Podcasts about caltrans

Hometown Radio 06/09/25 6p: Caltrans officials preview upcoming road projects

The STA is primarily responsible for administering the Measure A program: the half-percent sales tax for transportation improvements in Sacramento County. The STA also administers the Sacramento Metropolitan Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) program in cooperation with Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol. The program's primary objective is to reduce the traffic congestion caused by roadway incidents. The STA Governing Board and staff also serve as the Governing Board and staff of the Sacramento Abandoned Vehicle Service Authority (SAVSA). SAVSA provides funding to participating local jurisdictions for the abatement of abandoned vehicles and vehicle parts on streets and private property. The STA is the only local countywide transportation agency and, therefore, provides a number of other functions related to setting priorities for the expenditure of specified state and federal transportation funds in Sacramento County.

Caltrans announced several lane closures along multiple locations on State Route 20 and Interstate 80. Closures near SR-20 are part of the Yuba Pass Separation Overhead Bridge Project. 

The News Whip – LA Metro and Caltrans broke ground this morning on a new express lane project for the 105 Freeway. Ice Bucket challenge coming back. NFL Draft touching story // Costco hotdogs – COnway almost bought 96 hotdogs. Underconsumption // Pope Francis Funeral / Protest at Federl bldg with traffic  // Whats your favorite hotdog? 

Caltrans is working hard to spread the word about a massive 405 repaving project. What's happening after the tree terror in downtown Los Angeles? Some locals say enough is enough. And we'll tell you about the latest trouble with the water reservoir in the Palisades. The L.A. Local is sponsored by the LA Car Guy family of dealerships.

The Monte Vista Pavement Rehabilitation Project is expected to be completed by summer 2028.

This week we're listening in on a conversation hosted by Seamless Bay Area about the 2024 update to the California State Rail Plan. Adina Levin of Seamless Bay Area hosts Shannon Simonds Chief, Office of Rail Planning & Implementation at Caltrans, Eric Goldwyn of the Marron Institute of Urban Management, and Adriana Rizzo of Californians for Electric Rail in discussion.  Find the video of this discussion on YouTube.  Find the slides from this discussion here. +++ Get the show ad free on Patreon! Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, Substack ... @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site!  And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com    

Guest: Bob Miller – Capitals Alex Ovechkin scores goal #895 to break Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL scoring record. // Actor Jay North Dies at 73 + New CA Law Would Make Teenagers Sit in Backseat or On Booster Seats + School Bus Escort with Caltrans escort takes Topanga students to school via closed road + Dead Minke Whale Washes Ashore in Long Beach After Several Days in Harbor // Former world number one tennis player, Billie Jean King gets Walk of Fame Star + Lindsay Lohan Receives Vanguard Award. Lohan Reflects on Tabloid Troubles. // Laker fans sue Crypto, Lakers for being beaten by private security + Multiple Business Burglaries Under Investigation in East LA 

If you've been battling the post-Palisades fire traffic nightmare at the 101-405 interchange, you're not alone. When you live and work in Southern California, traffic is one of the biggest determining factors of how your day will go. On Today's L.A. Local, we commiserate with daily commuters and hear from a Caltrans expert. The L.A. Local is sponsored by the LA Car Guy family of dealerships.

The STA is primarily responsible for administering the Measure A program: the half-percent sales tax for transportation improvements in Sacramento County. The STA also administers the Sacramento Metropolitan Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) program in cooperation with Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol. The program's primary objective is to reduce the traffic congestion caused by roadway incidents.

In this third installment of our series on Charles and Jennifer Chia, we delve into the discovery of their remains nine months after they vanished on October 18, 1989. Retired Detective Allan Fox and Retired Detective Ron Dreher share their firsthand experiences of this tragic case, describing the remote location where the children's bodies were found and discussing the investigative steps that followed. We also explore how the authorities confirmed Charles and Jennifer's identities and how the grisly discovery has shaped ongoing efforts to find their killer. Though more than three decades have passed, the children's mother, Ann, is still seeking answers—and hoping that someone will come forward with information that could finally bring resolution.Key TopicsRecap of Charles and Jennifer's Disappearance: A brief overview of the events leading to their disappearance and the efforts by law enforcement to locate them.Discovery of the Remains: How the children's bodies were found by a Caltrans employee in a shallow grave near Highways 70 and 89, miles away from their Reno home.Insights from Law Enforcement: Commentary from Allan Fox and Ron Dreher on the crime scene, the surrounding area, and the significance of evidence (including a shovel found at the scene).Identification and Aftermath: Matching the children's clothing to the descriptions from the day they went missing, and the grim confirmation via dental charts.Mother's Plea for Justice: Ann Chia's heartbreaking statement about her children and her call for anyone with information to speak up.Why This Episode MattersThis episode underscores the profound impact of Charles and Jennifer's tragic story and highlights the continued efforts to uncover what truly happened. By revisiting the scene and hearing directly from detectives who were there, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the challenges law enforcement faced—and the desperate need for any new leads that might finally solve this case.Listener DiscretionWhile this episode does not include graphic forensic details, it addresses the sensitive topic of child abduction and murder. Some listeners may find parts of the discussion upsetting.Call to ActionIf you have any information regarding the disappearance or deaths of Charles and Jennifer Chia, please contact the Reno Police Department. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can reach out to us at itsfoulplay.com, and we will forward any tips to law enforcement.Looking AheadIn our fourth and final episode of this series, we will examine the evidence, publicly known suspects, and the open questions that linger decades after Charles and Jennifer were taken from their family. Be sure to tune in to learn how you can help keep their memories alive—and possibly move the case forward.Thank you for joining us on this journey. Every detail, no matter how small, has the potential to help. If you've found this episode valuable, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/foul-play-crime-series/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this epsiode, we dive into a hotly contested theory on the origins of humanity in the Americas. Listen along to our discussion of the Cerutti Mastodon site in Cristina's very own home town! RIP CalTrans, but science had to happen. Thanks for listening and remember to like, rate, review, and email us at: cultscryptidsconspiracies@gmail.com or tweet us at @C3Podcast. We have some of our sources for research here: http://tinyurl.com/CristinaSourcesAlso check out our Patreon: www.patreon.com/cultscryptidsconspiracies. Thank you to T.J. Shirley for our theme.

More and more tents are popping up along the sides of San Diego freeways, on state property managed by the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans. City leaders call it a growing problem. Reporter: Katie Anastas, KPBS The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the University of California for possible workplace discrimination. Leaders in Fremont have revised a controversial ban on homeless encampments in the city. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Healthcare workers at Watsonville Community Hospital consider a three-day strike over expired contracts. And, the Big Sur Byway Organization evaluates the impact of road closures on local businesses. Caltrans is planning an overnight closure of Rocky Creek Road on Friday.

The STA is primarily responsible for administering the Measure A program: the half-percent sales tax for transportation improvements in Sacramento County. The STA also administers the Sacramento Metropolitan Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) program in cooperation with Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol. The program's primary objective is to reduce the traffic congestion caused by roadway incidents. The STA Governing Board and staff also serve as the Governing Board and staff of the Sacramento Abandoned Vehicle Service Authority (SAVSA). SAVSA provides funding to participating local jurisdictions for the abatement of abandoned vehicles and vehicle parts on streets and private property. The STA is the only local countywide transportation agency and, therefore, provides a number of other functions related to setting priorities for the expenditure of specified state and federal transportation funds in Sacramento County.

LA's annual homeless count is now in its third day, though it's hit some roadblocks. The city of Norwalk suffers a setback in its efforts to ban homeless shelters. Caltrans is looking to bring parts of the Arroyo Seco Parkway up to speed on safety. Plus, more.Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

In Washington, the U.S Bureau of Reclamation has awarded the Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Sonoma Water Agency $15 million. In Sacramento, committee assignments have been made official. We spoke with District Two Assemblyperson Chris Rogers about his committee assignments. And, closer to home, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has opened the north boat launch at Lake Mendocino. Meanwhile, in Ukiah, the Humane Society for Inland Mendocino County has closed due to a Parvo emergency, and Fort Bragg Mayor Jason Goedeke reported on a bridge safety meeting with Caltrans.

Farmers are invited to a free workshop to learn how CropManage can help them irrigate and apply nutrients in the best possible way and CalTrans will close Highway 1at Rocky Creek overnight tonight to continue repairs.

In today's newscast, employees at the Monterey Bay Aquarium have announced plans to unionize. Plus, commuters and local residents who frequent the stretch of Highway 9 between Santa Cruz and Felton are encouraged to attend a public meeting at the Felton Community Hall on Jan. 15 from 5 to 7 p.m to share their input on a Caltrans improvement project.

In the last couple years of record-breaking snowfalls, budget shortfalls, staffing shortages and lack of affordable housing for CalTrans road crew workers, plowed parking areas for backcountry access are no longer a given. The Tahoe Backcountry Alliance is working with community leaders to help address these issues, focused on expanding winter access for all non-motorized users. Since 2015, TBA has expanded access for motorized and non-motorized use in Johnson Canyon, created a plowed parking lot on the west end of Donner Lake, is about to open a new lot for Tallac access and created a free SnoPark pass system for local residents. We sit down with TBA Executive Director Anthony Cupaiuolo to chat about the importance of access for winter recreation in and around Lake Tahoe, the ongoing parking issues on the West Shore, its impacts on the local recreation economy and what the protocol is for backcountry users when parking areas haven't been plowed.3:00 – PowBot rides a legit snowmobile for the first time and actually liked it.5:00 – Bumping into the Tahoe backcountry legend Otto on the skintrack in Ward Canyon.7:00 – Palisades Tahoe can't manage to get their mountain open…again. 7:45 – On a Musical Note: Trail Whisperer is loving listening to The Black Keys and The White Stripes and Pow Bot is watching No Good Deed. 10:15 – Listener shout outs and Dope or Derp? Subaru Crosstrek17:00 – Introducing Anthony Cupaiuolo of Tahoe Backcountry Alliance and First Tracks Productions.22:00 – Backcountry “carpooling” with three people using one snowmobile and PowBot's skijouring harness. 24:50 – Blowing up the secret spots. Cody Townsend's new The 50+ episode about the West Shore of Lake Tahoe. 26:50 – Anthony got invited by Sierra Academy to the Hutchinson Lodge at Donner Summit for a photo and video presentation to kids about skiing.28:30 – Mount Rose aka Mount Surprise and skiing the Bronco Chutes near Relay Peak. 33:20 – Anthony featured in a short film about Mount Rose called “A Rose for All”, and the importance of public access to the outdoors in Mount Rose Meadows. 40:00 – Collaborating with Lake Tahoe Snowmobilers on safety and awareness and gaining access in Johnson Canyon thanks to help from Truckee Donner Land Trust.43:20 – Brief history of the Tahoe Backcountry Alliance – came to be when parking was going to be eliminated for the Jake's Peak area on the West Shore in 2015.48:30 – Issues on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe – lack of plowing and challenges with CalTrans plow crews can have a negative impact on the local tourism economy when plowing isn't done.57:00 – The etiquette of parking in a snow storm before an area has been plowed and cleared.1:04:50 – When did Anthony get involved with Tahoe Backcountry Alliance?1:06:50 – The Lake Run parking lot success story at the west side of Donner Lake. 1:11:30 – TBA founded a recreation-specific, grant-funded micro transit program to help alleviate trailhead traffic and raise awareness around the need for Lake Tahoe public transit.1:17:40 – The California State Parks SnoPark system – is it working? Meiss Meadows parking to access into Kirkwood when Highway 88 closes.1:24:40 – The headwaters of the Truckee River is Meiss Meadows, and the Meiss hut was the cabin Snowshoe Thompson used in the 1860s. Floating the Upper Truckee River in South Lake.1:27:50 – All about the challenges of Mount Tallac parking in Spring Creek and the new parking lot for Tallac access. 1:38:15 – How do people get involved and support Tahoe Backcountry Alliance? Donate at tahoebackcountryalliance.org.1:44:30 – What does Mind the Track mean to you? 1:52:45 – Pow Bot Scraper – the first Mind the Track swag coming soon!

Caltrans will close Highway 1 at Rocky Creek, 12 miles south of Carmel, for 24 hours this weekend to continue construction after a landslide took out the southbound lane.

The STA is primarily responsible for administering the Measure A program: the half-percent sales tax for transportation improvements in Sacramento County. The STA also administers the Sacramento Metropolitan Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) program in cooperation with Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol. The program's primary objective is to reduce the traffic congestion caused by roadway incidents. The STA Governing Board and staff also serve as the Governing Board and staff of the Sacramento Abandoned Vehicle Service Authority (SAVSA). SAVSA provides funding to participating local jurisdictions for the abatement of abandoned vehicles and vehicle parts on streets and private property. The STA is the only local countywide transportation agency and, therefore, provides a number of other functions related to setting priorities for the expenditure of specified state and federal transportation funds in Sacramento County.

With just days to go before election day, a number of new voting centers have opened for San Diegans still looking to cast their ballots. Caltrans crews have closed all eastbound lanes of S-R 52 from the I-805 to Convoy Street. It's that time of year again, daylight saving time is coming to an end.   What You Need To Know To Start Your Saturday. 

The STA is primarily responsible for administering the Measure A program: the half-percent sales tax for transportation improvements in Sacramento County. The STA also administers the Sacramento Metropolitan Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) program in cooperation with Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol. The program's primary objective is to reduce the traffic congestion caused by roadway incidents. The STA Governing Board and staff also serve as the Governing Board and staff of the Sacramento Abandoned Vehicle Service Authority (SAVSA). SAVSA provides funding to participating local jurisdictions for the abatement of abandoned vehicles and vehicle parts on streets and private property. The STA is the only local countywide transportation agency and, therefore, provides a number of other functions related to setting priorities for the expenditure of specified state and federal transportation funds in Sacramento County.

Andrew Do agrees to plead guilty to a conspiracy to steal millions of taxpayer dollars. We speak with correspondent Nick Gerda. CD 14 candidate Ysabel Jurado faces blowback for quoting a rap lyric at a campaign event. Caltrans-owned homes finally on sale. Plus, more. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.com.Support the show: https://laist.com

The candidate hoping to unseat LA city councilmember Kevin de Leon is under scrutiny for her controversial take on cops. A check in on some of those homes in South Pasadena once owned by Caltrans. World Series tickets for Dodgers vs. Yankees on sale for $1,000 minimum. Plus more.     Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.com.Support the show: https://laist.com

South Pasadena homes previously held by Caltrans for a freeway extension are now for sale. State lawmakers scrap affordable housing program before tenants can get help. LAist's Cheap Fast Eats heads to West Hollywood. Plus, more. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.com.Support the show: https://laist.com

It's time for our daily chat with KCBS Insider Phil Matier. Phil joined KCBS Radio anchors Patti Reising and Bret Burkhart to talk about an interstate in the Bay Area that spans only 2 miles, but the list of complaints about it is much longer than that. And now Caltrans is asking for your opinion as it considers tearing down 980 in the East Bay.

Tonight, Caltrans and CHP will shut down a portion of the 8 Eastbound to complete repairs. The latest report from SANDAG shows overall crime in San Diego County is down. This weekend, the community will gather to honor the legacies of two San Diego Police officers killed in the line of duty. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

August 16, 2024 —1 - Albion residents responded to a Caltrans call for community comment on a draft environmental impact report at a meeting Tuesday night at the Whitesboro Grange in Albion with a demand that Caltrans include the rehabilitation option in the EIR. “For a good ten years plus, Caltrans has been talking about this being a rehabilitation or a replacement program,” said Jim Heid, a member of Albion Bridge Stewards, a local group that has carried out its own studies of the bridge's structural integrity. “All of a sudden the words rehab, rehabilitate, and rehabilitation disappeared from the project description.” 2 -What does a white male folk singer born in 1912 in Oklahoma have in common with a 23-year-old Mexican American female educator born in 2001 in Fort Bragg? Only the things that matter most: resilience, respect, the ability to remember, and a steadfast belief in the power of song. Listen to our interview with Maria Ramos, who plays multiple roles in Woody Guthrie's American Song, playing at the Mendocino Theater Company through August 25.

Discussing public trust and CapRadio's latest reporting on its financial examination. Caltrans improvements along I-80 in Sacramento and Yolo counties. Finally, how excessive heat and wildfire smoke affect wine grapes. CapRadio Examination and Public Trust Last week Sacramento State released the findings of a highly-anticipated forensic examination of Capital Public Radio's finances, The redacted summary focused heavily on prior leadership and found several instances of misuse of funds and conflicts of interests at the public media station, which is an auxiliary of Sac State. On Tuesday the CapRadio newsroom revealed that the station's former general manager –  Jun Reina – received nearly $500,000 in unsupported payments and reimbursements, as outlined in the exam summary. CapRadio Digital Editor Claire Morgan talks more about what the reporting team discovered. Additionally, Kelly McBride, Senior Vice President and Chair of the Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership at The Poynter Institute talks about how nonprofit organizations can rebuild public trust and audience confidence after a financial crisis. Following NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no CapRadio corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted or broadcast. Caltrans I-80 Improvement Updates  Caltrans Public Information Officer Dennis Keaton gives updates on the Yolo 80 Corridor Improvement Project, which aims to ease congestion during peak times between West Sacramento and Davis, by adding toll lanes over the Yolo Causeway, as well as pedestrian and bike facilities and better electronic monitoring of current conditions. How Smoke and Heat Affect Wine It has been a hot summer in the Sacramento region and across California. The heat has not just affected people, but also takes a toll on some of the state's most well-known crops - wine grapes. CapRadio's resident wine expert Rick Kushman explains how this year's wine crop is doing, as well as how both extreme heat and wildfire smoke can affect both grapes and wines.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday had a message for local governments: clean up homeless encampments now or lose out on state funding next year. Standing in front of a cleared homeless encampment in Los Angeles, Newsom vowed to start taking state funding away from cities and counties that are not doing enough to move people out of encampments and into shelter. The governor joined the California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans, on Thursday to clear several encampment sites in the area. “I want to see results,” Newsom told reporters at a news conference. “I don't want to read about them. I don't want to see the data. I want to see it.”

Join Ben and Rahul for their interview of famed Los Angeles trial lawyer, Arash Homampour. Arash has perfected the ability to trial difficult liability and damages cases to outlier high verdicts. Arash explains how he channels his innate connection with his clients and abilities as a trial lawyer to achieve these results. Arash discusses his upbringing as the child of first-generation Iranian immigrants and how he went from failing the bar examination to being one of the most accomplished and successful trial lawyers in California and the United States. You don't want to miss this episode!  About Arash Homampourhttps://www.homampour.com/ Arash Homampour Has Obtained Over $1 Billion Dollars in Settlements, Verdicts and Judgments for His Clients.He is a trial attorney who in the last five years alone has obtained many successful trial results (ranging from $2.5 million to $60 million) against Sunbeam Products, the State of California, Costco Stores, Farmers Insurance Exchange, Allstate Insurance, and Louisville Ladder in a wide array of cases involving dangerous roads, dangerous ladders, dangerous premises, and unlawful employment practices.In 2023, he has been named one of Daily Journal's Top Plaintiff Lawyers In California.In 2023, he has been named one of Daily Journal's Top 100 Lawyers In California.In 2023, he has been named one of the Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers, 3 consecutive years.In 2023, he has been named the Best Lawyers® 2023 Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs “Lawyer of the Year” in Los Angeles.In 2023, he has been recognized by the Los Angeles Times as a legal visionary.In 2022, Homampour Law Firm was honored to be one of Top Verdict's Top 10 Verdicts in California.In 2002, Homampour Law Firm was honored to be one of Top Verdict's Top 20 Verdicts in California.In 2022, Homampour Law Firm was honored to be one of CVN's Top 10 Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdicts of the year.In 2022, he recovered a verdict of $60 million.In 2022, he recovered a verdict of $34 million.In 2022, he recovered a verdict of $36 million (wrongful death)In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $23 million (dangerous condition of public property)In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $15.92 million (dangerous condition of public property)In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $10 million (dangerous condition of public property)  In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $8 million (dangerous condition of public property) In 2022, he has been named one of the Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers.In 2022, he has been named one of Law360°'s Titans Of The Plaintiffs Bar.In 2021, he recovered settlements of $24 million (dangerous condition of public property) and $8 million (dangerous condition of public property)In 2021, he has been named one of the Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers.In 2021, he has become an Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor.In 2020, he recovered verdicts of $32 million (single plaintiff settlement premise and product liability case), $5.3 million (confidential settlement) and $5 million (disputed policy limits settlement).In 2019, he recovered a verdict of $30 million (wrongful death of driver that hit improperly parked truck), $12 million (wrongful death) and $5 million (liability and damages settlement)In 2018, he received the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA's) Ted Horn Memorial Award presented to the lawyer who has provided outstanding service to the Association and the legal community.In 2018, he received the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association Top Gun/Trial Lawyer of the Year award in Products Liability.In 2018, he recovered verdicts of $12.25 million (wrongful death of man at swap meet) and $10 million (fatal vehicle versus motorcycle) and was named in the Top 100 Southern California Super Lawyers for the 7th year in a row.In 2017, he recovered settlements & verdicts of $14.5 million (insurance bad faith), $14.25 million (wrongful death of a motorcyclist) $4.5 million (auto vs. truck).In 2016, 2018 and 2019, he has been named one of the Top 30 Plaintiff's attorneys in the State by the Daily Journal.In 2016, he was awarded the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association Trial Attorney of the Year award.In 2015, he recovered verdicts of $16.2 million (motorcycle rider suffered a head injury), $5.6 million (wrongful death of 83 year old), $60 million (wrongful death of mother in fire started by a defective space heater),  $14.2 million (dangerous condition wrongful death case for lack of warning signs against Caltrans) and $14 million (bad faith claim against Allstate Insurance Co.).  In 2010, he was named by the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) as its Trial Attorney of the Year. CAALA is the largest plaintiff attorney group in the country.In 2007, he was named one of the Top 20 Attorneys Under the Age of 40 in the State of California by the Los Angeles Daily Journal. Every year since 2004, he has received nominations for Trial Attorney of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of California and/or CAALA.Since 2005, he has been designated a Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine and Law & Politics.Since 2010, he has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Southern California Super Lawyers which is based on the lawyers who received the highest point totals in the Southern California nomination, research and blue ribbon review process.He has also successfully briefed and argued many appeals, including a recent California Supreme Court victory in Cortez v. Abich (2011) 51 Cal. 4th 285.Arash frequently lectures throughout the state on all matters related to trial practice and has published many articles. You can find copies of those articles or videos of his presentations at www.caala.org or www.caoc.org Areas of PracticeLitigationInsurance Bad FaithPersonal InjuryEmploymentBusiness Litigation Percentage100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation Bar AdmissionsCalifornia, 1993U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1993 EducationSouthwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California, Los Angeles, CaliforniaB.S., Bachelor of Science – June, 1989Major: Economics/Finance

It's time for our daily chat with KCBS Insider Phil Matier. Phil was joined by KCBS Radio anchors Patti Reising and Bret Burkhart. If you've driven on I-80 in the East Bay, you may have noticed sets of electronic signs over the freeway between Richmond and Emeryville, which are hardly ever used. Well, CalTrans is about to change that. 

Caltrans' solution to the problem at Last Chance Grade on U.S. 101 in Del Norte County.

CalTrans will relocate "The Palm and The Pine" (historic landmark & halfway point marker) in order to widen Hwy 99.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although Caltrans still expects the project to be completed by Spring 2025, the intersection of State Route 49 and Lincoln Way/Borland Avenue in Auburn will be mothballed until permit issues are resolved. 

ICYMI: Chris Merrill fills in for Mo'Kelly, noting the irony of Fox News leading the viewership for a CNN debate and its election impact. He discusses the dubious $30 billion high-speed rail plan between San Francisco and LA and whether Caltrans is liable for pothole damage.

As fully autonomous trucking becomes a reality in Texas, we take a closer look at where the technology is and what the concerns are. Also, bridges generally are built to transport people, but a new structure being constructed in California will provide a safe path for wild animals – and help vehicles avoid collisions with them. And singer Makenzie Phipps has just released a song about a truck driver. We'll talk with her about how she drew inspiration from the trucking industry to bring this song to life. 0:00 – Newscast  10:14 – California building a bridge for wild animals 25:09 – Singer brings a trucking story to life with new song 40:09 – Concerns about autonomous vehicles grow

Jerry West passes away at 86 // Caltrans says the concrete gap under freeway overpass in viral video is expansion joint // Starbucks joins the value menu wars with a new discounted offer // BFs BFFs and buddies // Oprah hospitalized after ‘stuff was coming out of both ends,' Gayle King (over)shares // Kiki's fiancé called her worthless when he was trying to compliment her // Burke Williams caller give away talk // cross with Mo'Kelly 

Cal State LA announces remote learning today, due to protest. Caltrans requests input for the next phase of a harbor area bridge deck replacement project. A SoCal college receives federal funds to boost climate job training. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.com.   Support the show: https://laist.com

This podcast hit paid subscribers' inboxes on June 2. It dropped for free subscribers on June 9. To receive future pods as soon as they're live, and to support independent ski journalism, please consider an upgrade to a paid subscription. You can also subscribe to the free tier below:WhoRicky Newberry, Vice President and General Manager of Kirkwood Ski Resort, CaliforniaRecorded onMay 20, 2024About KirkwoodClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Vail ResortsLocated in: Kirkwood, CaliforniaYear founded: 1972Pass affiliations:* Epic Pass: unlimited access* Epic Local Pass: unlimited access with holiday blackouts* Tahoe Local Epic Pass: unlimited access with holiday blackouts* Tahoe Value Pass: unlimited access with holiday and Saturday blackouts* Kirkwood Pass: unlimited accessClosest neighboring ski areas: Heavenly (:43), Sierra-at-Tahoe (:44) – travel times vary significantly given weather conditions, time of day, and time of year.Base elevation: 7,800 feetSummit elevation: 9,800 feetVertical drop: 2,000 feetSkiable Acres: 2,300Average annual snowfall: 354 inchesTrail count: 86 (20% expert, 38% advanced, 30% intermediate, 12% beginner)Lift count: 13 (2 high-speed quads, 1 fixed-grip quad, 6 triples, 1 double, 1 T-bar, 2 carpets – view Lift Blog's inventory of Kirkwood's lift fleet).Why I interviewed himImagine this: 1971. Caltrans, the military-grade state agency charged with clearing California's impossible snows from its high-alpine road network, agrees to maintain an additional wintertime route across the Sierra Crest: Highway 88, over Carson Pass, an east-west route cutting 125 miles from Stockton to US 395. This is California State Route 88 in the winter:A ridiculous road, an absurd idea: turn the industrial power of giant machines against a wilderness route whose wintertime deeps had eaten human souls for centuries. An audacious idea, but not an unusual one. Not in that California or in that America. Not in that era of will and muscle. Not in that country that had pushed thousands of miles of interstate across mountains and rivers and deserts in just 15 years. Caltrans would hammer 20-foot-high snow canyons up and over the pass, punching an arctic pathway into and through the howling angry fortress of the Sierra Nevada.And they did it all to serve a new ski resort.Imagine that. A California, an America that builds.Kirkwood, opened in 1972, was part of the last great wave of American ski resort construction. Copper, Northstar, Powder Mountain, 49 Degrees North, and Telluride all opened that year. Keystone (1970), Snowbird (1971), and Big Sky (1973) also cranked to life around this time. Large ski area building stalled by the early ‘80s, though Vail managed to develop Beaver Creek in 1980. Deer Valley opened in 1981. Outliers materialize: Bohemia, in spite of considerable local resistance, in 2000. Tamarack in 2004. But mostly, the ski resorts we have are all the ski resorts we'll ever have.But there is a version of America, of California, that dreams and does enormous things, and not so long ago. This institutional memory lives on, even in those who had no part in its happening. Kirkwood is an emblem of this era and its willful collective imagining. The mountain itself is a ludicrous place for a commercial ski resort, steep and wild, an avalanche hazard zone that commands constant vigilant maintenance. Like Alta-Snowbird or Jackson Hole, the ski area offers nominal groomed routes, a comfortable lower-mountain beginner area, just enough accommodation for the intermediate mass-market passholder to say “yes I did this.” This dressing up, too, encapsulates the fading American habit of taming the raw and imposing, of making an unthinkable thing look easy.But nothing about Kirkwood is easy. Not the in or the out. Not the up or the down. It's rough and feisty, messy and unpredictable. And that's the point of the place. As with the airplane or the smartphone, we long ago lost our awe of the ski resort, what a marvelous feat of human ingenuity it is. Kirkwood, lost in the highlands, lift-served on its crazy two-mile ridge, is one of the more improbable organized centers of American skiing. In its very existence the place memorializes and preserves lost impulses to actualize the unbelievable, to transport humans into, up, and down a ferocious mountain in a hostile mountain range. I find glory in Kirkwood, in that way and so many more. Hyperbole, perhaps. But what an incredible place this is, and not just because of the skiing.What we talked aboutComing down off a 725-inch 2022-23 winter; what's behind Kirkwood's big snows and frequent road closures; scenic highway 88; if you're running Kirkwood, prepare to sleep in your office; employee housing; opening when the road is closed; why Kirkwood doesn't stay open deep into May even when they have the snowpack; the legacy of retiring Heavenly COO Tom Fortune; the next ski area Vail should buy; watching Vail Resorts move into Tahoe; Vail's culture of internal promotion; what it means to lead the ski resort where you started your career; avalanche safety; the nuance and complexity of managing Kirkwood's avy-prone terrain; avy dogs; why is Kirkwood Vail's last Western mountain to get a new chairlift?; bringing Kirkwood onto the grid; potential lift upgrades (fantasy version); considering Kirkwood's masterplan; whether a lift could ever serve the upper bowls looker's right; why Kirkwood shrank the boundary of Reuter Bowl this past season; why the top of The Wall skied different this winter; why Kirkwood put in and then removed surface lifts around Lift 4 (Sunrise); Kirkwood's fierce terrain; what happens when Vail comes to Rowdy Town; The Cirque and when it opens for competitions; changes coming to Kirkwood parking; why Kirkwood still offers a single-mountain season pass; and the Tahoe Value and Tahoe Local passes.  Why I thought that now was a good time for this interviewMaybe last year, when the stacked snows transformed Tahoe into a Seussian mushroom village, would have been a better moment for this interview. Kirkwood – Kirkwood – beat a 700-inch single-winter snowfall record that had stood for 40 years, with 725 inches of freaking snow. By the time I arrived onsite, in late March, the snowpack was so deep that I could barely see out the windows of my condo – on the second floor:This winter marked a return to almost exactly average, which at Kirkwood is still better than what some ski areas clock in a decade: 370 inches. Average, in draught-prone Tahoe and closure-prone Kirkwood, is perhaps the best possible outcome. As this season settled from a thing that is to a thing that happened, it felt appropriate to document the contrast: how does 370 feel when it chases 725? Is snow like money, where after a certain amount you really can't tell the difference? Or does snow, which, like money, occupies that strange space between the material and the ephemeral, ignite with its vanishing form some untamable avarice? More is never enough. Even 725 inches feels stingy in some contexts – Alta stacked 903 last winter; Baker's 1,140-inch 1998-99 season bests any known season snowfall total on Planet Earth.But Californians, I've found, have little use for comparisons. Perhaps that's an effect of the horizon-bending desert that chops the state off from the rest of the continent. Perhaps it's a silent pride in being a resident of America's most-populous state – more people live in California than in the 21 least-populous U.S. states combined, or in all of Canada. Perhaps its Surf Brah bonhomie drifting up to the mountains. Whatever it is, there seems to be something in Cali's collective soul that takes whatever it's given and is content with it.Or at least it feels that way whenever I go there, and it sure felt that way in this interview. At a moment when it seems as though too many big-mountain skiers at headliner mountains want to staple their home turf's alpha-dog patch to their forehead and walk around with two thumbs jerking upward repeating “You do realize I'm a season passholder at Alta, right?”, Kirkwood still feels tucked away, quiet in its excellence, a humble pride masking its fierce façade. Even 12 years into Vail Resorts' ownership, the ski area feels as corporate as a guy selling bootleg purses out of a rolled-out sheet on Broadway. Swaggering but approachable, funky and improvised, something that's probably going to make a good story when you get back home.Why you should ski KirkwoodOddly, I usually tell people not to go here. And not in that stupid social media way that ever-so-clever (usually) Utah and Colorad-Bros trip over one another to post: “Oh Snowbird/Wolf Creek/Pow Mow sucks, no one should go there.” It's so funny I forgot to laugh. But Kirkwood can be genuinely tough to explain. Most Epic Pass-toting tourists are frankly going to have a better time at Heavenly or Northstar, with their fast lifts, Tahoe views, vast intermediate trail networks, and easy access roads. Kirkwood is grand. Kirkwood is exceptional. Kirkwood is the maximalist version of what humankind can achieve in taming an angry pocket of wilderness for mass recreation. But Kirkwood is not for everyone.There. I've set expectations. So maybe don't make this your first Tahoe stop if you're coming west straight from Paoli Peaks. It's a bruiser, one of the rowdiest in Vail's sprawling portfolio, wild and steep and exposed. If you're looking for a fight, Kirkwood will give you one.That's not to say an intermediate couldn't enjoy themselves here. Just don't expect Keystone. What's blue and green at Kirkwood is fine terrain, but it's limited, and lacks the drama of, say, coming over Ridge Run or Liz's at Heavenly, with the lake shimmering below and miles of intermediate pitch in front of you. **This message is not endorsed (or likely appreciated) by the Kirkwood Chamber of Commerce, Vail Resorts, or Kirkwood ski area.Podcast NotesOn former Kirkwood GMs on the podcast Sometimes it seems as though everyone in skiing has taken their turn running Kirkwood. An unusual number of past Storm Skiing Podcast guests have done so, and I discussed the resort with all of them: Chip Seamans (now at Windham), Tim Cohee (now at China Peak), and Tom Fortune (recently retired from Heavenly). Apologies if I forgot anyone.On Apple MountainApple Mountain wasn't much: 200-ish vertical feet (pushed up from an original 30-footer) with a quad chair and a bunch of ropetows. Here was the 2000 trailmap:But this little Michigan ski area – where both Newberry and I learned (partially, in my case), to ski – moved nearly 800,000 students through its beginner programs from 1961 to '94, according to the Michigan Lost Ski Areas Project.It's been closed since 2017. Something about the snowmaking system that's either too hard or too expensive to fix. That leaves Michigan's Tri-Cities – Midland, Bay City, and Saginaw, with a total metro population approaching 400,000 – with no functioning ski area. Snow Snake is only about 40 minutes north of Midland, and Mt. Holly is less than an hour south of Saginaw. But Apple Mountain, tucked into the backwoods behind Freeland, sat dead in the middle of the triangle. It was accessible to almost any schoolkid, and, humble as it was, stoked that fire for thousands of what became lifelong skiers.What skiing has lost without Apple Mountain is impossible to calculate. I would argue that it was one of the more important ski areas anywhere. Winters in mid-Michigan are long, cold, snowy, and dull. People need something to do. But skiing is not an obvious solution: this is the flattest place you can imagine. To have skiing – any skiing – in the region was a joy and a novelty. There was no redundancy, no competing ski center. And so the place was impossibly busy at all times, minting skiers who would go off to start ski newsletters and run huge resorts on the other side of the country.The most frustrating fact about Apple Mountain is that it continues to operate as a conference center, golf course, and apple orchard. The ski lifts are intact, the slopes mowed in summertime. I stopped in two summers ago (I accidentally said “last summer,” implying 2023, on the podcast), and the place was immaculate:I haven't given up on Apple Mountain just yet. The hill is there, the market is there, and there is no shortage of people in Michigan – home to the second-most ski areas after New York – who know how to run a ski area. I told Ricky to tell Vail to buy it, which I am certain they will not do. But a solution must exist.On Mount Shasta and “the big mountain above it”Newberry references his time at “Mt. Shasta and the big mountain above it.” Here's what he meant by that: Mt. Shasta Ski Park is a mid-sized ski area seated on the lower portion of 14,179-foot Mt. Shasta. The lifts top out at 7,536 feet, even after an uphill expansion last ski season. The trailmap doesn't really capture the scale of it all (the ski area's vert is around 2,000 feet):Shasta is a temperamental (and potentially active) volcano. A previous ski area called Mt. Shasta Ski Bowl ran chairlifts up to 9,400 feet, but an avalanche wiped out the summit lift in 1978. Ski Bowl never ran again. Here's a nice history of the lost ski area:On Vail Resorts' timelineWe talk a lot about Vail's growth timeline. Here's the full roster, in order of acquisition:On HeavenlyWe discuss Heavenly - where Newberry spent a large part of his career - extensively. Here's the mountain's trailmap for reference:On Ted LassoIf you haven't watched Ted Lasso yet, you should probably go ahead and do that immediately:On Ellen at Stevens PassNewberry mentioned “Ellen at Stevens Pass.” He was referring to Ellen Galbraith, the ski area's delightful general manager, who joined me on the podcast last year.On Vail's lift installations in the WestGiven its outsized presence in the ski zeitgeist, Vail actually operates very few ski areas in Western North America: five in Colorado, three in California, and one each in Utah, Washington, and British Columbia. The company has stood up 44 (mostly) new lifts at these 11 ski areas since 2012, with one puzzling exception: Kirkwood. Check this:Why is Big K getting stiffed? Newberry and I discuss.On Kirkwood's masterplanAs far as I know, Vail hasn't updated Kirkwood's Forest Service masterplan since acquiring the resort in 2012. But this 2007 map shows an older version of the plan and where potential lifts could go:I can't find a version with the proposed Timber Creek lift, which Newberry describes in the pod as loading near Bunny and TC Express and running up-mountain to the top of the bowls.On the shrinking border of Reuter BowlKirkwood's 2023-24 trailmap snuck in a little shrinkage: the border of Reuter Bowl, a hike-in zone on the resort's far edge, snuck south. Newberry explains why on the pod:On Kirkwood's short-lived surface liftsWe discuss a pair of surface lifts that appeared as Lift 15 on the trailmap from around 2008 to 2017. You can see them on this circa 2017 (earlier maps show this as one lift), trailmap:On The CirqueThe Cirque, a wicked labyrinth of chutes, cliffs, and rocks looming above the ski area, was, somewhat unbelievably, once inbounds terrain. This circa 1976 trailmap even shows a marked trail through this forbidden zone, which is now open only occasionally for freeride comps:On Kirkwood's parking changesKirkwood will implement the same parking-reservations policy next winter that Northstar and Heavenly began using last year. Here's a summary from the ski area's website:Skiers get pretty lit up about parking. But Vail is fairly generous with the workarounds, and a system that spreads traffic out (because everyone knows they'll get a spot), across the morning is a smart adjustment so long as we are going to continue insisting on the automobile as our primary mode of transport.On Saginaw, MichiganNewberry and I share a moment in which we discover we were both born in the same mid-sized Michigan city: Saginaw. Believe it or not, there's a song that starts with these very lyrics: “I was born, in Saginaw, Michigan…” The fact that this song exists has long puzzled me. It is kind of stupid but also kind of great. The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us.The Storm publishes year-round, and guarantees 100 articles per year. This is article 40/100 in 2024, and number 540 since launching on Oct. 13, 2019. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

Steve Gregory comes on the show to talk about a new report that reveals major lapses, which can be attributed to CalTrans, contributed to the fire that damaged the 10 Freeway. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco says he is switching teams. Dissecting Dr. Fauci's testimony in front of Congress today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An update on the Corral Fire in San Joaquin County. Also, why farmworkers continue to die in crashes — in vans state law doesn't cover. Finally, how the Yolo County ‘Cultivo' program curbs food insecurity for agricultural worker households. Corral Fire in San Joaquin County  The Corral Fire ignited near Tracy in San Joaquin County on Saturday. The fire, which grew to more than 14,000 acres this morning, also destroyed a home and injured two firefighters. Portions of I-580 were closed over the weekend, but Caltrans said all lanes reopened last night. Cal Fire says the fire is now 75% contained and evacuation orders have been downgraded to warnings. Cecile Juliette is a Public Information Officer with Cal Fire and explains how officials hope to continue to gain ground, as well as provides an outlook on wildfire preparedness for the drier months. Farmworker Deaths on Roadways California cracked down after a crash killed 13 farmworkers in 1999. The tragedy 25 years ago pushed state lawmakers and the California Highway Patrol to make farmworkers' commutes safer. But farmworkers are still dying in crashes - in vans the law doesn't cover. CalMatters Capitol Reporter Jeanne Kuang joins us with her reporting, which found that this unique workforce, half of whom are undocumented immigrants, routinely die in traffic at higher rates than other workers who die on the job. Yolo County ‘Cultivo' Food Program for Agricultural Workers A recent food survey in Yolo County found that more than half of agricultural worker households are food insecure. In response, a new initiative is trying to solve hunger for these crucial members of our community. The Cultivo program, established by the Yolo Food Bank and Sutter Health, is nourishing these workers in the workplace and at home with year-round distributions. Maria Segoviano is the food bank's Director of Development and Communications and talks about the scale of the food insecurity problem, as well as how it influenced the creation of this new program.

Homes that Caltrans bought for the abandoned 710 freeway extension will be rehabilitated and used for low income housing. UC Santa Cruz workers plan to strike in response to campus crackdowns on protests. A beloved Olvera Street restaurant is closing. Plus, more. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.com.  Support the show: https://laist.com

Hospitals across the state were hit hard during the pandemic, which disrupted their operations and chipped away at their finances. Maybe the most glaring example is Madera Community Hospital, which shuttered its doors over financial challenges and filed for bankruptcy in 2022. But one nearby hospital saw record profits, financial investments and executive compensation. Reporter: Omar Sheikh Rashad, Reporter Fresnoland Good news for visitors and residents of Big Sur. Caltrans has completed temporary repairs on Highway 1 over a week ahead of schedule. Storms in late March caused one lane of the highway to fall into the ocean. Reporter: Jerimiah Oetting, KAZU  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

USC cancels its large graduation ceremony over security concerns as students protest the war in Gaza. Caltrans wants input on what to do with dozens of homes it owns near the 710. Students weigh in on L.A. Unified School Board elections. Plus, more. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.com. Support the show: https://laist.com

Caltrans says Topanga Canyon Boulevard will be closed all summer long. Pay raises are coming for L.A. city workers. In LA County, Black pregnant people face worse outcomes. A guide on how to have a healthy pregnancy. Plus, more. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.com.   Support the show: https://laist.com

Caltrans crews repair several sinkholes across the county. A new report from a realtors association shows home sales are trending up in San Diego, despite being down year over year. San Diego Co. District Attorney Summer Stephan has a warning about a rise in "burglary tourism" after increased reports of South American crime groups ransacking homes county-wide. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The southbound 101 freeway in Agoura Hills will be closed nightly for the next few weeks — as Caltrans continues building a massive wildlife bridge. Donald Trump is now the first U.S. president to stand trial in a criminal case over charges he falsified records to cover up a $130,000 payment to buy the silence of adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. After Iran's unsuccessful missile attack, how will Israel retaliate? Plus, how long can Ukraine stave off Russian attacks? The Wall Street Journal's Yaroslav Trofimov weighs in. KCRW DJ Ro Wyldeflower Contreras recommends new songs from Chicano Batman, Reyna Tropical, Baby Rose, Brainstory, and Hiatus Kaiyote.