Introducing Bee Opinionated!
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Hello and welcome to the inaugural edition of The Sacramento Bee’s newest newsletter, Bee Opinionated!
Every Sunday, we’ll bring opinion journalism right to your inbox that challenges the status quo and holds the powerful accountable in California’s capital and beyond.
My name is Robin Epley and I’ll be your main point of contact here, but occasionally you’ll hear from a few of my colleagues, including Yousef Baig, Hannah Holzer, and our editor, Marcos Bretón.
You’re probably thinking “Great. Another newsletter.” And I get that — my inbox gets pretty full too. But we think this is going to be something special. Here’s why:
We are a collection of very different journalists with diverse backgrounds who collaborate, debate, and try to be as thoughtful as possible to help you understand what’s happening in our communities and our state. The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board tries to advocate for our community’s best interests daily. Our work is reported and shaped by interviews with thought leaders, experts and readers like you living in California — not just our personal beliefs.
Bee Opinionated is a carefully curated newsletter, not just an automated digest that takes your readership for granted. This is thoughtful and passionate local journalism, direct to you.
Moreover, this newsletter will hit your inbox on Sunday nights. That may seem like an unusual time, but we want to prepare you for the work week ahead with opinions that invite discussion. So each Sunday we’ll showcase the best of what our editorial board has to offer. The hope is that you’ll be talking about these stories come Monday morning.
Without further ado…
Hoops Scoop
This week, The Bee Opinion team broke huge news with the information that Sacramento Kings power forward, Richaun Holmes, had left the season early due to accusations of domestic violence and child abuse from his ex-wife, Allexis Holmes. We questioned why the Kings organization attempted to keep it quiet and explained why it’s important to believe domestic abuse survivors. This story is ongoing, so stay tuned.
Pour One Out
Assistant opinion editor Yousef Baig found out this week that a recall attempt against Sacramento City Councilmember Katie Valenzuela was likely invalid, thanks to the state’s complex redistricting laws. A neighborhood coalition in the newly-redistricted East Sacramento area had planned an anti-homeless mimosa brunch to discuss how they could remove both the councilmember from her seat, and what they call “Katie Camps” in the well-to-do community. Even the City of Sacramento was confused and couldn’t offer comment.
Neutral Zone
Opinion assistant Hannah Holzer took aim at the Sacramento City Unified School District strike and found neutral fact finder Joe Lindsay largely supported the teachers union’s concerns and demands. Lindsay, who had been hired and agreed to by both parties, recommended the district provide retroactive COVID sick leave; increase pay for special education teachers who voluntarily accept additional students; grant additional sick pay; and provide an across-the-board raise proportionate to the superintendent’s cost-of-living increase, among other items.
Opinion of the Week
“Uh, that’s not how it works.” — Paul Mitchell, California redistricting guru, owner of Redistricting Partners and vice president of Political Data, pleading with local media to “stop the insanity of reporting on a fake recall that actually isn’t even a thing.”
One More Thing
We would love to hear your thoughts not only on this newsletter, but also on our work in general, so please, let us know! What would you like to see in the newsletter every week? Got a story tip or an opinion to get off your chest? Email us at any time via opinion@sacbee.com.
See you next week,
— Robin Epley
Recommended Reading
- The ugly reason the Kings shut down Richaun Holmes early: Domestic violence accusations
- Hold the mimosas. Redistricting rules bar East Sacramento voters from recalling Valenzuela
- A neutral analyst sided with striking teachers over Sacramento schools. He was right
- Sac City schools must support trans and non-binary students. Bathrooms are a first step
- California lawmakers want to help with gas prices. Here’s what’s wrong with their plans
- TOON: Jack Ohman: Gassy state …
- A federal program that lifted many children out of poverty expired. California can help
- Transphobic bills in Texas, Florida and other states show fight for LGBTQ rights not over
- Millennials find a brutal market for buying homes, and it’s not going to get any easier
- Months after Sacramento schools reopened, a strike could close them. That’s unacceptable
