KQED's The California Report

More than 4.8 Million Californians Have Voted So FarCalifornians are exceptionally motivated to vote in this election, with more than 4.8 million vote-by-mail ballots already returned. A new statewide poll also finds deep-seated skepticism about a potential coronavirus vaccine. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQEDCompetitive Central Valley House Race is a Toss-Up Following DebateThe two candidates in one of the most competitive House races in California, the 21st district, which includes parts of Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern Counties, squared off this week in Bakersfield.Reporter: Alex Hall, KQEDHow Do Fire Victims Vote-By-Mail? Registrars Are HelpingThere are only 12 days until election day, and because of the pandemic, all registered voters in the state have been sent mail-in ballots. But what about people who have lost their homes to wildfires, how do they vote?Reporter: Isabella Bloom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State Coronavirus Numbers Up Slightly, But Positivity Rate Remains LowCalifornia counties find themselves on very different paths when it comes to reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday San Francisco learned it is moving into the yellow tier of the state’s framework on restrictions as Shasta and Riverside counties are being downgraded to purple after a spike in cases.$100 Million Scholarship Fund Supports Community College StudentsStudents often quit California's community colleges before graduating. It's long been a pain point for the state. This week, college leaders are celebrating a $100 million dollar donation meant to help students finish their degrees.Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQEDUniversities Sue Over Skilled-Worker Visa RestrictionsCaltech and the University of Southern California are among the plaintiffs suing the federal government for placing new restrictions on hiring highly skilled foreign workers.Reporter: Caroline Champlin KPCCInvestigation Finds Human Error Caused Tragic Boat FireA federal investigation into a deadly boat fire off the Santa Barbara coast a year ago has found human error mostly to blame. The fire aboard the Conception killed 34 people. It's the deadliest maritime disaster in modern state history.Reporter: Matt Guilhem, KCRWSan Francisco Bans Racist Non-Emergency 911 CallsSan Francisco supervisors have unanimously approved new legislation which makes it a hate crime to make racist, non-emergency calls to the police. It’s called the CAREN legislation, a nod to the privileged white woman meme.Purdue Pharma Pleads Guilty in Opioid InvestigationThe Department of Justice says it’s reached an $8 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma, the maker of the prescription painkiller OxyContin. Officials say the company will plead guilty to three counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States. It does not release members of the Sackler family from criminal liability.Guest: Anand Giridharadas, Author, Winners Take AllAdvocates Work to Mobilize California's Unlikely VotersWe are less than two weeks away from Election Day, but nearly four million Californians have already cast their ballots by mail. Those robust early returns are causing excitement among groups dedicated to increasing voter turnout, but there's a catch. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQEDSatirist and Math Professor Puts Work in Public DomainLegendary Satirist Tom Lehrer is also a distinguished emeritus professor of mathematics at the University of California, Santa Cruz. the 92-year-old has just put much of his intellectual property in the public domain so that others can use it freely.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fire Experts Use Satellites to Monitor and Understand WildfiresAs this epic fire season drags on, the state is watching for new fires from space. Satellites allow scientists and fire officials see where wildfires are, and help them understand how quickly these fires grow and what controls their growth.Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQEDResidents Protest Bankrupt Battery Plant's Contamination of East L.A.In Los Angeles, more than 100 residents joined community activists last night to protest a troublesome battery recycling plant that polluted homes and businesses for decades. They're energized over a recent court ruling that leaves state taxpayers responsible for the rest of the cleanup bill.Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRWUber and Lyft Flood Drivers With Pro Prop 22 Ads During ShiftsRide-hailing companies Uber and Lyft are using in-app pop up ads to urge riders and drivers to vote for proposition 22. That ballot measure would allow companies that depend on gig workers to continue a key part of their business model: classifying workers as contractors, not employees.Reporter: Sam Harnett, KQEDSeptember Home Sales 20% Higher Than a Year AgoNew data from the California Association of Realtors shows homes sales in September up more than 20% from a year ago, beating a record set more than a decade ago. It’s a conundrum, as the pandemic appears to have put a damper on many parts of the economy.Guest: ChrisThornberg, Beacon EconomicsBeloved L.A. Diner Reopens With Limited ServiceThe coronavirus pandemic and shutdowns have been devastating for many small businesses all over CA. But in the economic wreckage, there are examples of beloved businesses that many people thought were gone for good, finding a way to reopen. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GOP Agrees to Modify Controversial Ballot BoxesCalifornia’s Republican Party says it plans to modify but expand its ballot collection program after legal threats by California’s Attorney General. The boxes appeared in counties with competitive congressional races, including Fresno where the boxes have been removed, for now.Reporter: Alex Hall, KQEDPolls Show Suburban Women Turning Away From TrumpIn the final days of the 2020 campaign, President Donald Trump is openly courting suburban women, a crucial group of voters for both candidates. But polls show those women pulling away from the president.Reporter: Katie Orr, KQEDCourt Rules Bankrupt Battery Recycler Not Responsible for Cleanup of Toxic WasteA bankruptcy court in Delaware has approved a plan to abandon a battery recycling plant in L.A. County, siding with the Trump administration over the objections of Governor Gavin Newsom. The decision could leave a toxic mess in a poor community with no money to pay for cleanup. Reporter: Molly Peterson, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump Administration Rejects State's Petition for Wildfire ReliefThe Trump Administration has rejected California’s petition for a federal disaster declaration and relief funds in the aftermath of several recent wildfires, including the devastating August Complex Fire, the biggest wildfire in state history. Oakland, Portland Sue Over Use of Federal Agents at ProtestsThe City of Oakland is challenging the Trump administration's authority to send federal law enforcement to respond to protests. Reporter: Nina Thorsen, KQED Civilian Watchdog Group Demands L.A County Sheriff ResignThe civilian watchdog group overseeing LA. County’s Sheriff’s Department has released an unanimous resolution demanding that the county’s sheriff, Alex Villanueva, resign immediately.Newsom Releases Recommendations for Police Response During ProtestsNew recommendations that aim to make demonstrations more peaceful are out. Tensions between police, protestors and journalists have been especially high since demonstrations broke out after the killing of George Floyd in the spring.Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, KQEDThe Mental Health Toll of a Coronavirus Outbreak Inside Avenal State PrisonSome of the largest COVID-19 clusters in the country are in California’s jails and prisons, and at the top of the list is Avenal State Prison in the San Joaquin Valley. Inmates say the prison's handling of the virus has been chaotic, and that impacts inmate safety as well as mental health. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Statue of Former Governor Pete Wilson Removed in San DiegoThe statue of Pete Wilson, put up just thirteen years, ago, has become a target for recent protests by activists who objected to Wilson’s stance on immigration and LGBTQ rights.New Online Detection Tool Could Stop Ships from Colliding with WhalesIn recent years these waters, especially around Santa Barbara, have gotten more dangerous for the giant mammals because of the increased danger of collisions between whales and cargo ships. In response, researchers at UC Santa Barbara’s Benioff Ocean Initiative have developed a first of its kind system to help ships avoid hitting whales.Guest: Morgan Visalli, Benioff Ocean Initiative scientist and Whale Safe project lead Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dangerous Weather Conditions Mean More Power Shut-Offs in Northern California53,000 Pacific Gas and Electric customers in Northern and Central California are without power this morning. The utility has shut it off because of dangerous weather conditions that could spark a wildfire. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQEDState Grid Operator Faces Tough Questions About Rolling BlackoutsThe agency that manages the state’s power grid is calling for Californians to conserve power today, two months after almost a million Californians were left in the dark by the state’s first planned rolling blackouts in 20 years. The agency is also under scrutiny over distribution of the state power supply. Reporter: Lily Jamali, KQEDDemocrats Cry Foul Over GOP's Unofficial Ballot Drop-BoxesDemocrats in California’s three most competitive Congressional races are crying foul over the Republican Party's unauthorized vote-by-mail drop boxes. The GOP is defending the use of the ballot boxes and the issue has gotten the attention of President Trump. Reporter: Guy Marzaroti, KQEDRecord-Breaking Numbers of Californians Have Already VotedEvery registered voter has been mailed a ballot this election and a a result, record-breaking numbers of Californians have already voted. Secretary of State Alex Padilla says more people voting by mail means election day will be safer for everyone who needs to be there in person.Reporter: Angela Corral, KQEDUnemployment Agency Seeks to Reduce Backlog With New ID SystemCalifornia’s Employment Development Department says it’s making progress towards eliminating its massive unemployment claims backlog thanks in part to a new identity verification system helping EDD process claims faster and head off fraud.Reporter: Julie Chang, KQEDL.A. City Council Votes To Develop Non-Police Crisis ResponseWhen people are experiencing a mental health crisis, it’s often the police who respond. San Francisco and Oakland are implementing programs that would remove police from crisis response. Now the City of Los Angeles is also moving forward with developing its own unarmed civilian crisis response team.Reporter: Anna Scott, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SCOTUS Ruling Ends Census, Leaving Marginalized Communities UndercountedThe U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump Administration can end counting for the 2020 Census now instead of waiting until the end of the month. The court’s decision is a blow to local governments and advocacy groups, who say stopping the count now will lead to a big undercount of marginalized communities.Trick-Or-Treating and Parties Discouraged For Halloween and Dia de los MuertosThe State of California is strongly discouraging trick-or-treating and large gatherings for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos. In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, health officials are suggesting alternatives to traditional holiday activities.Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQEDProp 18 Would Allow Some Californians to Vote Before They Turn 18When you turn 18 you’re allowed to do a lot of things you weren’t allowed to do before, like vote. But should California allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary if they'll be 18 on election day? That’s what Proposition 18 would allow.Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State Eases Restrictions as COVID Hospitalizations DropHospitalizations for coronavirus patients in California are at their lowest level in six months. Just over 2,200 COVID patients were hospitalized as of this past Saturday compared to the peak of nearly 7,200 patients hospitalized in July. And coronavirus patients in intensive care units are now at their second-lowest level since the pandemic began.California Looks to Florida for Guidance on Reopening Amusement ParksOne huge economic blow caused by the pandemic is the continued closure of California’s amusement parks. But across the country, Florida is reopening its parks. Governor Gavin Newsom says he’s sending California officials to Florida to see how things are going since Disney World and other parks reopened last month.GOP Says They Will Not Remove Unauthorized Ballot Drop BoxesCalifornia’s top election official and the state’s Attorney General are demanding that California’s Republican Party remove unauthorized ballot drop off boxes that have appeared in at least three counties in the state. GOP officials insist they aren't breaking any laws.Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadioPG&E Considers Power Shut-Offs As Temperatures and Winds Pick UpNorthern California is in for another round of hot, windy weather this week. PG&E is preparing for another possible round of “wildfire safety” blackouts to prevent its equipment from sparking another blaze. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PG&E Under Investigation in Connection with Deadly Shasta County WildfireUtility giant, Pacific Gas and Electric says state authorities are investigating whether the company’s equipment might have started a Northern California fire that killed four people late last month and destroyed over 200 structures.Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Thousands March in Beverly Hills in Solidarity with ArmeniaThousands of Armenian-American protestors marched in Los Angeles on Sunday, demanding an end to a decades-old, violent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan that’s flared up in recent weeks.Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW State Regulators Plan to Cut Cost of Jail and Prison Phone CallsThe California Public Utilities Commission plans this fall to start discussing placing a cap on the price of the calls. This move is part of a national movement to reduce expensive phone rates for incarcerated people.Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED The History of Voting Rights for Formerly Incarcerated PeopleThis election year, California voters will decide on Proposition 17, a ballot measure that would restore voting rights to people on parole if it passes.Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Private Firefighters Accused of Allegedly Setting Illegal BackfiresState fire officials are investigating several private firefighters for allegedly setting illegal backfires to protect some structures threatened by the Glass Fire in the wine country.Jackie Lacey and George Gascón Square Off in LA County District Attorney RaceThe candidates to lead the largest prosecutor’s office in the country squared off last night in a virtual debate. Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey is running for her third term against George Gascón, the former San Francisco D.A., who is campaigning as a progressive challenger.Some Call for a Less Partisan Election Chief in CaliforniaCalifornia Secretary of State Alex Padilla is charged with overseeing the state's elections. But he's also a Democrat, who has to face his own election every four years. Some election experts think the job needs a fundamental overhaul.Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQEDOver 100,000 College Students Lack Tech for Online ClassesMore than 100,000 California college students don’t have the technology they need for online classes. That’s according to a new estimate from the nonprofit Ed Trust West.Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices