KQED's The California Report

As tensions rise over the conduct of federal immigration enforcement – and in-custody deaths are increasing – California’s two U.S. senators say they’re “aghast” at conditions inside the newest immigration detention center in the state. That’s after a visit Tuesday to the California City Detention Facility. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED California prosecutors are expressing alarm at the Trump administration’s response to the January 7 fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an immigration agent, including claims that ICE officials have absolute immunity from prosecution. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're planning on taking a domestic flight soon, there are some things you need to know. Starting February 1, if you don't have a Real ID driver's license or another federally approved document like a passport, you'll need to pay a $45 fee at the airport to be able to get on your flight. This new fee was announced by TSA back in December. Guest: Carly Severn, KQED Until this year, drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy had been covered under Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. Now, the state says patients who only take these GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, are no longer covered. Reporter: Ana Ibarra, CalMatters Siskiyou County has reached a partial settlement in a class-action lawsuit alleging discrimination against Asian residents. Reporter: Justin Higginbottom, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we celebrate and honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today, we wanted to take a closer look at some of the issues that are facing Black Californians. In particular, the state’s reparations efforts. While lawmakers approved a handful of measures meant to ensure reparative justice for Black Californians, others have been tabled or vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom. So where does it all stand? Guest: Lisa Holder, civil rights attorney, former member of the California Reparations Task Force A special election is happening in Northern California this year that could further chip away at Republicans’ slim majority in the House of Representatives. Reporter: Andre Byik, North State Public Radio For the second time in four months, a group of Kaiser workers are going out on an open-ended strike at hospitals and clinics across California and Hawaii. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Renters are worried after a major tenants’ rights bill died this week in Sacramento. It would have capped annual rent increases and expanded protections to more households. With affordability top of mind, some tenants are concerned about their own housing security now that relief is nowhere in sight. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED The Trump administration is not entitled to sensitive information on California's 23 million voters. That's according to a federal court out of Southern California on Thursday. Reporter: Jill Replogle, LAist In a 4-3 vote, the Santa Barbara City Council approved two tenant protection ordinances this week -- a temporary rent freeze and changes to its eviction protections. Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California health officials are renewing their warning to avoid mushroom foraging this season as more people have become ill from eating death caps. They’re calling it the largest outbreak of mushroom poisonings in the country. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED A federal court has upheld California’s voter-approved congressional redistricting map, handing Governor Gavin Newsom and state Democrats a big win. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Republican Assemblymember James Gallagher is running in the special election to fill the vacancy left by the death of Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Reporter: Andre Byik, North State Public Radio State fish and wildlife officials are gathering input on the first new deer conservation and management plan since 1976. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Fresno is moving towards becoming a professional soccer city. City leaders gathered at city hall Tuesday to announce the next steps toward bringing the sport in a professional capacity to the Valley. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In recent days, immigration authorities have turned away members of Congress who were trying to visit a detention facility in Minnesota. But here in California, Congressman Ro Khanna recently did get inside the newest and largest immigration detention center in the state. And he said what he found was alarming. Guest, Tyche Hendricks, KQED Survivors of November's mass shooting in Stockton gathered at the state capitol Tuesday, calling on lawmakers to change what they say are misplaced priorities in California’s budget. Reporter: Chris Felts, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A little-known database controlled by the San Diego Association of Governments has long concerned local privacy advocates. Now, as we enter the second year of President Trump’s deportation campaign, advocates are more worried than ever about how federal immigration agents use that data. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS Under state law, California residents can demand that data brokers stop selling their personal information. But there hasn’t been a way to submit these requests en masse – so consumers would have to complete each opt-out form individually. Now, the state has launched a website that offers one stop shopping for opting out. Reporter: Colin Lecher, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a year since the wildfires in Los Angeles County destroyed homes and communities. In order to start rebuilding their homes, everyone needs permits. A rebuild permit from the city or county determines whether a family is still in limbo waiting to start construction or is already framing up a new house. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW California Attorney General Rob Bonta says he will not be running for governor this year, ending months of speculation around one of the state’s top Democrats. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The state of California is suing the Trump administration for freezing billions of dollars in federal child care and welfare funding. The federal government said it was withholding the funds from California and four other Democratic-led states over fraud allegations. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED San Diego is home to the nation’s second largest Somali population. And recent allegations of fraud at Somali-owned child care centers in Minnesota have now spread to their community. Somali childcare providers in San Diego say strangers are now surveilling their centers. Reporter: Katie Hyson, KPBS Governor Newsom is releasing his state budget plan Friday. This comes a day after Newsom delivered his final state of the state address at the capitol, touting California as "a marvel of invention and reinvention.” Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2005, a national report revealed that the U.S. city with the highest rate of concentrated poverty was Fresno. Now, 20 years later, we wondered: have those economic conditions changed? Reporter: Israel Cardona Hernandez, KVPR High profile defense attorney Alan Jackson has announced that he no longer represents Nick Reiner, who stands accused of murdering his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, last month. Reporter: Frank Stoltze, LAist A Central Valley grape grower has agreed to pay about $130,000 after a federal investigation into a crash that killed seven employees and severely injured another. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One year ago today, two fires erupted in Los Angeles County. The Palisades and Eaton fires would eventually become two of the most destructive and deadly fires in state history. Thousands of homes were destroyed and 31 people were killed. The rebuilding process has been slow in both Altadena and Pacific Palisades, the communities most greatly impacted by the fires. We wanted to get the perspective from longtime residents who are part of that process. Residents in the north state are likely to see a flurry of elections for Congress this year, after the passing of longtime Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The debate over automated license plate readers in California has increasingly shifted from local crime fighting to concerns about data privacy…. when it comes to federal crackdowns on immigration and people seeking abortions or gender-related healthcare. ALPRs are now in use in hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the state, not to mention thousands of homeowner associations and business districts. So what does this all mean for civil liberties in 2026? Guest: Rachael Myrow, KQED Venezuelans in California are going through a whole range of feelings after the Trump administration’s military attack to remove President Nicolas Maduro. There’s celebration, outrage and a lot of questions. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Hundreds of new state laws take effect in the new year. And one in particular brings sweet validation to all of us public radio lovers. That’s because it’s going to make our tote bags even more essential. Reporter: Mary Franklin Harvin, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2025 was a blockbuster year for housing in California. State lawmakers took aim at the state's landmark environmental law, which they argued was one of the main culprits blocking development for years. In 2025, they approved major reforms. They also passed another law which promises to dramatically change how housing is built near train stations and along busy bus routes. Guest: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED More vacant home lots are going up for sale in L.A. County burn zones. And many are being scooped up by investors. Reporter: David Wagner, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All 4-year olds in California can now go to school for free in a grade called transitional kindergarten, or TK. And to lead those classrooms, the state needs teachers with special training. A lot of teachers. So what does it take to do the job? Reporter: Julia Barajas, LAist A new project in San Diego is gathering stories of government persecution against the LGBTQ+ community. Photos of the Lavender Names Project will be shown after select performances at the San Diego Opera this year. Reporter: Katie Hyson, KPBS Researchers at the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes have spent years working on an improved way to manage reservoirs called Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations, or FIRO. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fall bird migration in California typically peaks from September through November. And this past year, scientists discovered a new wave of avian influenza - or bird flu. Two farms in Sonoma County fought new outbreaks. State officials have been taking steps to mitigate the spread of infection, since major outbreaks were seen in dairy herds in August of 2024. That includes at county fairs. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED A new children's book from a Los Angeles author is inspired by her own childhood translating for her parents. Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California is home to the largest number of Hispanic-serving institutions in the country. That’s a federal program that allows colleges and universities to apply for federal grants if at least a quarter of their students identify as Hispanic. Earlier this year, The Trump administration cut funding for the program, which has helped serve many Latino students in California, benefiting from supportive environments geared toward them. Reporter: Blanca Torres, KQED E-bike sales in the U.S. have surged, outpacing electric car sales by 20%. But California building codes haven’t kept up with where they can be safely stored. Reporter: Gerardo Zavala, CapRadio Environmental advocates are criticizing the Newsom Administration, after his press office sent out a release seemingly taking credit for the year's rebound in returning salmon. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of old and rare recordings - some that date back a full century, are now available for the public to enjoy online. That’s thanks to a collaboration between UC Santa Barbara and record company Dust-to-Digital. Reporter: Robert Garrova, LAist Mountain lions, foxes, hawks and dozens of other species are dying at an alarming rate from rat poison. Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist Fort Bragg is about three hours north of San Francisco, and during droughts, the former timber town faces severe water shortages. And they're not alone. Nearby communities have had to restrict water in lean years, even while these coastal cities sit next to the biggest body of water in the world. Reporter: Noah Abrams, Northern California Public Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Karuk Tribe in Northern California is crafting an environmental policy that unites traditional knowledge with more contemporary environmental sciences--pushing back against years of bias dismissing tribal knowledge of the Karuk's ancestral lands. A federal judge in the Bay Area has halted ICE from making arrests at immigration courthouses in the region. California's Minimum Wage is increasing next year. A new law means that the state's minimum wage is jumping by $0.40. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In San Francisco, advocates for transgender people are trying to beef up protections for their community, in the face of anti-trans policies from the Trump administration. This work isn’t just about legal threats, but also fears of physical violence. Reporter: Bianca Taylor, KQED A new analysis warns the Colorado River could fall to dangerously low levels next year. The river supplies water to cities and farms across San Diego and Imperial counties. Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS A UC Davis study found 85% of elementary schools in California experienced some loss of trees between 2018 and 2022. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you drive or walk past a public park, one of the sounds you’ll likely hear is the thwack of a bat before seeing a ball flying through the air. But at some parks in Fresno, these aren’t due to that all-American sport you may be thinking of. Reporter: Israel Cardona Hernandez, KVPR Some mental health clinicians are worried AI is coming for their jobs. In the Fall, more than 200 of them gathered for an online forum to learn more. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices