KQED's The California Report

The cold weather has hit California and for many Californians, that means the smell of warm tamales wafting through the house. We wanted to learn more about this iconic dish, and it's evolution in California, and why it's so popular during the Christmas holiday.Guest: Bill Esparza, Author of the book L.A. Mexicano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Residents are assessing the damage after Tuesday's 6.4 magnitude earthquake on California's North Coast. Fire departments in Humboldt County have already been out surveying homes and businesses to find out the extent of the damage.Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public RadioThursday is the fifth night of Hanukkah. All over the world, for many centuries, Jewish people have marked the holiday by eating foods fried in oil. In a city as diverse as Los Angeles, Hanukkah is celebrated with fried foods from Europe, Asia and Africa.Reporter: Robin Estrin, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two people are dead as a result of Tuesday's 6.4 magnitude earthquake that hit Humboldt County. At least a dozen were injured. Reporter: Erik Neumann, Jefferson Public RadioMost of the damage from Tuesday’s quake happened in the small Humboldt County town of Rio Dell. Much of the town is still without power or water.Reporter: Sukey Lewis, KQEDThis month's first-of-its-kind offshore wind lease auction along California’s coast generated a healthy $750 million in combined sales. The state is charging ahead with plans for floating wind turbines miles off its coastline, preparing for a novel source of clean energy, enough power for 1.5 million homes.  Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Across California and the nation, governments are looking at new ways to address the crisis of growing unhoused communities. In Sacramento, the city and county have agreed to take a new approach -- bringing shelter and health care services directly to homeless encampments. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio The Biden Administration has announced a big goal of reducing homelessness 25% nationwide by 2025. Housing advocates in California are lauding the plan, but they’re wondering who’s going to pay for it. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Survivors of September's Mill Fire, which devastated parts of Siskiyou County, are continuing to put the pieces of their lives back together. Now, residents’ access to state and federal assistance will determine whether the historically Black neighborhood of Lincoln Heights in Weed will be able to stay together.Reporter: Erik Neumann, Jefferson Public RadioThe Trump-era immigration policy known as Title 42 is scheduled to end this week. Title 42 allowed border patrol agents to turn away migrants at the border. And they don't get a chance to pursue an asylum case in immigration court.Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State utility regulators have approved a controversial proposal that will change how future owners of rooftop solar systems will be compensated for the excess power they produce that’s fed into the grid. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQEDAfter years of promising to do so, CalFire has released new, updated hazard maps to help Californians determine if they live in places that face increased wildfire risk. The interactive map was more than a decade in the making and comes after groups voiced criticism of CalFire, calling the department’s maps antiquated and “inexcusable.”  Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadioSea level rise poses a threat to California’s coastline. But we don’t often think about how rising water could push contaminants into neighborhoods, especially places near former military or industrial sites. Around half of those sites in California are located in the Bay Area. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bakersfield is now home to the Central Valley’s first Holocaust Memorial. The tranquil garden is a monument against hate and rising anti-Semitism. Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR Study after study shows an alarming increase in hate crimes and racist incidents in California targeting a variety of groups, including Jews. Worries about rising anti-Semitism have gotten more attention recently after the bigoted comments of artist Kanye West who now goes by the name Ye. How is California's Jewish community reacting?Guest: Heidi Gantwork, President and CEO of the Jewish Foundation of San DiegoThe State Task Force studying reparations for Black residents with enslaved ancestors is meeting this week in Oakland. One item on the agenda? Discussing how reparations might help overcome negative stereotypes about Black families. Reporter: Annelise Finney, KQED   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s desert lands have long been used for everything from mining to military training to rest and relaxation. Think Palm Springs. Now, the state’s deserts have a growing role in helping to create a green energy revolution. And that's sparked a backlash among some who argue that desert wilderness is being sacrificed for renewable power goals.Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California ReportThe oil industry says it has enough signatures to get a measure on the state ballot to overturn California's recently enacted buffer zone law. It restricts new oil wells, keeping them away from homes and schools.Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The recent sale of five leases off the coast of California for offshore wind turbine projects is seen as a victory for renewable energy advocates. But it’s also raising safety concerns about one of California’s treasures -- the whales that migrate off the coast every year.Reporter: Amanda Wernik, KCBXMost of the estimated 270, 000 janitors in California work in the private sector. A new study finds their median wages are well below what state law requires.Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQEDWith COVID-19 rates rising, California’s Director of Public Health is urging anyone over 50 years old to have a treatment plan in place in case they get infected.Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadioCalifornia’s COVID sick pay law offers up to 2 weeks of paid leave for reasons related to COVID – but it’s expiring at the end of this month.Reporter: Carly Severn, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management just sold five leases for wind turbine projects off the coast of California. Three are located in Morro Bay off the Central Coast. Now, local indigenous tribes are speaking up about the projects. Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBXEvery year in the three weeks around Thanksgiving, the official count of monarch butterflies takes place. Over the last few decades, the monarch butterfly population has been in decline. But this year, volunteers counted 129,000 butterflies in San Luis Obispo County alone.Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices