KQED's The California Report

Curfews Are Lifted As Protests Continue Across California cities and counties, that had curfews in place, started lifting them. Authorities felt that was safe to do because of a noticeable cooling of anger on the streets. Protesters marching against police violence and racism increasingly emphasized a message of non-violence and dialogue over confrontation. Governor Proposes Help For Businesses Damaged During Protests This week’s protests across California against police brutality have been overwhelmingly peaceful. But for businesses that did suffer vandalism, break-ins and ransacking…. Governor Gavin Newsom wants to offer financial help. At a press conference in Stockton yesterday, he said that aid should come in a variety of ways. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED SCOTUS To Decide The Fate Of DACA This Month The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this month on whether the Trump administration can end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals --or DACA. The program protects nearly 200,000 Californians from deportation and gives them work permits. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Half-A-Dozen County Public Health Leaders Have Resigned Or Retired Since Mid‐April. As California faces its greatest public health crisis in decades, half-a-dozen county public health leaders in the state have resigned or retired since mid‐April. Filling vacant leadership positions can be challenging, especially if counties are competing against each other for talent. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio COVID-19 Continues To Spread In State Prisons The California Department of Corrections has released its latest report on COVID-19’s spread within its population of prison inmates. CDCR reports two more inmates have died from what appear to be complications of COVID-19. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, KQED Reflections From An Activist, Cop, Pastor, And City Council Member This morning we hear leaders from around the Monterey Bay reflect on the last couple of weeks of unrest in America. A longtime community activist and teacher has seen it all before, politician speaks about police reform, and a pastor urges black folks to vote. Reporter: Erika Mahoney, KAZU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Issues Pandemic Voting Guidelines California counties must hold three days of in-person early voting before the November election. It’s one of several guidelines set out in an executive order issued Wednesday by Governor Gavin Newsom to address concerns of holding an election during a pandemic. Reporter: Tara Siler, KQED New State Budget Leaves Many Questions Unanswered As California wrestles with the costs of the coronavirus pandemic, leaders in the state legislature have struck a deal on a framework for a new state budget. But this new budget leaves a lot of questions unanswered. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Wildfire Survivors Question PG&E Settlement Vote PG&E is close to getting out of bankruptcy. A few weeks back, survivors of several fires caused by PG&E equipment voted on a settlement. But a KQED investigation has revealed that many ballots arrived several weeks after PG&E claims they were mailed out. Now, there are calls for an audit of the vote. Reporter: Lily Jamali, KQED Protestors Dance In The Streets Defying Oakland Curfew Thousands of people turned out last night for a rally in downtown Oakland. The event was called in defiance of a curfew imposed after recent police violence protests. Unlike some recent demonstrations this one ended joyfully. Reporter: Alex Emslie, KQED Privacy Groups Oppose New Facial Recognition Bill The ability of artificial intelligence programs to recognize people’s faces has many governments and businesses around the world salivating at its possible applications. In California, a bill introduced in the State Assembly attempts to create ground rules for the development and use of facial recognition. But civil rights and digital privacy groups oppose the bill. Guest: Hayley Tsukayama, Electronic Frontier Foundation CA Attorney General To Enforce Data Privacy Law Companies that gather your information online were hoping the California Attorney General’s office would delay enforcing the state’s landmark consumer privacy law. It appears they might have another thing coming. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No Show of Force from Police During Oakland Protests, Despite Curfew Last night was different in Oakland. For the first time since protests started there last week, there were no flash-bang grenades, no teargas and no arrests. And protests throughout the Bay Area over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police were calmer, too. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED Anti-Police Violence Protests Stay Mostly Peaceful in L.A. Really big, multi-racial protests against police violence and racism stayed mostly peaceful across the state Tuesday. Though there were confrontations here and there.Here in L.A. protesters marched in Hollywood and downtown..and things stayed civil. Guest: Pastor Winfred Bell, Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church Protesters Grateful When Police 'Take a Knee' Protesters are challenging police officers to "take a knee" to show respect for the march’s message: an end to police violence and institutional racism. Is it meaningful or purely symbolic? Guest: John Bernard, protester Do Curfews Help Keep the Peace or Inflame Tensions? Elected officials and law enforcement say curfew orders help keep people safe and restore order. But the Southern California chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union disagrees. It asked Los Angeles County to revise or rescind the curfew there. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, The California Report State Capitol's Black Caucus Wants to Turn Protests into Legislative Action Protesters say their goal is systemic change. But what does that mean in terms of legislation? California’s African American state lawmakers have a list of bills they want to pass this year. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Child Care Funding Cuts Could Hit Vulnerable Kids Child care advocates in California were expecting to see funding cuts in Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised budget proposal following the COVID-19 pandemic. But some worry one cut in particular could make it harder for the state’s poorest kids to get care. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Politics Facebook Employees Still Angry About Zuckerberg's Handling of the President's Tweets Facebook employees are still publicly criticizing Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg for not taking down or flagging some of Donald Trump’s most incendiary social media posts. At least one Facebook employee has resigned on principle over this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LA Mostly Peaceful Protests Move Into San Fernando Valley Last night, there were more protests against racial injustice and police abuse across the state. Many cities and counties imposed curfews on residents. The footprint of the protests also continued to expand. For the first time since the demonstrations began, large protests were held in LA’s San Fernando Valley, home to roughly 2 million people. Reporter: Ben Gottlieb, KCRW Organizers Worried About Risk of Catching Coronavirus While Protesting Health professionals who are worried about the hazards of demonstrating during a pandemic. Organizers, like Cat Brooks with Oakland's Anti-Police Terror Project, are taking precautions. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, KQED Progressive Prosecutors Want to Limit Political Donations from Police Unions In the wake of George Floyd’s killing, a coalition of California prosecutors is pushing for a new ethics rule to limit law enforcement’s political influence. Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED San Diego Bans Controversial Choke-Hold In San Diego, the death of George Floyd has led to an immediate ban on a controversial chokehold called a carotid restraint, and it involves an officer applying pressure to a person’s neck until the suspect temporarily loses consciousness. Reporter: Raquel Maria Dillon, The California Report South LA Stays Calm, Welcomes Peaceful Protests In this week’s protests, South LA has been quiet. Community leaders in Watts say they welcome any peaceful protests that might come to their area but they won’t tolerate violence or vandalism. Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Outrage Over Police Violence Erupts Across California Over the weekend, thousands of protesters took to the streets in cities across the state to express anger and pain. The immediate spark was George Floyd’s killing at the hands of Minneapolis police, as well as other acts of violence against people of color by law enforcement. But in many cities—Oakland, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, and even suburban Huntington Beach and Walnut Creek—violence clouded that message of justice. Guest: Charlotte Smith, Oakland hair salon owner Mayors Ask for Calm, Impose Curfews Mayor Eric Garcetti made an appeal to not let violent individuals hijack the protests’ message about racial injustice. Audio Postcard from Fresno Voices from the Fresno protest, as organizers struggled to keep out interlopers and maintain a peaceful demonstration. Producer: Alex Hall, KQED Michael Tubbs: On Leading Stockton and His Hopes for a Better World for His Son Mayor Michael Tubbs says the protests are an "expression of nihilism and hurt" which strive to correct 400 years of historical oppression. In Stockton they were mostly peaceful, with only a few cases of vandalism and stealing. "They're children who need direction and correction," he said. He also talked about his hope that his small son will live in a different and better America when he grows up. Guest: Michael Tubbs, Mayor of Stockton San Diego Demonstrators Focus on La Mesa Police Protesters converged on the La Mesa Police Department, spurred by not only the death of George Floyd but also a recent incident in which a white La Mesa police officer repeatedly shoved a young black man before arresting him. Reporter: Max Rivlin-Nadler, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long Beach Restaurants Hope Closing Streets to Cars Will Help Business Few industries have been hit harder by the COVID-19 outbreak than the hospitality business. A recent state tally shows that 900,000 jobs have been lost in California alone. As the state continues to reopen, cities and counties are exploring ways that restaurants can serve customers again in person, including shutting down streets to cars. Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW California's Cap-and-Trade Auction Didn't Raise Much Money Every three months, our state auctions off what are known as "cap and trade" credits. It’s a way of raising money that the state can then turn around and spend on environmental programs. But the action held this month? It didn’t make much money. It’s more coronavirus fallout. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED Science Dentists Reopen With Many Changes To Protect Workers and Patients Are you overdue for a dental cleaning? Dentistry looks a lot different in the age of COVID-19. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED Science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OC Sheriff Won't Enforce Mask Order As much of California reopens, elected officials in Orange County are doing so while disregarding the orders of their own public health department to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Sheriff there says he will NOT enforce a new countywide order requiring people to wear face coverings in public. Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW Key Testing Milestone: CVS Pharmacies to Offer Tests to Uninsured More than a hundred CVS pharmacies in California now offer coronavirus testing even to the uninsured. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED Science OC Assemblyman Loses Committee Seats After Harassment Investigation In Sacramento, an embattled Orange County Assemblyman has been stripped of his committee memberships after a sexual harassment investigation. Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Politics Schools Consider Policies for Fall Several Bay Area school districts are considering temperature checks for students and staff, that’s “if” they reopen physical campuses at the start of the new school year. Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED How to Self-Isolate with 12 Other People and One Bathroom: A Mother's Story Doctors tell patients recovering from COVID-19 at home, to stay in a room by themselves, and avoid sharing a bathroom. But that’s not easy for low-income immigrants doubling or tripling up to afford rent. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Fire Victims Say They Didn't Get Ballots on PG&E's Bankruptcy Deal One of the last steps in PG&E’s planned exit from bankruptcy got underway yesterday. The “confirmation trial,” as it’s called, is taking place on Zoom. Guest: Cheryl Maynard, lost her home in the 2017 Camp Fire California AG Sues EPA Over Fuel Economy Standards California is once again suing the Trump Administration. This time it's over the move to roll back national standards that require better fuel economy for new cars and trucks. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Newsom Says You Can Now Get A Haircut Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that California counties can now allow barbershops and hair salons to re-open with precautions. It’s the latest example of Newsom turning over the keys to reopening to local officials. Reporter: Guy Marzaroti, KQED Prison Officials Ask Governor For Help With Outbreak Avenal State prison in Kings County now has the second highest number of COVID-19 cases in the state corrections system: 198. Kings County is reaching out to Governor Gavin Newsom for help. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, KVPR Mental Health Workers Step Up To Support Frontline Colleagues Mental Health experts are worried about the psychological toll the pandemic is taking on doctors, nurses, paramedics and other first responders. Mental health workers are now participating in a new volunteer effort to support these frontline workers. Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC Private Spacecraft Leaves For International Space Station Wednesday NASA is scheduled to send two astronauts to the International Space Station aboard the first privately built spacecraft. It's the first time astronauts are leaving for space from the U.S. since 2011. Guest: Danielle Venton, KQED Science Nursing Home Patients Often Can't Say Goodbye To Loved Ones Nearly 8 thousand Californians in skilled nursing facilities have tested positive for COVID-19. So far almost 20 percent of those patients have died. That heightened risk is why the state has locked down nursing homes to most visitors - with a few exceptions. Reporter: Molly Peterson, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Look at Coronavirus Outbreaks at Prisons around California Protesters gathered over the weekend outside a federal prison facility in Lompoc, home to the worst COVID-19 outbreak in the entire federal prison system with 900 inmates testing positive and 2 deaths so far. Reporter: Kathryn Barnes, KCRW Assembly to Discuss State Budget and Take Back Control from Newsom Today at the State Capitol, the Assembly is meeting as what’s known "a Committee of the Whole." That means the Assembly will talk about a topic without having to take a vote. That topic, no surprise, is the sad state of California’s budget during the state shutdown. And it comes against the backdrop of a restless legislature that’s ceded quite a bit of power to Governor Gavin Newsom during this emergency and is ready to take some control. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Politics California Could Lose a Seat in Congress Despite some COVID-19 related delays, the census is still underway. Next year that data will determine how many representatives in Congress each state gets. And for the first time ever in California’s history one seat will likely be on the chopping block. Reporter: Caroline Champlin, KPCC Memorial Day Beach-Goer: Everyone Needs an Escape Hatch During Quarantine On this Memorial Day weekend, a lot of Californians did as Californians do. They and went to the beach. For the most part, it seems, we did a pretty good job of following social distancing rules. Getting outside is usually a big part of the holiday weekend which is the unofficial start of summer. The California Report’s Saul Gonzalez checked out the boardwalk at Venice Beach this weekend. Guest: Michael Dorfman, Venice Boardwalk juggler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SF General Nurse Who Served in Afghanistan Reflect on Caring for COVID-19 Patients The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all of us to find new tools to cope with this unprecedented crisis. Perhaps no group has been affected more than first responders working at hospitals throughout the state. We spoke with a registered nurse at San Francisco General Hospital who served in the U.S. Army during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 who says he's using lessons from his military service more than ever right now. Guest: Adam Visher, RN and Army veteran Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices