KQED's The California Report

On Tuesday, California will reopen which means an end to the state's mask mandate. There are still some situations that will require people to wear a mask, and many Californians say they don't plan to ditch face coverings just yet. Guest: Carly Severn, Senior Engagament Editor, KQED Conversations around the role of police in society are continuing and this week, a group gathered in San Diego to ca...

California’s workplace safety board is expected to ease mask rules for fully vaccinated employees, but it likely won’t become official for at least a few more weeks. Cal/OSHA’s new workplace standards would align with mask rules issued by state and federal health officials. Early in the pandemic, COVID-19 infections among farmworkers in the Central Valley and along the Central Coast were rampant. ...

Lawyers for journalist Yashar Ali are asking the L.A. City Attorney's Office to release the transcripts of depositions from a lawsuit filed by former LAPD officer Matthew Garza, who says a former advisor of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti sexually harassed him. According to Garza, Garcetti witnessed the harassment firsthand and did nothing to stop it. Guest: Yashar Ali, Journalist Members of a newly form...

California’s Department of Public Health has announced substantial updates to its COVID-19 testing guidance. People who are fully vaccinated can skip COVID testing in non-healthcare workplaces or at large or mass social gatherings. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report As schools across California launch into summer school, the state is following through with its pledge to pump $4....

A federal judge has struck down California’s decades-old ban on assault weapons. The decision has drawn outrage from statewide officials including Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, who made clear his office plans to appeal the ruling. Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED California has been living under an official “state of emergency” since the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandem...

New emergency rules passed by California’s workplace safety agency will keep a mask requirement at most worksites past June 15. But on that date, workers will be allowed to take their masks off if everyone in a room is vaccinated and doesn’t have COVID-19 symptoms. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Governor Gavin Newsom is extending pandemic rules that have allowed restaurants to expand outdoor seati...

Hundreds of thousands of out of work Californians are stuck with frozen accounts, and without desperately-needed unemployment benefits after being flagged for fraud by the state’s Employment Development Department. But a bill that could protect innocent people snagged by EDD’s "freeze first, verify later" policy has passed through the state Assembly. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California...

Democratic leaders of the state Senate and Assembly say they're in agreement on a state budget proposal. But a final deal still needs to be reached with Governor Gavin Newsom.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED For years, Cal/OSHA, the California agency in charge of protecting workers from health and safety hazards, has been understaffed. But the problem got worse during the pandemic, crippling the ag...

In recent years, Californians have debated whether or not to change the names of places because of their historically racist associations. That debate has now hit the rural Sierra County town of Downieville. Guest: Brittny Mejia, Metro Reporter, LA Times This week marks the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa race massacre. Considered one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history, it's s...

A new book is highlighting the history of the Boyle Heights neighborhood and its importance in shaping L.A. County. Guest: George J. Sanchez, author of the book, "Boyle Heights: How a Los Angeles Community Became the Future of American Democracy" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Details continue to surface about the gunman who killed nine people at a Valley Transportation Authority light rail yard in San Jose on Wednesday. According to his ex-girlfriend, he was prone to both physical and sexual violence. Domestic abuse is often linked to mass shootings. Guest: April Zeoli, Professor with Michigan State University's School of Criminal Justice California has introduced a mo...

Ten people are now dead including the gunman who opened fire Wednesday at a Valley Transportation Authority light rail yard in San Jose. Investigators have not identified a motive. Guest: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED California has some of the strictest gun laws in the United States. That's left many wondering how mass shootings like the one in San Jose on Wednesday continue to occur in the state. Gues...

As soon as next year, the Biden administration plans to sell leases for floating wind farms off the coast of San Luis Obispo and Humboldt counties. But the plan still faces some logistical challenges. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED  New polling shows support for the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom is stagnating. The Public Policy Institute of California poll finds 40% of likely voters think Newsom sh...

On this day one year ago, George Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds while Floyd begged for his life. This sparked protests across California and calls for police reform. Guest: Tanya Faison, the founder of Black Lives Matter Sacramento speaking with The California Report's Mary Franklin Harvin Many of the protests following the death of...

Los Angeles is mulling whether a whole new entity devoted to focusing on homelessness might be the way to address the problem. A group of civic leaders called the Committee for Greater LA think it’s worth a shot.  Reporter: Anna Scott, KCRW California remains on track to reopen on June 15. It's a day many businesses have been waiting for, but some are finding it hard to hire back staff to a pre-pa...

The National Independent Venue Association of California, which has more than 600 members, is pushing for state legislators and the governor to support a $250 million stimulus grant program. This comes as they prepare for the state to reopen on June 15. Guest: Joe Rinaldi, Managing Partner at Music Box in San Diego The owners of Starline Social Club, a popular venue in Oakland, announced late last...

State lawmakers and county health officials are upset that the governor’s proposed budget does not include enough money to rebuild the state’s ailing public health system. The coalition says $200 million is needed to be ready for the next crisis. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED The latest state budget proposal has highlighted the fact that California is flush with cash. But exactly how much? That d...

The Citizen app brands itself as a tool to report on local crimes and emergencies in your area. But it can also lead to false reporting as was the case last week, when a man was falsely accused of starting a fire in Pacific Palisades, after his picture appeared on the app. Guest: Boone Ashworth, Contributing Writer, WIRED Santa Clara County is one of four across the state that moved into the least...

Despite new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, allowing vaccinated people to go maskless in most settings, California won’t change its current mask mandates until the state’s scheduled reopening on June 15th.  Since the pandemic began, workers in the grocery delivery business have been trying to organize to get more protections and benefits. Workers at the venture capita...

The fire has forced about a thousand people to evacuate their homes. Fire investigators are still trying to determine the cause but said that it is suspicious in nature. The recall election for Governor Gavin Newsom has gotten most of the headlines, but there are several local recall efforts underway across the state, including in Shasta County. Three county supervisors are facing backlash for fol...

CDC Says Vaccinated People Don't Need to Wear MasksCalifornia’s mask rules are still in place, but Governor Newsom has indicated changes are coming to the state’s mask mandate by June 15th..the target date to reopen the state. Most of California is in Extreme or Severe Categories of DroughtDrought conditions have intensified in parts of California over the past week, according to the U.S. Drought...

Republican gubernatorial candidate Kevin Faulconer said he wants to eliminate state income taxes for low and middle-income Californians. He said this would allow Californians to keep more of their hard-earned revenue and make the state more affordable. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Hospital care at home is nothing new for patients with low-level health needs. But since the pandemic, a growing numb...

California health officials said the Pfizer vaccine could be available for 12-15 year olds as early as Thursday. This comes after the Food and Drug Administration authorized the shots for adolescents earlier this week. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED State Senator Richard Pan of Sacramento is a pediatrician and led the effort to tighten California’s childhood immunization law. He says parents shoul...

With more than 90% of California experiencing extreme drought conditions, Governor Gavin Newsom is expanding a state drought emergency from just two to 41 counties. The new drought proclamation represents 30% of the state’s population. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED State Attorney General Rob Bonta has championed criminal justice reform during his time in Sacramento as a legislator. But can he...

Project Homekey allows cities and counties to purchase buildings and then covert them into long-term housing for the homeless. Martha Fuentes of Los Angeles says it's been a lifesaver and sanctuary as she's had to live in her car. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Governor Gavin Newsom announced an economic stimulus plan on Monday, one that will see most Californians getting tax refun...