KQED's The California Report

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

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