Cathie Anderson
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Articles by Cathie Anderson
The Poverty Line: Millions of Californians are one setback away from crisis Original
This column is part of “The Poverty Line,” a series examining poverty in California and profiling everyday people working to pay rent, buy food or get healthcare amid rising concerns about affordability. One number should stop Californians in their tracks: 16 million.
Californians make their costliest wildfire mistake before a fire starts | Analysis
The Elephant Fire burning in Sierra County is another reminder that wildfire season is now a perennial part of life in California While not every fire threatens every homeowner, every fire season should remind us to understand our homeowners insurance before we need it. Most of us never question how our coverage is calculated, or they don’t know how their coverage compares to local construction costs.
Californians make their costliest wildfire mistake before a fire starts | Analysis
The Elephant Fire burning in Sierra County is another reminder that wildfire season is now a perennial part of life in California While not every fire threatens every homeowner, every fire season should remind us to understand our homeowners insurance before we need it. Most of us never question how our coverage is calculated, or they don't know how their coverage compares to local construction costs.
California is finally asking who should really pay for Medi-Cal | Opinion Original
For years, we’ve argued over whether California spends too much on Medi-Cal. Now, we’re finally beginning to ask the more important question: Why are taxpayers paying so much in the first place? Gov. Gavin Newsom and California legislators deserve credit for taking that question seriously.
California says employment is path out of prison, then blocks the road
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... California trusts incarcerated firefighters to save our homes. Every wildfire season, men and women in prison work alongside professional crews, cutting fire lines and risking their lives to protect California communities. They receive training, gain experience and prove themselves under dangerous conditions. But after they complete their sentences, many discover they aren’t trusted to become municipal firefighters.
California says employment is path out of prison, then blocks the road | Opinion Original
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. California trains incarcerated firefighters and other prisoners for real-world jobs. Roughly half of 170,000 people released 2015–2019 had no documented job after release. Assembly Bill 2095 would tighten Fair Chance rules. It stalled this year but may return. California trusts incarcerated firefighters to save our homes.
What a Sacramento student needed most after being called the N-word | Opinion Original
The Serna Center – headquarters of the Sacramento City Unified School District – on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. A Sacramento eighth-grader was called the N-word during class at K-8 school. Administrators did not offer counseling or immediate validation to the student that day. The mother reported the student experienced anxiety, fear, sleeplessness and withdrawal.
Anderson: Counting every vote is a strength, not a weakness
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... California’s vote-counting process is under attack again. President Donald Trump has claimed that the state’s extended ballot-counting timeline is evidence that Democrats are “trying to steal” elections. Some Republicans and conservative commentators have echoed this accusation, pointing to the fact that California often takes days or weeks to finalize election results. Even one Democrat, Rep.
California counts every vote. That’s a strength, not a weakness | Opinion
Spencer Pratt visits "Fox & Friends" at Fox News Channel Studios on May 28, 2026 in New York City. No matter how fast votes were counted in the June 2 primary, the result would have been the same for Pratt. Voters rejected him. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. California prioritizes counting eligible ballots over prioritizing speed for media.
California governor’s race: One candidate best understands working families | Analysis Original
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. This CA governor candidate stressed stabilizing working families to enable mobility. California would be Medi‑Cal backstop, ensuring providers are paid, this candidate says. Many CA residents work full-time but still qualify for Medi-Cal and CalFresh. In the Jim Crow South, my father built houses; my mother cleaned them.
You are paying for the health care of low-wage Walmart employees. Here is why | Opinion Original
WalmartJoe Raedle/Getty Images AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. CA governor, legislators should adopt corporate “fair share” plan to fund Medi‑Cal costs. Senate estimates the proposal could raise between $5 billion and $8 billion annually. Studies link underpaid workers at Wal‑Mart, Amazon to soaring public assistance costs.
How the economy is forcing middle-class people in Sacramento to the edge | Analysis Original
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. Enhanced ACA subsidies expired, hiking premiums and forcing debt and cutbacks. Some forecasts show strong GDP growth while sentiment falls and inflation fears rise. Cumulative cost pressures—energy, food, credit—leave many one shock from crisis. A year ago, I would have told you a different story about the American consumer.
Do college certificate programs pay off? California must find out | Analysis
Cathie Anderson When California's free online community college, Calbright , announced a new partnership with Western Governors University in January, the message was simple: Working adults who start with a certificate could turn that training into a bachelor's degree and a better-paying career. Under the partnership, Californians who earn workforce-aligned certificates at Calbright could apply them toward WGU degrees in technology, health care and other fields.
In the streets of Sacramento and beyond, protest music is making a comeback | Analysis Original
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. Protest music accelerates across genres and venues, aiming to mobilize audiences. Artists turn U.S. political crises into songs that can go viral and grow followings. Songs act as solidarity tools amid institutional failures and may signal Democratic shifts Protest music is surging back into civic life, filling spaces where traditional politics increasingly feel stalled.
How a Sacramento woman’s grandad made it possible for Trump to threaten Greenland
Bettina Redway stands near her home in Coloma on Friday. Redway is the granddaughter of Henrik Kauffmann, Denmark’s ambassador to the United States during World War II. Acting without authorization from Copenhagen and on contested legal grounds, Kauffmann signed the 1941 Greenland defense agreement, giving the United States access to Greenland for military defense. AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy.
Beyond your insurance card: How Covered California is changing health care Original
Covered California CEO Jessica Altman has covered the state over the past few months, urging state residents to sign up for health insurance coverage before Saturday night’s deadline. AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. Covered CA tied insurer payments to preventive care, driving measurable quality gains. Penalty funds were reinvested in enrollees via grocery debit cards and college savings.
Tax the rich or swing the ax? California low-wage earners hang in balance Original
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. Newsom budget avoids big cuts but accepts federal-driven safety-net losses. Advocates call for taxing wealthy to backfill H.R.1 cuts and preserve Medi-Cal. LAO and critics warn deficits begin in 2027–28 from delays and revenue gaps. When California Gov. Gavin Newsom rolled out his January budget proposal for the fiscal year 2026-27, advocates for the poor voiced an immediate, if uneasy, sense of relief.
How to keep fear from short-circuiting Covered California insurance enrollment
Scary headlines about rising Covered California premiums can stop people from checking options for health plans, even though many Californians still qualify for substantial financial help. In fact, about half of enrollees can find a health plan that costs $10 or less a month in 2026, according to Covered California. But when people hear warnings that premiums could double because Congress has so far allowed enhanced federal subsidies to expire, fear often takes over. And fear can be paralyzing.
How to keep fear from short-circuiting Covered California insurance enrollment
Concerns about rising premiums may discourage Californians from exploring their options during open enrollment. Covered California says most enrollees still qualify for financial help in 2026. (Getty Images) At the Sacramento kick-off for Covered California open enrollment, CEO Jessica Altman said she’s already heard from retirees who are facing some of the highest premium increases in the state and parents who are juggling bills for everyday necessities.
Why even unsubsidized Californians could pay more for health insurance Original
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — At first glance, it sounds like a problem that shouldn’t exist. Since Congress allowed enhanced federal health insurance subsidies to expire, you might expect only people who receive those subsidies to be hurt. After all, Californians who don’t receive federal premium subsidies already pay full price for their coverage. But research from the University of California shows that assumption is wrong.
Why even unsubsidized Californians could pay more for health insurance Original
At the Sacramento kick-off for Covered California open enrollment, CEO Jessica Altman said she’s already heard from retirees who are facing some of the highest premium increases in the state and parents who are juggling bills for everyday necessities. Bianca Blomquist, California Director of the Small Business Majority, left, and U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui also spoke at the Nov. 7 event. AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy.
Why even unsubsidized Californians could pay more for health insurance
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — At first glance, it sounds like a problem that shouldn’t exist. Since Congress allowed enhanced federal health insurance subsidies to expire, you might expect only people who receive those subsidies to be hurt. After all, Californians who don’t receive federal premium subsidies already pay full price for their coverage. kAmqFE C6D62C49 7C@> E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 r2=:7@C?:2 D9@HD E92E 2DDF>AE:@? :D HC@?8] q642FD6 r@?8C6DD 72:=65 E@ 24E[ 6G6CJ@?6 H9@ 3FJD :?DFC2?46 @?
California panel will seek bold new vision for Medi-Cal amid budget woes Original
Dr. Mark Ghaly speaks during a COVID-19 news conference on Feb. 27, 2020, in Sacramento, while serving as secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency. Ghaly will co-chair a new 29-member commission tasked with developing a long-term roadmap for Medi-Cal as California braces for possible federal funding cuts and budget pressures. AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. Panel of 29 health leaders will develop a 10‑year Medi‑Cal roadmap by 2027.
Congress didn’t throw a lifeline on health care. Why you should act now Original
At the Sacramento kick-off for Covered California open enrollment, CEO Jessica Altman said she’s already heard from retirees who are facing some of the highest premium increases in the state and parents who are juggling bills for everyday necessities. Bianca Blomquist, California Director of the Small Business Majority, left, and U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui also spoke at the Nov. 7 event. AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy.
From CA to Michigan and back: Choco the dachsie’s long, strange trip home
Patricia Orozco sits with Choco nearly five years after he vanished from her yard in May 2021. Choco was found in Lincoln, Mich., about 2,300 miles from home, and was flown back with the help of rescue volunteers and donations. Helping Paws and Claws AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy.
From CA to Michigan and back: Choco the dachsie’s long, strange trip home
Patricia Orozco sits with Choco nearly five years after he vanished from her yard in May 2021. Choco was found in Lincoln, Mich., about 2,300 miles from home, and was flown back with the help of rescue volunteers and donations. AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy.
From CA to Michigan and back: Choco the dachsie’s long, strange trip home
Cathie Anderson Sun, December 14, 2025 at 1:00 PM UTC 3 min read Five years ago, Choco vanished. One day, the wire-haired dachshund mix was home in Antelope. The next, he was gone. Adopted in 2016 at 18 months old, he had been a treasured companion until he disappeared in 2021. There was no goodbye and no clues, just an empty space where a chocolate-covered dachsie used to be.
Texas-based nonprofit claims Stockton gang cease-fire after deadly shooting Original
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. Youth Peace and Justice Foundation claims short-term cease-fire after Nov. 29 Stockton shooting. Foundation demands Stockton leaders formalize institutional support by Jan. 15 deadline. City officials have not confirmed engagement; public records and filings on the nonprofit are scarce. A little-known Texas nonprofit announced late Friday night that it had secured a short-term cease-fire among gangs in Stockton in the wake of a Nov.
Sacramento-area food banks warn of rising need, launch $300K donation drive
As demand for hunger relief remained at or near record levels across the Sacramento region, food bank leaders from five counties issued an urgent appeal Thursday for donations to a matching gift drive they say is critical to preventing thousands of families from going without food. The local United Way and Sierra Health Foundation are committing up to $300,000 to double the impact of community donations made through the Match for Meals fundraising campaign.
Sacramento’s Sutter brings new therapy to treat hard-to-beat depression
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy.
Report shows California health care jobs pay, but waitlists clog college on-ramp
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy.
How Sacramento State is mobilizing to address college student hunger
Long before a federal judge forced the Trump administration to release full November SNAP benefits — and before Congress struck a deal to reopen the government — Sacramento State was already in crisis mode. For Emily Tupper, the licensed social worker charged with helping students meet their basic needs, the threat of losing CalFresh funding wasn’t theoretical. It was an academic emergency for thousands of students.
How Sacramento State is mobilizing to address college student hunger
Long before a federal judge forced the Trump administration to release full November SNAP benefits — and before Congress struck a deal to reopen the government — Sacramento State was already in crisis mode. For Emily Tupper, the licensed social worker charged with helping students meet their basic needs, the threat of losing CalFresh funding wasn’t theoretical. It was an academic emergency for thousands of students.
Food aid is back but SNAP shutdown scare weighs on California college students
The day before Halloween, with rent due and the cupboards thinning, 30-year-old UC Santa Cruz student Erin Clews took her last $40 and made a strategy run. She grabbed a mega-bag of pizza rolls - "like 130 pieces" - a big pack of ramen, some milk for herself and her two sons. As the end of the month approached, she was trying to stretch those groceries until Nov. 10 when she usually sees her CalFresh benefits, California's version of SNAP, load on her card.
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