All California Local Newsletters

In which we salute the hard workers who make California the fifth largest economy on the planet.

For one thing, "citizen," like "garden," can be used as a verb.

In the midst of charges that California, and its favorite daughter Kamala Harris, are soft on crime, lawmakers step up in the name of public safety.

Joe Biden visited the Santa Cruz County beach towns of Aptos and Capitola following bad storms a couple winters ago. Last week, his administration delivered a big pile of money to help these communities and their neighbors build resilience.

As July goes down in the history books as the hottest ever recorded, the 2024 California fire season has already burned more than 30 times as much acreage as in 2023.

This week: Two examples of ways people in and around government and politics worked behind the scenes, and in the state house, to make things better.

If you've ever wondered how your governments raise and spend your tax money, here's a primer.

The public process that determines who stays cool and who does not—and many more urgent issues. Plus a virtual escape to the high country.

Over the past week, citizens empowered as members of civil grand juries issued reports of their investigations of local governments. It's an honorable institution, and they found some dishonorable stuff.

The celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is always a booming success for the fireworks industry.

Summer is here, and with it, fire season.

Logging for the future, starting in 1946, and building water resiliency, starting now.

It's impossible to predict the future—unless you set your mind to make something happen and build a coalition to execute your plan. That's how democracy works. And, frankly, how California works.

Kamala Harris, Tiger Woods, and 23 more AAPI Californians; DTLA flourishes, and a homemade birthday cake.

Our brand new book, "How California Works: Building Democracy in the Golden State," tells a true story that you'll be glad to know. And: Learn how, if you look closely, you'll see that things are truly getting better.

The state has pledged to build 2.5 million housing units by 2030, and one agency is charged with that task. Meet the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

Your mental health is the most important thing in the world.

The state's never-ending housing crisis has inspired hundreds of thousands of Californians to flee, and inspired an audacious plan for a brand-new city. Here's where the two related stories stand this week.

A celebration of the work of an artist who devoted a career to preserving the wildlands he loved. Plus: News you can use, and a tasty recipe!

Ee celebrate the efforts our fellow humans have made and are making to help heal our planet and connect us, while we simultaneously consider what we must do to protect our communities as the climate crisis worsens.