Placer County Local News

With Democrats firmly in control of statewide offices and the Legislature, California isn’t often seen as a “battleground state.” But California could decide which party controls Congress — and both parties and their allies are spending tens of millions of dollars to seize the opportunity.

Elon Musk, the tech mogul who runs Tesla, said in December that diversity, equity and inclusion efforts “must die.” Now, two civil rights groups are calling for the nation’s largest public pension fund to divest from the electric vehicle maker.

Multiple state agencies spent nearly $24 billion on housing and homeless programs in the first five years of Gavin Newsom’s governorship, but the number of people without homes continued to grow, rising by 20% to more than 180,000 in the most recent federal count in 2023.

A new state law bans private colleges from considering an applicant’s ties to family members who are alumni or donors. California’s public universities don’t use legacy admissions.

The Yes and No on 33 campaigns have collectively spent more than $140 million. CalMatters fact checked some of the more pervasive claims made by both sides.

Tens of thousands of California ride-hailing drivers, and possibly more, could eventually get back pay after a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that clears the way for the state and some cities to proceed with their lawsuits against Uber and Lyft.

Supporters of a proposition to ban forced labor in California prisons believe they have a strong message centered on rehabilitation. But as Election Day nears, polls show it’s a toss-up or trailing.

Only a few months delayed, Gov. Gavin Newsom finally got to take his victory lap over the oil industry on October 14.

After the Watergate scandal, California voters approved a ballot measure that created the Fair Political Practices Commission — an independent, nonpartisan agency to police election campaigns and investigate political ethics violations.

Last week, VotingMatters went to public libraries, colleges, and a museum to talk about California’s ballot propositions. So far, VotingMatters has reached more than 750 people across 20 events, bringing crucial election information to voters around the state.

The Live Your Dream grants are open to women who provide the primary financial support for their families and are enrolled in an educational program with an aim to become financially self sufficient.

The state Senate signs off on Gov. Newsom’s bill to stop spikes in California gas prices. A final vote is scheduled on Monday.

A Q&A with the candidates running for seats on the Truckee Tahoe Airport District Board of Directors in the November election.

An introduction to the candidates running for seats on the Tahoe Forest Hospital District Board of Directors in the November election.

An introduction to the candidates running for the District 5 seat on the Placer County Board of Supervisors in the November election.

Volunteers are needed for the Placer County Free Tax Prep program for the 2025 tax season.

Applications are open for Placer Fish and Game Commission grants for projects contributing to the safeguarding, conservation, propagation and preservation of local fish and wildlife.

U.S. Senate candidates Rep. Adam Schiff (far left) and Republican Steve Garvey (second) participate in a debate moderated by news anchor Marc Brown (far right) in Glendale on Oct. 8, 2024. Photo by Damian Dovarganes, AP Photo

California allotted half a billion dollars to help community land trusts across the state. But budget cuts and bureaucracy have land trust advocates back where they were in 2020: seeking state aid to preserve affordable housing.

On Aug. 31, when Gov. Gavin Newsom called a special session on gas prices, California motorists were paying $4.61 per gallon on average, $1.27 more than the national average.
On October 7, when the state Senate finally convened, prices were $4.68 in California, or $1.51 above the national average.