KQED's The California Report

Temperatures are expected to climb well above 100, especially in the state’s valleys and away from the coast the rest of this week. Officials from half a dozen state and federal agencies are warning Californians to prepare for the heat wave.Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQEDWhat’s it like to work and try to protect others in a place that’s sometimes the hottest spot on the planet, with temperatures upwards of 130 degrees? We're talking about California’s Death Valley National Park.Guest: Nichole Andler, Death Valley Park Ranger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LGBTQ Pride events have been taking place across the country amid growing threats of violence towards the community. Along with being frightening, these threats are also impacting Pride organizations' financial bottom lines. One example? Skyrocketing insurance costs.Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS  With a strike threat imminent, SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors, has agreed to last minute federal mediation to try to reach a deal with film and television producers. If a deal isn’t struck, the impact will be widespread, including for big pop culture events like Comic Con, which is set to kick off on July 20th in San Diego. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April, California passed a first of its kind policy to accelerate the transition to electric big rig trucks. But how does it actually feel to be behind the wheel of one?Reporter: Erin Stone, LAistAfter raising tuition only once in the last decade, California State University Trustees will meet on Tuesday to consider a possible tuition hike for students in the 23 campus system. The proposal is for CSU to raise annual tuition by 6% through at least spring of 2029. Reporter: Sara Hossaini, KQEDFinanced by Bay Area tech investors, a new professional cricket league debuts later this week. It’s part of the sport’s increased visibility in the Golden State and the rest of the country.Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After not being seen for decades, a rare native plant was recently rediscovered on the Central Coast. Botanists say the tiny Santa Ynez groundstar grows in the city of Lompoc and nowhere else. Reporter: Beth Thornton Tent encampments on sidewalks are often the public face of the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles. But a new census of the homeless shows a big increase of the unhoused who live in parked vehicles.  Reporter: David Wagner, LAist  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After months of alarm, forecasters predict that Tulare Lake has peaked in size. That means the risk of flooding has likely subsided for the city of Corcoran. But questions still surround what could have happened if floodwaters had overtaken two state prisons on the outskirts of the city.Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPRFord, General Motors and several other truck manufacturers have agreed to abide by California’s ban on the sale of new diesel big rigs by 2036. The deal puts an industry stamp of approval on rules California solidified this year, to fight air pollution and climate change. Reporter: Kevin Stark , KQED From time to time this summer, we're talking to Californians about how they're spending their summer months. Today, we head to the Venice Beach Boardwalk. It's a place that's long been popular with street performers, and it's where we met musician Eric Gray, who's a fixture on the boardwalk.Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fresno Chaffee Zoo’s long-awaited ‘Kingdoms of Asia’ exhibit has opened. The exhibit's design was inspired by Cambodia's landmark Angkor Wat temple.Reporter: Soreath Hok, KVPRHotel workers who had been on strike since Sunday in Los Angeles and Orange counties, have returned to work. But the union representing the workers says they could walk out at anytime, if their demands aren't met. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About 15,000 workers employed at dozens of hotels across Los Angeles and Orange counties have walked off the job, demanding better pay and benefits. As summer temperatures start to hit triple digits, farmworkers in the Central Valley are especially vulnerable to the toll of excessive heat. And looking ahead it’s not going to get any easier because of climate change,Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The California Air Resources Board, or CARB, which regulates car and truck pollution in the state, will soon fully open its new, very expensive state-of-the-art laboratory and testing center in Riverside. The hope is that it can be a key tool in the decades-long fight against air pollution and, more recently, climate change.Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This summer, the California Report will be taking you to places and talking to people from all walks of life about what they're doing in the months ahead. But first, we're looking at the dollars and cents of California’s tourism economy and how things are shaping up this summer travel season. Guest: Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit CaliforniaMany people enjoy spending the summer outdoors, and that can mean hiking in some of California's vast and diverse parks, trails and forests. But how can you enjoy it safely, and avoid the crowds?Guest: Chris Hazzard, Author, Professional Hiking Guide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Homelessness is up 9 percent In LA County. Results of Los Angeles' Annual Homeless Count Are Out ...And It's Not Good.   Anna Scott from KCRW has the details.The State Task Force Studying Reparations For African-Americans In California Has Submitted Its Final Report... And As KQED Politics Correspondent Guy Marzorati Tells Us -- State Legislators Now Face The Political Challenge Of Making Those Proposals A Reality.This Week, Governor Gavin Newsom And State Lawmakers Agreed On A State Budget That Includes $10 million for LGBTQ Services To Be Divided Among The State's Community Colleges. That Money Is Critical In Rural Communities Where LGBTQ Plus Services Are Typically Scarce.The Supreme Court's Decision To Do Away With Affirmative Action In College Admissions Will Likely Not Have As Deep An Impact In California Since Prop 209 Banned The Practice back In 1998.The City Of Arcata Will Be The Site Of A New Emergency Mental Health Care Facility With The Help Of A Recent $12 Million Grant. As JPR’s Jane Vaughan reports, The New Behavioral Health Crisis Triage Center Will Hopefully Open In 2026.Here's A Preview Of Our Sister Show, The California Report’s Weekly Magazine. During The Pandemic, Rhea Patel And Marcel Michel Decided To Do Something Bold.... Despite Having NO Background In Food, The Couple Started A Food Business, Bringing Flavors From Their Indian And Mexican Backgrounds To Rotisserie Chicken Dishes. They Call It - SAUCY CHICK....And, KQED’s Sasha Khoka Caught Up With Them At A Sunday Food Market in Downtown Los Angeles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices