KQED's The California Report

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At Least 3 Killed In Mass Shooting At Orange County Cook's Corner Bar Aug 24, 2023

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A gunman killed three people and wounded six in a mass shooting in Orange County last night. It happened around 7:00 p.m. at Cook’s Corner, a bar popular with motorcyclists located in Trabuco Canyon in east Orange County. The shooter also died at the scene, likely killed, law enforcement says, by responding deputies.

West Coast cities, from Seattle to San Diego, have housing shortages that are driving up rents and pushing some people into homelessness. According to new data on apartment construction, that problem is getting even worse.

Reporter: Anna Scott, KCRW

In 2020, the Mineral Fire burned nearly 30,000 acres over two weeks. It also caused hundreds of rural western Fresno County residents to seek shelter from the blaze’s smoke indoors. But even inside their homes, many couldn't avoid the health effects of all that smoke. Now three years later, a team of researchers is testing a new way to improve indoor air quality.

Reporter: Esther Quintanilla, KVPR

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Human-Caused Wildfires Likely Fueled Extinction Of Large Mammals Aug 23, 2023

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A state legislator wants to create a new state agency that might one day administer reparations to the descendants of slaves.

Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED

Southeast Asian refugees could get protection from deportation under a bill reintroduced in Congress this week by a Los Angeles area Democrat.

Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

When you visit the Los Angeles La Brea Tar Pits you see an enormous variety of fossils from mega-fauna that roamed the Southern California landscape thousands of years ago. But where did all those creatures go? And why did most go extinct so fast? A landmark new study aims to answer those questions.

Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, KQED

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Earthquake Insurance Policies Are About To Change In California Aug 22, 2023

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Tropical storm Hilary brought lots of rain to parts of Southern California. In San Diego County that will help ease the risk of wildfires in the short term.

Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS

In the Northern California town of Paradise, many survivors of the devastating 2018 Camp Fire have been watching news of wildfires in Maui with a sense of disbelief. The blaze that destroyed Lahaina has now surpassed the Camp Fire for fatalities, with more than a hundred dead and hundreds more still missing.

Reporter: Jamie Jiang, North State Public Radio

On Sunday, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake rattled much of Southern California. It didn’t cause much damage or injury, but the quake was a reminder that a far more costly temblor can hit at any time. That got us thinking about earthquake insurance and we found out that the California Earthquake Authority, which administers quake coverage in the state, is making some big changes to earthquake policies.

Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, KQED

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Southern Californians Are Feeling The Effects Of Tropical Storm Hilary Aug 21, 2023

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The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department advised Catalina Island residents and visitors — especially the medically vulnerable — to leave the island as soon as they could as a precaution.

A big and unusual tropical storm isn’t the only worry nature is throwing at Californians. On Sunday afternoon, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck near the Ventura County community of Ojai and was felt in Los Angeles. That temblor was followed by a series of smaller quakes.

San Diego got soaked on Sunday as tropical storm Hilary raced through the county. The storm had wind speeds of over 100 miles per hour at its peak, but the system was significantly weaker when it arrived in San Diego.

Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS

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Hurricane Hilary Strengthens to Category 4 Storm And Heads Toward California Aug 18, 2023

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Hurricane Hilary, which is growing down around Baja right now, strengthened to a Category 4 storm this morning. The system had maximum sustained winds of 145 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center. In the coming days, the hurricane could head toward Southern California, bringing threats of major flooding.

Reporter: Jacob Margolis, LAist

San Francisco is calling on state regulators to temporarily suspend their approval of Cruise's and Waymo's unrestricted commercial expansion in the city. City Attorney David Chiu wants state regulators to first address the city's pending request for a hearing.

Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED

Wildfires have destroyed close to one-fifth of the Earth's giant sequoia trees, found only in California. The National Park Service wants to replant them, but others say that goes against the very definition of wilderness. What is natural? And how much should humans intervene?

Reporter: Marissa Ortega-Welch, KQED

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Pre-Kindergarten Readiness Programs Can Fill Educational Gap Aug 17, 2023

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The largest is the Head Fire, which is estimated to have burned about 3,500 acres so far. Evacuation shelters have been set up for both people and animals who have been displaced by the fire.

Reporter: Jane Vaughan, JPR

Southern California’s Hawaiian community is leading local fundraising efforts for Maui after its deadly wildfires.

Reporter: Josie Huang, LAist

Kids across California are returning to school, but not all students are equally prepared. A study found that in Sonoma County, only 22% of children are ready for kindergarten when they start. Children of Latino, Black and Native American descent were less prepared than other racial groups.

Reporter: Amanda Stupi, KQED

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How The Politics Of Asylum And The Border Are Playing Out In California Aug 16, 2023

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The Newsom administration says crews made up of more than one hundred people from California will be in Maui to aid in the search and recovery efforts. That includes forensic anthropologists, specialists in urban search and rescue, wildfire debris removal and hazardous waste experts and K9 teams.

Reporter: Angela Corral, KQED

In San Francisco, immigrants' rights lawyers are gearing up for a courtroom challenge to President Biden’s border policies, which they say are too restrictive and harm asylum seekers. In Los Angeles, migrants keep arriving on buses sent by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who says Biden’s policies are not restrictive enough.

Guest: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

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Family Of Farmworker Killed By Police Call For Accountability Aug 15, 2023

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The Department of Energy has announced $100 million in funding for 19 carbon capture projects nationwide. One of those projects is destined for the Kern County foothills, near Taft.

Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR

It’s been one year since a Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed local farmworker, David Pelaez-Chavez. His family and community members are calling on the District Attorney to bring charges against the deputy involved.

Reporter: Tash Kimmell

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How One California County Is Holding Wage Thieves Accountable Aug 14, 2023

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At the Aloha Festival in San Mateo over the weekend, members of the Bay Area's Asian American and Pacific Islander community came together to celebrate Polynesian culture and find ways to help people in Maui.

Reporter: Billy Cruz, KQED

Thousands of low-income California workers shorted on their paychecks may never recover that money, even when they’ve won claims with state regulators. That's why one Bay Area county is giving some employers an ultimatum: pay what you owe or don’t do business here.

Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

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Governor Newsom Deploys Search-And-Rescue Teams To Assist With Maui Wildfire Response Aug 11, 2023

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At least 55 people are confirmed dead from the wildfires that devastated the historic Maui town of Lahaina. One resident from the Central Valley moved to the popular tourist town ten years ago to open a bar that's now completely demolished.

Reporter: Izzy Bloom, KQED

Drive-In theaters are a staple in American history. But over the years the number of these outdoor movie theaters has diminished. Despite the shift to indoor movies and a hit from the pandemic, the Madera Drive-In where Madi spent most of her summer nights as a child is up and running.

Reporter: Madi Bolaños, KQED

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