Kqeds The California Report

The campaign to recall Governor Gavin Newsom is facing early opposition from a majority of California voters, according to a new survey from the Public Policy Institute of California. About four out of five Republicans polled said they support the effort.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED More than 700 migrant children are now being housed temporarily at the San Diego Convention Center, including 70 who have tested positive for COVID-19. Those children are being quarantined in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. Reporter: Joe Hong, KPBS Munipal fees in the city and county of Sacramento have been found to more heavily impact low income communities and people of color. It's also had an impact on residents who are just getting out of jail and often face huge bills when they return home. Reporter: Sarah Mizes-Tan, CapRadio More businesses are being allowed to open Wednesday in Alameda and Santa Cruz counties. The transmission of COVID-19 is low enough to propel both regions into the orange tier of the stat

The massive failure of California’s Employment Development Department when it comes to unemployment claims during the pandemic are in large part due to outdated technology. Officials are looking to make it easier to update those systems. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Democrats in California’s Congressional delegation are calling on the Biden Administration to expand federal firefighting capacity. They argue that in large part due to climate change, fires in the state are a year-round problem. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Under new guidelines, people can bring adult family members to get vaccinated if one person has an appointment. But L.A. County officials worry the process could create logjams at vaccination sites. Reporter: Jackie Fortiér, KPCC  The Placer County Sheriff’s Office is under scrutiny for spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine. This comes after statements made by the sheriff following the death of a man back in January, shortly after he was vaccinated. Guest: Ryan Sabalow, Reporter,

Public school students won't be returning to the classroom at L.A. Unified schools until later next month. But the district has been helping those who have fallen behind academically, through mobile science labs in city parks. Reporter: Deepa Fernandes, Reporting Fellow Pacific Oaks College, funded in part by First 5 LA A street medicine team in Kern County is taking mobile vaccine clinics to remote homeless encampments. The hope is to get as many people experiencing homelessness doses of the vaccine. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, Valley Public Radio Monday marked the first day of in-person instruction for kids in preschool through second grade in Berkeley Unified School District. Students will be attending classes five days a week, but families also have the option of continuing remote learning. Guest: Brent Stephens, Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent An outbreak of the stomach bacteria H. pylori at an immigrant detention center in San Bernardino County has sparked concerns about the health and sa

Starting next week, California will vastly expand eligibility for the coronavirus vaccine. Everyone over 50 will be eligible starting April 1, and Californians over 16 will be able to get a shot starting on April 15.  Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC The University of California San Francisco and the San Francisco Opera have teamed up to develop a new type of mask to keep performers safe as they return to the stage. Reporter: Chloe Veltman, KQED Defendants in California can no longer be held in jail simply because they can’t afford to post bail. This comes following a ruling by the State Supreme Court on Thursday.  Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED At a House hearing Thursday, the chief executives of Facebook, Twitter and Google defended their mixed efforts to protect users from toxic content. The focus was on misinformation -- during the pandemic, 2020 election and insurrection at the Capitol. Reporter: Rachel Myrow, KQED

Governor Gavin Newsom has tapped Rob Bonta to serve as California's next attorney general. He's expected to be confirmed by the state legislature and would replace Xavier Becerra, who will be serving in the Biden administration. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. If passed by the Senate, the bill could give legal status to roughly half a million farmworkers in California.  Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED  For decades, single-family home neighborhoods have been synonymous with the American Dream. Now, a handful of California cities are taking on the sanctity of the suburban-style single family home neighborhood and encouraging smaller, multi-family residences. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED

Jewish Lawmakers Call Out Offensive Messaging in Newsom Recall Attempt As an effort to recall Governor Gavin Newsom looks increasingly likely to reach the ballot, Newsom supporters are saying the campaign is driven by fringe groups. And Jewish members of the state legislature are calling out what they see as anti-Semitic. messaging in the effort. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED How Religious Leaders Can Be Powerful Allies in Vaccination Effort  As public health authorities try to convince people who are vaccination reluctant to get a shot powerful allies in that effort could be religious leaders who can use their authority to assure people about vaccine effectiveness and safety. Guest: Robert McElroy, Catholic Bishop of San Diego and Imperial Counties The Pandemic May Have Changed Nursing Homes Permanently Cases of COVID in California nursing homes are down 98% since the winter surge. But after a year of outbreaks, life inside these facilities has changed. Reporter: Molly Peterson, KQED An Evangelical Chur

There’s been a surge of unaccompanied minors arriving at the U.S./ Mexico border seeking asylum. That's led to questions about where to safely house these children and one Southern California city has agreed to help out. Reporter: Max Rivlin Nadler, KPBS  Pacific Gas and Electric will be back in court Tuesday morning for a hearing that could determine the size of future wildfire safety power shutoffs. The hearing comes a day after Cal Fire announced the utility's infrastructure was responsible for igniting one of last year's large and deadly wildfires in Northern California.  Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Last year was devastating when it comes to wildfires in California. The state is already preparing for what could be another tough year in 2021.  Guest: Thom Porter, Chief of Cal Fire The state agency in charge of unemployment claims is dealing with more issues, as outages and glitches have made it difficult for people to certify their claims online. It's the latest in a series of difficulties the EDD has fac

As pandemic restrictions ease, California's public schools are starting to welcome students back to classrooms for in-person instruction. But many Californians are questioning why it didn't happen sooner. Guest: Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction According to a recent report, the rate of overdose deaths tied to synthetic opioids like fentanyl has risen by more than 500% over the last three years in California. The study's authors said overdose deaths have been on the rise in California since 2015. Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED  In the debate over criminal justice policies and reforms, the desires of crime victims and survivors are often invoked. But as California rethinks many of the tough on crime laws that led to record incarceration, those survivors don’t always speak with one voice.  Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Along California’s coastline, there’s only one state beach where people are permitted to drive on the sand - Oceano Dunes in San Luis Obispo County. But the California Co

In Sacramento, business leaders are looking to police for increased security in the Little Saigon neighborhood, where 15% of businesses are personal care salons. Advocates are also upset at the police description of a possible motive for the shooter. Reporter: Sarah Mizes-Tan, CapRadio A long time and well-loved member of the KQED family has died. Penny Nelson, who worked as a guest host for Forum and the California Report, passed away surrounded by her family in Portland Thursday morning. Reporter: Rachel Myrow, KQED The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would allow those who have worked in agriculture at least six months over the past two years to apply for a work permit and eventually be eligible for a green card. The American Dream and Promise Act would also lead to a path to citizenship. Reporter: Alex Hall, The California Report Saturday marks the start of the Persian New Year - Nowruz. It's a holiday often shared with Americans, but that's been especially hard to do during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guests

Even before the mass shooting in Atlanta that left eight people dead, including six Asian women, there has been a rise in violence against the state's Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Dr. Erica Pan discusses equity issues in the state's approach to vaccine distribution, and responds to reporting that Alameda County withheld coronavirus case data at Tesla's Fremont plant starting when Dr. Pan was the top public health official there. Guest: Dr. Erica Pan, State Epidemiologist The Biden administration has said the U.S.-Mexico border is still closed to asylum seekers. Now migrants who were affected by the Trump administration's "Remain in Mexico" policy are wondering when they’ll get a chance to ask for protection in the U.S. Reporter: Max Rivlin-Nadler, KPBS 

Supporters of a campaign to recall Governor Gavin Newsom said they've collected more than the almost 1.5 million signatures needed by Wednesday's deadline to qualify it for the ballot. Newsom is already mounting a campaign to fight the effort.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED  California was already facing a nursing shortage before the pandemic, but the problem has gotten even worse with hospitals at capacity due to COVID-19. But nursing students have faced numerous obstacles as they try to enter the workforce. Reporter: Shehreen Karim, Student at Pierce College, CalMatters’ College Journalism Network   The family of a San Quentin inmate, who died from COVID-19, has sued California corrections officials over their response to the pandemic. 61-year-old Daniel Ruiz died in July after being transferred from a prison in Chino to San Quentin. Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED Over 1,000 farmworkers in Kern County have gotten their first round of vaccines. The United Farm Workers Foundation and partnering organizatio

The $2.6 billion dollar program is using federal funds to get relief into the hands of struggling renters and landlords. It’s unknown how much back rent is owed across the state, but estimates range from $400 million to nearly $2 billion. The Center for Black Student Success at Cal State Monterey Bay is fairly new, and while it's been forced to stick with virtual outreach during the pandemic, many students said it's been a valuable resource.   Reporter: Kayleen Carter, Sacramento State University, CalMatters’ College Journalism Network Governor Gavin Newsom and other California Democrats have formally launched a campaign to fight the effort to recall him from office. This comes as the deadline approaches for organizers to turn in signatures in an effort to trigger a recall election.  Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report California’s junior U.S Senator Alex Padilla tells KQED that the federal government faces challenges in housing the spiking number of unaccompanied migrant children crossing the b

People under the age of 65 with underlying health conditions and disabilities are now eligible to be vaccinated. Migrant detainees held in California by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are also eligible to receive their first dose. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED The pandemic has brought barriers for college students taking part in remote learning. But it also brought some benefits that might stick around once it's over. We're taking a closer look this week and issues that have impacted college students, part of our collaboration with CalMatters’ College Journalism Network.  Reporter: Emma Hall, Sacramento State University, CalMatters’ College Journalism Network Starting Monday, museums, zoos, movie theaters, and gyms will be among the businesses allowed to reopen indoors in Los Angeles County, with limited capacity. It's part of a move across the state to get businesses open more quickly.  Reporter: Caroline Champlin, KPCC The Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force has launched a new hotli

Researchers argue the proposal would make it harder to study gun violence in the state. Much of the data they use in their research comes from the Department of Justice. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED New numbers from L.A. County’s child welfare system show a significant rise in the number of children in the state’s care during 2020. But that doesn't necessarily mean more children were abused or neglected. Reporter: Deepa Fernandes, Fellow, Pacific Oaks College  The federal government is reportedly looking for vacant facilities in California and elsewhere to house migrant children who’ve crossed the U.S./Mexico border recently without a parent or guardian. More than 9,000 crossed the border just last month, surpassing the space at available shelters.  Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  The report on the LAPD's response to protests following the killing of George Floyd was commissioned by the L.A. City Council. It found the department lacked the necessary training and there was minimal communication that le

Across California, student athletes are returning to training as public health officials give the green light for both outdoor and indoor sports. But there will be plenty of changes, and new safety guidelines in place. Guest: Rob Wigod, Commissioner of Athletics, CIF Southern Section The relief bill passed by Congress earmarks billions for California cities and counties. Some cities already have plans for what to use the money for, as they continue to struggle economically during the pandemic. Reporter: Matt Hoffman, KPBS As schools in San Francisco prepare for a return to in-person instruction, San Francisco Unified Superintendent Vincent Matthews has announced he'll be retiring. He has not given a reason for why he's leaving. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED There’s a push to change how members of the San Francisco school board are selected. In fact, questions are being raised statewide, as schools have struggled to reopen during the pandemic. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Millions more Californians will

Governor Newsom delivered his annual state of the state address at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. He focused on the pandemic's toll on California and how the state will recover. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Governor Newsom also talked about the problem of rising numbers of homeless people in California in his State of the State address. He says they're working on the crisis, and knows more needs to be done. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED When the pandemic hit, many home-based childcare providers in California saw their businesses fall apart overnight. But in San Diego, a coalition of local organizations has helped many childcare providers stay in business, and, in some cases, thrive.  Reporter: Max Rivlin-Nadler, KPBS State legislation has been introduced that would require health companies to pay frontline health care workers a bonus. The compensation would help those who have become burned out by working during the pandemic. Reporter: Alice Woelfle, KQED The L.A. County Board of Supervisors wants to e

Governor Gavin Newsom will deliver the State of the State address from Dodger Stadium on Tuesday evening. It comes as the deadline to gather signatures supporting a recall approaches. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED  The school reopening bill signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last week sends money to districts to help them re-start classroom learning, but it doesn’t force schools to reopen. Some critics said the state needs to abandon its hands-off approach when it comes to local control and education. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Governor Gavin Newsom was in the Central Valley Monday talking about vaccine distribution. He said plans for a mass vaccination site in the region have stalled, in part because other states don't even have a single site up and running. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED The Kern County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a controversial ordinance Monday night, allowing the addition of 40,000 oil and gas wells over the next 15 years. But before the vote, supervisors heard eight hours of publi

President Joe Biden said last week the U.S. is on track to have enough COVID-19 vaccine to cover all American adults by the end of May. But California officials are tempering expectations of an abundant supply of doses in the state, at least for the short term. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  A new study looked at the program's first year and found that it measurably improved participants' job prospects, financial stability and overall well-being. Independent researchers determined that full-time employment rose among those who received the guaranteed income of $500 per month. Guest: Michael Tubbs, Former Mayor of Stockton California will begin allowing attendance at outdoor sporting events, concerts and amusement parks starting April 1. There will be limited capacity and the openings will occur gradually. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio Google is under scrutiny after a new report from NBC News. It alleges that Google advised mental health care as a solution, when workers complained about racism and

California school districts could soon get billions of dollars, if they restart classes in-person . But it does not require that schools have to reopen. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED  Attorneys representing student athletes said the state has agreed to relax restrictions, part of a settlement that would allow kids to play both outdoors and indoors. There will be safety protocols in place, including regular testing.  Reporter: Matt Hoffman, KPBS Despite suggestions that Californians have been leaving in droves during the pandemic, that may not be the case. A new report from the California Policy Lab finds that most people are moving are staying in California. Guest: Natalie Harris, PhD Student, UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy California plans to almost double vaccine allocations to vulnerable populations, with state officials vowing to send 40% of doses to communities hit hardest by the pandemic. Officials said this will also help the state reopen more quickly.  Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED A

Governor Newsom is working with Major League Baseball and county health officials on a plan to allow fans at California's five ballparks. This comes as his administration is dedicating more vaccine doses to vulnerable communities, in an effort to reopen businesses sooner. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is one step closer to becoming the nation's next Secretary of Health and Human Services. This follows an important vote Wednesday in the Senate Finance Committee.  Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED  Anti-Asian hate crimes have been on the rise since the pandemic began last year. In Sacramento, an incident at a Chinese-owned butcher shop is under investigation as a hate crime and several businesses are struggling in the Little Saigon neighborhood. Reporter: Sarah Mizes-Tan, CapRadio New research from UCLA looks at what businesses received loan money and how much they received. It shows ZIP code and race played significant roles in determining how much loan money small business owners in California secur