During a packed town hall last night, officials said the fire slowed down slightly yesterday, after a weekend of hot and dry weather. It’s now most active in the Sierra National Forest, where it’s possible burn scars from previous fires will slow it down.

L.A. County Health Officials Closed the Waiting List for the Monkeypox Vaccine One Day After it Opened

Large demand for limited monkeypox vaccine is causing problems for people most at risk. Some qualified people say they are being turned away at vaccine sites and given conflicting advice.

Reporter Jackie Fortier, KPCC

Truckers at the Port of Oakland Enter Second Week of Protests Over Mandatory Employee Classification

Many truckers are upset about AB 5, the state law that reclassifies many independent contractors as employees.  Last week, the group snarled up traffic and slowed port operations. This week, have agreed not to block access to terminals and plan instead to rally in designated “free speech” zones set up by the port. 

Reporter Holly J. McDede, KQED

Oakland City Council Moves to Push for Official Repeal of Prop 8

A federal judge struck down Prop 8, but the 2008 voter approved initiative to ban same-sex marriage is still in the California constitution. State lawmakers are talking about bringing a repeal before voters, but Oakland City Council President Pro Term Sheng Thao says they’re not moving fast enough.

Reporter Rachael Myrow, KQED

Mexican Officials Blame Border Wall for Record Number of Migrant Deaths

Customs and Border Protection say an unprecedented number of migrants have been injured while trying to cross the border illegally into San Diego County. Mexican officials say over 250 people were injured trying to cross the border last year, and 80% of injuries happened when people fell off the 30 foot wall.

Reporter Gustavo Solis, KPBS

New NASA Images of Lake Mead  Show Dire Effects of Drought

The water of Lake Mead helps quench the thirst of California, Nevada, Arizona, and parts of Mexico. And if you look at the satellite photos of the reservoir from the year 2000, it looks like it’s up to the job. The new photos from NASA taken this month reveal an anemic Lake Mead. The northern arm of the lake has withered dramatically – what was deep blue in the photos from 20 years ago has now been reclaimed by the arid desert. 

Reporter Matt Guilhelm, KCRW

Silicon Valley Congresswoman Anna Eshoo Warns of Issues With a Prospective National Privacy Law

The American Data Privacy and Protection Act could become the nation’s first comprehensive privacy law, after passing out of a key House Committee this week. However, Silicon Valley Congresswoman Anna

Reporter Rachael Myrow, KQED 

Two Fresno County Residents Chosen to Be Citizenship Ambassadors for First U.S. Program 

Fresno County community leaders Pao Yang and Margarita Rocha are two of three Californians and eight U.S. citizens to be citizenship ambassadors. Officials with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services say the two will asked to spread the word about the naturalization process and encourage people in their community who might be eligible to apply for citizenship.

Reporter Esther Quintanilla, KVPR

Fifty years ago, an unlikely musical group evolved out of the Oakland chapter of the Black Panther Party. And although they quickly gained a following for their air-tight funk and striking lyrics, they were always meant to be much more than mere entertainment. The band’s mission was to spread the seed of social revolution, and their militant agenda would put them up against the intertwined forces of white supremacy and racist police. Reporter Peter Gilstrap takes us back in time to another period of social upheaval, and brings us a documentary about the rise and fall of The Lumpen.

Ten Percent of State’s Vaccine Supply is Called Into Question
State health officials are recommending a pause in using one batch of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine because of unexpected adverse reactions.
Reporter: Molly Peterson, KQED

Albertson’s Replaces Drivers, Critics Blame Prop 22
Weeks after Proposition 22 became law, we are already seeing the effects ripple out into industries beyond the “gig economy.” The country’s second-largest grocery store chain, Albertsons, is now laying off its grocery delivery employees and replacing them with contractors at DoorDash. Critics of the measure say they warned this would happen.
Reporter: Sam Harnett, KQED

New Federal Amendments Could Endanger Much of California’s Desert
As the sun sets on the Trump Administration, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has proposed removing the protected status of millions of acres of desert lands across California. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, CapRadio

After an 18 month investigation, state and federal regulators called for Facebook’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp to be unwound.

Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED

Latinos Still Account for a Disproportionate Number of COVID-19 Deaths

Latinos are almost 40% of California’s population but they make up nearly 60% of the state’s cases of COVID-19, and half of the deaths. A new survey shows Latinos are more concerned than any other group about how the pandemic is affecting them.

Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED

Latino Activists Fear COVID Testing Resources Aren’t Enough

Nine months into the pandemic, COVID testing remains top of mind for Latino activists in the Bay Area. In July, we took you to a pop-up testing site set up by the Latino Task Force in San Francisco’s Mission District. Since then, they’ve been able to expand testing, but outcomes are still frustrating.

Guest: Jon Jacobo, Health Chair, Latino Task Force

Low Census Response in Central L.A. Has Local Leaders Worried

The 34th congressional district in Central L.A. had the state’s lowest response rate to this year’s census. Local leaders say that basically ensures an undercount, which could pose a problem for institutions that serve residents.

Reporter: Caroline Champlin, KPCC

Parents Rejoice as Playgrounds Reopen

The closure of playgrounds has been frustrating for frazzled parents during the pandemic. Following outcry from moms, dads, and some lawmakers, the state announced yesterday it will reopen playgrounds at reduced capacity.

Guest: Mariah Lajara, Mother

Medical Resources Stretched Thin in Rural Mariposa County

As COVID cases surge, many hospitals in the Central Valley are approaching capacity. That’s not the case in Mariposa County yet. But the county’s health officer is warning that resources are becoming scarce for those who need critical care.

Reporter: Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio

Air quality may finally be improving in the Bay Area, but things are still smoky down in Southern California. That’s especially true in in the foothill communities of the San Gabriel Valley, where the Air Quality Index has hit 500 this week. 
Reporter: KCRW’s Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW

New Poll Shows Tough Fight for Proposition to Reinstate Affirmative Action

The poll from the Public Policy Institute of California shows just 31 percent support a proposition to reinstate affirmative action. The poll also shows a slim majority of likely voters support Proposition 15, which would change how property taxes are assessed on commercial and industrial properties in the state.
Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED 

Neighbors Step Up to Help One Restaurant Worker Out of Work Since Pandemic Began

The restaurant industry has been hard hit during the pandemic, losing nearly 400,000 jobs in the state since March. As some businesses reopen, those workers are competing for fewer positions. Victor Moreno is one restaurant worker finding unexpected support from people in his neighborhood.
Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

250 Marines and Sailors Sent to Battle Creek Fire

250 marines and sailors are being sent to Central California to help fight the Creek Fire, which has grown to over 220,000 acres and is now 18% contained.
Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED

Firefighters Fight to Save Historic Mount Wilson Observatory

The Bobcat Fire has gotten dangerously close to the observatory. It’s surrounded by firefighters and helicopters there to defend the structures, which contain scientifically important telescopes.
Sharon McNary, KPCC

Democratic Vice Presidential hopeful Kamala Harris met Tuesday with emergency service personnel who have been battling the Creek Fire in the mountains near Fresno. 
Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED

Women’s Groups Vow to Defend Kamala Harris from Racist, Sexist Attacks

As the first woman of color on a major party’s presidential ticket, Kamala Harris is already facing subtle and not so subtle personal attacks that observers say most white men would not encounter. Women’s groups are geared up to defend her.
Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED 

New Alliance of Progressive Prosecutors Founded to Lobby for Criminal Justice Reform

A group of California prosecutors say they are fed up with their peers’ opposition to criminal justice reform and are starting a new group dedicated to pushing political change.
Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

Home Daycares Are Shutting Down When Essential Workers Need Them the Most

The pandemic has opened up leeway for some parents working remotely. But many can’t do their jobs from home. Those parents need childcare facilities more than ever, but the daycares say they may have to close if they don’t get more support from the state. Today will be the  first ever bargaining meeting of the Childcare Providers Union with the state.
Reporter: Deepa Fernandes, KQED 

Farmworker Advocates Say Workers Aren’t Receiving N-95 Masks from Employers

The Fresno Bee reports the California Department of Food and Agriculture have shipped more than 3 million N-95 masks to 35 counties. But these masks don’t appear to be making it to workers.
Guest: Estella Cisneros, California Rural Legal Assistance 

He was sold on an idea that a mostly uninhabited, sun-baked desert city might one day become the next Palm Springs, the next Silicon Valley. It turned out Perez is one of tens of thousands of people who’ve been drawn into this mirage for decades.

The new podcast “California City” follows award-winning journalist Emily Guerin in uncovering the mind-boggling history of a place made up of sprawling suburbs … with no houses. A place where empty desert land is presented as a ticket to the American Dream.

For decades, real estate developers have gotten rich by selling this fever dream to thousands of people, many of whom are hard-working immigrants looking to build a better future.

But the reality is much different.

The land investments never paid off, and the landowners — many of whom scraped together their life savings to buy a plot of land — were left with next to nothing.

California City is just a few miles north of Edwards Air Force Base.

It’s the third-largest city in the state by land area, but the population stood at only 14,120 in the last census. It’s a one-bar town surrounded by a vast layout of unpaved streets, filled with people too afraid to talk about the heart of the problem.

It’s a story in which victims can be perpetrators and heroes can be villains — from the do-gooder attorney who helped thousands of people before committing a heinous crime of his own, to a former police chief who decided not to investigate an open secret in his own town.

To uncover the full scope of this story, and raise awareness about the thousands of people who were affected, this Western crime noir goes back to where it all got started 60 years ago by an immigrant with a dream of his own.

In this episode of the California Report Magazine, Guerin tells us how salespeople convinced Ben Perez to spend 5 years’ worth of his savings in a matter of three hours.

It’s an excerpt from the first episode of the California City podcast, an 8-part series from our partners at LAist Studios.

Hundreds of thousands of people across California lost power beginning Friday evening and again on Saturday as hot temperatures became unbearable. The California Independent Systems Operator, instructed utilities to power down parts of the system.

‘Firenado’ Spotted as Crews Battle Blazes Throughout State

Observers of the Loyalton Fire in the Tahoe National Forest reported a fire-induced tornado on on Saturday. That blaze is one of several burning throughout the state, and firefighters have yet to gain any ground on it. Meanwhile, four fire fighters have been injured battling the River Fire in Monterey County. 

Federal Court Strikes Down California’s Ban on High-Capacity Magazines

State Attorney General Xavier Becerra says his office is reviewing a decision by the 9th Circuit of the Court of Appeals that struck down California’s ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines. A three-judge panel ruled  on Friday that the blanket ban is an unconstitutional violation of the 2nd amendment.

Golden State Killer to be Sentenced this Week

Joseph DeAngelo will be sentenced by a Sacramento County Superior Court judge this week. The former police officer was arrested in 2018 after DNA evidence linked him to a series of brutal rapes and murders that took place in the ’70s and ’80s across the state.
Reporter:Julie Chang, KQED 

Democratic Party National Convention Kicks Off Tonight — from a Distance

The Democratic Party begins its national convention tonight, and what was supposed to be a massive gathering in Milwaukee is now a dramatically pared down event.
Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED 

Fresno School District Superintendent Outlines Priorities for Distant Learning

Today is the first day of school for a lot of students around California. It’s all remote for now, and Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson says he’s taking it one day at a time.
Guest: Bob Nelson, Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson 

This morning the Oakland Unified School District and others across the state start their school year.It won’t be typical, and all instruction is being done remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Guest: Parent Stephanie Campos

Southern California Women’s Prison COVID-19 Cases Climb to 160

The number of infections at the California Institution for Women in Chino has soared to 160 women, and 13 employees at the prison have active COVID-19 cases.
Reporter: Kate Wolffe, KQED

California’s Top Public Health Official Abruptly Resigns

Director of California’s Public Health Department Sonia Angell stepped down from her position last night. Angell’s resignation comes just days after it was announced that the state had a backlog of as many as 300,000 coronavirus test results.

Ventura County’s Godspeak Calvary Chapel Remains Defiant Against Shutdown Order

County authorities say the religious gatherings could turn into coronavirus super-spreader events that pose a threat to public health. Godspeak Pastor Rob McCoy is encouraging church goers to continue to show up for indoor Sunday service.

Bay Area Lebanese Woman Plans Shaken After Deadly Beirut Explosion

Beirut, Lebanon is still reeling from the massive explosion that destroyed vast swaths of the city last week. The blast killed at least 150 people, injured thousands more, and destroyed countless homes and businesses in the heart of Beirut. It’s also scrambled future plans for so many Lebanese, including one woman living in the Bay Area.
Reporter: Lily Jamali

OC Registrar of Voters Confident County Can Handle Mail-in-Ballot Surge

Election Day is 85 days away, and it will be like no other in American history because of the coronavirus pandemic. Neal Kelley is Orange County’s Registrar of Voters. He oversees voting in the fifth largest election jurisdiction in the country with more than one and half million voters.
Guest: Neal Kelley, Orange County’s Registrar of Voters

Calls to Defund Police Draws Mixed Reaction from Black Clergy

In this moment of reckoning over racial justice and equity, many people are looking to churches for guidance. Black pastors in particular are speaking out against police violence. Some of California’s Black clergy do not support the push to defund the police.
Reporter: Ashlea Brown, CapRadio

Los Angeles County has the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases of any county in the U.S. Since January, the coronavirus has killed 4,869 people in L.A. County. That makes it the second leading cause of death after coronary heart disease and far deadlier than the flu.
Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC 

Coronavirus Outbreak Hits Santa Cruz Farmworkers

For the first time since the pandemic started, COVID-19 outbreaks have been documented at agricultural workplaces in Santa Cruz.
Reporter: Hannah Hagemann, KQED

Judge Orders Weekly COVID-19 Testing for Detainees at Mesa Verde

A federal judge in San Francisco has ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to test for COVID all detainees at a facility in Bakersfield. That’s after at least nine people held there were diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

Disability-Rights Group Sues to Move People out of San Bernadino Psychiatric Hospital

About 115 patients and 150 staff have tested positive for COVID-19 at Patton Hospital in San Bernadino. An Oakland-based disability rights group is suing the state to move people out of the psychiatric hospital.
Reporter: Kate Wolffe, KQED

California Counties Allowed Fewer Polling Places this Election

Senate Bill 423 from Democratic State Senator Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) allows counties to consolidate voting locations if they allow at least three days of early, in-person voting.
Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED

State Lawmakers Push to Remove Racist Language from Property Records

Some Democratic state lawmakers are proposing a system that removes racist language from property records whenever a property is sold or transferred.
Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio

‘Everyday was on Repeat’ Healthcare Workers Confront Isolation of the Pandemic

For the last five months doctors have seemed unflappable as they confront daily horrors that most of us can’t imagine. They’ve become our heroes, but now they’re exhausted.
Reporter: Lesley McClurg, The California Report 

At least seven million Californians have lost their jobs since the pandemic began earlier this year. It took Antonio Rael an estimated 5,600 calls before he could get an Employment Development Department worker on the phone to  re-certify his claim.
Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, KQED

Basic Questions Are Clogging the Phone Lines, Says EDD Spokesperson

Loree Levy, a spokesperson for EDD, says the agency is in the process of hiring more than 5,000 new workers. She is also encouraging applicants to review the agency’s FAQs closely before calling in, and says people have been tying up the phone lines with questions already answered online.

More than a dozen Democratic lawmakers have signed on to a bill that would tax earnings above a million dollars an extra one percent. There would also be an additional, higher tax brackets for income above two million and five million.
Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio

COVID-19 Spreads at Foster Farms Poultry Processing Plant

A COVID-19 outbreak at a big Central Valley poultry processing plant has grown to 73 confirmed cases with one worker dying. Livingston Mayor Gurpal Samra and other city officials met with Foster Farms representatives this week to make sure the company is following adequate safety protocols.
Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED

California Lawmakers Demand Fix to Unemployment Benefit Process

Over a million Californians still want to know why they haven’t received their unemployment benefits. The director of the Employment Development Department said at a hearing yesterday it will be until September to process even the backlogged claims that have been resolved.
Reporter: Julie Chang, KQED

Fight Intensifies Over Gig Worker Classification Bill

California’s Attorney General opened a lawsuit in May against Uber and Lyft for allegedly misclassifying workers. Now supporters of Prop 22, a referendum that would allow these companies to classify workers as contractors, are suing the attorney general for how he worded the title of their ballot initiative.
Reporter: Sam Harnett, KQED

Documentary Chronicles Closure of Public Hospital in West Contra Costa County

Doctors Medical Center in West Contra Costa County shut down five years ago, citing budget concerns. This hospital mostly served patients who were uninsured or on Medi-Cal. Now former hospital employees have set up a tiny urgent care clinic, where they try to triage patients with just a quarter of their former staff.
Reporter: Sasha Khokha, KQED 

Reporter Still Haunted Months after Being Shot by Police with  Foam Round

Journalists have been injured by police using tear gas, batons and projectiles to disperse crowds these last few months. KPCC’s Adolfo Guzman Lopez was hit in the neck by a policeman’s foam bullet while covering a protest in Long Beach in May.
Guest: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, KPCC and LAist 

The state agency that sends out unemployment insurance checks has been overwhelmed with applications since the pandemic began, which has led to lots of complaints about late checks and terrible customer service. The Newsom Administration says it’s taking actions to improve the situation.
Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED

Tenants Call for Statewide Rent Forgiveness

On August 1st rent will be due for lots of Californians. But since the pandemic  began, millions of people haven’t been able to pay, and they’ve been protected by a moratorium on evictions.  Many renters say more help is necessary and are calling for a statewide program of rent forgiveness.
Guest: Pea Nuñez, Boyle Heights Rent Striker

Proposed Bill Seeks to Extend Eviction Moratorium

State Assemblymember David Chiu introduced a bill which gives qualifying tenants protection from eviction until the current state of emergency ends, or until  April of next year. Tenants unable to pay rent because they’ve lost work, or who can’t pay because of expenses related to COVID-19 would have an extra year to pay back past rent.

The Future of Commercial Real Estate Looks Grim

With so many people working from home because of the pandemic, the demand for office space has plummeted. A new UCLA survey reports people in the California commercial real estate market are feeling grim about the future. 
 Reporter: Matt Guilhem, KCRW

Advocates for immigrants in California are blasting the Trump administration for its decision to reject new applications for the DACA program, which allows undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to stay in the country. The Administration’s decision comes in spite of a Supreme Court ruling last month striking down President Trump’s attempt to end the program
Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

California Sues Trump Over Order Excluding Undocumented From Census Count

Last week President Trump issued a memorandum ordering that undocumented residents not be counted when it comes to determining seats in Congress. California’s Attorney General Xavier Becerra responded yesterday with a lawsuit arguing that counting everyone is a constitutional mandate, and not including the undocumented could cost California seats in Congress. 

Farm Workers Face Uncertain and Dangerous Pandemic Working Conditions

According to a study released this week, farm workers in the San Joaquin Valley are three times more likely to get COVID-19 than in other industries. Those workers are also facing job losses.
Reporter: Madi Bolaños, Valley Public Radio

L.A. County’s Atlantic Avenue is Quiet Amid High Unemployment

we’ve been checking in on how the pandemic has affected  people along L.A. County’s Atlantic Avenue, a thoroughfare more than 20 mile long that cuts through a variety of working class communities, with large Black, Latino and immigrant populations.  Today we hear from Reginald Hall, who lives just off of Atlantic.
Guest: Reginald Hall, Atlantic avenue resident

Three Food Processing Plants Didn’t Report Outbreaks Among Employees

Food processing plants in Los Angeles County have been shutdown due to coronavirus outbreaks, involving at least 40 workers at each business. Employers are required by local health orders to report outbreaks involving three workers or more.  
 Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC

COVID-19 Test Results Will Now Include Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

State health officials announced Tuesday that California will now require labs to include gender identity and sexual orientation, along with race and ethnicity data, when reporting coronavirus test results.
Reporter: Peter Arcuni, KQED

Fresno County Faces Scrutiny Over Jail Outbreak

More than 900 inmates at the Fresno County Jail have tested positive for the coronavirus since last month. 445 of those are considered “active cases.” Advocates question how well the county is getting a handle on the outbreak.
Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED

Esselen Tribe Purchases 1,200 Acres of Ancestral Land

For the first time in more than two centuries, the Esselen tribe in the picturesque Big Sur area has land to call its own. Through a state grant, the Monterey county tribe this week purchased almost 1,200 acres of its traditional territory. 
Reporter: Matt Guilhem, KCRW

When it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, L.A. county and the Bay Area often get the lion’s share of attention. But the Central Valley is also grappling with growing virus caseloads and deaths.  Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state will direct tens of millions of dollars to the Central Valley to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

L.A. Hopes to Improve Contact Tracing With Financial Incentive

In the battle against the pandemic, contact tracing of infected people is supposed to be a powerful weapon, but so far it’s had mixed results. Now Los Angeles County has a new approach involving dollar incentives. 
Reporter: Jackie Fortier,  KPCC

Healthcare Workers Call for Reduction of State Prison Population

In an open letter published this week, hundreds of healthcare workers are calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to reduce the state prison population to slow the spread of COVID-19. 
Reporter:  Shannon Lin, KQED 

California Child Care Provid ers Vote   Overwhelmingly to Unionize

Some 45,000 child care providers across the state can now bargain with the state for better pay and benefits after voting overwhelmingly to unionize Monday.
Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED

Doctors Stock Up on PPE at Drive-Thru Giveaway

Although shortages aren’t as bad as they were when the coronavirus pandemic broke out, many medical professionals still struggle to find personal protective equipment, or PPE .Yesterday crates of it were  distributed free of charge to doctors and nurses in the parking lot of Pasadena’s Rose Bowl. 
Guest: Gustavo Friedrichsen, CEO of the Los Angeles County Medical Association

New Podcast Explores the Strange Dark History of California City

In the California desert there’s an unusual town called California City. It has a ‘Twilight Zone” vibe with miles of neatly laid out streets with nothing on them that go nowhere. It’s also a place where people have had their dreams and finances destroyed by questionable real estate investment schemes over the decades. Most recently those schemes have targeted immigrants.
Guest: Emily Guerin, Host, California City Podcast 

California legislators return to Sacramento today after taking an extended summer recess because of COVID 19, and lawmakers have a lot of catching up to do. There are more than 500 bills pending in the Senate and close to 200 in the Assembly.
Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED

New Study Shows Impact of Pandemic on Asian-Americans

A new study reports that Asian Americans are suffering financially in this economic crisis. It also shows that  racism tied to COVID-19 plays a role.
Reporter: Caroline Champlin, KPCC

U.S Citizenship Backlog Shuts Many Immigrants Out of Voting

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, more than 150,000 immigrants in California were applying to become U.S. citizens.  Now many of them may not become citizens in time to vote this November because of the massive backlog and  furloughs facing the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero , KQED

LA County’s Manhattan Beach Turns to Mask Fines

More California cities are increasingly using the threat of fines as a way to get people to wear face coverings to slow the spread of the coronavirus. One of the first cities to implement a fine for not wearing a face covering was Manhattan Beach in L.A. County.
Guest: Manhattan Beach Mayor Richard Montgomery 

The coronavirus crisis is reaching new, bleak heights in California, where the state reported the highest daily death count on Thursday. State Senator Steve Glazer is calling for a second round of stay-at-home orders in regions where more than 2% of of COVID-19 tests come back positive.
Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio

UCLA Outlines Policy Priorities for California’s Latino Communities

The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative has put together a policy document outlining economic and health focuses for Latinos in California. The initiative offers up a national vision on education, housing, voting rights, and political representation.
Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW

The Great American Outdoors Act Could Revive California Parks

California favorites like Joshua Tree and Yosemite need major, costly improvements ranging from fixed roads to new wastewater treatment plants. The Great American Outdoors Act passed by Congress this week would help, but President Trump would need to sign it into law.
Reporter: Jacob Margolis, KPCC

How Financial Shock Takes a Toll on the U.S Census

Californians are not completing the census at the same rates they did in 2010. New research from U.C Merced suggests the pandemic is playing a role because people experiencing financial blows are less likely to complete the census.
Reporter: Haley Gray, KQED

Without Comic-Con, San Diego Loses A Major Tourism Boom

If not for the pandemic, Comic-Con would be in full swing right now, bringing 100,000 people to San Diego. The event brings an estimated $150 million dollars to the city annually, but it’s been pushed online this year and downtown businesses are losing out on the revenue.
Reporter: Matt Hoffman, KPBS

“Soundtrack of Silence” Heads to Hollywood

When Matt Hay learned he was going to lose his hearing, he decided to listen to as much music as possible in an effort to create a soundtrack to last the rest of his life. This story, first reported by KQED health correspondent April Dembosky in 2017, is now headed to Hollywood.
Guest: April Dembosky, KQED

California is now reporting more confirmed cases of COVID-19 than any other state in the nation. The state is reaching the grim milestone as it struggles to stem the spread of the virus.
Reporter: Guy Marzaroti, KQED

Hospital Capacity Dwindles As Cases Surge Across the State

The surge is cases is wreaking havoc on healthcare facilities throughout the state, forcing them to prepare for the worst. Many are still struggling with shortages of supplies and staffing. 
Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED

COVID-19 is Becoming the Leading Cause of Death in L.A.

COVID-19 is on track to become the leading cause of death in L.A. County. Health officials warn that unless people wear face masks and physically distance, more people will die.
Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC

Administrative Error Prevents Nurses From Providing Mental Health Care

As coronavirus cases are surging, so are reports of depression, anxiety and other mental health concerns. But even as mental health professionals are needed more than ever,  those who graduated from a Fresno State nursing program are being told to return to school and repeat their classes.
Reporter: Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio

How Systemic Inequality Is Fueling The Spread of COVID-19

Systemic racial inequality has left members of low-income and minority communities most vulnerable to transmission and death from COVID-19. In San Francisco, Latinos make up 15% of the population but account for nearly half of all positive COVID-19 cases.
Guest: Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, UCSF Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics 

NJ Shooting Linked To Killing of Lawyer in San Bernardino Mountains

The FBI has confirmed they have linked the shooting of a men’s rights lawyer in the San Bernardino Mountains to the suspect in the ambush shooting of a federal judge’s family in New Jersey.
Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KVCR

Sierra Club Confronts John Muir’s Racism

One of the country’s largest and most influential environmental organizations is acknowledging its racist past. The Sierra Club is publicly calling out its co-founder John Muir — who made derogatory comments about Black and Indigenous people and supported racist policies.
Reporter: Kathryn Barnes, KCRW

 A new report out today paints a grim picture of the future of child care in our state. The industry was struggling even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it’s been driven to the brink.
Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED

Cal State Moves Closer to Requiring Ethnic Studies Classes

In higher education it’s looking more and more like undergrads at the 23 Cal State University campuses will be required to take an ethnic studies class.
Reporter: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, KPCC

State Officials Say Undocumented Immigrants Must Be Included in the Census

Yesterday, President Donald Trump ordered the Commerce Department to exclude undocumented immigrants from the Census.  The move was roundly condemned as unlawful by several California lawmakers and top government officials.
Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

Conservative Group Sues to Reopen Schools This Fall

A conservative nonprofit is suing Governor Gavin Newsom and state officials on behalf of nine parents. They claim the statewide order which prevents districts from holding in-person classes is unconstitutional.
Reporter: Hannah Hagemann, KQED

For Many, Working From Home Will Outlast the Pandemic

Sacramento area workers say they want to keep working from home when the coronavirus threat is over.  A new poll finds that employers are listening to their workers and making plans for the future.
Reporter: Pauline Bartolone, CapRadio

Lassen Wolf Pack Has Eight New Pups

California’s only wolf pack is growing.  for the fourth straight year, Scientists have announced northeastern California is home to eight new wolf pups. But advocates worry efforts by the Trump administration could threaten the future of wolf recovery.
Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED

Workers across the country protested economic and racial injustice Monday by walking off the job for eight minutes and 46 seconds,  the length of time that a Minneapolis police officer knelt on the neck of George Floyd.
Reporter: Sam Harnett, KQED

Los Angeles Service Workers Stand In Solidarity With Black Colleagues

Protests also took place in Los Angeles, where workers from the fast-food, gig work,  and health care industries led several different demonstrations. Service workers supporting Black colleagues drew comparisons between the labor and racial justice movements. 
Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW

Trump Says Oakland Could see Federal Law Enforcement Next

All eyes are on Portland, Oregon, where the Trump administration has deployed federal law enforcement officers at police protests. Monday, President Trump indicated that Oakland was on his list of major U.S. cities that could see federal agents come in next.
Reporter:  Alex Emslie, KQED

California Hair Salons May Now Operate Outside

Governor Gavin Newsom released new guidelines that could provide some relief for hair care businesses that have had to close because of health orders designed to stop the spread of coronavirus. Newsom acknowledged there was a lot to take into consideration before making the move.

New Hotline Offers Support for Harassment in Online Gaming

The video game industry has seen huge jumps in revenue during the pandemic, thanks to everyone sheltering in place. But gaming can also be a hotbed of harassment and abuse. A new hotline launching in August seeks to address this.
Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED

Mail In Ballots Could Have a Big Impact on the Student Vote

Colleges and universities around California are limiting the number of students they’ll allow on campus this fall — and shifting classes online — in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.  These changes could have a big impact on the college student vote this November.
Reporter: Guy Marzaroti, KQED

Renowned Writer Unleashes Epic Drunk Tweet Storm

This weekend, writer and author Susan Orlean almost broke the Internet with a stream of posts on Twitter. She was at home with her family after having a few glasses of wine at a neighbor’s house. Her musings were exactly what the world needs right now.
Guest: Susan Orlean, Writer at The New Yorker and Author of “The Library Book”

Most of the state’s largest school districts are now focusing on reopening schools this fall with distance learning. No county on the state’s monitoring watch list for increases in COVID-19 cases will be able to reopen without special approval.
Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED

Public Health Officials Warn Against Testing Mandates from Employers

Public health officials say employers should not be directing their employees to free, government-run COVID-19 testing sites.
Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC

U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services Faces Massive Furloughs

California lawmakers say they’re trying to reach a bailout deal for U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency in charge of issuing green cards, work permits and U.S citizenship. More than two-thirds of the agency’s staff, including 23,000 employees in California, could soon be furloughed.
Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

Kaiser Hit By Employee Complaints Over Coronavirus Concerns

The health system Kaiser Permanente has received more complaints from employees feeling threatened by the coronavirus than any other workplace in California by far. Dozens of complaints claim staff were not given adequate protective equipment.
Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio

Traces of COVID-19 Found in Yosemite Wastewater

Mariposa County health officials sent samples of raw sewage from Yosemite National Park to a Massachusetts lab, and the results show that as many as 170 people in Yosemite Valley were likely infected with COVID-19 but didn’t know it.
Reporter: Raquel Maria Dillon, KQED

California Highway Patrol Officer Harassed Over 20 Women

A statewide KQED reporting project has uncovered serious abuse by a California Highway Patrol officer in Los Angeles. The investigation found that Officer Morgan McGrew sexually propositioned or harassed at least 21 women during appointments at a CHP field office.
Guest: Sukey Lewis, KQED

There are about 1,000 public school districts in California. And Tony Thurmond, the state’s top education official is acknowledging pandemic conditions have deteriorated to a point where many of them won’t have students physically present in classrooms this fall.
Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED

Mineral Fire Grows to 16,500 Acres

Dozens of people are now under an evacuation order due to the Mineral Fire in Fresno County that has burned 16,500 acres and is 20% contained. More than 500 firefighters are on the scene. No injuries have been reported.
Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED

Trump Reverses Visa Decision, Allowing International Students to Stay

After intense blowback, the Trump Administration told a federal judge on Tuesday that it’s withdrawing a plan to strip international students of their visas if they’re enrolled only in online college classes this fall because of the pandemic.
Reporter: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, KPCC

California Sues Trump Administration Over Student Loan Relief

The state of California filed a lawsuit yesterday  against the Trump Administration eliminating the Obama-era “borrower defense” rule, which provides loan relief for students defrauded by for-profit universities.
Reporter: Julie Chang, KQED

Environmentalists Fight to List the Joshua Tree as Endangered

The Joshua Tree is now at the center of a growing political dispute. Environmentalists want the state to add it to California’s endangered species list, but many property owners and desert communities are against that, saying it could hobble new development.
Guest: Brenden Cummings: Conservation Director, Center for Biological Diversity

Despite SCOTUS Ruling, New DACA Applicants Face Uncertainty

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month the Trump administration unlawfully ended a program that protects undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. And that means hundreds of thousands of people nationwide are now eligible to apply for the first time for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA. But the federal agency handling those applications so far isn’t giving any clarity to those young people.
Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

Californians are now facing long lines, limited appointments, and delayed results when they get tested for coronavirus. State health officials have announced new testing guidelines that will prioritize vulnerable populations as the state faces testing backlogs.
Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED

61 Injured in Fire Aboard Navy Ship

The Navy says that 61 sailors and civilians have been treated for minor injuries as a fire continues to burn on board the amphibious assault ship the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego. The fire started Sunday morning and it’s still unclear if the ship can be saved.
Reporter: Matt Hoffman, KPBS

Attorney General Closes LAPD’s Inaccurate Gang Database

The State of California maintains a massive database of gang members called CalGang. Law enforcement agencies use it to investigate gang-related crimes and they contribute names to it. Now California Attorney General Xavier Beccera is shutting down LAPD’s entries to CalGang after investigations found many of the department’s entries were false and inaccurate.
Reporter: Jerome Campbell, KCRW

Kern County Launches First-Ever Community Advisory Council

The Kern County Sheriff’s Department is facing scrutiny. Following a month of discussions with community leaders the department has agreed to collaborate with a community-led advisory council. It will be the first of its kind for Kern county.
Reporter: Madi Bolaños, Valley Public Radio

Gym Owners Frustrated Over New Closures

As coronavirus cases surge this week, Governor Gavin Newsom announced new shutdown orders for indoor businesses across the state. So what it’s like to own a business that has to close again?
Reporter: Shannon Lin, KQED

AB 5 Enforcement Begins With Mobile Wash Lawsuit

Mobile Wash is a Southern California-based gig economy company that offers car washing services. Now the state’s Labor Commissioner’s office is suing Mobile Wash for misclassifying some of its employees as independent contractors.
Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED

100,000 Mail-In Ballots Were Rejected in CA Primary

More than 100,000 mail-in ballots sent in by Californian voters in the March presidential primary were rejected. This news comes as California moves forward with plans to send mail in ballots to every voter in the state to use in the November election because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Guest: Kim Alexander, President, California Voter Foundation

If the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel is a return to some sort of normal life, that light got fainter in the last 24 hours.  With COVID-19 cases rising in the state, Governor Gavin Newsom has once again ordered all California counties to shut-down indoor activities at restaurants, bars and entertainment venues.
Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

Central Valley Officials Expect Public Backlash to Shutdown

Seven of the California counties that will have to once again shutter businesses are in the Central Valley. Elected officials expect there will be public backlash to the closures of businesses and churches. 
Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED

L.A. and San Diego Schools Will Be Online This Fall

California’s two largest school districts, Los Angeles and San Diego Unified, announced yesterday that students would not be returning to campuses next month because of the pandemic, instead instruction will be done online.
Reporter: Kyle Stokes, KPCC

Testing Supply Shortage Hits San Diego

San Diego County is experiencing a shortage of testing supplies. More people are seeking tests at a time when supplies are running thin. This means longer waits for testing appointments and results.
Reporter: Tarryn Mento, KPBS

Statewide COVID Surge Traced to Early Missteps

For a while, California seemed to be a star student in its response to the virus compared to other states. Now it’s not doing so well as coronavirus cases and hospitilization increase. So what the heck happened? Some problems can be traced back to missteps in the early days of the pandemic.
Reporter: Emily Baumgartner, Los Angeles Times

Judge Denies Request To Extend Hospital Settlement Deadline

Northern California hospital system Sutter Health says the pandemic is making it hard for them to pay off half a billion dollars in settlement money to the state, but a judge won’t extend the deadline.
Reporter: Sammy Caiola, CapRadio

People in places like Los Angeles County are struggling to make appointments at often swamped coronavirus testing facilities. Many people at a testing city in the city of Long Beach lined up well before sunrise to make sure they could be tested.
Guests: Maria Solis, Marta Miranda

LA Unified Teacher’s Union Urges Against Reopening Classrooms

Classes in the country’s second largest school district, the Los Angeles Unified School District, are supposed to start again in August. But the union representing L.A. Unified school teachers says campuses should remain closed because of the coronavirus.
Carla Javier, KPCC

With Inmate Workforce in Quarantine, State Races To Hire Firefighters

California is hiring more than 850 seasonal firefighters to make up for fire fighting work done by prisoners, who are now in coronavirus quarantine.
Julie Chang, KQED

Support Groups Step Up as California Inmates Prepare for Release

As many as 8,000 people are expected to be released from prisons across California to slow the spread of COVID-19. Support groups are filling in the gaps for the inmates who are going to need help to make this transition successful.
Kate Wolffe, KQED

Young Smokers Risk Severe Cases of COVID-19, Study Shows

More young people are ending up in the hospital with Covid-19. And a new study says smoking is the biggest risk factor for young people who get really sick.
April Dembosky, KQED

Aslyum-Seeking Mother and Newborn Born in U.S Driven Back to Border

An asylum-seeking mother was given the choice of leaving her new U.S. born child in this country alone or both of them returning to Mexico.
Max Rivlin-Nadler, KPBS

The Potential and Perils of Antibody Tests

There is some evidence the coronavirus was present in California before March when the state shutdown. But assuming you’re now immune to COVID just because you were sick early in the year with flu like systems is risky.
Claire Trageser, KPBS

Health officials in Santa Cruz are preparing for a spike in coronavirus cases. The county’s chief doctor says summer weather and beach season have contributed to the spread of Covid-19.
Reporter: Hannah Hagemann, KQED  

Fire Officials Prepare for Wildfires Amidst Budget Woes

Governor Gavin Newsom warned Thursday that the state faces a riskier-than-average fire year, following a dry winter and a hot early summer. Wildfire preparation this year has been complicated by the pandemic and resulting state budget shortfalls.
Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED

San Francisco Assemblyman Slams State Agency with #EDDFailofTheDay

California’s Employment Development Department has been flooded with applications for unemployment benefits. But millions are still waiting for help.  Assemblyman David Chiu and other state lawmakers have been documenting the agency’s failure to respond on social media.
Guest: Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco)

California Sues Feds Over On-Site International Student Requirements

California is suing to stop a new Trump administration policy that bars hundreds of thousands of international students from staying in the U.S. if their schools go fully online in the fall.
Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

How We Got Here: New Series Looks At History of Gig Work

COVID-19 has made clear how precarious so many peoples’ life situations are across California and the country, and a lot of that uncertainty is linked to lacking support in the workplace. KQED’s podcast The Bay is out with a new 5-part series looking into this.
Guest: Sam Harnett, KQED 

The Black Panther Party’s Unofficial House Band

This week, the California Report’s weekly magazine documents the rise and fall of an unlikely musical group born out of a period of social upheaval  fifty years ago.
Reporter: Sasha Khokha, KQED 

Los Angeles County remains the center of the state’s coronavirus pandemic four months in. The county has more than 123,000 confirmed cases so far. But even as the toll from the virus grows, it’s gotten harder for many in the L.A. area to schedule appointments to get tested.
Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, KQED

Stanford Eliminates a Third of Its Varsity Sports

Here in the Bay Area, Stanford says its cutting nearly a third of its varsity sports programs due to financial strain from the pandemic. The school says the cuts will directly impact more than two hundred and forty students, and over forty staffing and coaching positions.
Reporter: Marco Siler-Gonzalez, KQED

Many Workers Welcome the Option to Work From Home Permanently

For some workers, the pandemic is bringing about permanent changes. Case in point: Silicon Valley-based tech company Quora, the Q&A website, is giving all of its 200 employees the option to work from home even after this is all over.
Guest: Adam D’Angelo, CEO Quora

Sacramento Grapples With Police Reform

Cities and counties all around our state are grappling with how to approach police reform. In Sacramento, that conversation has been taking place for two years, ever since the deadly police shooting of an unarmed Black 22 year-old named Stephon Clark.
Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio

Vallejo Police Release Video of Deadly Shooting of Sean Monterrosa

Police in the Bay Area city of Vallejo have released body camera footage from an officer’s deadly shooting of a man last month. The video doesn’t show what many were waiting for: Images of what Sean Monterrosa was doing before he was killed.
Reporter: Ericka Cruz Guevarra , KQED

Autopsy Reveals Details From Police Shooting In L.A. County

In L.A. county another family is searching for answers after a loved one’s death at the hands of Police. 18-year-old Andres Guardado was shot and killed by an L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy last month. Large public protests followed. Weeks later, an independent autopsy is giving Guardado’s familo some details about what happened.
Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC

A coronavirus outbreak in the state Legislature has indefinitely delayed the Assembly’s return to work from a scheduled summer recess. Speaker Anthony Rendon’s office says five people who work there have tested positive for COVID-19.

Governor Says San Quentin Outbreak is a ‘Top Concern’

After weeks of criticism over the state’s handling of a massive COVID-19 outbreak at San Quentin State Prison, Governor Newsom said it’s one of his top concerns. The governor said the population at the over-crowded facility has been reduced since March, adding that his office is looking at other ways to move vulnerable people out.

Lawmakers Call for Halt to ICE Transfers During Outbreak

Dozens of state lawmakers are calling on the Governor to stop California prisons from transferring people to federal immigration detention during the pandemic. The coronavirus has sickened thousands in state prisons and immigration detention centers.
Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

Davis Peak Name Change Mired In Bureaucracy

Monuments to controversial historical figures are being removed essentially overnight across the nation, including here in California –following impassioned demonstrations against police brutality and racial injustice, but that’s not the case with every landmark.
Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio