Kqeds The California Report

The Caldor Fire burning in El Dorado County almost quadrupled in size in just a day. The fire has ravaged the town of Grizzly Peak, and forced several communities to evacuate. Guest: Scott Rodd, CapRadio The state attorney general’s office is going to independently review the actions of a former BART police officer who was involved, but never criminally charged in the 2009 shooting of Oscar Grant. Grant was fatally shot in the back at the Fruitvale BART station. Reporter: Sukey Lewis, KQED Thousands of people in Afghanistan are trying to flee the country after Taliban forces took control over the weekend. Many are looking to come to the U.S. and organizations say they’re willing to help. That includes the nonprofit World Relief, which has an office in Sacramento. Guest: Kerry Ham, Director of World Relief Sacramento As we continue to grapple with COVID-19, pandemic rules that many of us thought we could largely say goodbye to just a few short weeks ago, are returning. In Los Angeles County, masks are coming

The burn area of the Dixie Fire continues to be under a red flag warning as winds gusts are expected to pick up later on Tuesday. The fire is advancing on the Lassen County communities of Janesville and Susanville. A new book on the 2018 Camp Fire pieces together what happened in the fire and follows its devastating aftermath through the eyes of fire survivors. The book focuses on the town of Paradise, which was devastated in the fire, and the toll it's taken on the community. Guest: Lizzie Johnson, Author of the book "Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire" Members of the Afghan diaspora throughout California are anxiously watching developments in Afghanistan. Many are seeking help for their loved ones.  Guest: Rona Popal, Executive Director, Afghan Coalition in Fremont Pacific Gas and Electric told a federal judge Monday it has no knowledge of a drone flight that interfered with firefighters last month, on the first day of the Dixie Fire. The FBI, FAA and local prosecutors are all

Los Angeles Unified School District, the largest in the state, reopens Monday for in-person instruction. Students and staff will be required to wear masks indoors and undergo weekly COVID-19 testing, regardless of their vaccination status. There's concern that the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in San Joaquin County could spread to some neighboring areas. The brunt of this latest wave is hitting younger people who are not fully vaccinated. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED  A new investigation from the Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, and an environmental news collaboration called Floodlight has found that in 2017, an industry group hired Southern California residents to push for natural gas alternatives to diesel trucks, which are stoking pollution around LA’s hyper-busy port complex. The group paid advocates who say they believed they were working with an environmental campaign, and were told natural gas was the “sustainable solution” -- even as environmentalists were pushing for electric vehicles. Guest: Mi

San Francisco will become the first city in the U.S. to require workers and patrons inside bars, restaurants, gyms and theaters to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The ordinance takes effect next week for customers. The Dixie Fire has burned over 500,000 acres in Northern California, making it the second largest wildfire in state history. The fire has leveled some towns, but crews were able to save other communities in its path. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio This week, emergency unemployment benefits are ending earlier than expected for thousands of Californians who’ve exhausted every other unemployment benefit program for which they’re eligible.   Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report

California voters will soon be getting vote-by-mail ballots for the gubernatorial recall election. And Election Day itself, September 14, is only about a month away. So what should voters know about the election? Guest: Dr. Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State California is the first state in the country to require that all teachers and school staff be vaccinated against the coronavirus or be tested weekly for COVID-19. School districts will have until mid-October to comply with this latest health order. Two federal agencies have joined the investigation into an incident last month involving a drone that interfered with Cal Fire aircraft at the start of the Dixie Fire. Federal and state laws prohibit drone pilots from interfering with firefighting operations. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED A former college lecturer is being held in a Sacramento County jail on charges related to wildfire arson. Although he's been charged in connection with one fire, he's suspected of starting several others in the Lasse

Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to announce rules that would require teachers and staff at schools in California to either be vaccinated or submit to regular testing for COVID-19. California would be the first state in the country to implement such rules. California could get billions of dollars to fight wildfires and drought from the $1 trillion infrastructure bill approved by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. The plan still needs to be approved by the House.  Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Women make up only about 2% of skilled construction workers in California. We’re talking jobs like plumbers, carpenters, electricians. And that number is actually less than it was a few decades ago. So why have women made so little progress getting good paying blue collar jobs?  Reporter: Jill Replogle, KPCC  An activist in far Northern California’s Siskiyou County is recovering after holding a hunger strike for nearly three weeks. The protest started after police shot and killed a Hmong man during a wildfire evacuation in J

Nearly 6,000 people are hospitalized in California due to the coronavirus as the delta variant continue to surge. The vast majority of those hospitalized continue to be people who are unvaccinated. As the Dixie Fire continues to burn across Northern California, small communities in Plumas County are trying to pick up the pieces after the fire badly damaged their towns. Guest: Scott Rodd, Reporter with CapRadio The head of a special trust in charge of distributing billions of dollars to 70,000 Pacific Gas & Electric fire victims says they will never be fully compensated for all that they lost. Reporter: Lily Jamali, The California Report  California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed manslaughter charges against a former LAPD officer, who allegedly shot and killed a man with mental disabilities in 2019. The ex-cop was arrested Monday for the incident inside a Corona Costco -- nearly two years after Riverside County declined to press charges against him.   Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW

Crews tried to take advantage of cooler conditions over the weekend as they continue to battle the massive Dixie Fire burning in Northern California. The fire has burned more than 489,000 acres. Brian Burrows, who grew up in Northern San Diego County, took home a bronze medal in the mixed team trapshooting event at the Tokyo Olympics. He spoke to The California Report about his time in Japan during the Summer Games. Guest: Brian Burrows, Member of the U.S. Olympic Shooting Team  Faced with a national homelenssess crisis that grew worse during the pandemic, cities across the country are opening so-called “tiny home” villages for the unhoused. The California Report visited one in Los Angeles County. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report

Following two days of extreme fire weatehr conditions, crews battling the Dixie Fire in Plumas and Butte counties are expected to get a bit of a respite Friday. The fire is now the third largest in state history, burning more than 432,000 acres. Last August, California saw rolling blackouts as the state's electricity grid was stressed during a major heat wave. With more hot weather expected this month, many are asking whether the state's power grid is prepared this time around. Guest: Elliot Mainzer, President and CEO of California Independent System Operater California will require that all healthcare workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by September 30th. Hospitals will also need to verify that all visitors are vaccinated. Reporter: Raquel Maria Dillon, KQED With COVID-19 hospitalization rates on the rise, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer announced this week that all unvaccinated city employees will soon be required to take weekly covid tests.  Reporter: Madi Bolanos, Valley Public Radio

Extreme fire conditions on Wednesday led to spot fires from the massive Dixie Fire, as it tore through the town of Greenville in Plumas County. Meanwhile, the River Fire ignited in Placer County before crossing over into Nevada County, destroying dozens of structures. Guest: Scott Rodd, CapRadio A Southern California family took a much-needed trip to Disneyland in June, and took precautions to protect themselves from the spread of the coronavirus. But even though they were vaccinated, they're now struggling with COVID-19.   Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC  Four candidates vying to replace Governor Gavin Newsom sparred in a debate on Wednesday night in Orange County.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED The federal receiver in charge of medical care inside California's prisons is asking a judge to require that all corrections staff get COVID-19 vaccinations. Only 40% of corrections officers in the state are vaccinated.  Reporter: Angela Corral, The California Report

In Plumas County, thousands of residents have been ordered from their homes as the Dixie Fire continues to spread. Officials sent out notice Tuesday afternoon as high winds have made it tougher for firefighters trying to contain the fire’s spread. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED We’ve heard a lot about controlled burning recently –- carefully lit intentional fires that have benefits for wildfire risk and the environment. But lighting them –- like fighting fires –- takes a lot of work. Guest: Hannah Hagemann, Reporter with the Santa Cruz Sentinel  Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature wildfire prevention measure has been 35 “priority projects” aimed at protecting the state’s most vulnerable communities. In June, one was put to the test during the Lava Fire --one of the first large fires this season. As it threatened the town of Lake Shastina near the Oregon border, one of those priority fuel breaks didn’t contain the fire, leaving evacuees stuck in dangerous traffic.  Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio During a wildfire

In a preliminary report filed with state regulators, Pacific Gas & Electric says the Fly Fire may have started when a tree fell on one of its power lines. The fire started in Plumas County near Highway 70 -- and combined with the Dixie Fire late last month to form the largest wildfire currently burning in the state. With the rapid spread of the delta variant, and cases going up across the region, Bay Area heatlh officials are putting in place a mask mandate indoors again. The only counties that aren't mandating masks are Napa and Solano counties. COVID-19 cases are rising due to the highly contagious delta variant. So what makes this strain so much more contagious than others? Guest: Dr. Monica Gandhi, Infectious Disease Expert, UC San Francico More California-based entertainment companies are requiring employees to get a COVID 19 vaccine. Now you can add Disney and Netflix to the list.  Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW The water in Lake Mendocino is dropping at an alarming rate, threatening supplies for

San Francisco is the latest county that's considering a mask mandate to help ease the spread of the delta variant. Public health officials say a decision could come as early as this week. Subsidies for electric vehicles have been hailed by environmentalists as a key clean energy policy. But do EVs actually reduce emissions? Guest: David Rapson, UC Davis Economics Professor  With wildfire smoke now a year-round problem in many parts of the state, Ventura County just launched a first-of-its-kind alert system to notify farmworkers when air quality conditions may pose a risk to their health.  Reporter: Matt Guilhem, KCRW  Among the San Joaquin Valley’s community of Punjabi Sikhs, there are many reasons people have been vaccinated against COVID-19. But many in these communities are also concerned that their vaccination concerns aren’t being addressed by health authorities. Reporter: Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio

California’s fire season is off to a fast start, outpacing 2020, which was the worst year on record. Wildfires have burned over 480,000 acres in California so far this year. That’s about four times the total during the same time last year. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio  One of Los Angeles' most extraordinary works of public art is in a storm water channel in the San Fernando Valley. Started in the 1970's and still not complete, it's a more than half-mile long mural -- one of the longest in the world -- called the "Great Wall of L.A." The mural was conceived by artist Judy Baca. Guest: Artist Judy Baca Because of the drought, the top environmental issue on the minds of Californians is water and how much there is of it. Roughly two-thirds of adults say water supply and drought are big problems in this state, that according to the latest Public Policy Institute of California survey. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED Gymnast Sunisa Lee has become the first Hmong-American to win gold for Team USA. And just as her ho

Following in the footsteps of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, California public health officials are recommending that everyone wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status. Google will require employees who return to the company’s offices be vaccinated. The Mountain View-based tech giant is among the companies that is shifting gears when it comes to employees returning to the office. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Health officials and politicians have blamed people who are unvaccinated for the recent surge in coronavirus cases, saying we are now in a "pandemic of the unvaccinated." But one Bay Area pediatrician called this rhetoric damaging, because it lumps everyone who hasn't gotten a shot into one group. Guest: Dr. Rhea Boyd, Bay Area Pediatrician and Public Health Advocate The Los Angeles City Council has passed a sweeping ordinance that would restrict homeless encampments in many areas of the city, including near parks, schools, day care facilities, libraries and freeway

Los Angeles is the latest California city that will require municipal employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. If they don’t, those employees will have to provide regular test results to show that they haven't contracted the virus. Squaw Valley, the famous ski resort near Lake Tahoe that once hosted the Winter Olympics, is preparing for a name change this fall in response to community concerns about the derogatory connotations of its name towards Native American women. Now, another Squaw Valley in Fresno County is at the center of a debate over the possibility of its own name change.   Reporter: Sorreath Hok, Valley Public Radio The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that people wear masks indoors in areas where the coronavirus is surging. That includes those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED Baby salmon are dying in California rivers by the thousands because of abnormally warm temperatures following a series of heat waves.  Reporter: Ezra

In an order from Governor Gavin Newsom, state and health care workers will no longer be able to self attest that they've been vaccinated. Those who do not show proof of vaccination will be tested regularly for COVID-19 and have to wear a mask in the workplace. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED Five people are dead following a long standoff at a home in Wasco. Three people inside the home, believed to be the gunman's sons and their mom were killed along with a Kern County Sheriff's Deputy. Reporter: Soreath Hok, Valley Public Radio As wildfires rage across much of Northern California, it's a stark reminder that once they are contained, many families will have lost their homes. And the challenge to rebuild can take years, if thoe families stick it out. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW

The Dixie Fire burning in Plumas and Butte counties has burned nearly 193,000 and forced even more evacuations in Plumas County. Several homes and structures have been destroyed although the full extent of the damage hasn't been determined. Los Angeles County has seen five straight days of daily COVID-19 cases topping 2,000, mainly due to the highly contagious delta variant. That's led officials to urge all residents who are eligible to get vaccinated as soon as possible. California industries have sent manufacturing jobs overseas for years to find lower wages and fewer regulations. But as the drought tightens its grip on the state, some businesses might have an additional reason to leave -- the search for cheap water. Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW  Even when the state isn’t in a drought, some of California’s Native American communities face challenges getting safe drinking water. There are growing concerns about what this year's dry weather will mean for those communities. Guests: Jonathan Rash, Deput

The tuition increases approved by the U.C. Regents will be capped at 5%. Starting in 2022, it’s estimated new in-state undergrads will pay roughly $530 more in tuition and fees. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED The major surge of new coronavirus cases is growing in Los Angeles County. And more fully-vaccinated people are testing positive with the virus. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Several new sports are making their debut at the Olympics in Tokyo -- among them are surfing and skateboarding. Both sports have a long and storied history in California. Guest: Selema Masekela, Action Sports Commentator and Host The state Employment Development Department has announced that it will begin paying unemployment insurance claims for applicants who have certified for benefits already and received at least one week of benefits, but who have been pending for at least two weeks. The agency has been riddled with problems since the start of the pandemic. Guest: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report First-Time Olymp

Pacific Gas & Electric plans to bury 10,000 miles of its power lines in an effort to prevent its electrical grid from sparking wildfires in California. The announcement comes days after the utility said its equipment may have ignited the Dixie Fire burning in Plumas and Butte counties. Guest: Will Abrams, 2017 Tubbs Fire Survivor  While huge fires are burning across the state, in rural areas, even a small brush fire can be devastating. An unincorporated community in Tulare County is struggling to recover after a fire burned down a lifeline for the community earlier this month. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, Valley Public Radio  A popular conservative talk show host will appear as a candidate in California’s upcoming recall election. This was one of the legal rulings issued Wednesday regarding the race. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED  Videos of groups openly stealing from department stores and running out to waiting cars have gone viral online, and put pressure on law enforcement, despite overall decreasing crime rates