August 2026
California backtracks on good-government policies in divided Trump era
In an era of even more bitter divisions in the state and nation, political and governmental reforms face severe threats.
Inside the bitter war over cows and wilderness at Point Reyes
Dairy farmers grazing cows in Point Reyes were paid to leave, but now they want back in. They claim the park needs grazing to keep a lid on invasive species. The Trump administration is sympathetic.
California planned a nuclear exit. Now it’s reconsidering
Diablo Canyon doesn’t look like a nuclear power plant that’s getting ready to retire.
Nithya Raman says she’s being punished. L.A.’s City Council president says that’s not true
Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said his decision to remove Nithya Raman as homelessness committee chair wasn’t punishment at all.
Colombia’s new president backs oil and gas, a policy shift
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella is pledging to revive the country’s oil and gas sector and restore state-owned energy company Ecopetrol.
Hybrid cars are hot again globally
Toyota and Chinese automakers are seeing intense demand while other companies rush to add more hybrids to their lineups.
Shadow seen with new eagle at the Big Bear nest. Could a match be in the making?
Not long after Big Bear bald eagle Jackie’s death, a new eagle named KD1 joined Shadow in the nest, sparking speculation — and fan reaction — about a possible new bond.
An oil company wants to restart fracking off the California coast. The state’s top coastal officials say no way
The proposed fracking plan would quadruple production on an aging offshore platform in the Santa Barbara Channel.
Californians split on proposed tax on billionaires, sour on voter ID requirement, poll shows
California voters are sharply divided over a ballot measure to impose a one-time tax on billionaires to help fund healthcare programs, a proposal already triggering a fierce and expensive political fight as the November election approaches, according to a poll released Friday.
Effort to ban genetically modified animals dies in California Legislature. Advocates blame politics
A bill that would have banned the sale of genetically-modified pets for cosmetic reasons died in committee Thursday.