KQED's The California Report

Californians will head to the polls on March 5 to vote in the presidential primary. While there's only one statewide measure on the ballot, voters will have plenty else to ponder.Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED Politics CorrespondentIn Shasta County, a citizens commission created by right-wing politicians is recommending that county officials violate state law by hand-counting election ballots. Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Proposition 1 would allow the state to issue more than $6 billion in bonds, for supportive housing and residential treatment facilities for people experiencing homelessness and mental illness. But local governments are eyeing the measure through a different lens, and what may be impacted locally.Reporters: Elena Neale-Sacks, KAZU and Erik Adams, North State Public RadioProp 1 isn't the first ballot measure that's tried to help Californians who live in that overlap between homelessness and mental illness. In 2018, voters passed No Place Like Home, a proposition that committed to building thousands of affordable housing units for homeless residents experiencing mental health issues. But a new investigation from CalMatters shows it delivered only a fraction of what proponents promised.Guest: Marisa Kendall, Reporter CalMatters  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rogue Festival in Fresno’s Tower District showcases local talent through improv, comedy and storytelling. This year the festival will host nearly 200 performances over the course of two weekends.  One of them is a performance of the novel Latehomecomer by Hmong American author Kao Kalia Yang.Guest: Jasmine Vang, Hmong American Actor The Sierra is glittering white. Over the last week, recent storms have added up to four feet of snow to the mountain range.Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a nasty virus spreading through the U.S.  We’re not talking about COVID and we’re not even talking about humans. Avian influenza or bird flu has affected millions of birds across the country, including here in California.  And in the Central Valley, farmers have been set back months due to the loss of flock and eggs.Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPRThe push for California to provide reparations for Black Californians is taking shape at the state capitol. Members of the legislature's Black Caucus have chosen 14 reparations bills to prioritize this year. Those range from a formal apology on behalf of California lawmakers who supported slavery, to limits on solitary confinement in state prisons.Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the heart of California’s oil country, Kern County, more than 16,000 people work in the petroleum industry. Many of their jobs will likely disappear over the next two decades, as the state phases out oil drilling. Slashing fossil fuel emissions is part of California’s plan to combat climate change. That plan also includes burying carbon deep beneath the ground. Kern County is betting on the carbon management industry to create thousands of jobs in the region. But it's unclear if that will actually come to fruition.Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPRCalifornia’s budget deficit has grown to $73 billion. That’s larger than a previous projection of $68 billion.Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadioThe Supreme Court has dealt a blow to California landlords when it declined to take up a pair of cases with implications for rent control and eviction moratoriums. The cases , from New York and Seattle,  argued the policies violate landlords’ property rights.Reporter: Vanessa Rancano, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California landlords would be required to accept pets under first-of-its-kind legislation introduced this month. The bill by San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney would also ban property owners from asking about pets on applications, limit pet deposits, and prohibit “pet rent” — additional monthly fees for pets.Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQEDA new UCSF study shows that midwives can face extra obstacles operating in California, especially when they’re trying to serve some of the state’s lowest-income families. Reporter: Kristen Hwang, CalMatters  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some Sacramento organizations prepare people from underrepresented communities to serve in public office. That includes Nueva Epoca, which is designed to empower Latinos.Reporter: Kristin Lam, CapRadioIn Temecula Valley, teachers and parents who sued the school board over a ban on critical race theory and a transgender notification policy can move forward with their case. A Riverside County Superior Court judge denied the district’s request to dismiss it. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Advocates for letting public universities in California hire undocumented students, who don’t have federal work authorization, have gotten a boost from Sacramento. A new proposal would let all students work, regardless of immigration status, in the UC, CSU and state community college systems.Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQEDWe’ve been exploring the crisis of loneliness among Californians and finding community. We turn to the topic of friendship as one all important remedy to social isolation.Guest: Rhaina Cohen, journalist and author of the book “The Other Significant Others”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Roughly a quarter of California’s greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings, including your home. That’s why the federal government wants to give homeowners money to replace gas appliances, install solar panels and replace your windows with more efficient ones. Some developers are taking low-carbon retrofits a step further, creating zero-carbon homes.Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRWIt’s a challenge confronting some renters in California. They want to buy an electric vehicle, but they don’t have a place to plug it in where they live. In response, Assemblyman Kevin McCarty has introduced a bill aimed at increasing access to EV charging for people who live in multi-unit housing and without garage access. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America's growing culture wars can be seen in local politics across the state. That includes in the Orange County city of Huntington Beach, where a conservative majority on the city council has rolled back several progressive initiatives. And in March, a highly contentious measure is on the ballot. It’s a city charter amendment titled Measure 1 that if passed, would require Huntington Beach residents to show official identification when voting in-person.Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California ReportA Fresno judge has approved a plan to reopen bankrupt Madera Community Hospital, which has been closed for more than a year. That’s despite a reopening bid from UC San Francisco announced last week.Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices