KQED's The California Report

Latest Episodes:

Northern California Is A Hotbed For Hoops Fans Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

The Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings face off in Game Three of their playoff series Thursday night. While the team's have a growing rivalry on the court, they share one thing in common off it. They have two of the most fervent fanbases in the NBA, that stretches across Northern California.

Reporter: Andrew Saintsing, KALW

A California bill that just passed the Senate Labor Committee would expand the paid sick leave most employers must offer from at least three days per year, to seven.

Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

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Complaints About Rent Hikes Soaring In Los Angeles Apr 19, 2023

Show notes

Many of the renter protections California set up during the pandemic have gone away. But in Los Angeles, one big one has stuck around: rent increases are still banned for most of the city’s tenants. However, some landlords don't know about LA’s rent freeze — and renter complaints are at a 10-year high.

Reporter: David Wagner, LAist

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide on Wednesday whether or not a common abortion drug will remain available. while a case challenging its safety makes its way through the court.

Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED

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In Humboldt County, Mental Health Resources Hard To Come By Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

For families whose loved ones are facing a mental health crisis, it can be hard to be optimistic, especially when resources are scarce. In Humboldt County, there's a proposal to create an emergency mental health care facility.

Reporter: Jane Vaughan, Jefferson Public Radio

During the pandemic, many people gained access to Medicaid, the low to no cost health insurance. But now, with pandemic protections ending, states are beginning to re-examine people’s eligibility.

Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio

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Survivors Of Palm Springs Neighborhood Destruction Seek Reparations Apr 17, 2023

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Families who once lived in a Palm Springs neighborhood are seeking reparations. Decades ago, the city forcibly evicted the mostly Black and Latino residents from their homes — and leveled the area.

Reporter: Leslie Berestein Rojas, LAist

The state’s Dream for All housing program aimed to give first-time home buyers a leg-up, especially those in communities often priced out of the market. As we reported last week, funding for the new program ran dry in less than two weeks. But it's unclear if the money actually went to buyers who needed it most.

Reporter: Ben Christopher, CalMatters

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Kings Fans Hope To Light The Beam In Playoff Series With Warriors Apr 14, 2023

Show notes

There’s a beam of light bringing people together in Sacramento, where long suffering basketball fans finally have a reason to celebrate. And the Battle of Northern California kicks off on Saturday, as the Kings are facing off against the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

Reporter: Bianca Taylor, KQED

Senator Dianne Feinstein is asking Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to temporarily replace her on a key committee until she fully recovers from a bout of shingles. But it might not be that simple.

Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED

California is experiencing a rush of solar installations as residents and installers worked to get deals in place before new rules take effect on Friday.

Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS

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Bill Would Help Immigrants Released From Prison From Being Turned Over To ICE Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

California prides itself on welcoming and including immigrants. The state is often at odds with the federal government over immigration enforcement. But there are exceptions – and a big one is that when the state prison system is releasing someone who’s not a citizen, they are allowed to turn them over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and they routinely do.

Guest: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

Demonstrators from around California are expected to converge in Sacramento on Thursday to support a state bill that would offer unemployment benefits to workers, who are excluded because they’re undocumented.

Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

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Planada Still Struggling To Recover Months After Flooding Apr 12, 2023

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It’s been 3 months since major flooding inundated the town of Planada in Merced County. Still, residents of this unincorporated community are struggling to stay afloat.

Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report

State officials are preparing for major flooding as the snowpack begins to melt. Statewide, the snowpack sits at 249% of the average for this time of year.

Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED

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Wildfire Experts Express Concern Over Plans For Clean Air Act Apr 11, 2023

Show notes

The Clean Air Act has saved hundreds of thousands of lives and avoided millions of childhood illnesses. Even so, the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to strengthen air standards. It's a move celebrated by many, but some fire experts worry that the new rules could unintentionally lead to larger wildfires and worse air.

Guest: Danielle Venton, KQED

Lawmakers plan to introduce a bill on Tuesday that would restrict California prison officials from transferring certain inmates to ICE. The HOME Act would protect non-citizens from being handed to ICE for deportation, if they’ve been granted clemency or released from prison under recent criminal justice reform laws.

Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

The state launched a program recently to get more Californians into their first homes. The only problem? Maybe the program was too popular.

Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report

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Tulare Lake Re-Emergence Causes Uncertainty Over Flooding Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

More fallout from the reappearance of Tulare Lake. It was once the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. But it's been dry for years. Now, with massive amounts of rain, and more water coming from the state's melting snowpack, nearby communities are worried they could be flooded out.

Reporter: Soreath Hok, KVPR

Tens of thousands of people rely on salmon fishing to make a living. The season's closure could be devastating to coastal communities - from fishing to charter boats and restaurants.

Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED

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Child Care Providers Still Waiting For Pandemic Pay Apr 07, 2023

Show notes

California child care providers are still waiting on hundreds of thousands of dollars in pandemic financial relief from Governor Newsom and the Department of Social Services. Providers were supposed to receive the one-time stipend payments around the holidays, or early 2023 at the latest.

Reporter: Izzy Bloom, The California Report

Fast fashion trends have many Americans buying more clothes than ever. But when those clothes are discarded, thousands of tons of textiles end up in landfills each year.

Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBX

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