KQED's The California Report

In the spring of 2006, a historic number of Angelenos took to the streets to stop a harsh anti-immigration bill. It worked. But where's that momentum now? Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW No Kings rallies brought out tens of thousands of people across California over the weekend … to protest President Donald Trump, his administration’s policies, and the war in Iran. Learn more about your ad choices....

It will soon be a month since the start of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. In response to U. S. military action, the Iranian regime has restricted which trade ships can pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passageway not only for oil moving from the Middle East to North America, but also for fertilizer, the fertilizer American farmers need to start growing crops. The agricultural industry...

911 dispatchers are often the first voice people hear in an emergency. But across the country, it’s getting harder to find people trained to answer those calls. Two programs in the U.S. are trying to change that, and one is right here in the San Joaquin Valley. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR An appeals court has denied the state attorney general’s request to stop Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bia...

As California Governor Gavin Newsom eyes a potential 2028 presidential run, he’s been wading into more foreign policy -- even on issues that are controversial. It’s a pivot that’s helping him build a national profile. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Since last summer, the Trump administration has been arresting undocumented immigrants as they try to claim their children from federal custody. This has...

The California Condor used to range from California to Florida and from Canada all the way down to Mexico. But last century, their population crashed. Now, there are more than 600 alive, but they aren't doing as well as scientists expect it. New research explains the mystery of why, despite many protections, the birds are still struggling. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Riverside County Sheriff C...

As word of damning accusations against Cesar Chavez spread this week, farmworkers and advocates in California have struggled to reconcile the disturbing details with their image of a man they considered a hero. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED A coalition of leaders in East San José say the sexual assault allegations against labor leader Cesar Chavez should be a turning point for the communi...

A major investigation by the New York Times is raising serious allegations about Cesar Chavez, one of the most admired figures in Latino civil rights history. The reporting includes accounts from multiple women, including co-organizer and civil rights leader, Dolores Huerta. They say Chavez sexually abused them, in some cases, when they were children. Guest: Gustavo Arellano, LA Times Following th...

The nationwide increase in gas prices since the beginning of the war in Iran is hitting especially hard in California, already home to the nation’s highest prices at the pump. It's also started a new round of political blame game between President Trump, Governor Newsom, and even some Democrats. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Veterans and native tribes are calling for the protection of public lands...

California's housing crisis is spreading to other states. Congress is finalizing a package of bills some national housing experts say are among the most significant reforms to come out of the federal government in decades. Some of the bills are inspired by laws California has already passed. So what does this package do for us? Guest: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED California regulators are pushing back...

This school year is the first in which transitional kindergarten is free and available for all 4-year-olds across California. The state has spent more than $15 billion since 2021 to offer this new grade. But in order for that investment to pay off, the skills kids gain in TK need to last throughout elementary school. One district is trying to set their students up for success by focusing on one pa...

It’s the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims around the world dedicate 30 days to prayer and reflection by fasting from sunrise to sunset. That includes in the Monterey County community of Seaside. Reporter: Ngozi Cole, KAZU State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond says he’s imploring the Trump administration to return a 6-year-old deaf boy and his family who were deported to Colom...

In 2024, California voters approved Proposition 1. That ballot measure set aside billions of dollars to add more mental health and addiction treatment beds across the state. But new reporting from our California newsroom partner, CalMatters, has found the initiative hasn't delivered a fraction of the support it promised. Guest: Marisa Kendall, CalMatters It’s not just gas prices rising. The attack...

About one in ten K-12 students in the US attend a California public school. And those schools are seeing a lot of turmoil this year. San Francisco educators went on strike in February. Teachers in Oakland and San Diego narrowly avoided a strike themselves. And now, their colleagues in Dublin -- in the Bay Area -- have also been on strike this week. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED San Diego...

School boards across California are giving their members raises, which might sound strange at a time when teachers here are striking for better pay. It's thanks to a new law that gives board members their first opportunity for a major pay increase in 40 years. Reporter: Katie Anastas, KPBS A man who was recently released from custody at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center has died. Immigrant rights...

Over the past year, we’ve watched the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown unfold violently in places like Minneapolis and Chicago. But even in Northern California, immigration arrests have more than doubled. And one of them, early last year, left a Silicon Valley carpenter gravely disabled. His family – like thousands of others – is now coping with trauma, upheaval and financial strain. R...

Proposition 50 is now in effect in California. The law redrew political boundaries for congressional districts. And one of the communities soon to have new congressional representation in Washington DC is Coalinga. This small, agricultural town on Fresno County’s west side is now going to be part of a district that stretches more than 100 miles to the north. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR Former...

What makes a winning candidate for governor of California? Well, with the exceptions of movie stars Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger, every governor for more than 80 years has had experience in statewide office. Gavin Newsom was lieutenant governor. Pete Wilson was a U.S. Senator. Pat Brown and Jerry Brown were both attorney general. This year, the leading candidates are taking a different...

At Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, authorities have shut down an underground channel that detainees used to communicate with the outside world. Reporter: Aisha Wallace-Palomares, LA Taco At a contentious Senate hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Trump administration’s immigration policies. In Southern California, ICE has released a Cambod...

Across California, many Iranian-Americans are still in disbelief following the US-Israeli military strikes in Iran. Some are overjoyed with the death of the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, but others are concerned about the safety of friends and loved ones in the region. The greater Los Angeles area has a huge concentration of Iranians. That includes LA city councilman Adrin Nazarian. He wa...

The Trump administration tried last fall to drastically reduce the amount of federal grant money counties could use for permanent supportive housing programs. The effort was struck down in court for the current funding cycle. But if next year's requirements are similar, there could be huge ramifications across California. Reporter: Elena Neale-Sacks, KAZU Rallies were held across the state this we...

Sacramento County is home to California’s largest community of state workers, around 90,000 people. Governor Gavin Newsom says he wants them to come back into the office starting this summer — many still work remotely part time following the pandemic. But state worker unions hope a new bill will protect their ability to telework indefinitely. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio In Humboldt County...

In light of violent immigration enforcement in major cities like Chicago, LA and Minneapolis, immigrants around the country are wondering: could this happen in my community? In the Central Valley, waiting for an answer to that question has given way to fear and misinformation. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR The LA Unified School Board is meeting behind closed doors Thursday where they're expected to...

Hundreds of thousands of California families rely on federal housing assistance programs to make rent- you might know it as Section 8 vouchers. Based on their income, they’ll pay a certain percentage of the rent and the government pays the rest. Recipients include seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and children. But the Trump administration is expected to introduce new rules to these prog...

Since last summer, when the Trump administration ramped up deportation efforts, a group of volunteer observers has kept a constant presence at the Santa Ana Immigration Court. Reporter: Jill Replogle, LAist A four-week strike by thousands of Kaiser Permanente health care workers in California and Hawaii is ending Tuesday morning, even though no contract deal has been reached. Cities on the US-Mexi...

The string of storms that have swept through California has brought much-needed water and snow throughout the state, but climate scientists say, levels may still fall short of what's needed in the coming warm weather months. The town of Truckee held a memorial for the victims of last week's avalanche in the Sierra. This comes after search and rescue crews finished recovering all nine of their bodi...