Every week, Zócalo columnist and fourth-generation Southern Californian Joe Mathews talks to Morning Edition host Chery Glaser about 21st-century California's people, politics, trends and idiosyncrasies.
All Episodes
Why are CA politicians ditching public office, going nonprofit?
CaliforniaServing in the California government can be demoralizing, so many of the state’s promising public officials have found greener pastures — and more power — in nonprofits.
Op-ed: California parents should be forced to swap their kids
CaliforniaColumnist Joe Mathews channels Plato and Jonathan Swift as he proposes universal orphanhood to be a straight path to societal equity in California.
What a 4-hour drive to Inland Empire says about family, history, time
CaliforniaColumnist Joe Mathews retraces family history and discovers a newfound appreciation for freeways as he drives the surface streets from the South Bay to Redlands.
Op-ed: California can’t be an energy leader without nuclear
CaliforniaCompeting fears about nuclear risks, climate change and power supplies are framing the discussion over the future of Diablo Canyon, says Joe Mathews.
What’s a democracy summit without California?
CaliforniaPresident Biden opened his Summit for Democracy on Thursday. Commentator Joe Matthews says California’s invite must have gotten lost in the mail.
Local school boards: Time to get rid of them?
CaliforniaSan Francisco is at times known for its rough-and-tumble approach to local politics. But now a more bruising political fight is playing out in the City by the Bay.
California lives rent-free in the minds of other Americans, says Joe Mathews
CaliforniaOther states are obsessed with California and its policies, which is a way to show their love, according to Joe Mathews.
Don’t let conflict devour our civic soul, says Joe Mathews
CaliforniaJust getting through the day can now sometimes feel like an exercise in diplomacy, especially with disputes over COVID vaccines, mask mandates, and critical race theory in schools.
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Accurate homeless count affects where cash flows. You can help in Duarte
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Teachers out sick, classes combined: LAUSD weathers Omicron
EducationLAUSD classrooms are seeing major disruptions as the district grapples with record COVID rates among students and staff.
‘Out of Office’ authors on reevaluating our (toxic) relationships with our jobs
Business & EconomyThe authors of “Out of Office” discuss how telecommuting can make people feel an unhealthy need to constantly work, and why it’s problematic to tie so much of your identity to your…
