KQED's The California Report

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Oil Company, Subsidiaries Charged in Southern California Oil Spill Dec 16, 2021

Show notes

A federal grand jury has charged a Houston-based oil company in connection with October's Southern California oil spill. Federal prosecutors say Amplify Energy and two of its subsidiaries were negligent by failing to respond to a series of alarms that should have alerted them to the spill, hours before a ruptured pipeline was shut off.

California is expanding its program aimed at creating more housing for unhoused people. The state has announced funding for four new projects, with more to come in the weeks ahead, as it plans to distribute almost $2.8 billion.

Reporter: Kate Wolffe, KQED

Many Californians who work in offices haven’t been to their workplaces in nearly two years because of the pandemic. Now, with many cities like Los Angeles in the midst of a severe housing crisis, some people want to turn those vacant buildings into housing.

Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC

California and neighboring states have agreed to take less water from the dwindling Colorado River. Roughly a quarter of the water used in areas serviced by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California comes from the Colorado River, through the country’s largest reservoir, Lake Mead.

Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report

In Los Angeles County, there’s still a wide gap in vaccination rates between Black and Latino residents – compared to whites, Asians and Native Americans. That despite aggressive vaccine outreach.

Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW

Protesters gathered in San Francisco Wednesday to urge the Biden administration to stop detaining immigrants at a Yuba County jail. This is the last public facility in California to keep a detention contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

Interest in cycling has boomed since the beginning of the pandemic, with sales of both regular bicycles e-bikes soaring over the past two years. While many transportation planners and environmentalists are embracing the increase in biking, advocates say there are still not enough safeguards to protect them from cars.

Guest: Dave Snyder, Executive Director, California Bicycling Coalition

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New L.A. Unified Superintendent Pledges to Help Lead District Through Pandemic Dec 15, 2021

Show notes

Alberto Carvalho is officially the new superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the country. Carvalho was the superintendent of Florida’s Miami-Dade schools, a position he held for 14 years.

The California Public Utilities Commission, the state’s energy regulator, is contemplating changes to the relationship between rooftop solar owners and utilities. But critics say the changes could be disastrous for the solar industry’s future in the state.

Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS

For the first time, a spacecraft has touched the sun. Researchers from U.C. Berkeley and NASA announced new findings Tuesday.

Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED

There’s been a lot of talk and analysis about how so many people are fleeing California to find greener pastures somewhere else. But a new report shows that since the start of the pandemic, there hasn’t been a huge exodus out of California. However, significantly fewer people have moved here.

Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED

California’s Employment Development Department, or EDD, has been plagued with problems that have left hundreds of thousands of unemployed people furious. Now, Modesto Congressman Josh Harder wants legislation to hold the EDD accountable.

Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED

Preparations are well underway for the 2028 Summer Games and Paralympics in Los Angeles. And while it's still years away, the International Olympic Committee is already discussing which sports will and won't be involved.

Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW

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State Health Officials Reinstitute Indoor Mask Mandate Dec 14, 2021

Show notes

Starting on Wednesday, Californians will once again have to wear masks indoors at all public places, regardless of their vaccination status. It’s a response to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases and public health officials trying to get a handle on the fast-moving omicron variant.

Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED

Online gaming companies, Native American casinos, card rooms -- they're all jumping in at the opportunity to be involved in the push to legalize sports betting in the state of California.

Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report

California is reducing its emissions that contribute to climate change. But it’s happening too slowly, as the state isn’t on track to meet its goal of reducing those emissions by 40% by the year 2030.

Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED

California would no longer be allowed to expand freeways in underserved communities that are already suffering from the negative health effects of freeways. That's the goal of State Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia's legislation, which she plans to introduce early next year.

Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW

The leading cause of death for Black Californians is homicide, and they tend to live seven fewer years than the average state resident. That’s according to a new report from Measure of America, a non-profit focused on social science research.

Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED

Prosecutors allege a father and son started this past summer’s devastating Caldor Fire, with a firearm. The blaze destroyed more than 1,000 structures.

Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio

People who have a pet dog will probably agree that animals can really help with your mental health. A nonprofit in the Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles goes a little bigger with that idea.

Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC

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Torrance Police Department Being Investigated for Racist, Homophobic Texts Dec 13, 2021

Show notes

Hundreds of criminal cases could be in jeopardy following an investigation by the Los Angeles Times into racist and homophobic text messages sent by several officers who at one time worked for the Torrance Police Department.

Guest: James Queally, LA Times Reporter

A landmark California law aimed at lowering prescription drug prices has been put on hold by a federal judge. The law was meant to prevent drug companies from doing so-called “pay for delay” deals.

Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the CARES Act, a more than $2 trillion aid package meant to provide an economic lifeline to the many Americans whose worlds got turned inside out by the pandemic. This legislation led to the sending out of stimulus payments, which have since been expanded, and add up to on average $3200 a person. But one group of Californians is still struggling to get what they’re due nearly two years later.

Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report

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Health Officials Concerned About Possible Winter Coronavirus Surge in LA County Dec 10, 2021

Show notes

The coronavirus is spreading fast in Los Angeles County. The region is now back in the CDC’s highest category of transmission.

Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC

Prosecutors have announced charges against the father and son suspected of starting the Caldor Fire, which destroyed nearly 800 homes last summer.

Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio

Many Mexican immigrants in California are transported back home when they hear the music of Los Ángeles Azules. The cumbia band has a devoted following that can be seen at concerts across the country.

Guest: Kate Linthicum, Latin America Correspondent, Los Angeles Times

In the face of a tough election Devin Nunes announced he is stepping down this week. He’s a Republican Congressman in the Central Valley. He’s not the only one giving up his seat. He joins at least two other California representatives – Democrats Karen Bass in Los Angeles and Jackie Speier in the Bay Area. But what will the loss of seniority mean for California’s clout in Washington?

Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED

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Two Men Arrested on Suspicion of Starting Caldor Fire Dec 09, 2021

Show notes

The District Attorney in El Dorado County announced the arrest of a father and son for allegedly starting the Caldor Fire. Both are accused of "reckless arson."

Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio

California’s Future of Abortion Council is issuing 45 recommendations on how the state can make accessing an abortion easier. The council is making its recommendation as the US Supreme Court considers the fate of Roe v. Wade.

Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED

Housing prices continue to skyrocket across much of California, although there has been some leveling off in recent months. Vacation home areas have seen a big rise in sales.

Guest: Oscar Wei, Deputy Chief Economist, California Association of Realtors

History will be made in the city of Palm Springs on Thursday night because a new mayor is on tap. When Lisa Middleton is sworn in, she will be the first transgender person to serve as mayor in the state of California.

Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report

Some vape companies are promising their products help you focus, sleep and relax. But the Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers those claims are not true.

Guest: Pamela Ling, Director of the UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education

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Winter Storm Could Bring Much Needed Snow to Sierra Mountains Dec 08, 2021

Show notes

California continues to struggle through the ongoing drought, and that's left many ski resorts wondering about how much snow they'll actually have this winter. But a storm next week is expected to help.

Guest: Bryan Allegretto, Forecaster with OpenSnow

Lawmakers discussed how California is going to prevent catastrophic wildfires during an oversight hearing on Tuesday. The hearing comes after a CapRadio investigation found that Governor Gavin Newsom significantly overstated his administration's accomplishments on wildfire prevention.

Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio

In L.A. County, residents are avoiding going outside because they don’t want to breathe dirty air. That’s one of the most recent findings from a USC Dornsife survey.

Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW

A lawsuit filed this week in a California court asks for more than $150 billion in compensation from Meta, aka Facebook, for failing to stop the spread of hate speech on its platform against the Rohingya people in Myanmar.

Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED

While much of the attention has been on the COVID-19 vaccine, doctors are also advising everyone to get their flu shot. Cases were down significantly last year, in large part due to health orders from the pandemic.

Guest: Maria Raven, chief of emergency medicine at UCSF Health

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Central Valley Republican Devin Nunes is Resigning From Congress Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

Central Valley Republican Congressman Devin Nunes has announced he’s leaving Congress at the end of the year, before he finishes his current term. Nunes is taking a new job as CEO of Trump Media and Technology Group, a company that’s set to launch a new social media platform next year.

Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED

As more cases of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus are reported in California, many people have questions about what this means for transmission of the virus. There's also another question in play -- what does this all mean for booster shots?

Guest: Dr. Bob Wachter, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at UCSF

Californians could vote on a pretty substantial increase to the statewide minimum wage next November. That’s if a new effort can gather enough signatures to qualify as a ballot initiative.

Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report

Scientists say they’ve found possible evidence of the Omicron variant in wastewater in Sacramento and Merced. That suggests the COVID variant could be spreading in those communities.

Reporter: Raquel Maria Dillon, KQED

More than two months after they were ordered to close, following an oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach, fishing businesses in Orange County are finally able to get back to some sense of normalcy.

Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report

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California’s Tough Gun Laws Often Fail to Protect Domestic Violence Victims Dec 06, 2021

Show notes

California, the state with arguably the toughest gun control laws in the country, often struggles to enforce those laws. A new investigation from CalMatters finds that the state has failed to take guns away from thousands of domestic abusers, and those failures can have deadly consequences.

Reporter: Robert Lewis, CalMatters

California has distributed rent relief to less than a third of the 400,000 thousand people who have applied to its assistance program. As the eviction moratorium came to a close this fall, the state encouraged anyone who had outstanding rent payments to apply for rental assistance to stave off eviction.

Reporter: Kate Wolffe, KQED

The Biden administration has announced plans to reinstate the controversial “Remain in Mexico” program along the border this week, which was first implemented by the Trump administration. Under the program, asylum seekers must wait in Mexico, sometimes for months, before they can cross into the U.S. for their day in court.

Reporter: Max Rivlin-Nadler

University of California scientists have found that sea level rise could flood over 400 hazardous sites across the state by the end of the century. Scientists identified power plants, refineries, and hazardous waste sites in shoreline cities like Oakland and East Palo Alto, and across the state.

Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED

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Omicron Variant Detected in L.A. County Resident Dec 03, 2021

Show notes

Another confirmed case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected – this time, in Los Angeles County. According to public health officials, the infected person is an L.A. resident who had traveled to South Africa, returning to Southern California late last month.

Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC

An investigation by KQED and the California Newsroom has been looking into the state’s failure to enforce regulations meant to protect farm workers and others exposed to wildfire smoke. Earlier this year, lawmakers tried to boost enforcement, but Governor Newsom’s administration stepped in and blocked their efforts.

Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

The redistricting process is coming to a close soon, as the commission tasked with drawing new district lines gets ready to submit its final maps. One of the commission’s biggest challenges has been to draw the lines in a way that preserves the voting power of California’s growingLatino population. And a lot of those voters are in the Central Valley.

Guest: Lori Pesante, Director of Civic Engagemnt & Government Relations, Dolores Huerta Foundation

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