All California Local Newsletters

In this issue of The Newsletter, we ponder incremental progress as reflected in the journey of two newsrooms.

Big Social Media is abandoning the field of reliable information-distribution in some big ways. CALocal is helping to fill that hole—with maps.

Take a break from the weighty worries of the modern world. Go on a run, absorb some culture, and yuk it up with California-born comedians.

Planned communities—the past. the present and the future.

California Local focuses on reclamation districts, the oldest type of special district in California, created to turn wetlands into arable—and monetizable—land.

As Lahaina recovers from the deadliest wildfire in modern US history, we revisit the second-deadliest—the Camp Fire, which destroyed Paradise, CA almost five years ago. Also: Is California ready for a Lahaina-type disaster? And: A climate-crisis lexicon.

The nonprofit sector plays a huge role in what we like to call “community betterment” throughout California. Here are some organizations and individuals who are doing some very cool work that you’ll want to know about.

Twitter, the "digital town square" that never really was, is no more. And Meta/Facebook is (almost) revealed as a spreader of hate and division. Plus: Some real good news.

Even as new studies further strengthen scientific consensus on global warming, climate deniers persist—and so do California’s efforts to fend off disaster.

Two films celebrate historic events: the dawn of the atomic age and the birth of the modern woman.

There is evidence that the tightly related scourges of housing affordability and homelessness could be alleviated with one bold move: Abolish restrictive zoning.

Modern humans face a rate of societal change that far outstrips anything our ancestors encountered. It’s no wonder we struggle to preserve what we can of the past.

Here in California, we are not waiting for national politicians to recognize that we live in a land built on diversity—and that the world needs us to act boldly to make big changes.

A quick perusal of “Milestones in the American Gay Rights Movement” proves that the Left Coast contributed more than its fair share to the cause.

The California Legislature is considering a constitutional amendment declaring "that the state “recognizes the fundamental human right to adequate housing for everyone in California.”

2023 marks the first year Juneteenth is an official state holiday, but Californians have observed the holiday for decades. Find out where the parties are.

The New York Times Magazine spends an entire issue explaining why California matters, and CalMatters wins gold for giving the state the coverage it deserves.

Let’s face some hard facts—and still be able to celebrate the beginning of the best season of the year.

You probably know that The Newsletter goes out only to California Local members and subscribers. Today I am writing to bring the good news that we have just been given two big awards.

The state’s most important industry relies on workers who are not given a chance to obtain legal status.