According to a statewide survey from the Public Policy Institute of California, 69 percent of those polled – 71 percent of likely voters – say bad times lie ahead. That represents a pessimism jump of 17 points from November of 2021.
The California Capitol in Sacramento, surrounded by Capitol Park. (Photo: Merge Digital Media LLC, via Shutterstock)In the final weeks before Election Day on Nov. 8, support for Proposition 30, the state ballot measure on funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has slid to less than a majority. On the congressional front, Democrats hold an overall edge across the 10 competitive districts that could determine which party controls the US House of Representatives.
The cap of a well used to monitor groundwater samples in Gilroy. (Photo: Matthew Corley, via Shutterstock)More than 60% of California’s groundwater wells are operating at below-normal levels, endangering much of the Golden State’s population that relies on the precious resource. Although relatively unknown to many Californians, who see water supply in terms of rivers, streams and reservoirs, groundwater is a hugely vital source that is largely invisible.
Students studying in a California classroom. (Photo: GagliardiPhotography, via Shutterstock)OPINION: One of the charges I hold seriously is to ensure every child in California has the resources they need to succeed. As a product of California’s K-12 public schools in the Central Valley, I can still recall the deficiency in resources as well as the knowledge of those that were appointed to secure that my future endeavors were aligned for excellence.
Wood chips that serve as a renewable heating and energy sources. (Photo: Elmar Gubisch, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Wednesday, Oct. 20, marks National Bioenergy Day, where we celebrate the benefits the industry provides. Bioenergy helps the state become less reliant on fossil fuels using resources from the agricultural and forestry sectors. The residuals from those industries are used to produce renewably fueled electricity.
Thousands of geese gather in the rice-growing lands of the Sacramento Valley.(Photo: Jm Morris)OPINION: To put forward our shared vision of creating an ecologically functioning Sacramento Valley ecosystem — capable of supporting human communities and economies as well as abundant fish and wildlife populations — the California Rice Commission, California Trout, Ducks Unlimited, and the Northern California Water Association have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding.
Demonstrators supporting the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom gather in Yorba Linda in Orange County. (Photo: Matt Gush, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Usually, the year after a presidential election is pretty quiet in California when it comes to high-profile political contests. But this year Republicans have managed to make the Golden State a national battleground — and a fundraising juggernaut — with their recall fight against Gov. Gavin Newsom.
An oil well pump jack in the San Joaquin Valley. (Photo: Mark Geistweite, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Sacramento must use the windfall to even up the sides during this economic recovery, while also setting the stage for more equitable and sustainable prosperity in the decades to come. The surplus represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go big on a just transition to an equitable clean energy economy. Right now is the time for a California Green New Deal.
A helicopter sprays a field in the Salinas Valley. (Photo: Dwight Smith, via Shutterstock)Angela Mancuso had just dropped off her kids at Glenwood Elementary School when she started to smell something “funky.” She was driving back to her home just a mile away in Stockton and decided to roll down her window for some fresh air. She noticed too late that a helicopter applying pesticide to a nearby walnut grove that Tuesday morning in September 2016 kept flying back and forth across the road, spraying continuously.
An unlined segment of the Second Los Angeles Aqueduct south of Manzanar near U.S. Route 395. (Photo: Gann Matsuda)What does a Central Valley almond farmer have in common with a San Diego homeowner? The answer is simple: Water. More specifically, the amount of water they need to sustain their respective lifestyles — which is a lot.