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Community colleges suddenly oppose plan to let them offer more bachelor’s degrees
Two bills sent to Newsom set new rules for determining when colleges can create bachelor’s degrees and how many they can offer.
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CalMatters journalism recognized as ‘deeply human’ and ‘innovative’ in Online Journalism Awards for video series and explanatory storytelling
The contest recognizes innovative digital storytelling amongst major media outlets, international and independent news websites, and individuals telling stories online.
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California’s healthcare affordability office claims power to punish overspending hospitals
Year after year Californians watch their health bills increase faster than their wages — for some, to the point where care becomes unaffordable. Four years ago, the state created an office to curb that trend. Now, the California Office of Health Care Affordability is gaining new power to control costs. Its board last week adopted…
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Even blue California wants lower taxes and smaller government
Scheduling note: WhatMatters will rest Labor Day weekend and return to your inboxes Tuesday. We live in a blue state that elects Democrats year after year. But a slim majority of us would prefer a smaller government and lower taxes. That’s one of the key findings from an August report by the Public Policy Institute…
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Fact check: Is Sam Altman right that almonds use more water than ChatGPT queries?
Altman claims 38,000 ChatGPT queries equal one almond’s water use.
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Why Reno’s housing market is holding up while Phoenix, Denver and Austin fall
Washoe County deeds show a 2.1% YoY gain through July 2026, while Austin is down 5.0% and Denver is down 3.4%
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Clock is ticking as LA Olympics organizers plan massive spending spree to retool venues
LA28 officials are stockpiling money and preparing to spend it fast. The organizing committee has effectively built a Fortune 500 company in Downtown L.A.
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California’s top Democrats struggle but can’t resolve the question of wildfire liability
Gavin Newsom’s late-session deal failed in the Legislature. It would have lessened liability for utilities whose equipment causes wildfires. A state Senate compromise never got a vote.
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California schools are sitting on arts money. A change in law might get them to spend it
The proposed changes aim to allay schools’ apprehension about spending their arts money granted through an initiative voters passed in 2022.
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California kills bill regulating Flock cameras even as public rage grows
The California Legislature has failed several times since 2022 to regulate technology for automatically tracking vehicles — even as examples of abuse mount. This year was no exception.
