The California Exodus and ‘California Forever’

One of Watsonville’s most recognizable and historic community hubs could be getting a new look as the city plans a comprehensive revitalization of its downtown City Plaza.

When it comes to managing its coast, California is far ahead of other states in preparing for climate change, at least one environmental advocacy group says.

Susie O’Hara, who has served on various local boards and commissions, is running against UC Santa Cruz student Joe Thompson in the race for the Santa Cruz City Council’s 5th District seat.

For the first time, local officials have taken a hard look under the hood of Santa Cruz County's network of more than 40 boards, commissions and advisory bodies and have proposed a series of changes.

After the historic Alba Schoolhouse in Ben Lomond burned down in the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire, there was hope for rebuilding. But insurance payments complicated those plans.

The annual point-in-time count took place with about 130 volunteers, local officials and homelessness service workers hitting the streets before sunrise to try for the most accurate picture of homelessness in Santa Cruz County possible.

University of California regents delayed a vote on limits to what faculty and others can post on university channels until March. Among those speaking out against the proposal is Christine Hong, a professor of critical race and ethnic studies at UC Santa Cruz.

On Jan. 31, dozens of cities and counties are expected to convert thousands of suburban-style tracts into apartment-ready parcels. Will the state hold them to it?

An El Dorado County Jail inmate died after not receiving vital HIV medication for weeks, a new lawsuit claims.

A Cal State systemwide strike secured what more than half a year of negotiations and partial strikes couldn’t: a deal.

Richmond Ranch in south San Jose may be preserved as open space if multiple government entities succeed in a quest to buy its thousands of acres, public documents show.

State Sen. Scott Wiener wants to allow California cities and counties to designate “entertainment zones” where bars and restaurants could serve alcoholic drinks that people can consume on public streets and sidewalks.

The “pop, pop, pop” that’s become synonymous with Pickleball may soon be a racket of the past. That’s the goal promised by a new generation of equipment developed to lessen the overall acoustic burden of the sport.

In the first year of California’s Feather Alert system, authorities denied some requests to issue bulletins on missing people, causing concerns.

The March ballot measure would raise billions for mental health care, but some clinics fear it would strip them of revenue they need for services they provide today.

Take a period of limited rainfall. Add heat. And you have what scientists call a “hot drought”—dry conditions made more intense by the evaporative power of hotter temperatures.

Disneyland’s plan to reimagine the theme park into a more “immersive” experience may require up to $2.5 billion and a plan to privatize some Anaheim streets.

A combination of tax credits, revenue sharing and coupons could bring stability, writes Steven Waldman, president of Rebuild Local News.

Those pandemic puppies are growing up to be a public health concern.

A U.S. Senate committee launched an examination of assisted living, holding its first hearing in two decades on the industry as leaders of both parties expressed concern about the high cost and mixed quality of care facilities.

The proposed bill would require new California cars to have a speed limiter.

An updated earthquake hazard map from USGS shows a high shaking risk in California.

In a sign of the ongoing threats to its precious groundwater stores, half a dozen regions in California rank among the world’s most rapidly declining aquifers.

The numbers and letters on your car can reveal more than you think.

In the year and a half since its launch, 988—the country’s easy-to-remember suicide and crisis hotline—has received about 8.1 million calls, texts, and chats. Curiosity is growing about the people taking those calls.

The four leading U.S. Senate contenders in California tried to use 90 minutes of free air time to solidify their pitches to voters—and also to set themselves apart from their opponents.

Fast food lives in a consumer sweet spot: demand, convenience and relative affordability. And this pay hike—equal to minimum wage increases during the past five years—will create grand economic unknowns.