KQED's The California Report

California Lawmakers Look to Tax the Ultra-RichMore than a dozen Democratic lawmakers have signed on to a bill that would tax earnings above a million dollars an extra one percent. There would also be an additional, higher tax brackets for income above two million and five million.Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadioCOVID-19 Spreads at Foster Farms Poultry Processing PlantA COVID-19 outbreak at a big Central Valley poultry processing plant has grown to 73 confirmed cases with one worker dying. Livingston Mayor Gurpal Samra and other city officials met with Foster Farms representatives this week to make sure the company is following adequate safety protocols.Reporter: Alex Hall, KQEDCalifornia Lawmakers Demand Fix to Unemployment Benefit ProcessOver a million Californians still want to know why they haven’t received their unemployment benefits. The director of the Employment Development Department said at a hearing yesterday it will be until September to process even the backlogged claims that have been resolved.Reporter: Julie Chang, KQEDFight Intensifies Over Gig Worker Classification BillCalifornia’s Attorney General opened a lawsuit in May against Uber and Lyft for allegedly misclassifying workers. Now supporters of Prop 22, a referendum that would allow these companies to classify workers as contractors, are suing the attorney general for how he worded the title of their ballot initiative.Reporter: Sam Harnett, KQEDDocumentary Chronicles Closure of Public Hospital in West Contra Costa CountyDoctors Medical Center in West Contra Costa County shut down five years ago, citing budget concerns. This hospital mostly served patients who were uninsured or on Medi-Cal. Now former hospital employees have set up a tiny urgent care clinic, where they try to triage patients with just a quarter of their former staff.Reporter: Sasha Khokha, The California Report MagazineReporter Still Haunted Months after Being Shot by Police with Foam RoundJournalists have been injured by police using tear gas, batons and projectiles to disperse crowds these last few months. KPCC's Adolfo Guzman Lopez was hit in the neck by a policeman’s foam bullet while covering a protest in Long Beach in May.Guest: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, KPCC and LAist reporter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Newsom Announces Strike Team to tackle Unemployment BacklogThe state agency that sends out unemployment insurance checks. has been overwhelmed with applications since the pandemic began, which has led to lots of complaints about late checks and terrible customer service. The Newsom Administration says it’s taking actions to improve the situation.Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQEDTenants Call for Statewide Rent ForgivenessOn August 1st rent will be due for lots of Californians. But since the pandemic began, millions of people haven’t been able to pay, and they’ve been protected by a moratorium on evictions. Many renters say more help is necessary and are calling for a statewide program of rent forgiveness.Guest: Pea Nunez, Boyle Heights Rent StrikerProposed Bill Seeks to Extend Eviction MoratoriumState Assemblymember David Chiu introduced a bill which gives qualifying tenants protection from eviction until the current state of emergency ends, or until April of next year. Tenants unable to pay rent because they’ve lost work, or who can’t pay because of expenses related to COVID-19 would have an extra year to pay back past rent.The Future of Commercial Real Estate Looks GrimWith so many people working from home because of the pandemic, the demand for office space has plummeted. A new UCLA survey reports people in the California commercial real estate market are feeling grim about the future.Reporter: Matt Guilhem, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump Administration Defies Supreme Court, Rejects New DACA ApplicationsAdvocates for immigrants in California are blasting the Trump administration for its decision to reject new applications for the DACA program, which allows undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to stay in the country. The Administration’s decision comes in spite of a Supreme Court ruling last month striking down President Trump’s attempt to end the programReporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQEDCA Sues Trump Administration to Include Undocumented Residents in the CensusLast week President Trump issued a memorandum ordering that undocumented residents not be counted when it comes to determining seats in Congress. California’s Attorney General Xavier Becerra responded yesterday with a lawsuit arguing that counting everyone is a constitutional mandate, and not including the undocumented could cost California seats in Congress.L.A. County's Atlantic Avenue is Quiet Amid High Unemploymentwe've been checking in on how the pandemic has affected people along L.A. County's Atlantic Avenue, a thoroughfare more than 20 mile long that cuts through a variety of working class communities, with large Black, Latino and immigrant populations. Today we hear from Reginald Hall, who lives just off of Atlantic.Guest: Reginald Hall, Atlantic avenue residentEsselen Tribe Purchases 1,200 Acres of Ancestral LandFor the first time in more than two centuries, The Esselen tribe in the picturesque Big Sur area has land to call its own. Through a state grant, the Monterey county tribe this week purchased almost 1,200 acres of its traditional territory.Reporter: Matt Guilhem, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Newsom Will Direct Tens of Millions to Central Valley for COVID Relief When it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, L.A. county and the Bay Area often get the lion’s share of attention. But the Central Valley is also grappling with growing virus caseloads and deaths. Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state will direct tens of millions of dollars to the Central Valley to slow the spread of COVID-19. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Healthcare Workers Call for Reduction of State Prison Population In an open letter published this week, hundreds of healthcare workers are calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to reduce the state prison population to lessen the spread of COVID-19. Reporter:Shannon Lin, KQED L.A. Hopes to Improve Contact Tracing With Financial Incentive In the battle against the pandemic, contact tracing of infected people is supposed to be a powerful weapon, but so far it’s had mixed results. Now Los Angeles County has a new approach involving dollar incentives. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC California Child Care Providers Vote Overwhelmingly to Unionize Some 45,000 child care providers across the state can now bargain with the state for better pay and benefits after voting overwhelmingly to unionize Monday. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED Doctors Stock Up on PPE at Drive-Thru Giveaway Although shortages aren’t as bad as they were when the coronavirus pandemic broke out, many medical professionals still struggle to find personal protective equipment, or PPE .Yesterday crates of it were distributed free of charge to doctors and nurses in the parking lot of Pasadena’s Rose Bowl. Guest: Gustavo Friedrichsen, CEO of the Los Angeles County Medical Association New Podcast Explores the Strange Dark History of California City In the California desert there’s an unusual town called California City. It has a ‘Twilight Zone” vibe with miles of neatly laid out streets with nothing on them and that go nowhere. It's also a place where people have had their dreams and finances destroyed by questionable real estate investment schemes over the decades. Most recently those schemes have targeted immigrants. Guest: Emily Guerin, Host, California City Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California Legislators Return to Session California legislators return to Sacramento today after taking an extended summer recess because of COVID 19, and lawmakers have a lot of catching up to do. There are more than 500 bills pending in the Senate and close to 200 in the Assembly. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED New Study Shows Impact of Pandemic on Asian-Americans A new study reports that Asian Americans are suffering financially in this economic crisis. It also shows that racism tied to COVID-19 plays a role. Reporter: Caroline Champlin, KPCC U.S Citizenship Backlog Shuts Many Immigrants Out of Voting When the coronavirus pandemic hit, more than 150,000 immigrants in California were applying to become U.S. citizens. Now many of them may not become citizens in time to vote this November because of the massive backlog and furloughs facing the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero , KQED L.A County's Manhattan Beach Turns to Mask Fines More California cities are increasingly using the threat of fines as a way to get people to wear face coverings to slow the spread of the coronavirus. One of the first cities to implement a fine for not wearing a face covering was Manhattan Beach in L.A. County. Guest: Manhattan Beach Mayor Richard Montgomery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State Lawmaker Calls for Second Round of Lockdowns The coronavirus crisis is reaching new, bleak heights in California, where the state reported the highest daily death count on Thursday. State Senator Steve Glazer is calling for a second round of stay-at-home orders in regions where more than 2% of of COVID-19 tests come back positive. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio UCLA Outlines Policy Priorities for California's Latino Communities The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative has put together a policy document outlining economic and health focuses for Latinos in California. The initiative offers up a national vision on education, housing, voting rights, and political representation. Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW The Great American Outdoors Act Could Revive California Parks California favorites like Joshua Tree and Yosemite need up to hundreds of millions of improvements ranging from fixed roads to new wastewater treatment plants. The Great American Outdoors Act passed by Congress this week would help, but President Trump would need to sign it into law. Reporter: Jacob Margolis, KPCC How Financial Shock Takes a Toll on the U.S Census Californians are not completing the census at the same rates they did in 2010. New research from U.C Merced suggests the pandemic is playing a role because people experiencing financial blows are less likely to complete the census. Reporter: Haley Gray, KQED Without Comic-Con, San Diego Loses A Major Tourism Boom If not for the pandemic, Comic-Con would be in full swing right now, bringing 100,000 people to San Diego. The event brings an estimated $150 million dollars to the city annually, but it's been pushed online this year and downtown businesses are losing out on the revenue. Reporter: Matt Hoffman, KPBS "Soundtrack of Silence" Heads to Hollywood When Matt Hay learned he was going to lose his hearing, he decided to listen to as much music as possible in an effort to create a soundtrack to last the rest of his life. This story, first reported by KQED health correspondent April Dembosky in 2017, is now headed to Hollywood. Guest: April Dembosky, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California Has More Cases of COVID-19 Than Any Other State California is now reporting more confirmed cases of COVID-19 than any other state in the nation. The state is reaching the grim milestone as it struggles to stem the spread of the virus. Reporter: Guy Marzaroti, KQED Hospital Capacity Dwindles As Cases Surge Across the State The surge is cases is wreaking havoc on healthcare facilities throughout the state, forcing them to prepare for the worst. Many are still struggling with shortages of supplies and staffing. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED COVID-19 is Becoming the Leading Cause of Death in L.A. COVID-19 is on track to become the leading cause of death in L.A. County. Health officials warn that unless people wear face masks and physically distance, more people will die. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC Administrative Error Prevents Nurses From Providing Mental Health Care As coronavirus cases are surging, so are reports of depression, anxiety and other mental health concerns. But even as mental health professionals are needed more than ever, those who graduated from a Fresno State nursing program are being told to return to school and repeat their classes. Reporter: Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio How Systemic Inequality Is Fueling The Spread of COVID-19 Systemic racial inequality has left members of low-income and minority communities most vulnerable to transmission and death from COVID-19. In San Francisco, Latinos make up 15% of the population but account for nearly half of all positive COVID-19 cases. Guest: Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, UCSF Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics NJ Shooting Linked To Killing of Lawyer in San Bernardino Mountains The FBI has confirmed they have linked the shooting of a men’s rights lawyer in the San Bernardino Mountains to the suspect in the ambush shooting of a federal judge's family in New Jersey. Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KVCR Sierra Club Confronts John Muir's Racism One of the country’s largest and most influential environmental organizations is acknowledging its racist past. The Sierra Club is publicly calling out its co-founder John Muir -- who made derogatory comments about Black and Indigenous people and supported racist policies. Reporter: Kathryn Barnes, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

COVID-19 Has Pushed Childcare Industry to the Brink A new report out today paints a grim picture of the future of child care in our state. The industry was struggling even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it’s been driven to the brink. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Cal State Moves Closer To Requiring Ethnic Studies Classes In higher education it’s looking more and more like undergrads at the 23 Cal State University campuses will be required to take an ethnic studies class. Reporter: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, KPCC Conservative Group Sues to Reopen Schools This Fall A conservative nonprofit is suing Governor Gavin Newsom and state officials on behalf of nine parents. They claim the statewide order which prevents districts from holding in-person classes is unconstitutional. Reporter: Hannah Hagemann, KQED For Many, Working From Home Will Outlast the Pandemic Sacramento area workers say they want to keep working from home when the coronavirus threat is over. A new poll finds that employers are listening to their workers and making plans for the future. Reporter: Pauline Bartolone, CapRadio Lassen Wolf Pack Has Eight New Pups California's only wolf pack is growing. for the fourth straight year, Scientists have announced northeastern California is home to eight new wolf pups. But advocates worry efforts by the Trump administration could threaten the future of wolf recovery. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Area Workers Join Nationwide Action for Black Lives Matter Workers across the country protested economic and racial injustice Monday by walking off the job for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time that a Minneapolis police officer knelt on the neck of George Floyd. Reporter: Sam Harnett, KQED Los Angeles Service Workers Stand In Solidarity With Black Colleagues Protests also took place in Los Angeles, where workers from the fast-food, gig work, and health care industries led several different demonstrations. Service workers supporting Black colleagues drew comparisons between the labor and racial justice movements. Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW Trump Says Oakland Could see Federal Law Enforcement Next All eyes are on Portland, Oregon, where the Trump administration has deployed federal law enforcement officers at police protests. Monday, President Trump indicated that Oakland was on his list of major U.S. cities that could see federal agents come in next. Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED California Hair Salons May Now Operate Outside Governor Gavin Newsom released new guidelines that could provide some relief for hair care businesses that have had to close because of health orders designed to stop the spread of coronavirus. Newsom acknowledged there was a lot to take into consideration before making the move. New Hotline Offers Support for Harassment in Online Gaming The video game industry has seen huge jumps in revenue during the pandemic, thanks to everyone sheltering in place. But gaming can also be a hotbed of harassment and abuse. A new hotline launching in August seeks to address this. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED Mail In Ballots Could Have a Big Impact on the Student Vote Colleges and universities around California are limiting the number of students they’ll allow on campus this fall -- and shifting classes online -- in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes could have a big impact on the college student vote this November. Reporter: Guy Marzaroti, KQED Renowned Writer Unleashes Epic Drunk Tweet Storm This weekend, writer and author Susan Orlean almost broke the Internet with a stream of posts on Twitter. She was at home with her family after having a few glasses of wine at a neighbor's house. Her musings were exactly what the world needs right now. Guest: Susan Orlean, Writer at The New Yorker and Author of "The Library Book" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many Bay Area Teachers Relieved Classes to Stay Remote Most of the state’s largest school districts are now focusing on reopening schools this fall with distance learning. No county on the state’s monitoring watch list for increases in COVID-19 cases will be able to reopen without special approval. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED Public Health Officials Warn Against Testing Mandates from Employers Public health officials say employers should not be directing their employees to free, government-run COVID-19 testing sites. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KPCC U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services Faces Massive Furloughs California lawmakers say they’re trying to reach a bailout deal for U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency in charge of issuing green cards, work permits and U.S citizenship. More than two-thirds of the agency’s staff, including 23,000 employees in California, could soon be furloughed. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Kaiser Records Highest Number of Employee Complaints Over Coronavirus Concerns The health system Kaiser Permanente has received more complaints from employees feeling threatened by the coronavirus than any other workplace in California by far. Dozens of complaints claim staff were not given adequate protective equipment. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio Traces of COVID-19 Found in Yosemite Wastewater Mariposa County health officials sent samples of raw sewage from Yosemite National Park to a Massachusetts lab, and the results show that as many as 170 people in Yosemite Valley were likely infected with COVID-19 but didn’t know it. Reporter: Raquel Maria Dillon, KQED California Highway Patrol Officer Harassed Over 20 Women A statewide KQED reporting project has uncovered serious abuse by a California Highway Patrol officer in Los Angeles. The investigation found that Officer Morgan McGrew sexually propositioned or harassed at least 21 women during appointments at a CHP field office. Guest: Sukey Lewis, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices