KQED's The California Report

Last month, we reported that delays for state hearings in wage theft cases are hurting low-wage workers hoping to recover the money they’re owed. Now, new data obtained by KQED shows how much those wait times have ballooned in recent years. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Anti-war rallies continue across California, in support of Ukraine. Many Ukrainians living in California are worried about friends and family who are either staying to fight or struggling to get out of the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Russian forces continue their assault on Ukraine, Californians who are from the region or who have friends and family there are trying to comprehend everything that has happened over the last two days. Guest: Laryssa Reifel, President of Ukrainian Cultural Center in Los Angeles California’s reparations task force continued meeting Thursday, but many task force members were left disappointed. That's because no decision was made on who would qualify for California's reparations program. Reporter: Lakshmi Sarah, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Russia launching attacks on Ukraine on multiple fronts, these are very frightening times for anyone with family, friends and colleagues in that country. That includes thousands of people in the Bay Area with personal and business ties to Ukraine. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Federal officials are predicting a third consecutive dry year for California. And that’s led them to dramatically cut back on water allocations from a huge federal irrigation project that provides water to much of the state. Reporter: Katrina Schwartz, KQED During the pandemic, the state’s Employment Development Department has grappled with how to effectively combat fraud, while still doing right by Californians who need its services. Earlier this week, the agency once again faced this conundrum at a state Assembly hearing. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California public schools could be required to have COVID-19 testing and management plans under new legislation introduced Tuesday in the state senate. The bill by State Senator Richard Pan of Sacramento, would also provide state resources to carry out the plans. The Rancho Santa Fe School District is making indoor masking optional for students. This comes as the state has not issued additional guidance on when it might loosen mask rules. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report On Tuesday, truck drivers, opposed to COVID-19 mandates, are supposed to set off on what they’re calling “The People’s Convoy” from the city of Adelanto in San Bernardino County. Their destination? Washington D.C. Guest: Ryan Broderick, Journalist with the tech website The Verge There’s been an ongoing dispute between UC Berkeley and a neighborhood group over building more student housing to accommodate growing enrollment at Cal. But new legislation could allow public universities and other state schools to build on-campus housing without an environmental review. Reporter: Sara Hossaini, KQED The California Democratic Party says it will no longer accept donations from the fossil fuel industry. The state Democratic party is trying to align its financial sources with its rhetoric on the need for climate action. Reporter: Katrina Schwartz, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russian president Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognize two regions of Ukraine as independent states and send in Russian troops has led to greater global concerns that things could escalate quickly in the region. And many with ties to the Ukraine in the Bay Area are worried about the safety of friends and family. Reporter: Cesar Saldaña, KQED California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger is said to be on President Biden’s short list to fill the seat of retiring U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED In 2021, the murder rate went up in several California cities, including Oakland, which saw homicides reach a 15 year high. At the same time, there are continuing calls to cut the police budget, with many in the community arguing the money could be spent on other programs they think could better deal with the roots of crime. Guest: LeRonne Armstrong, Oakland Chief of Police Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alberto Carvalho faces many challenges as he takes over the Los Angeles Unified School District. One of his main goals is dealing with some of the impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to both students and teachers, Guest: Alberto Carvalho, LA Unified Superintendent Millions of Americans with disabilities face barriers to getting married. Tying the knot can mean losing the federal benefits they rely on. Reporter: Erika Mahoney, KAZU Governor Gavin Newsom and other California Democrats say they’ll use the U.S. Supreme Court’s reasoning on the Texas anti-abortion law to advance gun more control measures in California. Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED A few years ago, Stephanie Foo was working as a successful radio journalist, producing stories for the show, This American Life. Then, it all started to unravel. The pain from Foo’s past – she suffered terrible child abuse – was catching up with her, and she's written a memoir about it. Guest: Stephanie Foo, Journalist and Author of the book “What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Chancellor Joseph Castro’s departure was announced Thursday after the Fresno State Academic Senate - which represents the schools’ faculty - issued a declaration of no confidence in the chancellor earlier this week. Isolation, fear, and remote learning because of the pandemic have been changing how teenagers think about school. Reporter: Caroline Smith, KQED As California is on track to have the driest February on record, the tool is designed to help residents make better decisions about how they use water. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED In a press conference yesterday Governor Newsom said Californians should move away from a reactive mindset and learn to live with the virus. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED Clinics that have been vaccinating people who use MediCal say the debt is affecting their operations. A new senate bill aims to shore up funding. Reporter: Jackie Fortiér, KPCC The first season of "Imperfect Paradise" is about the struggle to get unhoused people in Orange County into stable housing. The problem isn't always finding land, or money. It's convincing the neighbors. Former Vice-President Mike Pence was invited to speak at Stanford University by the Stanford College Republicans. Pence discussed topics such as the January 6th insurrection and the 2020 presidential election, to a mix of applause and heckling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first records released to KQED under an expanded police transparency law signed by Governor Newsom last year give the public a glimpse into how police departments investigate officer discrimination. The police department of Avenal, a small town in the Central Valley, cut the pay of a sergeant for using a racial slur while on-duty. Reporter: Sukey Lewis, KQED Bay Area Representative Jackie Speier is introducing a bill that would take federal pensions away from congressmembers who are convicted of sexual abuse. She said the bill was inspired by disciplinary standards in the U.S. military. Reporter: Raquel Maria Dillon, KQED Cal State University’s Board of Trustees is scheduled to hold a closed door meeting on Thursday to discuss whether to launch an investigation into the actions of Chancellor Jospeh Castro. Castro is accused of mishandling sexual harrassment claims while he served as president of Fresno State University. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sea levels along the U.S. coastline are projected to rise by a foot or more by 2050, according to new federal data. But the projections are lower for the West Coast than for the rest of the country. Guest: Ezra David Romero, KQED Climate Reporter California’s battle against single-use plastic waste continues this week. Lawmakers are considering a bill that would limit the types of packaging online retailers can use. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW State lawmakers have announced two bills to tackle COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation online. One specifically asks for help from social media platforms, to better recognize what's being done to counter COVID-19 confusion. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED The revelation this week that San Francisco police used DNA provided by a sexual assault victim, to identify and arrest her years later for an unrelated crime is generating national outrage. Many are now calling for legislation to ban the practice. Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED The Kern County Sheriff’s Department says it’s received 1,500 inquiries, after releasing a recruitment video targeting Los Angeles County deputies who are at risk of losing their jobs if they don’t get vaccinated for COVID-19. Masks are no longer required in most indoor settings across the state, although some counties are keeping those guidelines in place. Many businesses are continuing to require employees to wear masks, as a way to better protect them from COVID-19. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While masking requirements will be lifted for most settings in California starting February 16th, schools aren't one of them – yet. This has school staff, healthcare officials, and others debating when the time is right to unmask Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED The Roseville Joint Union High School District Board of Trustees voted last week to make face coverings optional. According to a new Berkeley IGS poll, Governor Newsom's response to crime and homelessness got especially poor reviews, but it wasn't all bad news. Two-thirds of voters thought the pandemic is improving. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin says San Francisco Police store DNA evidence of victims of sexual assaults, and routinely check that DNA for links to other crimes. Sexual violence prevention advocates are calling for an immediate end to the practice. Over a dozen bills primarily targeting Amazon, Apple, Google and Meta are being discussed in Washington D.C. One big issue is how the companies use their users' personal data. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED A new report by the Gender Equity Policy Institute says that undocumented women in California earn 49 cents to every dollar made by white men. Reporter: Michelle Wiley, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mask mandates are soon disappearing for most people in California, but they’ll remain in place at congregate settings like immigrant detention centers. In many of these facilities, COVID-19 is spreading, but detained people say it’s been tough to get a booster shot to protect themselves. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Immigrant rights advocates are warning Cambodian communities in California about deportations in the coming weeks. During the pandemic, deportations were paused, but some warn they're starting back up again. Reporter: Josie Huang, KPCC The Los Angeles Rams are Super Bowl champions, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 at SoFi Stadium. Fans celebrated across Los Angeles, causing some damage, particularly in the downtown area. The filing deadline has passed for people who want to run in this year's mayoral election in Los Angeles. But before it did, one final candidate got in under the wire. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report The Port of Los Angeles has gotten the green light to open a new dock-worker training center later this year. The goal is to prepare workers for a future with more automation at one of the nation's largest ports. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW In a new proposal, the CDC could loosen some of the restrictions on opioid prescribing that some doctors have said harm patients dealing with chronic pain. Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly two years into the pandemic, California is still under a state of emergency. And Republican state lawmakers are trying to change that. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Super Bowl 56 takes place this weekend at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. And while the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals do battle on the field, another battle is taking place in the community -- over rising homes prices, rent and gentrification. Guest: Erin Aubry Kaplan, Journalist and Writer With new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations falling fast in L.A. County, some outdoor mask restrictions may be lifted as soon as next week. But it may take awhile longer to lift restrictions on indoor masking. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC The state of California is suing electric car maker Tesla, alleging widespread racial discrimination and harassment at the company’s auto plant in Fremont. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED The California Board of State and Community Corrections met on Thursday to discuss programs funded by Prop 47, a ballot measure passed by California voters in 2014, that may have reduced recidivism. In addition to reducing penalties for certain crimes, Prop 47 also funded mental health services, substance abuse treatment and other programs. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin is facing a recall election in June and another effort is underway to push Los Angeles DA George Gascon out of office. Both are seen as progressive when it comes to crime, and have butted heads with law enforcement agencies. Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED Political Correspondent Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law Wednesday that would extend supplemental paid sick leave. He also said state health officials will be releasing more information in the coming days on masking in schools. Almost 60% of young people aged 16 to 25 feel worried or extremely worried about climate change, according to a survey released late last year that polled people in 10 countries. Some younger people in California are channeling that anxiety into action. Reporter: Gabriella Frenes, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresno State University is creating a new task force to assess its policies and procedures on harassment and discrimination. This comes after a recent investigation by USA Today revealed that the school’s former president and current Cal State University Chancellor Joseph Castro badly mishandled claims of sexual harassment against a top administrator. Traditionally, it’s been easy to become an auto mechanic and never touch an electric car or truck. That may be changing as the state prepares for the year 2035, when all new vehicles sold are supposed to be electric. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW Officials in San Diego County are asking the state Department of Public Health to issue new guidelines on when it’s safe to phase out the COVID-19 mask mandate for schools. This comes as indoor mask rules are set to expire for fully vaccinated Californians next week. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report The town of Paradise continues the slow, painstaking and painful process of rebuilding from 2018’s Camp Fire. Part of that process involves confronting the history of why the tragedy happened. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California is easing some of the pandemic restrictions put in place during the omicron surge, including the statewide indoor mask requirement. That mandate will expire on February 15. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED A new California law will require schools to expand their mental health instruction. Educators say it would have been a welcome mandate before the pandemic, and it’s even more so now. Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC A recall campaign led by extreme conservative groups to remove a Shasta County Supervisor has succeeded. The target of the recall was himself a Republican. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED There are growing calls for a full investigation of California State University Chancellor Joseph Castro, after an investigation found that in a previous job, he failed to discipline a senior administrator following a series of workplace harassment complaints. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio The city of Los Angeles has put a pause on impounding cars for unpaid parking tickets. The directive follows a lawsuit that could shake up how L.A. enforces parking. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW Officials in Woodside, in San Mateo County, have backed down from their plan to sidestep Senate Bill 9, the state’s new housing law, over concern for local mountain lions. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the omicron surge first swept through California, nursing homes implemented more stringent testing requirements for visitors. It was right about the same time that California started allowing COVID positive nurses who aren’t showing symptoms to keep showing up to work. That has many visitors feeling confused, and frustrated. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Fewer and fewer students in California are taking the bus to school. As the numbers continue to decline, Bay Area State Senator Nancy Skinner is hoping legislation will help give families more options. But even if Skinner’s legislation is passed, can enough school bus drivers be found? Many districts are already reporting problems hiring and keeping drivers because of the job market and COVID-19. That includes in Sacramento. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED Wildfires are a greater threat during periods of drought, which should surprise no one. But new research from Stanford University shows that the wildfire threat during times of scant rainfall is not spread evenly. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Los Angeles’ lowest paid workers will get a pay bump this summer. Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced that the city's minimum wage will rise to more than $16 an hour on July 1. Reporter: Darrell Satzman, KCRW The 2022 Winter Olympic Games open in Beijing Friday. And that sporting spectacle has some people remembering the one and only time the Winter Games were held here in California. It was 1960 at the then named Squaw Valley near Lake Tahoe. Guest: David Antonucci, Author of the book "Snowball’s Chance: The Story of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games" LA County health officials have announced their new criteria for when that county indoor mask mandate can be lifted. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC In response to the omicron surge, the Newsom administration is increasing its reliance on a border wall company to provide medical staffing around the state. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Safety is one of the major concerns for Southern California officials, with the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium a little more than a week away. But there’s also the pandemic. Even though infection rates in Los Angeles County have steadily declined, the county is still averaging thousands of new cases a day over the past week. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC In recent weeks, Governor Gavin Newsom has suggested that state health officials are working on an endemic plan for California, which would outline how the state will live with COVID-19. But with the omicron wave and possible other variants down the line, should the state ease some of its restrictions? Guest: Dr. Abraar Karan, Infectious Disease Expert, Stanford University School of Medicine A new poll shows the COVID-19 pandemic still tops the list of concerns for Californians. Nearly one-fifth of those polled by the Public Policy Institute of California say COVID-19 is the most important issue for state leaders to tackle in 2022. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED A state lawmaker is introducing legislation that would require school officials to collect information from parents about guns they store at home. The bill from State Senator Anthony Portantino was inspired by a school shooting in Michigan last year. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED The nation’s troubled immigration courts would get an overhaul under a bill being introduced Thursday by San Jose Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. They've been plagued by a backlog of 1.6 million cases, and lack due process protections. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED A state appeals court has rejected a bid by a group of 22 PG&E employee, to black out their names from evidence gathered during the criminal investigation into the 2018 Camp Fire. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED 2022 is an election year. And more California counties will be making the switch from polling places to larger vote centers, where people can cast their ballots over several days. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The water contained in California’s mountain snow is now lower than the historical average, after a January without significant rain or snow. That could mean another difficult drought year for Californians. Guest: Ezra David Romero, Climate Reporter, KQED With the extremely dry January, preceded by a very wet December, state officials say it's part of the volatile shifts in weather brought about by climate change. But as we head into another year of drought, some cities are trying to get ahead on conservation efforts. Guest: Laura Bliss, Bloomberg CityLab Reporter In rural Shasta County, an effort to recall a county supervisor who his critics said was too deferential to Sacramento’s COVID-19 restrictions is too close to call. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED The fallout from California's failed attempt to pass single-payer healthcare legislation continues. Assemblyman Ash Kalra is defending his decision to not bring the bill up for a vote. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED California has been a national leader in the movement to get residents healthcare coverage. But a recent analysis out of UCLA finds disparities in access to care persist. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a big spike, COVID-19 cases are now falling in California. And hospitalizations are also declining. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED Starting Tuesday, people who are vaccinated and boosted can take off their masks in certain indoor spaces in San Francisco. The new rule says anyone who’s fully vaccinated can go maskless in places like gyms, offices, college classes and religious services. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED While San Francisco is relaxing its mask rules, LA County’s mask mandate remains in place. The mandate will only be lifted if cases, hospitalizations and transmission hit a low benchmark, under county criteria put in place last fall. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC California lawmakers’ most recent attempt to create a single-payer health system, that would have provided coverage to all Californians, is now dead. The proposal didn't even come up for a vote in the state legislature on Monday. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED New traffic fatality numbers are out for California cities and they show that last year, our streets got more dangerous even though cities, like Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego, have launched ambitious programs to reduce traffic deaths. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report A new director will be sworn in Tuesday to head the state’s Employment Development Department, or EDD. That’s the agency that’s faced a barrage of criticism for paying out billions in fraudulent unemployment claims while legitimate applicants struggled to get the help they were due. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report A bill that would create a new commission to set pay and working conditions in California's fast food industry won approval in the state Assembly on Monday. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rams and 49ers renewed their rivalry on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game. And after falling behind early, Los Angeles got a late field goal and interception to seal the win. They're now headed to the Super Bowl in two weeks, which will be played on their home field, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. SB9, a new law in California, allows some homeowners to divide and redevelop their properties, with the hope of producing more homes and apartments. But many are divided on the law and what it will mean for their community and the neighborhoods they live in. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report A bill that would create a government-run, single-payer health care system in California goes before the full state Assembly on Monday for a vote. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED State investigators found a company with Burger King franchises in San Francisco owes nearly $2 million for wage theft. But that was a year and a half ago. And workers are still waiting for their money, as the state has not scheduled a hearing to finalize their case. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Los Angeles Rams will take on the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday in the NFC Championship at SoFi Stadium. Ticketing for the game has been controversial, as the Rams have tried to make it more difficult for Niners fans to grab seats. Guest: Tony Knopp, CEO of Ticketmanager Even though Los Angeles County appears to be past the omicron peak, health officials say residents can’t get complacent. LA County Health Director Barbara Ferrer estimates that the peak was January 8th, but said the virus is still circulating. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC In rural Shasta County, about 3 hours north of Sacramento, a Republican county supervisor is the target of a recall. A recall initiated by a local militia leader. The election is next week and the outcome could determine how far to the right this local government will move, in an already deeply conservative county. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oil drilling in Los Angeles is on the way out. The city council has voted unanimously to ban new oil and gas wells and to phase out existing ones over the next 20 years. Gas stoves have greater health and climate impacts than scientists previously thought. That's according to a new study out of Stanford University. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED Nearly half of Californians have postponed addressing a health issue in the past 12 months because of cost. That’s according to the latest annual poll by the California Health Care Foundation. Reporter: Tara Siler, KQED California is the first state in the nation to examine how to compensate Black residents for centuries of racial injustice. The state's Reparations Task Force meets this week to further study how the impacts of slavery are felt today and to ask several daunting questions about how to remedy the harm. Guest: Christina Kim, Racial Justice and Social Equity Reporter, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of people have had to call out sick from work this winter. Either they had COVID-19, or their kid had it. Now, under a new deal brokered with Governor Gavin Newsom, California workers may get retroactive sick leave for the time they had to take off. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED 20 states started this year off with a new increase in their minimum wage, including California. A new study finds those wage hikes can help low-income renters avoid eviction. Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC In downtown Sacramento the restored Sutter Fort is a hot spot for elementary school field trips. People in pioneer costumes. Exhibits of colonial era tools. The fort helped shape California as we know it - but at great cost to Indigenous people. Reporter: Pauline Bartolone, CapRadio Along the rugged coast of Mendocino County, groves of towering old growth redwoods were once the hunting and fishing grounds of indigenous tribes. Until European settlers and loggers arrived. Now, one of those forests is being returned to its Native inhabitants. Reporter: Annelise Finney, KQED Renters in Los Angeles County are getting extra protections to stay in their homes. The county is extending its moratorium on evictions for tenants who can’t pay their rent because of the pandemic. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she’s running for reelection. The announcement ends speculation Pelosi might retire. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the next week, legislation that would help create a single-payer health plan in California will face a key test. The bill must pass out of the Assembly by January 31 or it’s dead. The effort is being led by the state’s nurses union, but opposed by the largest association of doctors. Guest: Dr. Micah Johnson, co-author of the book Medicare for All: A Citizen’s Guide Legislation introduced by State Senator Richard Pan would eliminate a personal belief exemption in school-based COVID-19 vaccination requirements. The proposal is expected to face strong pushback from those who have fought vaccine mandates. The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will renew their rivalry Sunday at SoFi Stadium, with a berth in the Super Bowl on the line. The Rams are hoping their fans show up more than they did in the regular season finale between the two teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California regulators are taking more time to consider changing the state’s solar marketplace. This comes after a proposal released in mid-December roiled the solar industry. Reporter Erik Anderson, KPBS Both the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams have advanced to the NFC Championship this weekend at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The winner will head to the Super Bowl, which is also being held at SoFi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kamala Harris Visits San Bernardino To Announce Wildfire Prevention Funds Harris will announce 1.3 Billion Dollars in disaster relief funding for the U.S. Forest Service. Nearly half of that will go to California. Reporter: Jonathan Linden, KVCR U.S Senator Alex Padilla on Voting Rights Setback California’s junior U.S. Senator, Democrat Alex Padilla, has just marked his first year in office. A progressive who’s an ardent supporter of much of the Biden Administration’ policy goals, Padilla has participated in some victories, like the passage of the big infrastructure bill. But he’s also seen a lot of what he went to Washington to do, like immigration reform and more social spending, blocked by both Republicans and his fellow Democrats. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report New Study Shows How Generations of Race Based Prescribing Guidelines Were Wrong For generations, doctors have been taught to prescribe certain medications to Black patients with high blood pressure. A new study out this week from UCSF finds those guidelines showed no benefits. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s been a lot of debate lately in California over whether efforts to roll back tough on crime laws have gone too far. Often, those conversations pit law enforcement officials against those who support the reforms. But a a California program to lower prison sentences is being embraced by prosecutors in both red and blue counties. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED The mad scramble for at-home COVID tests has been frustrating for Californians since omicron hit. And for people who have friends and loved ones in skilled nursing facilities, the search is becoming even more of an urgent issue. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report A new bill introduced in Sacramento would increase fines health insurers have to pay when they break the law. The goal is to make sure patients get the care they’re entitled to. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED The federal judge who has overseen Pacific Gas & Electric's probation for the last five years says the company continues to be a wildfire menace to Californians. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED California's forests will need to look a lot different if they’re going to survive the challenges of a warming world. New research out of the University of California and the US Forest Service, provides a roadmap. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s new proposal to loosen surveillance camera rules, as part of her plan to crack down on crime, is facing competition from another measure on the June ballot. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new federal program that allows people to order free at-home COVID-19 tests through the mail launched Tuesday, one day early. The order form looks pretty simple, but wasn’t easy for everyone who tried to submit orders. Guest: Carly Severn, KQED Senior Engagement Editor The omicron surge has jammed hospital emergency rooms with patients. Many of them arrive by ambulance, creating long waits. But officials in Los Angeles County say ambulance response times are improving. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC With the omicron wave of COVID-19 spreading fast, immigration courts in San Francisco are postponing many hearings. But that pause could be a ray of hope for people in an expedited asylum process. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The surge in the omicron variant has left hospitals across California struggling with staffing and in many cases, a rapid increase in COVID-positive patients. But can the state, and U.S. in general learn from some of the successes other countries are having in managing COVID right now? Guest: Eric Topol, Professor of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research For the first time starting this year, agricultural employers in California –- like farmers and farm labor contractors with 26 or more employees -- have to pay their workers overtime after an eight-hour day or 40-hour week. While farmworker advocates are celebrating this change, it’s also created some unintended consequences. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, Valley Public Radio The San Gabriel Valley, east of Los Angeles has one of the highest concentrations of Asian residents in the country. But a new survey indicates a pandemic’s worth of racist incidents has many there feeling shaken. Reporter: Josie Huang, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many in-person celebrations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. have been canceled Monday due to the rapid spread of the omicron variant in California. Despite that, his legacy lives on, particularly in the work being done by California's Legislative Black Caucus, led by State Senator Steven Bradford. Guest: Steven Bradford, State Senator, 35th District First it was new cases and hospitalizations. Now, COVID-19 deaths have jumped significantly in Los Angeles County. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Thursday, nurses across the state held rallies to demand safe staffing levels and stronger workplace protections. It comes as more and more hospital staff across the state are testing positive for COVID-19. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Starting this week, some people with weakened immune systems are eligible for a fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine. There are an estimated seven million people in the U.S. who are immunocompromised, many of whom don’t produce the necessary antibodies to respond to an infection. That leaves them more susceptible to a virus like COVID-19. Guest: Dr. Lindsay Ryan, an internist at UC San Francisco who is herself immunocompromised Governor Gavin Newsom will not allow Robert Kennedy’s killer to be freed from prison, announcing Thursday that he has reversed a decision made by the state’s parole board last summer Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED As the Omicron variant continues to surge throughout the country, here’s one bit of welcome news. New data based on Southern California patients shows they’re not getting as sick as those infected by the Delta strain. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW Worker advocates are calling on Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature to again require that employers provide two weeks of COVID-19 paid sick leave. The last round expired in September. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting this weekend, the costs of at-home COVID-19 tests will be covered for people with private insurance or a group health plan. That means, if you have this kind of coverage and you go online or into a drugstore to purchase a test, the cost should be covered up front or via reimbursement. Guest: Krutika Amin, a Kaiser Family Foundation expert on the Affordable Care Act State prison officials are grappling with a surge in COVID-19 cases in their facilities as the omicron variant spreads. It's impacting both those who are incarcerated and prison staff. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED A state bill that would limit so-called Ellis Act evictions will move forward in the legislature after it passed out of an assembly committee on Wednesday. It would require people who purchase a building to wait at least 5 years before invoking the Ellis Act. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A single payer healthcare bill passed its first legislative hurdle in Sacramento Tuesday night. It’s one of two new proposals that would dramatically increase access to healthcare for Californians. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Hundreds of thousands of Californians might lack access to safe drinking water. That’s according to recent study from UCLA and UC Berkeley. And the drinking water problem disproportionately affects communities of color. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Agriculture is one of the industries hit hardest by supply chain snarls. New research shows that losses from so-called “containergeddon” have reached the billions here in California. Reporter: Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio COVID-19 has affected our mental health in ways we’re only just beginning to understand. For some, the stressors of the pandemic created an added layer of anxiety on top of an already deeply uncertain world. Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom has released his proposed $286 billion state budget for the coming fiscal year. It includes an expansion of healthcare access to all California residents, regardless of immigration status. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Hospitals in the U.S. are seeing a record number of children hospitalized with COVID-19, and California is no exception. In San Diego, the numbers are especially high, but most of the children are testing positive after being admitted to the hospital. Reporter: Kitty Alvarado, KPBS The unprecedented surge in new COVID-19 cases has led to a test shortage at retail stores. Over the weekend, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that gives consumers price-gouging protections. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Grocery stores have been some of the few retailers that have stayed consistently open during the pandemic. Now, a new report highlights how workers at one chain, Kroger’s, which owns Ralph’s and Food 4 Less, are faring and how the virus has impacted their work. Reporter: Michelle Wiley, KQED Governor Newsom is expected to issue an executive order this week that could help schools get substitute teachers into classrooms. The executive order would do three things, according to a source in the Newsom administration: extend the time long-term subs can stay in schools, shorten the time retired teachers must wait before they become eligible to return as subs, and make it easier to credential new substitutes. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED Dr. Bob Wachter with UC San Francisco has been tracking COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. He recently shared a personal story about the virus, after his son tested positive. Guest: Bob Wachter, Chair of the Department of Medicine at UC San Francisco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Statewide, some hospitals are buckling under the pressure of Omicron. As the highly contagious variant continues to sweep through the state, a growing number of hospital staffers are testing positive. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC When Governor Gavin Newsom releases his new state budget on Monday, it will include $2.7 billion to expand the state’s COVID-19 response. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Over the weekend, Los Angeles Unified teachers and students lined up at schools across L.A. to get a COVID test. They’re trying to beat a deadline to get a now required test before school starts on Tuesday. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW In an era of mounting student debt, a community college in Stockton is offering a little help. Administrators at San Joaquin Delta College have announced that COVID-19 relief dollars will be used to erase more than $3.5 million of student debt. Reporter: Alice Woelfle, KQED For months, the state of California has been working to help renters hurt by the pandemic. Now it’s launching a program to assist homeowners. Reporter: David Wagner , KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has extended its indoor mask mandate through at least February 15. State health officials sid the move reflects increasing pressure on hospitals, as roughly 8,000 people are hospitalized for COVID-19 statewide. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED Thursday marks the one year anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, when a mob of pro-Trump supporters violently stormed Congress to try to overturn the lawful 2020 presidential election results. There were many Californians who participated in the insurrection, and some of their cases are still in limbo. Guest: Tom Dreisbach, NPR Investigative Correspondent On the anniversary of the Capitol insurrection, State Senator Scott Wiener is proposing to punish groups that support undermining elections in the future. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Overwhelmed Testing Site in Richmond The spread of omicron has people scrambling to get tested for COVID-19. But the lines are long, appointments get scooped up fast, and rapid antigen tests are really really hard to find. Reporter: Raquel Maria Dillon, KQED Surge of COVID-19 Cases Among City of Los Angeles Emergency Responders Amid the “unprecedented” wave of Covid infections, nearly 1,000 police officers, firefighters and paramedics in the city of Los Angeles aren’t on the job. But Mayor Eric Garcetti says both the police and fire departments have enough staffing to keep the city safe. Reporter: Darrell Satzman, KCRW Federal Prosecutors Opt Not to Extend PG&E Criminal Probation Federal prosecutors have announced they will not try to extend Pacific Gas and Electric’s criminal probation beyond its scheduled end later this month. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has shattered previous records for new daily coronavirus cases this week and the state’s test positivity rate is higher than its been. In most places around the state, hospitalizations remain much lower than earlier surges, thanks to vaccinations and a milder variant. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED With the state legislature back in session in Sacramento, Republicans are aiming to get some of their agenda items passed this year, even if they're in the clear minority in both the Assembly and Senate. Guest: Scott Wilk, California State Senate Minority Leader State water officials are asking Californians to cut back on unnecessary water use, or face fines. Water regulators have asked for 15% water cutbacks, but Californians are saving less than half of that. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED CalFire investigators have determined that a Pacific Gas & Electric power line sparked last summer's destructive Dixie Fire in the northern Sierra. A tree came into contact with the line in the Feather River Canyon. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Hotel workers in the city of West Hollywood now earn the highest minimum wages in the country. That’s thanks to a new local law. Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

COVID-19 cases are surging among both adults and children in Los Angeles County, as kids hospitalized with COVID-19 jumped nearly 190% last month. Despite the spike in infections, school is back in session next week for students who attend the L.A. Unified School District. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW California's Senate and Assembly are back in session in Sacramento. There are a number of issues on the table, with everything from housing and homelessness, to the pandemic. Guest: Anthony Rendon, California Assembly Speaker One of the most powerful labor advocates in the California Legislature has announced a surprise departure. Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez is leaving to work with the California Labor Federation. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Central Valley Republican Congressman Devin Nunes has officially retired, after nearly two decades in Congress. It's still unclear when a special election will be held to decide who serves the rest of his term. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED A state lawmaker wants to change how schools are funded. He says the proposal would lead to an additional $3 billion a year for school districts. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED A judge in San Francisco has signaled he may be willing to extend Pacific Gas and Electric’s federal court probation, beyond its scheduled end later this month. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Thousands of residents in Nevada, Placer and El Dorado counties are still without power, more than a week after massive snow storms pounded the region. Reporter: Chloe Veltman, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

COVID-19 cases continue to surge in California. And while hospitalizations are also on the rise, it's not the same surge as the state saw during the summer and last winter. Guest: Dr. Monica Gandhi, Infectious Disease Expert, UC San Francisco Scientists and volunteers from San Diego to the Oregon border are flocking to shorelines on Monday, to document king tides. Researchers say these king tides are increasingly important to record because they offer a look into growing threats from climate change. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Hospitals and blood donation centers are asking healthy Californians to give blood, amid a nationwide shortage. The pandemic closed many traditional blood drive locations for months, just as the need for blood has increased as more people undergo delayed surgeries. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2021 proved to be an exciting year in the world of space exploration. From successful missions to Mars to private companies launching their own rockets, it all bodes well for the expansion of space exploration in the coming years. Guest: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sherman Indian High School in Riverside is a boarding school, where Native American students from across the country can come and earn a high school diploma while also maintaining their tribal traditions and language. They also have a museum for the school’s 100 year history, that has brought healing to many in the indigenous community. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California is often a place where people resettle to live out their dreams. But following the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, it's been a refuge for Afghans, who have often times struggled with the culture shift of living in California and the United States. Guest: Mustafa, Former Interpreter for American organizations in Afghanistan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Groundwater is an important part of the puzzle in the state's outlook for water supplies, especially during drought years. And the state is now reviewing sustainability plans that have been put together by local agencies. Guest: Kerry Klein, Reporter KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The holidays often highlight the need for kindness. There are many ways people can be kind or learn to do so. Guest: Daniel Fessler, Director, UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The small city of Sanger, which is about a twenty-minute drive east of Fresno, is recognized as “The Nation’s Christmas Tree City.” But where did the name come from? Reporter: Soreath Hok, Valley Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All healthcare workers and nursing home staff in California will be required to get a COVID-19 booster shot by February 1. The announcement comes as cases and hospitalizations continue to surge, in large part due to the omicron variant of the coronavirus. Reporter: Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman, KQED There are a lot of scary threats Meta — aka Facebook — is trying to counter with a combination of artificial intelligence and human content moderators. But innocents are still getting deleted from the platform. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Hollywood is still reeling from the devastating shutdown brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. And according to a new report, the lull in production hit California especially hard. Reporter: Danielle Chiriguayo, KCRW It’s almost Christmas, but even if you don’t celebrate, you can still savor the holiday delicacies that abound across the state, whether in bakery shop fronts or family kitchens. In the Bay Area, the sheer variety of holiday treats says a lot about the cultural richness of the region. Guest: Luke Tsai, KQED Food Editor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California will require all healthcare workers to get the COVID vaccine booster. Healthcare workers in California are already mandated to be vaccinated. Every mile or so along Highway 101 in Central California, you can find a cast iron bell supported by a shepherd’s hook hanging next to the roadway. The bells follow a network of roads called the El Camino Real, between the 21 Spanish missions from Sonoma to San Diego. But to many Native Americans, the history of California’s missions is a painful one. Reporter: Jerimiah Oetting, KAZU If you’re a student or staffer on a University of California campus, you’re gonna need to get a COVID-19 booster shot. The UC system announced the new booster requirement this week, citing the fast-spreading omicron variant. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW Did you know there’s a good chance your child's personal info is on the dark web? That’s because hackers target schools, along with everything else. But there are ways you can protect your child's information. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Public school students are on break this week, and with the omicron variant rapidly on the rise, many California districts sent students home with school-issued rapid COVID-19 testing kits. The state’s department of public health is providing the kits to districts. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED California Governor Gavin Newsom thinks he’s found a way to crack down on illegal guns in a way that will avoid being struck down by the federal courts. As his model, he’s using a Texas law empowering ordinary people to sue anyone who helps a woman get an abortion. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Walmart operates more than 300 stores across California. And according to a lawsuit from the attorney general’s office and a dozen DAs, the retail giant has been knowingly dumping hazardous waste at local landfills, despite being sued before over the very same issue. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED The removal of invasive species from the Lake Tahoe basin is underway. It’s the largest effort to date. Reporter: Ed Fletcher, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices