KQED's The California Report

California's inspector general finds that the unit in charge of investigating prisoner complaints is plagued with delays, unmanageable caseloads and a skyrocketing backlog of grievances. Reporter: Sukey Lewis, KQED The union that represents 100-thousand California school employees is calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to put a hold on the use of AI in public schools. Reporter: Samantha Kennedy, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Attorney General Rob Bonta is urging a federal appeals court to maintain protections for the health of detainees… who sued the Trump administration over dangerous conditions at an immigration jail in California’s Mojave Desert. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED California is flying as fast as it can to fight climate change. Experts say there’s one field the state has overlooked that could make a big impact: Getting restaurants to cook with electricity instead of gas. But this can be expensive... and unfamiliar for many. Reporter: Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tech super PACs spent about 50-million dollars to influence California statehouse races this year…and it looks like that spending paid off. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CalMatters A U.S. citizen who was shot by an ICE agent last year is suing the US Government in civil court. He claims the federal government violated his constitutional rights. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR California’s wine industry continues to face serious challenges due to declining wine consumption and overproduction. This year, several high-profile wineries closed their doors or filed for bankruptcy, and industry analysts say more could be on the horizon. Reporter: Tina Caputo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Monterey County has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement… calling out federal activity on county-owned property. Reporter: Katie Brown, KAZU The California Coastal Commission has voted [[11/5]] to allow transportation authorities to build a quarter-mile-long seawall to protect the coastal railroad in Orange County. Reporter: Jill Replogle, LAist Google, Meta and TikTok are suing California to block a new law aimed at shielding kids from addictive social media features like personalized feeds and autoplay for videos. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED After nearly 18 years off the ice, professional hockey is back in Fresno. The Fresno Falcons are making their return, bringing together old and new hockey fans. The team shut down abruptly in 2008 due to financial hardship. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he is commuting the death sentences of all 548 inmates on death row in California. The governor’s decision would convert the sentences to life in prison without the possibility of parole – but it faces legal hurdles. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Nithya Raman has won the race for LA mayor. Reporter: Frank Stoltze, LAist Across California, county registrars reported few problems at the polls, except in Shasta County, where problems delayed the count of ballots cast in-person on Election Day. Reporter: Annelise Pierce, Shasta Scout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democrat Randy Villegas has ousted longtime Republican incumbent David Valadao from his seat in the Central Valley's 22nd Congressional District. The seat was one of five targeted by new redistricting maps approved under Prop 50. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Election results are still being tallied across the state. And of the 14 state propositions on the ballot, more than half remain too close to call. But voters did pass two ballot measures aimed at tackling the state’s housing crisis. Reporter: Ben Christopher, CalMatters Democrat Clarissa Cervantes is leading incumbent Republican Leticia Castillo in the race for the 58th Assembly seat in Riverside County. The rematch is one of the most competitive Assembly races in California. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The blue wave that many had predicted came true on Tuesday, with Democrats taking control of both the House and Senate. And in California, it was much the same, with Democrats flipping House seats that were under new maps following the passage of Proposition 50. As anticipated, Democrat Xavier Becerra was also victorious in the governor's race, defeating Republican Steve Hilton. Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED Proposition 40 - the billionaire tax, looks like it could be headed for defeat. The measure would have imposed a one-time 5% tax on individuals with assets valued over $1 billion, who lived in the state as of the first of the year. Voters rejected Proposition 39, a GOP-backed voter ID measure. About 60% of voters rebuffed the measure, which Democratic leaders opposed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s election day and polls are now open across the state. If you haven’t had a chance to cast your ballot yet and are planning to do so today, we’ve got all the information you need. The US Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Trump administration’s request to block California from processing thousands of ballots. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, KQED A coalition of community groups in California is standing ready to protect voters’ rights at the polls. It’s because of increasing worries that the Trump administration will interfere with the election. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s been a lot of debate this election over Prop 40 and whether California’s billionaires should pay a new tax to fund health care. Meanwhile, another California billionaire has put a measure on the ballot asking taxpayers to bankroll his own brand new medical lab. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED A San Francisco judge is holding a hearing this morning over the US Justice Department’s appeal of a ruling that barred the department from demanding that election officers remove possible noncitizens from voter rolls. The case is one of many involving the federal government’s claims that thousands of noncitizens are registered to vote in California. The hearing comes just weeks after 28 green card holders were charged with crimes including voter fraud. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED In Congressional District 13, Incumbent Adam Gray is campaigning as a moderate Democrat. That comes despite the latest redistricting effort from Prop 50, and more chatter around progressive voters. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, The Merced FOCUS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration is following through on its threat to criminally investigate California election officials over alleged noncitizen voting. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, KQED Latino voters helped President Donald Trump return to office. Now, politicos are looking to California’s 58th Assembly District in Riverside to see if they’ll flip again. The district is traditionally democratic and heavily Latino. But in 2024, they swung for Trump … and Republican Leticia Castillo won the state assembly seat … by riding in on his coat tails. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dolores Huerta is being remembered across the country as an iconic leader of the United Farm Workers and a pioneering feminist and civil rights advocate. But she was rooted right here in California. And when she died Wednesday at the age of 96, she was at home in Bakersfield. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Elected officials in Kern County, where Dolores Huerta lived and worked are remembering her legacy. Reporter: Amaray Alvarez, KVPR The CEO of California's High Speed Rail Authority has abruptly resigned from the job. The Monterey County Jail is back to regular operations after a three-hour lockdown Tuesday, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were present in the parking lot. Reporter: Ellie Prickett-Morgan, KAZU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Farmers and ranchers have long been a reliable Republican voting bloc, but that may shift this midterm election as federal policies drive discontent among these communities. How is this playing out in the heart of California’s agricultural production? Reporter: Izzy Bloom, KQED California has tentatively agreed to pay $10 million to settle a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of incarcerated women at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla. A federal judge in Los Angeles is expected to rule today in a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration, over ballots in next week’s midterm election here in California. Federal officials have been seeking to prevent the state from processing the ballots of voters who they believe are not citizens. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Proposition 40 proponents say the tax would help backfill federal Medical cuts. But as Governor Newsom weighs a presidential run, is he also looking ahead to how it might play to donors and voters? Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED A federal court has rejected a Trump administration demand that it force California officials to set aside the ballots of 20,000 registered voters, who the Department of Justice alleges are not citizens. Proposition 38 would allocate more than $8 billion for health research grants. That's something supporters say is critical, at a time when the Trump administration has tried to claw back funding. But CalMatters has been digging into concerns about how that money would be distributed, with roughly $4 billion going to a single institution. Reporter: Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As immigration sweeps expand the number of detainees filling the nation's detention centers, the amount of people who manage to be released is also growing. That means a steady stream of people are finding themselves in places they don't know, including Kern County, which is home to four ICE detention facilities, the highest concentration of any county in California. A grassroots movement there has risen to help people find their way back home. Reporter: Soreath Hok, KVPR In a rare Sunday hearing, a panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals questioned the timing and constitutionality of the Department of Justice efforts to intervene in California's midterm election. The three judge panel seemed skeptical of the DOJ's demand to hold aside 20,000 ballots, over concerns about the citizenship of voters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flooded highways. Inundated airport runways. Water-filled neighborhoods. Beaches washed away. All of these impacts, and more, could take place this winter as El Niño continues to unfold. Several new reports this week suggest that El Niño’s effects this winter — flooding from temporarily high seas and potential storms — foreshadow a future shaped by human-caused climate change. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED News Proposition 5 Would Revise Rules on Recall Elections Right now, voters are asked two things when there’s a statewide recall: Whether an official should be removed from office, and who should replace them. If Prop. 5 passes, voters would only decide whether or not to remove the official. The vacancy would be filled later through a special election or an appointment. Reporter: Melody Yan, KALW How to "Vote Naked" in California With voting for the Nov. 3 election underway, a Santa Cruz elections official is highlighting her term for a safe, secure way to return your ballot that might make you blush. At an elections event in Santa Cruz, county Clerk Tricia Webber ran through some ballot return options before blurting out a personal favorite: “Or, they can vote naked." Reporter: PK Hattis, KAZU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The election is less than two weeks away. And Senator Bernie Sanders has been endorsing progressive candidates in races big and small across the country. In California’s Inland Empire, he endorsed Joz Sida, who’s running for the mayor of Fontana. But the endorsement hasn't given Sida much traction. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR California is asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit from the Trump administration, that seeks to set aside 20,000 mail-in ballots. It’s alleging those were sent to noncitizens. A highly contagious strain of bird flu has reappeared in California. Two cases have been reported this month. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tens of thousands of state government workers are expected to walk off the job Wednesday for a one-day strike. The issues: wages and benefits. Union-represented employees at libraries, hospitals and agencies such as Caltrans, CalFire and the Department of Motor Vehicles have never walked out of their jobs before, but leaders with the SEIU Local 1000 say they're fighting bad-faith bargaining practices from the Newsom administration. Reporter: Lynn La, Calmatters Californians will vote on Proposition 45 in November. That measure would make significant changes to the state’s landmark environmental review process. Reporter: Jake Gotta, KPBS Bakersfield is not usually a destination for big political names – except when former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was still in Congress. But this year’s midterm election has changed that. California's 22nd congressional district, which covers parts of five San Joaquin Valley counties, has become one of the most hotly contested congressional seats in the country. Reporter: Amaray Alvarez, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many Californians, a mobile home is the only home they can afford. But owning comes with a catch: They still rent the land underneath and the state’s rent cap doesn’t cover them. That leaves mobile homeowners vulnerable to big rent spikes. Cities and counties can set their own limits. But across the state, only about 1 in 5 do. In the East Bay city of San Pablo, Linda Jackson is hoping her neighbors will come out to support a measure her city has on the ballot. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, The California Report California leaders are pushing back against the Trump administration’s actions. The Trump administration is ramping up its fight against California elections. The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that 28 state residents, who it says are green-card holders not citizens, illegally registered to vote in U.S. elections. The charges are part of an escalating campaign to highlight illegal voting by immigrants, which the president says is "rampant." Attorney General Rob Bonta says true voter fraud should be punished, but as these arrests show that it’s exceedingly rare. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED In Northern California, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were spotted outside of a polling center in Yuba City on Monday morning , according to the immigrant rights group NorCal Resist. Reporter: Gerardo Zavala, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gas prices in California continue to be the highest in the nation. So it's no surprise that prices at the pump are a hot topic in the state’s closest elections for Congress. But the war in Iran has given California Democrats a rare opportunity to turn the tables on the issue. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED A surge in immigration arrests is underway in the Central Valley. Advocates say detained immigrants are being denied access to legal counsel, and dozens are disappearing into the detention system. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This year, Silicon Valley has poured money into California’s legislative races at levels far above past elections. One district where that money looms large is Assembly District 12 in Marin and Sonoma counties, where two Democrats are facing off. Reporter: Izzy Bloom, KQED The Trump administration filed a lawsuit against California on Thursday, aiming to block the state from counting the ballots of around 20, 000 voters. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, KQED California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed his 100th lawsuit against the Trump administration. It's challenging the Immigration and Customs Enforcement practice of making immigration arrests inside state courthouses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration this week is threatening to take legal action against California unless election officials verify the citizenship of some people on the state’s voter rolls. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, KQED Report after report says a Super El Niño could slam the west coast with rain and snow. So what can skiers expect on the slopes? To help answer that question, we're joined by KQED outdoor reporter Sarah Wright, who's been talking with experts and joins us now. Reporters: Madi Bolanos, Sarah Wright Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California voters will soon decide who should be the next insurance commissioner. Two Democrats are in the race, former San Francisco supervisor, Jane Kim, and state Senator Ben Allen. Kim is offering the boldest out-of-the-box policy idea, a publicly run nonprofit guaranteed disaster insurance for all program. Guest, Danielle Venton, KQED California lawmakers say a surge in immigration raids in the Golden State could suppress the vote come November. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVPR An ICE officer was charged this week with felony assault in Fresno, after he attacked two residents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a small town on the fringes of the Bay Area, a former software engineer wants to create a new kind of neighborhood — one that’s built around an event center where Silicon Valley thinkers could gather and share ideas. There’d be a hotel and an amphitheater and maybe even a K-6 school. But as the project nears final approval, it’s facing a new wave of backlash from some residents who have concerns about its impact on the environment. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi A state lawmaker is calling for oversight hearings into lockdowns that were imposed at a San Diego County correctional facility during last month's intense heat wave. Assembly Public Safety Committee Chair Nick Schultz says he was "gravely concerned" about the well-being of incarcerated people at the Donovan Correctional Facility. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the height of the summer heat wave last month, Donovan State Prison in San Diego County went into lockdown. Several incarcerated people say officials at the prison confined them to their cells even as temperatures soared indoors. It highlights a statewide crisis and advocates and lawmakers have been sounding the alarm for years. Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS More than a dozen homes in Long Beach have been red-tagged after Tropical Storm Rachel battered the Southern California Coast over the weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California now has a statewide guide for teaching about Native American history and culture. In the community of Bonsall in San Diego County, a high school teacher is weaving the curriculum into his history class. Reporter: Katie Anastas, KPBS Central Valley leaders are trying to assuage the anxieties of their constituents, who are worried about a reported ICE crackdown in the area. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The USS Abraham Lincoln returns to San Diego today after an intense, months-long deployment to the Middle East. The aircraft carrier spent more than 260 days at sea without a port call, and there have been multiple reports of low morale for the crew. Guest: Andrew Dyer, KPBS reporter Chico State students rallied yesterday against sexual assault on college campuses. It's part of a nationwide outcry following rape allegations at Cornell University in New York. In the San Joaquin Valley, leaders of a faith-based nonprofit in the San Joaquin Valley announced a new initiative yesterday that trains residents to become “poll chaplains.” Rachel Livinal with The Merced FOCUS reports the “poll chaplains” aim to de-escalate tensions at polling places. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, The Merced FOCUS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Los Angeles, a new crop of cafes is taking the artisanal coffee experience to the next level. People are turning their homes into coffee speakeasies, serving specialty brews out of their kitchens and backyards. Despite - and perhaps because of their low-profile, these DIY businesses are all the buzz. Reporter: Betsy Shepherd, KCRW Researchers are calling on OpenAI to keep kids under 18 off of ChatGPT — at least for now. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED A state agency has found that Los Angeles Unified School District risks running out of money by the end of next school year. Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist Californians will vote on Proposition 43 this November. That measure would make it harder to impose or increase local taxes. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A fallen servicemember recently received a funeral with full military honors in the Tulare County community of Exeter. It was a bittersweet homecoming that many, including his family, never believed would happen. Reporter: Amaray Alvarez, KVPR The Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security is continuing to buy up ICE detention facilities in California and, as of this week, now has full ownership over the Adelanto ICE Processing Center near Victorville. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Huntington Beach is famous far beyond Southern California - as Surf City. And for its MAGA policies. All seven city council members are strong supporters of President Trump. But this year, with his poll numbers down, Democrats sense an opportunity. Reporter: Kerstin Zilm Xavier Becerra, the Democratic candidate for governor, made a rare public appearance in Riverside on Friday. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom signed three laws this week aimed at addressing some of the most pressing safety concerns surrounding electric bicycles, as the devices’ popularity continues to rise in California. It was not long ago that the headlines about e-bikes seemed full of promise, as a replacement for gas-guzzling cars, and an affordable, flexible new mode of transportation. Now, a lot of the news is about crashes and serious injuries, often involving kids. Reporter: Jill Replogle, LAist Lyft has agreed to pay more than $272 million to settle a state lawsuit alleging it misclassified California drivers as independent contractors, rather than employees, from 2016 to 2020. A new study has found that when applying for building permits, mosques face more pushback over parking requirements than churches. Reporter: Kendra Hanna, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Democratic Health Secretary Xavier Becerra and Republican commentator Steve Hilton clashed over taxes, immigration and Trump on Wednesday night in a CNN debate. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED AI researchers and safety advocates warned a U.S. Senate subcommittee Wednesday that AI developers are racing to build systems they don't fully understand or control. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Today we’re going to bring you the third and final segment in my investigation into the Central California Women's Facility. Yesterday, we brought you the story of Aug. 2, 2024, when correctional officers used pepper spray and chemical grenades against women locked in a dining hall at the prison. Two months after that mass use-of-force incident had nearly blinded her former cellmate… a woman named Aliksandria Prout walked into a Madera County courtroom. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In August of 2024, at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, a mass use-of-force incident took place. Four women were carried away on stretchers. 13 women sued, saying the operation was retaliation for complaints of sexual abuse. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report Orange County officials have declared coastal erosion along the county’s coastline an emergency. Reporter: Destiny Torres, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in August 2024, a mass use-of-force incident left dozens of women injured and traumatized at the women’s prison in Chowchilla. The incident led to an investigation into abuse at one of the largest women’s prisons. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill aimed at strengthening the pipeline of new immigration lawyers, to serve rural parts of California – where there are many immigrants, but few attorneys. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED New research on Valley fever shows that the fungal disease, endemic to parts of Central and Southern California, is not just coming from dust particles in rural areas. Reporter: Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California voters will soon start getting their ballots in the mail. County election offices have until next Monday, October 5th, to begin sending them out. Voters will have lots to decide on, including who will be the next governor, Democrat Xavier Becerra or Republican Steve Hilton. A recent poll puts Becerra in the lead by more than 25 points, and that lead is growing. But is the Democrat taking that lead for granted? Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED Governor Gavin Newsom has signed two new safety laws after a fire at a cold-storage warehouse in Boyle Heights, a neighborhood just east of downtown Los Angeles. He also signed a handful of bills this weekend meant to increase protections for reproductive care and LGBTQ+ communities, and several related to gun violence. Reporter: Samantha Kennedy, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A person was hospitalized with measles earlier this month after traveling extensively through California on Amtrak trains and buses. Now public health officials across the state are trying to find other passengers who were exposed. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED California’s Supreme Court has ruled that the Republican sheriff in Riverside County illegally seized hundreds of thousands of ballots earlier this year, and must return them. The ballots were from a vote on Proposition 50 which asked whether to redraw California's congressional map to favor Democrats. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR Incarcerated people in Humboldt County will soon be unable to receive physical mail as authorities crack down on contraband. Critics say the policy could have unintended consequences. Reporter: Justin Higginbottom, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A federal grand jury has subpoenaed Shasta County's registrar of voters to report to Sacramento on Thursday. They've asked him to bring ballots he seized from the June election. The subpoenas came after Clint Curtis, the registrar, locked up stacks of those ballots, saying they looked and smelled suspicious. Curtis counters that he doesn't have to bring ballots to Sacramento because the FBI is already on the case. Guest: Ryan Sabalow, CalMatters The group behind a ballot measure to reform California’s landmark environmental protection law is rejecting claims it will make it easier to build data centers. Reporter: Izzy Bloom, KQED Residents in Riverside County are raising the alarm on a small data center project being proposed for the fairgrounds near Lake Perris. But officials say the proposal is still in its early stages. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7UP is one of the most recognizable drinks in the world. But what’s less known is a connection in the San Joaquin Valley that began almost a century ago. Billboards and signs of the once flourishing Valley industry have enticed historians for years. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR The governor has signed legislation that strengthens protections for abused children. Reporter: Elly Yu, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a potentially historic El Niño brewing, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Monday ahead of winter storms and high tides that could wreak havoc across the state. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Governor Newsom is signing a package of bills placing new regulations on data center development. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED It’s less than a month away from when ballots will hit Merced County residents’ mailboxes, and officials are urging voters to drop off their ballot in–person. The county is providing more ballot drop boxes to avoid using mail delivery. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR The Trump administration’s current mass deportation push has echoes of a long-ago immigration campaign, when roughly a million people were sent to Mexico. That’s according to a historian who spoke at UC Berkeley recently. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re in the most dangerous months for wildfires across the state. And in Chico, the city is taking steps to clear out vegetation in Bidwell Park. But like a lot of cities, staff is being stretched thin and funding is limited. Reporter: Claudia Brancart, North State Public Radio Shasta College, based in Redding, is seeking approval on the November ballot for a $129 million bond. The money would be used to expand and remodel the college’s facilities. Reporter: Jane Vaughan, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The warden of the state women’s prison in Chowchilla has been demoted and reassigned from her position this week. Reporter: Madi Bolanos The HBO drama, The Pitt, won six Emmy's this week... but it's also getting another kind of recognition. Health care workers say it gives viewers a glimpse inside the ER. KPBS health reporter Heidi de Marco takes us inside suburban San Diego's Sharp Grossmont hospital to find out what local doctors and nurses think it gets right…and how it may be shaping patient expectations. Reporter: Heidi de Marco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday signed legislation to exempt certain collector cars from smog checks. Reporter: Billy Cruz, KQED Written public comment closes at the end of this week for governor Newsom’s plan to ensure water for cities and farms and a healthy habitat for wildlife in the Delta. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Two bills sitting on Governor Gavin Newsom's desk aim to protect incarcerated people from sexual abuse and strengthen legal protections for survivors. This comes after a report from the Department of Justice found an “unbroken pattern” of sexual assault at state women’s prisons. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, KQED Residents in a Fresno County foothill community are raising concerns with county leaders about the water coming from their taps. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal scientists now say it’s very likely that a strong El Niño will continue through the end of the year. The natural phenomenon is pushing a massive stretch of warm water toward California, and climate scientists worry that this process could trigger monumental flooding later this year. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED California just became the first state in the nation to pass rules that require insurance companies to address smoke damage after major fires. Reporter: David Wagner, LAist Backers of a November ballot measure that would levy a tax on billionaires are facing an uphill battle, according to a new poll released today. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Voting in November's midterm election will begin in less than three weeks, and a handful of California districts are at the center of the fight for control of Congress. That includes the 48th House District in Riverside and San Diego counties. KQED politics correspondent Guy Marzorati has been reporting in the district, and he joins us this morning from San Diego. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED President Donald Trump is expanding the Interior Department’s authority over energy projects under the Defense Production Act. The executive order could affect the Central Coast, where the administration has already invoked the federal law to support a pipeline restart off the Santa Barbara coast. Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A nonprofit that has helped disempowered children around the world is now working in Downtown LA. They’ve opened at Homeboy Industries, the noted gang rehabilitation program. It’s an experimental new daycare… for families who have been involved with gangs. Reporter: Clare Wiley, KCRW California senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are sounding the alarm on wildfire preparedness … They’re concerned that federal agencies won’t have enough money for the rest of the 2026 wildfire season. Reporter: Kendra Hanna, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This summer, KPBS and KQED teamed up to look at different ways that Major League Baseball fans save money when going to a game, so that maybe you can too during some of these last games, or keep this in mind for next season. Reporters - Jake Gotta, KPBS and Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí, KQED Governor Gavin Newsom says he is signing a packageof bills that institute some of the strongest protections for children in the country. Reporter: Chris Alam, KQED The San Joaquin Valley air basin has long been out of compliance with federal air quality standards. That includes ozone and fine particulate matter that can be inhaled and lodged into the lungs. One often overlooked element in this regions air pollution: fast-food drive-through lanes. Reporter: Tim Sheehan, The Central Valley Journalism Collaborative Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new plant is taking root in ag classrooms: agave. At a test plot in Merced County, agave is becoming the primary subject of coursework. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR A new lawsuit filed in Kern County details sexual abuse allegations by an unnamed plaintiff against the late civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. It accuses nonprofits tied to Chavez of negligence. Reporter: Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado The US Department of Justice is alleging that UC Berkeley law school’s admissions policy discriminates against white and Asian applicants. Reporter: Katie DeBenedetti Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Changes are coming to a controversial drone code enforcement program in Northern California’s Sonoma County. The county's land use planning and development permitting agency, Permit Sonoma, recently [[last week]] agreed to settle after being sued for allegedly spying on much more than what the program initially intended. Reporter: Noah Abrams, KRCB Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra has a strong lead over Republican Steve Hilton in the race for California governor. But Becerra has kept a relatively low profile since the June Primary and made few specific commitments about what he would do as governor. Reporter: Gerardo Zavala, CapRadio Attorneys for Santa Clara County say they’re optimistic after a federal judge in San Jose extended a halt on the construction of a new ICE holding facility near Gilroy. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero The clean-up effort following last year’s battery fire at Texas-based energy company's Vistra facility in Moss Landing is moving into its final phase. Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California signed off earlier this summer on an agreement to share state driver’s license data with a national database. Reporter: Wendy Fry, CalMatters As the Trump administration ramps up immigration arrests… worker advocates and state officials say some employers are taking advantage of the political climate to exploit immigrant workers in lower-wage jobs. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Powwows are common in many parts of the country where Native Americans call home. But did you know some regions have powwow seasons? California’s powwow season recently kicked off in Central California. And it brought tribes from as far as New York and Canada to Table Mountain Rancheria casino just outside of Fresno, where the sound of a long tradition rang out. Reporter: Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado, KVPR California sea lion poisonings are surging along the coast, and warm waters brought by El Niño could make things worse. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Researchers estimate that close to 6,000 unsheltered people live within a mile of venues for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Reporter: Libby Rainey, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Sur is being consumed by two wildfires …the Timber Fire to the north started in the first week of August. And at the end of the month, the Plaskett Fire broke out to its south. Earlier this week, KAZU spoke with folks keeping the now-opened strip of the Big Sur Valley alive. Reporter: Katie Brown, KAZU Labor Day weekend is here, and as you’ve heard we’re still in the middle of fire season without much rain in sight. We know many of you will likely be heading outdoors to enjoy California's wilderness so KQED Outdoors reporter Sarah Wright is joining us today to walk us through some ways to stay safe. Reporter: Madi Bolanos and Sarah Wright, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California prison officials and advocates met this week in Sacramento to discuss the ongoing crisis of sexual abuse and assault in men's prisons and work toward solutions. We spoke with formerly incarcerated community activist Darnel Washington about why sexual violence persists behind bars, and what needs to change to better protect incarcerated people. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, KQED California lawmakers have sent a slew of bills to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk aiming to increase state oversight of federal immigration detention. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During his second term, president Donald Trump has done very little that can be considered even remotely bi-partisan. But one thing stands out - The Laken Riley Act. We explore the impacts of this immigration legislation a year after Trump signed it into law. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS A bill that could give the public more access to information about emergencies inside private immigrant detention centers is on its way to becoming a law. It just needs Governor Newsom’s signature. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Students without legal status aren’t allowed to work for California’s public colleges or universities. A bill that could change that is now on Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk. Reporter: Mikhail Zinshteyn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the 2026 midterm elections approach, one of the top issues for voters across the country is healthcare, following major cuts last year to Medicaid. California’s 22nd congressional district has high Medicaid enrollment…and it’s one of the most competitive seats in the country…now that Democrats recently gained a voter advantage there due to redistricting. In a partnership with KFF Health News, KVPR spoke to residents in this district about how healthcare could influence their vote. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR California lawmakers are set to vote today on changes to what happens AFTER a damaging wildfire is sparked by utility equipment. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED An Imperial County judge appears poised to strike down the county's moratorium on data center development. Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration wants to overhaul Head Start .. an early education and antipoverty program .. that serves about 75 THOUSAND children in California. The proposed rules would strip away regulations on class sizes, disciplinary policies and other standards. But buried in that proposal is a requirement to teach only in English. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED Immigration agents arrested more people in Northern California in July… than at any previous time in President Donald Trump’s second term. That’s according to new data from UC Berkeley's Deportation Data Project. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED A new report from the Public Policy Institute of California... is linking a voter-backed proposition to a rise in homelessness. Reporter: Marisa Kendall, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been six years since the CZU fire burned nearly 700 homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Less than 1/3 of those have been rebuilt. Reporter: Erin Malsbury, KAZU Palm Springs is the latest city to approve a temporary ban on large-scale data centers… as more communities across Southern California consider their impacts on infrastructure and the environment. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR California Attorney General Rob Bonta is responding to concerns that the $17 billion dollar settlement deal he and other attorneys general just reached with Meta is too weak. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Water shortages, climate change and rising production costs are a few of the many challenges California agriculture has been facing in recent years. But researchers at UC Davis are looking at whether combining farming and solar energy could help farmers adapt. It’s a relatively new approach called agrivoltaics. Reporter: Gerardo Zavala, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration's deportation policies are separating families across the country. And for some children left behind, that separation can take a serious toll on their mental health and wellbeing. Today, we're diving deeper into how immigration arrests are affecting children and their communities in Los Angeles with Cora Cervantes, a reporter with MindSight News. Reporter: Cora Cervantes, MindSite News, Madi Bolanos Nearly 300,000 K through 12 students experienced homelessness last school year, a 10 percent increase since the last recorded peak in 2019. Reporter: Billy Cruz, KQED A bill that would make it easier for people to sue federal agents for civil rights violations has advanced in the legislature Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For centuries, Mexico has capitalized on growing and harvesting a plant often distilled into Tequila or Mezcal. It’s called agave and it thrives on little water and a lot of heat. Now, with a California law restricting water use on farms, Valley farmers are looking to agave as a new revenue stream on their land. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR California’s highest court is weighing whether a sheriff broke the law when he seized hundreds of thousands of ballots earlier this year. The court heard oral arguments yesterday. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR The Trump administration ended a long standing agreement that kept ICE out of workplaces that the U.S. Department of LABOR is investigating. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Across the US, communities are mobilizing in the fight against data centers. And they’re turning to Monterey Park in LA County, which this year became the first city in the US to ban them. That was entirely due to the efforts of a group of residents called, appropriately, No Data Center Monterey Park. So, what advice do they have? Reporter: Brandon Reynolds, KCRW The California Supreme Court will hear arguments today in two separate lawsuits over the Riverside County sheriff’s seizure of hundreds of thousands of ballots earlier this year. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR Counties up and down the state are reporting decreases in their homeless populations. Reporter: Marisa Kendall, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California Senators are expressing grave concern over a plan by Shasta County’s top elections official to hire former Colorado clerk Tina Peters who was convicted in an election interference case in 2024. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED Hayward State Senator Aisha Wahab is the Bay Area's newest member of Congress after winning a special election for the seat formerly held by Eric Swalwell. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Health Net, one of the largest Medi-Cal insurers, is planning to cancel assisted living benefits for members by the end of this year. Reporter: Kristen Hwang, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of Ukrainians across the Bay Area are waiting anxiously for a decision today from the Trump administration on whether they’ll be able to stay – or told to go back to a war zone. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED California is experiencing hotter days more frequently each year… while many families are struggling to get access to AC. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED Governor Gavin Newsom says California will fight the Trump administration’s push to open national forests up to commercial use. Reporter: Katherine Monahan, KQED Before any of the cities, cars and highways that came to dominate California’s landscape, the vast open land was home to many animals, plants and natural ecosystems. Today, much of the geography has been engineered for human development – and with it… a host of non-native species and insects. But just outside Fresno, there’s an effort to bring the native ecosystem into balance with the new. Reporter: Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A federal judge in Oakland heard opening statements in a lawsuit brought by four states against Meta. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED A national survey by a California advocacy group found that 70 percent of teenagers are using Artificial Intelligence to complete their schoolwork. Reporter: Jose Velazquez, KQED It’s been five years since the Caldor Fire nearly burned down the entire community of Grizzly Flats, a remote canyon town nestled in El Dorado County. Since then, residents say they’ve received little to no help from the federal government and the community is working to become whole again. Reporter: Riley Palmer, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A California lifeguard and the boy he rescued off the coast of Santa Cruz last month were reunited at the White House yesterday as the president honored both as heroes. Reporter: Angela Corral, The California Report Governor Gavin Newsom has set a goal to add 2.5 million new units to California’s housing stock by 2030. Reporter: Ben Christopher, CalMatters A state bill heading for a final vote as early as this week would permanently extend a fund to help oil industry workers affected by California’s transition away from fossil fuels. Reporter: Julie Small, KQED A federal judge in Oakland is weighing whether a Trump administration plan to replace a network of seasoned legal aid organizations with new groups is an adequate way to represent unaccompanied children in immigration court. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A significant El Niño will continue warming California coastal waters into fall and winter, and likely bring new marine visitors to Monterey Bay. Reporter: Katie Brown, KAZU Republican lawmakers are pushing new measures with the goal of making California’s top elections office nonpartisan. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dinosaur bones and taxidermied animals get most of the attention at the Natural History Museum in LA County. But researchers are excited about a new collection that could have big implications for monitoring climate change.  Reporter: Lucas Brady Woods, LAist The U.S. Department of Justice says California is failing to protect incarcerated women from sexual abuse and harassment by prison staff. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Central Coast leaders are saying the threat of offshore drilling could extend beyond the environment to the region’s economy. Reporter: Jillian Smith/KAZU Since the pandemic, Californians have been able to get craft liquor delivered to their doorstep. But it could be last call for deliveries from small distilleries, unless lawmakers intervene soon. Reporter: Ryan Sabalow/CalMatters For many young people the default blueprint for life after high school is clear: go to college, and then get a job. But with soaring tuition, and an uncertain job market, that calculus isn’t adding up like it used to. Today, more young people are considering the skilled trades. Reporter: Megan Jamerson/KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Demand for pistachios is booming worldwide – from Dubai-inspired chocolate bars to pistachio cookies and lattes. But in the Central Valley, growers are worried that this year’s harvest could be smaller than anticipated. That’s after some unexpected weather earlier this spring. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR People in five Monterey County zones have been evacuated due to the Timber Fire in Big Sur. It’s burned more than 3,000 acres and hundreds of homes are currently threatened. A portion of Highway One is now closed, due to the spread of the fire. The limited access to the area has also threatened the lives of two captive birds. Reporter: Amy Mayer, KAZU A bill advancing in the state Legislature would limit how long law enforcement agencies can retain data from license plate readers. The proposal caps that retention period at 30 days. And it comes amid growing concern that license plate reader data is being shared and used inappropriately. Reporter: Ryan Sabalow, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Los Angeles is a city. But it’s also an urban oilfield. About a third of L.A. County residents live less than a mile from an active oil drilling site. Now one of those sites in South L.A. could be shut down. Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist A federal agency is conducting an unusual review of California's Coastal Management Program. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, did a review of the program just two years ago. But Trump administration officials asked for a new one because they say the current version doesn't reflect "national priorities." Governor Gavin Newsom says he won’t oversee an extension for the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California’s last functioning nuclear plant. Reporter: Kendra Hanna, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jury selection begins Wednesday in Oakland in a federal trial pitting four state attorneys general, including California's, against Meta. The AGs argue the company deliberately engineered addiction into Facebook and Instagram, aimed them at children, and lied to the public about the risks. Guest: Rachael Myrow, KQED Cases of the foodborne cyclospora parasite have risen sharply in California. But officials say the rise is still not linked to the major national outbreak. The parasite has not been detected on produce grown in California. But local farmers here are still feeling the effects of the outbreak. Reporter: Erin Malsbury, KAZU A Shasta County judge has blocked a number of controversial changes to the elections system that voters approved earlier this year. Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Goats have become a critical tool for wildfire mitigation in California. But grazing companies warn their businesses are at risk now that wage requirements for herders have increased. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio A federal judge in Oakland has given the Trump administration until today, August 7th, to reimburse legal non-profits representing more than 20,000 immigrant children. That’s after it stopped paying them in December. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED The Salinas City Council has unanimously approved extending a moratorium on new tobacco retailer licenses into 2027. Reporter: Katie Brown, KAZU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before he jumped into the governor's race, Steve Hilton wasn't exactly a household name here in California. If you had heard of him, it was probably because of his long-running Fox News show, The Next Revolution. But the Republican gubernatorial candidate has a long history of political consulting in England, and much of the messaging there can be seen in his current campaign. Guest: Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters California’s Latino Legislative Caucus is rolling out a set of bills to boost state oversight of federal immigration detention centers. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s oil and gas industry is shrinking as the state transitions away from fossil fuels. A state fund is helping displaced workers land well-paying jobs in other industries, but that lifeline could soon disappear. Reporter: Julie Small, KQED A Los Angeles County jury has awarded a $47 million verdict to the family of a stoneworker who died of silicosis. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED A new report has determined the cause of the deadly and destructive Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County. Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A California bill meant to keep problematic teachers out of the classroom has collapsed. It would have created a database to allow schools to see if teachers applying to work there had previously been fired or resigned over claims of misconduct. But that proposal was dropped after pushback from the state's teachers licensing agency and unions. They warned it would violate privacy and due process. Guest: Holly McDede, KQED California is suing the Trump administration in an effort to protect the private information of people on a federal cash assistance program. Reporter: Julie Small, KQED Washington state is in its most destructive wildfire season on record. It’s been a rough fire summer around the West, but not necessarily in California. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California lawmakers are returning to Sacramento from summer recess on Monday -- and a fight is already brewing over the future of the state’s climate fund. Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration has changed environmental rules to prevent higher gas prices. And that could lead to less money for affordable housing, transit and other projects to reduce carbon emissions. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED The executive board of the California Democratic Party threw its support behind Proposition 40, the so-called billionaire's tax on the November ballot. If approved, the measure would impose a 5%, one-time tax on billionaires’ assets to pay for healthcare. The CARE court mental health program has seen an increase in participation, according to officials in Los Angeles County. Reporter: Robert Garrova, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tariffs, inflation, difficulty in finding buyers for grapes. It’s all been a challenge for local winemakers on the Central Coast. Many wineries are now looking at alternative business models to try to satisfy a fragmented consumer base. Reporter: Mira Honeycutt Much of California is preparing for more hot weather this weekend. Temperatures could reach triple digits for many inland areas. And that means people near the coast will likely be looking for a way to cool off, at local beaches. But the combination of heat waves and rough water conditions is resulting in lifeguards across the state becoming that much more important. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Valley fever cases continue to climb across California. The fungal disease is showing up in places where doctors may not expect it. And now a new study suggests an experimental drug could offer hope for people with the most severe form of the illness. Guest: Fariba Donovan, University of Arizona College of Medicine Valley Fever Center for Excellence A Southern California lawmaker has introduced a bill to end what she calls medical neglect in ICE detention facilities. Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove says she was inspired by the treatment of one of her constituents. At this week's LA Police Commissioners meeting, a report documented potential misconduct by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers operating in the city. Reporter: Jared Bennett, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you get free air conditioning to California homeowners who need it the most? One Los Angeles contractor is using state incentives creatively, and it’s not just a win for residents - it helps the climate too. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED International students in Southern California say new visa limits coming in September are adding to the uncertainty they already experience. Reporter: Yusra Farzan, LAist A new court filing reveals federal agents used slurs to identify people they were targeting during immigration sweeps in Los Angeles last year. Guest: Sergio Olmos, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A healthcare company that brands itself as a modern, women-centered alternative to traditional doctor's offices is facing scrutiny about the quality of care it provides. A new investigation from LA Public Press found some patients at Tia clinics, including locations here in California, say they were misdiagnosed, hit with surprise medical bills, and in some cases, incorrectly told they were not pregnant. Guest: Madhri Yehiya, LA Public Press Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the small, quiet Kings County community of Avenal, there’s a war waging over political power. Voters recently recalled four council members, but the city is disputing the election results, and the only member who wasn’t recalled now claims he is the mayor. Reporter: Israel Cardona Hernandez, KVPR Healthcare advocates are calling for stronger state oversight over rising hospital costs in Santa Barbara County. Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBX A team leading the closure of L.A. County’s aging Men’s Central Jail says people will have to be held there for at least five more years even though the facility was supposed to close in 2021. Reporter: Jordan Rynning, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Western snowy plovers are tiny, shy shorebirds that are slowly making a recovery along the West Coast. Reporter: Erin Malsbury, KAZU Doctors are announcing an effort to unionize nearly 10,000 senior physicians at the University of California. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the last decade, a 24-7 livestream of an eagle’s nest in Big Bear has captivated people around the world, and made its occupants Jackie and Shadow internet celebrities. Eagle advocates worry that plans to develop the lakeshore and forest near the nest will harm Jackie and Shadow. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR In the year since large-scale ICE raids began in Los Angeles County, the fallout for families and people’s livelihoods has been profound. Now, a new study by UCLA finds that 95% of local Latino small business owners are struggling financially. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW In Los Angeles County, a new soil cleanup program is launching this year for residents impacted by the Eaton Fire. Reporter: Cato Hernandez, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The World Cup has come and gone, and for cities like Los Angeles, it was mostly a success. Officials saw the event as a test run for what's to come, the 2028 Summer Olympics, which is also set to take place in LA. Guest: Libby Rainey, LAist Californians who haven’t paid their utility bills will be protected from power shut offs if temperatures reach 90 degrees or above. The California Public Utilities Commission voted to approve the new standard late last week. Reporter: Molly Peterson, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Tule Lake Segregation Center in Modoc County was one of ten camps where Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. Eighty years after its closure, a group of pilgrims recently paid tribute to the people who died there. Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio Federal fire investigators are looking into a possible link between PG&E equipment and a fire in Plumas County that started earlier this month. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED As a new school year approaches, some Los Angeles special education teachers and parents are worried the LA Unified School District won’t bring ballooning class sizes down this fall. That’s despite an agreement reached last spring between the district and UTLA, the union representing teachers. Reporter: Maya Mukherjee, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April, the House of Representatives passed their 2026 Farm Bill. Now the US Senate is working on their iteration of the massive legislation package, the first since 2018. But while Congress debates, many small farmers are still reeling from the second Trump administration's blitz of the federal bureaucracy in early 2025. Reporter: Noah Abrams, Northern California Public Media A federal judge has ordered major changes at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in San Bernardino County. It comes as part of a lawsuit in which detainees have claimed that conditions at the facility violate their Fifth Amendment protections. Reporter: Sergio Olmos, CalMatters A new federal law seeks to regulate college programs that offer poor returns on investment. The policy requires that colleges and universities nationwide prove their graduates earn at least the median wage of workers with only a high school diploma. Reporter: Alex Echelman, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The World Cup games have attracted thousands to stadiums across the country, as fans gathered to attend matches in person. That includes in Inglewood, which hosted eight games. It’s the latest global event to come to the city’s revitalized sports and entertainment district. But the extra foot traffic hasn’t been a boon for everyone. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report One Salinas teen will represent Monterey County, and the Boys and Girls Club, at the World Cup Final, representing her home town on one of the world’s largest stages. Reporter: Jillian Smith, KAZU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A law enforcement practice that’s being used in California jails is coming under increasing scrutiny. In what’s known as a “Perkins operation,” undercover agents attempt to elicit confessions from people booked at county jails. The tactic has helped secure hundreds of murder convictions. But critics say they are coercive, can produce false confessions and disproportionately target people of color. Reporter Cayla Mihalovich, CalMatters Scorching heat has hit much of California this week. In Southern California, triple digit temperatures were recorded in cities across the region on Wednesday. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Much of the Central Valley is under a heat advisory Wednesday, as temperatures could reach triple digits. Many of the region’s unincorporated communities don’t have public swimming pools where they can cool off. That also means residents don’t have a place to learn how to swim which could have tragic consequences. Reporter: Alice Daniel California health officials say an outbreak of a foodborne stomach parasite -- that's generated nearly 7,000 suspected cases nationwide -- has not reached the state. Reporter: Carly Severn, KQED Riverside County’s Board of Supervisors has agreed to create a committee to study recommendations that call for oversight of its sheriff’s department. A grand jury recently made the recommendations after investigating concerns about jail deaths and a lack of oversight. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peach farmers in the Central Valley have had to pull their crops and are facing financial hardship. They’re hoping a new farm bill will help keep them going. Reporter: Claudia Brancart, North State Public Radio A bill to cut red tape and make affordable housing easier and cheaper to build just became law Monday. It focuses on a controversial mechanism. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED The Los Angeles Police Department will not be renewing its contract with the surveillance company Flock Safety. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Close to two hundred years ago, people from all over the world flocked to California's rivers in search of gold. This year, they're back at it, hoping that with the price of gold trending upward in the last year or so, they might just get lucky. But is it really that easy? Reporter: Katherine Monahan, KQED A bill advancing in the state Legislature would let insurance companies track how you drive, in exchange for a possible discount on your premium. Reporter: Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At colleges across California, many campus police departments have AR-15s, stun grenades and sonic weapons. This military-grade gear is supposed to be catalogued and open to public scrutiny. But according to recent reporting from CalMatters’ College Journalism Network, the law meant to sunshine that information isn’t really being followed. Guest: Phoebe Huss, CalMatters College Journalism Network New research from UC Davis shows California gray wolves are eating cattle more than anything else, and their presence is causing significant stress among livestock. Reporter: Chris Felts, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

July has officially started, and if you haven't gone hiking or camping yet, you're probably thinking about it. But California, the great state that it is, is brimming with possibilities, especially when it comes to outdoor adventures. Do you go to Yosemite and deal with the big crowds that park has seen after it dropped its reservation system this year? Or maybe you stay local. Or what about hike intensity? What about the heat, crowds, gear? Guest: Sarah Wright, KQED As California state employees begin to follow Governor Gavin Newsom's return to office mandate, some workers in Sacramento are raising alarms about the conditions they're facing, including bed bugs. Reporter: Chris Felts, CapRadio For years, tribal casinos in California have claimed they have exclusive rights to host blackjack and other Las-Vegas style gambling. But tribes are facing yet another defeat, in the wake of a new court ruling last week. Reporter: Ryan Sabalow, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the aftermath of a catastrophic wildfire we often ask, how do we stop this from happening again? Fire experts and the insurance industry have an answer to this. But there’s a tradeoff. It calls for getting rid of something we often love very much - our plants. Officials are now slowly phasing in this step called “Zone Zero,” but the strongest push may come from insurance companies themselves. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED A federal judge has rejected a Trump administration effort to shift how states spend federal homelessness money. It’s a win for California in what’s been an ongoing legal battle. Reporter: Marisa Kendall, CalMatters Three satellites launched this week are the start of a global fire detection network that California helped shape. Reporter: Desmond Meagley, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life in California has become more expensive, and people are trying to find ways to survive. Among the Latino diaspora – from the Bay Area to the Central Valley – more people are turning to tandas: an old tool, now with a modern twist. It’s a way to get out of a tight spot, save money and build credit. Reporter: Israel Cardona Hernandez, KVPR A Bay Area carpenter who was rushed to the emergency room during an immigration arrest last year is suing the Trump administration, saying violent treatment and months of medical neglect in immigration detention left him seriously disabled. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Black English is older than America herself. The language is rooted in African American history and has become ubiquitous on social media and pop culture, yet it hasn’t been embraced in the classroom. But one Bay Area woman wants to legitimize Black English starting in the early years. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED Salinas is temporarily putting the brakes on new tobacco retailers. The move comes as city leaders consider stricter rules to prevent children from accessing tobacco products. Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly half the nation's vegetables and more than three quarters of the country's fruits are grown right here in California? That means Californians have a big stake in what happens with the farm bill, which is overdue for renewal and in front of the Senate now. Reporters: Amy Mayer, KAZU and Samantha Rangel, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fourth of July weekend is almost here and many of us are pulling out the grills and the barbecue sauce. But across the state, fire crews are bracing for a very different kind of heat. California's weather has become more unpredictable, drier in some places and potentially wetter in others, and that's due to the El Nino weather pattern. But what does that mean for potential wildfires? Guest: Danielle Venton, KQED California’s Department of Motor Vehicles is on track to share driver’s license data with a national database. The plan is moving forward despite concerns from immigrant advocates that the information could expose people to deportation. Reporter: Khari Johnson, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Workers’ compensation benefits are intended to help people injured on the job. But sometimes, they fall through the cracks. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED California civil rights leaders are expressing relief and gratitude. That’s after the Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that all children born on US soil are US citizens, regardless of their parents’ immigration status. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court upheld equal citizenship for all born on American soil Tuesday, in a landmark victory for the country’s immigrant communities. Guest: Kevin Johnson, UC Davis Law Professor The Humboldt County Sheriff says the rescue at the center of a multiagency investigation into potential fraud and animal abuse will stay open for now, even though the remains of more than 117 dogs were found on the property. Reporter: Sukey Lewis, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Search and rescue crews from Los Angeles have arrived in Venezuela to help after two massive earthquakes devastated large swaths of the Northern part of the country last week. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, KQED Dilapidated mobile home parks across the state are getting revamped…thanks to a state program that launched a few years ago. Reporter: Ben Christopher, CalMatters President Trump’s second term in office has been marked by a crackdown on immigration. Now, the government has ended a program that protected some kids from deportation. Including many who arrived in the U.S. as unaccompanied minors, without a parent, and without legal status. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices