Golden State

I work in L.A. homeless services. Is the county about to put me on the street? Employees of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority have already had a rough year of cuts. Now, the county's refusal to hire us to new jobs means homelessness workers could soon become homeless.

Could some of L.A.'s homeless service workers soon end up homeless themselves? In the first piece for our community forum "Soapbox," one such worker worries for herself and her colleagues.

Watch: How we got from the L.A. Times to Golden State Golden State's co-founders talk with a former L.A. Times colleague about the newspaper owner's ethically questionable meddling, the failings of billionaire- and corporate-owned media and the future of...

We got part of the band back together. Watch our conversation with Josh Gohlke, also a former L.A. Times Opinion colleague who left in the dark days after the 2024 endorsement mess.

Also: some firsthand insight into insidious self-censorship and the L.A. nonprofit media landscape.

A good read by @nataliekorach.bsky.social and @status.news. Murdoch's move into Los Angeles, in the works for months, was a big motivator for us to launch @goldenstateorg.bsky.social. Competition is healthy, but it shouldn't only be billionaire-backed media telling the California story.

Healthier school food is on the way — in 10 years The long implementation period belies the urgency of the crisis. By the time California's ban on dangerous ultra-processed takes full effect, today's school kids may have school-aged kids of their own...

Hooray, ultra-processed foods will be off the menu in CA schools -- in 10 years, that is. Journalist Minerva Canto says that's too long and points to districts that have done it on their own in two years.
www.golden-state.org/healthier-sc...

Incredibly grateful for the support so far. This is an ongoing fundraiser, and we want to be able to pay journalists a fair wage for their work. Please give / subscribe -- links in the bio!

Please read, and join me in supporting, Golden State, a terrific and brand-new journalism project focused on California, from veterans of the LA Times. Congrats to Mariel, Paul and their growing team on the launch.

A little bit more about @goldenstateorg.bsky.social

California deserves journalism rooted in truth — not big money influence.

Former L.A. Times editors @marielgarza.bsky.social & @paulthornton.bsky.social launch Golden State — an independent home for fact-based news, analysis & commentary. Read more @ golden-state.org
#MediaIntegrity

He supported L.A. Mayor Karen Bass. Now he wants her job Austin Beutner, a former L.A. Unified superintendent, says City Hall has come up woefully short on wildfires, homelessness, housing and affordability.

We're podcasting! Check out co-founder @marielgarza.bsky.social's chat with L.A. mayoral candidate Austin Beutner. They talk wildfires, housing, affordability, the Olympics and, yes, Donald Trump.

He supported L.A. Mayor Karen Bass. Now he wants her job Austin Beutner, a former L.A. Unified superintendent, says City Hall has come up woefully short on wildfires, homelessness, housing and affordability.

Austin Beutner -- former LA schools, deputy mayor and LAT publisher -- now wants to be mayor. He sat down with @marielgarza.bsky.social and @goldenstatereport.bsky.social to talk fire response, Donald Trump, immigration raids and what he sees as a failure in leadership at City Hall.

This is a great piece by @marielgarza.bsky.social for @goldenstatereport.bsky.social -- a peak into what might have been the most jubilant election night watch party, hosted by L.A.'s democratic socialist City Council members. Interesting comments by @nithyaraman.bsky.social and Eunisses Hernandez.

Insane by design? I'm a veteran healthcare reporter, and I can tell you the American system is nuts As a journalist and parent, I've had a front-row seat to the “complexification” of American healthcare, which demoralizes and depletes users. We have to fix it - or at least not make it worse.

Seriously, if Julie Marquis -- healthcare journalist and Pulitzer winner -- has a devil of time with insurance, billing, claim denials, the dreaded "explanation of benefits" and all the other features of American healthcare, then the rest of us are truly screwed. From @goldenstatereport.bsky.social

A good time to read this piece by @holynopales.bsky.social in @goldenstatereport.bsky.social -- "What do the Dodgers owe Latino fans?"

One answer: not another White House visit.

L.A.'s $2.6 billion convention center upgrade might not just be another Olympics white elephant, by @jonregardie.bsky.social for @goldenstatereport.bsky.social
goldenstatereport.substack.com/p/las-26-bil...

What do the Dodgers owe Latino fans? When the team was silent on immigration raids and reparations for ousted Chavez Ravine residents, it spoke volumes to its homegrown fan base. Time to speak up.

A timely piece by L.A. writer Patricia Escárcega in today's @goldenstatereport.bsky.social

YouTube video by Golden State Report What the Bay Area can expect when Trump's immigration sweeps arrive

A primer from yours truly for @goldenstatereport.bsky.social on what the Bay Area can expect when Trump's immigration goons arrive, if its experience goes anything like L.A.'s.

In short: Get ready for lies, terror and some community solidarity.

What the heck was the Marine Corps thinking? It said shooting shells over Interstate 5 as part of a celebration was no big deal. Then, oops, one exploded over what was thankfully an empty freeway.

California was right, Marine Corps leaders were wrong. Some local I-5 insight from @marielgarza.bsky.social:

“I shudder to think of that explosion and rain of debris happening above the normal Saturday traffic flow…. It could have been its own kind of carmageddon.”

What the heck was the Marine Corps thinking? It said shooting shells over Interstate 5 as part of a celebration was no big deal. Then, oops, one exploded over what was thankfully an empty freeway.

What the heck was the Marine Corps thinking?
It said shooting shells over Interstate 5 as part of a celebration was no big deal. Then, oops, one exploded over what was thankfully an empty freeway.
goldenstatereport.substack.com/p/what-the-h...