Next 10 in the News

California may finally achieve its dream of an integrated western grid — if skeptics can be convinced the state's energy policies and economy are protected.

California is in the midst of a debate over whether to integrate its grid into a broader network or maintain tighter control over its electricity policy and supply. California's renewables industry could shed jobs under a broader regionalization of the electric grid, but the move would be a net-plus for employment, the new report concludes.

Should California expand its energy markets to incorporate the rest of the Western United States?

A proposed network aimed at serving the electricity needs of California and other Western states would lower energy costs, spur a greater use of renewable energy and create another 10,000 to 20,000 jobs a year in California by 2030, an industry group claims.

One of Gov. Jerry Brown’s final climate change-related priorities is moving through the California Legislature but faces opposition from some Democrats.

So which is it: Are people fleeing California and the Bay Area for cheaper housing, or swarming here for high-paying jobs? The answer is: both. A flurry of recent population reports have painted a confusing picture.

Fresno County remains one of the state's more affordable areas for housing, compared to coastal a parts of California. But because wages tend to be lower in the Valley than those other regions, housing isn't exactly cheap for many local families.