Opinion
Out-of-state pharmacies, hospitals exploit federal ‘340B’ program
The pharmaceutical section of a Costco store in Folsom, Calif. (Photo: Cassiohabib, via Shutterstock)OPINION:
The pharmaceutical section of a Costco store in Folsom, Calif. (Photo: Cassiohabib, via Shutterstock)Opinion
Women will benefit greatly from necessary financial aid reform
College students performing research in a biology science class. (Photo: Rido, via Shutterstock)OPINION: A daughter of immigrants working hard labor jobs. A first-generation student who suffered the loss of her father and whose mom was laid off. A single mother working to provide for her three children. These are the students our California colleges would have lost and whose futures would have been limited were it not for financial aid.
Opinion
The essential reality and necessity of environmental justice
Metal and plastic household appliances, including electronic gear, ready for recycling. (Photo: akiyoka, via Shutterstock)OPINION: The term “environmental justice” — or EJ, for short — has recently gained widespread usage among the general public. Do you know what it means? At the heart of it is that our most disadvantaged communities and neighborhoods have historically been disproportionately impacted by industrial pollution, toxic waste and air emissions that adversely affect the health and well-being of residents in those areas.
Opinion
Franchises are key to a healthy California workforce
A Subway outlet in San Francisco, one of an estimated 40,000 Subway eateries worldwide. (Photo: Tupungato, via shutterstock)OPINION: California has always been a place where aspiring entrepreneurs can go to harness their full potential and explore new opportunities. For me, that exploration began in 1995 in San Francisco when a former classmate of mine was starting a new concept in quick service restaurants: World Wrapps.
Opinion
End recording industry’s corporate loophole that strangles artists
A drum kit is wired in and ready to go at a recording studio. (Photo: Taya Ovod, via Shutterstock)OPINION: What do hip-hop stars Megan Thee Stallion and Ms. Lauryn Hill have in common? The first things that come to mind may be their platinum albums, multiple Grammy Awards (12 between them), and the fact that they are the only two female rappers in history to have been named “Best New Artist of the Year” by the Recording Academy
Opinion
High court ruling on Prop. 12 could impact climate, consumers
Pigs confined in cages, prior to slaughtering and processing. (Photo: vinsenssandy, via Sutterstock)OPINION: A case before the U.S. Supreme Court — derived from a California ballot measure — could decide the fate of current and future state laws related to the climate crisis, harmful compounds in consumer products, and even the safety of baby food. The case involves Proposition 12, which was passed in landslide fashion in 2018 by 63% of California voters.
Opinion
A matter of life or death: California needs a homelessness strategy
A homeless man asleep on the street in San Francisco. (Photo: Izzy Bouchard, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Nearly 5,000 unhoused Californians died in 2021, many of them drawing their last breaths alone on our streets. California, which boasts the fifth largest economy in the world, cannot continue to let our neighbors die in public; it’s time for something different.
Opinion
Boosting state support to working class communities makes sense
A view of downtown Los Angeles from a nearby residential community. (Photo: Hayk_Shalunts, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Last year was a terrible year for many working class Californians. The pandemic raged on, claiming lives, disrupting schools, and endangering workplaces, but one by one, the programs put in place to support frontline workers evaporated. Meanwhile, the cost of basic necessities across the board – from groceries, to utility bills, to gasoline – soared.
Opinion
What we need: smart, affordable transportation
A bicycle parked near the Golden Gate Bridge during a summer outing. (Photo: Juliana F Rodriguez, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Time is almost up for Gov. Newsom and the state legislature to invest in critical solutions to two major crises—sky-high gas prices and climate change. If they act now, they can help Californians spend less on gas by delivering transportation options that are better for the environment. That’s why legislators should support $2 billion for the Active Transportation Program (ATP).
Opinion
Dams, a key part of state infrastructure, must be kept safe
O'Shaughnessy Dam in Hetch Hetchy Valley, Yosemite National Park, is a key source of water to the SF Bay Area. (Photo: SveKo, via Shutterstock)OPINION: We applaud Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature for taking bold action last year to fund climate resilience and related water infrastructure in the fiscal year 2021-’22 state budget. In light of the current budget surplus, funding for climate resilience and water infrastructure should remain a key priority for investment in California.