All Statewide Region Articles


All articles shown on the County Overview. (More in Topics)

Image caption: California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick speaking at Fresno City College, where he has taught for 26 years.
Civil Civic Debate & Poetry

California's Poet Laureate talks civic engagement, and bipartisan activists rekindle the art of political conversation.

Image caption: Braver Angels members discuss election reform.
Bridging the Great Divide

In a time of unprecedented polarization, Braver Angels encourages citizens to do something completely revolutionary: listen to each other.

Image caption: Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom meet with California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick.
Getting to Know California’s Poet Laureate

Lee Herrick explains to the Los Angeles Times why he’s always traveling California.

Image caption: Ryan Coonerty, co-host of the podcast "An Honorable Profession," and Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, whom he calls "my vice-mayor."
Little Santa Cruz Beats Big Sugar

SC Vice Mayor Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson on centering health in policy making, and her path to politics.

Image caption: "An Honorable Profession" is a podcast and YouTube channel that introduces listeners and viewers to public officials including mayors, school-board members, and former secretaries of transportation.
The Work of Politics

For those of you who might enjoy a glimpse of the inner workings of local politics, here's a conversation with Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, the inspired vice-mayor of Santa Cruz, California.

Image caption: Members of the California Legislative Black Caucus look on as Gov. Gavin Newsom signs a formal apology for the state's role in the perpetuation of slavery.
Black History and Equity in California

Not long ago, California's Legislative Black Caucus made history. Here's what they accomplished, and how it fits into California history going all the way back.

Image caption:
A Midwinter Check-In

With the new year fully underway, and government officials under attack back east, we offer a defense of local public servants.

Image caption: Yeah, it might feel like that but it (probably, mostly) isn't true.
Most Local Elected Officials Work Hard for Low Pay

Recent votes to give California's mayors and council members pay raises have led to criticism. Is it justified?

Image caption: Screenshot from a video for the song 'Rising Together,' which features the repeated line: 'With Trump and Musk, the future's so bright...'
The Broligarchs vs. Public Education

Silicon Valley tech billionaires have placed themselves at the right hand of the president, and they are attacking the US Department of Education. Here is a defense of public schools.

Image caption: The first all-electric school bus in the state of California pausing outside the California Capitol building in Sacramento, way back in March, 2014.
How California K-12 Public Education Works

The most populous state in the union has the largest public education system. We explain how it works.

Image caption: Satellite image of Altadena before and after the Eaton Fire.
Life and Death and Weather and Planning

Raymond Martinez and Edgar McGregor are practitioners of the art of digital citizenship. As allies in this endeavor, we commend their righteous efforts.

Image caption: Edgar McGregor picking up trash on March 18, 2024 in Eaton Canyon. Ten months later, McGregor’s posts on Facebook saved a lot of lives as the Eaton Fire blazed through Altadena.
People Have the Power

We celebrate this double-holiday with stories of citizens taking action—from a weather-watching hero in LA county to a student planner committed to the truth.

Image caption: Why one veteran of Southern California's terrifying wildfires is finding the Palisades Fire more unnerving than the rest.
Two 'Next-Level Disaster' Reports

A call with an evacuated friend fleeing fires in Los Angeles, and journalism's scary "platform problem."

Image caption: Nothing beats starting the day by reading the newspaper.
Journalism Has a Platform Problem

In which we examine the current state of online news and information discovery and distribution platforms, and how we hope to chart a path forward in 2025.

Image caption: A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained

What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.

Image caption: This ad for BenitoLink's NewsMatch fundraiser proved somewhat successful--and you can still contribute.
Rural California News Matters

In the shadow of Silicon Valley, and on California's North Coast, local news outlets deliver essential information.

Image caption: BenitoLink reporter Noe Magaña and marketing director Mo Ismail.
Greetings from San Benito County

In Hollister, a nonprofit newsroom keeps local residents apprised of momentous changes.

Image caption: Water, and the complex infrastructure required to quench California's thirst, remained a key issue in 2024.
The Trending Stories of 2024

Over the past year, we’ve witnessed big changes throughout the state, and today we present a quick look at a handful of some important ways California's civic landscape is shifting.

Image caption: Tens of thousands of truck loads of earth will be moved to raise the B.F. Sisk Dam by ten feet.
The Ups and Downs of California Dams

We check in on efforts to raise some dams in the state to store more water, and to raze some dams to to let water run free.

Image caption: You know it's bad when they need to lock up the baby formula.
Proposition 36, AB 2943 & 1179: California Cracks Down On Crime

Californians are fed up with flash-mob shoplifting, smash-and-grab theft, and an alarming uptick in Fentanyl deaths.