KQED's The California Report

Christmas is two days away which means Santa Claus is pulling overtime. He's at the mall taking photos and he's project managing toy production. This story is all about the work of being Santa. So, if you're listening with a child who's expecting a visit from jolly old Saint Nick this year, you may want to turn down the volume. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW California is preparing for another storm system that could bring dangerous conditions to large portions of the state. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Humboldt County, a rural volunteer fire station is struggling to meet its community's needs. They're hoping a state budget allocation to expand Calfire staffing might offer some support, but nothing has materialized yet. Reporter: Katherine Monahan, KQED The Trump administration continues to drastically shrink the immigration courts in Northern California – leaving just a few judges to handle a massive backlog of cases. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED California transportation officials say they've paused a plan to resume issuing thousands of commercial driver's licenses, under federal pressure. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The holiday season brings many traditions for families across California. One that is tried and true - decorating your home with a Christmas tree. While most families buy artificial trees these days, there are still some places in the state where you can not only get a living tree, but even cut it down yourself. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Roughly 2,000 people meander through Old Monterey every December to tour California's oldest government building and other Alta California adobes. Monterey State Historic Park interpreter Aaron Gilmartin helped coordinate the immersive event. A panel of federal judges could rule soon on whether California's new congressional maps can stay in place. That's after a three day court hearing in Los Angeles ended Wednesday. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresno Yosemite International Airport may be considered small, but more than 2 million travelers passed through it last year. And the city of Fresno is moving to expand the airport and accommodate a growing customer base for a growing region. In 2023, the airport broke ground on a new terminal. And that terminal opened just in time for Christmas and New Year travel. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR Officials in the Bay Area city of Dublin voted unanimously this week to oppose using a closed federal women's prison as an immigration detention facility, or for any type of incarceration. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Regulators are set to consider cutting the profits California's major utilities can make. Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Newsom administration confirmed it's backtracking on a plan to indefinitely revoke thousands of commercial drivers licenses held by immigrants. That's welcome news to the drivers and their families. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED As Jewish communities around the globe struggle to comprehend the deadly mass shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach, in Kern County, the losses are hitting especially close to home. Reporter: Jonathan Linden, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the last six weeks, children who crossed the US-Mexico border alone have been inexplicably stuck in federal custody at shelters across the country. The Trump administration has stopped releasing these kids to their families and loved ones. It's not saying why. But sources in the government agency that's in charge of unaccompanied kids — and lawyers who help them —  say they've never seen anything like this. Guest: Mark Betancourt, The California Newsroom Federal authorities say they've thwarted a plot to bomb five locations around Southern California on New Year's Eve. The FBI has arrested four people who they say belong to an extremist anti-government group. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR After a Supreme Court decision that allowed authorities to penalize people for sleeping outdoors, the City of Fresno was one of the first to enact its own anti-camping law. Now, a class action lawsuit is challenging its legality. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Santa Cruz and Monterey counties largest food banks report a third of residents can't consistently afford healthy food. And in this rich fishing region, some of the freshest catch is helping fill those empty bellies. Reporter: Katie Brown, KAZU Doctors are petitioning California to prohibit the use of a popular countertop material linked to the death of dozens of stoneworkers. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ICE has released an immigrant from Ukraine who was arrested after her green card interview last week. She says she was held for days inside a federal building in downtown San Diego. Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS We're getting into the cold, wet part of the year, and for many people that means it's time to nestle indoors and stay cozy. But for some, the rain spells a special opportunity - to embark into the woods and forage for wild mushrooms. Over 1500 of these enthusiasts got together recently at a fungus fair in Humboldt County. Reporter: Katherine Monahan, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Catholic bishops from across California held mass at the Adelanto ICE Detention Center near the Mojave Desert on Wednesday. This is part on of an outreach effort to immigrants who have been caught up in the Trump administration's ongoing immigration crackdown here in California. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Farmworkers across the country are suing the Trump administration. They want to axe a recent change to the guest worker visa program, known as H-2A, that cuts farmworker pay by 25%. Reporter: Joshua Yeager Housing advocates filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Governor Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass over their orders banning duplexes in burn zones. Reporter: David Wagner, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The condominium used to be a relatively affordable home ownership option in California. But it has almost disappeared from our cities. Why? A new generation of housing activists says California laws have killed the condo, and they want that to change. Reporter: Frances Anderton, KCRW Hundreds of millions of dollars to address homelessness in California is in limbo after the Trump administration reversed course on a major funding program — at least, for now. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Californians hoping to take advantage of free entry days at national parks will see big changes next year. The Trump administration is removing civil rights holidays and adding President Trump's birthday instead. The move is already prompting backlash from civil rights groups and conservation advocates. International visitors will also face new rules for park access. Guest: Sarah Wright, KQED The Ukrainian wife of a U.S. citizen remains in ICE custody after she was detained late last week in San Diego. Her lawyers say the arrest marks another new escalation in the Trump administration's emerging practice of targeting immigrants at their green card interviews. Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dozens of cities and law enforcement agencies from around the state are using automated license plate readers. And in some cases, those communities are fighting back, suing to stop their use. In San Diego County, law enforcement agencies are also searching license plate cameras owned by private businesses -- with little oversight. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS A new law banning cat declawing in California is set to take effect next year. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A man and his best friend are being reunited in Mexico on Friday, three months after being separated by immigration agents outside a day labor center about an hour east of Los Angeles. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR The Inspector General for California's massive prison system says a backlog of investigations into staff misconduct has ballooned to 10,000 cases. Reporter: Julie Small, KQED The governing body for high school sports in California is changing its bylaws in an effort to protect immigrant student athletes. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After decades of planning and setbacks, officials are laying the groundwork for something that would be the first of its kind in California — a hybrid campus that houses degree programs from multiple universities across San Diego County. Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS California cities cannot choose to disobey the state's immigration sanctuary law. Reporter: Jill Replogle, LAist There are currently at least 10 candidates vying to be California's next governor, and the race appears to be anyone's to win. Reporter: Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly a year after a lithium-ion battery fire in Moss Landing, we're learning the extent of the damage to nearby Elkhorn Slough, a protected marine estuary. Reporter: Elena Neale-Sacks, KAZU California Attorney General Rob Bonta is joining six other state attorneys in calling out buy-now-pay-later lenders, amid concerns that they're putting consumers at financial risk. Reporter: Francesca Fenzi, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robots have come a long way in the last ten years. They can move parts around a warehouse, clean hotel floors, and deliver food. But they're still rare in everyday life. This could change as businesses look to cut rising costs by hiring fewer people. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW The search continues for the suspect or suspects who opened fire at a toddler's birthday party over the weekend in Stockton, killing four guests and wounding eleven more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fear, isolation, uneasiness. Ever since the Trump administration ramped up immigration enforcement efforts, immigrant communities in California have a growing sense of anxiety. One community worried about enforcement is farm workers, where many people's lives have been upended. Guest: Nigel Duara, CalMatters A shooting at a banquet hall in the Central Valley town of Stockton has left four young people dead and 11 injured. The shooting Saturday took place at a children's birthday party. California immigration lawyers are seeing a startling trend: people who are in the process of becoming legal U.S. residents attend their green card interview and are arrested on the spot. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The nonprofit app Watch Duty is revolutionizing how people get information about wildfires and evacuations. And it's not just residents in vulnerable areas downloading the app — firefighters are using it too. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS People who often eat fish caught in the San Francisco Bay could be consuming unhealthy levels of persistent, dangerous chemicals.  Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Minor league baseball has a rich history in California, going back more than a century.  But minor league baseball is changing. Like other professional sports, it has become a big-money game, attracting owners looking to cash in on rising team values. One Central Valley city has witnessed what that big-money game looks like firsthand, losing its longtime Single-A team. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Santa Cruz County's surf breaks are free to enjoy, but worth millions. That's one of the findings in the first report to put a price on the world-renowned surf playground.  Reporter: Katie Brown, KAZU Humboldt County recently approved its first green cemetery. The model allows bodies to decompose in a more environmentally friendly way. Reporter: Jane Vaughan, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawyers from around the country are working together and organizing, to find legal strategies to free detained immigrants.  Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS A congressional hearing in downtown Los Angeles on Monday focused on what witnesses called the chilling effects of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Trump administration continues its aggressive mass deportation campaign, immigration lawyers are increasingly turning to a law the founding fathers established to protect against a king. The use of habeas corpus petitions has skyrocketed in recent months. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS Governor Gavin Newsom has shut down four prisons, with a fifth closure on its way. He's said those changes, along with some other reductions, are saving the state around $900 million a year. But according to a new report, the state's corrections department is still running a huge deficit. Reporter: Cayla Mihalovich, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Lake Tahoe, a mother bear and her cub — known as Hope and Bounce — have been breaking into homes. Now, wildlife officials want the mother euthanized, but bear advocates are fighting to save her. Reporter: Maria Palma, KUNR In California, dozens of stoneworkers have died and nearly 50 underwent lung transplants because of cutting engineered stone, popular in kitchen countertops. On Thursday, the state board that adopts workplace safety rules considered next steps. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new California law requires the phaseout of certain ultra-processed foods from school meals starting next year. These foods, which could include deli meat or soda, have attracted mainstream attention recently as the federal administration's Make America Healthy Again campaign has named eliminating them a key issue. But while federal officials have expressed interest in creating a standard definition for ultra-processed foods, it hasn't happened yet. This law marks the first in the country to give that phrase a statutory definition. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio A property management company with hundreds of buildings in California will have to pay $7 million as part of a settlement agreement in an antitrust lawsuit announced this week. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED Cal State University trustees have approved a proposal for higher pay for executives, including university presidents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Asbestos, lead, coal dust. All of those posed big health hazards to workers before legal protections finally rolled out. Now, thousands of stoneworkers in California who make our kitchen and bathroom countertops are breathing in something so toxic, nearly 50 had lung transplants. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Farmworker communities and environmental groups across the state are calling for stronger protections from a pesticide they say endangers public health. Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Los Angeles County's jail system is in the middle of one of its deadliest years on record. According to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, there have been more than three dozen in-custody deaths so far this year, and many have involved overdoses. Now, new reporting from CalMatters reveals that access to critical opioid addiction treatment has been quietly scaled back. Guest: Cayla Mihalovich, CalMatters The Trump administration is suing California over a new law that bars local and federal law enforcement from wearing masks while on duty. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Oceanside in San Diego County, there's a small nonprofit that's become a steady place of support for Marines and veterans working through the hardest parts of coming home. The group trains dogs to work alongside service members, helping them rebuild routines, confidence, and a sense of stability. But now the program is facing a financial hit. A major source of federal funding is set to run out at the end of the year and it's unclear how many people the nonprofit will be able to keep serving without it. Reporter: Heidi de Marco, KPBS A federal judge in San Francisco says the Trump administration cannot immediately cut the University of California's funding or threaten fines over claims of discrimination. In Los Angeles, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in the ongoing case involving immigration raids across the region. The ruling says the federal government likely violated the Fifth Amendment by denying immigrants access to attorneys at a detention facility in downtown Los Angeles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress ended the shutdown this week, but it didn't reach a deal on health care. Roughly two million Californians who buy insurance through the state's marketplace now face steep price hikes after the Trump administration refused to extend enhanced federal tax credits. And some Californians can't afford to keep their coverage. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED The federal Department of Justice has joined a lawsuit seeking to overturn Proposition 50, the ballot measure approved by California voters last week, that will redraw the state's congressional maps.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Lawyers representing victims of the Eaton Fire say Southern California Edison is using delay tactics in court. Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heavy rain and winds are forecast throughout California as a strong atmospheric river makes its way down the Golden State. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report For the first time in 30 years, the U.S. has not sent a delegation to the United Nations annual climate summit. President Trump has called climate change a hoax and his administration says attending would mean pursuing vague climate goals. But delegates from California and its cities, including Governor Newsom, are there, attempting to fill the void. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED A former top aide to California Governor Gavin Newsom was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on 23 counts, including bank and wire fraud. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Palisades and Eaton fires are a sober reminder of just how flammable many urban and suburban homes are. Some survivors are responding by planning to build differently. Instead of the usual wood framing, these homeowners are opting to choose a material many of us associate more with freeways and skyscrapers - concrete. Reporter: David Wagner, LAist Many survivors of this year's Los Angeles County fires are calling for the resignation of State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. Members of the grassroots organization Eaton Fire Survivor Network say the recovery process is moving too slowly, in large part because of the insurance industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

45 years ago, a Sacramento woman founded Mothers Against Drunk Driving after her 13-year-old daughter was struck and killed in Fair Oaks. MADD would go on to advocate for some of the nation's toughest DUI laws in the 1980s. But a new investigation from our California newsroom partner CalMatters found our home state now has some of the weakest DUI laws in the country, and that's led to a spike in alcohol-related roadway deaths. Guest: Robert Lewis, CalMatters California has filed a request for a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration, over its attempts to stop states from giving out SNAP benefits. Reporter: Carly Severn, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California legislators considered dozens of bills related to artificial intelligence this year. Those numbers have spiked as lawmakers grapple with the technology's increasing presence and possible negative consequences. One point of concern: the impact that generative AI will have on the state's natural resources as it becomes an everyday tool for Californians. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio Environmental activists are celebrating the retirement of a Southern California oil rig, with a celebration at San Francisco's waterfront. The California State Lands Commission officially finalized the decommission last week. Reporter: Eliza Peppel , KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore full funding for SNAP benefits by Friday. The Justice Department is appealing. Meanwhile, Governor Newsom's office says some people in California are starting to receive their benefits, but it's unclear how many. The uncertainty is leaving many college students to wonder how they'll afford their next meal. Reporter: Gerardo Zavala, CapRadio Overwhelming support of Proposition 50 in California is renewing efforts to split the state in half. Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Biden-era federal tax breaks for home owners that want to switch from gas-powered appliances in their homes to electric or "greener" solutions are expiring at the end of the year. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has announced her retirement from Congress. With the announcement, she will NOT be seeking re-election as representative of San Francisco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California voters pass Proposition 50, setting the state up to redraw its congressional district maps, challenging a move by Texas to redraw its maps to give Republicans an edge in next year's mid-term elections. California Senator Alex Padilla has squashed any rumors that he has eyes on his state's Governor's seat. Yesterday, he announced his intentions not to run in California's governor's race in 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Californians head to the polls today to decide on legislation that would change the state's redistricting rules if passed--and could set up a more protracted political battle with the Trump Administration ahead of next year's midterm elections. It has been championed by Gov. Newsom as a counter to the Texas state legislature's decision to redraw its own district maps. Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice is sending election monitors to five counties in California, claiming that it is doing so to ensure transparency of the electoral process and make sure the election follows federal laws. Critics of the move say this is voter intimidation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The government shutdown has left the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in funding limbo--after two judges on Friday ordered a reticent Trump Administration to fund the food aid program with the $5 billion in contingency funds the USDA has on hand. Meanwhile, millions of Californians who rely on the state's version of SNAP--CalFresh--to stay fed are left wondering where their next meals will come from. Food pantries throughout the state are gearing up to meet the demand. Meanwhile, Democratic Senator, Adam Schiff says his party is pushing to get SNAP funded while also ending the political stalemate in Washington. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our latest report for the segment, "California Divided," we head down to Norco, California. This Republican enclave in Riverside County is known as the horsiest town in the Golden State; and that's how residents like it. What they are not so hot on, is the idea that Prop. 50 could redraw district lines that would ultimately change their way of life. Tax credits that help subsidize the Affordable Care Act are set to expire at the end of the year. With Covered California opening its enrollment tomorrow for coverage in the coming year, many could be in for a shock at how their healthcare premiums are reaching new, unaffordable heights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 4 of our series, ⁠California Divided⁠, we head north, to speak with residents in District 1, who've expressed concern over the impact that Proposition 50 will have on their voting power if it passes. The Trump Administration is halting automatic renewals of work permits for immigrants. The policy, which begins today, could force thousands of immigrants out of work, and leaving them in limbo, as their applications for renewal get stuck in a growing queue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Northeast San Diego County is becoming a battleground in the nationwide fight over congressional districts and control of the House of Representatives. Ballots are out now for a special election that could change several districts in California to give Democrats the advantage. Democrats are working on the ground in an effort to flip the congressional seat. Reporter: Jake Gotta, KPBS California Attorney General Rob Bonta is leading a coalition of 25 states in a lawsuit against the USDA. That's after the federal agency announced that it will not issue SNAP benefits during the government shutdown. The McKinleyville Union School District in far Northern California has sued the U.S. Department of Education over a mental health grant. Reporter: Jane Vaughan, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ripple effects of President Trump's national gerrymandering battle are being felt in California's rich agricultural belt. Next week, voters in the state will decide whether to support Proposition 50. That's Governor Newsom's plan to counter surprise redistricting in Texas and other red states. If Prop 50 passes, Congressman David Valadao of the Central Valley would be one of five Republicans on the chopping block. And that worries farmers in his district. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR The Los Angeles Dodgers won a marathon Game 3 of the World Series, as Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off home run in the 18th inning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Californians are deciding on a ballot measure that could reshape how our state is represented in Congress. Proposition 50 would redraw California's congressional district lines to help Democrats pick up five additional seats in the House. Prop 50 is part of a national fight over redistricting. And if it passes, political lines from Sonoma down to San Diego will be transformed. Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED To understand what's at stake with Proposition 50, we're going to some of the districts that would be redrawn. It's a series we're calling California Divided. We begin in the state's 3rd Congressional District, at Lake Tahoe: a blue dot in a Republican-held district. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices