KQED's The California Report

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

More rain is on the way, first to Northern California, and then moving down to Southern California later this week. But how much will it impact the state's water resources? Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW State maps may soon show even more homes and buildings are at risk for wildfire. After years of delay, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention says it’s almost ready to release new fire hazard severity maps. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio Health officials across the state continue to raise concerns about rising hospitalizations and positive COVID-19 cases. This comes as friends and family gather for the holidays. Street food vendors and food trucks are a way of life in Los Angeles and have been for decades. But recent shutdowns of longtime established sites in East Los Angeles have many wondering if these businesses are facing too many restrictions to operate legally. Guest: Janette Villafana, Reporter, LA Taco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This time of year, monarch butterflies from all over the U.S. migrate to coastal California, especially to the small town of Pacific Grove in Monterey County. Last year, for the most part, butterflies stayed away. But they've returned, to the delight of locals and visitors in 2021. Reporter: Erika Mahoney, KAZU There are growing concerns about the number of people hospitalized in Southern California with COVID-19 symptoms. The numbers have spiked since the Thanksgiving holiday across multiple counties. The U.S. Supreme Court will take up a case that could sweep aside efforts to allow California workers to sue their employers, even after signing arbitration agreements. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED While many of us were able to stay inside during this week’s storms, people living outside were struggling to stay warm and dry. In Santa Cruz, an encampment along the San Lorenzo River flooded. Reporter: Jerimiah Oetting, KAZU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A federal grand jury has charged a Houston-based oil company in connection with October's Southern California oil spill. Federal prosecutors say Amplify Energy and two of its subsidiaries were negligent by failing to respond to a series of alarms that should have alerted them to the spill, hours before a ruptured pipeline was shut off. California is expanding its program aimed at creating more housing for unhoused people. The state has announced funding for four new projects, with more to come in the weeks ahead, as it plans to distribute almost $2.8 billion. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, KQED Many Californians who work in offices haven’t been to their workplaces in nearly two years because of the pandemic. Now, with many cities like Los Angeles in the midst of a severe housing crisis, some people want to turn those vacant buildings into housing. Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC California and neighboring states have agreed to take less water from the dwindling Colorado River. Roughly a quarter of the water used in areas serviced by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California comes from the Colorado River, through the country’s largest reservoir, Lake Mead. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report In Los Angeles County, there’s still a wide gap in vaccination rates between Black and Latino residents – compared to whites, Asians and Native Americans. That despite aggressive vaccine outreach. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Protesters gathered in San Francisco Wednesday to urge the Biden administration to stop detaining immigrants at a Yuba County jail. This is the last public facility in California to keep a detention contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Interest in cycling has boomed since the beginning of the pandemic, with sales of both regular bicycles e-bikes soaring over the past two years. While many transportation planners and environmentalists are embracing the increase in biking, advocates say there are still not enough safeguards to protect them from cars. Guest: Dave Snyder, Executive Director, California Bicycling Coalition Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alberto Carvalho is officially the new superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the country. Carvalho was the superintendent of Florida’s Miami-Dade schools, a position he held for 14 years. The California Public Utilities Commission, the state’s energy regulator, is contemplating changes to the relationship between rooftop solar owners and utilities. But critics say the changes could be disastrous for the solar industry’s future in the state. Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS For the first time, a spacecraft has touched the sun. Researchers from U.C. Berkeley and NASA announced new findings Tuesday. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED There’s been a lot of talk and analysis about how so many people are fleeing California to find greener pastures somewhere else. But a new report shows that since the start of the pandemic, there hasn’t been a huge exodus out of California. However, significantly fewer people have moved here. Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED California’s Employment Development Department, or EDD, has been plagued with problems that have left hundreds of thousands of unemployed people furious. Now, Modesto Congressman Josh Harder wants legislation to hold the EDD accountable. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Preparations are well underway for the 2028 Summer Games and Paralympics in Los Angeles. And while it's still years away, the International Olympic Committee is already discussing which sports will and won't be involved. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting on Wednesday, Californians will once again have to wear masks indoors at all public places, regardless of their vaccination status. It’s a response to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases and public health officials trying to get a handle on the fast-moving omicron variant. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED Online gaming companies, Native American casinos, card rooms -- they're all jumping in at the opportunity to be involved in the push to legalize sports betting in the state of California. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report California is reducing its emissions that contribute to climate change. But it’s happening too slowly, as the state isn’t on track to meet its goal of reducing those emissions by 40% by the year 2030. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED California would no longer be allowed to expand freeways in underserved communities that are already suffering from the negative health effects of freeways. That's the goal of State Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia's legislation, which she plans to introduce early next year. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW The leading cause of death for Black Californians is homicide, and they tend to live seven fewer years than the average state resident. That’s according to a new report from Measure of America, a non-profit focused on social science research. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED Prosecutors allege a father and son started this past summer’s devastating Caldor Fire, with a firearm. The blaze destroyed more than 1,000 structures. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio People who have a pet dog will probably agree that animals can really help with your mental health. A nonprofit in the Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles goes a little bigger with that idea. Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hundreds of criminal cases could be in jeopardy following an investigation by the Los Angeles Times into racist and homophobic text messages sent by several officers who at one time worked for the Torrance Police Department. Guest: James Queally, LA Times Reporter A landmark California law aimed at lowering prescription drug prices has been put on hold by a federal judge. The law was meant to prevent drug companies from doing so-called “pay for delay” deals. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the CARES Act, a more than $2 trillion aid package meant to provide an economic lifeline to the many Americans whose worlds got turned inside out by the pandemic. This legislation led to the sending out of stimulus payments, which have since been expanded, and add up to on average $3200 a person. But one group of Californians is still struggling to get what they’re due nearly two years later. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The coronavirus is spreading fast in Los Angeles County. The region is now back in the CDC’s highest category of transmission. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Prosecutors have announced charges against the father and son suspected of starting the Caldor Fire, which destroyed nearly 800 homes last summer. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio Many Mexican immigrants in California are transported back home when they hear the music of Los Ángeles Azules. The cumbia band has a devoted following that can be seen at concerts across the country. Guest: Kate Linthicum, Latin America Correspondent, Los Angeles Times In the face of a tough election Devin Nunes announced he is stepping down this week. He’s a Republican Congressman in the Central Valley. He’s not the only one giving up his seat. He joins at least two other California representatives – Democrats Karen Bass in Los Angeles and Jackie Speier in the Bay Area. But what will the loss of seniority mean for California’s clout in Washington? Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The District Attorney in El Dorado County announced the arrest of a father and son for allegedly starting the Caldor Fire. Both are accused of "reckless arson." Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio California’s Future of Abortion Council is issuing 45 recommendations on how the state can make accessing an abortion easier. The council is making its recommendation as the US Supreme Court considers the fate of Roe v. Wade. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Housing prices continue to skyrocket across much of California, although there has been some leveling off in recent months. Vacation home areas have seen a big rise in sales. Guest: Oscar Wei, Deputy Chief Economist, California Association of Realtors History will be made in the city of Palm Springs on Thursday night because a new mayor is on tap. When Lisa Middleton is sworn in, she will be the first transgender person to serve as mayor in the state of California. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Some vape companies are promising their products help you focus, sleep and relax. But the Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers those claims are not true. Guest: Pamela Ling, Director of the UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California continues to struggle through the ongoing drought, and that's left many ski resorts wondering about how much snow they'll actually have this winter. But a storm next week is expected to help. Guest: Bryan Allegretto, Forecaster with OpenSnow Lawmakers discussed how California is going to prevent catastrophic wildfires during an oversight hearing on Tuesday. The hearing comes after a CapRadio investigation found that Governor Gavin Newsom significantly overstated his administration's accomplishments on wildfire prevention. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio In L.A. County, residents are avoiding going outside because they don’t want to breathe dirty air. That’s one of the most recent findings from a USC Dornsife survey. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW A lawsuit filed this week in a California court asks for more than $150 billion in compensation from Meta, aka Facebook, for failing to stop the spread of hate speech on its platform against the Rohingya people in Myanmar. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED While much of the attention has been on the COVID-19 vaccine, doctors are also advising everyone to get their flu shot. Cases were down significantly last year, in large part due to health orders from the pandemic. Guest: Maria Raven, chief of emergency medicine at UCSF Health Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Central Valley Republican Congressman Devin Nunes has announced he’s leaving Congress at the end of the year, before he finishes his current term. Nunes is taking a new job as CEO of Trump Media and Technology Group, a company that’s set to launch a new social media platform next year. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED As more cases of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus are reported in California, many people have questions about what this means for transmission of the virus. There's also another question in play -- what does this all mean for booster shots? Guest: Dr. Bob Wachter, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at UCSF Californians could vote on a pretty substantial increase to the statewide minimum wage next November. That’s if a new effort can gather enough signatures to qualify as a ballot initiative. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Scientists say they’ve found possible evidence of the Omicron variant in wastewater in Sacramento and Merced. That suggests the COVID variant could be spreading in those communities. Reporter: Raquel Maria Dillon, KQED More than two months after they were ordered to close, following an oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach, fishing businesses in Orange County are finally able to get back to some sense of normalcy. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California, the state with arguably the toughest gun control laws in the country, often struggles to enforce those laws. A new investigation from CalMatters finds that the state has failed to take guns away from thousands of domestic abusers, and those failures can have deadly consequences. Reporter: Robert Lewis, CalMatters California has distributed rent relief to less than a third of the 400,000 thousand people who have applied to its assistance program. As the eviction moratorium came to a close this fall, the state encouraged anyone who had outstanding rent payments to apply for rental assistance to stave off eviction. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, KQED The Biden administration has announced plans to reinstate the controversial “Remain in Mexico” program along the border this week, which was first implemented by the Trump administration. Under the program, asylum seekers must wait in Mexico, sometimes for months, before they can cross into the U.S. for their day in court. Reporter: Max Rivlin-Nadler University of California scientists have found that sea level rise could flood over 400 hazardous sites across the state by the end of the century. Scientists identified power plants, refineries, and hazardous waste sites in shoreline cities like Oakland and East Palo Alto, and across the state. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another confirmed case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected – this time, in Los Angeles County. According to public health officials, the infected person is an L.A. resident who had traveled to South Africa, returning to Southern California late last month. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC An investigation by KQED and the California Newsroom has been looking into the state’s failure to enforce regulations meant to protect farm workers and others exposed to wildfire smoke. Earlier this year, lawmakers tried to boost enforcement, but Governor Newsom’s administration stepped in and blocked their efforts. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED The redistricting process is coming to a close soon, as the commission tasked with drawing new district lines gets ready to submit its final maps. One of the commission’s biggest challenges has been to draw the lines in a way that preserves the voting power of California’s growing Latino population. And a lot of those voters are in the Central Valley. Guest: Lori Pesante, Director of Civic Engagemnt & Government Relations, Dolores Huerta Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The experts said it was coming, and they were right. Scientists have found the first case of the Omicron variant in the country in a San Francisco resident. Guest: Dr. Monica Gandhi, Infectious Disease Doctor, UC San Francisco California rules meant to protect outdoor workers from the dangers of wildfire smoke are almost never enforced. That’s the finding of an investigation by KQED and The California Newsroom. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED & California Newsroom The state Department of Water Resources is promising no water next year for rural and urban areas, unless they need it for basic necessities. This comes as the state is dealing with another year of drought. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Wednesday in a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, which guarantees a woman’s right to an abortion. Here in California, abortion laws are among the most progressive in the country. But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to get an abortion here, especially if you live in a rural area. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED California’s Sierra Nevada region has been known for being a winter wonderland in the coldest months. But a new study shows the Sierra snowpack could all but disappear in just 25 years. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments this week in a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade. That’s the 1973 ruling that affirms a woman’s Consitutional right to receive an abortion. If it's overturned, abortion advocates are preparing for a surge in out-of-state patients travelling to California for the procedure. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED A temporary injunction stopping the San Diego Unified School district's vaccine mandate for students 16 and older could be lifted as early as Tuesday. The district is being sued by a student who claims the mandate is a form of religious discrimination. Reporter: MG Perez, KPBS It's still not too late to apply to a U.C. or Cal State school next fall. The university systems are asking most seniors to upload their final documents by November 30. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is visiting the Port of Los Angeles on Tuesday. He’ll update local officials on the Biden Administration’s efforts to ease supply chain problems. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Yosemite National Park is digging into its past to tell a more inclusive story of the people who helped contribute to its history. That includes the story of a neglected building near the Wawona Hotel in the park Reporter: Soreath Hok, Valley Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In February, the Biden administration began winding down former President Donald Trump’s controversial “Remain-in-Mexico” program. It sent people seeking asylum in this country back to Mexico to wait months for their day in immigration court in the U.S. But over the summer, a Texas judge ordered government officials to restart the program, and the Biden administration plans to roll it back out soon. Reporter: Max Rivlin-Nadler A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked a mandate for all prison staff in California to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, or provide proof of a religious or medical exemption. Prison officials and the union representing correctional officers have argued the mandate would lead to staffing shortages. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The breakdown in the global supply chain has sent food prices soaring. That’s hurting local restaurants still struggling to get out from under the pandemic. Reporter: Josie Huang, KPCC A new report from CalMatters shows the global supply chain issues are impacting California hospitals. Many medical facilities are waiting on medical devices that are critical for patient care. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As many people celebrate Thanksgiving in California, some Native Americans have a different perspective on this day and what it means. Among the challenges indigenous people face is keeping their cultures alive. Reporter: Alice Daniel, Valley Public Radio Many restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, but chefs may also be busy preparing a meal for family and friends at home. Guests: Mark Dommen, One Market in San Francisco, Mica Talmor, Pomella in Oakland, Suzanne Tracht, Jar in Los Angeles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NASA has launched a first-of-its-kind mission from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base called DART, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test. Guest: Jason Davis, Editorial Director, The Planetary Society A year-long study on a part of the Mojave Desert has found that the night sky there is really, really dark. So much so, it might earn the rare distinction as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Winters across the U.S. are getting warmer because of climate change. And in California, an increase of even a few degrees has serious implications for water supplies. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED Many of us will soon be preparing our Thanksgiving meals this week. But some of the food that will be cooked and served won’t actually be eaten, it will end up in the garbage. And that kind of food waste is a significant contributor to climate change, so much so the state of California is trying to crack down on it with big changes coming up. Guest: Rachel Wagoner, the director of the state’s recycling agency, Cal-Recycle Last year, Congress passed a law requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to disclose how many veterans got sick and died of the coronavirus in VA nursing homes. The department has finally released some data, but it’s incomplete. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With many younger children finally getting their first COVID-19 vaccine shot, and adults getting their booster, many see this holiday season as a bit of a return to normalcy. But health experts say families should still take precautions during gatherings. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Diablo Canyon, California’s last remaining commercial nuclear power plant located on the Central Coast in San Luis Obispo County is slated to fully close in 2025. While there's been questions raised about what this will mean for energy output and the environment, a former state lawmaker says it's the right time. Guest: Former State Senator Bill Monning Los Angeles County is being sued for making its poorest families endure long waits for food aid. The suit claims the county routinely fails to provide assistance to desperate families within three days, as required by state law. Reporter: David Wagner, KPCC Back in April, privacy advocates hailed Apple’s decision to let customers opt out of apps tracking you. But, Apple is still tracking its own customers and serving them up to advertisers. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1,000 acres of sacred land could be restored to the Karuk tribe living along the Klamath River in Humboldt and Siskiyou counties. That’s if legislation introduced in Congress is passed. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Diablo Canyon in San Luis Obispo County is the state's last commercial nuclear power plant and is set to close in the coming years. But the planned closure is not without controversy. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report The DMV is expanding its capacity to administer commercial driving tests, by extending weekend hours and shifting examiners from other parts of the state to Southern California. The hope is that it can clear some of the backlog at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Universal preschool is coming to California in 2025. Yet not everyone is celebrating. In fact, some believe universal preschool could have disastrous consequences for child care centers and families seeking early care, with the impact falling hardest on communities of color. Reporter: Deepa Fernandes, early childhood reporting fellow at Pacific Oaks College, which is funded in part by First 5 LA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As of Thursday, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in California was $4.69. According to AAA, that’s a record high and more than $1.50 higher than this time last year. That's led many Californians to rethink their Thanksgiving travel plans. Reporter, Alex Hall, KQED Last week, the state updated its guidance to urge pretty much all Californians to get a COVID booster shot. Now, over a week later and after much confusion online, the state’s My Turn vaccine scheduling site has finally caught up. Reporter: Carly Severn, KQED The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California and other advocacy groups are suing Sacramento County’s Sheriff, claiming his office illegally transferred immigrants from county jails to federal immigration authorities. The lawsuit alleges Sheriff Scott Jones violated state law by contacting Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials about the release of inmates. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Media reports this week are painting a picture of dysfunction, disappointment, and confusion surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris and her role in the Biden administration. Sources inside the White House told CNN that Harris is struggling, and low approval numbers are adding to alleged problems. Guest: Marisa Lagos, Political Correspondent, KQED The state’s Citizens Redistricting Commission is hearing feedback on its proposed district lines for Congress and the state legislature -- and that has major implications for the state's big and growing Latino population. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED One in five Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. has experienced a hate incident in the last year. That’s according to a new report out from the California-based coalition Stop AAPI Hate. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report One of the problems that’s causing disruptions in the global supply chain is a severe shortage of truckers. In San Diego, one driving school is working to keep up with demand. Reporter: Alexandra Rangel, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Central Valley on Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom was promoting COVID-19 booster shots in a community that’s seeing a higher rate of hospitalizations compared to the rest of the state. He also warned about possibly rough pandemic weeks ahead for California. Reporter: Alex Hall, The California Report The first in a series of public input meetings is scheduled for Wednesday, on California’s proposed redrawn electoral maps. The state's independent redistricting commission released its preliminary maps last week, based on the most recent census, and suffice it to say, not everyone is happy. Guest: Sameena Kamal, Reporter with CalMatters Bay Area Democratic Congresswoman Jackie Speier has announced that she will not run for reelection after serving in the House of Representatives since 2008. Speier has been an especially powerful force when it comes to gun control and violence prevention, with her views shaped by a near death incident in her own life. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Los Angeles County is looking to help small businesses that have fallen behind on their rent during the pandemic. The Small Business Rent Relief Program would provide grants of up to $40,000 for small businesses in unincorporated areas of the county. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, the California Department of Public Health updated its guidance on booster shots, telling providers to let people judge their own needs for a shot and not turn anyone away. But many are finding that online appointment systems aren’t making getting a booster vaccination easy. Reporter: Carly Severn, KQED SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, is looking for thousands of workers. A recent job fair painted a clearer picture of who is looking for jobs in the state, and what employers are looking for. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report In the 1950s and 60s the United States created it’s modern freeway and highway system. It was an engineering marvel, but it also brought pain and injustice like when poorer communities of color literally saw their neighborhoods paved over, forcing residents to move. A new investigation by the Los Angeles Times finds that kind of displacement still happening today when new infrastructure is built. Guest: Liam Dillon, Reporter LA Times After leading the state through two of its worst wildfire seasons on record, CalFire Chief Thom Porter has announced he will retire before the end of this year. Porter says he's retiring to focus on family, his aging parents, and himself. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kaiser Permanente has reached a tentative deal with thousands of healthcare workers in Northern and Southern California, who were prepared to go on strike on Monday. They are still negotiating with a group of engineers, who have been off the job for two months. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC President Biden will sign his administration’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure package into law on Monday. California will get tens of billions of dollars in new federal spending, but will it come quick enough to fix roads, bridges and other transit issues facing the state? Guest: David Kim, Secretary of California's State Transportation Agency While much of the focus has been on the massive backlog at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, residents in nearby communities are also expressing major concerns about pollution from those cargo ships. But a new queuing system being launched this week at the ports could help improve air quality and safety. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report The San Joaquin Valley ranks worst in the nation when it comes to particulate air pollution, and environmental organizations say the Environmental Protection Agency is failing to do something about it. The groups have filed a lawsuit hoping to force the EPA to act. Reporter: Soreath Hok, Valley Public Radio Some 6,000 lecturers across the University of California system are planning to strike this week. The union representing lecturers has been in negotiations for more than two years and says the UC is refusing to negotiate issues like paid family leave and reimbursement for remote teaching expenses. Reporter: Annelise Finney, KQED The public comment period will close Monday on proposed new regulations requiring passenger sportfishing and whale watching boats to upgrade to cleaner engines. California’s charter boat operators say the proposed new rules will jeopardize their livelihoods. Reporter: Greta Mart, KRCB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United Nations climate change conference wraps up Friday in Scotland. And while an agreement hasn't been reached, the summit could have varying impacts on California. Guests: Violet Saena, Executive Director of Climate Resilient Communities and Mark Hertsgaard, Executive Director of Covering Climate Now and Environment Correspondent for The Nation Magazine Kaiser Permanente could be hit by multiple statewide labor strikes beginning on Monday. Thousands of the company's healthcare workers in California are threatening to walk off the job over contract talks. Reporter: Tara Siler, KQED There was a significant increase in hate crimes in Los Angeles County in 2020, mainly fueled by racially-motivated attacks. That's according to the annual crime report released this week by the L.A. County Commission on Human Relations. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Workers in practically every sector seem to be in short supply these days, and with Christmas season around the corner, you can add Santa to that list. Reporter: Matt Guilhem, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State health officials are advising adults who want to get a COVID-19 booster shot to do so before the holiday season. This comes as the state is warning about a possible surge in COVID-19 cases this winter. Fossil fuels are the biggest driver of human-made climate change. So why has an analysis by environmental group Global Witness tallied more than 500 gas and oil lobbyists at the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow? Guest: Kassie Siegel, Director for the Center for Biological Diversity's Climate Law Institute California’s state delegation to the United Nations climate conference is packed with Latino power players. Latinos in California are not of the same mind when it comes to climate policy. Reporter: Raquel Maria Dillon, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United Nations has released a draft of a climate accord that urges nations to “revisit and strengthen” their plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions. That’s not just carbon dioxide, it’s methane too. And earlier at COP26, countries committed to slash methane emissions. Guest: Rachel Becker, Environmental Reporter, CalMatters Governor Gavin Newsom broke his silence around his absence from the United Nations climate change conference in Scotland, saying he skipped the trip to spend Halloween with his kids. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED When oceans and climate change are in the same sentence, it’s usually negative. But at the international climate conference COP26, a Bay Area ecologist pointed to marine sanctuaries as a climate change solution. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Researchers at the Public Health Institute followed more than 18,000 women who were pregnant in Oakland in the early ‘60s, and received injections of a synthetic hormone intended to prevent miscarriages. Fast forward six decades and their offspring may face a greater cancer risk. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED Many people in California are concerned about the widening gap between the rich and the poor in the state. A new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California finds an overwhelming majority say the gap between the haves and have-nots is getting bigger. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Fast food workers across California walked off the job Tuesday, to advocate for better working conditions. The workers are calling for the passage of an Assembly bill which would help set standards for industry wages and working conditions. Reporter: Shehreen Karim, KQED Former California Governor Jerry Brown has convened a group of experts and ex-government officials to tackle one of the state's biggest problems: wildfires. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The massive infrastructure package that's awaiting President Biden's signature is expected to have a longstanding impact on California. And it won't just be fixing roads and modernizing transit projects. Guest: Serena Alexander, Associate Professor with the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, San Jose State University At the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, state senators from California and their counterparts in Washington state discussed merging part of their cap-and-trade markets, as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED Fast food workers across California are walking out on Tuesday to advocate for better working conditions. The workers are calling for the passage of Assembly Bill 257, which would establish a fast food council to set standards for industry wages and working conditions. Reporter: Shehreen Karim, KQED After burning nearly a million acres, the Dixie Fire, which started in July northwest of Lake Tahoe, was fully contained late last month. But for many communities in Northern California, the recovery process is just beginning. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report The tri-colored blackbird, which is native to much of the Central Valley, gained protection under California’s Endangered Species Act in 2018. Since then, populations of the tri-colored blackbird appear to have stopped declining. Reporter: Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Southern Californians who live near oil refineries may soon be able to breathe easier. The South Coast Air Quality Management District unanimously passed its biggest emissions rule in decades on Friday. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW The United Nations climate change conference continues this week in Glasgow, Scotland. And one longtime observer says what happens outside of the negotiations is an important aspect of this event. Guest: Chris Field, Director, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment Democratic lawmakers in California once wanted to ban state contracts with border wall companies. But after the Newsom administration hired one of those firms for pandemic response, lawmakers are mostly silent on the issue. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio Access to banking is often an indicator of a community’s health. In Imperial County, a shortage of bank branches plus rising temperatures can lead to dangerous outcomes. Reporter: Cristina Kim, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of unionized Kaiser Permanente nurses and other healthcare workers in Southern California are preparing to go on strike. This comes after months of talks and negotiations have stalled. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC An investigation from the Los Angeles Times has found that thousands of times a year, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies pull over bicyclists for minor violations, and then search them even though they often have no reason to suspect they’ll find something illegal. This is particularly impacting the Latino community. Guests: Alene Tchekmedvian and Ben Poston, Reporters, LA Times California just received the last chunk of federal COVID-19 relief dollars, aimed at helping the state’s students recover from the pandemic. The $5 billion being released is money schools are already expecting and brings the total the state has recieved to $15 billion. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED The Self Parking Program at Long Beach City College will allow students who are living out of their cars to park overnight in one of the college’s parking structures. They'll have access to wi-fi, showers and electrical outlets. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many California children, ages 5 to 11, have started getting the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. In Los Angeles alone, more than 900, 000 school-aged children are now eligible for the shot. Reporter: Jackie Fortiér, KPCC As the United Nations Climate Change Conference continues in Scotland, many Californians can see the effects right here along the California coast. For instance, look out the window on a trip on Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, which connects downtown Los Angeles and downtown San Diego, and the effects of climate change are right in front of you. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report California Attorney General Rob Bonta says his office will take a larger role in enforcing California's housing laws. He's launching a 12 member strike force to step up enforcement. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED As the United Nations climate summit continues in Scotland, a majority of Californians are making it clear they support the state’s climate change mitigation goals. And they see the damage caused by global warming. That’s according to new findings from the Public Policy Institute of California. Reporter: Danielle Chiriguayo, KCRW Levels of carbon emissions have almost returned to where they were before the pandemic, according to Stanford research. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that all children ages 5 through 11 get a low-dose COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech. In California, counties across the state are preparing to deliver the shots to children. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva continues to attack his county’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate. He claims the sheriff's department could lose thousands of employees because of the mandate, although he hasn't provided evidence that that will actually happen. It’s important to have health insurance, especially during a pandemic. At the beginning of the pandemic, some insurers chose not to charge COVID-19 patients for expensive hospital stays and therapies. A few have continued that policy as long as the public health emergency is in place, but most are quietly going back to business as usual. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC California has sent a contingent of officials to attend the United Nations climate change conference in Glasgow. The delegation includes state Senator Josh Becker, a Democrat who represents San Mateo County and part of Santa Clara County. Guest: Josh Becker, Bay Area State Senator State utility regulators have reached proposed settlements with California's two biggest power companies, over allegations they violated safety rules before a string of destructive fires. Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric are alleged to have violated a wide range of safety regulations before the blazes, which include the Thomas and Woolsey fires in Southern California and the Kincade Fire north of San Francisco. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Pacific Gas & Electric ratepayers could be stuck footing at least some of the bill for the Dixie fire. It's just the latest scandal for the troubled utility. Now, a Silicon Valley congressman says he hopes this will be the tipping point that pushes PG&E towards a public takeover. Reporter: Angela Corral, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new report finds that climate change is chiefly responsible for the growing frequency and severity of California's wildfires. The team of researchers from UCLA and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory based that estimate on how quickly dry air sucks up moisture. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Pacific Gas and Electric says it's received a subpoena from federal prosecutors, in connection with this summer's catastrophic Dixie Fire. The fire burned nearly a million acres and has led to investigations by CalFire and by prosecutors in several counties. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Like so many other places in the country, California is grappling with its racist past. It’s also looking at the idea of reparations for African Americans and Black descendents of slaves. A new task force is studying this issue, and families are coming forward to share their experiences. Reporter: Sarah Mizes-Tan, CapRadio In the wake of the Taliban’s seizure of power in Afghanistan, Sacramento is struggling with an influx of refugees from the country. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Beccerra visited the region Monday, and heard from refugees about the struggles of finding affordable housing, getting around without a car and enrolling children in school. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Using fresh Census data, state, local and federal political maps are redrawn every ten years to account for population changes over the past decade and to even out representation. The maps by the nonpartisan commission are by no means final. But they show some potentially big shakeups in Northern California’s congressional districts. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Geneticists at the San Diego Zoo have found the first ever case of condor reproduction by just a single parent. Testing revealed two young condors, reared by two separate mothers, had only one parent. Their eggs were not fertilized by male sperm. Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United Nations Climate Change Conference kicks off this week in Scotland. And while Governor Gavin Newsom canceled his trip at the last minute, the state will be well represented, as officials hope to showcase California's ambitious climate goals. Guest: Ezra David Romero, KQED Climate Reporter Over the weekend, employees of healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente staged worker solidarity rallies. Tens of thousands of Kaiser workers, like nurses, pharmacists, and physical therapists are threatening to strike across the state. This past weekend, activists and supporters gathered at Dolores Park in San Francisco to celebrate the release of the last remaining person detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Yuba County Jail. Now the “Free The Yuba 11 Coalition” is advocating that federal officials end ICE’s contract with the jail. Reporter: Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman, KQED A new organization in California hopes to help people who have been released from prison re-integrate back into their communities. The Re-Entry Providers Association of California – or REPAC -- is the nation’s first statewide coordinated effort to help formerly incarcerated people succeed on the outside. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report The White House says it's committed to immigration reform, ultimately creating a pathway to citizenship for the 11 to 12 million undocumented immigrants who live in this country. A key figure in that effort is California’s U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, who is himself the child of immigrants from Mexico. Guest: U.S. Senator Alex Padilla from California Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The state Natural Resources and Water Committee held its first hearing Thursday on the massive oil spill off the coast of Orange County. The cause of the spill remains under investigation. Central Valley farmworkers and their families are calling on state and local officials to restrict the use of 13 pesticides that have been linked to childhood cancers. They also want to be warned ahead of time when these pesticides are used. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Facebook has changed its company name to Meta. The social media company has been under fire for spreading misinformation and other things. And the new name led to plenty of snarky Twitter comments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The state has pre-ordered 1.4 million doses of Pfizer's pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, so medical providers can start putting shots in arms as soon as federal health officials sign off. Staffing levels for federal wildland firefighters have dipped dramatically in recent years, impacting efforts to contain massive wildfires across the country, particularly in California. At a hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, advocates argued for two pieces of legislation aimed at helping hire more firefighters. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report President Joe Biden has presented a trimmed down reconciliation bill to Congress on Thursday morning. California Senator Alex Padilla joined the California Report to talk about the proposal and some of the reasons it's been so heavily debated by his Democratic colleagues in the Senate. Guest: U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, California The Beverly Hills Police Department has been accused of racially profiling Black shoppers on Rodeo Drive. New records from a class action lawsuit show that out of 90 people who were arrested along the shopping corridor, 80 were Black. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW The coronavirus pandemic led to record drug use across the country. Fatal overdoses rose almost 30% percent last year, driven mainly by fentanyl and other opioids. But the stimulant methamphetamine is also a huge part of the problem. It doesn’t get as much attention, though, in part because it doesn’t cause the impressive death counts that make for good headlines. Guest: Sam Quinones, Journalist and Author of the book "The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Tuesday’s FDA committee vote endorsing the use of Pfizer's Covid vaccine in kids over the age of 4, public health officials in California are getting ready to distribute the kid-size doses. It’s looking like children will be able to get their shots in the next couple weeks, as soon as the review process is completed. Guests: Jessica Nicholson and Maura Fallon McKnight, Parents in Richmond and Humboldt County In Los Angeles, city employees who don’t get vaccinated by December 18 could lose their jobs. A plan approved Tuesday by the L.A. City Council would also require people who are not vaccinated to undergo regular COVID-19 testing, on their own dime. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California's embattled Employment Development Department says it's taking steps to fix some of what's broken there, from clogged phone lines to fraud. State lawmakers grilled agency officials at an oversight hearing in Sacramento on Monday. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Rising rents and limited affordable housing continue to put pressure on many Californians. And new research shows the housing market is particularly challenging for Black renters in San Diego. Reporter: Cristina Kim, KPBS The atmospheric river has effectively put an end to California’s wildfire season. And there's more evidence in the Sequoia National Forest. Reporter: Soreath Hok, Valley Public Radio Wildfire prevention is one of the key goals of President Biden’s trillion dollar infrastructure bill. Democrats are pushing for a vote on it in Congress this week. One of them is Josh Harder who represents California’s Central Valley. He’s been especially focused on measures that would address the health impacts from wildfire smoke. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Immigration advocates are calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to cancel a no-bid, $350 million contract. It was awarded to a border wall company to help with the state’s COVID-19 response. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rain and wind wreaked havoc across Northern California and the Bay Area on Sunday, causing power outages, flooding and downed trees in several areas. Several cities saw rainfall records broken. This weekend's record-breaking rainfall is still not nearly enough to curb the state’s drought. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a drought emergency for all 58 counties in California last week. Farmers in Fresno County, like Joe Del Bosque, have been struggling for months. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, Valley Public Radio Hundreds of Hollywood artisans held a candlelight vigil in Burbank Sunday night for Halyna Hutchins. She's the 42-year-old cinematographer who was accidentally killed by actor Alec Baldwin last week on a film set in New Mexico. An investigation is ongoing in New Mexico, but in California, it's prompted legislative action. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Two dozen Congressional Democrats from California are calling on the Biden Administration to shut down three immigration detention centers in the state. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, 23 members of Congress, plus Senator Alex Padilla, note that conditions in the facilities violate health and safety standards set by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Gavin Newsom wants to ban new oil drilling near schools, homes and many businesses, proposing a rule aimed at improving the health of millions of Californians. The rule would bar new drilling within 3,200 feet of houses, schools and businesses open to the public. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED The Bay Conservation and Development Commission has adopted a Bay Area-wide plan for adapting to rising seas. Scientists project the bay could rise by several feet by the end of the century, a result of warming temperatures. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED In response to its homelessness crisis, the city of Los Angeles has opened the country's largest so-called tiny home village. It's located in northeast Los Angeles and more than 200 people will be able to live there. Guest: Amy King, CEO of Pallet, a company building many of these homes A new state audit has found that California’s Board of State and Community Corrections, which helps run the state’s adult and juvenile justice and penal systems, mismanaged nearly $60 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED The recall attempt targeting Governor Newsom is over, but there are other efforts across the state to remove elected officials from office. In Shasta County, a conservative member of the Board of Supervisors is facing a recall election promoted by members of a local militia and things have gotten ugly. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

L.A City Employees Must Get Vaccinated by December City of L.A. workers who remain unvaccinated may be getting a reprieve from a vaccine mandate that took effect Wednesday. ..but it won’t last forever. Mayor Eric Garcetti says municipal employees who aren’t fully vaccinated by December 18th should be “prepared to lose their jobs.” Reporter: Darrell Satzman, KCRW Rainfall Arrives, And the Drought Continues Rain has been falling in Northern California, and the National Weather Service’s Bay Area division predicts more rain later this week. That’s really good news for reducing wildfire risks, but what does it mean for the drought? Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED California Partners with Company that Built Border Wall for COVID-19 Response California has turned to an unusual partner for part of its COVID-19 response. It’s the same company that built former president Donald Trump’s border wall along the California-Mexico border. The no-bid, $350 million contract has frustrated immigration advocates and community health care leaders. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of unvaccinated Los Angeles City workers may have until December to get the mandated shots. But if they remain unvaccinated, they could feel the bite in their paychecks. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Los Angeles County is studying the effectiveness of a peer vaccination program. The homeless are being used as ambassadors to try to help convince other unhoused people get their shots. Guest: Chelsea Shover, Professor at UCLA who is helping lead the program A record number of cargo ships are idling off the Southern California coast. That means delays at the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach. But one Bay Area port is trying to help alleviate these delays. Reporter: Angela Corral, The California Report The descendents of some of Southern California’s early pioneers are trying to save their ancestors’ crumbling home. This is taking place in the Inland Empire, where a farming town was founded when California was still part of Mexico. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Business leaders testified during a Congressional hearing on Monday about the impacts the recent Orange County oil spill has had on the region. At least one owner says he's unsure if and when things will get back to normal for his fishing company. October is National Pedestrian Safety Month and while many cities across California have ambitious goals to better protect those walking on the street, they are falling well short of those goals. Can anything be done to better protect pedestrians from drivers? Guest: Leah Shahum, Executive Director, Vision Zero Network Revenue from parking tickets is used by cities to pay for things like public parks and trash removal. But in Los Angeles, a new report has found that parking citations just aren’t the money maker they used to be. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW A new law in California will soon mandate use-of-force training for security guards. A CapRadio investigation into the private security industry sparked the legislation. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio South Bay Congressman Ro Khanna will preside over an historic hearing later this month, where Big Oil executives and trade groups will face questions about their role in spreading climate disinformation. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year, Governor Gavin Newsom sent nearly $850 million to cities and counties to buy empty motels and other properties to convert them into homeless housing. Now he wants to spend over $2.5 billion more on the same effort. The Homekey program has proven to be a success, but most of the sites being used aren't permanent places to stay for participants. Reporters: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report, Anna Scott, KCRW The Coast Guard said that back in January, a cargo vessel named the MSC Danit might have caught its anchor on the underwater pipeline involved in the Orange County oil spill, dragging it more than a 100 feet across the ocean floor. Los Angeles Unified School District’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate takes full effect Monday. Staff and teachers in L.A. need at least one COVID shot to get on campus, and must be fully vaccinated by November 15. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC The California condor is under threat once again. The massive birds went extinct in the wild in the 1980s but through breeding and conservation programs started making a comeback. But deaths attributed to lead poisoning have been rising once again, threatening the survival of this endangered species. Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The bitter rivalry between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers came to a head in their National League Division Series playoff battle. It's the first time the teams have met in the postseason. And the Dodgers came out on top in Game Five in a nail-biter. The Coast Guard says it’s confident the number of gallons leaked from the oil spill in Orange County is around 25,000, far less than the original estimate. Meanwhile, the oil spill was a major talking point during a Congressional hearing on Thursday. Recent COVID-19 trends in California are very positive, with infections, hospitalizations and deaths all down because of vaccinations and mask use. And in Los Angeles the number of new infections among school children is also subsiding. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About 60,000 members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees are threatening to strike next Monday if they can’t reach an agreement with studios over such issues as working conditions and more reasonable hours. IATSE represents a wide range of Hollywood’s workforce from cinematographers and editors to make up artists and script coordinators. Guest: A.J. Catoline, Editor on Apple TV’s “Ted Lasso" The executive director of the labor union SEIU California has resigned, after being charged with tax fraud and other felonies. Alma Hernández and her husband were charged earlier this month. Reporter: Angela Corral, The California Report One of the bills Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed mandates mental health education classes for many middle and high school students in California. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED One team will advance to the National League Championship Series. The other will have its season come to an end. The Dodgers and Giants take the field tonight in San Francisco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Alisal Fire has burned more than 13,000 acres in Santa Barbara County. That’s prompted evacuation orders in rural areas and forced the shut down of parts of Highway 101. Reporter: Rachel Showalter, KCBX Los Angeles continues its push to dismantle large homeless encampments in the city and move people into temporary shelters. It's already happened in the city's Echo Park and Venice neighborhoods. Now, the unhoused who are living in a section of MacArthur Park west of downtown, will be required to move by the end of this week. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report In the Coachella Valley, desert cities are passing laws restricting or banning short-term rentals. And that’s squeezing supply in the city of Palm Springs. Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW California’s committee on reparations met again Tuesday to discuss housing and environmental inequities that have specifically disadvantaged African Americans. The committee looked at how reparations could be given in the form of direct payments and other methods to correct decades of racist policies and actions. Reporter: Sarah Mizes-Tan, CapRadio Among the more than 700 bills Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed into law are several that aim to fix problems at the state’s unemployment department. The changes come in the wake of a parade of problems that jeopardized much needed help for jobless Californians. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices