KQED's The California Report

This week indie musician Mitski is playing a series of sold out shows at an unexpected L.A. venue: Hollywood High School’s auditorium. The school's connection to the arts goes back decades. Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist A federal judge in California says Border Patrol violated a federal court order barring them from making illegal stops and arrests. Reporter: Sergio Olmos, CalMatters The Nuclear Regulatory Commission just gave California’s only operating nuclear power plant approval to run for an extra 20 years. Reporter: Kendra Hanna, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hundreds of people became US citizens at a large ceremony in Orange County last month. Despite some concerns about democracy in the US, some new citizens still think it’s a good place to live. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR California officials are warning of an early fire season and strained water supply after warm weather in March melted most of the Sierra snowpack. Reporter: Alonso Daboub, KQED Oil production near the Santa Barbara coast is ramping back up. A Texas-based oil company announced it started selling oil through the same pipeline system tied to the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill. Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBX A judge has ordered a physician to monitor the healthcare of the detainees being held at California’s largest immigrant detention center. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve been hearing a lot lately about the struggles of California wineries. But the state’s craft brewers are also dealing with significant challenges. While it may seem like there’s a taproom on every corner, the Brewers Association reports that for the last two years, more California breweries have closed than opened. As craft brewers grapple with everything from rising costs to tariffs, brewers are finding creative ways to adapt.Reporter: Tina Caputo A Sacramento woman who was deported to Mexico in February – despite protection under DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – is speaking out about her treatment. A retired Bay Area carpenter is in Washington DC Wednesday morning for the Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship. He’s the descendent of the man whose case affirmed that right over a hundred years ago.Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The sexual abuse accusations against the late Cesar Chavez have sparked condemnation and soul-searching on the West Coast, and also fears the scandal could undermine ongoing efforts to improve the lives of farmworkers. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Fallout continues from the last-minute cancellation of a gubernatorial debate that was scheduled Tuesday on the USC campus, after four candidates of color said the debate criteria unfairly excluded them. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED A judge in Shasta County heard arguments Wednesday over a proposed ballot measure that appears to violate state law. Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuesday is Farm Workers' Day, formerly known as Cesar Chavez Day, which has been celebrated for almost 30 years. But last week, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill to make the name change official after Cesar Chavez was accused of sexually abusing women and girls. The state is just one of many entities making these name changes, but for some cities that might not happen as quickly. Guest: Nadia Lathan, CalMatters Another man who was detained at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center died last week. Officials with the Department of Homeland Security say they tried to save the man and later transported him to a hospital. But detainees say the man was denied medical treatment and died on site. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the spring of 2006, a historic number of Angelenos took to the streets to stop a harsh anti-immigration bill. It worked. But where's that momentum now? Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW No Kings rallies brought out tens of thousands of people across California over the weekend … to protest President Donald Trump, his administration’s policies, and the war in Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It will soon be a month since the start of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. In response to U. S. military action, the Iranian regime has restricted which trade ships can pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passageway not only for oil moving from the Middle East to North America, but also for fertilizer, the fertilizer American farmers need to start growing crops. The agricultural industry has started to ring the alarm about the potential impacts the crisis at Hormuz could have on food prices. Guest: Daniel Sumner, UC Davis Professor The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is set to pay nearly $2 million to settle a lawsuit over a violent incident at a women’s prison in Chowchilla. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report Shasta County voters will see a proposal to change their election system on the June primary ballot. Among other things, Measure B would require residents to present photo ID when voting in person, and limit who can cast an absentee ballot. Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

911 dispatchers are often the first voice people hear in an emergency. But across the country, it’s getting harder to find people trained to answer those calls. Two programs in the U.S. are trying to change that, and one is right here in the San Joaquin Valley. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR An appeals court has denied the state attorney general’s request to stop Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s effort to recount ballots from last year’s special election. A new poll from the California Democratic Party shows two Republicans leading the state's crowded race for governor, and nearly a quarter of voters still undecided. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As California Governor Gavin Newsom eyes a potential 2028 presidential run, he’s been wading into more foreign policy -- even on issues that are controversial. It’s a pivot that’s helping him build a national profile. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Since last summer, the Trump administration has been arresting undocumented immigrants as they try to claim their children from federal custody. This has left a lot of kids — including at least a dozen in Southern California —- stranded in government shelters and foster care. Immigration attorneys say they’ve suspected for months that the arrests are part of a formal policy. And court documents that were recently discovered suggest that it is. Reporter: Mark Betancourt, The California Newsroom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The California Condor used to range from California to Florida and from Canada all the way down to Mexico. But last century, their population crashed. Now, there are more than 600 alive, but they aren't doing as well as scientists expect it. New research explains the mystery of why, despite many protections, the birds are still struggling. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who’s also a Republican candidate for governor, says the state’s attorney general is interfering in his department’s investigation of alleged irregularities in the 2025 special election to redraw California’s congressional districts. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR California leaders want to increase investments in agriculture technology, but farmworker advocates say they’re worried about displacement. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As word of damning accusations against Cesar Chavez spread this week, farmworkers and advocates in California have struggled to reconcile the disturbing details with their image of a man they considered a hero. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED A coalition of leaders in East San José say the sexual assault allegations against labor leader Cesar Chavez should be a turning point for the community and the country. Reporter: Joseph Geha, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A major investigation by the New York Times is raising serious allegations about Cesar Chavez, one of the most admired figures in Latino civil rights history. The reporting includes accounts from multiple women, including co-organizer and civil rights leader, Dolores Huerta. They say Chavez sexually abused them, in some cases, when they were children. Guest: Gustavo Arellano, LA Times Following the harrowing accounts from these women, the United Farm Workers union is now distancing itself from Chavez, its co-founder. In Sacramento, Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation to rename Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day, in light of the allegations against the civil rights leader. There are also growing calls to rename streets and other property bearing his name at the local level. Reporter: Kendra Hanna, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The nationwide increase in gas prices since the beginning of the war in Iran is hitting especially hard in California, already home to the nation’s highest prices at the pump. It's also started a new round of political blame game between President Trump, Governor Newsom, and even some Democrats. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Veterans and native tribes are calling for the protection of public lands in the Mojave Desert. They say President Trump’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management could open the area to fossil fuel extraction. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California's housing crisis is spreading to other states. Congress is finalizing a package of bills some national housing experts say are among the most significant reforms to come out of the federal government in decades. Some of the bills are inspired by laws California has already passed. So what does this package do for us? Guest: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED California regulators are pushing back after the Trump Administration ordered a Texas-based oil company to restart pipeline operations along the Central Coast. Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This school year is the first in which transitional kindergarten is free and available for all 4-year-olds across California. The state has spent more than $15 billion since 2021 to offer this new grade. But in order for that investment to pay off, the skills kids gain in TK need to last throughout elementary school. One district is trying to set their students up for success by focusing on one particular subject. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED Protesters put on a concert at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in the Mojave Desert on Saturday, to call attention to the plight of undocumented detainees. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims around the world dedicate 30 days to prayer and reflection by fasting from sunrise to sunset. That includes in the Monterey County community of Seaside. Reporter: Ngozi Cole, KAZU State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond says he’s imploring the Trump administration to return a 6-year-old deaf boy and his family who were deported to Colombia, so the boy can return to the California School for the Deaf in Fremont. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2024, California voters approved Proposition 1. That ballot measure set aside billions of dollars to add more mental health and addiction treatment beds across the state. But new reporting from our California newsroom partner, CalMatters, has found the initiative hasn't delivered a fraction of the support it promised. Guest: Marisa Kendall, CalMatters It’s not just gas prices rising. The attacks on Iran are also causing fertilizer prices to surge by about 30%, just as the spring planting season gets underway in California. But some farmers here have been adopting techniques that aren't just resilient to climate change, but also to the supply chain disruption of war. Reporter: Elena Neale-Sacks, KAZU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About one in ten K-12 students in the US attend a California public school. And those schools are seeing a lot of turmoil this year. San Francisco educators went on strike in February. Teachers in Oakland and San Diego narrowly avoided a strike themselves. And now, their colleagues in Dublin -- in the Bay Area -- have also been on strike this week. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED San Diego County has followed through on its ultimatum to the Department of Homeland Security, by suing the agency over access to the Otay Mesa Detention Center. Reporter: Alexander Nguyen, KPBS A Sacramento woman with DACA status is suing the federal government after she says she was unlawfully deported. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

School boards across California are giving their members raises, which might sound strange at a time when teachers here are striking for better pay. It's thanks to a new law that gives board members their first opportunity for a major pay increase in 40 years. Reporter: Katie Anastas, KPBS A man who was recently released from custody at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center has died. Immigrant rights advocates say this is the second death connected to the facility in two weeks. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past year, we’ve watched the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown unfold violently in places like Minneapolis and Chicago. But even in Northern California, immigration arrests have more than doubled. And one of them, early last year, left a Silicon Valley carpenter gravely disabled. His family – like thousands of others – is now coping with trauma, upheaval and financial strain. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED California's state superintendent of schools is joining calls for the return of a 6-year-old deaf student from the Bay Area, who was deported to Colombia last week without his hearing aids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Proposition 50 is now in effect in California. The law redrew political boundaries for congressional districts. And one of the communities soon to have new congressional representation in Washington DC is Coalinga. This small, agricultural town on Fresno County’s west side is now going to be part of a district that stretches more than 100 miles to the north. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR Former state assemblymember Ian Calderon is dropping out of the governor’s race and throwing his support behind Democratic Congressmember Eric Swalwell. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes a winning candidate for governor of California? Well, with the exceptions of movie stars Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger, every governor for more than 80 years has had experience in statewide office. Gavin Newsom was lieutenant governor. Pete Wilson was a U.S. Senator. Pat Brown and Jerry Brown were both attorney general. This year, the leading candidates are taking a different path. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED In the City of Pomona, local officials are demanding the release of a man without legal documentation held at the Adelanto Processing Center. They’re concerned about his health and the lack of adequate medical care. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR San Diego County is suing the Department of Homeland Security for blocking access to the Otay Mesa Detention Center. Reporter: Alexander Nguyen, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, authorities have shut down an underground channel that detainees used to communicate with the outside world. Reporter: Aisha Wallace-Palomares, LA Taco At a contentious Senate hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Trump administration’s immigration policies. In Southern California, ICE has released a Cambodian genocide survivor from immigration detention following a court order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Across California, many Iranian-Americans are still in disbelief following the US-Israeli military strikes in Iran. Some are overjoyed with the death of the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, but others are concerned about the safety of friends and loved ones in the region. The greater Los Angeles area has a huge concentration of Iranians. That includes LA city councilman Adrin Nazarian. He was born in Iran, but he and his family fled in 1981. Guest: Adrin Nazarian, LA City Councilman As a way to tackle California’s notoriously high rents and home prices, state lawmakers have set their sights on bringing down the cost of construction. One idea: building it in factories. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED The US Supreme Court has blocked a California law that banned school employees from outing transgender students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration tried last fall to drastically reduce the amount of federal grant money counties could use for permanent supportive housing programs. The effort was struck down in court for the current funding cycle. But if next year's requirements are similar, there could be huge ramifications across California. Reporter: Elena Neale-Sacks, KAZU Rallies were held across the state this weekend following the US-Israeli airstrikes in Iran. The LAUSD board has voted unanimously to place Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on paid administrative leave. The decision comes days after FBI agents searched Carvalho’s home in San Pedro. Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sacramento County is home to California’s largest community of state workers, around 90,000 people. Governor Gavin Newsom says he wants them to come back into the office starting this summer — many still work remotely part time following the pandemic. But state worker unions hope a new bill will protect their ability to telework indefinitely. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio In Humboldt County, low wages are leading to high rates of poverty and greater enrollment in the state food program CalFresh. Reporter: Jane Vaughan, Jefferson Public Radio Along the coast of San Mateo County, elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park could be experiencing a “small outbreak” of bird flu, according to scientists. Reporter: Sarah Mohamad, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In light of violent immigration enforcement in major cities like Chicago, LA and Minneapolis, immigrants around the country are wondering: could this happen in my community? In the Central Valley, waiting for an answer to that question has given way to fear and misinformation. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR The LA Unified School Board is meeting behind closed doors Thursday where they're expected to discuss the status of Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. This comes a day after federal investigators raided his home and office at the district's headquarters. Time is running out to submit public comments on proposed federal oil and gas leases off the Central Coast. Reporter: Elena Neale Sacks, KAZU An agent who is reportedly with the Department of Homeland Security is set to appear in court in Riverside Friday. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon among other felonies. But holding him accountable might be difficult. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hundreds of thousands of California families rely on federal housing assistance programs to make rent- you might know it as Section 8 vouchers. Based on their income, they’ll pay a certain percentage of the rent and the government pays the rest. Recipients include seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and children. But the Trump administration is expected to introduce new rules to these programs in the coming months. Some lawmakers argue that could make assistance harder to access. Guest: Sharon Quirk-Silva, California State Assembly California’s investing billions of dollars into a new grade for 4-year-olds called transitional kindergarten. But the state hasn’t set aside any money to evaluate it. Reporter: Elly Yu, LAist On Wednesday, the city of Escondido in San Diego County will discuss a controversial contract that its police department has with the Department of Homeland Security. The contract allows federal agents to use a local gun range for 20 days a year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since last summer, when the Trump administration ramped up deportation efforts, a group of volunteer observers has kept a constant presence at the Santa Ana Immigration Court. Reporter: Jill Replogle, LAist A four-week strike by thousands of Kaiser Permanente health care workers in California and Hawaii is ending Tuesday morning, even though no contract deal has been reached. Cities on the US-Mexico border remain on high alert following a weekend of violence, in response to the killing of a cartel leader. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The string of storms that have swept through California has brought much-needed water and snow throughout the state, but climate scientists say, levels may still fall short of what's needed in the coming warm weather months. The town of Truckee held a memorial for the victims of last week's avalanche in the Sierra. This comes after search and rescue crews finished recovering all nine of their bodies over the weekend. State Senator, Scott Wiener, is proposing legislation to force a split between San Francisco and Pacific Gas & Electric. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week marks the 84th anniversary of the United States, under president Franklin D. Roosevelt, enacting Executive Order 9066, which led to U.S. residents of Japanese descent being dispossessed and interned, even if they were American citizens. Survivors of Japanese internment say they're seeing the Trump Administration embracing similar policies that led to one of the darkest chapters of the United States in the 20th century. The non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office is recommending that California lawmakers reject Governor Gavin Newsom's latest electric vehicle rebate proposal, citing cost concerns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eight people have been confirmed dead after an avalanche in Tahoe's Donner Summit region on Tuesday buried a group of 15 backcountry skiers. Six of the skiers, who were part of an overnight backcountry skiing group, were rescued Tuesday night. One person is still missing but is presumed dead. Guest: Sarah Wright, KQED A controversial proposal to tax the wealth of billionaires in California is getting a boost this week from one of the nation's leading progressives: Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED More than 1400 registered nurses are set to strike at medical centers affiliated with the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, the latest in a wave of labor unrest hitting the healthcare industry. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Search and rescue crews are looking for nine backcountry skiers after an avalanche near Castle Peak in the Sierra Nevada Tuesday morning. Six people were safely rescued. Two of them were transported to the hospital for treatment. The city of Los Angeles is looking to ban the construction and operation of some private detention centers. This comes amid reports that warehouses across the country are being eyed as potential detention centers, by President Trump and federal immigration officials. Reporter: Destiny Torres, LAist Work is slow in Hollywood right now. But at least one new type of production is hiring. They are bingeable shows made to be watched on your phone. And they’re called vertical micro dramas. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SAG-AFTRA is beginning its second week of contract negotiations with Hollywood studios. The union, representing actors and performers, is hoping to avoid a repeat of 2023, when talks broke down and a strike lasted more than a hundred days. AI is expected to be one of the main focuses of the talks. Guest: Gene Maddaus, Variety A new bill in the California legislature aims to improve the safety of e-bikes. It would require owners of certain types of e-bikes to register with the DMV and display a license plate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration is making changes to how it treats unaccompanied migrant children who are pregnant, and that's raising alarm bells inside the government. Since last July, the administration has been concentrating pregnant kids in one shelter in South Texas, even if they're apprehended in California or other states. This comes over objections from the government's own health and child welfare officials. They say neither the facility nor the region can provide the specialized care the girls need. Guest: Mark Betancourt, The California Newsroom Firefighters across the state are working with scientists at the University of California to minimize their risk to cancer. Reporter: Alonso Daboub, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s Department of Justice is opening a civil rights investigation in connection with last year’s deadly Eaton Fire. Attorney General Rob Bonta said they want to find out if race, age or disability discrimination were factors during the emergency response in the historically Black community of West Altadena. The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and environmental groups are celebrating the purchase of Sargent Ranch by the Peninsula Open Space Trust. Reporter: Erin Malsbury, KAZU Valentine's Day for many means heart shaped candies and chocolates. But if romance is not your thing, visitors to San Francisco’s Exploratorium can interact with the actual organ. Reporter: Alonso Daboub, KQED An environmental advocate who helped build the community of fans around Big Bear’s bald eagles has died. Reporter: Makenna Sievertson, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amongst the ponderosa pines in California’s Butte County, Native Maidu people are lighting fires to encourage the re-growth of useful plants and reduce the risk from future wildfires. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED A new bill introduced in the state assembly this week could make it easier to secure long-term funding for a program that lets people check out state parks passes from their local library . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco teachers are in their third day of a high stakes labor fight with the district, leaving nearly 50,000 students out of school. And they're not alone. Across California, more local teachers unions are in active disputes right now, from bargaining breakdowns to strike authorizations and walkouts. Guest: Danielle Mahones, UC Berkeley Labor Center A new report commissioned by LA County lays out how ICE raids there have hurt some local businesses. Reporter: Libby Rainey, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As federal immigration enforcement efforts continue across California, families of detainees are struggling with a new problem. Many can't find loved ones who've been hospitalized after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Guest: Claudia Boyd-Barrett, KFF Health News A federal judge blocked a California state law barring federal officers from wearing masks on Monday. But the ruling also handed the state a partial victory. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was another historic halftime show at this year’s Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara as global superstar Bad Bunny took the stage. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report 2025 was a pivotal year for health insurance reform: more than two dozen states, including California, passed laws limiting insurers’ ability to delay or deny medical services after a doctor has ordered them. The practice is known as prior authorization. Criticism of it reached a fever pitch last year and California is leading the way with reform. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Super Bowl Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, Bad Bunny will make history, headlining the halftime show, and singing entirely in Spanish. It will also be the first time the show includes Puerto Rican sign language. Reporter: Nastia Voynovskaya, KQED People who say their rights are being trampled at a remote immigration detention facility in the Mojave Desert get their first day in court on Friday. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Kern County's District Attorney is suing an oil and gas producer for alleged environmental violations. This comes as the county’s oil production is ramping up under a new state law. Reporter: Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Super Bowl 60 will air on NBC on Sunday. And if you can’t watch the game in person at Levi’s Stadium, you’ll likely be one of millions glued to a TV screen. The game is being played in Santa Clara, but you might not know it from some of the images the broadcast is likely to show. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report California’s new congressional map will stay in place after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the new districts Wednesday. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Over a year ago, California voters passed a measure, Proposition 36, to crack down on theft and drug crimes. But counties have been left to figure out how to fund it. Reporter: Riley Palmer, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This weekend's Super Bowl halftime show is expected to be one of the most-watched performances of the year, and this time it's headlined by Bad Bunny. The global superstar has never shied away from politics. Just days ago at the Grammys, he used his acceptance speech to denounce ICE at a moment when immigration enforcement has become more aggressive in parts of the country, including here in California. So what does it mean for an artist like Bad Bunny to take the Super Bowl stage right now? Guest: Nastia Voynovskaya, KQED Arts Editor A naturalization ceremony in Fresno to swear in new U.S. citizens was abruptly cancelled recently. Many waiting for citizenship were thrown into confusion. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Up until now, police in California could cite drivers with an open container violation, if they found loose marijuana in a vehicle. But a new ruling by the California Supreme Court finds that police can’t issue a citation, or search the car, unless the pot they find is ready to be consumed. Reporter: Nigel Duara, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every winter, skiers trek up to the Southern California mountain town of Big Bear to hit the slopes. But this winter, snow has been hard to come by. Rain and unusually warm temperatures have dominated and put a chill on ski resorts and businesses in the region. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR Every time there’s a major disaster in California, the state is supposed to write a report on lessons learned. But they're years behind. Reporter: Jacob Margolis, LAist A bill to regulate unaccredited groups that help veterans access benefits is pending on Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles more than a year ago, rebuilding has been slow. So some local architects have been thinking about how to move things along. A few took inspiration from a project in the 1940s to build homes quickly, which ended up revolutionizing architecture and forever associating LA with the mid-century modern home. Reporter: Brandon Reynolds, KCRW It seems like California just might be repeating last year’s snowpack story. Massive storms drenched the state in December. But California was virtually dry for most of January. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices