KQED's The California Report

As more Californians have fallen into homelessness more have died on the streets — but just how many, nobody knows. That’s starting to change. Spurred in part by the efforts of a few counties, the state recently began taking steps to collect this data.Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQEDA case that could limit access to the abortion pill will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday. Anti-abortion rights groups sued the Food and Drug Administration over rules that expanded access to abortion pill mifepristone. It’s part of a two-drug regimen used in most medication abortions.Reporter: Jackie Fortier, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you think about what causes air pollution in California, cars and factories probably come to mind. But what about ports? For instance, the Port of Los Angeles and the neighboring Port of Long Beach, when combined, are the single largest source of pollution in Southern California. But change is afoot.Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California ReportEarlier this month, thousands of employees were laid-off off by one of the country’s largest stone fruit producers, which operates in central California. The Prima Wawona layoffs are part of a decades-long shift in farm work.Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Downtown Oakland, a pop-up event called couchdate is making room for artists and music lovers to hang out, play and connect with one another. Reporter: Ariana Proehl, KQEDWorker safety advocates are outraged that Governor Newsom’s administration may delay the implementation of new rules to protect indoor workers from heat illness. California’s deadline to adopt indoor heat regulations was five years ago. But just hours before the vote, news broke that the state Department of Finance declined to sign offReporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A proposal from Governor Gavin Newsom to build housing and mental health treatment beds for Californians experiencing homelessness was narrowly approved by California voters. Proposition 1 allows the state to borrow nearly $6.4 billion to build treatment facilities and supportive housing.Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Venues including fast food chains in airports, hotels and convention centers will be exempt from paying a new state-mandated $20 minimum wage to fast food workers.  That’s thanks to a bill California lawmakers passed earlier this week.Reporter: Olivia Zhao, CalMattersA new report from UCLA researchers finds that nail salon workers are being misclassified as independent contractors and missing out on pay and benefits.Reporter: Josie Huang, LAistA new affordable housing community with an innovative design opened in South Sacramento this week.Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadioThe calendar has been saying March for 21 days, but the main event -- March Madness -- starts Thursday. Five women's teams from California made it this year.Reporter: Ethan Toven-Lindsey, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The National Association of Realtors, one of the most powerful real estate groups in the country, announced on Friday it would settle a major class-action lawsuit that had accused the group of artificially inflating the commissions its agents make in home sales. The settlement is seen as a seismic shift in the real estate market.Guest: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQEDIn the wake of multiple massive wildfires, some property insurance companies have severely raised their rates, or withdrawn from California altogether. A new proposal would create a method of calculating rates aimed at both bringing back those companies and creating more affordable policies. Reporter: Alec Stutson, North State Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The margin is still too close to call between Yes and No votes on Governor Newsom’s Proposition 1 mental health ballot measure. So close that opponents of the measure, who had previously conceded the race, have now withdrawn their concession.Reporter: Olivia Zhao, CalMattersHuntington Beach officials are considering privatizing the city’s library system at Tuesday's city council meeting. The discussion about privatization comes amid fierce debates over content and control over the city's library system.Reporter: Elly Yu, LA-istA years-old chemical reaction beneath the surface of one of LA County’s largest landfills has turned into a toxic headache for the tens of thousands of people living nearby. Air quality officials have slapped the privately-owned Chiquita Canyon landfill near Castaic with more than 130 legal violations, but fixing the problem won't be easy.Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not paying someone for a job they did is illegal. It’s called wage theft. But a KQED investigation found California regulators have failed to force the worst offender they cited in the state, to pay more than a tiny fraction of the millions of dollars in wages that he owes.Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can California Legislate Its Way to Happiness?The newly formed Select Committee on Happiness and Public Policy Outcomes had its first meeting this week to explore the topic of 'happiness.'Lynn La, CalMattersIndian Students Lead Way for Increase in International Students in United StatesIndia's U.S. consular team issued over 140,000 student visas last year, more than any other country in the world. California remains a top destination for these students. But what is life like when they get here?Madi Bolanos, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humanitarian Parole Program Can ContinueAn Oakland man is breathing easier… after a program that protects a Nicaraguan friend survived a court challenge by several Republican-led states. But with a notice of appeal filed this week, his relief could be short lived.Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Senior Immigration EditorPeople Incarcerated at San Quentin Graduate from Coding ProgramRoughly 50 people incarcerated at San Quentin are now one step closer to getting a career out of prison. That’s through a program that gives job training in skills like coding and audio production to prisoners.Billy Cruz, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Opponents of Proposition 1 are conceding that the state ballot measure -- aimed at housing Californians with severe mental illness -- is likely to pass. That result will allow the state to borrow money and shift existing mental health dollars toward building residential treatment facilities and affordable housing. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQEDAssembly member Vince Fong is the top vote-getter in the race to replace Kevin McCarthy. That means he’ll advance to the general election in November. But a special election for the same seat still needs to be decided.Reporter: Joshua Yeager. KVPRWhen a recruit enters boot camp, the Marine Corps controls virtually all aspects of their life...including, for many, where they bank. An investigation from KPBS in San Diego uncovered how the Marine Corps systematically enrolls thousands of new recruits each year into Oceanside-based Frontwave Credit Union.Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices