California Today

A morning update for readers interested in California.

Why We Came to California, and Why We Stay
The best of our readers’ love letters to California.
By Soumya Karlamangla
What to Know About California’s Covid Surge
There are only a few states where Covid is spreading more.
By Soumya Karlamangla
The California Ties at the Top of the Presidential Ticket
Vice President Kamala Harris’s credentials are already well-known. But Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio has deep connections to the Golden State, too.
By Soumya Karlamangla
How You Helped Us Cover More Corners of California
During my time on the newsletter, I had a goal to report from all of the state’s 58 counties. Readers came through with plenty of ideas.
By Soumya Karlamangla
California Today Will Soon Have a Different Look
Our California-focused newsletter will feature a curated collection of New York Times articles about the state.
By Soumya Karlamangla
How Wildfires Get Their Names
There isn’t much science to it.
By Soumya Karlamangla
A Furious Start to California’s Fire Season
Some 207,000 acres have burned so far this year, more than five times the average.
By Soumya Karlamangla
An Update to Our California Reading List
Here are readers’ choices for some of the books published since 2000 that are most representative of the state.
By Soumya Karlamangla
What to Know About the World’s Largest Wildlife Crossing
An enormous overpass in Southern California is “more than just a bridge,” an official said.
By Soumya Karlamangla
Where the Heat Wave Broke Records in California
In many places, a scorching Independence Day led into an even hotter weekend.
By Soumya Karlamangla

Think Twice Before Lighting Fireworks This July 4
Fireworks touch off blazes in California that cause millions of dollars in damage each year.
By Soumya Karlamangla
A Major Heat Wave Will Bake California This Week
Several cities in the state will top 110 degrees over the next few days.
By Soumya Karlamangla
Inside California’s New Budget of Nearly $300 Billion
The budget includes $12 million for reparations measures for the state’s Black residents.
By Soumya Karlamangla
L.A. County Aims to Eliminate Medical Debt for 150,000 Residents
The county is investing $5 million to partner with a nonprofit and wipe out $500 million in debt for residents. The program is expected to start later this year.
By Soumya Karlamangla

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Four New California Laws Going Into Effect on July 1
Subjects include safety at work and in bars, and the cost of renting a home or buying a gun.
By Soumya Karlamangla
A Day at the National Domestic Violence Hotline
My colleague Emily Cochrane takes us behind the scenes of the hotline, which receives as many as 3,000 calls and messages a day.
By Soumya Karlamangla
Readers Share Their Favorite Parts of 2024 So Far
New hobbies, graduation ceremonies and more.
By Soumya Karlamangla
How Many Abortion Seekers Are Traveling to California
After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and some states banned abortions altogether, many Americans began crossing state lines to get one.
By Soumya Karlamangla
So Much for California’s Big November Anti-Tax Initiative
Businesses are fuming and cities are exhaling after the State Supreme Court blocked a ballot measure at the heart of a big fight in Sacramento.
By Shawn Hubler
How This Year’s Fire Season Could Pan Out
More than two dozen wildfires have ignited in California this week, and experts warn of an extreme season ahead.
By Soumya Karlamangla