-
Prop 45 explained: CEQA overhaul could shift who holds power over building
Prop 45 would shift who’s in charge of building in California. Supporters say it would also speed it up.
-
What California’s new e-bike laws mean for you and your neighbors
Scheduling note: WhatMatters is taking Indigenous Peoples’ Day off and will return to your inboxes Tuesday. With more e-bikes on roads and sidewalks, Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed three new laws that aim to strengthen safety for riders and pedestrians. One of the laws sets sidewalk speed limits and another cracks down on electric…
-
September 2026 Hottest Housing Markets
The Kenosha, Wisconsin metro moved up one spot from last month to claim the top spot on the hottest housing markets list for the first time since January 2026. Kenosha has ranked in the top 20 a total of 67 times, but has claimed the top spot only five times.
-
California’s biggest state worker union authorizes strike in Newsom’s last months
Demanding better pay and a more flexible work-from-home policy, state workers in SEIU Local 1000 voted to authorize a strike as the union negotiates with Gov. Gavin Newsom.
-
The UC got rid of the SAT in admissions. It may be on its way back
After the UC stopped requiring the SAT, some professors say students are coming in with weak math and writing skills.
-
How election deniers are using public records to sow doubt in California
California election skeptics filed dozens of public records requests. Some are soliciting donations from people who believe election results can’t be trusted.
-
Newsom apologized to tribes for historic harms, but vetoed 2 bills that would have empowered them
Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed two bills that would’ve given tribal governments a greater voice in water projects and in preventing the destruction of sacred Indigenous religious sites on state land.
-
Unsure about the bond measures on California’s ballot? These 2 questions can help
There are two main questions to consider when evaluating bond measures on the November ballot. And the answers vary depending on the proposition.
-
They made misleading election claims. Now they’re targeting CA counties
Are election deniers and affiliated groups gathering evidence for a potential Stop the Steal 2.0 campaign in California? That was the question CalMatters reporters set out to answer earlier this year. We made requests in a sampling of geographically and politically diverse counties for logs from their elections offices that detail who’s seeking election records…
-
Where Starter Homes Still Exist: A Metro-by-Metro Look
The worst of the starter home crunch appears to be behind us, but the damage runs deep. There are roughly 300,000 fewer affordable listings on the market today than before the pandemic.
