California Local Explainers, Guides, Etc.

From long before it became a state, to the present day, immigration has shaped California—but they have often been treated poorly. Here’s how immigrants helped build California, through the state’s mixed history with immigration.

California mailed out more than 22 million ballots to registered voters ahead of Tuesday’s primary election. But as of Wednesday, just 3.5 million had been counted.

Crypto investors have seen more than half of their cryptocurrency value wiped out in six months. What is crypto, and what caused the great crash of 2022?

Before crypto, banking began moving into the digital world as far back as 1953. Here's a brief history of how computers and the internet changed finance.

California may soon shut down its last nuclear power plant, but Gov. Gavin Newsom who once championed the closure has had a change of heart. Federal funds may now keep the plant running.

Following the K-Street shooting, a freelance journalist's thoughts about reporting on the deadliest single episode of gun violence in Sacramento history.

Elon Musk may be the latest, but billionaires have been buying media outlets for decades. What does that mean for the control of news and information at a time when a free press is more important than ever?

Gold Rush-era landscapes, funk art sculptures, pop art statements, Chicano art movement masterworks—here are 10 places to explore the work of California artists.

Code violations, even after they're fixed, can cost struggling homeowners their homes. Some have seen fees and fines into the six figures even after repairs. Here are some of the horror stories. But what can be done about it?

California can increase water savings in urban and suburban areas by 30 to 48 percent using nothing but existing technology, a new report from the Pacific Institute says.

California has a new plan for dealing with COVID as the disease becomes endemic. But does that mean the pandemic is over? Here’s what Gov. Newsom is proposing.

The modern gun control movement started in California. Surprisingly, it was the work of Ronald Regan and the Black Panther Party. Here’s what happened.

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.

California women have played a significant role in shaping every major industry within the U.S. and the world. Here are a few of them.

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.