KQED's The California Report

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. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED California's state superintendent of schools is joining calls for the return of a 6-year-old deaf student from the Bay Area, who was deported to Colombia last week without his hearing aids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 state assemblymember Ian Calderon is dropping out of the governor’s race and throwing his support behind Democratic Congressmember Eric Swalwell. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 path. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED In the City of Pomona, local officials are demanding the release of a man without legal documentation held at the Adelanto Processing Center. They’re concerned about his health and the lack of adequate medical care. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR San Diego County is suing the Department of Homeland Security for blocking access to the Otay Mesa Detention Center. Reporter: Alexander Nguyen, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Cambodian genocide survivor from immigration detention following a court order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 was born in Iran, but he and his family fled in 1981. Guest: Adrin Nazarian, LA City Councilman As a way to tackle California’s notoriously high rents and home prices, state lawmakers have set their sights on bringing down the cost of construction. One idea: building it in factories. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED The US Supreme Court has blocked a California law that banned school employees from outing transgender students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 weekend following the US-Israeli airstrikes in Iran. The LAUSD board has voted unanimously to place Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on paid administrative leave. The decision comes days after FBI agents searched Carvalho’s home in San Pedro. Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, low wages are leading to high rates of poverty and greater enrollment in the state food program CalFresh. Reporter: Jane Vaughan, Jefferson Public Radio Along the coast of San Mateo County, elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park could be experiencing a “small outbreak” of bird flu, according to scientists. Reporter: Sarah Mohamad, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 discuss the status of Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. This comes a day after federal investigators raided his home and office at the district's headquarters. Time is running out to submit public comments on proposed federal oil and gas leases off the Central Coast. Reporter: Elena Neale Sacks, KAZU An agent who is reportedly with the Department of Homeland Security is set to appear in court in Riverside Friday. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon among other felonies. But holding him accountable might be difficult. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 programs in the coming months. Some lawmakers argue that could make assistance harder to access. Guest: Sharon Quirk-Silva, California State Assembly California’s investing billions of dollars into a new grade for 4-year-olds called transitional kindergarten. But the state hasn’t set aside any money to evaluate it. Reporter: Elly Yu, LAist On Wednesday, the city of Escondido in San Diego County will discuss a controversial contract that its police department has with the Department of Homeland Security. The contract allows federal agents to use a local gun range for 20 days a year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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-Mexico border remain on high alert following a weekend of violence, in response to the killing of a cartel leader. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 bodies over the weekend. State Senator, Scott Wiener, is proposing legislation to force a split between San Francisco and Pacific Gas & Electric. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week marks the 84th anniversary of the United States, under president Franklin D. Roosevelt, enacting Executive Order 9066, which led to U.S. residents of Japanese descent being dispossessed and interned, even if they were American citizens. Survivors of Japanese internment say they're seeing the Trump Administration embracing similar policies that led to one of the darkest chapters of the United States in the 20th century. The non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office is recommending that California lawmakers reject Governor Gavin Newsom's latest electric vehicle rebate proposal, citing cost concerns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eight people have been confirmed dead after an avalanche in Tahoe's Donner Summit region on Tuesday buried a group of 15 backcountry skiers. Six of the skiers, who were part of an overnight backcountry skiing group, were rescued Tuesday night. One person is still missing but is presumed dead. Guest: Sarah Wright, KQED A controversial proposal to tax the wealth of billionaires in California is getting a boost this week from one of the nation's leading progressives: Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED More than 1400 registered nurses are set to strike at medical centers affiliated with the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, the latest in a wave of labor unrest hitting the healthcare industry. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Search and rescue crews are looking for nine backcountry skiers after an avalanche near Castle Peak in the Sierra Nevada Tuesday morning. Six people were safely rescued. Two of them were transported to the hospital for treatment. The city of Los Angeles is looking to ban the construction and operation of some private detention centers. This comes amid reports that warehouses across the country are being eyed as potential detention centers, by President Trump and federal immigration officials. Reporter: Destiny Torres, LAist Work is slow in Hollywood right now. But at least one new type of production is hiring. They are bingeable shows made to be watched on your phone. And they’re called vertical micro dramas. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SAG-AFTRA is beginning its second week of contract negotiations with Hollywood studios. The union, representing actors and performers, is hoping to avoid a repeat of 2023, when talks broke down and a strike lasted more than a hundred days. AI is expected to be one of the main focuses of the talks. Guest: Gene Maddaus, Variety A new bill in the California legislature aims to improve the safety of e-bikes. It would require owners of certain types of e-bikes to register with the DMV and display a license plate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration is making changes to how it treats unaccompanied migrant children who are pregnant, and that's raising alarm bells inside the government. Since last July, the administration has been concentrating pregnant kids in one shelter in South Texas, even if they're apprehended in California or other states. This comes over objections from the government's own health and child welfare officials. They say neither the facility nor the region can provide the specialized care the girls need. Guest: Mark Betancourt, The California Newsroom Firefighters across the state are working with scientists at the University of California to minimize their risk to cancer. Reporter: Alonso Daboub, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s Department of Justice is opening a civil rights investigation in connection with last year’s deadly Eaton Fire. Attorney General Rob Bonta said they want to find out if race, age or disability discrimination were factors during the emergency response in the historically Black community of West Altadena. The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and environmental groups are celebrating the purchase of Sargent Ranch by the Peninsula Open Space Trust. Reporter: Erin Malsbury, KAZU Valentine's Day for many means heart shaped candies and chocolates. But if romance is not your thing, visitors to San Francisco’s Exploratorium can interact with the actual organ. Reporter: Alonso Daboub, KQED An environmental advocate who helped build the community of fans around Big Bear’s bald eagles has died. Reporter: Makenna Sievertson, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amongst the ponderosa pines in California’s Butte County, Native Maidu people are lighting fires to encourage the re-growth of useful plants and reduce the risk from future wildfires. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED A new bill introduced in the state assembly this week could make it easier to secure long-term funding for a program that lets people check out state parks passes from their local library . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco teachers are in their third day of a high stakes labor fight with the district, leaving nearly 50,000 students out of school. And they're not alone. Across California, more local teachers unions are in active disputes right now, from bargaining breakdowns to strike authorizations and walkouts. Guest: Danielle Mahones, UC Berkeley Labor Center A new report commissioned by LA County lays out how ICE raids there have hurt some local businesses. Reporter: Libby Rainey, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As federal immigration enforcement efforts continue across California, families of detainees are struggling with a new problem. Many can't find loved ones who've been hospitalized after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Guest: Claudia Boyd-Barrett, KFF Health News A federal judge blocked a California state law barring federal officers from wearing masks on Monday. But the ruling also handed the state a partial victory. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was another historic halftime show at this year’s Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara as global superstar Bad Bunny took the stage. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report 2025 was a pivotal year for health insurance reform: more than two dozen states, including California, passed laws limiting insurers’ ability to delay or deny medical services after a doctor has ordered them. The practice is known as prior authorization. Criticism of it reached a fever pitch last year and California is leading the way with reform. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Super Bowl Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, Bad Bunny will make history, headlining the halftime show, and singing entirely in Spanish. It will also be the first time the show includes Puerto Rican sign language. Reporter: Nastia Voynovskaya, KQED People who say their rights are being trampled at a remote immigration detention facility in the Mojave Desert get their first day in court on Friday. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Kern County's District Attorney is suing an oil and gas producer for alleged environmental violations. This comes as the county’s oil production is ramping up under a new state law. Reporter: Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Super Bowl 60 will air on NBC on Sunday. And if you can’t watch the game in person at Levi’s Stadium, you’ll likely be one of millions glued to a TV screen. The game is being played in Santa Clara, but you might not know it from some of the images the broadcast is likely to show. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report California’s new congressional map will stay in place after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the new districts Wednesday. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Over a year ago, California voters passed a measure, Proposition 36, to crack down on theft and drug crimes. But counties have been left to figure out how to fund it. Reporter: Riley Palmer, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This weekend's Super Bowl halftime show is expected to be one of the most-watched performances of the year, and this time it's headlined by Bad Bunny. The global superstar has never shied away from politics. Just days ago at the Grammys, he used his acceptance speech to denounce ICE at a moment when immigration enforcement has become more aggressive in parts of the country, including here in California. So what does it mean for an artist like Bad Bunny to take the Super Bowl stage right now? Guest: Nastia Voynovskaya, KQED Arts Editor A naturalization ceremony in Fresno to swear in new U.S. citizens was abruptly cancelled recently. Many waiting for citizenship were thrown into confusion. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Up until now, police in California could cite drivers with an open container violation, if they found loose marijuana in a vehicle. But a new ruling by the California Supreme Court finds that police can’t issue a citation, or search the car, unless the pot they find is ready to be consumed. Reporter: Nigel Duara, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every winter, skiers trek up to the Southern California mountain town of Big Bear to hit the slopes. But this winter, snow has been hard to come by. Rain and unusually warm temperatures have dominated and put a chill on ski resorts and businesses in the region. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR Every time there’s a major disaster in California, the state is supposed to write a report on lessons learned. But they're years behind. Reporter: Jacob Margolis, LAist A bill to regulate unaccredited groups that help veterans access benefits is pending on Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles more than a year ago, rebuilding has been slow. So some local architects have been thinking about how to move things along. A few took inspiration from a project in the 1940s to build homes quickly, which ended up revolutionizing architecture and forever associating LA with the mid-century modern home. Reporter: Brandon Reynolds, KCRW It seems like California just might be repeating last year’s snowpack story. Massive storms drenched the state in December. But California was virtually dry for most of January. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the past few years, the California legislature has passed a bevy of laws aimed at cutting red tape and spurring housing construction. Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, who represents the 14th district, has been at the forefront of that work. But, it’s still really expensive to build. This year, she is chairing the newly established Select Committee on Housing and Construction Innovation. Guest: Buffy Wicks, CA Assemblymember, 14th District Immigration arrests in San Diego surged nearly 1500% in 2025. And many of the people who’ve been arrested have no history of criminal convictions. Reporter: Wendy Fry, CalMatters California lawmakers want to set new standards for cleaning homes after toxic fires. Reporter: David Wagner, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California is seeing a decline in crime rates across the state, especially when it comes to homicides. So why is this happening? That answer, as it turns out, is complicated. Guest: Magnus Lofstrom, Policy Director, Public Policy Institute of California A new state bill would raise taxes on for-profit companies that operate immigration detention centers in California. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED US Congressmembers from California called for the removal of the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, at a news conference outside of ICE’s field office in San Bernardino Wednesday. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With insurance companies reluctant to back fire-prone parts of the state, officials and builders are looking for ways to get people into homes designed to survive wildfires. Those efforts are now extending to entire developments. In El Dorado County, that includes the opening of a “wildfire-prepared neighborhood” – the first in Northern California. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED A lawsuit filed this week claims people held at the federal immigration facility in Adelanto lack basic necessities like clean water, healthy food and medical care. Reporter: Jordan Rynning, LAist Democrat Ro Khanna is demanding the Trump administration turn over health and safety records for the California City immigration detention facility in the Mojave Desert, after a recent oversight visit that he described as “alarming.” Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been about a year since a fire burned the battery plant at Moss Landing in Monterey county. While the fire prompted many residents to move away from homes surrounding the plant, the government's stance on the aftermath of the fire is that it left no significant environmental impact. Locals are still challenging that narrative. In the wake of federal immigration agents killing another person in Minneapolis, Minnesota, over the weekend, California lawmakers are moving to place further limits on how these agents can operate and maneuver in the state. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been about a year since President Donald Trump began his second term in the White House. Californians that voted for him in the 2024 US presidential election weigh in on how he's doing this time around. Nurses working at Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Northern California and parts of Hawaii began their strike today, asking for better wages and more manageable workloads. The US Department of Justice has just ended its efforts to obtain the medical records for more than 3,000 people who had been provided gender-affirming care at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wine isn’t often the drink of choice in Chinese restaurants, yet the country’s immigrants played a key role in planting Northern California vineyards and building wineries after the Gold Rush. Now, a Chinese American winemaker is bringing a taste of that history — along with her Sonoma and Napa wines — to Chinatown restaurants in the Bay Area and beyond. Reporter: Tina Caputo California State University has reached a legal settlement with its faculty union over the sharing of faculty information with federal authorities. Reporter: Juan Carlos Lara, KQED After over a decade of planning, and years of construction, Butte County finally has a new jail. Reporter: Claudia Brancart, North State Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The race for California governor is coming into focus -- after Attorney General Rob Bonta and Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso announced last week that they will not join the field. But one important constituency has yet to agree on a candidate: organized labor. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED California counties are starting their homeless point-in-time counts this week. This is the annual census where volunteers fan out statewide to try to answer the question: Is California's homelessness crisis improving…or getting worse? Reporter: Marisa Kendall, CalMatters A federal immigration agent shot at a suspect during what's being called a targeted operation in South Los Angeles Wednesday. No one was hit by the gunfire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As tensions rise over the conduct of federal immigration enforcement – and in-custody deaths are increasing – California’s two U.S. senators say they’re “aghast” at conditions inside the newest immigration detention center in the state. That’s after a visit Tuesday to the California City Detention Facility. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED California prosecutors are expressing alarm at the Trump administration’s response to the January 7 fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an immigration agent, including claims that ICE officials have absolute immunity from prosecution. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're planning on taking a domestic flight soon, there are some things you need to know. Starting February 1, if you don't have a Real ID driver's license or another federally approved document like a passport, you'll need to pay a $45 fee at the airport to be able to get on your flight. This new fee was announced by TSA back in December. Guest: Carly Severn, KQED Until this year, drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy had been covered under Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. Now, the state says patients who only take these GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, are no longer covered. Reporter: Ana Ibarra, CalMatters Siskiyou County has reached a partial settlement in a class-action lawsuit alleging discrimination against Asian residents. Reporter: Justin Higginbottom, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we celebrate and honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today, we wanted to take a closer look at some of the issues that are facing Black Californians. In particular, the state’s reparations efforts. While lawmakers approved a handful of measures meant to ensure reparative justice for Black Californians, others have been tabled or vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom. So where does it all stand? Guest: Lisa Holder, civil rights attorney, former member of the California Reparations Task Force A special election is happening in Northern California this year that could further chip away at Republicans’ slim majority in the House of Representatives. Reporter: Andre Byik, North State Public Radio For the second time in four months, a group of Kaiser workers are going out on an open-ended strike at hospitals and clinics across California and Hawaii. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Renters are worried after a major tenants’ rights bill died this week in Sacramento. It would have capped annual rent increases and expanded protections to more households. With affordability top of mind, some tenants are concerned about their own housing security now that relief is nowhere in sight. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED The Trump administration is not entitled to sensitive information on California's 23 million voters. That's according to a federal court out of Southern California on Thursday. Reporter: Jill Replogle, LAist In a 4-3 vote, the Santa Barbara City Council approved two tenant protection ordinances this week -- a temporary rent freeze and changes to its eviction protections. Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California health officials are renewing their warning to avoid mushroom foraging this season as more people have become ill from eating death caps. They’re calling it the largest outbreak of mushroom poisonings in the country. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED A federal court has upheld California’s voter-approved congressional redistricting map, handing Governor Gavin Newsom and state Democrats a big win. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Republican Assemblymember James Gallagher is running in the special election to fill the vacancy left by the death of Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Reporter: Andre Byik, North State Public Radio State fish and wildlife officials are gathering input on the first new deer conservation and management plan since 1976. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Fresno is moving towards becoming a professional soccer city. City leaders gathered at city hall Tuesday to announce the next steps toward bringing the sport in a professional capacity to the Valley. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In recent days, immigration authorities have turned away members of Congress who were trying to visit a detention facility in Minnesota. But here in California, Congressman Ro Khanna recently did get inside the newest and largest immigration detention center in the state. And he said what he found was alarming. Guest, Tyche Hendricks, KQED Survivors of November's mass shooting in Stockton gathered at the state capitol Tuesday, calling on lawmakers to change what they say are misplaced priorities in California’s budget. Reporter: Chris Felts, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A little-known database controlled by the San Diego Association of Governments has long concerned local privacy advocates. Now, as we enter the second year of President Trump’s deportation campaign, advocates are more worried than ever about how federal immigration agents use that data. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS Under state law, California residents can demand that data brokers stop selling their personal information. But there hasn’t been a way to submit these requests en masse – so consumers would have to complete each opt-out form individually. Now, the state has launched a website that offers one stop shopping for opting out. Reporter: Colin Lecher, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a year since the wildfires in Los Angeles County destroyed homes and communities. In order to start rebuilding their homes, everyone needs permits. A rebuild permit from the city or county determines whether a family is still in limbo waiting to start construction or is already framing up a new house. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW California Attorney General Rob Bonta says he will not be running for governor this year, ending months of speculation around one of the state’s top Democrats. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The state of California is suing the Trump administration for freezing billions of dollars in federal child care and welfare funding. The federal government said it was withholding the funds from California and four other Democratic-led states over fraud allegations. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED San Diego is home to the nation’s second largest Somali population. And recent allegations of fraud at Somali-owned child care centers in Minnesota have now spread to their community. Somali childcare providers in San Diego say strangers are now surveilling their centers. Reporter: Katie Hyson, KPBS Governor Newsom is releasing his state budget plan Friday. This comes a day after Newsom delivered his final state of the state address at the capitol, touting California as "a marvel of invention and reinvention.” Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2005, a national report revealed that the U.S. city with the highest rate of concentrated poverty was Fresno. Now, 20 years later, we wondered: have those economic conditions changed? Reporter: Israel Cardona Hernandez, KVPR High profile defense attorney Alan Jackson has announced that he no longer represents Nick Reiner, who stands accused of murdering his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, last month. Reporter: Frank Stoltze, LAist A Central Valley grape grower has agreed to pay about $130,000 after a federal investigation into a crash that killed seven employees and severely injured another. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One year ago today, two fires erupted in Los Angeles County. The Palisades and Eaton fires would eventually become two of the most destructive and deadly fires in state history. Thousands of homes were destroyed and 31 people were killed. The rebuilding process has been slow in both Altadena and Pacific Palisades, the communities most greatly impacted by the fires. We wanted to get the perspective from longtime residents who are part of that process. Residents in the north state are likely to see a flurry of elections for Congress this year, after the passing of longtime Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The debate over automated license plate readers in California has increasingly shifted from local crime fighting to concerns about data privacy…. when it comes to federal crackdowns on immigration and people seeking abortions or gender-related healthcare. ALPRs are now in use in hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the state, not to mention thousands of homeowner associations and business districts. So what does this all mean for civil liberties in 2026? Guest: Rachael Myrow, KQED Venezuelans in California are going through a whole range of feelings after the Trump administration’s military attack to remove President Nicolas Maduro. There’s celebration, outrage and a lot of questions. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Hundreds of new state laws take effect in the new year. And one in particular brings sweet validation to all of us public radio lovers. That’s because it’s going to make our tote bags even more essential. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2025 was a blockbuster year for housing in California. State lawmakers took aim at the state's landmark environmental law, which they argued was one of the main culprits blocking development for years. In 2025, they approved major reforms. They also passed another law which promises to dramatically change how housing is built near train stations and along busy bus routes. Guest: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED More vacant home lots are going up for sale in L.A. County burn zones. And many are being scooped up by investors. Reporter: David Wagner, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All 4-year olds in California can now go to school for free in a grade called transitional kindergarten, or TK. And to lead those classrooms, the state needs teachers with special training. A lot of teachers. So what does it take to do the job? Reporter: Julia Barajas, LAist A new project in San Diego is gathering stories of government persecution against the LGBTQ+ community. Photos of the Lavender Names Project will be shown after select performances at the San Diego Opera this year. Reporter: Katie Hyson, KPBS Researchers at the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes have spent years working on an improved way to manage reservoirs called Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations, or FIRO. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fall bird migration in California typically peaks from September through November. And this past year, scientists discovered a new wave of avian influenza - or bird flu. Two farms in Sonoma County fought new outbreaks. State officials have been taking steps to mitigate the spread of infection, since major outbreaks were seen in dairy herds in August of 2024. That includes at county fairs. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED A new children's book from a Los Angeles author is inspired by her own childhood translating for her parents. Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California is home to the largest number of Hispanic-serving institutions in the country. That’s a federal program that allows colleges and universities to apply for federal grants if at least a quarter of their students identify as Hispanic. Earlier this year, The Trump administration cut funding for the program, which has helped serve many Latino students in California, benefiting from supportive environments geared toward them. Reporter: Blanca Torres, KQED E-bike sales in the U.S. have surged, outpacing electric car sales by 20%. But California building codes haven’t kept up with where they can be safely stored. Reporter: Gerardo Zavala, CapRadio Environmental advocates are criticizing the Newsom Administration, after his press office sent out a release seemingly taking credit for the year's rebound in returning salmon. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of old and rare recordings - some that date back a full century, are now available for the public to enjoy online. That’s thanks to a collaboration between UC Santa Barbara and record company Dust-to-Digital. Reporter: Robert Garrova, LAist Mountain lions, foxes, hawks and dozens of other species are dying at an alarming rate from rat poison. Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist Fort Bragg is about three hours north of San Francisco, and during droughts, the former timber town faces severe water shortages. And they're not alone. Nearby communities have had to restrict water in lean years, even while these coastal cities sit next to the biggest body of water in the world. Reporter: Noah Abrams, Northern California Public Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices