KAZU - Listen Local Podcast

New research from the UC Santa Cruz Puma Project looks at how mountain lions are adapting to busy times on recreational trails. And, a "wobbler" is a crime that can be prosecuted as either a felony or misdemeanor. A new bill would add one more to that list.

A Naval Postgraduate School alumnus who piloted the recent Artemis II mission returned to Monterey this week. And, the local food purchasing agreement, which lost its federal funding, will continue to connect food banks and local farmers thanks to the state budget.

At least one, and likely both, of the humpback whales that recently washed ashore along Monterey Bay succumbed to a neurotoxin caused by harmful algal blooms. And, fungi in the Mojave Desert may be key to the recovery of Joshua trees after a 2020 fire.

A case of measles in Santa Clara County has local public health officials reminding people to get vaccinated. And, a detainee who went on a hunger strike in ICE detention in Southern California has been deported.

Central Coast teachers and parents want the legislature to restore funding the governor's budget proposal would cut. And, a bill in Sacramento would stop pricing customized to shoppers.

Hotter weather brings on fire preparation discussions, local actions related to gender identity and on Saturday a bike event in Santa Cruz and a protest in Santa Clara County.

California Fire Foundation grants fund local fire preparedness work, and the Murray Street Bridge in Santa Cruz is fully closed for construction.

Three Monterey County school districts will be reviewed by federal authorities for classroom instruction and bathroom policies related to gender identity and sexual orientation. And, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk's first live sports broadcast is a World Cup watch party later this month.

Santa Cruz County will put offshore drilling and seabed mining protections to voters this fall, and California State Parks week begins.

Polling shows mixed support in Monterey County for two potential tax ballot measures. And, a healthcare nondiscrimination bill authored by Democratic Assembly Member Dawn Addis moves forward in Sacramento.

A bill to incorporate outdoor education into the K-12 curriculum heads to the state senate. And, Cal OES says it's ready for the World Cup.

Where election results stand at the end of the week, a weekend birding opportunity, a former Pacific Grove restaurant manager's reflections on his deportation, and more in this week's local news roundup.

A statewide effort to monitor birds, the California Bird Atlas, hosts events around the region. And Lovers Point Beach is closed after a whale washed up.

A Mountain View woman faces charges in connection with the March fire at the Tassajara Zen Center in Carmel Valley. And, salary increases for the Pacific Grove mayor and city council members are unlikely.

The primary election is over, but there are plenty of votes left to count. We hear from a voter and a likely victor in Monterey County.

Santa Cruz nonprofit Housing Matters will eliminate 20 shelter spaces starting this month in response to budget challenges. And, Monterey County launches a program to reduce strain on the emergency response system.

California is implementing changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known here as CalFresh, required under H.R. 1. And, the ACLU is joining some tech companies in objecting to a bill that would prevent social media platforms that use "addictive features" from allowing users under 16.

Fruit trees from Costco could be spreading an invasive pest: glassy-winged sharpshooters. Plus, a new California law prevents law enforcement from interfering in elections.

Extended voter services are being offered at pre-election voting locations across Monterey Bay this week. And, specialty lowrider license plates could enter circulation.

Three Monterey nonprofits have announced a $110,000 fund to support residents displaced by the March 9 Casanova Plaza apartment fire. And, Monterey County is holding budget hearings this week.

During recent a motorsports weekend at Weather Tech Laguna Seca in Monterey, a side event raised money for a local animal shelter. Selected dogs accompanied drivers' wives and girlfriends on the runway of a charity fashion show.

Local salmon available for the first time in years, counties oppose ICE facility near Gilroy, Salinas Valley Health offers free children's vaccines and other local news in this week's episode.

Santa Cruz and Monterey County supervisors oppose a possible ICE detention facility near Gilroy. And state bills could add oversight to data centers' water use.

A rally in Santa Cruz was organized in support of a Coastal Rail Trail design that preserves the train tracks. And, Friends of Seaside Parks support pollinators with weekly workdays.

Santa Cruz County celebrates National Public Works Week. And, experts warn California is unprepared for future budget deficits.

Salinas Valley Health has qualified to give free vaccines to children through a federally-funded program. And, California ups proposed support for the state food bank program.

For the first time in three years, Monterey Bay has a commercial salmon season open. Local fishermen and suppliers are hopeful.

The Ohlone Sisters at Garland Ranch, local and state representatives react to battery energy storage news, and members of UC Santa Cruz's Iranian Student Union make sense of what's happening to their relatives in this week's episode.

Seasonal fire restrictions are set to begin around the Central Coast on May 15. And, Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced California will be the first state to provide free diapers for all newborns.

A state bill would require the DMV to inform owners of towed vehicles when their cars are sold at auction. And, the World Cup is headed to Los Angeles next month, but not everyone is happy with the current plans to protect human rights.

Scammers are targeting family and friends of people incarcerated at Monterey County Jail, and four California residents who were potentially exposed to hantavirus are being monitored.

New Leaf Energy is bypassing Santa Cruz County in its effort to seek approval for a new battery energy storage facility in Watsonville. For Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church, who represents Moss Landing, that's the worst-case scenario.

An indigenous storytelling event led by educators from the Costanoan Rumsen Carmel Tribe.

The Santa Lucia Conservancy is training a local workforce focused on reducing wildfire risk, Santa Cruz County expands language services ahead of the June 2 primary election, a retired Navy commander who started a volunteer otter monitoring project, and more in this week's local news roundup.

A new resiliency plan for the Pajaro River Watershed addresses climate concerns. Plus, tourism spending in Monterey County shows a potentially encouraging trend.

Monterey County hosts a special meeting to discuss how local Medi-Cal patients could be impacted by H.R. 1. And, three parks across Monterey Bay win in the “Best of California's State Parks” poll.

Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department is inviting residents to plant trees for Arbor Day. And, a new study from UC Berkeley finds California community college students who consistently receive CalFresh food benefits do better academically.

Santa Cruz County expands language services ahead of the June 2 primary election. And, a bill moving through the California legislature aims to ensure new education programs—like transitional kindergarten—deliver on their promises.

The Santa Lucia Conservancy works to train up a local workforce focused on reducing wildfire risk on the Central Coast. And, primary election candidates in Santa Cruz County discuss their plans for housing.

The farm bill cleared the House of Representatives with little Democratic support, the Marina Coast Water District reactivates a desalination plant, how climate change affects California's native trees, and more in this week's local news roundup.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture judge ruled that the agency erred when it terminated a Cal State Monterey Bay grant last year. And, a preview of May Day events on the Central Coast.

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors extends a moratorium on battery energy storage systems. And, advocates fear federal policy will hurt undocumented people with California driver's licenses.

The Marina Coast Water District is reviving an old desalination plant to boost water supply. And, the International Olympic Committee is reintroducing a mandatory genetic test for athletes competing in women's sports at the 2028 LA Games.

New UC Santa Cruz research shows climate change puts many California native tree species at risk. Plus, a state bill could help seniors and people with disabilities harden their properties against wildfire.

Poets and poetry lovers gathered in downtown Monterey over the weekend for the Monterey Poetry Festival. And, athletes braved the weather for the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday.

In this week's episode: environmental activist julia butterfly hill comes to Santa Cruz on Sunday, libraries across Monterey Bay celebrate National Library Week, the City of Marina rings in two decades of Earth Day festivities.

Researchers are still trying to determine the cause of death for a whale that washed up in Wilder Ranch State Park in Santa Cruz County. And California representatives have introduced the "Save Willy Act," which would help ships avoid whales.

Monterey County supervisors move forward with an oversized vehicle ban along two streets in Pájaro—kind of. And, a plant sale at UC Santa Cruz this weekend.

Libraries in the region are marking National Library Week. And, California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas endorses Xavier Becerra for governor.

Legislators are criticizing the management of a state program that partnered with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to distribute books to kids. And, an art showcase at Carmel's Sunset Center celebrates youth-led mental health research.

The City of Marina celebrated two decades of Earth Day celebrations over the weekend. And, a bill advances to keep federal immigration officers away from sensitive areas.