California lawmakers have approved Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to create an Education Commissioner, shifting executive control of the state’s public schools from the independently elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction […]
Author Archives: Joe Bowers | OW Contributor
Posted inHealth, National
Covered California opens enrollment
With the federal government shutdown now in its second month, Covered California officials are warning that nearly two million residents who rely on federal tax credits to keep their coverage […]
Posted inOp-ed, Opinion
Discredited Trump Adviser Navarro attacks Federal Governor Lisa Cook’s Credibility
Last week, Peter Navarro, a senior counselor in Donald Trump’s administration, called Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook a “DEI hire” and a partisan “animal.” This op-ed is in response […]
Posted inGovernment/Politics
New Trump executive order threatens diversity in higher ed
President Donald Trump’s latest executive order requires colleges receiving federal aid to submit detailed admissions data — including race, GPA, test scores, and acceptance rates — to prove they aren’t […]
Posted inNational
“One Big Beautiful Bill” blows hole in California’s budget
Pres. Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law on July 4, is already reshaping California’s 2025–26 state budget. With $1.6 to $2 trillion in projected federal spending cuts […]
Posted inNews
NAACP inducts Dr. Shirley Weber and Steven Bradford
The NAACP California-Hawaii State Conference honored Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber and former State Sen. Steven Bradford at its 13th annual Legacy Hall of Fame Gala on June […]
Posted inOp-ed, Opinion-OW
Newsom’s message to Trump administration on California power grab is clear
For months, Pres. Donald Trump and his allies have used California as a political punching bag. But Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has never shied away from a political brawl — […]
Posted inFeature
California holds the line on DEI as Trump administration threatens school funding
Officials say federal government
cannot change existing civil rights laws
Posted inLocal, Local Politics
Stephenshaw delivers 2026 California budget amid wildfire crisis
California Department of Finance Director Joe Stephenshaw, standing in for Gov. Gavin Newsom, presented the state’s $322.3 billion proposed budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year at a press briefing on […]
Posted inLocal
Newsom approves key bills backed by Black Caucus
In 2024, the 12-member California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), introduced nearly 600 bills aimed at improving the lives of all Californians, many with a particular focus on addressing inequities faced […]
