KQED's The California Report

With highly infectious subvariants of Omicron, like BA.5, increasing the spread of COVID-19, mask mandates continue to be re-introduced in the state. Starting Monday, the San Diego Unified School District will require indoor masking for thousands of students and staff involved with summer school activities. A ballot initiative that would’ve taxed the wealthy to fund public health programs won’t make it to the ballot this year. But that doesn’t mean the idea is dead. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW A group of foster youth gave a presentaton to the state public health director last week about why it's important to include young people in COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED New sales numbers are out showing Americans are buying EVs at record levels, and they'd actually be buying a lot more if it weren’t for supply chain problems affecting the availability of vehicles. California, perhaps not surprisingly, is leading the electric vehicle buying spree. Guest: Loren McDonald, Electric Vehicle Industry Analyst In an effort to boost sagging recycling rates, the state has looked to local pilot programs to make it easier for consumers to get that nickel or dime deposit back on bottles and cans they return. But rather than helping people keep items out of landfills, an investigation by the LA nonprofit Consumer Watchdog found the pilot programs aren't taking off. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW As more states pass restrictions on abortions, California wants to be a sanctuary state for people seeking to end their pregnancies, But thousands arriving annually from out of state for reproductive services could put a strain on California abortion providers. Some have brought up the possibility of opening clinics on land owned by Native American tribes, but that’s not an easy solution. Guest: Lauren van Schilfgaarde, Legal Clinic Director at the UCLA School of Law Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise across the state. And now, federal health officials say L.A. County’s COVID community risk is high. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Housing is an issue across the state and it's been aggravated by the pandemic. A new podcast, Undocumented and Unhoused, released in partnership with El Timpano and Latino USA, looks at how COVID-19 and rising rent prices has led to an increase of undocumented and unhoused people in the Bay Area. Guests: Madeleine Bair, Founder of El Timpano, and Marta Martinez, Senior Editor, Latino USA Lawyers for five women suing Uber over its response to sexual assaults by drivers, say they plan to file similar claims on behalf of more than 500 people. The complaint alleges women were stalked, harassed, kidnapped, and raped during their rides. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One in seven California tenants are behind on their rent. So, Attorney General Rob Bonta is issuing instructions to sheriff and police departments across the state on how to respond when someone reports an illegal eviction. Reporter Erin Baldassari, KQED Overall, 91 percent of jobs at daycare centers in California have come back. That might sound good, but the state lags behind the rest of the U.S. economy. Reporter Daisy Nguyen, KQED Starting January 1, the University of California and Cal State school systems will offer *all* students medication abortions through their student health centers. Thanks to a law that passed in 2019, the new policy will connect more than 62-hundred students statewide with those services. And for some, including those in the UC system, student insurance plans will cover all associated costs. Reporter Danielle Chiriguayo, KCRW Big money donors supporting Proposition 30 include San Francisco venture capitalist Ron Conway and former Presidential Candidate Tom Steyer. But Lyft has contributed by far the most -- more than seven million dollars. Last year California approved a mandate for ride hailing companies: 90 percent of their miles logged must be with electric cars by 2030. Climate Editor Kevin Stark, KQED The statue of Frank Bogert was removed from the front of Palm Springs' City Hall this week. The former actor and rodeo announcer was Mayor of Palm Springs in the 1950s and 60s and oversaw much of the desert city's growth. What's raising controversy is that he also authorized the bulldozing of homes of poor Native American, Black and Latino families from an area of the city called Section 14, back in the 1960s. Reporter Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Around 1,600 people in the community of Wawona have been evacuated, and that includes kids from the summer camp, Adventure Risk Challenge. About 10 high schoolers from rural Fresno and Merced Counties were in the middle of a month-long expedition when the evacuation orders came in. Reporter Kerry Klein, KVPR For years, Chief Caleen Sisk has fought to bring salmon back to the river where the Winnenmem Wintu tribe has lived for thousands of years. Because of Shasta Dam the salmon are forced to spawn in waters that can grow quite warm, especially during drought. This past Monday, a truck carrying a small, orange cooler that had 20,000 winter-run eggs came to the remote campground on the McCloud River, now owned by the Forest Service. Chief Sisk says if the salmon can come back, maybe the tribe can bounce back as well. Reporter Judy Silber, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BA.5 is now the most dominant variant showing up in wastewater in the South Bay, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Sacramento and elsewhere. The latest data from researchers who study sewage shows clues into how COVID-19 is spreading across the Bay Area. Science Editor Kevin Stark, KQED There's a 25% increase in COVID hospitalizations in Los Angeles County. Health officials say on Thursday LA County could move into the CDC’s high risk category for COVID community spread due to high hospitalizations. Reporter Jackie Fortier, The California Report The FDA has revised its Emergency Use Authorization to let licensed pharmacists prescribe Paxlovid, the treatment given to those at risk of serious illness from COVID. Reporter Carly Severn, The California Report City attorney David Chiu announced that Allergan and Teva Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay $34 million-dollars in cash, and another $20 million dollars worth of Narcan, a treatment for opioid overdose. Walgreens is the only remaining defendant in the case; their lawyers are set to give closing arguments today. Californians who are in mental distress and thinking about suicide will be able to call, or text, a new three digit number (9-8-8) to get help. But if they call, will someone pick-up the line? Reporter Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Starting on Saturday, Californians who are in mental distress and thinking about suicide will be able to call, or text, a new three digit number to get help. But if they call, will someone pick-up the line? Reporter Saul Gonzalez, The California Report AB 1594 allows state and local governments, and private individuals, to sue gun-makers and sellers for damage caused by their products. Newsom signed legislation last month – adding restrictions on hard to trace ghost guns, and restricting ads for firearms aimed at minors. Politics Editor Scott Shafer, KQED Next week, Dodger Stadium will host the Major League Baseball... All Star Game. But, unions representing the stadium’s 15-hundred food and beverage workers say they’ve got enough votes to authorize a strike. All Star festivities kick off this weekend with MLB's Futures Game. The union is hoping to hear from Levy Restaurants before the start of the game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At a community meeting on Monday night, fire officials remained hopeful that they could protect trees in the Mariposa Grove like the Giant Grizzly. Reporter Soreath Hok, The California Report New heat maps show how hot weather is harming out health. On the hottest days in California, there are around 8,000 more daily ER visits than on typical days. In LA County alone, there are more than 1,500. Reporter Caleigh Wells, KCRW City Officials in San Diego start the firing process for about 10 employees who refuse COVID vaccinations and tests. San Diego requires all employees to be vaccinated for COVID, they but let about 1,000 employees skip the vaccine for religious reasons. Those employees then have to get tested weekly, but a small group refused that, too. Investigative Reporter Claire Trageser, KPBS New report on new cyber-social threat for regions with large Hindu communities, like the San Francisco Bay Area, reveal real world security concerns. Rutgers University report finds white nationalists and other extremists on social media are bubbling with genocidal hate memes against Hindus. Reporter Rachael Myrow, KQED's Silicon Valley Desk The Tulare County Fairgrounds served as one of the country’s ten assembly centers for many Japanese Americans who were sent to concentration camps during World War II. Fresno and other fairgrounds that served as assembly centers have memorials, but Tulare does not. Mission Oak HS students are looking to change that. Reporter Joshua Yeager, KVPR If just one drone enters an area where firefighters are using aircraft to battle a blaze, the whole aerial operation has to grind to a halt. A new partnership between LA County Fire and the FBI looks to deter drone flights that could hamper fire suppression efforts. Reporter Matt Guilhem, KCRW Last weekend the Bill Pickett Rodeo made a stop in the Bay Area. Next it heads to Los Angeles. Black cowboy culture runs deep in California. Meet a Bay Area Black cowboy who's joining the rodeo for the first time. Reporter Annelise Finney, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Los Angeles County's approach to Monkeypox vaccines is different from other parts of the country. L.A. County is taking a more targeted approach by giving out doses only to people who have the disease and their close contacts. Reporter Jackie Fortier, The California Report A judge in Alameda County has ordered the state to temporarily stop issuing denials to rental relief applicants... and to hold off on finalizing many others. Reporter Erin Baldassari, KQED More than 2,000 acres have burned and residents and campers near the Washburn fire have been evacuated. The wildfire, which started on July 7th, threatens at least 500 giant sequoias in the Mariposa Grove. Last week's order from a Federal Judge came after an environmental organization, The Earth Island Institute, sued the National Park Service. The organization says the Park Service failed to provide proper public notice or assess environmental risks. Reporter Felicia Alvarez, LA Times Over the weekend, the new Sixth Street Viaduct opened in Los Angeles, and California's newest bridge is the largest and most expensive bridge project in the history of L.A. Reporter Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Researchers looked at moving patterns over the last several years, including during the pandemic. They found the outflow of Californians remained consistent....and many are moving out. Reporter Matt Guilhem, KCRW Drought restrictions that began last month in Southern California target water districts that rely heavily on water imported from Northern California. Santa Monica used to be among them. But now, less than half of their water is imported. Reporter Caleigh Wells, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The number of COVID-19 positive hospital patients continues to climb in L.A. County. So, the county could be headed for another public mask mandate. Reporter Jackie Fortier, KPCC More than a third of Monkeypox cases are in San Francisco, where vaccine supply isn’t. But, health officials have just received over 2,000 new vaccine doses this week. Reporter Vanessa Rancano, KQED New tax breaks from the State could help stabilize California's struggling Cannabis industry. Plenty of people in the industry are still not convinced the shifts will make enough of a dent for small businesses in the cannabis market. We talk to David Downs, Senior Editor at Leafly… who covers cannabis policy and legalization. Reporter Madi Bolanos, KQED Friendship Park on the US-Mexico border is a place where families separated by the border can see and talk to each other through the fence. But, a new plan by the Biden Administration may change all that and activists are angered by the new developments. Border Reporter Gustavo Solis, KPBS Check out our sister show, The California Report's Weekly Magazine, as Lisa Morehouse's series, “California Foodways,” takes her to every one of California’s 58 counties to bring us a story about food. Reporter Lisa Morehouse, California Foodways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A military rocket test launch on California’s Central Coast ends in failure Wednesday night, with the rocket blowing up seconds after launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Reporter Lance Orozco, KCLU Evacuation orders have been lifted in parts of Amador County as fire crews begin to get a handle on the Electra Fire, which is now 40-percent contained. Wildfire smoke is likely one reason Lake Tahoe was a little murkier last year. The head of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center says the lake has not fully recovered from a spike of fine particles that flowed into its waters after the extremely wet year of 2017. Reporter Steve Milne, CapRadio The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District serves many communities like Calabasas and Hidden Hills , home to celebrities. And, it’s also home to some of the state’s top water wasters. Reporter Keith Mizuguchi, KQED Damages that led to a power outage and the release of 5- thousand gallons of oil at an unmanned substation northwest of Bakersfield on Saturday has the California Public Utilities Commission investigating. Reporter Ted Goldberg, KQED A new report from the California Institute for Rural Studies says agriculture employees were four times more likely than any other industry, not to follow COVID-19 protocols, like enforcing face masks and physical distancing. On Wednesday opponents submitted more than enough signatures to qualify for a recall election against District Attorney George Gascon, who some say is soft on crime. A spokesperson with the recall campaign said they spent about $8 million-dollars to gather over 700-thousand signatures. If certified, the election would be the latest in a string of recalls in California. Two men tell KQED they have been held for about a week at a for-profit, private facility in Central California in retaliation for supporting a peaceful labor strike. Reporter Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Electra Fire which broke out on Monday is now 10-percent contained, according to Cal Fire officials. Nearly 1000 residents in Amador and Calaveras Counties are under mandatory evacuation as 4,000 acres have burned and another 1200 structures are threatened. Dr. Bob Wachter, UCSF Chair of Medicine says people should continue to vaccinate and get boosters because it’s easy to get the newest variant. Wachter also recommends people continue to wear masks in an effort to avoid getting the B-A 5 Omicron subvariant. University of California researchers found thousands of prisoners and prison workers were infected with COVID-19, despite the high number of those vaccinated at prison facilities across the state. Mary Franklin Harvin, KQED Advance Notice of Termination letters have gone out to at least three dozen employees, half of them in the San Diego Police Department, for failing to take COVID tests and/or get vaccinated, for religious reasons. Claire Trageser, KPBS Investigative Reporter In just a couple weeks, people with mental health emergencies should be able to call 9-8-8 for help. KQED checks in to see how preparations are going ahead of the new number’s launch. Robert Garrova, KQED In South Los Angeles every Sunday hundreds of people show up for a free yoga class. But this class isn’t just for fitness. It started as a protest against Black lives lost to violence. Megan Jamerson, KCRW The Coachella Valley Firebirds make history by hiring the first full-time female assistant coach in the American Hockey League. Jessica Campbell says she's looking forward to working with the players and helping them get to a level where they can play for the National Hockey League. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has entered the hottest and driest months of the year, and the Bay Area faces a treacherous fire season. According to the latest wildfire forecast, the potential for wildfire is above normal across Northern and Central California. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED As of July 1, millions of renters in Los Angeles received stronger protections against eviction. The new rules will provide a stronger defense for many L.A. renters who’ve been vulnerable to eviction since April, when a last-minute change in state law temporarily revoked the county’s protections. Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC With the Supreme Court decision last month overturning Roe v. Wade, California has pegged itself as a sanctuary for abortion services. But in many parts of the state, including the Central Valley, those services are hard to come by. Guest: Lauren Jennings, Reporter, Visalia Times-Delta The state budget approved by Governor Gavin Newsom last week includes $100 million to help children whose parents died from COVID-19. The HOPE for Children Act, will create savings accounts, with $4,000 deposited for kids younger than 9 and $8,000 for those ages 10 to 17. Reporter: Maria Fernanda Bernal, KQED It's July, which means the hottest and smoggiest days are ahead of us. And that dangerous mix of higher temperatures and air pollution in California also means a higher spike in deaths. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Climate change is leading to more extreme weather conditions across California. And during the summer months, extreme heat can be more than just an annoyance, it’s downright dangerous. That's why the city of Los Angeles has launched a campaign to warn people about the dangers of extreme heat. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Masten Space Systems is helping develop a line of rockets that could be used for spaceflights without a crew and eventually, the next mission to the moon. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Supreme Court ruling out this week sharply limits the Biden administration’s ability to limit carbon pollution from power plants. But it will not affect California’s aggressive climate laws. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED California is adding four new states to the list of places to which state-funded travel is banned due to anti-LGBTQ laws. Attorney General Rob Bonta has added Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana and Utah to California’s do-not-travel list. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Governor Newsom and the state legislature have agreed to eliminate more than $500 million in late payment fees on traffic violations for Californians. The penalties are known as civil assessments. They get tacked on as fines when someone doesn’t pay off things like speeding tickets on time. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report More people are getting infected with COVID-19 at work in Los Angeles County. With more than 300 workplaces reporting clusters of COVID-19 cases in the past week, L.A. County health officials are urging people to wear masks indoors. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC California immigration advocates have applauded a Supreme Court ruling that gives the Biden administration a greenlight to end a Trump-era immigration policy known as “Remain in Mexico.” Under the policy, the Trump administration expelled about 70,000 asylum seekers to often dangerous conditions in Mexico, to wait for U.S. immigration courts to resolve their claims. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Mental health workers say Kaiser Permanente is not ready to comply with a new law that went into effect Friday. It requires insurers to shorten wait times between therapy appointments. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This fall, California voters will decide on two different proposals to legalize and tax betting on sports. Four years after the U.S. Supreme Court made it possible, voters will decide whether to legalize the multi-billion dollar industry here. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED A controversial state bill that would make it easier to build housing in office spaces or strip malls has passed out of a Senate Committee. The bill has split the state’s construction trade unions. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED Sacramento County’s homeless population hit a new record high this winter at nearly 9300 people. That’s according to the Homeless Point-In-Time-Count, which was released earlier this week. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio California officials urged the federal EPA to let the state enforce its own ambitious clean truck standards at a hearing on Wednesday. The EPA is considering a waiver allowing California to impose strict regulations, forcing manufacturers to limit diesel pollution and increase production of electric trucks. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED California nonprofits that help women access abortion care are reeling from changes to the state budget that lawmakers passed on Wednesday night. Some expenses that they thought would be covered for women traveling from out of state, won’t be. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED The University of California has committed to hosting a voting center or ballot drop box at each of its campuses. The plan was announced as part of a partnership with the Secretary of State’s Office to encourage students to vote. Reporter: Juan Carlos Lara, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The last of California’s eviction protections expires on Friday. Lawmakers extended the deadline back in March, to give the state more time to pay out emergency rental assistance. But thousands of people who applied are still waiting, and could soon face eviction. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED Reported hate crimes in California rose significantly last year, according to a report issued Tuesday by Attorney General Rob Bonta. Overall reports of hate crimes rose nearly 33% last year – to the highest level since right after the 9/11 attacks. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED As California's craft liquor scene grows, some of the state's smaller distillers say their growth is limited by laws preventing them from shipping direct to consumers. Now, a new bill, headed back to a state assembly committee, could change that. Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In November, California voters will decide whether to enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution, after the state Assembly voted on Monday to place the question on the November ballot. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED While abortion in California will remain legal, and the state says it will champion reproductive freedoms, Arizona is looking to enact some of the most draconian abortion laws in the country. What does this mean for both states? Guest: Howard Fischer, Reporter Capitol Media Services in Arizona Los Angeles County has allocated $50 million to start making purchases for 5,000 affordable housing units to help families reduce two big expenses - housing and transportation. Reporter: Janaya Williams/KCRW Undocumented immigrants, ages 26 to 49, will get health coverage beginning in 2024. Roughly 700-thousand people are expected to sign up – at a cost of about 2 billion dollars a year. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Advocates are hopeful that Gov. Newsom's budget proposal will consider an increase wage replacement for workers who take time off to care for an ill relative, or bond with a new child. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California, which has positioned itself as a bastion of reproductive rights, plans to welcome people from states where abortion services are now restricted or banned altogether, following last week's ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. The state may even help them cover the costs of traveling here. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED This is an election year with control of Congress at stake. And progresssive political activists say in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortion and reproductive freedoms will be the biggest issue shaping the political landscape. Guest: Emiliana Guereca, CEO of the Women’s March Foundation Legal scholars say it’s unsettled whether Californians could be held legally liable for helping people from out of state get abortions. At issue is whether states have authority to criminalize behavior outside of their borders. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. Next week state lawmakers are expected to pass a bill that will make carrying a concealed weapon her even harder. Reporter: Kris Hooks, CapRadio Nathan Hochman, a former prosecutor and defense lawyer, has won enough votes to face California's Democratic Attorney General, Rob Bonta, in the November general election in California. Hochman won 18% of the vote in the June 7th primary, while Bonta garnered 54.8%, according to the latest figures released on Thursday by the California Secretary of State's Office. Prosecutors say the accused gunman who attacked a Taiwanese congregation in Laguna Woods was motivated by hate. The shooting shows a painful and complex past for Taiwanese immigrants and their American children. Reporter: Josie Huang, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Paradise homeowner is one of the first to get her home fire proofed. It's part of a program that helps residents who lost homes during the 2018 Camp Fire pay for safety improvements. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED The trustee for a more than $13-billion-dollar fund set up to compensate Pacific Gas and Electric wildfire victims is stepping down. Retired Judge John K. Trotter has overseen the "Fire Victim Trust" for the past two years, but next week he leaves the post. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED California’s public pension systems won’t have to divest their funds from fossil fuels anytime soon. A bill that would have forced the state's public pension systems to sell their oil and gas holdings by the end of the decade died in the state assembly this week. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW Los Angeles renters may have to start paying back payments owed for rent during the pandemic now that the LA City Council is considering reversing measures that protected renters for the past two years. Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC As the LGBTQ community continues to celebrate Pride Month here in California, an event that’s scheduled to feature drag queens at Fresno’s Chaffee Zoo has sparked controversy in the city. Opposing rallies were held near Fresno City Hall on Wednesday. The pandemic is having a brutal impact on many school closures, especially for Catholic schools. We take a look at what the closure of one Catholic School in L.A.’s Boyle Heights neighborhood means for an immigrant community. Reporter: Robin Estrin, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cal Fire is not only dealing with an increasing amount of wildfires across California, but many of its firefighters are facing their own mental health crisis. An investigation by CalMatters looked at the trauma these firefighters are facing and how it's affecting fire crews across the state. Guest: Julie Cart, Reporter, CalMatters Governor Gavin Newsom's plan to compel severely mentally ill Californians into treatment has cleared its latest legislative hurdle, despite concerns from civil liberties advocates. The CARE Court proposal is now headed to its next committee hearing in Sacramento. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Los Angeles County health officials are being urged to be more aggressive in their efforts to help stop the spread of Monkeypox. Currently, there are at least a dozen confirmed, or suspected, Monkeypox cases in LA County, and 37 total cases across the state. California health authorities are being asked to work harder on getting the word out about the disease, and the Aids Health Foundation wants to remind more people to use condoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has the highest gasoline prices in the country. Now, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers is investigating whether price gouging by energy companies is the biggest factor. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Cal Fire responds to thousands of fires every year, often at great risk to firefighters. That’s earned the agency a heroic image in the public’s eye. But Cal Fire is also responsible for work that helps prevent catastrophic fire damage, and an investigation by the California Newsroom has found that the agency has failed to meet many of those responsibilities. Guest: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of people will line the streets of downtown San Francisco on Monday to celebrate the Golden State Warriors NBA Championship. This is the team's fourth title in the last eight years. At least one bill that would legalize sports betting in California will go before voters in November. And while California could join more than two dozen states with some form of legalized wagering on sports, some are concerned it could have a negative effect on those struggling to kick the habit of sports betting and gambling addiction. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Golden State Warriors went on the road and defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, 103-90, to clinch their fourth NBA title in the last eight seasons. Guard Stephen Curry was named Finals MVP, after leading the team with 34 points in the finale. A Bay Area state senator is introducing a bill that would require California gun owners to have liability insurance. The bill from Senator Nancy Skinner of Berkeley would make gun owners take out policies similar to car insurance, that would make them financially responsible for injuries, damages, or deaths caused by the negligent or accidental use of their weapons. Reporter: Nina Thorsen, KQED Immigrant detainees who work at two privately run detention facilities around Bakersfield have confirmed they are on strike. This comes as California’s workplace health and safety regulators have opened an investigation into their working conditions at one of the detention centers. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Glenn Burke is not a household name for most baseball fans, even though he played for both the L.A. Dodgers and Oakland A’s in the late 70's. But Burke’s legacy off the field resonates today, especially during Pride month. That's because Burke was the first Major League Baseball player to come out publicly as gay. Guest: Andrew Maraniss, Author of the book "Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For nearly a decade, the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant has been the only active nuclear plant in California -- and the state’s single largest source of electricity. It's been set for decommissioning over the next three years, but recently Governor Gavin Newsom has discussed delaying its closure, to help offset possible energy shortages predicted in the next few years. Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KCBX The city of Sacramento has adopted an emergency ordinance aimed at better protecting patients and staff at reproductive health care clinics from harassment. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report In a win for California employers, the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday placed limits on a state law that lets workers sue over certain labor law violations, even if they agreed to arbitration. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously on Wednesday to recommend both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young children under the age of 5. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers have been the last age group here in the U.S. without access to the COVID vaccines. If all regulatory steps are cleared, the shots could be available as soon as next week. Guest: Dr. Bob Wachter, Chair, UC San Francisco Department of Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More California homeowners could get mortgage relief, as the state expands access to a program designed to help those who have struggled to make payments during the pandemic. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED Southern California’s sizzling real estate market may finally be getting a little cooler. As mortgage rates and inflation rise, some sellers now find themselves slashing asking prices to make a sale. Reporter: Matt Guilhem, KCRW Despite the cooling market in parts of Southern California, rent and property prices still remain out of reach for some Californians. Among them -- many child care providers in San Diego. Reporter: Claire Trageser, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legislators in Sacramento have passed a new state budget, just in time for Wednesday's constitutional deadline. The $300 billion package is the largest spending plan ever. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Since the beginning of the pandemic, the cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Richmond have all adopted rules to stop landlords from harassing their tenants. Now, the city of Concord is the latest to take up these protections for renters. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED This past weekend, there were multiple incidents across the country involving right wing groups targeting Pride Month events. And we had at least two notable examples of LGBTQ hate here in California. It's something that many say is happening far more frequently. Guest: Ari Drennen, LGBTQ Director for Media Matters for America Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court’s ruling on a Mississippi case that could alter the future of abortions in this country could come any day now. With the decision likely to overturn Roe v. Wade, states across the country are already looking to severely restrict or outright ban access to abortions. That includes California’s next door neighbor, Arizona. Guest: Darrah DiGiorgio Johnson, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Thursday, the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol will start sharing its findings, in the first of six public hearings. Dozens of people, here in California, have been criminally charged for their alleged involvement in the insurrection. Guest: Brian Levin, Director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino A far right militia led the charge to recall a supervisor in Shasta County earlier this year. Far right activists started an organization meant to back candidates that shared their views in the primary election. But all six lost their races this week. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report The town of Susanville, about 200 miles northeast of Sacramento in Lassen County, is a former mining and logging area best known for the two state prisons it’s home to. The facilities are a driving force for Susanville’s economy, even with a third of the town’s population being incarcerated. But one of those facilities could close soon under an order from the state. Guest: Piper French, Independent Reporter who wrote about Susanville for the digital magazine Bolts The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors has approved a tiny home community for unhoused people in South Sacramento. The goal is to build 100 shed-sized homes at the site. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During Tuesday's primary election, incumbents had strong showings in statewide races, as they head to runoffs in November. And several closely contested congressional seats will also be up for grabs in the general election. Guests: Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos, KQED Congressman David Valadao, who represents the 22nd District in the Central Valley is locked in a tight battle for his seat, with Democratic State Assemblyman Rudy Salas. Guest: Sorreath Hok, Valley Public Radio Attorney General Rob Bonta is headed to a November election date with one of his Republican challengers, although that race is still too close to call. Guest: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio The 45th Congressional District race covers much of Orange County. It's expected to be a close battle in November, with Republican incumbent Michelle Steel taking on Democrat Jay Chen. Reporter: Josie Huang, KPCC Developer Rick Caruso and longtime politician Karen Bass are heading for a November faceoff to see who will be the next mayor of the city of Los Angeles. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The primary election is being held Tuesday in California. While a number of statewide offices are up for grabs, there are also several key Congressional races across the state. Guest: Scott Shafer, KQED California tenants rights groups have sued the state, claiming its process for denying emergency rental assistance isn’t fair. The lawsuit comes as pandemic-related eviction protections are set to expire at the end of the month. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED A bill in the House of Representatives would help non-citizen military veterans who are being threatened with deportation stay in this country. Reporter: Nina Thorsen, KQED It’s been nearly a year since thousands of Afghan nationals fled their home country, as the Taliban seized power, following the U.S. withdrawal. Many have made California their new home. But in one Central Valley community, it's been an everyday struggle for these refugees. Guest: Deepa Fernandes, Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recently a few dozen Black Californians gathered in Oakland to discuss their visions for reparations. It was the first "listening session" hosted by the State Task Force studying reparations for descendants of enslaved Americans. To vote in Tuesday’s primary election, Californians must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen. But you don’t need to have a permanent address to cast a ballot. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Due to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Alameda County is now requiring masks in most indoor public settings. With more California counties entering the CDC's highest community level for COVID-19 danger, it's unclear if more counties will do the same in the weeks ahead. The Summit of the Americas convenes in Los Angeles next week. It's a gathering of heads of state from across the Western Hemisphere. But this year, it's unclear how recent tensions between the U.S.and Mexico could affect the gathering. Guest: Arturo Sarukhán, Mexico's Former Ambassador to the U.S. The U.S. Department of Education is canceling student loan debt for some 500,000 students who attended Corinthian Colleges. Corinthian was accused of targeting low income students, leaving them with a mountain of debt and too often without the jobs promised with the degrees offered. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED Dancers at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood could be the first strip club workers to successfully unionize since performers at a club in San Francisco’s did the same thing. The dancers say the owners and security guards at the North Hollywood business haven’t been keeping them safe when customers violate boundaries, and ongoing picketing hasn’t been enough to motivate changes. Reporter: Robin Estrin, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As California's drought conditions worsen, the state is looking for more answers beyond just asking residents to conserve. There's now renewed debate about whether or not to build the Sites Reservoir, a massive reservoir project in the western Sacramento River Valley. Guest: Ann Willis, Senior Staff Researcher, Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis California’s Reparations Task Force released its first report on Wednesday. The report has preliminary recommendations including the establishment of an Office of African American/Freedmen Affairs to address past and potential future harms, and to assist people in filing eligibility claims. Reporter: Lakshmi Sarah, KQED State officials are warning people seeking abortion services about potential misleading information offered by so-called crisis pregnancy centers. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a consumer alert about these facilities. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report UCLA researchers have analyzed the autopsies of people who died in L.A. County jails over ten years. They found that more than half of deaths classified as natural had evidence of physical harm on the bodies. Reporter: Emily Elena Dugdale, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Los Angeles City Council has voted in favor of drafting new municipal ordinances that will ban homeless encampments within 500 feet of all schools and daycare centers in the city. A new state audit has found major problems with the state's Child Abuse Central Index. The audit only reviewed six of California’s 58 counties, but found information gaps in tens of thousands of cases. Reporter: Sara Hossaini, KQED Our sister station KVPR in Fresno has launched a new podcast series called “The Other California.” It profiles small towns around the San Joaquin Valley. One recent episode focuses on the expansion of the cannabis industry in the community of Woodlake in Tulare County. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR After a very long meeting Tuesday, Democrats in the State Assembly have settled on a new Speaker to succeed Anthony Rendon. But it's still unclear when Robert Rivas will actually become the next Assembly Speaker. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED This week the Biden Administration has launched a new system for hearing migrants’ asylum claims at the U.S.-Mexico border. Rather than sending asylum seekers into the overburdened immigration courts, cases will be decided by asylum officer in six cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s growing concern about the potential health and safety risks from more than a dozen leaking oil wells in Bakersfield. At least five of the wells were found to be emitting methane at high enough levels that could either be explosive or cause serious health risks. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report With the primary election coming up next month in California, many voters will be casting their ballot for the candidates they feel best represent their interests and needs. But is there equal representation in the state? Guest: Joe Mathews, Policital Columnist and President of the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy During the worst months of the pandemic, many childcare providers had to temporarily close their doors. That pushed some providers over the edge, especially in low income communities. Reporter: Claire Trageser, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Hollywood Bowl has been hosting musicians from far and wide for years. This year is something special as the Los Angeles venue celebrates 100 years with another summer of concerts and performances. Guest: Chad Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Philharmonic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Workers in the California Legislature are not allowed to unionize, and often work long and grueling hours, without overtime. But a new bill would change that. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Immigrant advocates and the U.S. government have reached an agreement on standards for the treatment of children in Border Patrol facilities. It comes two years after advocates raised alarms over shocking conditions at the Texas border during the Trump administration. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Hundreds of unionized workers, who've been on strike against Chevron's Bay Area refinery, are set to start voting on a deal that could end what's been a bitter two month long walk-out. Reporter: Ted Goldberg, KQED A strike by thousands of nurses has been averted at four Los Angeles County-run hospitals and multiple clinics. It happened after an all-night bargaining session led to a tentative agreement. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the wake of Tuesday’s mass murder at a Texas elementary school, Governor Gavin Newsom and state legislative leaders are calling for fast action aimed at reducing gun violence. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Governor Newsom’s ambitious plan to overhaul California’s mental healthcare system cleared a major hurdle on Wednesday. The state Senate voted to approve CARE Court. The program would allow judges to order people with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders into treatment, with a particular focus on people who are also experiencing homelessness. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED California’s commision on POST, which stands for peace officer standards and training, has reached a key milestone in its implementation of the new police decertification law, Senate Bill 2. The commission has approved a definition of what constitutes misconduct serious enough to revoke an officer’s badge. Reporter: Sukey Lewis, KQED The Anaheim City Council has voted to cancel the troubled Angels Stadium sale deal. The deal has been mired in controversy as an FBI affidavit has shown the city's former mayor was under investigation for public corruption and other offenses. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC A KPCC investigation has found the state corrections department moved people known as medical parolees to a nursing home in Los Angeles that was recently stripped of its federal certification. The move and decision behind it has been shrouded in secrecy. Reporter: Elly Yu, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Details are still unfolding around the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. 21 people are dead -- 19 students and two teachers. For young people, the tragedy will likely resonate for years. But there are support mechanisms to help them cope with the shooting. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Preschool students are expelled and suspended at rates three times higher than kids in K-12 schools. It’s a problem California lawmakers are trying to address with a new bill – a bill that would ban the practice, which disproportionately impacts Black children. Reporter: Deepa Fernandes, Early Childhood Reporting Fellow, Pacific Oaks College which is funded in part by First 5 LA An investigation by KPCC in Los Angeles has found that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has moved people known as medical parolees to an institution that the federal government has stripped of its certification. That’s after the facility consistently violated standards of patient care. Reporter: Aaron Mendelson, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom is warning there could be statewide mandatory water restrictions if Californians don’t start conserving more water, as the drought worsens. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Starting in June, 6 million Southern Californians will face new water restrictions. For many people, that’ll mean watering their yards twice or even just once a week, per regulations. Some residents are ready. Others, not so much. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW There's a widening federal corruption investigation in the city of Anaheim, centered on its $320 milllion deal to sell the Angels baseball stadium to the owner of the team. Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu resigned Monday amid allegations that the city is tightly controlled by a “cabal” of business and political power brokers. Guest: Gabriel San Roman, Reporter, LA Times A survivor of the 2017 North Bay wildfires is asking a federal bankruptcy judge to order managers of a fund for wildfire victims to account for millions of dollars that have been spent over the last two years. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Catholic archbishop of San Francisco, Salvator Cordileone, has directed priests under his jurisdiction not to give House Speaker Nancy Pelosi communion. Cordileone says it's because of Pelosi's support for abortion rights. State officials have confirmed that two idle oil wells in Bakersfield were leaking methane gas near a residential community, but say they were sealed late last week. Environmental groups have called out regulators for not acting with more urgency once the leaks were first reported, but the state says it wasn’t an emergency. Reporter: Juan Carlos Lara, KQED Five months ago, California unveiled a program to help low income Californians eliminate asthma triggers in their homes. But some families are still struggling to get these services. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, Valley Public Radio The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority or LAHSA has unveiled plans to reduce the number of unsheltered homeless in L.A. County over the next three years. Reporter: Ethan Ward, KPCC There are two leading candidates in the race for Mayor of Los Angeles, according to the polls. One is Democratic Congresswoman and former speaker of the California State Assembly, Karen Bass. Her chief opponent is Rick Caruso, a billionaire property developer and Republican turned Democrat. Guest: Fernando Guerra, Director of Loyola Marymount University’s Center for the Study of Los Angeles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At more than $6 a gallon, California has the highest gasoline prices in the country. So what’s Sacramento doing? State lawmakers want to use part of a $97 billion budget surplus to send out rebate checks. But legislators are in a stalemate over the details. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio When it comes to COVID-19 infection rates, the Bay Area continues to lead the state, but the numbers are rising across California, driven largely by subvariants of the coronavirus. With cases also rising in Southern California, the CDC has now moved L.A. County’s COVID risk level from low to medium. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC State Senators Melissa Hurtado and Dave Cortese have sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, requesting that the Department of Justice investigate possible drought profiteering and water rights abuses in California, and other western states. Hurtado says she’s concerned about the increasing amount of water rights being purchased by hedge funds. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report A species of California salmon is at risk of extinction due to climate change. As a short term remedy wildlife officials are trucking the salmon to cooler waters. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sunday’s shooting at a gathering of Taiwanese American Presbyterians in Orange County has shaken that community in Southern California. It's upsetting the older generation the most. Reporter: Josie Huang, KPCC This week, more than 40 so-called “Documented Dreamers” are in Washington D.C. They’re lobbying lawmakers to pass legislation that would protect young people who’ve aged out of their families’ immigration applications. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Immigrant advocates are pleased with Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal that would make California the first state in the nation to extend safety net health coverage to all residents, regardless of immigration status. But with a massive surplus, advocates say it's time for the state to go even further. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED California has some of the most stringent privacy laws in the country, including protecting the personal data of immigrants. But a two-year investigation by the Georgetown Law Center on Privacy and Technology has found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has used a range of surveillance tactics to circumvent state privacy laws, including California’s. Guest: Dan Bateyko, Research Coordinator, Georgetown Law Center on Privacy & Technology In response to national shortages of baby formula, President Biden has invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production and has authorized the Defense Department to use commercial planes to import formula from overseas that meet U.S. standards. The shortage is also prompting warnings from California health officials. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The man accused of opening fire this past Sunday at a church in Laguna Woods in Orange County, killing one man and wounding five others, is facing one count of murder, along with several other charges. The murder charge against David Chou also comes with the special circumstance of using a gun and lying in wait. Reporters: Robert Garrova and Josie Huang, KPCC The average price for a gallon of gas in California hit a new record on Tuesday. According to AAA, the statewide average for a gallon of regular gas is now $6.02. Reporter: Nina Thorsen, KQED New Starbucks unions are rapidly forming across California, with workers voting to unionize the first four locations in just the past week. Employees at more than 20 Starbucks locations in the state have petitioned for a chance to unionize since the start of the year. Reporter: Juan Carlos Lara, KQED In this third year of the drought, state leaders touted investments in water recycling on Tuesday while visiting a facility in Southern California. By early June the entire state will be under either a local or state mandate to conserve water. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED Despite California’s strong gun laws, ghost guns, which are assembled by their purchasers at home, and difficult to trace because they lack serial numbers, have become increasingly linked to crime in the state. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The FBI has opened a federal hate crime investigation into a shooting Sunday at a church in Orange County that left one man dead and five others wounded. Law enforcement officials say they believe the suspect in the case was motivated by political tensions between Taiwan and China. Reporters: Robert Garrova and Josie Huang, KPCC A judge in Los Angeles has ruled that California cannot legally require corporations to have women members of their boards of directors. The ruling invalidates a law passed in 2018, which said by this year, companies had to have at least two women on boards of five members, and at least three women on boards or six or more. Reporter: Nina Thorsen, KQED California is hoping to reach carbon neutrality by 2045, and the state is looking to diversify and expand renewable energy projects to meet that goal. One major source of carbon-free energy could come from floating offshore wind turbines. The California Energy Commission earlier this month released a draft target for the amount of wind energy the state would need to help reach its goals. Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KCBX California's nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office says the state could be headed toward a fiscal cliff, despite a record-breaking budget surplus. The LAO says the new proposed state budget would leave California more than $3 billion over a constitutional limit on spending this year, and more than $20 million over that limit next year. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Last month, two Fresno council members announced a new pilot program that would equip street vendors’ carts with cameras. This effort comes a year after the murder of street vendor Lorenzo Perez. But it's still uncler if these vendors feel safe. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year, two Bay Area men were arrested and charged with plotting to blow up the headquarters of the California Democratic Party. Prosecutors say the men planned to launch their attack on or after inauguration day. Reporters: Julie Small and Alex Hall, KQED One person, an adult male, was killed and five others were wounded when a gunman opened fire at a lunch banquet at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods in Orange County. The banquet was held by a largely Taiwanese-American congregation. On Saturday, thousands of people showed up in cities across California, in support of reproductive rights. This comes as the U.S. Supreme Court could vote to overturn Roe v. Wade in the coming months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a nationwide baby formula shortage, driven by supply chain issues and recalls. You can’t buy formula in many stores and in California, that's left many parents are scrambling. Reporter: Cristina Kim, KPBS A federal appeals court has ruled that California’s ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons to people under the age of 21 is unconstitutional. A panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals wrote that the law violates the Second Amendment and the right of young adults to bear arms. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report COVID-19 cases rose 20% last week in L.A. County. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said mask mandates could return if the pace of new cases doesn't slow down. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC With roughly 66,000 people across L.A. experiencing homelessness on any given night, there’s renewed interest in the role of corporate social responsibility and charity. Reporter: Ethan Ward, KPCC Seal pup season is coming to a close in California. When adult elephant seals leave the beach, pups are on their own as they prepare to live out at sea for months at a time. This means pups must learn to sleep underwater. Reporter: Guananí Gómez-Van Cortright, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Starbucks stores in Santa Cruz have voted to become the first in the state to unionize. Since January, more than 20 Starbucks stores in California have started the process to unionize – joining hundreds of others across the U.S. Resident doctors gathered in front of LA County-USC Medical Center in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday to protest low pay. It's just the latest in a string of healthcare-related protests across the state in recent months. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC The June primary is just weeks away, and we have our third story in a series examining the field of candidates running to be California Attorney General. No-party-preference candidate Anne Marie Schubert is a lifelong prosecutor and current Sacarmento County District Attorney. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Lawmakers advanced a bill Wednesday that would get rid of a rule in the state’s constitution that has stymied affordable housing developments in California for decades. It’s called Article 34 and it’s embedded in California’s constitution. It forces cities to get voter approval to build public housing. Reporter: Molly Solomon, KQED Giant Sequoias are now on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Endangered Species Red List due to the threat of drought and wildfires in their natural habitat in the U.S., particularly in California. Now, a group in the UK is planting and nurturing thousands of Giant Sequoias to offer a more secure future for the species. Guest: Henry Emson, Founder One Life One Tree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to new numbers out, California's water usage jumped nearly 19% in March, despite pleas for conservation from the governor and local water agencies. Meanwhile, the city of Los Angeles has announced new mandatory water restrictions. Starting June 1st, the city's four million residents will have to cut outdoor water use to two-days a week. California has a whopping state budget surplus, an estimated $68 billion. But it’s doubtful any of that money will go to fixing the state agency in charge of investigating wage theft. It’s struggling with a backlog of more than 36, 000 cases that stretches back years. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED U.S. Senator Alex Padilla will appear on California’s June primary ballot twice, in separate but related contests. He's running in one contest to finish out former U.S. Senator Kamala Harris' term, and also competing for a new 6-year term. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio California’s Fair Political Practices Commission could soon open the door for campaigns to accept cryptocurrency donations. California is currently one of nine states that bars campaign contributions in crypto because they’re so hard to regulate and trace. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED Equality isn’t perceived equally. According to a new study from UC Berkeley, historically privileged groups can see opening up pathways of opportunities for some less privileged people as harming their own access to resources. Reporter: Matt Guilhem, KCRW The opulent Hearst Castle atop a commanding hilltop on California’s Central Coast draws in about 750,000 visitors every year. But the popular tourist destination has been closed for more than two years because of the pandemic. It's finally reopening on Wednesday Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A survey released on Tuesday reveals wage theft is still a big problem for more than half a million fast food workers in California. More than 8 in 10 workers surveyed said employers have shorted them on their paychecks. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Contract negotiations affecting workers at 29 West Coast ports begin on Tuesday. The talks between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association are happening amid pandemic safety issues and growing imports that created long queues of ships waiting to offload cargo. Reporter: Angela Corral, The California Report San Francisco’s NAACP chapter is calling on the city to take action in support of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities who’ve faced an increase in hate crimes Reporter: Maria Fernanda Bernal, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices