KQED's The California Report

A memorial service for Dianne Feinstein is scheduled for Thursday at San Francisco’s City Hall, where she’s been lying in state. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks by video. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to attend, as well as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. Laphonza Butler, who was sworn in this week to replace Dianne Feinstein, is a longtime labor leader, political strategist and, most recently, the president of EMILY’s List, which fights to elect women to office who support abortion rights. One issue that's not on her resume: climate change.Reporter: Dana Cronin, KQEDSand dunes and native plants on beaches can help protect the California coast from the impacts of sea level rise – if and when they’re allowed to thrive. That's according to new research out of UC Santa Barbara.Reporter: Beth Thornton, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an unprecedented move in American politics – Bakersfield Republican Kevin McCarthy was ousted as House speaker on Tuesday. Despite this, many of McCarthy's constituents still support the embattled Congressman. Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPRThousands of Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers in California have walked off the job, starting a three day strike. A coalition of unions representing the workers are demanding wage increases, protections against the outsourcing of jobs, and increased staffing.Laphonza Butler was sworn in Tuesday, filling the seat of Dianne Feinstein, who died last week. It's still unclear if Butler will enter the race to fill the U.S. Senate seat.Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we think of cleaner and greener alternatives to gas-powered cars and trucks in California, electric vehicles come immediately to mind. But there is an alternative --hydrogen-powered cars.Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California ReportGovernor Gavin Newsom is defending his decision to appoint Emily’s List president Laphonza Butler to Dianne Feinstein’s open Senate seat –which potentially upends the on-going campaigns for that position in next year’s election. Butler is expected to be sworn-in on Tuesday. Reporter: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, KQEDCalifornia water regulators have released support plans for the Bay-Delta watershed, which experts say is in an ecological crisis.  But this doesn’t mean final solutions are in sight.Reporter: Rachel Becker, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Longtime labor leader and Democratic strategist Laphonza Butler will be California's new U.S. Senator. News of Butler's appointment -- confirmed by Governor Gavin Newsom's office Sunday night -- comes days after the death of Dianne Feinstein, which left the Senate seat vacant.Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQEDThis week, seven California counties launch CARE Courts. They’re the new mental health courts required by the state that have the authority to mandate people with severe mental illness to receive treatment.  The implementation of CARE Court will be under particular scrutiny in San Francisco, as the city wrestles with both mental health and homelessness crises.Guest: Rafael Mandelman, San Francisco SupervisorWhen presidential candidates travel to places like Iowa and New Hampshire, they usually spend time praising the state they’re in. But that is not what Republicans making the pilgrimage to California are saying about the Golden State.Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, who spent more than three decades in the Senate, has passed away at the age of 90. Senator Feinstein had a long career in politics even before her time in Washington, as a supervisor and mayor in San Francisco.Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As of this summer, most incarcerated people across the country can apply for a Pell Grant to pay for a higher education. Criminal justice advocates say this is a key step in keeping people from returning to prison. But in California, the demand is already exceeding the supply.Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California ReportSouthern California communities are paying the cost of a rise in online shopping. More online stores, means more warehouses to store their products. And that's adding to the pollution and economic inequality in these areas. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tijuana has long been a refuge for priced-out Californians looking for affordable housing. But now, rents in Tijuana are rising twice as fast as in San Diego.Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS A federal judge in San Francisco is ordering two former Trump administration officials to testify in a lawsuit, brought by migrant parents and children separated at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018.Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fentanyl-related deaths are up in California. By a lot. And it's no different in Sacramento County, which jumped from 17 fentanyl related deaths in 2018, to 227 last year. One neighborhood nonprofit is trying to save lives, by getting drug users to recognize what might be causing their use in the first place.Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio  The iconic Bob's Big Boy diner in Burbank has become the unofficial clubhouse for striking writers. And they're appreciative of the generosity of a Hollywood star, who's helping take care of the bill.Reporter: Yusra Farzan, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After nearly 150 days on strike, a tentative deal has been reached between Hollywood writers and studios. The proposed three year deal would boost pay rates and residuals from streaming shows, and also introduce new rules on the use of artificial intelligence.Shasta County is dealing with major staffing shortages across county departments. Those shortages have forced an entire floor of the county jail to remain closed for over a year.Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California's Governor is taking emergency action to stabilize the troubled homeowners insurance market. Over 300,000 Californians have lost health insurance since eligibility checks resumed. A prestigious national laboratory is partnering with CSU Bakersfield for green energy research. Non-verbal autistic teenager, Jacob Rock, found his voice through typing on an iPad. USC Orchestra premieres symphony 'Unforgettable Sunrise' in Los Angeles.