KQED's The California Report

Young kids are starting to get their first COVID vaccines in an early clinical trial at Stanford. If all goes well widespread distribution could begin by this fall.  Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED Officials in charge of monitoring air quality in Southern California officials are voting on a rule Friday that aims to hold warehouses accountable for diesel truck pollution. The rise of e-commerce has...

After waiting months for an update on their unemployment claims, nearly a million out of work Californians will likely have to wade through even more red tape to access their benefits. That's because the Employment Development Department has disqualified their applications. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report A federal judge has struck down the CDC’s nationwide eviction moratoriu...

California’s recall election is in full swing, with a campaign launch featuring a live bear. Meanwhile, embattled Governor Gavin Newsom is defending his record managing the state through a tumultuous year.  Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Public health experts are keeping a close eye on data that shows the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations slowing down. While the slowdown is concerning, some early sk...

It's still unclear how many people in California have actually delayed getting the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. But there's concern about what that will mean for their immunity moving forward. Guest: Dr. Steven Parodi, Executive Director of the Permanente Group at Kaiser Permanente As COVID-19 numbers continue to improve across the state, more counties are expecting to move into t...

The Fresno County Department of Public Health is diverting COVID-19 vaccines allocated to that county elsewhere because of low demand. Some people in the county are still waiting to get the vaccine, but for reasons that might not be often associated with hesitancy.  Reporter: Alex Hall, The California Report Four people are dead after a 40-foot cabin cruiser, suspected of being part of a human smu...

Health officials said they're worried about the lack of demand for doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, which has dropped significantly this week. Many California counties are experiencing similar issues as supply of the vaccines is outweighing demand. California’s underwater kelp forests are in trouble. A combination of climate change and hungry purple sea urchins have decimated these vital marine habi...

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond toured several schools in the L.A. Unified School District on Wednesday. He said districts are progressing well when it comes to getting kids back in classrooms. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Despite heated debates over school reopenings across the state, a majority of Californians approve of how their elected officials have handled classroom clo...

Despite billions of dollars funneled from the state Capitol, the share of school districts in California offering full-time, in-person learning ranks among the lowest in the U.S. But as more districts begin opening their doors, state lawmakers are turning their focus to next school year as part of the annual state budget process. Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED For adults on the autism spectrum it can...

Governor Gavin Newsom will face a recall election later this year. State officials have announced that the campaign to remove the governor from office has gathered enough signatures to put it before voters. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED The 2020 Census results came out Monday and California is among the losers. The state is among those losing a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Reporter:...

The ruling to offer shelter to the homless by October has been sharply criticized by the city and county of Los Angeles, which plan to appeal the decision. Many of the homeless who live on Skid Row said that despite the ruling, people may not leave the area. L.A. County is home to the largest Armenian community outside of Armenia itself. Many welcomed the news that President Biden formally recogni...

Leaders of the University of California and the California State University systems have announced that their students and employees will need proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to return to campus in the fall. But there are a few conditions to that requirement.  Reporter: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, KPCC  This week's conviction in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd has one Cali...

Governor Newsom has declared a drought emergency for Mendocino and Sonoma counties. In the Klamath Basin near the California-Oregon border, officials are anticipating a summer of unprecedented drought. Reporter: Erik Neumann, Jefferson Public Radio Young people in California have been at the heart of protests and rallies since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis last year. One youth organize...

Leaders up and down California expressed joy and relief following the guilty verdicts handed down to former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd. Members of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles were overjoyed by the guilty verdicts handed down in the murder of George Floyd. But they know that more work lies ahead for them. Guest: Dr. Melina Abdullah, Co-Founder of Black...

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will formally introduce his budget proposal on Tuesday. It includes money for a universal basic income pilot program. The trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd is now in the hands of the jury. One Bay Area professor said the defense's arguments have been rooted in a long history of looking at the health and well-bein...

In Kings County, there’s been a 90% increase in deaths among Latino immigrants between 2019 and 2020. That’s according to a data analysis by UC Merced. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, Valley Public Radio Tax day is less than a month away and for out of work Californians who still haven’t filed their returns, the process could feel extra complicated. One Bay Area tax expert said it's best to get it done as...

More than 300,000 COVID-19 cases involve the nation’s meatpacking workers, leading to billions of dollars in economic damage, according to a new study from U.C. Davis. Reporter: Alex Hall, The California Report With Governor Gavin Newsom's announcement that he wants the state to fully reopen on June 15, the live music industry is preparing for what could be a busy second half of 2021. But not all...

Everyone over the age of 16 in California can now sign up to get a COVID-19 vaccine appointment through the state's My Turn website. But as eligibility expands in the state, some are concerned people in the hardest hit communities will be left behind in trying to get a shot. Guest: Kiran Savage-Sangwan, Executive Director of the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network Restaurants in a dozen Californi...

The state is following federal guidance by pausing the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, as officials investigate six blood clot cases that may be tied to the vaccine. Governor Gavine Newsom said he doesn't anticipate this affecting the state's vaccination or reopening timeline. Whistleblower Sophie Zhang details how authoritarian governments used Facebook to target activists and journalists,...

The FDA has called for a pause in use of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, after six people developed a rare disorder involving blood clots within about two weeks of vaccination. Nearly 7 million people in the United States have already received a Johnson and Johnson dose.  Guest: Sydney Lupkin, Pharmaceuticals Correspondent, NPR As the holy month of Ramadan continues, health leaders are e...

In San Francisco, schools will only be open for the youngest students. In San Diego County, the state's second largest school district, in-person learning will be an option for all students. The Biden Administration's infrastructure plan includes a huge push for getting more electric vehicles on the roadway. At least one expert says a lot can be learned from California's EV push. Guest: Chelsea Se...

California’s health agencies offer information about COVID-19 in many languages – including Spanish, Hmong and American Sign Language. But one language that’s largely been missing is Punjabi.  Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Governor Newsom has struck a deal with lawmakers and hopes to sign the plan into law next week. This comes after a record-breaking fire season in 2020, and mostly dry winter, whic...

Many Californians are still suffering from COVID-19 symptoms, months after they were initially diagnosed. Many of these long haulrs are hoping to get answers for what's ailing them from long term COVID-19 clinics. Guest: Dr. Lekshmi Santhosh, Physician Faculty Lead, UCSF OPTIMAL Clinic. State health officials tell the Mercury News that California's allocation of Johnson & Johnson doses from the fe...

Governor Newsom said the reopening will happen, as long as enough people are vaccinated and hospitalization rates remain low. 20 million vaccines have been administered in California so far. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED  As California continues pushing forward with reopening, thousands of people in the state continue to struggle with COVID-19 symptoms, months after their initial diagnosis. San F...

The plan would turn the Long Beach Convention Center into a temporary shelter for unaccompanied migrant children. If approved, the city would be able to house up to a thousand children at a time. For the first time since becoming vice president, Kamala Harris returned to her hometown of Oakland Monday. The visit focused on jobs and infrastructure. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED The Major League Base...

L.A. County is the latest to move into the state's less restrictive orange tier for reopening. Meanwhile, concerts, theater performances and other indoor gatherings will be allowed with restrictions beginning April 15. Reporter: Michelle Wiley, KQED Across the country, members of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities continue to speak out against a spike in violence targeting them.  Gues...