KQED's The California Report

Leaders up and down California expressed joy and relief following the guilty verdicts handed down to former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd.Members of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles were overjoyed by the guilty verdicts handed down in the murder of George Floyd. But they know that more work lies ahead for them.Guest: Dr. Melina Abdullah, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter Los AngelesA community gathering in Fresno honored the life of George Floyd following the verdicts announced Tuesday. Now, organizers are preparing for a large march to remember the lives also lost in Fresno.Reporter: Soreath Hok, Valley Public Radio The California Legislature will take up the governor’s nomination of Oakland Assemblyman Rob Bonta to be the state’s next Attorney General. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will formally introduce his budget proposal on Tuesday. It includes money for a universal basic income pilot program.The trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd is now in the hands of the jury. One Bay Area professor said the defense's arguments have been rooted in a long history of looking at the health and well-being of Black people differently.Guest: Denise Hurd, Professor of Public Health, UC BerkeleyAn audit last year of the California District Attorney’s Association revealed that the group had misused at least $2.9 million in public funds meant to help prosecutors enforce environmental and worker safety laws. Instead, the audit found, it was used on things like lobbying.Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQEDLos Angeles is home to the largest urban oil field in the country, and about a third of L.A. County residents live less than a mile from an active drilling site. A new study from the University of Southern California has found that the area's long history with fossil fuel extraction has health impacts for residents living near active and inactive sites. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Kings County, there’s been a 90% increase in deaths among Latino immigrants between 2019 and 2020. That’s according to a data analysis by UC Merced.Reporter: Madi Bolanos, Valley Public RadioTax day is less than a month away and for out of work Californians who still haven’t filed their returns, the process could feel extra complicated. One Bay Area tax expert said it's best to get it done as soon as possible.Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report Following the news of the pause in administering doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, misinformation and conspiracy theories ran rampant. It raises the question of how to educate the public when it comes to vaccinations as a health measure.  Guest: Scott Ratzan, Distinguished Lecturer, CUNY School of Public Health Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 300,000 COVID-19 cases involve the nation’s meatpacking workers, leading to billions of dollars in economic damage, according to a new study from U.C. Davis.Reporter: Alex Hall, The California ReportWith Governor Gavin Newsom's announcement that he wants the state to fully reopen on June 15, the live music industry is preparing for what could be a busy second half of 2021. But not all music venues will open in June.State utility regulators have voted to take new action against Pacific Gas and Electric, after finding the company hasn’t done enough in regards to wildfire safety work. The California Public Utilities Commission said the utility has fallen short when it comes to removing dangerous trees in areas that are prone to wildfires.Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone over the age of 16 in California can now sign up to get a COVID-19 vaccine appointment through the state's My Turn website. But as eligibility expands in the state, some are concerned people in the hardest hit communities will be left behind in trying to get a shot.Guest: Kiran Savage-Sangwan, Executive Director of the California Pan-Ethnic Health NetworkRestaurants in a dozen California counties have filed class-action lawsuits seeking refunds for pandemic-era business permits, licensing fees, and late charges. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQEDDuring the pandemic, lots of Americans have been kept afloat financially with the help of stimulus payments from the federal government, like the most recent one for $1,400. But is that money getting to people most in need, like the homeless here in California?As Republicans in many states work to enact tighter restrictions on voting, California lawmakers are going in the opposite direction. California could become the sixth state in the country to permanently send all voters a ballot in the mail for every election.Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The state is following federal guidance by pausing the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, as officials investigate six blood clot cases that may be tied to the vaccine. Governor Gavine Newsom said he doesn't anticipate this affecting the state's vaccination or reopening timeline.Whistleblower Sophie Zhang details how authoritarian governments used Facebook to target activists and journalists, and spread misinformation campaigns, and the company did little about it.Guest: Julia Carrie Wong, Senior Technology Reporter with The GuardianThe San Francisco-based online newsletter platform Substack has become a popular home for many well-known journalists who’ve abandoned mainstream media outlets. But now, the company's choice of some of the writers it’s invited aboard has come under fire. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The FDA has called for a pause in use of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, after six people developed a rare disorder involving blood clots within about two weeks of vaccination. Nearly 7 million people in the United States have already received a Johnson and Johnson dose. Guest: Sydney Lupkin, Pharmaceuticals Correspondent, NPRAs the holy month of Ramadan continues, health leaders are encouraging Muslims to get the COVID-19 vaccine. And they're trying to spread the word that vaccines can be safely administered, even while people are fasting.Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCCStreet vendors in Central Valley communities have been victimized by violence and thefts. Just last month vendor Lorenzo Perez was shot and killed while he was selling corn in southeast Fresno. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, Valley Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In San Francisco, schools will only be open for the youngest students. In San Diego County, the state's second largest school district, in-person learning will be an option for all students.The Biden Administration's infrastructure plan includes a huge push for getting more electric vehicles on the roadway. At least one expert says a lot can be learned from California's EV push.Guest: Chelsea Sexton, Electric Vehicle Industry AnalystThe site in L.A. County is expected to hold up to 2,500 unaccompanied migrant children at a time. It will be the third site to open in Southern California, after the cities of Long Beach and San Diego also added temporary shelters.Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW  Much of the controversy surrounds Commissioner Alison Collins. But now, some students say they want their voices heard as the board makes decisions on the future of schools.Guest: Holly McDede, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s health agencies offer information about COVID-19 in many languages – including Spanish, Hmong and American Sign Language. But one language that’s largely been missing is Punjabi. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPRGovernor Newsom has struck a deal with lawmakers and hopes to sign the plan into law next week. This comes after a record-breaking fire season in 2020, and mostly dry winter, which could make California more susceptible to fires in 2021.In the private sphere, California is a high-tech mecca, but the pandemic has exposed the frailties and age of the state government’s technology infrastructure. One Bay Area lawmaker said he has a plan to fix some of the state's issues. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California ReportThe family of a mentally ill man, who was beaten by Ukiah police officers, is planning to sue the city and the men who beat him. This is not the first incident that’s drawn criticism for the Ukiah Police Department. Reporter: Sarah Reith, KZYX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many Californians are still suffering from COVID-19 symptoms, months after they were initially diagnosed. Many of these long haulrs are hoping to get answers for what's ailing them from long term COVID-19 clinics.Guest: Dr. Lekshmi Santhosh, Physician Faculty Lead, UCSF OPTIMAL Clinic.State health officials tell the Mercury News that California's allocation of Johnson & Johnson doses from the federal government will drop by 90% next week. This comes as the state will allow everyone over the age of 16 to get their vaccination shot.Fresno leaders have announced a proposal to respond to a rise in violence against the Asian and Pacific Islander communities. The city hopes to create an Office of Community Affairs, hiring local community liaisons.Reporter: Soreath Hok, Valley Public RadioA community of Haitian migrants has been in Tijuana for nearly a decade, fleeing a devastating earthquake, hurricanes, financial collapse and now, deep political instability and violence. But many have been unable to make a life for themselves in Mexico.Reporter: Max Rivlin-Nadler, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices