KQED's The California Report

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