Gary Walker

California has long been ground zero for cultural, political and societal trailblazing. But being first in one category has lawmakers and humanitarians alike aghast. Although the rate dropped this year, the Golden State still ranks No. 1 in the category of child poverty....

The bombshell resignation of former state Democratic Party chairman Eric Bauman last week landed like a lead balloon after a virtual congressional clean sweep and increased Democratic numbers in the state Legislature....

On Thursday, Jason Strauss will be joining the ranks of Los Angeles County’s 50,000-plus homeless residents — if only for one night — for a very good cause....

Elon Musk has had a rough couple of months. He was forced to step down on Oct. 2 from his position as chairman-CEO of Tesla Inc. and pay $40 million in security fraud charges stemming from tweets about taking his company private. But last week Musk was at it again — this time using his social media feed to announce that plans are on track for an underground tunnel that will be built by Musk’s Boring Company, with a free tour for the public slated for Dec. 10....

County public health officials are taking a broader approach in tackling the typhus epidemic after multiple cases were discovered last week in Pasadena, Long Beach and Los Angeles....

Less than three weeks before voters head to the polls in an anticipated high-turnout election, the topic of housing affordability has been one of the most debated issues of 2018, and a controversial rent control initiative could affect the state’s housing politics for the near future....

Less than a week after Gov. Jerry Brown called for an audit of the Department of Motor Vehicles, a Westside state lawmaker has pledged to “ hold their feet to the fire” when the Legislature returns to Sacramento next week....

After weeks of escalating rhetoric and dueling legal filings, the members of United Teachers Los Angeles voted on Friday, Aug. 31, to give the union their strike authorization....

Legislation by a host of California lawmakers, on the heels of a report of massive drug overdoses involving synthetic opioids including fentanyl, could potentially curb deaths in the state in the future, says the former president of a state medical organization....

The criminal saga of former Los Angeles Unified School District Board President Refugio “Ref” Rodriguez ended last week with resignations from the board and his plea on laundering campaign contributions — but the political fallout is far from over....