California Divide

Growing tension between California and the federal government over immigration has business owners in the crosshairs, worried about the potential effect on their enterprises and unsure which laws they should follow.

It seems like a simple question: How many African-American boys scored proficient on California’s math test? Go ahead, try to answer it. I’ll wait while you Google. You’ll probably end up here, at the California Department of Education’s snazzy (by state government standards) website, which provides a litany of bar graphs, charts and filters to […]

1. There already is a “wall” along about a third of the border The border runs about 1,900 miles from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. Some sort of barrier—made from concrete, steel mesh and/or barbed wire —currently stands along about a third of it, in areas U.S. Customs and Border Protection deems […]

Where in California has the gap between rich and poor grown most since the Great Recession? The Bay Area, home of your Zuckerbergs and Steyers and some of the most expensive zip codes in the country, seems like a logical answer. Over the past decade, what other part of California has minted as many members […]

When 27-year-old Juan Valentin became old enough to get behind the wheel, a friend gave him driving lessons in the agricultural fields surrounding Stockton. As an undocumented immigrant from Tijuana, Mexico, Valentin spent the next 10 years driving without a license. In order to get to school or to work, he felt he had little […]

California is experimenting with a new way to raise money for road repairs by keeping track of the mileage of cars and trucks with stickers or electronics. A large-scale system won’t happen for many years, but officials say it may be needed because the influx of fuel-efficient or electric cars will shrink revenue from the […]

California lawmakers are struggling to climb out of a deep hole. The gas tax that supports road repairs ranks among the highest in the country but the state has some of the worst roads in America. A recent report from the state Senate said 68 percent of California roads are in poor or mediocre condition, […]