Thanksgiving is just around the corner -- but some local food banks are reporting a lack of donations. We talk with local food banks about food shortages and what people can do to help.

California has the highest poverty rate in the nation, according to new figures released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau. We discuss the new data with economist Sarah Bohn from the Public Policy Institute of California.

Last month, Matthew Cate stepped down as the head of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. We'll talk to him about what he learned while running -- and attempting to reform -- the state's overcrowded and beleaguered prison system.

California's nonpartisan legislative analyst predicts a "dramatic turnaround" for the state's finances, thanks to the continuing economic recovery, the passage of Prop. 30 and other factors. We'll discuss the new budget projections.

Every winter, millions of Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico. But what if climate change altered their course and redirected them to a small town in Tennessee? That's the story of Barbara Kingsolver's latest book, "Flight Behavior." The author of "The Poisonwood Bible" joins us to talk about her background as a scientist, and to share her thoughts on climate change.

President Barack Obama makes his first post-election trip to Asia this week. It will be the first time a sitting American president goes to Myanmar, also known as Burma, where opposition leaders like Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi have been pushing for democracy. The president's trip also includes stops in Thailand and Cambodia, where he will attend this year's East Asia Summit.

As we await President Obama's news conference -- scheduled for 10:20 AM -- guest host Scott Shafer talks politics with Washington, D.C.-based journalist Marc Sandalow.

Last week, General David Petraeus resigned as director of the CIA after admitting to an affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell. The scandal has resulted in a media firestorm, with politicians asking why the White House wasn't notified sooner and questioning whether Broadwell had access to classified information. Should General Petraeus have stepped down? We'll get the latest on the scandal, and what it means for the Obama administration and the intelligence community.

"Touch has the power to heal." That's what photographer Carolyn Jones says she discovered when she interviewed nurses across the country for her new book, "The American Nurse." She met nurses who worked with prisoners and amputee veterans, who cared for some of the first AIDS patients, and who survived Hurricane Katrina. She spoke with over 70 nurses, including the nurse who changed Carolyn's own life when she battled breast cancer.

California is taking a closely watched step to cut greenhouse gas emissions through a new cap-and-trade program. On Wednesday, the state will open a carbon market that forces its biggest polluters to buy and sell permits to emit carbon dioxide. Some say cap-and-trade here could become either a model or a cautionary tale for others.

When veterans get in trouble with the law, substance abuse and mental health issues stemming from their military service are often contributing factors. A growing number of counties in the U.S., including Santa Clara, have set up special courts for veterans that favor treatment over punishment. How well do such programs work?

Following President Obama's successful re-election despite the weak economy, political observers are asking what lies ahead for the GOP. Some within the party are questioning whether it needs to change its stance on immigration to realign itself with certain voters. Others disagree. We discuss the party's future.