KQED's The California Report

Police have identified the suspect as Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez and said he had a business or personal relationship with the four victims. Officers recovered a backpack at the scene containing pepper spray, handcuffs and ammunition that they believe belong to the suspect. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report California's Employment Development Department has been besieged with numerous p...

The shooting took place in the city of Orange on Wednesday afternoon. Another victim has been hospitalized and the suspect was also wounded, though it's unclear if it was self-inflicted or if he was shot by police. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report First Lady Dr. Jill Biden used the occasion of Cesar Chavez Day to show support for farmworkers. She visited the original headquarters of...

The campaign to recall Governor Gavin Newsom is facing early opposition from a majority of California voters, according to a new survey from the Public Policy Institute of California. About four out of five Republicans polled said they support the effort.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED More than 700 migrant children are now being housed temporarily at the San Diego Convention Center, including 70...

The massive failure of California’s Employment Development Department when it comes to unemployment claims during the pandemic are in large part due to outdated technology. Officials are looking to make it easier to update those systems. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Democrats in California’s Congressional delegation are calling on the Biden Administration to expand federal firefighting capacity. They...

Public school students won't be returning to the classroom at L.A. Unified schools until later next month. But the district has been helping those who have fallen behind academically, through mobile science labs in city parks. Reporter: Deepa Fernandes, Reporting Fellow Pacific Oaks College, funded in part by First 5 LA A street medicine team in Kern County is taking mobile vaccine clinics to remo...

Starting next week, California will vastly expand eligibility for the coronavirus vaccine. Everyone over 50 will be eligible starting April 1, and Californians over 16 will be able to get a shot starting on April 15.  Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC The University of California San Francisco and the San Francisco Opera have teamed up to develop a new type of mask to keep performers safe as they ret...

Governor Gavin Newsom has tapped Rob Bonta to serve as California's next attorney general. He's expected to be confirmed by the state legislature and would replace Xavier Becerra, who will be serving in the Biden administration. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. If passed by the Senate, the bill could give legal s...

Jewish Lawmakers Call Out Offensive Messaging in Newsom Recall Attempt As an effort to recall Governor Gavin Newsom looks increasingly likely to reach the ballot, Newsom supporters are saying the campaign is driven by fringe groups. And Jewish members of the state legislature are calling out what they see as anti-Semitic. messaging in the effort. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED How Religious Leaders...

There’s been a surge of unaccompanied minors arriving at the U.S./ Mexico border seeking asylum. That's led to questions about where to safely house these children and one Southern California city has agreed to help out. Reporter: Max Rivlin Nadler, KPBS  Pacific Gas and Electric will be back in court Tuesday morning for a hearing that could determine the size of future wildfire safety power shuto...

As pandemic restrictions ease, California's public schools are starting to welcome students back to classrooms for in-person instruction. But many Californians are questioning why it didn't happen sooner. Guest: Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction According to a recent report, the rate of overdose deaths tied to synthetic opioids like fentanyl has risen by more than 500% over...

In Sacramento, business leaders are looking to police for increased security in the Little Saigon neighborhood, where 15% of businesses are personal care salons. Advocates are also upset at the police description of a possible motive for the shooter. Reporter: Sarah Mizes-Tan, CapRadio A long time and well-loved member of the KQED family has died. Penny Nelson, who worked as a guest host for Forum...

Even before the mass shooting in Atlanta that left eight people dead, including six Asian women, there has been a rise in violence against the state's Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Dr. Erica Pan discusses equity issues in the state's approach to vaccine distribution, and responds to reporting that Alameda County withheld coronavirus case data at Tesla's Fremont plant starting wh...

Supporters of a campaign to recall Governor Gavin Newsom said they've collected more than the almost 1.5 million signatures needed by Wednesday's deadline to qualify it for the ballot. Newsom is already mounting a campaign to fight the effort.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED  California was already facing a nursing shortage before the pandemic, but the problem has gotten even worse with hospitals a...

The $2.6 billion dollar program is using federal funds to get relief into the hands of struggling renters and landlords. It’s unknown how much back rent is owed across the state, but estimates range from $400 million to nearly $2 billion. The Center for Black Student Success at Cal State Monterey Bay is fairly new, and while it's been forced to stick with virtual outreach during the pandemic, many...

People under the age of 65 with underlying health conditions and disabilities are now eligible to be vaccinated. Migrant detainees held in California by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are also eligible to receive their first dose. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED The pandemic has brought barriers for college students taking part in remote learning. But it also brought some benefits...

Researchers argue the proposal would make it harder to study gun violence in the state. Much of the data they use in their research comes from the Department of Justice. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED New numbers from L.A. County’s child welfare system show a significant rise in the number of children in the state’s care during 2020. But that doesn't necessarily mean more children were abused or neglec...

Across California, student athletes are returning to training as public health officials give the green light for both outdoor and indoor sports. But there will be plenty of changes, and new safety guidelines in place. Guest: Rob Wigod, Commissioner of Athletics, CIF Southern Section The relief bill passed by Congress earmarks billions for California cities and counties. Some cities already have p...

Governor Newsom delivered his annual state of the state address at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. He focused on the pandemic's toll on California and how the state will recover. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Governor Newsom also talked about the problem of rising numbers of homeless people in California in his State of the State address. He says they're working on the crisis, and knows more needs...

Governor Gavin Newsom will deliver the State of the State address from Dodger Stadium on Tuesday evening. It comes as the deadline to gather signatures supporting a recall approaches. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED  The school reopening bill signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last week sends money to districts to help them re-start classroom learning, but it doesn’t force schools to reopen. Some critic...

President Joe Biden said last week the U.S. is on track to have enough COVID-19 vaccine to cover all American adults by the end of May. But California officials are tempering expectations of an abundant supply of doses in the state, at least for the short term. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  A new study looked at the program's first year and found that it measurably improved participants'...

California school districts could soon get billions of dollars, if they restart classes in-person . But it does not require that schools have to reopen. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED  Attorneys representing student athletes said the state has agreed to relax restrictions, part of a settlement that would allow kids to play both outdoors and indoors. There will be safety protocols in place, includin...

Governor Newsom is working with Major League Baseball and county health officials on a plan to allow fans at California's five ballparks. This comes as his administration is dedicating more vaccine doses to vulnerable communities, in an effort to reopen businesses sooner. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is one step closer to becoming the nation's next Secretary of Health and Human Servi...

An investigation is underway after an SUV carrying more than two dozen people, some of whom were citizens of Mexico, collided with a big rig Tuesday in a rural area about ten miles from the US-Mexico border. 13 people died in the crash. Guest: Faith Pinho, Reporter, LA Times The volunteers in Southern California are helping seniors and other eligible people find coveted COVID-19 vaccine appointmen...

Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders have reached an agreement that could restart in-person learning for the state's youngest students. The hope is to reopen by April 1. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED  District Attorney George Gascon won last year promising to upend the tough on crime policies of his predecessor. But prosecutors both in and outside his office are fighting to stop those sam...

Lawmakers Reach Deal on Reopening Schools Under the deal, schools that reopen by the end of March stand to get a cut of money earmarked by the state legislature. The deal would not mandate students and staff to get vaccinated before returning to the classroom, nor does it require districts to get approval from teachers unions before returning. California Farmworkers Now Eligible for Vaccines Gover...