Kqeds The California Report

Governor Gavin Newsom signed a package of Bills on Thursday aimed at reducing gun violence across the state. Of the 8 bills Newsom signed, one targets the sale of gun parts made from 3D printers, another prevents those convicted of child abuse or elder abuse from having a gun for 10 years … a third requires schools to report student threats or perceived threats of violence. Politics Editor Scott Shafer, KQED Radio This week's protests by truckers at the Port of Oakland follows a U-S Supreme Court decision that rejected an industry bid to exclude truckers... who often own their own vehicles.  Truckers are demanding either a repeal of AB5, or clarification as to how it will be enforced.  Governor Gavin Newsom says truckers should work to implement the transition to AB5. Mexican-American lowrider cruising enthusiasts are working to roll back a decades old cruising ban. If you’re of a certain age, you might remember the 1973 George Lucas film “American Graffiti” which celebrated California car cruising culture.

At a press conference in Los Angeles yesterday, State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon called on U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, Xavier Becerra, to declare a public health emergency. As of yesterday, San Francisco has 141 cases of Monkeypox more than any other county, followed by LA County with 132. UCLA’s departure will leave just UC Berkeley as the only UC campus in the Pac 12. In a statement, Newsom says he wants to know from UCLA how moving to the Big Ten will benefit its student-athletes and preserve college sports rivalries and traditions along the Pacific Coast? Rob Adams was fatally shot by police in a San Bernardino parking lot on Saturday while running away from officers. Police say Adams was carrying a gun and was displaying the weapon when officers drove up. But family members dispute that story and say he was holding his cell phone, not a firearm.  The San Bernardino police department reported to the state Department of Justice that officers shot and killed 13 men from 2016 to 2020. Re

Health Officials Expand Access for Monkeypox Vaccine In Los Angeles, some high-risk people can now sign up for shots to combat Monkeypox online. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC California Trees Dying at An Alarming Rate The loss of California trees is posing a direct threat to one of the state’s climate solutions. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW The Aftermath of the Creek Fire As we warily prepare for what might be another devastating wildfire season in California, many communities are dealing with the aftermath of past blazes. It’s been almost two years since the state’s massive Creek Fire destroyed nearly half of the homes in one tight-knit mountain community in Fresno County. Alice Daniel, KVPR New Report Documents Harassment and Discrimination in Asian American and Pacific Island Communities More than 11,000 incidents of harassment, discrimination, and hate crimes against members of the nation’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities were reported in the last two years. That’s according to a n

With summer in full swing, vacationers are heading to places like Lake Tahoe. But seasonal workers at vacation spots around the lake are feeling the effects of the rising cost of living. Reporter: Sarah Mizes-Tan, CapRadio Inflation has been hitting Californians at the gas pump and the grocery store. Now many are facing another new expense - double digit rent increases. Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC   

With highly infectious subvariants of Omicron, like BA.5, increasing the spread of COVID-19, mask mandates continue to be re-introduced in the state. Starting Monday, the San Diego Unified School District will require indoor masking for thousands of students and staff involved with summer school activities. A ballot initiative that would’ve taxed the wealthy to fund public health programs won’t make it to the ballot this year. But that doesn’t mean the idea is dead. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW A group of foster youth gave a presentaton to the state public health director last week about why it's important to include young people in COVID-19 vaccination efforts.  Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED New sales numbers are out showing Americans are buying EVs at record levels, and they'd actually be buying a lot more if it weren’t for supply chain problems affecting the availability of vehicles. California, perhaps not surprisingly, is leading the electric vehicle buying spree.  Guest: Loren McDonald, Electric V

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise across the state. And now, federal health officials say L.A. County’s COVID community risk is high.  Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Housing is an issue across the state and it's been aggravated by the pandemic. A new podcast, Undocumented and Unhoused, released in partnership with El Timpano and Latino USA, looks at how COVID-19 and rising rent prices has led to an increase of undocumented and unhoused people in the Bay Area. Guests: Madeleine Bair, Founder of El Timpano, and Marta Martinez, Senior Editor, Latino USA Lawyers for five women suing Uber over its response to sexual assaults by drivers, say they plan to file similar claims on behalf of more than 500 people. The complaint alleges women were stalked, harassed, kidnapped, and raped during their rides. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED

One in seven California tenants are behind on their rent. So, Attorney General Rob Bonta is issuing instructions to sheriff and police departments across the state on how to respond when someone reports an illegal eviction.  Reporter Erin Baldassari, KQED  Overall, 91 percent of jobs at daycare centers in California have come back.  That might sound good, but the state lags behind the rest of the U.S. economy.  Reporter Daisy Nguyen, KQED  Starting January 1, the University of California and Cal State school systems will offer *all* students medication abortions through their student health centers. Thanks to a law that passed in 2019, the new policy will connect more than 62-hundred students statewide with those services. And for some, including those in the UC system, student insurance plans will cover all associated costs. Reporter Danielle Chiriguayo, KCRW Big money donors supporting Proposition 30 include San Francisco venture capitalist Ron Conway and former Presidential Candidate Tom Steyer. But Lyf

BA.5 is now the most dominant variant showing up in wastewater in the South Bay, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Sacramento and elsewhere.  The latest data from researchers who study sewage shows clues into how COVID-19 is spreading across the Bay Area.  Science Editor Kevin Stark, KQED There's a 25% increase in COVID hospitalizations in Los Angeles County. Health officials say on Thursday LA County could move into the CDC’s high risk category for COVID community spread due to high hospitalizations. Reporter Jackie Fortier, The California Report The FDA has revised its Emergency Use Authorization to let licensed pharmacists prescribe Paxlovid, the treatment given to those at risk of serious illness from COVID. Reporter Carly Severn, The California Report City attorney David Chiu announced that Allergan and Teva Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay $34 million-dollars in cash, and another $20 million dollars worth of Narcan, a treatment for opioid overdose.  Walgreens is the only remaining defendant in the case; th

At a community meeting on Monday night, fire officials remained hopeful that they could protect trees in the Mariposa Grove like the Giant Grizzly. Reporter Soreath Hok, The California Report New heat maps show how hot weather is harming out health. On the hottest days in California, there are around 8,000 more daily ER visits than on typical days.  In LA County alone, there are more than 1,500. Reporter Caleigh Wells, KCRW City Officials in San Diego start the firing process for about 10 employees who refuse COVID vaccinations and tests. San Diego requires all employees to be vaccinated for COVID, they but let about 1,000 employees skip the vaccine for religious reasons. Those employees then have to get tested weekly, but a small group refused that, too. Investigative Reporter Claire Trageser, KPBS  New report on new cyber-social threat for regions with large Hindu communities, like the San Francisco Bay Area, reveal real world security concerns. Rutgers University report finds white nationalists and othe

Los Angeles County's approach to Monkeypox vaccines is different from other parts of the country. L.A. County is taking a more targeted approach by giving out doses only to people who have the disease and their close contacts. Reporter Jackie Fortier, The California Report A judge in Alameda County has ordered the state to temporarily stop issuing denials to rental relief applicants... and to hold off on finalizing many others. Reporter Erin Baldassari, KQED More than 2,000 acres have burned and residents and campers near the Washburn fire have been evacuated.  The wildfire, which started on July 7th, threatens at least 500 giant sequoias in the Mariposa Grove. Last week's order from a Federal Judge came after an environmental organization, The Earth Island Institute, sued the National Park Service. The organization says the Park Service failed to provide proper public notice or assess environmental risks.  Reporter Felicia Alvarez, LA Times  Over the weekend, the new Sixth Street Viaduct opened in Los An

The number of COVID-19 positive hospital patients continues to climb in L.A. County. So, the county could be headed for another public mask mandate.   Reporter Jackie Fortier, KPCC More than a third of Monkeypox cases are in San Francisco, where vaccine supply isn’t. But, health officials have just received over 2,000 new vaccine doses this week. Reporter Vanessa Rancano, KQED New tax breaks from the State could help stabilize California's struggling Cannabis industry. Plenty of people in the industry are still not convinced the shifts will make enough of a dent for small businesses in the cannabis market. We talk to David Downs, Senior Editor at Leafly… who covers cannabis policy and legalization. Reporter Madi Bolanos, KQED Friendship Park on the US-Mexico border is a place where families separated by the border can see and talk to each other through the fence.  But, a new plan by the Biden Administration may change all that and activists are angered by the new developments. Border Reporter Gustavo Solis

A military rocket test launch on California’s Central Coast ends in failure Wednesday night, with the rocket blowing up seconds after launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Reporter Lance Orozco, KCLU Evacuation orders have been lifted in parts of Amador County as fire crews begin to get a handle on the Electra Fire, which is now 40-percent contained. Wildfire smoke is likely one reason Lake Tahoe was a little murkier last year. The head of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center says the lake has not fully recovered from a spike of fine particles that flowed into its waters after the extremely wet year of 2017. Reporter Steve Milne, CapRadio The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District serves many communities like Calabasas and Hidden Hills , home to celebrities. And, it’s also home to some of the state’s top water wasters. Reporter Keith Mizuguchi, KQED Damages that led to a power outage and the release of 5- thousand gallons of oil at an unmanned substation northwest of Bakersfield on Saturd

The Electra Fire which broke out on Monday is now 10-percent contained, according to Cal Fire officials. Nearly 1000 residents in Amador and Calaveras Counties are under mandatory evacuation as 4,000 acres have burned and another 1200 structures are threatened.  Dr. Bob Wachter, UCSF Chair of Medicine says people should continue to vaccinate and get boosters because it’s easy to get the newest variant. Wachter also recommends people continue to wear masks in an effort to avoid getting the B-A 5 Omicron subvariant.    University of California researchers found thousands of prisoners and prison workers were infected with COVID-19, despite the high number of those vaccinated at prison facilities across the state. Mary Franklin Harvin, KQED Advance Notice of Termination letters have gone out to at least three dozen employees, half of them in the San Diego Police Department, for failing to take COVID tests and/or get vaccinated, for religious reasons. Claire Trageser, KPBS Investigative Reporter In just a coup

California has entered the hottest and driest months of the year, and the Bay Area faces a treacherous fire season. According to the latest wildfire forecast, the potential for wildfire is above normal across Northern and Central California. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED  As of July 1, millions of renters in Los Angeles received stronger protections against eviction. The new rules will provide a stronger defense for many L.A. renters who’ve been vulnerable to eviction since April, when a last-minute change in state law temporarily revoked the county’s protections. Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC  With the Supreme Court decision last month overturning Roe v. Wade, California has pegged itself as a sanctuary for abortion services. But in many parts of the state, including the Central Valley, those services are hard to come by. Guest: Lauren Jennings, Reporter, Visalia Times-Delta The state budget approved by Governor Gavin Newsom last week includes $100 million to help children whose parents died from COVID-19. T

Masten Space Systems is helping develop a line of rockets that could be used for spaceflights without a crew and eventually, the next mission to the moon. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report

A Supreme Court ruling out this week sharply limits the Biden administration’s ability to limit carbon pollution from power plants. But it will not affect California’s aggressive climate laws.  Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED California is adding four new states to the list of places to which state-funded travel is banned due to anti-LGBTQ laws. Attorney General Rob Bonta has added Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana and Utah to California’s do-not-travel list. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Governor Newsom and the state legislature have agreed to eliminate more than $500 million in late payment fees on traffic violations for Californians. The penalties are known as civil assessments. They get tacked on as fines when someone doesn’t pay off things like speeding tickets on time.  Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report  More people are getting infected with COVID-19 at work in Los Angeles County. With more than 300 workplaces reporting clusters of COVID-19 cases in the past week, L.A. County health official

This fall, California voters will decide on two different proposals to legalize and tax betting on sports. Four years after the U.S. Supreme Court made it possible, voters will decide whether to legalize the multi-billion dollar industry here. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED  A controversial state bill that would make it easier to build housing in office spaces or strip malls has passed out of a Senate Committee. The bill has split the state’s construction trade unions.   Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED Sacramento County’s homeless population hit a new record high this winter at nearly 9300 people.  That’s according to the Homeless Point-In-Time-Count, which was released earlier this week. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio California officials urged the federal EPA to let the state enforce its own ambitious clean truck standards at a hearing on Wednesday. The EPA is considering a waiver allowing California to impose strict regulations, forcing manufacturers to limit diesel pollution and increase production

The last of California’s eviction protections expires on Friday. Lawmakers extended the deadline back in March, to give the state more time to pay out emergency rental assistance. But thousands of people who applied are still waiting, and could soon face eviction. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED  Reported hate crimes in California rose significantly last year, according to a report issued Tuesday by Attorney General Rob Bonta. Overall reports of hate crimes rose nearly 33% last year – to the highest level since right after the 9/11 attacks. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED  As California's craft liquor scene grows, some of the state's smaller distillers say their growth is limited by laws preventing them from shipping direct to consumers. Now, a new bill, headed back to a state assembly committee, could change that. Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KCBX 

In November, California voters will decide whether to enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution, after the state Assembly voted on Monday to place the question on the November ballot. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED While abortion in California will remain legal, and the state says it will champion reproductive freedoms, Arizona is looking to enact some of the most draconian abortion laws in the country. What does this mean for both states? Guest: Howard Fischer, Reporter Capitol Media Services in Arizona Los Angeles County has allocated $50 million to start making purchases for 5,000 affordable housing units to help families reduce two big expenses - housing and transportation. Reporter: Janaya Williams/KCRW  Undocumented immigrants, ages 26 to 49, will get health coverage beginning in 2024. Roughly 700-thousand people are expected to sign up – at a cost of about 2 billion dollars a year. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Advocates are hopeful that Gov. Newsom's budget proposal will consider an

California, which has positioned itself as a bastion of reproductive rights, plans to welcome people from states where abortion services are now restricted or banned altogether, following last week's ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. The state may even help them cover the costs of traveling here. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED This is an election year with control of Congress at stake. And progresssive political activists say in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortion and reproductive freedoms will be the biggest issue shaping the political landscape. Guest: Emiliana Guereca, CEO of the Women’s March Foundation  Legal scholars say it’s unsettled whether Californians could be held legally liable for helping people from out of state get abortions. At issue is whether states have authority to criminalize behavior outside of their borders.  Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED