Kqeds The California Report

Governor Gavin Newsom has long touted year-round wildfire prevention efforts in the state since he took office. But an investigation by CapRadio and NPR's California Newsroom has found that the governor overstated, by an astounding 690%, the number of acres treated with fuel breaks and prescribed burns in forestry projects aimed at protecting the state’s most vulnerable communities. Guest: Scott Rodd, CapRadio While state lawmakers are wrangling with whether to extend a statewide eviction moratorium that was put in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the board of superviors in both Los Angeles County and San Francisco have extended their local orders. The statewide moratorium expires on June 30. For years, the Justice Department has defended the Trump administration’s decision to end humanitarian protections for an estimated 55,000 immigrants living in California. But now, under the Biden administration, there could be major changes when it comes to Temporary Protected Status for immigrants ln this coun

Between 2016 and 2019, Bakersfield police officers used force that broke at least 45 bones in 31 people, an analysis of public records shows. No officer has been disciplined for their actions. Guest: Lisa Pickoff-White, Data Journalist, KQED Police and fire personnel in Los Angeles are trailing when it comes to COVID-19 vaccination rates in the city. And that's a cause of concern for health officials and community leaders who say this could impact the public health of more vulnerable people. As the state legislature debates whether to extend California’s moratorium on evictions beyond June, some renters are already being told they have to leave. Reporter: Molly Solomon, KQED With California's reopening now a week old, businesses are hoping foot traffic picks up as they're finally able to do away with capacity limitations. That's especially the case in downtown business districts, which have been hit hard by a dwindling amount of office workers. Guest: Emilie Cameron, District Affairs and Development Direct

An investigation from NPR’s California Newsroom has found that despite a new state law requiring school districts to keep detailed attendance and engagement records this year, to make sure students online didn’t fall behind, the numbers may not be telling the whole story. In one Central Valley school district, students were counted as present and engaged when they did little more than log-in. Reporter: Soreath Hok, Valley Public Radio  The state Employment Development Department says that starting next month, unemployed Californians will have to show that they’re actively looking for work to stay eligible for benefits. It could be the latest roadblack for hundreds of thousands of residents who are still waiting for unemploment benefits. Guest: Daniela Urban, Center for Workers’ Rights

The board that oversees California’s workplace safety agency, Cal/OSHA, has voted on new rules around wearing masks in the workplace. Fully vaccinated employees in most job settings will not have to wear face coverings.  Reporter: Alex Hall, The California Report Starting next month, the state's Employment Development Department says unemployed Californians will need to show that they’re actively looking for work to remain eligible for benefits. The EDD suspended the work search requirement in March of 2020 due to the pandemic. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report On Thursday, President Biden offiicially made Juneteenth a federal holiday. Juneteenth has been celebrated annually on June 19, as the day that marked the emancipation of African Americans who had been enslaved. Guest: James Fugate, Co-Owner of Eso Won Books in Los Angeles Exiled for 11 years, a deported U.S. Army veteran is back home in California. Andrew DeLeon had lived in the United States for more than 50 years, before he wa

The operator of the state’s power grid is urging Californians to conserve energy on Thursday as the first major heat wave of the year continues. A Flex Alert calls for Californians to conserve power between 5 and 10 p.m. Reporter: Lily Jamali, The California Report  The month of May proved to be the busiest in the Port of Los Angeles' 114-year history, as crews processed more than a million containers. It also became the first Western Hemisphere port to process 10 million container units in a one-year period. Guest: Gene Seroka, Executive Director, Port of Los Angeles In Mendota, a small farmworker community in Fresno County, about half of the city’s 11,000 residents were born in Mexico and Central America. Now, the city is preparing for more Central American migrant youth to arrive in the coming months because of changes in U.S. migrant detention policies.  Reporter: Madi Bolanos, Valley Public Radio This week, California ended the mask mandate in most public settings. On Thursday, the state’s Occupational

California lifted most of its coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday, meaning businesses can go back to full capacity and masks will no longer be required in most situations for fully vaccinated people. While many are celebrating the move, state and local officials are cautioning people that the pandemic is far from over. More than 50,000 fans were at Dodger Stadum on Tuesday night, the first game since the start of the pandemic where there wasn't a capacity limit. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The Caifornia Report Candidates who are hoping to be on the recall ballot to replace Governor Gavin Newsom will have to make their recent tax returns public. It's all the result of a 2019 law. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED  In March of 2020, when there were still only a handful of known COVID-19 cases in the United States, Santa Clara County's Public Health Director Dr. Sara Cody issued the very first shelter in place order in the country. Now, with California reopening, she reflects on what we did right, and whether the U.

As the state reopens, restrictions on capacity and social distancing have been lifted, although businesses can implement their own rules. Mask requirements are no longer in place for people who are fully vaccinated, although there are some exceptions. Loosened COVID-19 restrictions may be a relief to most Californians, but others may be feeling something they didn't expect–- like social anxiety. Some experts say that dealing with these concerns directly is the best way to feel more comfortable. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC As the state reopens, the hope is that travel will pick up during the summer months. Many popular destinations are already seeing an increase in visitors. Guests: Tom Davies, President of V. Sattui Winery in Napa County, Scott Gediman, Spokesperson for Yosemite National Park, Kris Reyes, Spokesperson for Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk The cards will be an option for businesses who may be concerned about the vaccination status of people not wearing masks. The governor's office says it will

As California prepares to officially reopen Tuesday, the state board that oversees workplace safety has come up with new guidelines. The proposed rules from Cal/OSHA’s Standards Board would allow fully vaccinated workers to remove their face coverings while on the job, but unvaccinated workers would still have to wear masks. As drought conditions continue to get worse in California, a top water official in Southern California is warning about not just this year, but what lies ahead. Jeffrey Kightlinger, head of the Metropolitan Water District, says the state is prepared for the next few years, but has to look even further down the line when it comes to water supply. Guest: Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California On Friday, more than 2 million people were screened at U.S. airports. That's the first time that's happened in a single day since March of 2020. Is that a sign of things to come here in the U.S., and particularly in California when it comes to t

On Tuesday, California will reopen which means an end to the state's mask mandate. There are still some situations that will require people to wear a mask, and many Californians say they don't plan to ditch face coverings just yet. Guest: Carly Severn, Senior Engagament Editor, KQED Conversations around the role of police in society are continuing and this week, a group gathered in San Diego to call for the elimination of police departments at universities. U.C. San Diego students and faculty say it’s time to end police presence on college campuses. Reporter: Cristina Kim, KPBS The recall election against Governor Gavin Newsom will cost California counties $215 million. That's according to an analysis from the state Department of Finance. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Three immigrant families in the Bay Area are suing the federal government after border officials forcibly separated them in 2018. According to the lawsuit, these Central American families were seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border when the

California’s workplace safety board is expected to ease mask rules for fully vaccinated employees, but it likely won’t become official for at least a few more weeks. Cal/OSHA’s new workplace standards would align with mask rules issued by state and federal health officials. Early in the pandemic, COVID-19 infections among farmworkers in the Central Valley and along the Central Coast were rampant. Now, those regions have become a focal point for vaccinations and in Monterey County, efforts have proven to be successful. Guest: Kate Cimini, Reporter with the Salinas Californian and CalMatters Two lawsuits have been filed against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno under a law known as the California Child Victims Act, which extends the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual assault to file lawsuits through the end of next year. The lawsuits allege a former long-time Central Valley priest sexually abused two minors in the late 80s and 90s. Reporter: Alex Hall, The California Report  It’s bee

Lawyers for journalist Yashar Ali are asking the L.A. City Attorney's Office to release the transcripts of depositions from a lawsuit filed by former LAPD officer Matthew Garza, who says a former advisor of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti sexually harassed him. According to Garza, Garcetti witnessed the harassment firsthand and did nothing to stop it. Guest: Yashar Ali, Journalist Members of a newly formed union of childcare providers rallied Tuesday outside the state Capitol in Sacramento. The union is demanding the state show its members the money as it negotiates its very first contract. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED The L.A. County Board of Supervisors has voted to expand the unarmed response to people having a mental health crisis. The county will explore using federal COVID-19 relief money to beef up its Psychiatric Mobile Response Teams. Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC  The federal government plans to reunite more than two dozen families who were separated by the Trump Administration’s zero tolerance policies i

California’s Department of Public Health has announced substantial updates to its COVID-19 testing guidance. People who are fully vaccinated can skip COVID testing in non-healthcare workplaces or at large or mass social gatherings. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report As schools across California launch into summer school, the state is following through with its pledge to pump $4.6 billion to help them deliver on mental health services and tutoring for kids who need it. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED In California, gas prices are setting new records - a gallon of unleaded now costs $4.22. And there are several factors behind the high prices. Guest: Roben Farzad, host of Public Radio's Full Disclosure Earlier this year, the Sacramento Bee reported an investigation into violent text messages among police officers in Eureka on the north coast. So far, a top supervisor has been placed on leave, other cops have left, and there are more text messages. Guest: Jason Pohl, Investigative Reporter, Sac

A federal judge has struck down California’s decades-old ban on assault weapons. The decision has drawn outrage from statewide officials including Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, who made clear his office plans to appeal the ruling. Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED California has been living under an official “state of emergency” since the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. And Governor Newsom has had almost total authority to run the state as he sees fit. But is it now time for Newsom to hand back some of his unilateral power?  Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Californians head into the summer months with plenty of concerns -- wildfires, drought and the potential for more power outages. The state's power grid couldn't keep up with demand last summer, leading to rolling blackouts for the first time in nearly two decades. Guests: Joanna Giardas and Dominic Moscatello, Students at U.C. Berkeley who took an energy regulation course at the Goldman School of Public Policy.

New emergency rules passed by California’s workplace safety agency will keep a mask requirement at most worksites past June 15. But on that date, workers will be allowed to take their masks off if everyone in a room is vaccinated and doesn’t have COVID-19 symptoms. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Governor Gavin Newsom is extending pandemic rules that have allowed restaurants to expand outdoor seating and sell cocktails to go. The announcement comes just days before the state is scheduled to lift most pandemic restrictions on June 15.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED   The state Senate has unanimously passed a bill that, if it becomes law, would help promote the practice of prescribed burns as a firefighting tool. The bill would establish new liability standards and would make insurance more accessible to fire professionals known as burn bosses.  Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED As more asylum-seekers are allowed into the United States by the Biden Administration, those who have waited months in desperate con

Hundreds of thousands of out of work Californians are stuck with frozen accounts, and without desperately-needed unemployment benefits after being flagged for fraud by the state’s Employment Development Department. But a bill that could protect innocent people snagged by EDD’s "freeze first, verify later" policy has passed through the state Assembly. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Economists in California continue to paint a rosy picture for pandemic recovery. The latest UCLA Anderson Forecast finds that a driving force for an economic recovery will likely be a pent-up demand for leisure and hospitality, but those industries have been struggling to hire workers. Guest: Scott Satterfield, General Manager of Hotel Trio in Healdsburg During the Trump presidency, California and Washington DC were locked in a bitter battle over the regulation of vehicle emissions and whether the state had the authority to cut pollution from cars and trucks. Now, the state wants control back, and the Biden

Democratic leaders of the state Senate and Assembly say they're in agreement on a state budget proposal. But a final deal still needs to be reached with Governor Gavin Newsom.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED For years, Cal/OSHA, the California agency in charge of protecting workers from health and safety hazards, has been understaffed. But the problem got worse during the pandemic, crippling the agency's ability to protect millions of people on the job, who faced new risks from COVID-19.  Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED The state Supreme Court will hold a hearing Wednesday on an issue which could change the way the death penalty is applied in California. A ruling, which is expected in 90 days, could impact the sentences for inmates who are on death row. Reporter: Alice Woelfle, KQED A state task force studying reparations for Black Californians held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday. The group is working to identify and recommend eliminating laws that discriminate against Black people. Reporter: Ezra

In recent years, Californians have debated whether or not to change the names of places because of their historically racist associations. That debate has now hit the rural Sierra County town of Downieville. Guest: Brittny Mejia, Metro Reporter, LA Times This week marks the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa race massacre. Considered one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history, it's spurred growing calls for reparations.  Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED  Even as coronavirus cases steadily decline and more people get vaccinated in Los Angeles County, Black residents are getting sick and dying from COVID-19 at a higher rate than any other race or ethnicity. Latinos had held that spot throughout the pandemic. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC  California’s eviction moratorium is slated to end on June 30. Meanwhile, the state’s rental aid program has gotten off to a slow start. Tenant advocates say that could put renters across the state at risk of eviction. Reporter: Molly Solomon, KQED A bipartisa

A new book is highlighting the history of the Boyle Heights neighborhood and its importance in shaping L.A. County. Guest: George J. Sanchez, author of the book, "Boyle Heights: How a Los Angeles Community Became the Future of American Democracy"

Details continue to surface about the gunman who killed nine people at a Valley Transportation Authority light rail yard in San Jose on Wednesday. According to his ex-girlfriend, he was prone to both physical and sexual violence. Domestic abuse is often linked to mass shootings. Guest: April Zeoli, Professor with Michigan State University's School of Criminal Justice California has introduced a more than $100 million incentive plan to get more people vaccinated. An example -- the next two million people who get vaccinated in the state will get a $50 gift card. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED In California, police misconduct records used to be kept hidden but that changed in 2019, when the state implemented a new police transparency law. Lots of agencies are still pushing back against this transparency mandate, but a new investigative podcast from KQED and NPR is shedding light on some of these recently unsealed records. Guest: Sukey Lewis, Criminal Justice Reporter, KQED and host of On Our Watch

Ten people are now dead including the gunman who opened fire Wednesday at a Valley Transportation Authority light rail yard in San Jose. Investigators have not identified a motive. Guest: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED California has some of the strictest gun laws in the United States. That's left many wondering how mass shootings like the one in San Jose on Wednesday continue to occur in the state. Guest: John Donahue, Stanford University Professor who studies gun laws The massacre at the VTA light rail yard on Wednesday touched the lives of not only employees and their friends and families, but the entire San Jose community. And many people will struggle with the stress and trauma of the deadly shooting for weeks and months to come. Guest: Melissa Brymer, Director of Terrorism and Disaster Programs at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress