Fellows' Reporting Across California
Working in newsrooms across the state, approximately 75 California Local News Fellows are producing vital, community-centered reporting that reflects the voices and needs of Californians. Click on each block below to read the full article.
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Fellow Spotlight - Nevin Kallepalli
ShastaScout
At Shasta Scout, we believe a democratic community requires access to just and equitable news. We are a non-profit, independent, civic news organization focused on Shasta County’s diverse and investigative stories.
Nevin Kallepalli's Reporting
Nevin is a local news reporter for ShastaScout. Below are a few of his recent stories.
Headlines: From the Hindu Kush to the Cascade Range: Hamid’s journey to America
Headlines: The Cottonwood Militia says no one should fear its name. History tells a more complicated story.
Headlines: Open Notebook: On Covering the Police
Fellowship Impact
CA Taxpayers Will Pay $15 Million To Hire Journalists
"Accurate news and information has become an increasingly fleeting resource. But it’s one that should rank not far behind clean air, food and water on the list of things we need to maintain a healthy and fair society," writes Los Angeles Times reporter James Rainey in the Essential California newsletter from the LA Times about the $15 million in state funding for local journalism via our University of California, Berkeley-based California Local News Fellowship and the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education.
The story highlights the success of the program spearheaded by former CA State Senator Steven M. Glazer and the renewal and expansion championed this year by State Senator Catherine Blakespear and Assemblymember Marc Berman.
Expanding Local News Coverage In California
The California Local News Fellowship currently has more than 70 early-career journalists reporting from every corner of the state, covering immigration, wildfires, housing, healthcare access, city council and school board meetings, and the effects of Trump administration policies. Fellows are working in 35 counties covering more than 90 percent of the state’s population through community newspapers, local nonprofits, ethnic media outlets and public radio stations. They’re producing more than 100 stories a week that would otherwise go untold.
2025 Impact Report
Fellow Mariana Duran. Photo by Pablo Unzueta.
The Fellowship is tackling the need for accurate, community-focused journalism in underserved areas by empowering reporters to uncover stories that matter. A new, interactive report highlights our impact and effectiveness, offering valuable insights and case studies. Explore the findings and see how this initiative is fostering accountability, transparency and strengthening local news ecosystems.