KQED's The California Report

California is the first state in the country to require folic acid in corn masa flour—the key ingredient in foods like tortillas. The move could help prevent serious birth defects, which occur at higher rates among Latino families. Alabama is set to follow this summer, and other states are considering similar laws. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED A new, proposed train service could connect San Luis Obispo to the Bay Area - in time for the 2028 LA Olympics. Reporter: Kendra Hanna, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One byproduct of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation campaign, is a big increase in the number of deportation flights. More and more of those flights are coming from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS California State Senator Scott Weiner and fire survivors are pushing for a bill that would allow the state attorney general to seek damages from oil companies for their role in causing climate-disasters like fires and floods. The goal is to help blunt rising insurance costs. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

KQED has obtained surveillance video of a mass use of force incident at the Central California Women’s Facility. It's the first detailed look at the August 2024 incident that resulted in the largest disciplinary action from a single use of force event. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, The California Report Another woman has come forward to accuse former California Congressman Eric Swalwell of sexual assault. Reporter: David Wagner, LAist Governor Gavin Newsom is calling a special election to fill Eric Swalwell’s congressional seat. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio An independent privacy audit of Google, Meta and Microsoft web traffic in California found the firms may be violating state privacy laws, potentially exposing themselves to significant fines. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Across California, tax preparers in immigrant communities are seeing an unprecedented drop in filings, in some places, more than 60 percent. KRCB News Reporter Shandra Back explores why undocumented and mixed status families are stepping back from the tax system this year. We visit a legacy tax prep business in Santa Rosa where longtime clients are walking away, discouraged by shrinking credits and shaken trust in federal agencies. We hear from families who have filed faithfully for decades but now question whether it’s worth it. Then, we zoom out with statewide experts from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute and the California Immigrant Policy Center to understand the broader economic stakes, from billions in lost revenue to the long-term consequences of eroding trust in filing. Finally, we head to Southern California, where fear of immigration raids is keeping even documented Latino residents from leaving their homes, let alone filing taxes. Reporter: Shandra Back, KRCB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congressman Eric Swalwell has suspended his campaign for governor. This comes just days after a San Francisco Chronicle report where a former staffer said Swalwell sexually assaulted her. And CNN later reported on other instances of alleged sexual misconduct from three other women. Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED Delegates at the California Republican Party's spring convention in San Diego failed to endorse either of the two main GOP candidates running for governor. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco received 49% support. Former Fox News Host Steve Hilton drew 44% of the vote. But neither crossed the 60% threshold needed to secure an endorsement. The prevailing GOP message at the convention was a focus on affordability and cost of living. Reporter: Jake Gotta, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pacific Grove or PG is no longer a dry town, although it upheld the Prohibition-era ban on booze into the 1960s—longer than any other city in California. Despite the sleepy reputation it earned, PG is now home to a growing nightlife scene. Reporter: Katie Brown, KAZU A California court has unsealed the warrants that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco used to seize hundreds of thousands of ballots in that county. The warrants raise questions as to whether the sheriff’s investigation was based on actual evidence of crimes. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR House Democrats are highlighting what they see as President Trump's attempts to undermine the November Election. They held a hearing in San Francisco on Thursday. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 in 3 Planned Parenthood patients in the United States receive care at clinics in California. But as the abortion-rights organization tries to manage after Congress cut its federal funding last year, one Planned Parenthood affiliate in California is diving into a new kind of service - cosmetics. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio California's Supreme Court has ordered Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco -- a Republican candidate for governor -- to halt his investigation into the 2025 election. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED An attorney for the man shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Stanislaus County this week is disputing ICE's characterization of his client. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new report is shedding light on the lives of California farmworkers. It argues low wages are not just an economic issue, but a public health crisis. The report is called Beyond the Cycle of Survival, and it looks at how pay impacts workers' health, families, and communities. Guest: Elana Muldavin, Health in Partnership An investigation is underway after federal authorities shot and wounded a person they were apparently trying to arrest. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security says it happened after officers pulled over the man in Patterson in Stanislaus County on Tuesday. A bill to restore state health care coverage for low-income undocumented Californians will face its first hearing at the state Capitol on Wednesday. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For countertop fabricators trying to follow California’s safety rules, “doing the right thing” can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED A $10 billion bet on the future of Artificial Intelligence is facing a wall of local resistance in the Imperial Valley. County supervisors will decide the fate of a massive data center complex that has already sparked shouting matches, environmental protests, and a last minute scramble in the courts. Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want a better life? Move out of California. Well, sorta. According to a new study from the California Policy Lab, the Golden State's high cost of living is still squeezing residents and pushing them out of the state. Guest: Evan White, Executive Director of California Policy Lab California is suing the Trump administration again, this time over the president's executive order to give the US Postal Service new powers to oversee voting by mail. An affordable housing project in Crescent City plans to restart construction soon after a series of setbacks. Jane Vaughan, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week indie musician Mitski is playing a series of sold out shows at an unexpected L.A. venue: Hollywood High School’s auditorium. The school's connection to the arts goes back decades. Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist A federal judge in California says Border Patrol violated a federal court order barring them from making illegal stops and arrests. Reporter: Sergio Olmos, CalMatters The Nuclear Regulatory Commission just gave California’s only operating nuclear power plant approval to run for an extra 20 years. Reporter: Kendra Hanna, KCBX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hundreds of people became US citizens at a large ceremony in Orange County last month. Despite some concerns about democracy in the US, some new citizens still think it’s a good place to live. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR California officials are warning of an early fire season and strained water supply after warm weather in March melted most of the Sierra snowpack. Reporter: Alonso Daboub, KQED Oil production near the Santa Barbara coast is ramping back up. A Texas-based oil company announced it started selling oil through the same pipeline system tied to the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill. Reporter: Gabriela Fernandez, KCBX A judge has ordered a physician to monitor the healthcare of the detainees being held at California’s largest immigrant detention center. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve been hearing a lot lately about the struggles of California wineries. But the state’s craft brewers are also dealing with significant challenges. While it may seem like there’s a taproom on every corner, the Brewers Association reports that for the last two years, more California breweries have closed than opened. As craft brewers grapple with everything from rising costs to tariffs, brewers are finding creative ways to adapt.Reporter: Tina Caputo A Sacramento woman who was deported to Mexico in February – despite protection under DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – is speaking out about her treatment. A retired Bay Area carpenter is in Washington DC Wednesday morning for the Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship. He’s the descendent of the man whose case affirmed that right over a hundred years ago.Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuesday is Farm Workers' Day, formerly known as Cesar Chavez Day, which has been celebrated for almost 30 years. But last week, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill to make the name change official after Cesar Chavez was accused of sexually abusing women and girls. The state is just one of many entities making these name changes, but for some cities that might not happen as quickly. Guest: Nadia Latham, CalMatters Another man who was detained at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center died last week. Officials with the Department of Homeland Security say they tried to save the man and later transported him to a hospital. But detainees say the man was denied medical treatment and died on site. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the spring of 2006, a historic number of Angelenos took to the streets to stop a harsh anti-immigration bill. It worked. But where's that momentum now? Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW No Kings rallies brought out tens of thousands of people across California over the weekend … to protest President Donald Trump, his administration’s policies, and the war in Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It will soon be a month since the start of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. In response to U. S. military action, the Iranian regime has restricted which trade ships can pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passageway not only for oil moving from the Middle East to North America, but also for fertilizer, the fertilizer American farmers need to start growing crops. The agricultural industry has started to ring the alarm about the potential impacts the crisis at Hormuz could have on food prices. Guest: Daniel Sumner, UC Davis Professor The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is set to pay nearly $2 million to settle a lawsuit over a violent incident at a women’s prison in Chowchilla. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report Shasta County voters will see a proposal to change their election system on the June primary ballot. Among other things, Measure B would require residents to present photo ID when voting in person, and limit who can cast an absentee ballot. Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The sexual abuse accusations against the late Cesar Chavez have sparked condemnation and soul-searching on the West Coast, and also fears the scandal could undermine ongoing efforts to improve the lives of farmworkers. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Fallout continues from the last-minute cancellation of a gubernatorial debate that was scheduled Tuesday on the USC campus, after four candidates of color said the debate criteria unfairly excluded them. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED A judge in Shasta County heard arguments Wednesday over a proposed ballot measure that appears to violate state law. Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

911 dispatchers are often the first voice people hear in an emergency. But across the country, it’s getting harder to find people trained to answer those calls. Two programs in the U.S. are trying to change that, and one is right here in the San Joaquin Valley. Reporter: Samantha Rangel, KVPR An appeals court has denied the state attorney general’s request to stop Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s effort to recount ballots from last year’s special election. A new poll from the California Democratic Party shows two Republicans leading the state's crowded race for governor, and nearly a quarter of voters still undecided. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As California Governor Gavin Newsom eyes a potential 2028 presidential run, he’s been wading into more foreign policy -- even on issues that are controversial. It’s a pivot that’s helping him build a national profile. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Since last summer, the Trump administration has been arresting undocumented immigrants as they try to claim their children from federal custody. This has left a lot of kids — including at least a dozen in Southern California —- stranded in government shelters and foster care. Immigration attorneys say they’ve suspected for months that the arrests are part of a formal policy. And court documents that were recently discovered suggest that it is. Reporter: Mark Betancourt, The California Newsroom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The California Condor used to range from California to Florida and from Canada all the way down to Mexico. But last century, their population crashed. Now, there are more than 600 alive, but they aren't doing as well as scientists expect it. New research explains the mystery of why, despite many protections, the birds are still struggling. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who’s also a Republican candidate for governor, says the state’s attorney general is interfering in his department’s investigation of alleged irregularities in the 2025 special election to redraw California’s congressional districts. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR California leaders want to increase investments in agriculture technology, but farmworker advocates say they’re worried about displacement. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices