KQED's The California Report

Governor Gavin Newsom says he's close to a deal with state legislators on a reopening plan for elementary schools. He says he's committed to balancing safety with the importance of getting kids back in classrooms.Reporter: Katie Orr, KQEDA 28-year-old-man has been arrested in Oakland in connection with a series of attacks on the elderly in the city's Chinatown. The assaults have gained national attention with growing concerns about hate crimes against the Asian American community. A lawsuit has been filed to end in-person traffic and eviction hearings in Los Angeles Superior Court. The legal aid groups claim that during the pandemic, courtrooms are unsafe for court staff and defendants alike.Reporter: Anna Scott, KCRWChevron said a mixture of gasoline and oil leaked from a pipeline on the "Long Wharf" at the Richmond facility on Tuesday. The incident is now being investigated by local, state and federal officials.Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQEDMany Californians continue to struggle through the process of trying to get unemployment benefits from the state. But it's been particularly challenging for those whose primary language is not English or Spanish. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California ReportCentral Valley Democrat Josh Harder has been inundated with phone calls, emails and angry tweets following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last month. The problem: they were meant for Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s newest coronavirus testing lab remains far short of its goal for processing COVID tests. The Valencia facility was hailed as a game-changer when it opened in November, with the goal of turning around 150,000 tests per day by March. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadioThe Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District is floating a proposal to reopen elementary school campuses under some conditions. To reopen campuses he says 25,000 elementary school teachers and staff would need to be vaccinated.Reporter: Caroline Champlin, KPCCSan Diego County continues to administer thousands of vaccines a day, and county officials aren't concerned with the citizenship of those getting vaccinated. Some of the shots are going to Mexican citizens who cross the border frequently for work.Reporter: Max Rivlin-Nadler KPBSThe Employment Development Department, the state agency responsible for sending out unemployment benefits is facing more scrutiny. State lawmakers say they are so busy fielding constituent complaints about EDD, they hardly have time for anything else.Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, KQEDA new state commission is recommending that California end mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent crimes, and allow judges to reconsider all criminal sentences after someone has spent 15 years in prison.Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQEDCalifornia is set to develop new rules aimed at making homes more resilient against wildfires. State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said his office is partnering with a group of state agencies to come up with home hardening standards statewide.Reporter: Lily Jamali, KQEDRepublican businessman John Cox is taking another shot at running for California governor. In a new ad, Cox comes out hard against Gavin Newsom, and another Republican candidate, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED  San Diego County continues to administer thousands of vaccines a day, and county officials aren't concerned with the citizenship of those getting vaccinated. Some of the shots are going to Mexican citizens who cross the border frequently for work.Reporter: Max Rivlin-Nadler KPBSRepublican businessman John Cox is taking another shot at running for California governor. In a new ad, Cox comes out hard against Gavin Newsom, and another Republican candidate, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S Supreme Court Rules Against Parts of California's Ban on Indoor WorshipOver the weekend, some parishioners gathered in houses of worship across the state after the U.S Supreme Court ruled against parts of California’s ban on indoor worship services put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.Collapse of Highway 1 Means Big Economic Consequences for Big Sur CommunitiesHighway 1 along the coast of Big Sur is one of the most scenic stretches of pavement in the country, but it can also be fragile. A big chunk of Highway One collapsed in heavy rains last month, and that has big economic consequences for the tourism-dependent communities in Big Sur. Reporter: Erika Mahoney, KAZU Campaign to Recall Newsom from Office Appears to be Gaining SteamA recent poll by UC Berkeley shows support for Governor Gavin Newsom falling. And the campaign to recall him from office, once a fringe idea, appears to be gaining steam. Recall organizers have until March 17th to turn in a million and half verified voter petition signatures to qualify a recall measure for the ballot.Inside a Vaccination Super CenterMore than nine million Californians get their health care from Kaiser-Permanente. And for both its members and non-members, Kaiser is playing a growing role in the distribution of the coronavirus vaccines. Guest: Dr. Michael Moore, a director of Kaiser's COVID-19 vaccination programs Families Wait for Relief After President Biden Revokes Travel BanOne of Joe Biden’s first actions as president was to revoke Donald Trump’s travel ban against several Muslim-majority and African nations. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Area Congressional Representatives Condemn Enduring Trauma from Family Separation PolicyCongressional representatives from the Bay Area condemned the enduring trauma caused by the Trump administration’s family separation policy. That policy has drawn shock and anger since coming to light in 2018. Reporter: Michelle Wiley, KQED Scientists Still Unsure How to Treat COVID-19 Related Brain FogA new study out this week suggests long-term cognitive issues may be more common than we thought, especially in people who had mild COVID-19 cases. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED Berkeley Considers Upending Rules Around Single Family ZoningBerkeley was the first city in the country to adopt single-family zoning. Or rules that restrict housing development to one home on one lot. That was back in 1916. Now Berkeley is one of a handful of California cities considering upending those rules. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED New Labor Laws Reveal Glaring Inequities in State's Art SectorSmall arts groups are struggling to comply with the new rules while coping with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Reporter: Chloe Veltman, KQED Incentives Allowed by California Regulators May Have Made Rural Grids More VulnerablePG&E is suspected of causing last year’s deadly Zogg Fire in Shasta County last year. At the time, the utility had turned off power in parts of several counties, but not in the area where the Zogg Fire started. Guest: Steve Weissman, Policy Advisor, Center for Sustainable Energy & Lecturer, UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California Grocery Association Sues Over 'Hero Pay' for Essential WorkersThe California Grocers Association sued Oakland on Wednesday, a day after the city council mandated an additional $5 an hour in pay for workers at supermarkets there. Disputes have escalated as more California cities consider ordinances aimed at compensating grocery workers during the pandemic. Workers protested in Long Beach, where Krogers has announced two store closures in response to a similar mandate.Guest: Howard Simmons, Ralphs EmployeeKQED's Digital Team Takes on Listener Questions about VaccinationsCalifornia’s COVID vaccine rollout has been among the slowest in the nation. Those eligible have found it hard to know where to get the vaccine. So people are looking for information where they can, including from KQED. Guest: Carly Severn, KQEDSan Francisco Files Lawsuit Against District to Force Classrooms OpenSan Francisco’s school board president is calling a lawsuit filed .. against the district by the city petty and embarrassing. The city maintains the district lacks a plan to safely reopen public schools during the pandemic. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Biden Administration Works with State to Open Two New Vaccination Sites in CaliforniaThe sites will be at the Oakland Coliseum and California State University - Los Angeles. Governor Newsom said the locations were chosen intentionally. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED PG&E Faces New Conditions on Federal ProbationThe conditions were prompted by the company's suspected role in starting a deadly Shasta County fire last fall. REporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Two Bay Area Lawmakers Propose Building 'Social Housing' to Address High Housing CostsAssemblymembers Alex Lee of San Jose and Buffy Wicks of Oakland introduced the Social Housing Act earlier this week. It would create a statewide housing authority to build and manage housing that’s available to not just the poorest residents, but to middle-income people as well. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden signed several executive orders on immigration Tuesday, including one that creates a task force to reunify migrant families separated by the Trump administration. Reporter: Michelle Wiley, KQEDPresident Biden recently signed an executive order directing the Justice Department to stop contracting with private prisons. What impact could this have on detention facilities here in California? Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KVCRAs the COVID-19 surge slowly subsides in our hospitals, the state public health department says nurse staffing ratios will begin to return to normal. Hospitals desperate to find enough staff during the surge applied for waivers allowing nurses to care for more patients than they normally would. Reporter: Jackie Fortiér, KPCCDealing with COVID skeptics in your family isn't easy. Take it from one L.A. journalist who’s been working at it with his dad this past year. He consistently provided his father with accurate information about COVID-related health risks, and even convinced him to get the vaccine. Guest: Gustavo Arellano, L.A. TimesCalifornia's outgoing Attorney General Xavier Becerra has filed a brief with a federal appeals court, arguing the federal government should be allowed to enforce its robocall ban for the years 2015-2020.Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a campaign to recall Governor Gavin Newsom inches closer to the ballot, a new poll shows voters are unhappy with his handling of the pandemic, just 46% approve of the job he’s doing.Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQEDAs Newsom’s ratings fall, former San Diego Mayor and Republican Kevin Faulconer, announced last night he’s running for governor, whether in 2022 or a recall election, if there is one. Opinions on his time as mayor are mixed.Guest: Katie Orr, KQEDImmigrant advocates are calling on federal authorities to release most people held at immigration detention centers in California. This comes after the Biden administration issued new priorities for who should be arrested and locked up.Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQEDPresident Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress are proposing an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Five years ago, California debated its own $15 minimum wage.Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQEDIn Southern California, two grocery chains are planning to close stores in Long Beach. it’s a move that comes after the city passed a temporary pay raise for local grocery workers because of the pandemic.Reporter: David Wagner, KPCCTV, movie, and commercial shoots in the L.A. area have gotten the go-ahead to resume production this week. This comes a month after three industry groups recommended that local production be put on hold, due to a surge in COVID cases.Reporter: Chery Glaser, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oxygen Suppliers Struggle to Keep Up with Demand from COVID-19 patientsCOVID-19 patients who recover enough to go home from the hospital often need supplemental oxygen. But with so many COVID patients, oxygen companies are struggling to keep up with the demand. Reporter: Jackie Fortiér, KPCC At least four employees linked to the company’s plant in south Fresno have now died. A December outbreak there infected at least 193 workers and prompted an investigation by the county health department. Reporter: Alex Hall, The California ReportNew preliminary data show the University of California got a record number of applications this year, with a remarkable surge in members of underrepresented groups looking for a spot. Guest: Teresa Watanabe, Reporter, L.A. Times It’s back to business for many parts of the Los Angeles economy this month. Restaurants are open for outdoor dining, mini golf and batting cages are hosting guests, and nail salons are opening too. Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shirley Weber Confirmed as California's Top Election OfficialSan Diego Assemblywoman Shirley Weber will become California's first Black Secretary of State roughly half a century after her family fled Arkansas when her father was threatened by a lynch mob. No legislator in either house opposed the nomination, but all Senate Republicans abstained.Guy Marzorati, KQEDThere have been a lot of major announcements in the last few weeks related to the pandemic, from Governor Gavin Newsom's lifting of the stay at home order to new rules for who gets priority for getting a COVID-19 vaccination. Guest: Molly Peterson, KQED health reporter The state has vaccinated more than 8,000 people incarcerated in state prisons, but it’s unclear if any ICE detainees have been vaccinated yet. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED People with underlying health conditions were originally set to get vaccinated after most essential workers. Now that the governor is shifting to an age-based system, people with disabilities feel they’ve been pushed out of line. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED The audit says EDD had a heads up from the Department of Labor as far back as May that it needed to prepare for more than a billion dollars’ worth of potentially fraudulent claims. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, KQED Adhiti Bandlamudi shares this story about living with two people who have a different idea about what it is to be safe during COVID. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democratic State Lawmakers Renew Push for Bail ReformIn November, state voters sided the bail industry, and killed legislation that would have ended cash bail in the state and replaced it with a system that gave judges more power to decide who should be released from jail before trial.Now Democratic state lawmakers are taking another swing at bail reform. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Governor Gavin Newsom is going through a political rough patch, with people criticizing his sometimes confusing pandemic announcements and tendency to act first and explain himself later to other elected officials. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED California’s slow vaccine rollout has been blamed on a limited vaccine supply, but having enough trained people to actually give the shots on an industrial scale is also a factor. Reporter: Tarryn Mento, KPBS According to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, nearly 4,000 inmates and staff members have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Tony Botti says the high caseload in the jail reflects what’s happening in the county. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Most changes in the virus don’t raise alarm bells. But genomic sequencing can help identify variants that are more deadly or contagious. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio The newly formed Open Schools California unifies parent groups from San Diego to Marin. These are parents who accuse the governor of not having the political will to re open school campuses, after nearly a year of distance learning. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices