The State of California

Winds are picking up again in the Los Angeles area, which could fan the flames of those devastating fires that have killed at least 24 people and burned thousands of homes. The wildfires in L.A. have combined to burn an area larger than the entire city of San Francisco. There’s a lot of finger pointing and misinformation about the lack of water to fight the fires, and about hydrants running dry in...

Doug Sovern is away today. After a legal battle that has spanned years, a deal has been struck this week between environmentalists and the National Park Services over the land management of Point Reyes National Seashore. Ranchers that have traditionally run beef and dairy operations at Point Reyes butted heads with environmental groups and visitors over conservation of the park land and how ranchi...

Wildfires continue to ravage the greater Los Angeles area this afternoon, with five major fires that have claimed at least five lives and thousands of structures. This includes many, many homes belonging to everyone from celebrities like Billy Crystal and John Goodman in Pacific Palisades to working class suburbanites, with no end in sight to the whipping winds and spreading flames. This is going...

The Los Angeles area continues to be devastated by horrific January wildfires, which have killed at least five people and destroyed an unknown number of homes. The fires have been fueled by a dry rainy season in the Southland and fierce Santa Ana winds, topping out at 100 miles an hour. There’s been only about a third of an inch of rain in downtown LA since the rain season began in October, and no...

Oakland has its third mayor in three weeks, and a big name politician is poised to try to take the job next. Longtime Representative Barbara Lee, who just left Congress, seems ready to announce that she will run to replace recalled Mayor Sheng Thao. For now, the interim mayor of Oakland is Kevin Jenkins, a young city councilmember and former Peralta College Board trustee, who was unanimously elect...

Governor Newsom gave a sneak peek at his proposed budget for the next fiscal year today, balancing the books despite record spending. His budget blueprint includes a substantial reserve fund, thanks to higher than expected tax revenues from a strong stock market. Governor Newsom projects a balanced budget of about 322 billion dollars, with a cash reserve of about 17 billion dollars. That’s a much...

Doug Sovern is off this week. Santa Clara Supervisor Joe Simitian is stepping away from politics after a career spanning more than four decades serving the public. He won his first election to Palo Alto's School Board in 1983 and has sat on a governing body throughout the evolution of the socio-economic landscape of the South Bay and how those factors have impacted the politics of the region. For...

The start of the new year is also marking a new start for many Californians who struggle with medical debt. As of January 1st, a new state law will keep medical debt off your credit report, which lawmakers say will help protect credit scores and encourage people to seek medical treatment when they need it. The law is being seen as a big win by consumer advocates in a state where nearly 40% of peop...

The results of November's election broke a number of norms for many so-called blue states, including California, where the number of Trump voters in the state jumped by more than 40 percent between 2016 and 2024. It was also a similar story with the bills that voters approved, with Californians passing laws that made the state tougher on crime while rejecting laws that would have raised the minimu...

Reforms coming to Medi-Cal, the health care provider for low-income Californians, are threatening addiction treatment and mental health services. It's an unintended consequence of the state's health care expansion efforts. For more, KCBS Radio news anchor Patti Reising spoke with Grant Stringer, enterprise reporter for the Bay Area News Group.

As city leaders and residents deal with the aftermath of the damaged Santa Cruz Wharf, which collapsed after a winter storm earlier this week, there is mounting pressure to address the challenges pertaining to the area. But this isn't anything new -- after a damaging tsunami slammed into the California coast in 2011, city leaders debated on how to better protect the wharf, which ultimately led to...

Legalized marijuana was supposed to bring a major boost to California's economy, but regulating the $5 billion dollar industry hasn't been easy. The widespread use of banned pesticides and chemicals continues without proper enforcement. For more, KCBS Radio news anchor Bret Burkhart spoke with Paige St. John, investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times.

In less than five weeks, Donald Trump will once again be President of the United States. He is vowing to crack down on illegal immigration, closing the border and deporting millions of undocumented immigrants. He also intends to impose high tariffs on imported goods, threatening Canada, Mexico, China and European nations with tariffs that he says will stimulate domestic production. For more on wha...

San Francisco's next mayor has no prior experience in public office -- the first time this has happened since 1911. But the mayor-elect plans to start his term off strong when he gets inaugurated on January 8th, 2025. For more, KCBS Radio news anchors Patti Reising and Bret Burkhart and KCBS Radio political reporter Doug Sovern spoke with Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie.

House Republicans call for the prosecution of former Republican Representative Liz Cheney for her role investigating President Trump’s actions in the January 6th insurrection. There is speculation that President Biden might pardon Cheney and other members of Congress to protect them from retaliatory prosecution once Trump takes office. Among those on the incoming president’s enemies list, Californ...

It’s the changing of the guard in Oakland today, as Mayor Sheng Thao leaves office after being recalled by the voters. The City Council President will serve as interim Mayor, while the Council gets ready to approve deep cuts in public safety spending. Mayor Sheng Thao, overwhelmingly recalled by the voters in November, steps down today after less than two years on the job. She remains defiant and...

President-elect Trump defended his cabinet selections today, as some of his more controversial nominees make the rounds on Capitol Hill to shore up support. Both Mr. Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr, his choice for secretary of health and human services, insisted they support the polio vaccine and will not try to revoke its authorization. That is among the many controversial questions surrounding Ke...

After six years of service, San Francisco Mayor London Breed is set to depart from City Hall. After a defeat at the polls this November, the Fillmore native will be succeeded by millionaire philanthropist, Daniel Lure. But Breed says she's still coming out a winner, and says it has been a privilege to have served San Francisco as mayor. For more, KCBS Radio news anchors Bret Burkhart and Patti Rei...

The recent 7.0 earthquake triggered a series of early warnings on smartphones through California's Earthquake Early Warning Program. Although the warning program only gives a 30-second heads up, there are several things that Californians can do to better prepare for the next big quake. People should ensure that tall and heavy furniture is secured against the wall and prepare an emergency "go kit"...

It’s still two years away, but California’s political focus is shifting to the race that will decide who will succeed Gavin Newsom as governor. A new poll suggests outgoing Congresswoman Katie Porter is leading the field. There are five major declared candidates for governor in 2026 already, as some statewide officeholders and others try to get a head start on the field. They are lieutenant Govern...

California continues to prepare for the Trump administration, taking steps to protect abortion rights and immigrants. State Attorney General Rob Bonta has been busy, reminding undocumented immigrants of their rights under the Constitution, issuing guidelines for local and state agencies, underscoring that the state will protect women’s reproductive rights no matter what the Trump administration tr...

California takes the lead on trying to require warning labels on social media for kids and teenagers. The legislation announced today comes amid growing concern about the impact of social media on the mental health of minors. There is mounting evidence about how excessive use of social media can lead to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among young people. State Attorney General Rob Bonta...

Final election numbers, both in California and nationwide, show that Donald Trump and the Republicans made significant gains, winning the White House and the Senate. There seems to have been a shift to the right among the electorate, even here in deep blue California. Kamala Harris did not do as well as Joe Biden did four years ago, the voters approved Proposition 36 to crack down on retail crime,...

California is gearing up to protect immigrants, both undocumented and otherwise, from federal enforcement actions once Donald Trump assumes the presidency again. There is deep concern and palpable fear among many in the Bay Area immigrant community. Governor Newsom, state Attorney General Rob Bonta and other state and local leaders say they will do everything they can to fend off the feds, and the...

This is "The State, Of California." California is bracing for the start of Trump 2.0 with Governor Newsom calling the legislature into special session. He is asking lawmakers to create a special fund to help the Golden State “defend itself” against actions from the incoming Trump administration. For more on this, KCBS political reporter, Doug Sovern, spoke with KCBS Radio's news anchors Patti Reis...