Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Thursday, June 1. I’m Julia Carmel, a feature writer for The Times’ Lifestyle section who covers travel, local culture ...

“California Dreamin’” was more than just a hit song; it was a description of what much of the country and even the world wanted. The state also closed schools more frequently and for longer ...

California Governor Gavin Newsom has been even more aggressive, with plans to ban the sale of gas-powered cars statewide in pursuit of a net-zero greenhouse gas, carbon-free economy by 2045.