KRCB-FM: North Bay Report

Local tenants' rights organizers say that current county protections against evictions are no longer enough. Sonoma County law allows for evictions to proceed if they are not related to pandemic related financial hardship. But advocates say some landlords are finding loopholes. KRCB’s Adia White spoke with Beatrice Camacho, an organizer with the North Bay Organizing Project, to learn more. (Image: Beatrice Camacho, Tenants' Rights Organizer with the North Bay Organzing Project. Credit: North Bay Organizing Project)

On Tuesday, November 10, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved $5.5 million to expand the behavioral health crisis Mobile Support Team. With the additional funding, the team is now considering responding to some crises without assistance from law enforcement. It will also now service additional areas in North County. KRCB’s Adia White recently spoke with Karin Sellite, Client Care Manager for the Mobile Support Team, to learn more. In part two of this story, KRCB's Adia White looks at one of the longest-running mobile crisis-intervention programs in the nation to learn more about how the model could work in Sonoma County. She spoke with Ben Adam Climer, a program consultant for Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS), which was founded in Eugene, Oregon in 1989. This story was supported by the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous and compelling reporting about responses to social problems. More information at solutionsjournalism.org.

This week we’ve been talking with the new representatives elected to city council. One of them is businessman Eddie Alvarez who will be the first representative for District 1 and the second Latino council member. KRCB News Director recently spoke with Alvarez to learn more about his priorities. (Image: Businessman and new councilmember Eddie Alvarez. Credit: City of Santa Rosa)

While the election won’t officially be certified until December, preliminary results have come in for Sonoma County and show Measure P has passed. It will give more funding to the County's law enforcement watchdog agency - called the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach, or IOLERO. To learn more about what the passage of this measure means, KRCB News Director Adia White spoke with former IOLERO director and Measure P proponent, Jerry Threet yesterday.

Sonoma County is nearing record voter turnout this election. County officials are still processing thousands of mail-in ballots and tallying the total number of voters. To learn more, KRCB News Director, Adia White, spoke with Deva Marie Proto, Sonoma County clerk, recorder, assessor, and registrar of voters. The first thing White asked was how things looked on election night for in-person voting facilities. (Photo: The Sonoma County Registrar of voters on election day - Adia White)

No one knows who will win the presidency this election, but if it’s Joe Biden and Kamala Harris – how would that affect California? KRCB’s Adia White spoke with CalMatters political reporter Laurel Rosenhall to get her thoughts on what a Biden/Harris win could mean for the predominantly blue state. Download Image: U.S. Senator Kamala Harris speaking with attendees at the 2019 National Forum on Wages and Working People hosted by the Center for the American Progress Action Fund and the SEIU at the Enclave in Las Vegas, Nevada. Credit: Greg Skidmore.

One of the most vulnerable House Democrats in California this year is Representative TJ Cox, who narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Congressman David Valadao two years ago in California’s 21st district. KQED’s Central Valley correspondent Alex Hall has this report on a rematch between the two candidates. (Image: Central Valley farm. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.)

Proposition 25 is asking voters to decide whether to replace cash bail with a risk-based algorithm. To complicate things, there’s division amongst the left. Some in the party are voting in favor of the algorithm, while others are voting “no” on the proposition. But Sonoma County voters have already eliminated Cash Bail and some Californians are looking at the North Bay to see how it's worked. KRCB News Director Adia White recently spoke with CalMatters reporter Nigel Duara to learn more. , ,

Election day is getting closer, which means if you haven’t gotten your ballot in yet, you’ll want to make sure you do soon. To get an update, KRCB News Director, Adia White, spoke with Deva Marie Proto, the county’s clerk, recorder, assessor, and registrar of voters. One of the first things White asked was whether the county was expecting any delays after the election due to having so many mail-in ballots? (Image: Sonoma County official ballot dropbox. Credit: The City of Sonoma.)

This year, California voters have a shot at overturning one of the most notorious propositions of recent decades, part of it anyways. Proposition 15 on the November ballot would increase property taxes on corporations, undoing a key component of Prop 13. That was the 1978 landmark ballot measure which was sold to voters as a way to help homeowners. But it was also a boon to corporations. KQED Politics Editor Scott Shafer takes a look at why commercial property was even included in the first place. (Stock photo courtesy of Pixabay)

This year was the worst wildfire season on record, with more acres burned in California than any other year in modern history. A coalition of tribes, environmental groups, and business associations are now asking the state to dedicate $2 billion to wildfire prevention next year. KRCB’s Sarah Bohannon has more. (Image: Sugarloaf Ridge State Park after the Glass fire. Credit: Diane Askew.)

Sonoma County’s Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach, or IOLERO, is charged with auditing misconduct cases and improving the community’s trust in law enforcement. But some say it doesn’t have enough funding to do its job. That’s where Measure P comes in. If passed, the measure would secure more independence and funding for the office. KRCB’s Adia White spoke with the former director, Jerry Threet, about what the office does and why he believes it needs more funding. Read arguments for and against measure P HERE.

This election year California voters will decide on Proposition 17, a ballot measure that if passed, would restore voting rights to people on parole - that period of state supervision that occurs after inmates leave prison. KQED’s Guy Marzorati has more. Find a guide to all propositions HERE.

California voters are being asked whether the state should end cash bail as a way for people accused of a crime to secure their release before a trial. It's a system that most on the left agree is racist and unfair. So why are some progressive civil rights groups siding with the bail industry and law enforcement to keep bail in place? KQED politics correspondent Marisa Lagos reports. (Image: Stock photo by Robert Crow)

Public health officials say it’s important to get a flu shot every year, but this year may be even more important. KRCB’s Sarah Bohannon recently talked to Sonoma County Deputy Health Officer Dr. Kismet Baldwin to learn more.

The Redwood Empire Food Bank saw a 400 percent increase in participants when the pandemic started. The number has gone down, but it’s still higher than it was before the pandemic. KRCB’s Sarah Bohannon recently spoke with Allison Goodwin, the food bank’s Director of Programs, about how they’re navigating the pandemic, fires, and Public Safety Power Shutoffs. (Image: The Redwood Empire Food Bank's Food Connections Market. Courtesy of the Redwood Empire Foodbank.)

This November, California will hold a historic, all mail-in voting election. This means that every registered voter will receive a ballot in the mail. But in Sonoma County, residents who lost their homes may not have a new address. KRCB’s Adia White spoke with Deva Marie Proto, Sonoma County Clerk, Recorder, Assessor and Registrar of Voters. Adia starts by asking how residents should vote by mail if they recently lost their home. Locations of all 20 official drop boxes in Sonoma County can be found at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/where-to-vote.

As fire season becomes more severe every year, people need emergency information faster and throughout the night. That’s where Sarah Stierch steps in. She’s an independent journalist from Sonoma who communicates on Twitter about everything from evacuations to the status of homes after a fire. She spoke with Devin Katayama, host of KQED’s “The Bay,” last week, about using social media for fire reporting. (Image: The Glass fire visible from PG&E's wildfire cameras.) Listen to the full interview on KQED's The Bay.

If you live in Santa Rosa it’s no surprise that wildfires can impact your water. But as climate change drives more wildfires, more communities are dealing with this problem. KRCB News Director Adia White spoke with CalMatters environment reporter Rachel Becker about her recent article “Unsafe to Drink,” which shows the many ways wildfire can impact the water supply. (Image: A sign warning residents not to drink the water. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters)

After botched evacuations at some long- term care facilities during the 2017 Tubbs Fire, senior living centers in California were required to create an evacuation action plan for their residents. During the Glass Fire evacuations, many of the facilities got to see how that preparation paid off. To learn more, KRCB News Director Adia White spoke with Crista Barnett Nelson, the executive director of senior advocacy services in Sonoma County. (Seniors wait to get into the Veterans Memorial Hall in Santa Rosa. Credit: Erik Castro)

A nonprofit in Forestville is helping Glass fire evacuees with everything from finding a place to stay to getting supplies. Ya-Ka-Ama, which means “Our Land” in the Pomo language, has set up a resource site that’s stocked with items like food, air mattresses and hand sanitizer. KRCB News Director Adia White recently spoke with Maria Cardenas, the chairperson of Ya-Ka-Ama, to get the details. (Image: The Ya-Ka-Ama center in Forestville. Photo courtesy of Maria Cardenas.) (We provide local news updates on The North Bay Report Tuesday-Friday at 6:45, 8:45 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. on KRCB radio 91 and 90.9. Here's our North Bay Report episode for Friday, October 2. Subscribe to The North Bay Report podcast to listen on the go.)

As the Glass Fire moved quickly toward Santa Rosa Sunday night, residents living in the path of the fire had to move quickly to get out of harm’s way. But many who sought shelter at evacuation centers found themselves being moved from place to place that night as the fast-moving fire combined with the need to social distance during COVID-19 presented added challenges that the community hadn’t seen before with past blazes. KRCB’s Sarah Bohannon has more. As of Tuesday evening, LaBerge's neighborhood was downgraded to an evacuation warning. The interviews in this story were conducted by KQED’s Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez as part of a collaboration with the California News Hub. (Image: Elderly fire evacuees many from Spring Lake Village and Oakmont Gardens waiting to enter at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Credit: Erik Castro) We provide local news updates on The North Bay Report Tuesday-Friday at 6:45, 8:45 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. on KRCB radio 91 and 90.9. Here's our North Bay Report episode for Wednesday, September 30. Subscribe to The North Bay Report podcast to listen on the go.

Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital workers demonstrated outside the hospital on Wednesday demanding more protections amid a coronavirus outbreak at their workplace that emerged in August. KRCB’s Adia White reports. (Image: Demonstrators demand stronger protections amid COVID-19 outbreak at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Credit: Adia White) According to the Press Democrat on Thursday evening, an additional healthcare worker tested positive for the virus in mid-September, prompting the hospital to quarantine a group of patients and lockdown part of the surgical unit. The hospital told the Press Democrat that the recent development is unrelated to the outbreak discovered in August. Read St. Joseph Health's full statement regarding the August outbreak HERE. We provide local news updates on The North Bay Report Tuesday-Friday at 6:45, 8:45 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. on KRCB radio 91 and 90.9. Here's our North Bay Report episode for Friday, September 25. Subscribe to The North Bay Report podcast to listen on the go.

As November’s election gets closer, Northern California Public Media has been exploring some of the initiatives that will be on the ballot. But today we’re also taking a look into the voting process itself. It’s going to be a bit different than normal because all Californians will be getting a mail-in ballot as part of the effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. KRCB’s Sarah Bohannon has the details about what that means for Sonoma County. We provide local news updates on The North Bay Report Tuesday-Friday at 6:45, 8:45 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. on KRCB radio 91 and 90.9. Here's our North Bay Report episode for Thursday, September 24. Subscribe to The North Bay Report podcast to listen on the go.

One of the ballot initiatives Sonoma County voters will decide on this November is Measure O. If passed it would provide mental health services to children, seniors, veterans and the homeless through a quarter-cent sales tax. The tax would generate approximately $25 million each year. KRCB's Sarah Bohannon recently spoke with Supervisor Shirlee Zane to learn more. (Image: Supervisor Shirlee Zane. Courtesy of the subject.) Read arguments for and against Measure O: County of Sonoma, Mental Health, Addiction and Homeless Services Measure Transactions and Use Tax Ordinance

Twelve schools in Sonoma County have submitted applications for waivers to start in-person learning. County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase is reviewing the waivers and expects to have a determination by the end of the week. KRCB’s Adia White reports. We provide local news updates on The North Bay Report Tuesday-Friday at 6:45, 8:45 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. on KRCB radio 91 and 90.9. Here's our North Bay Report episode for Tuesday, September 21. Subscribe to The North Bay Report podcast to listen on the go.

Joy Ayodele emerged as a frontline activist for racial justice over the summer, organizing youth through her movement 'What We Are Fighting For'. She’s also on the student advisory board to pass ethnic studies courses now required for graduation in the Santa Rosa City Schools district. Ayodele spoke with KRCB's Camille Escovedo about why ethnic studies matter in the movement for racial justice. (Image: Santa Rosa City Schools. Credit: Wikimedia Commons) We provide local news updates on The North Bay Report Tuesday-Friday at 6:45, 8:45 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. on KRCB radio 91 and 90.9. Here's our North Bay Report episode for Friday, September 19. Subscribe to The North Bay Report podcast to listen on the go.

In the 2017 North Bay fires and the 2018 Camp Fire, three-quarters of the people who died were over the age of 65. In a KQED investigation called Older and Overlooked, reporters Molly Peterson and April Dembosky explore how to protect elderly people who live independently. We begin with April, in fire-prone Nevada County. (Image: Downtown Grass Valley. Credit: Andrew Nixon, Capital Public Radio) We provide local news updates on The North Bay Report Tuesday-Friday at 6:45, 8:45 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. on KRCB radio 91 and 90.9. Here's our North Bay Report episode for Wednesday, September 16. Subscribe to The North Bay Report podcast to listen on the go.

During both the 2017 North Bay fires and the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors have been some of the most vulnerable. KQED news investigated emergency preparedness in Sonoma County care facilities in their recent series ‘Older and Overlooked’. KRCB’s Adia White spoke with reporter Molly Peterson about how care facilities prepare for emergencies and whether they are doing enough. She starts by asking how many facilities in Sonoma County are in high fire risk areas. (Image: The Oakmont of Varenna nursing home and assisted living facility in Santa Rosa, July 29, 2020. Photo by Beth LaBerge/KQED) We provide local news updates on The North Bay Report Tuesday-Friday at 6:45, 8:45 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. on KRCB radio 91 and 90.9. Here's our North Bay Report episode for Thursday, September 17. Subscribe to The North Bay Report podcast to listen on the go.