Bakersfield
Political Playback: California Capitol News You Might Have Missed
News You Might Have Missed
Stefi Mar March 10, 2026
News You Might Have Missed
Dr. Butch Ware is the Green Party representative running for Governor of California.
When Gov. Gavin Newsom released his memoir, Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery, on Feb. 24, it was presented as a personal story about childhood, dyslexia and the experiences that shaped his path into politics.
When California froze new Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented adults, thousands of Kern County families were left in limbo. At Clinica Sierra Vista, staff members are racing to keep patients covered — and fighting fear with trust.
The rhythm of West African drums echoed through Bakersfield College’s Renegade Event Center as students, faculty, and community members gathered for the eighth annual Black History Month celebration hosted by Umoja Community.
A group of MAGA pro-Trump activists, who say they are working in coordination with the White House, are circulating a 17-page draft executive order that would claim without evidence that China interfered with the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential to President Joe Biden by over 7 million votes. Since Trump lost to Biden in 2020, he has repeatedly claimed that the election was “stolen” without evidence. The report of a group of “Trump allies” preparing an executive order to give Trump power over elections was first reported by The Washington Post.
Civil Rights TV, the world’s first 24-hour television network dedicated exclusively to civil rights history, education, and future equity, has officially launched on the Connect To Your City OTT platform powered by Connect2OTT.
Solar technology has come a long way over the decades and has made energy consumption cleaner across the world. Other solar energy advancements include a higher degree of both effeciency and affordability.
News You Might Have Missed
In 1917, A. Philip Randolph and Chandler Owen launched The Messenger, a pro-labor, anti-war magazine that connected racism to exploitation and demanded justice for Black workers. Two years later, the federal government responded with tactics of targeted censorship—surveillance, harassment and threats of prosecution—and branded a small Black labor magazine “the most dangerous” publication in the country simply for encouraging Black workers to organize.
A verified journalist was banned, reported to federal authorities, and given no recourse. A glitch in the system may be the point.
Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), the keynote speaker at “A Conference on Housing” in Sacramento on Feb. 24, says solving California’s housing crisis at all levels — and providing affordable, environmentally responsible homes for low-income families and communities of color — can go hand in hand.
As he campaigns for the 2026 governor’s race, Tony Thurmond says California is at a crossroads and needs leadership grounded in lived experience, accountability and practical problem-solving.
Antonio Villaraigosa, former state Assembly Speaker and former mayor of Los Angeles, entered the race for California governor nearly two years ago in 2024. Although he has not emerged as a leading contender among the crowded field of candidates, he has maintained a steady position in the middle of the pack, with his household name recognition and 14 years of experience in California politics.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California announced that despite the expiration of federal tax credits that helped millions of Americans afford health insurance, over 1.9 million Californians signed up for or renewed their insurance during the 2026 open-enrollment period.
America’s unions mourn the passing of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering moral force whose lifelong commitment to justice reshaped both the labor and civil rights movements and left a lasting mark on the nation.
John Peavy III was seemingly destined to reimagine education. His mother, Gail Revis, spent 35 years leading guidance counselors for HISD. His grandmother taught Spanish and served as an assistant principal. His grandfather pioneered the School of Liberal Arts at Texas Southern. Peavy grew up surrounded by conversations about both the promise and pain of educating Black children.
After a grueling year of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation to treat breast cancer, Sadia Zapp was anxious — not the manageable hum that had long been part of her life, but something deeper, more distracting.
News You Might Have Missed
On behalf of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) representing the Black Press of America, we extend our sincerest condolences to the Jackson family. Leadership matters. Jesse Jackson’s leadership in the Civil Rights Movement in America and the human rights movement throughout the world was outstanding. Jackson uttered a strong penetrating voice for the voiceless. His courage on the battlefield for freedom, justice and equality was unparallel.