KQED's The California Report

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

Prop 47 is a 2014 ballot measure that lowered the penalties for drug possession and shoplifting from felonies to misdemeanors. Retailers and prosecutors are collecting signatures for a November ballot measure that would roll back some portions of the law. And lawmakers have introduced more than a dozen bills to tweak it in some way or another. But what have the impacts of the measure been?Guest: Maris Lagos, KQEDCalifornia Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has promised sweeping changes to try to fix the state’s insurance market and convince companies to offer more coverage. Now, he’s released proposed rule updates. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new immigration court opens in the Bay Area Monday. It’s part of an effort by the Biden Administration to cope with a record number of asylum seekers – and a historic backlog of 3 million cases nationwide.Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQEDCal State faculty members start voting Monday on a deal that could raise wages and add more paid parental leave. But some CSU employees say it falls short of what their union is demanding.Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fast food workers are officially launching a new statewide union on Friday. This comes weeks before a new law will raise the industry’s minimum wage to $20 an hour and create a statewide Fast Food Council.Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQEDPrograms dedicated to the well-being of California’s youngest residents are facing major cutbacks. That’s because a ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products sharply lowered revenue that’s supposed to fund First 5 California and the early childhood services it supports. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQEDThe San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl this weekend in Las Vegas That means thousands of Niners fans are flocking to Sin City to celebrate, and one dedicated fan is hoping to welcome them all. She started a 49ers booster club in Las Vegas. Guest: Susan Larson, North Vegas Faithfuls  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices