KQED's The California Report

Latest Episodes:

Removal Of Dams On Klamath River Worry Some Local Residents Jun 29, 2023

Show notes

People who live around several reservoirs in Siskiyou County are facing an uncertain future. Four dams on the Klamath River will be torn down over the next two years. Now, their lakefront properties will change as reservoirs turn into a free-flowing river again.

Reporter: Erik Neumann, Jefferson Public Radio

A new report shows California is performing almost 500 more abortions per month than in the period before Roe v. Wade was overturned. The “We Count” project has been collecting data from U.S. abortion providers, as more states implement bans and restrictions. The numbers include both medication abortion and in-clinic procedures.

Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio

The California task force studying reparations for Black residents is submitting its final recommendations to the State legislature on Thursday.

Reporter: Annelise Finney, KQED

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Reported Hate Crimes Rise 20% In California Jun 28, 2023

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New numbers out from California's Attorney General's office show a more than 20% increase in hate crimes in the state between 2021 and 2022, with more than 2,100 recorded incidents last year. Reported hate crimes targeting Black people had the sharpest rise. There were also big increases in crimes against members of the LGBTQ and Jewish communities.

The majority of Californians live in places where the supply of licensed child care just does not meet the demand. And it could get worse. During the pandemic, additional federal funds helped many child care providers stay open, but that funding is coming to an end.

Reporter: Amanda Stupi, KQED

In recent weeks, hundreds of sea lions and more than 100 dolphins have washed up sick or dead on the beaches of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. A toxic algae bloom off the coast is thought to be the cause.

Reporter: Jacob Margolis, LAist

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California Lagging On Recycling Food Scraps Jun 27, 2023

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Have you been recycling your food scraps? A new report finds that California’s landmark compost law that went into effect last year isn’t close to reaching its organic recycling goals.

Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist

What happens when an elected official essentially becomes homeless because of the cost of California housing? In the small Ventura County town of Ojai, a councilmember has fought to keep her seat, because she can’t find permanent housing she can afford that’s in her district.

Guest: Alexei Koseff, Reporter, CalMatters

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Budget Agreement Still Not Reached As Deadline Looms Jun 26, 2023

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By law, California's legislature and the governor must approve a budget by July 1st, the start of the state’s fiscal year. But with that deadline looming, lawmakers and Governor Newsom still haven't struck a budget agreement.

Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio

A 2017 law to streamline new housing construction and override neighborhood opposition has been hailed as one of the most successful tools in the state to help solve California’s housing crisis. But this well-intentioned legislation is producing some unintended consequences for a small and underserved community in one of the richest counties in the state.

Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report

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Two Bay Area Companies Get Approval To Sell Cell-Cultivated Meat Jun 23, 2023

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The U.S. is now the second country in the world to approve the sale of cultivated meat. The meat from Bay Area companies Upside Foods and Good Meat doesn’t come from slaughtered animals. Rather it’s made from animal cells.

Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report

In honor of Juneteenth, The California Report Magazine. is celebrating with stories of creative, powerful Black women, and the house in Oakland that has become the center of their movement.

Reporters: The Kitchen Sisters, The California Report Magazine

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State Superintendent Calls On Publishers To Create More Inclusive Textbooks Jun 22, 2023

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California officials are pressuring textbook publishers to produce culturally diverse materials for California classrooms. This comes in light of book bans across the country.

Reporter: Riley Palmer, KQED

Last fall, Sacramento became one of the latest California cities to ban homeless encampments on public property, after voters approved a controversial law called Measure O. Enforcement of the measure is off to a sluggish start.

Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio

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New Study Finds Homelessness Mainly Tied To High Housing Costs Jun 21, 2023

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California’s sky high housing costs are the biggest contributor to homelessness, and older residents are feeling it the most. That’s according to a new study from the University of California, San Francisco.

Reporter: Sydney Johnson, KQED

Hospitals and workers agree - California has a healthcare staffing shortage. What they don’t agree on is how to fix it. Democrats in the state legislature are pushing to increase the minimum wage for health care workers to $25 an hour. But hospitals, counties, and business groups say now isn’t the right time.

Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio

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Communities Devastated By Flooding Seek More Help From State Jun 20, 2023

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When a levee burst in a January rainstorm in the Central Valley town of Planada, floodwaters wrecked the homes of hundreds of farmworker families. In March, the same thing happened again, a levee failed in the Salinas Valley and inundated the farmworker town of Pajaro. Those communities are now pushing to get some real help in the state budget.

Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

Abortion access is a Constitutional right in California. Yet lawmakers here continue to struggle to regulate so-called crisis pregnancy centers – facilities that abortion advocates say mislead women seeking abortion care.

Reporter: Kristen Hwang, CalMatters

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Reparations Task Force Prepares Final Report Jun 19, 2023

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Later this month, the statewide task force studying reparations for black Californians will submit its historic final report to the state legislature for consideration. Most of the focus has been on monetary reparations, but some say the task force will take a bigger picture approach.

Lawmakers in the state senate will consider a bill on Tuesday that aims to help low-income teens access mental health treatment. But some affluent parents say it would take away their rights.

Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED

California lawmakers are now waiting for Governor Gavin Newsom to sign off on their proposed state budget. Among the countless line items – $10 million set aside for LGBTQ + services at California community colleges.

Reporter: Adam Echelman, CalMatters

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California Mayors Increasingly Turn To Temporary Housing Solutions Jun 16, 2023

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Mayors across California are feeling the pressure to reduce street homelessness and tent encampments. So, they’re increasingly turning to temporary housing as a solution. But investments in shelters could come at the expense of permanent housing.

Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED

California prides itself on being a diverse state. But actually connecting people who have radically different life experiences can be a challenge. The Santa Monica public library is hosting events to encourage deep one-on-one conversations between people from different backgrounds. It’s called a “Human Library.”

Reporter: Claire Wiley

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