KQED's The California Report

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Volunteers Quickly Organize To Help Those In Need In San Bernardino Mountains Mar 09, 2023

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Desperation has turned into anger for many people in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles. As residents continue to dig out from a rare blizzard, many are blasting the county for not helping them more quickly. Amid the criticism, a group of volunteers has hastily come together to deliver supplies.

Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR

Bay Area Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and other House Democrats are re-introducing a bill Thursday that could provide a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants.

Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

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Communities In Northern And Southern California Trying To Dig Out From Massive Snowstorms Mar 08, 2023

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At least 11 people have died since winter storms battered the San Bernardino Mountains. Meanwhile, in Nevada County in Northern California, the lights have been off for thousands of customers due to storms in the area.

Public health officials in California are calling on the governor to reconsider a plan to slash funding to a training program for public health workers. Last year, California committed millions to train workers in specialties like epidemiology, microbiology, and public health nursing. Now, the Newsom administration is proposing significant reductions to the program.

Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio

With just four months left before California closes its state-run juvenile lockups for good, county officials are ringing alarm bells, saying they need more state support to make the historic transition successful.

Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

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Many Trapped Residents Need Food, Medicine in San Bernardino Mountains Mar 07, 2023

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Desperation is growing as many people are still trapped in their homes in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles. It’s been more than a week since a rare blizzard buried the region in snow. And authorities say it might take a few more days before they can reach everyone.

Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR

18 days into a hunger strike over living and working conditions in two Kern County immigration detention centers, more than 30 men are still going without food.

Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

A growing number of undocumented workers are reaching retirement age in California, but have to keep working. But a new state bill might help them retire.

Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

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Many Residents In San Bernardino Mountain Communities Remain Stranded Due To Snow Mar 06, 2023

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Although progress is being made, many people who have been stuck in communities in the San Bernardino Mountains due to the massive amount of snowfall might not receive assistance for several more days. Crews have been able to clear off many main roads, but the excess snow is piling up, trapping many people in their homes.

The closure of Madera Community Hospital in late December has left thousands of people without access to regular checkups, emergency services and specialized care. That includes one patient who is struggling to find a place nearby to get cancer treatment.

Reporter: Esther Quintanilla, KVPR

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National Guard Sent To Help Trapped Residents In San Bernardino Mountains Mar 03, 2023

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California National Guard personnel have arrived in the San Bernardino Mountains. They’re there to help rescue residents who have been trapped in their homes for days by the recent heavy snowfall.

A hunger strike at two California immigration detention centers in Kern County is entering its third week. Advocacy groups say Immigration and Customs Enforcement is failing to properly consider the detainees’ requests to be released.

Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

Have you ever heard someone calling your name, but then you look around and no one’s there? Or you feel your phone vibrate, but actually, it didn’t. Then you’ve technically experienced psychosis. For most of us, it will never go further. But for people who later develop schizophrenia, it often starts like this.

Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED

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San Bernardino County Struggles To Recover From Massive Snowfall Mar 02, 2023

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Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a state of emergency for 13 California counties in response to the winter storms. San Bernardino County is covered by the Governor’s declaration. There, residents in mountain communities are still trapped in their homes after more than seven feet of snow has fallen over the last few days.

In the Central Valley, Madera Community Hospital closed at the end of last year – after struggling with low Medi-Cal insurance repayments and a shortage of nursing staff. But hospital leaders hope it’s not too late to restore services.

Reporter: Soreath Hok, KVPR

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New Deadline For California Taxpayers Provides Challenges For Budget Writers Mar 01, 2023

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The federal government says people living in California counties hit hard by severe weather now have an extra six months to file their federal taxes. But a new deadline creates challenges for state budget writers.

Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED

President Joe Biden has nominated California's former Labor Secretary to head the U.S. Department of Labor. The White House lauded Julie Su as a “champion for workers,” but she has plenty of detractors.

Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

A year after Russia invaded Ukraine, we’re checking back in with Silicon Valley people and companies affected by the war.

Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED

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Winter Storms Creating A Mess Across California Feb 28, 2023

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Another monster frigid storm front is moving through California, creating dangerous conditions in the Sierra Nevada. A blizzard warning remains in effect through early Wednesday for the Greater Lake Tahoe area and Mono County. And San Bernardino County has declared a local state of emergency, due to the amount of snow that's collected on it's mountains.

California spends more than $15 billion a year on its prison system and a new report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office says we’re continuing to pay for thousands of prison beds we’re not using. The state has closed two prisons under Governor Gavin Newsom and plans to close two more, but this new research says that’s not going far enough.

Reporter: Nigel Duara, CalMatters

The prison closures are a big change from a generation ago, when California was in the midst of a prison construction boom. But with the recent decline in the state’s prison population, advocates of criminal justice reform want to see more penal facilities shut down.

Guest: Amber Rose-Howard, Executive Director, Californians United for a Responsible Budget.

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Lawmaker Wants To Turn Empty Office Space Into Housing Feb 27, 2023

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Because of the pandemic and the large number of people who now work from home, California has an abundance of vacant office space, but the state also has a shortage of housing. Now, a state lawmaker wants to tackle both problems by making it far easier to turn empty offices into homes.

Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

The Central Coast city of Paso Robles is becoming increasingly prominent in the world of wine. But as its stature grows, the Paso Robles area is facing familiar California challenges – like expensive housing and water worries. And that’s creating problems for the local wine industry.

Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KCBX

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Snow, Hail, Rain All Part Of Latest Winter Storm In California Feb 24, 2023

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Although no officials numbers are in , there has been widespread snowfall across the state. That includes parts of California that normally see snow on only the rarest occasions. Cold temperatures and rain remain in the forecast as we head into the weekend.

There’s widespread agreement that having books in jails and prisons benefits people behind bars. But in LA County jails, there’s no official library system, so a grassroots effort has started to get more books into the hands of the incarcerated.

Reporter: Emily Elena Dugdale, LAIst

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