No. 100: Capitol Weekly’s Top 100

94.  Laurel Rosenhall

Laurel Rosenhall first made this list in 2020 when she was covering the Capitol for CalMatters, but not since. That was a mistake, and so would be leaving her off this year’s list. Rosenhall has been one of the Capitol’s best reporters dating back to her start with the Sacramento Bee in 2002. As a reporter, she had a different kind of “oh sh*t” aura than someone like Ashley Zavala (No. 91). Always calm. Not confrontational, but certainly relentless. We recall watching her drive one elected’s press person to near apoplexy over the details on some issue (sorry, just what issue we don’t recall), calmly ignoring his anger until he provided the information she needed. Unflappable to say the least. Now as the LA Times Sacramento bureau chief, she oversees the coverage of the Capitol and all the various machinations of state government. To be fair, she is blessed with some great reporters – Taryn Luna and Hannah Wiley come to mind, not to mention the irrepressible George Skelton (No. 84) – but they all get their marching orders from Laurel. And that absolutely matters in this town.

Updated Aug. 15, 2023