KQED's The California Report

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New Plan Could Ease Trauma for Asylum Seekers Aug 26, 2021

Show notes

This week the U.S. Supreme Court said the Biden administration must restart a controversial policy from the Trump administration, requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases are decided. And while that battle is not over, the Biden administration is moving forward with its own plan that would change how asyum cases are decided.

Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

Spot fires continue to hamper crews battling the Caldor Fire in El Dorado County. But a shift in weather over the next few days could lead to calmer conditions over the fire zone.

At a debate appearance Wednesday night in Sacramento, California voters got a chance to learn a bit more about the most prominent Democrat running for governor in the recall election, Kevin Paffrath.

Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED

A new report has found that California’s more rural, Republican-voting counties have higher violent crime rates than more urban, Democratic areas.

Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED

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President Biden Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Northern California Wildfires Aug 25, 2021

Show notes

President Biden has approved a major disaster declaration for areas of Northern California affected by the Dixie and River fires. The declaration means federal recovery funds will be available to individuals, businesses and tribal governments.

Wih so many wildfires burning across Northern California, the smoke is causing unhealthy air across the region. In fact, areas in and around Lake Tahoe and Reno are posting the worst air quality readings in the country.

California Republicans were ecstatic in 2003 when voters ousted Democratic Governor Gray Davis and replaced him with a Republican and movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger. With another recall election coming up, was the Schwarzenegger win a win for the GOP as well?

Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

With the recall election just weeks away, the crowded field of candidates looking to replace Governor Gavin Newsom are trying to stand out to California voters.

Guest: Kevin Faulconer, Republican Recall Candidate

As climate change worsens, state regulators charged with overseeing development along San Francisco Bay have a new roadmap for flood protections.

Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED

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Governor Newsom's Handling of Schools During Pandemic Could Play a Big Role in Recall Election Aug 24, 2021

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The recall campaign now aimed at Governor Gavin Newsom was fueled in part by parents who were angry with how he handled public school closures during the pandemic.

Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED

The California Department of Justice has reached an agreement with the Bakersfield Police Department to implement a wide-range of policing reforms. It’s the result of the state’s five-year long investigation into the department following complaints of excessive force.

Reporter: Soreath Hok, Valley Public Radio

The California Legislature has indefinitely postponed a planned oversight hearing to examine the Newsom administration’s track record on wildfire prevention. That as internal emails obtained by CapRadio and NPR’s California Newsroom raise new questions about whether Cal Fire is being honest with the public.

Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio

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New Agency Aims to Protect Digital Privacy of Californians Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

The mission of California's new Privacy Protection Agency is to help Californians fight for their digital privacy. But what will it do if big companies violate people's privacy rights?

Guest: Jennifer Urban, Chair of the California Privacy Protection Agency

The Caldor Fire burning in El Dorado County crossed Highway 50 over the weekend, threatening the town of Kyburz. It's the fourth fire that has grown to more than 100,000 acres in Northern California.

Many residents in Plumas County who have been impacted by the massive Dixie Fire are being allowed to return home. That includes people in the town of Greenville, which was devastated by the fire.

The recently released census results show Latinos make up the second largest ethnic-racial group in San Diego County after white people. But more and more Latinos see themselves as multi-racial.

Reporter: Cristina Kim, KPBS

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To Avoid Rolling Blackouts, State Fast-Tracks Diesel-Fueled Power Aug 20, 2021

Show notes

In an effort to stave off rolling blackouts in California, the Newsom administration is moving forward with five new energy projects set to be fueled by both natural gas and diesel.

If you’re among the millions of Californians who have tried to move during the pandemic, chances are, it’s been rough. And there’s more than one reason for that -- low supply and high demand among them.

Guest: Mary Daly, President of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank

Both the Caldor and Dixie Fires saw far less growth on Thursday, with calmer conditions. But fire officials say there are still concerns about the fires spreading as winds could pick up this weekend.

As we continue to watch events unfold in Afghanistan, the Afghan diaspora is watching too. The pain from some of the horrifying images out of Afghanistan is resonating half a world away on the streets of Los Angeles, especially among Afghan American women.

Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW

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The Pandemic Has Changed the Job Market - One Key Policymaker Says That's a Good Thing Aug 19, 2021

Show notes

Despite growing concerns about the delta variant and what it means for the pandemic, there are some positive signs when it comes to the U.S. economy. And one Bay Area economic leader is optimistic about the recovery, and hopes changes in the job market remain in place.

Guest: Mary Daly, President of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank

Major wildfires across Northern California are threatening several communities. The conditions were not as bad on Wednesday as they had been earlier this week, but the Caldor and Dixie fires continue to burn large swaths of land.

Guest: Scott Rodd, CapRadio

In the city of Visalia in Tulare County, one hospital is reporting its highest number of COVID-19 patients since February. As of earlier this week, Kaweah Health was reporting nearly 100 COVID-positive patients, which is a third of the entire hospital’s capacity.

Reporter: Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio

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Caldor Fire Explodes in Size in El Dorado County Aug 18, 2021

Show notes

The Caldor Fire burning in El Dorado County almost quadrupled in size in just a day. The fire has ravaged the town of Grizzly Peak, and forced several communities to evacuate.

Guest: Scott Rodd, CapRadio

The state attorney general’s office is going to independently review the actions of a former BART police officer who was involved, but never criminally charged in the 2009 shooting of Oscar Grant. Grant was fatally shot in the back at the Fruitvale BART station.

Reporter: Sukey Lewis, KQED

Thousands of people in Afghanistan are trying to flee the country after Taliban forces took control over the weekend. Many are looking to come to the U.S. and organizations say they’re willing to help. That includes the nonprofit World Relief, which has an office in Sacramento.

Guest: Kerry Ham, Director of World Relief Sacramento

As we continue to grapple with COVID-19, pandemic rules that many of us thought we could largely say goodbye to just a few short weeks ago, are returning. In Los Angeles County, masks are coming back for larger outdoor events like concerts and baseball games.

Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report

A federal lawsuit argues that the recall election targeting Governor Gavin Newsom is unconstitutional. In the lawsuit, lawyers for two California voters say the recall violates the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause and the “one-person, one-vote” principle in American Democracy.

Reporter: Libby Denkmann, KPCC

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Dixie Fire Advances Towards Communities in Lassen County Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

The burn area of the Dixie Fire continues to be under a red flag warning as winds gusts are expected to pick up later on Tuesday. The fire is advancing on the Lassen County communities of Janesville and Susanville.

A new book on the 2018 Camp Fire pieces together what happened in the fire and follows its devastating aftermath through the eyes of fire survivors. The book focuses on the town of Paradise, which was devastated in the fire, and the toll it's taken on the community.

Guest: Lizzie Johnson, Author of the book "Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire"

Members of the Afghan diaspora throughout California are anxiously watching developments in Afghanistan. Many are seeking help for their loved ones.

Guest: Rona Popal, Executive Director, Afghan Coalition in Fremont

Pacific Gas and Electric told a federal judge Monday it has no knowledge of a drone flight that interfered with firefighters last month, on the first day of the Dixie Fire. The FBI, FAA and local prosecutors are all investigating who was flying the drone, that got in the way of firefighting aircraft during the first hours of the Dixie Fire.

Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED

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Hundreds of Thousands of Students Return to Schools in Los Angeles Aug 16, 2021

Show notes

Los Angeles Unified School District, the largest in the state, reopens Monday for in-person instruction. Students and staff will be required to wear masks indoors and undergo weekly COVID-19 testing, regardless of their vaccination status.

There's concern that the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in San Joaquin County could spread to some neighboring areas. The brunt of this latest wave is hitting younger people who are not fully vaccinated.

Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED

A new investigation from the Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, and an environmental news collaboration called Floodlight has found that in 2017, an industry group hired Southern California residents to push for natural gas alternatives to diesel trucks, which are stoking pollution around LA’s hyper-busy port complex. The group paid advocates who say they believed they were working with an environmental campaign, and were told natural gas was the “sustainable solution” -- even as environmentalists were pushing for electric vehicles.

Guest: Miranda Green, Reporter

Researchers know wildfire smoke can make people more vulnerable to severe lung infection. A new study from Harvard University estimates that inhaling wildfire smoke contributed to the additional deaths of hundreds of Californians due to COVID-19 last year.

Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

With population data from the 2020 census just out, we’re starting to get a look at how California has changed over the past decade. The data now jump-starts the work of redistricting -- drawing the maps that will define legislative districts for the next decade.

Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

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San Francisco Mandates Full Vaccination at Many Indoor Businesses Aug 13, 2021

Show notes

San Francisco will become the first city in the U.S. to require workers and patrons inside bars, restaurants, gyms and theaters to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The ordinance takes effect next week for customers.

The Dixie Fire has burned over 500,000 acres in Northern California, making it the second largest wildfire in state history. The fire has leveled some towns, but crews were able to save other communities in its path.

Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio

This week, emergency unemployment benefits are ending earlier than expected for thousands of Californians who’ve exhausted every other unemployment benefit program for which they’re eligible.

Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report

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