Clock is Ticking on California’s Landmark Plastics Reduction Legislation
June 29, 2022
No Comments
If the Legislature does not approve the bill by Thursday, a similar initiative will proceed to the November ballot.
If the Legislature does not approve the bill by Thursday, a similar initiative will proceed to the November ballot.
With knowledge of personal details, ICE imposters have coaxed thousands of dollars from fearful relatives of detainees.
The Los Angeles Press Club honored Capital & Main with 16 prizes in the annual journalism contest.
Advocates say big telecom proposals could water down the state’s ambitious effort to connect 98% of residents by 2026.
As Roe v. Wade falls, a new podcast immerses listeners in the harrowing experiences of those seeking abortion, and the network of doctors, nurses and clergy helping them.
Medical professionals are tackling health care disparities affecting Black men by providing services at barbershops.
Psychotherapist Stuart Perlman’s portraits capture the humanity of those living on the streets.
Opponents say the plan would worsen pollution and build momentum for more industrial projects near the fragile coastline.
Wildland firefighters have been sounding the alarm on a lack of accessible housing. Is anyone listening?
Wildfires loom all over, but the rural counties with poor and elderly residents face the greatest threats.
A new California initiative may make a real difference in reducing the mountain of plastic refuse.
In-home care is a growing necessity across the state. When will counties treat it that way?
The legislation would increase fines for violations at long last, but is getting heavy pushback.
Immigrant youth activist Juliana Macedo do Nascimento on the good and bad about DACA.
The planes reconfigure from “ultra-luxurious” aircraft for athletes to mass deportation machines for migrants.
The proposed legislation would direct the state’s public pension funds to cease investment in oil, gas and coal companies.
A store in Anaheim, California becomes the latest to organize amid a national wave of dissent against the java giant.
Like its founder, the Capitol Hill Citizen pulls no punches exposing a body politic feeding off corporate donors.
The telecom company has also given hundreds of thousands of dollars to legislators supporting voter suppression laws.
A Los Angeles-area air quality board faces questions over grant spending amid some of the worst pollution in the nation.
For some of California’s most vulnerable renters, a lack of internet access may lead to eviction.
Economist Valerie Wilson discusses neoliberalism’s impact on racial disparities in wealth and income.
Districts struggle to fill open positions and see new waves of teacher departures this summer.
David Bacon spent three decades capturing the experiences of laborers, their treatment and where they came from.
With community schools, acting locally is proving a winning idea.
Gov. Newsom’s revised budget includes money for a one-time drinking water crisis program, but advocates are hoping for more.
Has Martin’s Potato Roll Become the MAGA Burger Bun?
Franchises are increasingly hiring teens but may be doing so at the expense of their health and safety.
How economic policies in the ’80s and ’90s destabilized American democracy today.
In Chinatown, renters champion use of eminent domain to rekindle the fight for truly public housing.
The state asked for federal help to find oil field emissions; the EPA found dozens — but in three years it has issued only two fines.
A move by the Valencia County Commission surprises the public and helps a major donor.
Author David Pepper argues that state governments have become a key reason for the erosion of rights and America’s drift from democracy.
“We just don’t have the luxury to be despondent.”
A three-part series of interviews about the influence of neoliberalism on our politics and economics.
California looks to ease the strain put on its vulnerable undocumented workforce.
The view from Lemon Hill, a working-class community where stress and anxiety rule the day.
Divisions deepen as America waits for the official Supreme Court ruling.
‘Here’s the core of it. There ain’t going to be any jobs on a dead planet.’
Striking down ‘Roe v. Wade’ will lead to further health inequities.
A patchwork of different rules decide which workers earn time and a half around the country.
How employers get away with denying workers income they used to earn.
Here is why a full-time employee is four times less likely to earn time-and-a-half income than in the 1970s.
To do so, he will need to learn from the failures of Obama and Carter.
Many people work more than full time, but few earn extra money anymore. A labor-friendly president promises to change that.
Michael Tubbs, who launched Stockton’s famous universal basic income experiment, discusses his EPIC project with Manuel Pastor, director of USC’s Equity Research Institute.
Fossil fuel interest groups are telling New Mexicans: let us keep drilling or the state’s education system will collapse.
The oil and gas industry could jeopardize federal funding to clean up the state’s thousands of abandoned and leaking wells.
They can leave patients with crippling medical bills. Why are high-deductible insurance plans becoming so popular with employers?
23 California legislators who failed to support clean energy bills have taken a combined $1.58 million from the oil and gas industry.
Some powerful business interests oppose government efforts to ensure free broadband for low-income communities.
What a night it was. On April 21, 300 people gathered at Seventh/Place in downtown Los Angeles to celebrate excellence in social impact journalism and media.
Community-based organizations on the front lines take the brunt of health and racial disparities. Will California do something about it?
More than 60 million U.S. workers have been shut out of the court system by companies that mandate arbitration in the event of a dispute.
‘Life-changing’ apprenticeship moves low-wage workers into high-paying careers.
Will Gov. Gavin Newsom expand food aid to help those he touted during the pandemic?
Labor and environmentalists seek skill standards to ensure safety, high road jobs.
Proterra picks up riders on the high road to a zero emission future.
A three-part series examines the quality of clean energy jobs, and who gets them, in the Golden State.
The improbable labor win is raising comparisons to thwarted efforts to organize workers in the early 2000s.
Due to decades of wage stagnation, it will take an aggressive set of pro-labor policies for workers to be properly compensated.
The organic and vegetarian meal maker is facing a litany of complaints from employees over workplace abuses.
California tries to address dangerous work conditions, low pay and staff turnover in its care facilities.
After teetering for weeks at the edge of a strike, Kroger and Albertsons employees approve a new union contract.
New well count rises as governor appoints oil lobbyist to top role.
More than a ground-breaking Dodger star, Jackie Robinson had a radical side, too.
In one of the most polluted parts of the state, locals wonder who will benefit from California’s latest gold rush.
Kalmus, a climate scientist and activist, explains why we need to act now, and fast, to forestall calamity.
The city’s ‘Right to Organize’ ordinance requires landlords to recognize tenant associations in their buildings.
Reflecting on the changes that have occurred during the pandemic, Dr. Manuel Pastor discusses how society can reverse the bad and build on the good. The future is forged through our every day actions.
The promising new tool in the fight to preserve affordable housing: a coalition of tenant unions.
A state secret comes into the open: how inflation targets the poor.
Compared with 60 years ago, workers are getting less and shareholders are getting more — sometimes a lot more.
Oil production and rhetoric are up — but jobs and investments? Not so much.
Democracy would flourish as new voters flexed their strength, says veteran columnist E.J. Dionne, co-author of a proposal to make voting the law.
As L.A. County unveils the most ambitious ‘free money’ program to date, studies show they help participants regain control of their lives.
The pandemic exposed the huge economic and social impact of not having reliable internet access. Now advocates are seeking to finally close the digital divide.
L.A. County’s labor federation, spurred by the pandemic, will launch a massive mutual aid initiative to address hunger, housing insecurity and other community needs.
The state senator says ‘we’re starting to break through’ on expanding the safety net for all Californians.
Gaps in environmental regulations may leave communities at risk of exposure to the toxic industrial compound.
Republicans’ witness in Ketanji Brown Jackson nomination linked to group that fueled the insurrection.
Fossil fuel companies are pushing for investment in emission-reducing technologies critics say are unproven or even harmful.
Exploring income inequality in the land of milk and money.
As billionaires blast off into space, Americans increasingly support federal and state wealth taxes.
The author says we should keep our eyes on the dark money donors animating the far right.
Will the city finally hold banks responsible for failing to serve the community?
Counting those who don’t want to be seen, in order to keep them alive.
Critics maintain that short legislative sessions hinder lawmakers’ ability to address significant policy issues.
Despite campaign promises, Biden hasn’t slowed down Trump’s ‘main engine of deportation.’
The long-time activist talks about the El Sereno community’s struggle for autonomy in the midst of a global pandemic.
Two years on, with mandates lifting, what’s changed about COVID — and what hasn’t.
Over the past four years, fossil fuel companies paid almost $77.5 million to lobby lawmakers in Sacramento.
Marking two years of pandemic times, Rubén Martínez takes stock of what he has seen. Do you remember?
Three bills may fall victim to a new push for more oil drilling.
Hoping to land federal infrastructure funds, New Mexico is partnering with other Western states on the proposal.
Disneyland revolts, immigrant NIMBYs, the best xiu mai and more of what makes OC the place where stereotypes go to die.
In a moment of genuine emergency like the pandemic, any improvement in health care access is welcome.
While $5.2 trillion brought swift recovery, U.S. workers still lack the security of those in other advanced economies.
What are Gov. Newsom’s plans for protecting workers who have suffered disproportionately?
Access to credit and the right zip code are often gateways to success for small businesses.
California health care workers feel worn out, denied the staffing and support that would let them do what they do best.
The California surplus is available to some, but for 61 local public health department workers there’s little but tough love.
Glendale Water & Power says it is obligated by law to meet generation requirements — opponents say it’s ‘gaslighting.’
The state is in danger of missing its 2030 emission goal, but the oil and gas industry is lobbying against changes.
As the agency rolls out a $500 million clean up program, it must navigate skepticism from environmental experts and the public.
Taking care of California means taking care of those with disabilities and comorbidities.
Affluent Californians flock to the region, creating a classic housing crisis, only more so.
Discovering the root cause of high rates of Black maternal and infant mortality: racism.
Lawsuit in Bay Area represents a looming issue for thousands of idled oil and gas wells.
The state’s booming budget lacks cash for monitoring of oil and gas wells.
Gov. Newsom calibrates the right time for schools to drop the mask mandate.
Allegations of racial discrimination at Elon Musk’s flagship auto factory trigger major lawsuit by state of California.
Lax reporting laws leave politicians and the public in the dark about legislation backers.
Not all homeowners will be able to benefit from $1 billion relief program.
Nationstar and Xome’s Conflict of Interest Called “Staggering” and “Unethical” in Lawsuit.
The sweetheart deal cut with the largest managed-care organization in California may have some messy implications.
The state’s record $8.47 billion budget bill lacks adequate funding to monitor oil and gas operations and combat climate change.
Report shows that hiring nine new oil and gas regulators would generate a half-billion dollars in remediation work.
Deluge of outside funds signals a national strategy for replacing elected officials.
While banks keep merging, advocates are trying to make sure low income communities won’t have to pay for it.
Documentarian Giorgio Angelini explores the shaky foundation of America’s housing industry.
Talking about racial disparities is easy — legislating is far harder, governments discover.
No testing requirements, safety guidelines or certifications for the full body restraints exist in the U.S.
In committee hearings, Republicans echo industry concerns and muddle the intent of legislation.
The Los Angeles-based Zapotec organizer shares how “mutual aid” has always been traditional.
Promising new legislation to keep California workers safe would leave many uncovered.
Emails show how the industry weakened emissions legislation and pushed back on cap-and-trade reforms.
A new state bill seeks to find out what we don’t know about the jobs we want to have.
The legal market has removed the threat of arrest, but brought with it a whole new set of challenges.
A look beneath the hood of the Hydrogen Hub Development Act reveals the natural gas industry’s machinations.
High fees and regulatory hoops have left many in the cannabis industry locked out of the legal marketplace.
A Florida-based company is now the nation’s largest weed corporation, leaving Black growers behind.
In a time of pandemic and with its healthcare system in pieces, a bold Assembly bill shows California moving forward.
A ground-breaking state law could raise work standards for fast food employees while keeping them safe.
Coast to coast, the green rush is failing Black growers and entrepreneurs.
While the state is flush with record fossil fuel revenues, key legislators oppose full funding of state agencies that police the industry.
Chesa Boudin became district attorney to reform the criminal justice system. Is he the scapegoat for the city’s woes?
The acclaimed op-ed contributing writer to the N.Y. Times and L.A. Times examines the past, present and future of racialized housing policy.
The Labor Department is readying a rule that could allow millions more Americans to earn additional wages.
An ‘onslaught’ of school protest aims to do what California’s government has struggled to achieve: keep students safe.
While most producers dramatically increased their reporting, the state’s largest natural gas producer’s numbers haven’t budged.
King went to Memphis, where he was killed, to support African American garbage workers, who were on strike to protest unsafe conditions, abusive white supervisors and low wages.
Before he was a leading man, the legendary actor proved himself in tough, no frills genre films that brought a new kick to Hollywood.
New state protocols allow health care workers who test positive but are asymptomatic to immediately return to work.
“Hungry at the Table” singles out pay and conditions at grocery giant, whose profits have soared during the pandemic.
First-in-the-nation legislation takes aim at egregious violations in the fashion industry.
Agricultural workers in New York just formed the state’s first farmworker union, but a new law guaranteeing overtime protections and organizing rights for the first time has been delayed.
The activist discusses how to keep communities safe without policing as we know it.
A debate on voting rights seems destined to irrelevance, as the Biden agenda remains stalled out.
Nirvana manager-turned-activist Danny Goldberg shares lessons from the intersection of celebrity and the 2020 presidential campaign.
They understand the need to extend sick leave. They have the money. Do they have the will?
Two scholars on a power more transformative than markets or government: people.
Rallies, wildfires and an oil spill: Photojournalist Ted Soqui looks back on his best images of the year.
We ran the numbers. These are the stories that resonated the most with our audience.
Capital & Main reporters found reason for optimism in 2021, from landmark climate victories to expansion of healthcare for immigrants.
In a year of turmoil, here’s journalism that made a difference.
As the California governor heads into re-election mode, we examine his progress (or lack thereof) in several healthcare categories.
A selection of memorable Capital & Main stories from this past year.
Just because medical institutions see another surge coming doesn’t mean they’re equipped to handle it.
Hydrogen production would dramatically increase natural gas development in a state that already struggles to police natural gas operators.
Alberto Carvalho, a proponent of school choice, oversaw a growth of magnet and charter schools in Miami.
Less than half of the state’s nursing home residents have received the booster, which provides crucial protection against new variants.
Complaints charging two lenders with anti-Black business practices raise questions about growing industry sector.
The L.A. County Supervisor shares her own experience inside the state’s fractured medical system and the huge stakes in creating a better one.
Newly discovered records of illegal hazardous waste dumping raise fresh doubts over developer transparency and regulatory oversight.
MacArthur Fellow Cristina Rivera Garza spoke to us from her home in San Diego to contemplate the U.S.-Mexico border, something first conceived in the imagination — which means that the imagination can also erase it.
Michelle Burton of the Social Change Institute talks about structural racism and its effect on generations of vulnerable communities.
The California Immigrant Policy Center’s Sarah Dar makes the case for universal health care.
Venice Family Clinic’s Elizabeth Benson Forer explains how the dramatic growth of her essential facility reflects the breakdown of our health care system.
Forty years into her career, RN Cathy Kennedy believes the poor and people of color will never get fair treatment until we make systemic change.
In a special podcast series, Mark Kreidler talks to experts and advocates about the economic and racial determinants of health in the Golden State.
Pressure from corporate donors, public relations firms and anti-union consultants has chilled research by labor studies academics.
U.S. companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars per year to ensure workers don’t organize.
Thirty years ago, a labor organizer helped convince an anti-union consultant to document his methods.
An estimated 60% of large employers use workplace monitoring tools, some of which can be used to chill organizing.
Capital & Main’s new series explores the impact of the union avoidance industry, which has only gotten more powerful in recent years.
Thousands of homeowners live near methane-emitting wells. The fossil fuel industry has avoided cleaning up the mess for over a century.
The mayor’s preemptive strike against the omicron variant is a stealth boon for businesses.
Development, oil and agriculture have long-burdened the valley with pollutants, and residents are tired of the EPA doing nothing about it.
Will Democrats stop appointing legislators with fossil fuel investments to key committees in 2022?
Though imperfect, the city’s mandate shows promise for the likely holiday COVID surge.
A ‘Community Equity Fund’ empowered neighborhood groups to reach 1.9 million people, but organizations say more needs to be done.
Cervantes, a progressive policy expert, explains what has and hasn’t changed for immigrant workers under the Biden administration.
Tribes struggling to rebuild after Hurricane Ida were surprised when the Biden administration reopened oil and gas leasing.
A significant portion of eligible water systems haven’t yet applied for funds meant to help customers, despite a Dec. 6 deadline.
The state is waiting for a federal court case to be resolved before implementing regulations meant to prevent further deaths.
The unpopular proposal promotes a fuel that may cause more harm to the environment than it’s worth to produce.
The new film about the powerlessness of older workers has already struck a chord with many.
Two years after it began, state regulators have yet to issue any penalties for the spill, which ranks among the largest in state history.
Eight hundred low income households are receiving monthly payments through the Compton Pledge guaranteed income program.
Cohen talks with Capital & Main about the unraveling of the public sector and subsequent social impact.
What’s happening among unincorporated communities like Lanare, Matheny Tract and Tooleville may portend darker days ahead.
While vaccine protests may draw media coverage, the mandates actually get results.
For US is designed to help businesses across the country determine if they are providing a real living wage.
Democratic Assemblymember Ash Kalra is proposing a bill to jump-start the process, but Big Medicine will fight to kill it.
The model is expanding in California and nationally and includes a democratic approach that involves parents, teachers and staff.
The state’s governor needs to sell environmentalists, the fossil fuel sector and the public on the green-ish energy source.
Expiring insurance waivers are sending out-of-pocket payments through the roof.
Conservative groups are vigorously attacking ESG proposals that could play a role in reducing income inequality.
Los Angeles could learn from past host cities that have included social equity provisions in their contracts.