Politics

The grass-roots movement to stem urban sprawl, an effort sweeping through Ventura County this fall, could wind up affecting more than land use–it could also alter the local political landscape. And critics say that was the intent all along. The success of the Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR) campaign is far from assured, … Read more

The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington. (Karen Bleier / AFP/Getty Images) The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the government’s power to recoup money from people who ran suspect investment schemes and give it back to those who say they were cheated. But the justices also put new limits on the Securities and Exchange Commission … Read more

The Republican-controlled House is taking up legislation that GOP lawmakers say would protect gas stoves from overzealous government regulators. (Thomas Kienzle / Associated Press) California lawmakers granted celebrity chef José Andrés’ restaurant a special exception to cook with gas stoves, and congressional Republicans are furious. GOP politicians made that much clear on the House floor … Read more

We share the emerging consensus that California is broken. State government is failing its citizens in education, infrastructure, parks and elsewhere. These failures, in turn, cause counties, cities and school districts to slash their own services. Given the Legislature’s chronic inability to deal realistically with the state budget, these failures may worsen. The governor’s recent … Read more

Albert Gore Jr. was 21 that summer of 1969 when he confronted Vietnam, the draft and an early test of his manhood. He had just graduated from Harvard, where he joined in anti-war protests that had split college campuses across the country. He had spent his summers on the family farm outside of this small … Read more

U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas at Myke’s Cafe in Pacoima. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Tony Cárdenas (D-Pacoima) will not seek reelection in 2024, setting up what could become a contested race for his heavily Democratic San Fernando Valley-based seat. Cárdenas, 60, who was the first Latino to represent the district, told The Times he … Read more

William B. Ellis, a Los Angeles resident who at 90 still introduces himself as Wild Bill, chuckled as he recalled being told that blacks like him couldn’t cut it as fighter pilots. “They said we didn’t have the muscle coordination to fly airplanes,” he said Thursday amid tales of dogfights and aerial derring-do. Were they … Read more

After three years of financial crisis, states across the nation report a turnaround: Tax revenue is coming in strong. Crippling budget deficits have largely been erased. With the new fiscal year two weeks away, 32 states are predicting surpluses. So why are parents and immigrants and senior citizens so worried? They’re fearful and frustrated because … Read more

Surge in remote working due to COVID fuels record employment for people with disabilities After generations of being overlooked and sidelined in the job market, Americans with disabilities are enjoying an unprecedented employment boom — thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Widespread acceptance of remote working and an overall labor shortage have opened up historic opportunities … Read more

Toni Atkins is one of California’s most powerful lawmakers, ascending to leadership roles in the Assembly and Senate the last five years. As Atkins’ clout has soared, so too has the consulting businesses of her spouse, Jennifer LeSar. The clientele for LeSar’s two affordable housing and economic development firms has grown nearly fourfold since 2013, … Read more