KQED's The California Report

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Memorial To Be Held For Dianne Feinstein In San Francisco Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

A memorial service for Dianne Feinstein is scheduled for Thursday at San Francisco’s City Hall, where she’s been lying in state. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks by video. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to attend, as well as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

Laphonza Butler, who was sworn in this week to replace Dianne Feinstein, is a longtime labor leader, political strategist and, most recently, the president of EMILY’s List, which fights to elect women to office who support abortion rights. One issue that's not on her resume: climate change.

Reporter: Dana Cronin, KQED

Sand dunes and native plants on beaches can help protect the California coast from the impacts of sea level rise – if and when they’re allowed to thrive. That's according to new research out of UC Santa Barbara.

Reporter: Beth Thornton, KCBX

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Kevin McCarthy Ousted As House Speaker Oct 04, 2023

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In an unprecedented move in American politics – Bakersfield Republican Kevin McCarthy was ousted as House speaker on Tuesday. Despite this, many of McCarthy's constituents still support the embattled Congressman.

Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR

Thousands of Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers in California have walked off the job, starting a three day strike. A coalition of unions representing the workers are demanding wage increases, protections against the outsourcing of jobs, and increased staffing.

Laphonza Butler was sworn in Tuesday, filling the seat of Dianne Feinstein, who died last week. It's still unclear if Butler will enter the race to fill the U.S. Senate seat.

Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED

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Can Hydrogen Cars Help California With Green Goals? Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

When we think of cleaner and greener alternatives to gas-powered cars and trucks in California, electric vehicles come immediately to mind. But there is an alternative --hydrogen-powered cars.

Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report

Governor Gavin Newsom is defending his decision to appoint Emily’s List president Laphonza Butler to Dianne Feinstein’s open Senate seat –which potentially upends the on-going campaigns for that position in next year’s election. Butler is expected to be sworn-in on Tuesday.

Reporter: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, KQED

California water regulators have released support plans for the Bay-Delta watershed, which experts say is in an ecological crisis. But this doesn’t mean final solutions are in sight.

Reporter: Rachel Becker, CalMatters

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Governor Newsom Taps Laphonza Butler To Fill Dianne Feinstein's Senate Seat Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

Longtime labor leader and Democratic strategist Laphonza Butler will be California's new U.S. Senator. News of Butler's appointment -- confirmed by Governor Gavin Newsom's office Sunday night -- comes days after the death of Dianne Feinstein, which left the Senate seat vacant.

Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED

This week, seven California counties launch CARE Courts. They’re the new mental health courts required by the state that have the authority to mandate people with severe mental illness to receive treatment. The implementation of CARE Court will be under particular scrutiny in San Francisco, as the city wrestles with both mental health and homelessness crises.

Guest: Rafael Mandelman, San Francisco Supervisor

When presidential candidates travel to places like Iowa and New Hampshire, they usually spend time praising the state they’re in. But that is not what Republicans making the pilgrimage to California are saying about the Golden State.

Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

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Remembering US Senator Dianne Feinstein Sep 30, 2023

Show notes

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, who spent more than three decades in the Senate, has passed away at the age of 90. Senator Feinstein had a long career in politics even before her time in Washington, as a supervisor and mayor in San Francisco.

Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED

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Program Offering Pell Grants To Incarcerated People In Heavy Demand In California Sep 28, 2023

Show notes

As of this summer, most incarcerated people across the country can apply for a Pell Grant to pay for a higher education. Criminal justice advocates say this is a key step in keeping people from returning to prison. But in California, the demand is already exceeding the supply.

Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report

Southern California communities are paying the cost of a rise in online shopping. More online stores, means more warehouses to store their products. And that's adding to the pollution and economic inequality in these areas.

Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR

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Tijuana Seeing A Big Rise In Rental Prices Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

Tijuana has long been a refuge for priced-out Californians looking for affordable housing. But now, rents in Tijuana are rising twice as fast as in San Diego.

Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS

A federal judge in San Francisco is ordering two former Trump administration officials to testify in a lawsuit, brought by migrant parents and children separated at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018.

Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

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Sacramento Neighborhood Takes Different Approach To Fentanyl Crisis Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

Fentanyl-related deaths are up in California. By a lot. And it's no different in Sacramento County, which jumped from 17 fentanyl related deaths in 2018, to 227 last year. One neighborhood nonprofit is trying to save lives, by getting drug users to recognize what might be causing their use in the first place.

Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio

The iconic Bob's Big Boy diner in Burbank has become the unofficial clubhouse for striking writers. And they're appreciative of the generosity of a Hollywood star, who's helping take care of the bill.

Reporter: Yusra Farzan, LAist

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Writers, Studios Reach Tentative Deal Sep 25, 2023

Show notes

After nearly 150 days on strike, a tentative deal has been reached between Hollywood writers and studios. The proposed three year deal would boost pay rates and residuals from streaming shows, and also introduce new rules on the use of artificial intelligence.

Shasta County is dealing with major staffing shortages across county departments. Those shortages have forced an entire floor of the county jail to remain closed for over a year.

Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio

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California To Take Emergency Action In Effort To Stabilize Home Insurance Marketplace Sep 22, 2023

Show notes

Governor Gavin Newsom has asked the state insurance commission to take emergency action to fix the troubled homeowner's insurance market. This comes after State Farm, Allstate and more than half of the top 12 insurance groups have paused or restricted new business in the state.

Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED

More than 300,000 Californians have lost health insurance since the state resumed Medi-Cal eligibility checks it had suspended during the pandemic. The majority of Californians who lost Medi-Cal got kicked off because of paperwork. Some didn’t send in their renewal packets, while others had errors on their forms.

Reporter: Shreya Agrawal, CalMatters

A prestigious national laboratory is partnering with CSU Bakersfield to advance green energy research in the San Joaquin Valley. The partnership is seen by some as historic in nature.

Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR

Jacob Rock is a non-verbal, autistic teenager from Los Angeles who wasn’t able to speak until 2020. That’s when he began to vividly type out his thoughts and feelings on an iPad. His parents were flabbergasted to realize that he could read and write and convey his emotions and creativity through text.

Reporter: Sasha Khokha, The California Report Magazine

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