why Is Fresno One of the Nation’s Hottest Housing Markets?
Even as other California cities saw rents plummet during the pandemic, Fresno stood out. Since 2017, the state’s fifth largest city has seen rents spike by 39%. New apartments are renting for prices similar to those in large coastal cities, and the average home now sells for $331,000. So how...
Contractor’s Deal on California Rent Relief Gets More Lucrative
Despite an initial slow rollout of rent relief money, the state of California is extending and more than doubling its deal with the outside contractor it hired to get the money to tenants and landlords. The contract with Horne LLP, a Mississippi-based accounting firm that specializes in disaster relief, jumped...
Students With Disabilities Across California Stuck in Limbo
The school year at Duarte Unified School District, 20 miles east of Los Angeles, started a month ago, but Brady, Ellie and Jack Fitzgibbons have yet to receive any instruction from their teachers. The 13-year-old triplets are on the autism spectrum, and their mother, Julie Fitzgibbons, didn’t feel safe sending...
What’s the Role of Unions in the 21st Century?
Unions have historically formed to ensure fair wages, benefits and better working conditions for their members. They negotiate with businesses and governments on behalf of employees, who either work a particular type of job or in a particular industry. They’re a powerful force in California politics, pushing for a statewide...
Who’s Dying in California from COVID-19?
It’s been longer than a year and a half since COVID-19 first arrived in California, and the demographics of who is dying from the virus are changing. So far, 67,628 people have died in California during the pandemic, more than in any other state. In recent months, those who are...