KQED's The California Report

Later this week, Governor Gavin Newsom will issue what’s called a "May Revise," updating the governor’s budget proposal for the coming fiscal year. Financial justice advocates in the state hope part of that proposal will include the elimination of court fees known as "civil assessments." These are penalties that courts impose when traffic tickets and other citations aren't paid on time. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report The nation’s largest student-run powwow gathered in-person at Stanford University over the weekend, the first time since the pandemic hit. The theme was intergenerational resilience. Reporter: Annelise Finney, KQED Bay Area counties are in the midst of an increase in COVID-19 cases. How long will it last? Well, experts say it depends. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bill to protect abortion services for people traveling to California from states where abortion is banned is now on a fast track in Sacramento. Assembly Bill 1666 was introduced after Texas enacted a law to punish women who receive an abortion or anyone who assists her. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED The Facing Life project investigates “life after life” in California’s prisons. The lives of eight people are documented. They were released from life sentences in California prisons, following policy changes in the state. But the project sheds light on mass incarceration and its systemic issues. Guest: Pendarvis Harshaw, KQED, Host of Rightnowish Podcast The state Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to advance a bill that would let teens get vaccinated for COVID-19 without their parents’ consent. The bill is from San Francisco State Senator Scott Wiener. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED Cable, phone, and wireless companies have dropped their legal bid to block the state’s net neutrality law. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hate incidents are on the rise in San Diego, but they continue to be difficult to prosecute. Now, 911 dispatchers could play a key role in gathering evidence for these types of cases. Reporter: Cristina Kim, KPBS Governor Gavin Newsom says the Supreme Court's anticipated roll-back of abortion rights is part of a larger attack on freedoms and privacy. The governor has reaffirmed California's support for access to reproductive services, after a leaked draft Supreme Court opinion showed a majority of justices supported overturning Roe v. Wade. As COVID-19 cases increase across the state, Los Angeles is seeing more outbreaks at workplaces and schools. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC The Mountain View-based company behind TurboTax, Intuit, has agreed to pay more than $140 million to customers. $11 million will go to Californians, who were tricked into paying for services that should have been free. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED California voters could decide between two different approaches to legalizing sports gambling this November, after supporters of legalizing online wagers say they've collected enough signatures to make it on the ballot. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED The neat rows of grapevines in California’s wine country are just beginning to bud, as the wine industry faces another season of drought and almost certainly, wildfire. But it’s not just the flames they’re worried about. It’s the smoke too. Reporter: Jerimiah Oetting, KAZU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Top Democrats in the California Legislative Women’s Caucus are pushing more than a dozen bills that they say will bolster abortion services in the state. Meanwhile, hundreds of people took part in rallies across the state, following news that Roe v. Wade could be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. The contents of a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would likely strike down Roe v. Wade are still sinking in – both across the country and here in California. Guest: Radhika Rao, Law Professor, UC Hastings Los Angeles County’s Office of Diversion and Reentry houses thousands of people with mental health challenges, who would otherwise end up incarcerated. But its biggest initiative maxed out its budget last year and can’t add any new clients. Reporter: Emily Elena Dugdale, KPCC San Diego county has launched a first-in-the-nation program to provide free legal aid to detained immigrants. Reporter: Kitty Alvarado, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A draft majority opinion obtained by Politico appears to show that the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. If that does occur, the effects will be felt nationwide, including in California, which is already preparing for the possibility of an influx of people looking to get an abortion. Guest: Shannon Olivieri Hovis, Director of NARAL Pro-Choice California In a recent op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle, former legislative staffer Ruth Ferguson details her experiences working in the office of Bay Area Assemblymember Marc Berman. She says her experience included harassment from her direct supervisor and retaliation for reporting incidents that concerned her. Now, she's looking to help lead change in the ways these claims are investigated. Guest: Ruth Ferguson, former staffer for Bay Area Assemblymemebr Marc Berman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s last remaining nuclear energy facility, Diablo Canyon in San Luis Obispo County, produces enough carbon-free energy to power three million homes each year. It’s scheduled to shut down by 2025, but now, Governor Gavin Newsom may consider delaying the closure. Reporter: Rachel Showalter, KCBX Change is coming to California’s rooftop solar market, but what that change looks like remains a mystery. The state is still waiting for a reboot of efforts to overhaul its solar power system, three months after Governor Gavin Newsom essentially shut the process down. Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS This upcoming June primary is the first chance to see the effects of new local campaign finance limits in California. In Shasta County, it will likely test the limits of how much influence a wealthy donor can have on races. Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio A new study from the Stanford School of Medicine sheds some light on why it is that teens tune mom out. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week marks the 30th anniversary of one of the most painful and bloodiest chapters in LA's history. The civil unrest of 1992, also known as the riots, the rebellion and the uprising, began in response to the acquittal of four white LA police officers for the beating of a black man named Rodney King. By the time it was over, dozens were dead and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage was done. Guest: Joel Anderson, Podcast Host of Slow Burn: The LA Riots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s Labor Commissioner has fined poultry giant Foster Farms and three staffing agencies nearly $4 million for failing to tell thousands of workers about COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave assistance. The failure was discovered during an audit of Foster Farms’ payroll records in 2020. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED Researchers in San Diego County are working to stave off the worst impacts of global warming. They say cattails found in wetlands could be part of the answer. Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS Stockton city leaders have found a new chief to lead the police department. Stanley McFadden, who is currently a deputy chief in San Jose, will be the first African American to lead the department. Reporter: Sukey Lewis, KQED To help protect it and give people more control over what companies do with their data, the state has enacted new privacy laws and created the country's very first privacy protection agency to enforce them. It's only six months old, and director Ashkan Soltani says he knows there are big challenges ahead. Guest: Ashkan Soltani, Executive Director, California Privacy Protection Agency An effort to shut down three oil platforms off the Orange County coast has cleared its first legislative hurdle. But there are concerns about the potential costs, even from some Democrats who oppose offshore drilling. Reporter: Darrell Satzman, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Southern California, the Metropolitan Water District, which supplies water to millions of people in several counties, has declared a first of its kind water shortage emergency. Meanwhile, in the Bay Area, the East Bay Municipal Water District has approved a mandatory 10% reduction in water usage compared to 2020 levels. What little is known about long-COVID in children and teenagers suggests that it can be just as disabling for them as it is for older adults. One family in Los Angeles connected the dots before the doctors. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC A proposal by Governor Gavin Newsom to impose a new form of court-ordered treatment for people with severe mental illness got approval in its first state senate hearing on Tuesday. The CARE Court idea is receiving opposition from civil rights and homeless advocacy groups. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED Nurses at University of California medical centers will protest UC management on Wednesday, in response to staffing issues that the nurses say have been ongoing through the pandemic. Reporter: Shehreen Karim, KQED A state audit of five law enforcement agencies has found racist or other biased conduct by police officers at all of them-- and inadequate investigations into that conduct. Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The mayors of California’s largest cities are calling on Governor Newsom to continue funding critical homelessness services. The state’s Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Grants have only been available for three years. But mayors from all over California say their cities rely on their unique flexibility to pay for a wide range of services. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED A study from the L.A. County Department of Public Health comparing unhoused mortality one year before, and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that deaths among young unhoused people, aged 18 to 29, more than doubled. Reporter: Ethan Ward, KPCC We're continuing our series examining the field of candidates running to be California Attorney General. The current AG, Democrat Rob Bonta is facing three serious challengers, including Republican hopeful Eric Early, who says the state is headed in the wrong direction. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Governor Gavin Newsom has promised that California will halt all in-state oil and gas production by the year 2045. But the state is the country’s 7th largest oil producer. So what might that transition look like, specifically in the San Joaquin Valley towns literally built on oil? Reporter: Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting on Friday, masks will again be required inside L.A. County’s airports and on public transportation. The new health order comes after a Florida federal judge threw out a mask mandate on public transportation and airplanes nationwide. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC California could sanction places to do illegal drugs under the watchful gaze of a healthcare worker. The so-called “safe consumption” sites are an effort to save lives, as overdoses skyrocket across the country. But the prospect of opening them remains controversial. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED California will close its main COVID-19 testing lab next month. The facility in Los Angeles County has faced scrutiny since it opened. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio A new poll finds that 80% of Gen Z youth in California have experienced anxiety, stress or feelings of being overwhelmed as a result of learning about climate change. Reporter: Anaïs-Ophelia Lino, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s red hot housing market is showing some early signs of cooling. The reason for that is both good and bad news for would-be homebuyers. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED In Los Angeles County, in the city of Inglewood, an elementary school is facing permanent closure this summer. Locals have started a petition to stop the closure, but the school district says low enrollment makes it too expensive to keep open. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW Officials from the Biden Administration are sounding the alarm about global shortages of semiconductor chips. They're urging Congress to fast track a bill with incentives for companies to expand domestic chip production in places like Silicon Valley. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Almonds are harvested every year in August. But this year, many growers and processors in California are still holding onto last year’s product. Reporter: Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bill to hold gun manufacturers responsible for death and destruction caused by their products cleared a key Assembly committee on Tuesday. It's part of a larger package of legislation addressing gun violence in the state. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED While health officials are hopeful that the worst of the pandemic is over, hospitals are still reeling from financial losses. One hospital in the San Joaquin Valley is warning of disaster for many facilities. Reporter: Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio The Kern County town of McFarland is facing the possible closure of its only public library, so the space can be used by the McFarland Police Department. While city leaders have rallied around the proposal, many in the community oppose the plan. Guest: Emma Gallegos, Central Valley Journalism Resident for EdSource Governor Gavin Newsom visited the Oroville Dam on Tuesday to talk about the ongoing drought and the state's plans to address it. He said California might need to shut down one of its largest hydroelectirc plants. Reporter: Alec Stutson, North State Public Radio With drier winters, hotter summers, and year-round potential for wildfires, Southern California is experiencing the effects of climate change. And the grab-bag of wild weather isn’t lost on voters, according to a new poll. Reporter: Matt Guilhem, KCRW Across California, law enforcement agencies are under increasing scrutiny over using the DNA of sexual assault surivors in unrelated criminal investigations. Santa Clara County supervisors heard testimony on the topic on Tuesday. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED Los Angeles County’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes new investments in mental health. The plan is to use federal funds to assist with outreach, engagement and crisis response. Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Landlords in Los Angeles have failed in their legal quest to overturn the city’s eviction moratorium. The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to hear a case challenging the city’s protections. Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC A San Francisco judge has ordered the release of a man who's been incarcerated for over 30 years, for a murder he's maintained he didn't commit. Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED It’s been 16 years since Californians elected anyone but a Democrat to statewide office. But this year, Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta is facing challenges from three serious contenders in the June primary -- two Republicans and one independent. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED During a visit to California’s Central Coast Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced that the U.S. will no longer conduct anti-satellite missile tests in space. She called it a reckless and dangerous practice. Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KCBX More than half of California voters would be willing to pay more for items that don’t contain single-use plastics, according to a new poll. The poll by the environmental group Oceana reveals more than 90% of California voters are concerned by the damage wrought by plastic pollution. Reporter: Darrell Satzman, KCRW The Salinas River is home to many beavers, who are helping the area better adapt to the impacts of climate chnage. Reporter: Rachel Showalter, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than three million Californians could get a break on their tax bill with a proposal to boost benefits for renters. The proposal from state Senator Steve Glazer would increase the renter tax credit from $60 to $500 for single filers and from $120 to $1000 for couples and single parents. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED A new survey of more than 700 crime survivors finds that California needs to do far more to support victims -- especially those in marginalized communities. It found that more than a third of victims are never offered the resources they’re entitled to under state law, including help with funeral or housing costs Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Within the next two decades, all of California’s electricity needs to come from renewable sources. That makes geothermal energy, energy from heat in the earth, more appealing. Reporter: Greta Mart, Northern California Public Media Every year, California prisons hand over hundreds of people to immigration authorities. But in a rare exception, one Cambodian national was released on parole late last week and reunited with family without being re-detained. Reporter: Josie Huang, KPCC Millions of dollars PG&E agreed to pay in its Kincade Fire settlement with the Sonoma County district attorney will go directly to local groups. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does California U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, who’s 88 and a giant of American politics, still have the mental fitness to do her job? According to reporting by San Francisco Chronicle Washington Correspondent Tal Kopan, there are many instances of the Senator’s memory failing. Guest: Tal Kopan, Washington Correspondent, San Francisco Chronicle A bill to tighten COVID-19 vaccination requirements for California school children has stalled in the state legislature. Legislation from Sacramento State Senator Richard Pan would have closed the personal beliefs exemption, like the state has done for the measles vaccine. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Now that many COVID restrictions have eased in California, and all of us are trying to figure out how to live our lives going forward, The California Report wanted to check in with someone we first met at the very beginning of the pandemic. San Francisco resident Hinda Gilbert was on a cruise ship that had to be redirected to Oakland, following an outbreak on board. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report The California Task Force studying reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans has approved its report on why reparations are necessary. The report will be the first government-issued document to examine anti-black racism in more than 50 years. Reporter: Annelise Finney, KQED State regulators are recommending that the western Joshua tree not be designated as a threatened species. It was given interim protection back in 2020 under the California Endangered Species Act. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report It can be hard to imagine anything living in the deepest and darkest depths of the world’s oceans. But the seafloor can teem with life. That ecosystem, though, is under threat from climate change and plastic pollution, and a new threat now looms – deep sea mining. Reporter: Erika Mahoney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A draft of California’s first-in-the-nation roadmap for ending the sale of all new gas-powered cars in the state by 2035 has been released. The new plan requires an increase in the sales of electric vehicles starting in 2024. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED If you’re in the market for a new electric vehicle here in California right now, you’re definitely not alone. With gas prices soaring to record levels, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many prospective car buyers say an EV is the way to go. But are there anywhere near enough electric vehicles at California car dealerships? Reporter: Robin Estrin, KCRW California’s Reparations Task Force studying reparations for Black Californians continues meeting on Thursday at San Francisco’s historic Third Baptist Church. During Wednesday's meeting, the topic was discrimination in education. Reporter: Annelise Finney, KQED California voters say housing affordability and homelessness are the most important issues for the state to address this year. That’s according to a new survey from the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED People who have experienced homelessness need to be given a seat at the table when it comes to making policy decisions about Los Angeles’ homeless crisis. That's one of the recommendations to come out of a new report commissioned by the Committee for a Greater LA. Reporter: Ethan Ward, KPCC People with certain psychiatric disorders face a heightened risk of breakthrough COVID-19 infections. That’s according to a new study from UC San Francisco. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bill in the state legislature aims to cut some Californians' workweek down to 32 hours from the usual 40. The proposed legislation would apply to companies in the state with more than 500 employees. At the national level, similar legislation has been introduced by Riverside County Congressman Mark Takano. Guest: Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, Writer and Head of Global Programs for 4 Day Week Global The California Chamber of Commerce has called the proposal to shorten the workweek in California a job killer, arguing it will drastically increase labor costs for businesses. The chamber says it could also result in major job cuts and larger companies deciding not to expand in the state. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Amazon’s warehouse workers are getting injured twice as often as workers at other warehouses across the country. And in California, the rates are even higher. That’s according to a new study out from a labor union coalition based in the Inland Empire. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED California has tough new penalties on the books regarding wage theft. That’s when employers don’t pay workers what they’re actually owed. And, a state hearing on alleged wage theft at six Burger King franchises in San Francisco has started this week. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED With the rise in anti-Asian violence across the country has come a push to fight racism, through education. Many Asian American teachers in Southern California are using the moment to get their history into more schools. Reporter: Josie Huang, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has millions of acres of overgrown forestland. It’s raw fuel for potentially catastrophic wildfires. In late 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new program to dramatically speed up the state’s wildfire prevention work. But an investigation from CapRadio and The California Newsroom found the program hasn’t resulted in a single completed project. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio California’s push for green energy could inadvertently harm one of its most famous species. As more and more wind turbines go up in the state, the companies behind them are looking to prevent unintended deaths of critically endangered California condors. Reporter: Matt Guilhem, KCRW Where oh where have California’s school kids gone? The state’s K-12 public school enrollment is down again this year by 110,000 students. That’s on top of a drop of 161,000 last year. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED San Francisco tenants now have the right to organize, under legislation that took effect this week. The Board of Supervisors approved the protections for tenants to form associations like labor unions. Reporter: Maria Fernanda Bernal, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even as the highly contagious BA.2 subvariant spreads across the globe, California has not yet seen a sharp uptick in new coronavirus cases or hospitalizations. But in Los Angeles, more people who do test positive for COVID will now have access to treatment. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC For over two years now, the closure of the US-Mexico border to most asylum-seekers has left many migrants in limbo. For young people especially, that means months without school or anyway to fill their days. One organization in Tijuana is trying to do something about that by giving young migrants a place to learn, where they can also deal with the mental toll their journeys have taken on them. Reporter: Max Rivlin-Nadler As thousands of Ukrainians seeking asylum flock to the US-Mexico border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has conditionally opened an entry south of San Diego that has been shuttered for two years. The PedWest border crossing at the San Ysidro Port of Entry has become a welcoming area for people fleeing the war. Reporter: Kitty Alvarado, KPBS For many transgender and nonbinary people who are dealing with medical conditions, the path to permanent housing is often met with barriers. In Los Angeles, some organizations are working to change that. Reporter: Ethan Ward, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Schools in the Los Angeles area are reporting more coronavirus outbreaks. Outbreaks have more than tripled in the past 10 days in Los Angeles schools. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Thieves have been stealing catalytic converters from cars and trucks at a much greater rate here in California, in large part because the metals in those converters, like palladium and platinum, have become so valuable to resell. But a recent event in Los Angeles aimed to help drivers who might become victims of those crimes. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Over the past couple of years, the pandemic has highlighted big problems with the state’s often deteriorating stock of rental housing has more people have stayed home. Now, Los Angeles County is planning to crack down on landlords who neglect their buildings. Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC The city of Fresno is launching a pilot program to help protect its street vendors, one year after a vendor was murdered while selling corn. The city will be installing livestream cameras on 20 vendor carts, hoping that they'll serve as a deterrent to harassment and violence. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report California had already announced that crab fisheries from the Sonoma-Mendocino County border on south would close on Friday. Now the Department of Fish and Wildlife is shutting down the northern parts of the state on April 20. Reporter: Nina Thorsen, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sacramento police now believe at least five individuals fired guns in the downtown shooting that left six dead and 12 injured early Sunday morning. Investigators say they believe gangs played a role in the shooting. Guest: Sam Stanton, Sacramento Bee Since 1959, California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, has set rules of conduct for law enforcement in the state. The commission will hold a special meeting on Thursday to work on defining what kind of police misconduct is serious enough to revoke an officer’s badge. Reporter: Sukey Lewis, KQED There are more than a million unfilled tech jobs in the United States. That’s a problem for tech companies but an opportunity for IT professionals in Mexico. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS This week, San Diego’s City Council approved a new municipal board that will oversee surveillance related issues in the city. The new board will give advice and recommendations on the city's use of surveillance technologies and personal data, as well as review how they are currently being used. Reporter: Christina Kim, KPBS A poll out this week from UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies gives new insight into concerns Californians have for farmworkers employed in wildfire evacuation zones. More than 80% of California voters polled think that farmworkers should both get hazard pay for this work – and be given safety training in their own native language. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first suspect arrested in connection to Sunday's mass shooting in Sacramento, Dandrae Martin, made his first brief appearance in court on Tuesday. His brother has also been arrested and a third person was taken into custody, but police say as of now, he's not facing any charges related to the mass shooting. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg is joining victim and criminal justice reform advocates to demand that the state do more to stem violence. 19 community groups are calling on state leaders to invest $3 billion in local programs to support crime survivors and help interrupt cycles of violence. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED One month ago, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled an ambitious proposal to create mental health courts in California. These so-called "CARE Courts” would be places where homeless people with severe mental health disorders could get connected to the treatment they need. But more controversially, the courts would also have the authority to force some people into care if they didn't want to go, raising concerns about abuse and civil liberties. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report State senators voted on Tuesday to advance a gun control bill that would use the threat of lawsuits to fight the sale and manufacture of illegal firearms. Senate Bill 1327 would allow any California citizen to sue those who pay for, manufacture or distribute ghost guns. Reporter: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, KQED In recent years, a lot of people have become rideshare and delivery drivers to make some extra cash. But those drivers face a number of threats while on the road. A new report out Wednesday claims that the gig companies the drivers work for aren't doing enough to compensate the drivers when bad things do happen. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last night in downtown Sacramento people gathered for a candlelight vigil to honor the victims’ memories after a mass shooting there early Sunday morning. A variety of community leaders spoke, from Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg to community activist Barry Accius. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, KQED 57-year-old Melinda Davis was one of the victims of the shooting. She was unhoused and had lived on the streets of downtown Sacramento for much of the past decade. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio Sacramento public school teachers have announced they are calling off a more than week-long strike. The pivot point might have been the aftermath of this weekend’s shootings. Reporter: Janelle Salanga, CapRadio At the same time, teachers with Summit Charter School Network are threatening a strike if leadership doesn’t agree to a contract after more than a year of stalled negotiations. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED San Diego City is proposing a moratorium on “No Fault” evictions until September 30th 2022 or 60 days after the end of the local state of emergency, whichever comes first. Reporter: Cristina Kim, KPBS Malibu's City Council has voted to move its homeless population outside of the city limits. The city’s homeless task force believes its solution will meet the needs of people willing to accept services while also making it easier for the sheriff’s department to enforce the city’s no camping policy. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW In Los Angeles County, Sheriff Alex Villanueva will be forced to testify in court over long-running allegations that deputy gangs exist in his department. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A mass shooting happened in Sacramento around two a.m. Sunday morning in a crowded downtown business district, not far from the state capitol building, a district filled with bars and restaurants which were closing for the night. Host Saul Gonzalez spoke with Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester, Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Councilmember Katie Valenzuela, State Assemblymember Kevin McCarty and Sacramento residents in the aftermath of the shooting. Now that pandemic rental relief has been extended thanks to a bill signed late last week the state Attorney General’s Office is putting some landlord attorneys on notice after receiving reports that their clients are using false claims in order to evict tenants. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED For weeks new COVID cases in LA County had been steadily falling, but they have now plateaued. KPCC Senior Health Reporter Jackie Fortier says lifting mandatory mask rules and the spread of another highly transmissible variant are to blame. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The FTC is suing Intuit over its TurboTax software. The agency says the California-based company is misleading consumers by marketing the product as free. Guest: Justin Elliot, ProPublica A new push for mental health warnings on legal cannabis products. Reporter: April Dembosky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s private homecare industry is in bad shape, with overwhelmed employers and underpaid workers. That’s from a new report out of UCLA’s Labor Center. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED California lawmakers are expected to vote today on a bill to extend eviction protections for tenants still waiting on rent relief. More than 500-thousand have applied for that assistance. Guest: Erin Baldassari, Housing Reporter, KQED A six month-long investigation commissioned by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has found that LA county’s homelessness services are “under tremendous strain” and in need of sweeping reform. Reporter: Danielle Chiriguayo, KCRW Soon you’ll no longer have to show proof of Covid vaccination to get inside many businesses in Los Angeles. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Exotic dancers at a North Hollywood bar have been on a strike for more than a week to demand safer working conditions. Reporter: Robin Estrin, KCRW More than seven years after its passage, Proposition 47 has saved California 600 million dollars in prison costs according to a new report by the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After hours of debate on Tuesday, California’s Reparations Task Force cast a historic vote deciding who will be eligible to receive compensation. . Reporter: Cristina Kim, KPBS COVID-19 numbers in California have improved drastically since the beginning of the omicron wave here in the state. But there are some concerns that a highly transmissable variant could bring more cases in the coming weeks and months. Guest: Lesley McClurg, KQED Health Correspondent A proposal to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for California workers will not move forward this year in the state legislature. It was dropped without a vote. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Wastewater data in the South Bay Area this week hints at the first signs of a sustained rise in COVID-19 because of the BA.2 omicron subvariant. But it’s nothing compared to the last surge. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED A California congressman is introducing a new bill aimed at helping provide some relief for drivers from rising gas prices. It would send relief checks to taxpayers. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report A new report on safety inspections at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in San Luis Obispo County has found failures by inspectors from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to appropriately identify several issues at the facility. Reporter: Rachel Showalter, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered water districts to increase water restrictions. But are statewide mandatory water cutbacks coming? Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED A new report out of UCLA shows that a year after a sweep of homeless camps around Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles, most of the unhoused who were uprooted have not found permanent housing. Even more concerning, many have fallen off the map of the city's homeless department, and are no longer being tracked. Guest: Ananya Roy, Professor of Urban Planning and Chair of UCLA's Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy The state Assembly has voted to extend pandemic eviction protections for tenants still waiting on rent relief. How big is the problem? Well fewer than half of the nearly 500,000 people who’ve applied for rental assistance have yet to receive a payout. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED The COVID-19 pandemic has taken the lives of nearly 10,000 nursing home residents and staff in California. To honor them, and to press for better working conditions, several dozen unionized long-term care workers held a vigil Monday in Sacramento. Reporter: Sara Hossaini, KQED A federal judge in Santa Ana is ordering a controversial Southern California legal scholar to turn over documents to the House Committee investigating the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite bargaining this weekend, there’s no new deal as a teacher’s strike continues in the Sacramento City Unified School District. That means campuses will remain closed, and that's taking a toll on families. Reporter: Pauline Bartolone, CapRadio Student debt is a crushing financial burden for millions of people, including health professionals who’ve worked hard treating COVID-19 patients during the pandemic. Now, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla of California has introduced a bill to help get rid of student loans for frontline healthcare workers. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Talks aimed at ending a strike by hundreds of unionized workers at Chevron's refinery in the city of Richmond are restarting Monday morning. It's the first bargaining session since the workers walked off the job a week ago over pay, health benefits and worker safety concerns. Reporter: Ted Goldberg, KQED After years of scrutiny and criticism of how the Bakersfield Police Department does its job, an agreement between the department and the California Department of Justice may force the department to make changes. That includes how Bakersfield PD officers respond to calls involving people with mental health issues. Reporter: Soreath Hok, KVPR If you’re looking for a house to buy in California, this won’t surprise you. Home ownership became even more unreachable for the great majority of Californians last year. And housing affordability was worse for prospective Black and Latino buyers. Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State lawmakers have introduced a bill to extend protections for tenants waiting on rent relief from the state. But it won't extend the deadline to apply for rent relief, which expires at the end of March. Reporter: Molly Solomon, KQED The race to be Los Angeles' next mayor has kicked off, and the leading candidates are all promising to tackle one major issue if elected -- homelessness. But many are questioning whether their proposed solutions will actually help with the issue. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Yet another guard at the federal women's prison in the city of Dublin has been charged with sexual abuse. The lockup has been nicknamed "the Rape Club" by people incarcerated there. Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED Three Muslim Americans are suing the Department of Homeland Security, over what they say is unconstitutional treatment at Los Angeles International Airport. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW A new rule just published by the Biden administration will overhaul the way asylum claims made at the border are decided. It could speed up the process for tens of thousands of asylum seekers. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing to spend $9 billion on tax refunds, to help California motorists at the pump. Newsom wants to use the state's windfall of tax revenue to send drivers a $400 debit card -- one each for up to two vehicles. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Hundreds of Eastern European migrants are arriving in Tijuana, fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and increasingly repressive governments in Russia itself and its ally Belarus. The migrants coming to Tijuana dream of crossing the border and getting asylum in the U.S. Reporter: Max Rivlin-Nadler In Sacramento, classes are canceled again on Thursday, after thousands of teachers and staff at the Sacramento City Unified School District walked off the job. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Navigating through the pandemic and drought conditions has been a major challenge for California's farming industry. With more dry conditions ahead, and costs increasing and the global supply chain still an issue, it could be another tough year. Guest: Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau As many as half of the people serving life in prison without possibility of parole in California were convicted under a law critics say perpetuates gender and racial disparities. That’s according to a national report out this week by advocacy organizations calling for an end to the practice. Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the US Senate considers the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black female justice on the US Supreme Court, a panel in San Francisco has voted to confirm Appeal Court Justice Patricia Guererro to become the first Latina member on the California Supreme Court. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Two major California bail bond service providers are set to be hit with proposed class action lawsuits. The lawsuit names two of the largest bail bond agents in California – Aladdin Bail Bonds and All-Pro Bail Bonds – and seeks repayment for people who’ve co-signed bail bond payments without getting notices that make clear what that obligation entails. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has many of us here in the United States asking what we can do to help. A couple in Los Angeles are now hosting a Ukrainian woman who fled her home in Kyiv. Reporter: Caroline Feraday, KCLU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A strike by workers at the Chevron refinery in the Bay Area city of Richmond could mean more bad news for already sky-high California gas prices. Chevron says it plans to continue normal operations at the plant despite the walkout, but any disruptions could lead to even higher prices. A California inmate originally from Cambodia is awaiting final approval for parole. But he fears that rather than be released to his family, he could get locked up again by immigration authorities, and even deported. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Efforts are ramping up to recall Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon from office. A similar effort failed last year, but supporters of the recall say public safety could play a big role this time around. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report WNBA star Brittney Griner is currently jailed in Russia after being accused of smuggling hashish oil into the country, something that could carry up to a 10 year prison sentence. Her arrest has called into question LGBTQ rights and the possible political motivation behind her detainment. Reporter: Sara Hossaini, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new bill aims to protect transgender youth and their families from legal action if they come to California for medical care. This comes after a number of Republican-controlled states considered legislation targeting gender-affirming medical care. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW In 1966, at the height of the civil rights movement, a live call-in radio show premiered on San Diego’s airwaves. The show washosted and created by local civil rights leaders Harold K. Brown and Reverend R. Major Shavers. Brown now reflects on what has and hasn't been done in the fight for racial equality. Reporter: Christina Kim, KPBS At least three proposals to address the high cost of gasoline are floating around in Sacramento. One that seems to have widespread support is a $400 rebate plan for California taxpayers. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles are falling, and fewer people are in the hospital. But an omicron subvariant is putting the county health department on alert. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new proposal from a group of mostly Democratic state lawmakers would send a $400 rebate to California taxpayers to help with the massive surge in gas prices. The group has sent a letter to Governor Newsom, arguing that a rebate would cover the current 51-cents per gallon state gas tax for a full year. For two years now, Los Angeles tenants have been protected from eviction over non-payment of rent. Now, county leaders are giving landlords some relief on their taxes. Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC California Attorney General Rob Bonta is calling out the city of Pasadena for trying to avoid the implementation of SB 9. That's the new state law that allows for the construction of up to four housing units on parcels of land previously zoned for single family homes. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report A California Assembly bill with bi-partisan support aims to hold social media platforms liable with financial consequences for knowingly addicting children to their services. The bill – known as the Social Media Platform Duty to Children Act – is the first of its kind in the nation. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Scientists monitoring Bay Area wastewater for signs of another coronavirus wave, driven by an omicron subvariant, have not detected any sustained rise in the region. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED Minor League baseball players have been pushing for better pay for years. Now, a California state senator is hoping his legislation can lead to a national movement to help them. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuesday marks the one year anniversary of the Atlanta spa shootings in which eight people were killed – six of them Asian women. In Los Angeles, rememberances will be deliberatley muted. Reporter: Josie Huang, KPCC In the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing, the California Department of Corrections disciplined two officers for making racist statements on social media. Thanks to a new law, we now can see what those officers, both white, posted and how they were disciplined. Guest: Sukey Lewis, Criminal Justice Correspondent, KQED From racial disparities in arrests, to the percentage of crimes solved and the cost of policing, San Francisco is performing worse than other major cities across the state. That's according to a new report from the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED The family of a man who died in California Highway Patrol custody says a video proves that CHP officers killed him. The video was released as part of a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of 38-year-old Edward Bronstein, who died after a DUI stop in Los Angeles in 2020. Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC Public records reveal that, between 2014 and 2019, more than 40% of people seriously injured or killed by Bakersfield police displayed signs of a mental health condition or intoxication. That’s according to a new analysis done by Valley Public Radio and the California Reporting Project. Reporter: Soreath Hok, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ukrainians seeking asylum at U.S. southern border may be turned away because of a Trump-era policy relating to the pandemic. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS Alleged sexual assault of incarcerated women at a Dublin prison is so rampant some inmates and staff refer to it as “the rape club." California lawmakers personally visited to hear from incarcerated people firsthand. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED Gov. Newsom signed emergency legislation yesterday to nullify a court order freezing enrollment at UC Berkeley after it passed unanimously in the state legislature. Reporter: Sara Hossaini, KQED Two California lawmakers want the state's fire agency, CAL Fire, to respond more quickly to forest fires, but fire experts say fire intense suppression is already CAL Fire policy, and that it's to blame for increasingly severe fires. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Community health clinics have vaccinated hundreds of thousands of low income Californians for more than a year, but due to a federal funding glitch the clinics have been absorbing the cost. And now, Los Angeles’ largest community health center may have to close vaccination sites in some of LA’s poorest areas. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC California voters passed a ballot measure in 2018 to do away with changing our clocks twice a year. But almost four years later, we’re still springing forward. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio High school students across the state have been walking out of class to call for change in how administrators handle sexual assault claims. In Humboldt County last fall, students protested for three straight days. Months later, some students in the rural town of Fortuna say they’re still grappling with the fallout of speaking out. Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED You, of course, go to the library for books and information. But in Los Angeles, the public library system might soon be a place people go for help with mental health issues. Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The state’s top conservation official says that California is "very clearly" headed into a third year of drought. He encouraged Californians to save water, but the state is not yet mandating it. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED According to the United Nations, more than two million people have fled Ukraine since Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of the country late last month. Two of them are a 94-year-old mother and her 70-year-old son with family in San Francisco. They made it safely to Germany this week, with the help of two of Ukraine's most famous athletes. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report The Senate and House have approved a massive $1.5 trillion spending plan that will keep the federal government funded through September. It awaits President Biden's signature. But many restaurant and bar owners feel like they're being left out in the cold. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Advocates for immigrants in California are rallying around an Orange County man, who is suing the federal government over repeated attempts to deport him. An Nguyen committed several robberies in California, for which he served 26 years, before he was released in 2019. Reporter: Josie Huang, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California officials are cheering a Biden administration move to restore the state’s power in setting its own smog control rules. The decision reverses a Trump-era policy. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED California Republican Congressman and House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy is calling on Governor Newsom to reverse the state’s restrictions on oil and gas production, now that Russian oil imports have been banned. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Californians have rushed to aid people from the embattled country, no matter if they had ties to it or not. Those relief efforts continue on the ground in Europe. Guest: Kerri Murray, President, ShelterBox USA Starting Friday, San Francisco will no longer require proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter restaurants, bars and gyms. Reporter: Carly Severn, KQED In Los Angeles, the city council on Wednesday took a step toward rolling back L.A.’s indoor vaccine mandate. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC As tax time approaches, new data shows that the poorest taxpayers are audited at five times the rate of everyone else. And California has more of those tax filers than any other state. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED A new national survey has found 166 publicly disclosed cyberattacks affecting schools last year. Just nine school breaches were reported to the California Attorney General’s office in 2021, but those numbers are likely underreported. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we continue to see and hear the harrowing stories coming out of Ukraine, we’re talking to Californians with connections to the region who are trying to help . One of them is Patrick Kolasinski, an immigration attorney now based in Modesto, but originally from Poland. He and other attorneys are helping Ukrainians with legal issues they might have. Guest: Patrick Kolasinski, Immigrant Attorney based out of Modesto Governor Gavin Newsom gave his annual State of the State address on Tuesday night and used the speech to push back against critics who say California is careening out of control under his leadership. He's also proposing to help Californians who are struggling with record-high gas prices. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED With gasoline prices at record levels in California and President Biden announcing a ban on the importation of Russian oil to the U.S. in response to the invasion of Ukraine, many Californians are wondering how high gas prices will go, and whether the state can do anything to help alleviate the pain at the pump for consumers. Guest: Severin Borenstein, Professor, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business Starting next Monday, L.A. County will align with the state to allow K-12 students to go maskless when they’re inside classrooms. A new survey shows some parents are ready to see the nation’s second largest school district’s mask requirement loosened. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom will deliver his annual State of the State address from Sacramento on Tuesday. The state of the state speech is typically a chance for governors to lay out their big plans for the year ahead, but it could be a little different this year. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED California’s seas are rising and for the first time, all 17 of the state’s agencies have come together to plan for the impact. But some long-discounted communities are yet again feeling left out of these conversations. Guest: Ezra David Romero, Reporter, KQED A bill introduced in the state legislature would prohibit police from matching DNA from rape survivors to unrelated crimes. It comes following a scandal involving the San Francisco Police Department, which misused a rape victims' DNA to arrest her for burglary. Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED A San Francisco supervisor is introducing a resolution supporting a campaign to allow young immigrants to legally work while they apply for humanitarian protections known as Special Immigrant Juvenile, or SIJ status. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED California is investing billions of dollars in high-tech solutions to predict and respond to natural disasters. But residents in rural communities, facing fires, floods and winter storms, are increasingly embracing an old school technology: two-way radios. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Sunday, volunteers at Los Angeles’ Ukrainian Cultural Center filled big plastic bags full of supplies dropped off by people, to help Ukraine. Ukrainian advocates in the Bay Area are welcoming news that federal authorities will offer humanitarian protections to thousands of Ukrainians already in the U.S. An estimated 75,000 Ukrainians could receive Temporary Protected Status for 18 months, if they arrived in the U.S. before March 1. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Many school districts across the state are trying to figure out how to deal with budgetary issues, along with declining enrollment numbers. Some are proposing closing campuses, which has led to protests from students and their families. Guest: Michael Fine, Executive Director of California’s Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team California State Parks is considering a new name for part of Folsom Lake State Recreation Area east of Sacramento. Some residents say, the current name has caused harm for decades. Reporter: Sarah Mizes-Tan, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Los Angeles County is lifting its universal mask mandate on Friday. That means face coverings will no longer be required in public indoor settings -- whether or not you're vaccinated. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC A new podcast -- “Idolo: the Ballad of Chalino Sanchez” -- follows the remarkable story of a Mexican singer, whose career was cut short at its peak when he was murdered in the early 1990s. Both Sanchez and the creators of the podcast have deep roots in Southern California. Reporter: Blanca Torres, KQED A recently released report shows that California is way behind in helping people with COVID-related hardships pay their back rent. The study from PolicyLink finds that in a year of operation, only 16 percent of applicants have received aid. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, KQED Immigrant and worker rights advocates gathered in Sacramento on Thursday in support of the first-ever bill to give unemployment benefits to undocumented immigrants. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Bars and restaurants have been hit hard by the pandemic -- in fact, more than 90,000 have closed across the country. And many are now seeking some type of federal funding to help keep them afloat, as COVID-19 restrictions are eased. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Poor people and people of color have been largely kept out of neighborhoods with single family homes in Los Angeles. And a new study from UC Berkeley’s Othering and Belonging Institute confirms that LA’s single family zoning laws are to blame. Guest: David Wagner, Reporter, KPCC and LAist The Los Angeles police commission has approved a new policy that requires officers to explain on camera why they’re making a traffic or pedestrian stop. The commission cracked down specifically on pretextual stops – that’s when an officer makes a traffic or pedestrian stop for a minor issue and uses it to search for a more serious crime. Reporter: Emily Elena Dugdale, KPCC California Attorney General Rob Bonta is joining a bipartisan coalition of state Attorneys General, investigating how TikTok promotes itself to children and young adults. He's looking itno whether TikTok possibly violated state consumer protection laws. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED California’s courts, police and other services are partially funded through fines and fees. But for low income Californians, those fines and fees could mean a push deeper into poverty, according to new research. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Back in 2020, when then-candidate Joe Biden was debating then-president Donald Trump, he came out strongly against one particular practice: separating migrant families at the border. So it was surprising when, in December, news broke that the Biden administration had suddenly dropped out of negotiations to compensate families for the harm they suffered. Advocates believe money and politics are to blame. Reporter: Michelle Wiley, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Californians who are not vaccinated do not have to wear a mask in many indoor setting, like bars, restaurants and stores. This week's announcement is welcome news to many, but also concerning for some who have tried their best to not get infected during the pandemic. Guest: Abraar Karan, Infectious Disease Expert, Stanford School of Medicine Californians can expect more water conservation measures this summer after another disappointing snow survey. The latest numbers show California's snowpack at 63-percent of average. Reporter: Katrina Schwartz, KQED People with ties to Ukraine here in California are busy organizing to help provide humanitarian aid. Some are even relying on their business ties back home to help. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report California could become the first state in the country to expand health coverage to all low-income immigrants. Right now, most undocumented adults still aren’t eligible for Medi-Cal coverage, and that's forcing some families to make life and death decisions. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, Valley Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A gunman killed his three daughters and another person before turning the gun on himself at a church in the Sacramento area on Monday night. Law enforcement officials say there was a temporary restraining order against him, which meant he shouldn't have had access to a gun. Crime has become a key concern for many California voters ahead of this year’s election season. Earlier in the pandemic, the country saw an unprecedented spike in murders, but the story has become a little more complicated, and the political debate doesn’t necessarily reflect the data. Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED Political Correspondent From March 12th onwards, California students can go to school without their masks, if local districts allow it. The state announced Monday it’s shifting from requiring masks, to recommending them. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED The state’s Employment Development Department has announced it’s going to drastically expand language support for the at least 7 million Californians whose first language isn’t English. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report The gap in voter turnout between white and Black Californians continues to grow, according to new research published Monday by the Center for Inclusive Democracy at USC. This after a historic year for voter turnout in 2020. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices