Placer County Explainer Articles

California has lost 25 percent of its newspapers and seen a circulation plummet over the past 15 years. A bill in the State Legislature, SB 911, could help.

Should California pay reparations to descendants of enslaved African-American people? A state task force studying the topic is ready to issue its first report in June.

Californians have the perfect opportunity to remember César Chávez by making March 31 a day of service.

The defense industry built modern California. Though military dollars have declined, the military-industrial complex still plays a major role in shaping the state. Here’s how.

The effort to bring high speed rail to California has been an epic tale of ambition and failure—a story of endless delays and bloated cost overruns. Where does it stand now, and will the state ever see its own bullet …

Making it through the earthquake is the easy part. The hard part is surviving in the chaos that follows.

The history of transportation in California has shaped the state, from the railroads to today’s highways, making the need for planning increasingly urgent. Here’s how it all happened, and where we stand today.

California put hundreds of new laws into effect for 2022. Here are 5 that will change how business operates in the state.

How a controversial U.S. Supreme Court ruling created a national, legal sports gambling industry which now sees California as its own 'Holy Grail.'

In 2022, California voters may see as many as four ballot initiatives to make betting on sporting events legal. Here’s how they would change sports gambling, and who's behind each separate measure.

Thousands of miles of railroad track, including some in Santa Cruz County, now sit idle. The fate of those largely abandoned tracks has become a burning controversy.

The Monterey Bay National Heritage Area Study Act would evaluate whether Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties have cultural, natural and historic resources that tell an important American story.

Single-payer healthcare may be the most-discussed but least-understood form of medical coverage. Here’s what you need to know as California considers a new bill for publicly funded universal insurance.

Sheriffs in some California counties and across the USA are engaging a dangerous movement toward right-wing extremism. What does this mean for local law enforcement?

California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger, 45, reported to be high on Pres. Joe Biden’s list for a U.S. Supreme Court nomination, is known for her cautious, moderate legal opinions.

Placer County’s school system dates back well over 100 years and is today governed by an elected superintendent and board of directors. Here are some facts and figures about schools in the county.

New Year's celebrations have been around as long as civilization itself. Here's how they started and how California marks the New Year today.

Though they are elected officials, county sheriffs have less accountability than any other law enforcement officials. Here's why, and what California is doing about it.

SB 35 is one of California’s most important affordable housing laws. Here’s what it does, and a look at how well it’s working.

California homicide spiked by 31 percent in 2020. The shocking increase has continued into 2021. Here are several theories that attempt to explain the state’s suddenly rising murder rate.