KQED's The California Report

Last year the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory, calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country. So how did we get to this point?  Guest: Dr. Carla Perissinotto, Geriatrician, UCSF The Biden administration is awarding California $168 million for clean vehicle charging infrastructure. Grants will fund projects across the state, fr...

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man who died in an avalanche at Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort on Wednesday as 66-year-old Kenneth Kidd. One other person was buried and injured; two other skiers were caught up in the avalanche but rescued. California is facing a nearly $38 billion budget shortfall, but to hear Governor Gavin Newsom tell it, things aren’t too dire. As he rolled ou...

If we're spending tens of billions of dollars fighting homelessness, why isn't the problem getting better? An investigation by KCRW and The California Newsroom looked at the massive failures of one major recipient of Governor Gavin Newsom's Homekey program. That's his administration's big effort to turn buildings like hotels and motels into low income housing, which has cost more than $3 billion s...

Governor Newsom has officially ordered a special election on March 19 to fill the seat vacated by former Congressman Kevin McCarthy. The district will see up to four different ballots to determine who will serve the remainder of McCarthy’s term and who will succeed him in Congress. Meanwhile, California lawmakers want to clean up state election law after a judge ruled that a Republican candidate c...

People are still struggling to find a place to live years after devastating wildfires ripped through Butte County.  In the remote town of Berry Creek, many are living in RVs on the lots where houses once stood. But they face deadlines to rebuild their homes or move. Reporter: Jamie Jiang, North State Public Radio  Doctors are bracing for more COVID patients as people return to school and work afte...

In the 20th century, the last California gray wolf was observed in the 1920s, but that changed in 2011 with the sighting of a wolf who had crossed into California from Oregon.  Now, a small but growing population of wolves have reestablished themselves in the state. Reporter: Jordan Traverso, California Department of Fish and Wildlife A parents rights group says it plans to sue Attorney General Ro...

Passions over war in the Middle East have spilled into where many of us work. So as an employee, what rights do you have to share your opinions or protest on the job? Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED In Sacramento, state legislators ended their first session of the year early Wednesday, after hundreds of Israel-Hamas war protesters broke out into songs and chants in the Assembly chamber. Reporter: Sa...

Federal regulators are investigating Kaiser Permanente for how it treats women with postpartum depression. The health provider has twice revised its guidelines to make it easier for women to get a new drug that targets the condition. These developments are the result of a KQED investigation that first revealed Kaiser's restrictions on postpartum care. Guest: April Dembosky, KQED State surveyors ha...

Hundreds of new laws have gone into effect with the beginning of the new year. They affect everything from workplaces, to crime and health care. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our state, we see the effects of climate change around us seemingly every day - storms, flooding, wildfires, extreme heat waves. Such events are changing the landscape and feeling of California and making a lot of us worried. So how do we handle the anxiety and even the grief that stem from climate change?  Guest: Erica Hellerstein, Investigative Reporter   Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

The state of California has been experimenting with ways to make it easier for residents to enjoy our state parks and beaches. A pilot program that allows Californians to visit many state parks for free — after checking out a pass from their local library — is helping increase access for more people. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Polynesian voyaging canoe is on a four-year journey circumnavigating the Pacific Ocean, using only traditional methods of seafaring - so no GPS, no motor, no high tech sensors, but lots of sails and wind power. The canoe and its crew recently sailed down the California coast, meeting with indigenous communities along the way.  Reporter: Katherine Monahan, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. V...

We spend a lot of time on this show talking about the grim effects of climate change, but not as much on the steps each of us can take to make a difference. That's the idea behind KCRW's new "Anti-Dread Climate Podcast" Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The pandemic caused homeschool enrollment to boom across California. In the LA Unified School District, almost twice as many kids are homeschooled as before the pandemic – up 90% in 5 years. And many have stuck with it, even after schools fully opened. Reporter: Robin Estrin, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meadows can be a key to forest health. In the Sierra Nevada, however, most have been degraded or lost. But there are efforts underway to restore these habitats.  Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR  A unique holiday tradition here in the Bay Area. The Misfit Cabaret is a variety show that features eccentric performers, often performing burlesque and drag. Reporter: Rachel Martin, NPR Learn more about your...

The town of Pescadero on the San Mateo County Coast was once known for fish. But a few decades ago salmon in Pescadero Creek went extinct. Now conservationists, with the help of farmers, scientists and federal money for combating climate change, are helping them come back.  Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED California could lose multiple seats in the US House of Representatives, if new population es...

In eastern Solano County, a group of Silicon Valley billionaires have a vision: an urban, walkable city filled with jobs, restaurants, sidewalks and bike paths. Their ambition is to put a dent in California’s gaping housing shortage. But for the farmers who currently own that land, that idea is upending their businesses and their future. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED California Lieutenant Gove...

California will soon allow water agencies to heavily treat wastewater, converting it into drinking water. The State Water Resources Control Board approved regulations to extensively treat sewage water for human consumption.  Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Congressman Kevin McCarthy officially submitted his letter of resignation on Tuesday, announcing he will step down December 31. Reporter: Mar...

Not-for-profit credit unions have long billed themselves as community-based alternatives to big commercial banks. Yet, many California credit unions charged customers millions in overdraft fees last year. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS A new law protecting California workers who use marijuana goes into effect next year. Starting January 1, it will be illegal for employers in California to discriminate...

New numbers show that fentanyl continues to have a devastating effect on the general public in California. Law enforcement also says the drug poses a threat to officers. For example, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office says one of its deputies recently needed the overdose-reversing drug known as Narcan, after handling fentanyl. But experts say opioids were probably not the cause of his symptoms. Re...

Diamond Bakery, an institution for generations of Los Angeles Jews, closed this month after 77 years. But, in what could be considered a Hanukkah miracle, the bakery’s original recipes will live on. Reporter: Robin Estrin, KCRW California workplace regulators have approved new emergency temporary protections to stall a surge in silicosis, an irreversible lung disease disabling and killing countert...

Next month, a major PG&E rate hike goes into effect. It’s the latest cost increase driven by wildfire-related expenses, inflation, and the growing energy demands that come with extreme weather. But these soring utility bills are pushing low income Californians to the edge of homelessness. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED Sacramento County has launched a first-of-its-kind mobile veterinary clinic, f...

Migrant farmworkers used to make up a large portion of the agricultural workforce. In recent years, those numbers have decreased. The rules for living in migrant housing are still largely the same, and it's creating a difficult situation for those living in these centers across the state. Guest: Lindsey Holden, Reporter, Sacramento Bee A California law meant to ensure overtime pay for farmworkers...

California’s solar industry is facing tough times after state utility regulators changed the rules for rooftop solar last spring. Sales are down and layoffs are up. Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS   The Department of Water Resources has released a final environmental impact report for the Delta tunnel project. The project would pump more water from northern to southern California, but is not without...

California regulators are set to vote this week on new emergency rules to protect workers power cutting “engineered stone” to make kitchen countertops. The factory-made material is linked to an aggressive lung disease killing workers. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero Last week, the city of Fresno became one of the first in the nation to raise the Palestinian flag, in solidarity with those killed i...