What will California look like now that the masks are coming off?
Pandemic restrictions are ending, whether we’re ready or not. By Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main This story is produced by the award-winning journalism nonprofit Capital…
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Can California avoid another toxic waste disaster?
Lax enforcement and major permitting problems plague hazardous waste facilities in Los Angeles. By Dan Ross, Capital & Main This story is produced by the…
Billions on hand, yet Gov. Newsom snubs public health
While the governor taps a $75.7 billion surplus, community clinics and public health departments statewide are not feeling the love. By Mark Kreidler, Capital &…
California oil industry spends millions fighting climate bills
In the first three months of 2021, the petroleum industry spent over $4.3 million lobbying Sacramento. By Aaron Cantu, Capital & Main This story is…
Budget surplus underscores California’s wealth disparity
Despite record job losses during the pandemic, the 1% have left the state flush with cash. By Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main This story is…
California races against time to get Latinos vaccinated
With a full reopening less than a month away, 60% of the state’s Latino population remains unvaccinated. By Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main This story…
How California oil spillers fend off new climate laws
The oil company behind a spill in Inglewood is headed by a powerful lobbying official who’s fighting tougher regulations. By Aaron Cantu, Capital & Main…
Will California prevent a COVID eviction wave?
Low-wage workers face big unpaid bills from the pandemic. By Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main This story is produced by the award-winning journalism nonprofit Capital…
McDonald’s stores collect COVID relief funds — and employee safety complaints
California workers say McDonald’s and other fast food chains repeatedly disregarded pandemic safety precautions. By Joe Rihn, Capital & Main This story is produced by…
California faces Johnson & Johnson vaccine dilemma
It’s been a particularly brutal few days for America’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign, most recently due to the Johnson & Johnson rollout. By Mark Kreidler, Capital…
California is greenlighting oil wells linked to groundwater pollution
The impact of underground injection wells on aquifers is not well understood, but the state continues to allow their proliferation. By Aaron Cantu, Capital &…
Emails raise questions about Chevron’s Bay Area oil spill response
Richmond Mayor Tom Butt was publicly optimistic about a Chevron oil refinery spill. In private he offered a much more critical assessment. By Aaron Cantu , Capital…
Small businesses exempted from California’s expanded sick leave
New legislation requiring paid time off for COVID-related issues excludes businesses with 25 employees or less. By Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main This story is…
PFAS water lawsuits expose financial impacts on state’s poor communities
How Sacramento deals with polluted wells is quickly, if quietly, defining how seriously California takes the issue of clean drinking water. By Dan Ross, Capital…
Baffling illness in children follows in the wake of COVID
MIS-C disproportionately affects children of color. By Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main This story is produced by the award-winning nonprofit Capital & Main, and co-published…
Report to Newsom: support California workers with fair pay and benefits
Shoring up working conditions at the bottom of the economy will be a priority for state political leaders. A new report could shape policy. By…
Vaccine distribution key element in Gov. Newsom’s plan to reopen schools
Local rates of infection have driven most school districts’ decisions on whether to reopen, and families’ decisions on whether to attend. By Mark Kreidler, Capital…