POLITICO’s California Playbook | CA’s Reforestation Struggle | Sacramento Century Challenge
Cone Camp participants prepare to launch a weighted line into a sugar pine tree in Pollock Pines on July 15, 2026.
Anna Hoch-Kenney/CalMatters
POLITICO’s California Playbook
Summer can feel like a sleepy time in politics, especially at the state legislature, where lawmakers are on recess. But it’s still a Midterm year and the gloves are coming off as campaigns pick up the pace for the November general election. Blake Jones is co-author of POLITICO’s California Playbook and he joins us today with a look at some of the races and props that are starting to heat up.
CA’s Reforestation Struggle
California has seen wildfires grow longer and more devastating over the years, scorching millions of acres of forest land across the state. Reforestation is a critical part of healing the damage, but California can’t plant fast enough to keep up with the destruction — a problem compounded by a lack of funding and staffing on the state and federal levels. CalMatters Water Reporter Rachel Becker joins Insight with her reporting on what is keeping more seeds and seedlings from going in the ground.
CalMatters is a nonprofit newsroom that partners with public media stations across the state.
Sacramento Century Challenge
Would you ride 100 miles on a bike for a good cause? The Rotary Club of Sacramento is gearing up for the Sacramento Century Challenge, an annual fundraiser that supports the Sacramento Children’s Home Crisis Nursery. President Elect Jamie Furlong, Michael Mui and Bob Rosenberg discuss the history of the Sac Century Challenge, why the Rotary Club puts it on every year and why now is the time to start training and building a team.
