CalMatters

A ray of light in local news: Digital Democracy from CalMatters This week’s Second Rough Draft newsletter

I don't follow sports very much, but as a journalist at CalMatters, I do follow money. And college sports has lots and lots of money, especially since the advent of NIL (name, image and likeness) compensation. My story shows how much student athletes are actually making and how college sports has changed as a result. As part of the story, I'm also releasing the data so that others can continue this reporting, locally. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gxYivFni

If you care about government transparency and open records, you should give my story today a read. It's also a good reminder to the journalists in my network that most records that agencies withhold from you and your readers are discretionary. Sure, the law may technically give them the right to withhold records, but those laws don't usually outright forbid them from releasing them. They're choosing secrecy. You should remind your readers of that. https://lnkd.in/gCUHEujh

CalMatters is looking for its next managing editor. This position is the heartbeat of our talented newsroom, with deep knowledge of politics and policy and the ability to elevate a story with strong writing, key perspectives and essential sources. We’re looking for someone who is highly organized and a strong but collaborative manager. Someone who is a quick thinker but calm under pressure. The salary range for these positions is $160,000 to $175,000 per year; higher compensation may be available for someone with advanced skills and/or experience. We strongly encourage applicants with a variety of experiences and backgrounds to apply. Our newsroom strives to reflect the diversity of our state. Even if you don’t have all of the skills we listed, we want to hear from you, especially because research shows that underrepresented applicants often downplay their skills. Please send us a cover letter that outlines your interest in CalMatters and why you would be good for this job. → https://cal.news/4knnjB6

Shelters are supposed to be safe havens. But records show they’re more deadly than jails – and the vast majority of residents remain homeless. To better understand what’s happening inside shelters, CalMatters requested and analyzed previously unreleased state performance data, reviewed thousands of police calls and incident reports, and interviewed more than 80 shelter residents and personnel. CalMatters found: - California governments have spent at least $1 billion on shelters since 2018, doubling the number of beds from 27,000 to 61,000. - Those shelters are deadlier than jails. A total of 2,007 people died between 2018 and mid-2024, which is twice as many deaths as California jails saw in the same period. - Shelters have become a bridge to nowhere. They delivered housing to less than 1 in 4 residents from 2018 to mid-2024. Read the investigation in full: https://cal.news/4bezWKK 📝 Lauren Hepler

CalMatters reporter Alexei Koseff has been covering Gov. Gavin Newsom for almost a decade. His most recent story, about how the LA fires could be Newsom’s final big test as governor, was picked up by KTLA. Watch as KTLA reporters Cher Calvin and Micah Ohlman interview Alexei about Newsom’s singular focus on the fires, and how they could shape his legacy in his last year in office. https://cal.news/4k5tLgb Read Alexei’s story: https://cal.news/4b9cPkA

A California small business owner on the president's embattled federal funding freeze and anti-diversity push: "You roll back these initiatives, what is that going to do to our economy, our supply chains, our workforce?" #smallbusiness #smallbiz #entrepreneurs #DEI #economy

🗓️ Maternity-care deserts are spreading in California, leaving large swaths of the state without a place to give birth. These closures are disproportionately affecting Black, Latino and low-income communities in both rural and urban areas. Join us for a Q&A with Assemblymember and health committee chairperson Mia Bonta. CalMatters Health Reporter Kristen Hwang will lead a discussion about why maternity wards and birthing centers are disappearing and what the state is doing about it. Date: Wednesday, Feb. 26 Time: 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Register here: https://cal.news/3QlVQlN

IMPACT: A law meant to let the public know who is paying for California legislators’ sponsored travel is falling short, according to a new audit by the state’s campaign finance watchdog agency. It recommends simplifying disclosure requirements to cover more interest groups that take lawmakers to policy conferences and on international study tours — a change that can only be made by those very same legislators. The Fair Political Practices Commission audit followed CalMatters’ revelations that a 2015 law requiring such trip organizers to annually disclose their major donors had been used only twice in seven years — despite interest groups paying for millions of dollars in travel for lawmakers during that time. Read more about the audit: https://cal.news/4b00PSy Read Alexei Koseff and Jeremia Kimelman's original story: https://cal.news/3QrqVo9 📸 Andy Bao, AP

CalMatters reported that between 2017 and 2021, it took the understaffed Labor Commissioner’s Office an average of 505 days to decide on workers’ wage theft claims — far longer than the 135 days required by state law. That wait time has since soared to more than 850 days, a state audit published last year found. “We were really struck by some of the reporting about how long people waited and how broken the systems for workers to receive compensation,” said Erik Mebust, San Francisco Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener's spokesperson. “When advocates came to us citing your reporting it was a very compelling pitch.” Read more about the legislation: https://cal.news/4gHaK0H Read the original series, written by Alejandro Lazo, Jeanne Kuang, Lil Kalish and rica Yee: https://cal.news/3TVgeKl 📸 Lauren Justice