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Fri, February 10, 2012
Interview with John BurtonBelva Davis speaks with John Burton, Chairman of the California Democratic Party, about some of the pressing issues facing the party as Democrats gather for their convention this weekend in San Diego.
Fri, February 10, 2012
News Panel: The latest on the foreclosure deal, Prop 8, and moreCalifornia is among 49 states to reach a $25 billion foreclosure abuse settlement with five of the largest mortgage lenders, including Bank of America and Wells Fargo. Attorney General Kamala Harris said her tough negotiating helped raise California's share from $4 billion to $18 billion and left the door open for future prosecution of fraudulent lenders. However, there are calls to bring broader relief to struggling home owners not covered by the current settlement. Proponents of same-sex marriage celebrated the Ninth Circuit Court's 2 to 1 decision overturning Proposition 8, ruling that California's voter approved ban is unconstitutional because it violates the rights of a minority group. The issue may go next before the U.S. Supreme Court. Caltrans officials announced this week that the $6.3 billion Bay Bridge overhaul will be completed by Labor Day, 2013. The westbound direction is scheduled to be shut down over President's Day weekend, weather permitting, for the next major phase of construction. On the other side of the bay, construction on the Doyle Drive approach to the Golden Gate Bridge could run into costly delays due to a funding shortfall.
Fri, February 03, 2012
Coit Tower Murals at RiskThe WPA murals at Coit Tower are some of the most treasured public artworks in San Francisco. Due to the ravages of foggy weather and neglect, they face an uncertain future. PBS NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels reports on a new effort to preserve the murals.
Fri, February 03, 2012
News Panel: The latest on Facebook's IPO announcement, Occupy Oakland, and moreOn Saturday an estimated 50,000 voters in Nevada will participate in the "first in the West" Republican presidential caucuses. We'll hear why Californians make the trek to Nevada to help get out the vote, and which candidates may benefit from their efforts. Speculation runs rampant in the wake of Facebook's IPO announcement. The multi-billion dollar offering has the potential to turn up to a third of Facebook employees into millionaires. Could it boost California's struggling economy? In the wake of heated clashes during Occupy Oakland protests last Saturday, an Alameda county judge orders activists to stay away from the plaza where protesters burned an American flag stolen from City Hall.
Fri, January 27, 2012
Oakland Mayor Jean QuanScott Shafer talks with Oakland Mayor Jean Quan. Her first year in office has been a turbulent one, with the challenges of the Occupy Oakland movement, the city budget, job cuts due to the loss of state redevelopment funding, and a recall effort.
Fri, January 27, 2012
News Panel for January 27, 2012California's sweeping new auto emission regulations, requiring that 15 percent of new cars sold in the state by 2025 produce little or no smog, could reshape the entire American automobile industry. The city of Richmond wins the intense competition by half a dozen Bay Area cities to be the coveted site of the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab's second campus. The 49ers stadium project in Santa Clara hits another snag with a petition drive to put it back on the ballot before voters, a week after the team loses its chance to be in the Super Bowl.
Fri, January 20, 2012
News Panel: The latest on Gov. Brown's State of the State address, Ross Mirkarimi, and moreGov. Jerry Brown gives the annual State of the State address, taking his message to lawmakers and voters. He calls for higher taxes, more budget cuts, and increased spending on public works projects. Federal Judge Thelton Henderson tells California officials to prepare for the elimination of the prison receivership, citing it unnecessary as low level offenders are being shifted to county jails due to realignment. Embattled San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi pleads not guilty to three misdemeanor charges related to domestic abuse allegations and refuses calls for him to step aside.
Fri, January 20, 2012
California High-Speed Rail At A Cross RoadsIs it the end of the line for California's controversial High-Speed Rail project? Four years after voters approved a $10 billion bond measure to build a bullet train from San Francisco to Los Angeles, the project has been mired in controversy. This documentary report, produced in association with "Train Wars," profiles the Central Valley town of Hanford, caught in the cross fires in the debate over high speed rail.
Fri, January 13, 2012
"The Memory Be Green"After the 1978 assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, Moscone's story slipped beneath the headlines while Milk's dominated. Jonathan Moscone, George's son, tells his personal story and in a compelling way: through theater. Berkeley Rep's production of "Ghost Light," written by artistic director Tony Taccone and directed by Moscone, is a re-imagination of history, memory, fathers and sons. Combining the arc of the play's creation with reflections about Mayor Moscone and the times in which he lived, "The Memory Be Green" offers perspective on history and the role of art in bringing insight to both. "Ghost Light" plays at Berkeley Repertory Theater through February 19. "The Memory Be Green" airs on KQED-9 on Tuesday, January 17 at 7:30pm. Watch the full film online.
Fri, January 13, 2012
News Panel: The latest on the Citizens Redistricting Commission, Oakland layoffs, and Ross MirkarimiThe California Supreme Court considers which Senate maps to use in the fight over the new lines drawn by the Citizens Redistricting Commission. The City of Oakland will send layoff notices to hundreds of city workers to make up for the loss of redevelopment funds. There are calls for the resignation of newly-sworn in San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, who may face domestic violence charges.
Fri, January 06, 2012
San Francisco District Attorney George GascónFormer San Francisco Chief of Police George Gascón is sworn in as District Attorney following his win in the November election. The first Latino to hold the office in San Francisco, he was appointed to the position a year ago by former Mayor Gavin Newsom when Kamala Harris was elected attorney general. Gascón discusses his philosophies on law enforcement, the impact of prison realignment and California's three-strikes sentencing law, and high school truancy programs to keep youth out of the system. He has pledged to make San Francisco the safest large city in the country.
Fri, January 06, 2012
News Panel: The latest on Republican primaries, Gov. Brown's budget, and the high-speed railBelva Davis and San Francisco Chronicle senior political writer Carla Marinucci are in New Hampshire with a special report from the campaign trail. The Republican presidential candidates have hit the ground running for the January 10 first-in-the-nation primary, following Mitt Romney's narrow lead over Rick Santorum and Ron Paul in the Iowa caucuses.
Fri, December 23, 2011
2011: Year in ReviewBelva Davis and four seasoned journalists recall some highlights of 2011. It was a year dominated by partisan gridlock in both Washington and Sacramento, despite efforts by Gov. Brown to make a dent in California's ongoing budget problems. Protesters made their voices heard from Tahrir Square, to Wall Street, to Oakland and beyond, while the last American troops departed Iraq. We also look ahead to 2012, and the upcoming presidential election.
Fri, December 16, 2011
Climate Watch Conversation with Dr. Chris FieldHeavy precipitation, brutal storms, and devastating drought will continue to afflict the planet in the coming decades. That's according to the latest report from the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). But where's all this climate science leading us if governments aren't acting upon it? Climate Watch Senior Editor Craig Miller discusses the impact of the report with Chris Field, a leading scientist with the IPCC.
Fri, December 16, 2011
News Panel: California braces for trigger cuts, a judge decides the fate of Barry Bonds, and moreCalifornians are bracing for $1 billion in automatic trigger cuts to public programs after the Department of Finance found revenues fell short of projections. Among the hardest hit programs were higher education, MediCal and services for the elderly and disabled. K-12 was spared the worst case scenario, but still suffered a major cut in school transportation. A federal judge decides the fate of former Giants slugger Barry Bonds. Prosecutors want Bonds to serve 15 months for obstruction of justice in the BALCO scandal involving the alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. Also, we look at the impact of Bay Area sports teams trading cities. Congress passed a pipeline safety bill this week, but critics say that it doesn't include provisions that would prevent a blast like the one that occurred in San Bruno last year.
Fri, December 09, 2011
Kepler DiscoveryBay Area scientists using NASA's Kepler spacecraft have discovered an Earth-like planet in distant space. NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels reports on the latest developments from the NASA Ames Research Center.
Fri, December 09, 2011
News Panel: The latest on the Occupy movement, the Prop 8 trial, and moreEven as Occupy camps are being torn down, the message of the movement seems to be resonating with policy makers. Gov. Brown, for example, has proposed an initiative for the November ballot to raise taxes on the highest income earners in the state. Also, a poll confirms the income gap has widened in California, as the middle class shrinks to below 50 percent of the population. A panel of judges on the 9th Circuit Court hears oral arguments on two issues related to Prop. 8. First, the release of the trial tapes, and second, whether Judge Vaughn Walker's 2010 decision striking down Prop. 8 constituted a conflict of interest because of his long term, same-sex relationship.
Fri, December 09, 2011
Pearl Harbor 70th AnniversaryLocal Pearl Harbor survivors recount their experiences of the surprise attack, excerpted from the "This Is Us" series on KQED Plus.
Fri, December 02, 2011
"The Grove" filmmaker interviewDirector Andy Abrahams Wilson talks with Belva Davis about his film, "The Grove." The National AIDS Memorial Grove, a seven-acre sanctuary in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, pays tribute to the hundreds of thousands of people in the United States who died from AIDS. The Grove has helped a community in crisis find healing and remembrance in nature, but the struggle to remember takes an unexpected turn when stakeholders of the memorial seek broader public recognition and a heated debate ensues about what constitutes an appropriate memorial to the AIDS epidemic. "The Grove" airs on KQED-9 on December 12 at 10pm.
Fri, December 02, 2011
News Panel: SF's homeless problem, safety concerns over the Bay Bridge, and moreHomeless families and advocates call on San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee to open vacant public housing units for an increasing number of homeless families. Nearly 2,200 of the city's public school students are homeless. A recent investigation by the Sacramento Bee into falsified Caltrans inspection reports raises questions over the safety of the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge. Voters may get another chance to voice their support or opposition to California's three-strikes sentencing law, which puts offenders in prison for 25 years to life after their third felony violation.
Fri, November 18, 2011
Start-up Accelerators in Silicon ValleyNewsHour correspondent Hari Sreenivasan reports on start-up accelerators in Silicon Valley that are helping new high-tech entrepreneurs get their footing.
Fri, November 18, 2011
News Panel: The latest on the Occupy movement, health care reform and moreThe Occupy movement, now going into its second month, continues to gain momentum. Students, concerned about tuition hikes and economic inequality, have been staging a series of "Occupy"-style protests on college campuses across California. A report by the Legislative Analyst's Office projects the state budget will fall short by almost $4 billion this year, which could lead to more cuts to public education, libraries and social service programs. What's at stake for California, where implementation of the Affordable Care Act has already begun, now that the U.S. Supreme Court will review President Obama's health-care reform law?
Fri, November 11, 2011
Broken California: A Special Edition of This Week in Northern CaliforniaWe turn to a panel of experts for an in-depth discussion about potential solutions for what ails the state in "Broken California."
Fri, November 04, 2011
The Hetch Hetchy retrofitThe vast system that transports drinking water from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to much of the Bay Area is undergoing a major retrofit. KQED's QUEST and This Week in Northern California join forces to report on this incredible engineering project.
Fri, November 04, 2011
News Panel: The latest on Occupy Oakland, California's high-speed rail plan, and moreWednesday's mostly peaceful day of rallies, speeches and marches, organized by Occupy Oakland, attracted thousands of people, but the violence that followed late at night captured the headlines. Now, what's ahead for the Occupy movement? California's high-speed rail plan, connecting Northern and Southern California, is under fire for running behind schedule -- and it is now projected to cost $100 billion. That's twice what voters were told in 2008 when they approved funding for the project.
Fri, November 04, 2011
Hetch Hetchy: To Restore or NotIn addition to the engineering marvels surrounding the retrofit of the Hetch Hetchy water system, there is an ongoing debate between the city of San Francisco and some environmentalists who would like to tear down the O'Shaughnessy dam and restore the once majestic Hetch Hetchy valley. PBS NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels and producer Catherine Wise produced this story about the debate in 2005.
Fri, October 28, 2011
Ranked Choice...Easy as 1, 2, 3?San Francisco voters passed ranked choice or "instant runoff" voting in 2002. But this is the first time it will be put to the test in a competitive mayoral race. And, as KQED's Scott Shafer discovers, it's changing not only the way voters cast their ballots, but also how candidates campaign for their vote.
Fri, October 28, 2011
News Panel: The latest on Occupy Oakland, the SF Mayor's Race, and moreGovernor Brown proposes a sweeping pension reform plan, raising the retirement age and trimming benefits for many state workers. The police crackdown in Oakland gets national attention. In the aftermath, both sides ponder what's next for the Occupy movement. The San Francisco Mayor's Race grows heated amid allegations of voter fraud, questionable funding practices and discrimination.
Fri, October 21, 2011
Jim Lehrer on "Tension City"Belva Davis talks with longtime PBS NewsHour anchor Jim Lehrer about his career, and new book on moderating presidential debates.
Fri, October 21, 2011
News Panel: CA's new cap-and-trade system, the Kinde Durkee scandal, and moreAfter nearly five years, California regulators formally adopt the nation's most comprehensive "cap-and-trade" system for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A bloody brawl between gang members in Richmond City Hall raises questions about the city's controversial Office of Neighborhood Safety. Democratic politicians reveal details about how much of their campaign funds were taken in the alleged scandal by campaign treasurer Kinde Durkee.
Fri, October 14, 2011
News Panel: Gov. Brown signs and vetoes bills, Anthony Batts resigns, and early voting kicks off in SFGov. Brown signs and vetoes hundreds of bills, and the state falls short more than $700 million in expected revenues. Oakland's police chief Anthony Batts announces his resignation after two challenging years leading the department. Early voting kicks off in San Francisco's first mayoral race using ranked-choice voting, with eleven major candidates vying for the job. Netflix abandons its three-week old plan to split its services into two for online streaming and DVD-by-mail, but keeps its sixty percent price increase after losing both subscribers and stock value.
Fri, October 07, 2011
Berkeley Nobel Prize winner Saul PerlmutterAn excerpt from KQED's Quest series on this week's Nobel Prize winning Berkeley scientist Saul Perlmutter. Perlmutter shares the award in physics for a study of exploding stars which revealed that the expansion of the universe is accelerating.
Fri, October 07, 2011
Remembering Rollin Postby Belva Davis
It is with great sorrow that I report the death of my friend and mentor -- political reporter, Rollin Post.
He died Monday at the age of eighty-one after a long and distinguished career. We worked together at three television stations over a span of thirty-three years. First, at KPIX; then here at KQED, where he was a member of the iconoclastic "Newsroom" staff -- and other programs. He then moved to KRON -TV.
Rollin's knowledge of state and local politics couldn't be matched. Known by many as the dean of political newscasters, he was often called on for his opinion on national issues.
He inspired those around him to love and respect what a democratic society offered each individual; the right and obligation to speak out about how we are governed.
He loved the principles behind politics if not always the practice. The UC Berkeley graduate covered nine presidential campaigns and eighteen national conventions.
Work brought us together. We shared little in our backgrounds, but, we did share the same values about the importance of journalism -- and its role in maintaining an open society.
He often put his relationships with key contacts on the line by speaking up for me -- when my race and gender provided road blocks to access.
It was from him that I learned much of what has shaped my career. Rollin Post was a no frills reporter who seldom courted the spotlight, but his reputation was so strong that when the producer of the classic political film the Candidate was being made, starring Robert Redford, he was asked to play himself, the tough questioner.
He had three passions in life, his family, politics and baseball. He leaves behind his wife of 57 years Diane, daughters Lauren and Cynthia and son Kenneth -- as well as five grandchildren.
Fri, October 07, 2011
News Panel: Steve Jobs, Occupy Wall Street, and a Crackdown on Medical MarijuanaApple fans around the world mourn the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, whose vision helped to create some of the most popular digital technology of our time and made Apple one of the most valuable companies in the world. The nationwide "Occupy Wall Street" movement reaches the Bay Area with an encampment in downtown San Francisco and protests in the streets. Federal authorities crack down with new regulations on medical marijuana dispensaries and the owners of properties who lease to them.
Fri, September 30, 2011
News Panel: California's prison realignment plan, SF's race for DA, and moreCalifornia's groundbreaking prison realignment plan takes effect Saturday, October 1st, and counties are frantically preparing for the influx of low-level offenders to be re-directed from the state's crowded prison system. San Francisco's race for district attorney heats up with calls for DA George Gascon to release confidential documents related to DNA analysis in the San Francisco Police crime lab. Parents, teachers and students protest the closure and consolidation of several Oakland elementary schools, which would relocate almost 1,000 kids and save the cash strapped district about $2 million.
Fri, September 30, 2011
Randall Kline, Founder and Executive Director of SFJAZZA conversation with executive director Randall Kline about the 29th Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival's exciting line-up of artists and programs, and a preview of the new SFJAZZ Center opening next year in Hayes Valley.
Fri, September 23, 2011
News Panel: Meg Whitman's new gig, nurses strike, and the Cosco Busan oil spill settlementHewlett-Packard brings in former California gubernatorial candidate and eBay boss Meg Whitman to take the reigns as CEO from Leo Apotheker, after only 11 months on the job following the ouster of Mark Hurd. Nearly 23,000 nurses stage the largest one-day strike in the history of the state over a reduction of their own benefits and quality patient care. In one of the largest oil spill settlements in U.S. history, $44 million will be paid for the 2007 Cosco Busan oil spill that polluted the San Francisco Bay with 53,000 gallons of oil.
Fri, September 23, 2011
A Snapshot of PovertyThe recent release of U.S. Census figures that show California's poverty rate has risen to its highest level in 13 years. Belva Davis talks with New America Media reporter Jacob Simas and youth journalist Sean Shaver about the challenges of being poor in the Bay Area. Shaver's short video documents his homeless sister who manages her life from a storage locker.
Fri, September 16, 2011
APEC Women's Economic Summitby Belva Davis
Today was a day of triumph for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, a veteran fighter for equality for women.
The former first lady and now the nation's top diplomat told a standing room-only crowd at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco that they were witnessing history being made. With Secretary Clinton's backing and guidance, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group is, for the first time in its history, about to commit itself to supporting the rise of women leaders in the public and private sectors of the nations they represent. Member countries would commit to improving women's access to capital and markets and help others build their capacities and skills.
The APEC meeting and its companion, the Women and the Economy Summit, is the largest gathering of diplomats in San Francisco since the founding of the United Nations 66 years ago. There was a marked difference between the male-dominated audience at that time and the hundreds of women who crowned into the ballroom on Friday. An estimated 3,000 delegates from twenty-one nations, representing nearly 40% of the world's population and 54% of the Global economy are in San Francisco this week.
All of the APEC countries border the Pacific Ocean. Women and men from Korea to Indonesia to China are spending almost two weeks talking not only about women's issues, but about the global challenges their countries face, including, energy, health, the environment, technology, and transportation.
Secretary Clinton allowed that women have made significant progress, but stressed that the job ahead is to merge the rhetoric of today with concrete action.
Fri, September 16, 2011
Rita Moreno in "Life Without Makeup"Actress Rita Moreno, of "West Side Story" fame, tells her own story in "Life Without Makeup" at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, reported by PBS NewsHour Correspondent Spencer Michels.
Fri, September 16, 2011
Secretary Of Transportation Ray LaHoodBelva Davis speaks with Sec. LaHood, in San Francisco for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, about efforts to create jobs in California and the future of the state's high-speed rail system.
Fri, September 16, 2011
News Panel for September 16, 2011President Obama's approval ratings in California have plummeted according to the latest Field Poll. Meanwhile, Republicans hold their state convention in Los Angeles this weekend on the heels of their latest presidential primary debate. U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and other Democrats find their campaign coffers were allegedly raided by treasurer Kinde Durkee. The investigations into failed Fremont-based Solyndra expand with hearings in Washington, D.C. and accusations fly over why the failed solar-panel company continued to receive federal funding before its sudden closure last month.
Fri, September 09, 2011
News Panel: Obama's jobs proposal, the San Bruno explosion's one year anniversary, and morePresident Obama unveils his jobs proposal...will it make any difference for California, the state with the nation's second-highest unemployment rate? As San Bruno marks the one year anniversary of a catastrophic gas explosion and a new blast hits Cupertino, what if anything is PG&E doing to prevent future accidents?
Fri, September 09, 2011
Web Extra: Share your thoughts on the legacy of Sept. 119/11 has become more than a day in our history. This one event set the tone for an entire decade. It was an experience, a feeling, a turning point. It was a shared moment, but also very personal - all shaped by your own personal history and point of view. Tell us your thoughts on the legacy of Sept. 11.
Fri, September 09, 2011
"Remember Them: Champions for Humanity" MonumentA major section of what will soon be the largest bronze sculpture in the West is unveiled in Oakland. Artist Mario Chiodo and civil rights figure Ruby Bridges are in studio to discuss the inspiration behind a monument to some of the world's most important humanitarians.
Fri, September 09, 2011
The 9/11 Generation Comes of AgeIn a special preview of the PBS NewsHour special, "America Remembers 9/11," Judy Woodruff reports from California's Central Valley to learn how the lives of young residents more than three thousand miles from ground zero were irrevocably shaped by the events of that day.
Fri, September 09, 2011
Web Extra: 9/11: Ten Years LaterHead over to the 9/11 anniversary page for all the rest of KQED's special coverage.
Fri, August 19, 2011
Crisis in the Horn of AfricaMercy Corps worker Chloe Stull-Lane, from Livermore, describes the drought and famine affecting millions in the Horn of Africa, and humanitarian aid efforts being made.
Fri, August 19, 2011
News Panel: BART vs. hackers, the Pelican Bay State Prison hunger strike, and morePeople speak out in anger and frustration at the "Speak Out for Good Jobs Now!" town hall meeting in Oakland, hosted by Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland. The battle over free speech rights intensifies between BART and hackers. Members of the media get a rare look inside Pelican Bay State Prison following the recent hunger strike by inmates over conditions in Security Housing Units.
Fri, August 19, 2011
Web Extra: What do San Franciscans want from their next mayor?San Francisco's mayoral race is heating up in unexpected ways. What do residents see as critical in a new chief executive?
Fri, August 19, 2011
U.S. Representative Mike Honda, D-San JoseCongressman Mike Honda discusses efforts to stimulate economic and job growth, the recent debt ceiling battle, and the "People's Budget," his proposal which would eliminate the deficit while investing in jobs.
Fri, August 12, 2011
Web Extra: What do San Franciscans want from their next mayor?San Francisco's mayoral race is heating up in unexpected ways. What do residents see as critical in a new chief executive?
Fri, August 12, 2011
News Panel: Focus on the EconomyDuring a week of turmoil in global markets, California's new budget is already falling short of expected revenues. Bank of America, the Bay Area's largest bank, faces challenges as its stock plunges, while it struggles to recover from the foreclosure crisis and faces mounting litigation from investors in mortgage-backed securities. The real estate market limps along at the bottom, while rents are on the rise. And Apple hits an all time high as the world's most valued company, surpassing Exxon Mobile on the stock exchange.
Fri, August 05, 2011
"Crime After Crime" filmmaker interviewFilmmaker Yoav Potash discusses "Crime After Crime." This compelling documentary follows the legal battle of two Bay Area attorneys to free Debbie Peagler, a survivor of domestic abuse. Peagler spent over 26 years in prison for the death of her abusive boyfriend, even after passage of a California law that allowed for domestic violence cases to be reopened. "Crime After Crime" opens in Bay Area theaters on Friday, August 5th.
Fri, August 05, 2011
News Panel: The latest on the debt ceiling, Ed Lee's potential mayoral run, and moreFears of another major recession send the stock market into a nose dive this week -- even after Congress passed legislation raising the debt ceiling. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee must decide whether he'll run for office before next week's August 12th filing deadline, while the public campaign urging him to run picks up momentum. Counties corrections officials prepare for an influx of inmates due to the state's plan for realignment, which calls for low level offenders to be redirected from state prisons to local facilities.
Fri, July 29, 2011
News Panel: Goodwin Liu appointed to CA Supreme Court, the CA Dream Act, and moreCalifornia secures a $5.4 billion bridge loan to tide it over in case Congress fails to raise the federal debt ceiling by the August 2 deadline. Two months after having his nomination to the Ninth Circuit Court blocked by Republican lawmakers in Washington, U.C. Berkeley law professor Goodwin Liu is appointed to the California Supreme Court. Gov. Brown signs dozens of bills into law this month, including the California Dream Act, giving undocumented immigrants access to privately funded scholarships.
Fri, July 29, 2011
Web Extra: Will Lee or Won't Lee? The San Francisco Mayoral Race Gets Real Interestingfrom KQED's news blog, News Fix.
Fri, July 29, 2011
Interview with members of the California Citizens Redistricting CommissionThe California Redistricting Commission is set to release its completed political district maps on Friday. Commissioners Cynthia Dai, of San Francisco, and Connie Galambos Malloy, of Oakland, talk with Belva Davis about the process and challenges of drawing new district lines for California.
Fri, July 22, 2011
Interview with Judge Katherine FeinsteinSan Francisco Superior Court Judge Katherine Feinstein speaks with Belva Davis about the fiscal crisis in the courts as the system faces $350 million in budget cuts and prepares for deep cuts to staff and services.
Fri, July 22, 2011
News Panel: Concerns over Bayview shooting and Pelican Bay State Prison's hunger strikeCity leaders and redevelopment officials file a lawsuit saying California's plan to redistribute funds to state and local agencies is illegal. The fatal shooting of a man in San Francisco's Bayview district last Saturday raises concerns in the community over the police response. The three-week hunger strike by inmates against conditions in Security Housing Units at Pelican Bay State Prison may be coming to an end, but their resolve for change remains strong.
Fri, July 15, 2011
Web Exclusive: New Studies Show Anti-HIV Drug Prevents TransmissionTwo new studies will be presented at the International AIDS Society Conference in Rome next week. The studies found that use of the anti-retroviral drug Truvada could prevent HIV transmission from someone who is infected to someone who isn't. Meaning, the medication may be the first actual pharmacological prophylactic to contracting HIV. KQED's news blog, News Fix, spoke with Paul A. Volberding, co-director of the Center for AIDS Research at the University of California, San Francisco, about the research.
Fri, July 15, 2011
Newsmaker Interview with California Treasurer Bill LockyerIn the face of an impasse over the debt ceiling limit in Washington, DC, State Treasurer Bill Lockyer explains why California is preparing to borrow as much as $5 billion in short term loans. Lockyer says education and health care programs which depend on federal funds could be severely jeopardized by a federal loan default.
Fri, July 15, 2011
News Panel: Tuition hikes and California's redrawn districtsStudents brace for another round of major tuition hikes at California State University and University of California campuses across the state. California's Citizens Redistricting Commission is under fire for its maps redrawing the state's political districts.
Fri, July 15, 2011
Gertrude Stein exhibitions in San FranciscoPBS NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels reports on blockbuster exhibits at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Contemporary Jewish Museum, which showcase the art collections and life of Gertrude Stein.
Fri, June 24, 2011
News Panel: The latest on the California budget, education funding, and MUNIController John Chiang docks state lawmakers' pay until they bring him a balanced budget while Gov. Brown considers his next move. With fifteen percent of California school districts on the brink of financial insolvency, could new tax proposals help stabilize education funding? In the wake of this month's management shakeup and a new labor contract, San Francisco Muni, the Bay Area's largest transit system, could be poised for big changes.
Fri, June 24, 2011
Climate Watch Conversation with Jon Jarvis, Director of the National Park ServiceClimate Watch Senior Editor Craig Miller discovers why Jon Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service calls climate change "the greatest threat" to our national park system. With rising temperatures, extended fire seasons and foreign plant species threatening some of California's most treasured parks, Jarvis discusses actions underway to respond to the crisis.
Fri, June 17, 2011
A Conversation with Anna Deavere SmithWith "Let Me Down Easy," solo performer Anna Deavere Smith portrays more than twenty different characters, patients and doctors alike, who struggle to find grace, compassion and strength of spirit as they navigate the healthcare system. Deavere Smith talks with KQED's Dave Iverson about the inspiration for her critically-acclaimed show, which runs through July 10 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
Fri, June 17, 2011
News Panel: Gov. Brown's budget veto and two landmark rulings on same-sex marriageGov. Brown labels the new budget "unrealistic," vetoing the plan less than a day after its passage by Democrats in the state legislature. Two landmark rulings are reached in cases involving same-sex marriage. San Jose police officers accept a 10 percent pay cut hoping to limit layoffs in the face of an escalating citywide homicide rate.
Fri, June 10, 2011
News Panel: Redistricting, Chauncey Bailey verdict, iCloud, and moreThe California Citizens Redistricting Commission releases its first draft of 177 maps re-drawing legislative districts, which could lead to a shake-up in state politics. Former Your Black Muslim Bakery leader Yusuf Bey IV is convicted in the Chauncey Bailey murder trial. Apple makes two big announcements in one week with its new iCloud technology and plans for a major expansion of its headquarters in Cupertino. The circumcision ban on the San Francisco ballot creates more controversy with disturbing images put out by supporters of the movement.
Fri, May 27, 2011
News Panel: California's prison population reduction, pension reform, and moreThe U.S. Supreme Court says California must reduce its prison population by more than 30,000 inmates in the next two years, saying existing conditions meet the constitutional definition of cruel and unusual punishment. Mayors of both San Francisco and San Jose push for pension reform to curb rising costs for public employee contracts and retirees in their cities. PG&E plans to charge residential customers who use the least amount of energy the highest rates.
Fri, May 27, 2011
AIDS: Thirty Years LaterSan Francisco General Hospital was the first hospital in the world to opens its doors to AIDS patients and continues to lead the way today. Belva Davis speaks with Diane Jones, RN and Brad Hare, MD, both with San Francisco General Hospital's legendary Ward 86, about advancements in medical treatment in the last 30 years and yet to come.
Fri, May 20, 2011
News Panel: Gov. Brown's revised budget, CA state park closures, and the blocked nomination of Goodwin LiuGov. Brown presents his revised budget just days after the state shows an unexpected surge of $6.6 billion in new revenues. There may be obstacles when the state tries to close seventy of California's state parks next year because of budget cuts. The nomination of U.C. Berkeley law professor Goodwin Liu to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco is blocked by Republicans in the U.S. Senate.
Fri, May 20, 2011
Tales of the CityThirty-five years after Armistead Maupin's iconic newspaper serial Tales of the City, the eccentric residents of 28 Barbary Lane are back in an ambitious new musical making its world premiere. Learn how Maupin's Tales inspired the creative team behind this adaptation and catch a preview of some of the songs from members of the glam-rock band Scissor Sisters. The play runs until July 10, 2011 at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.
Fri, May 13, 2011
News Panel: Education protests, new census data, and the latest on California's high-speed railEducators and students demonstrated throughout the state this week against drastic cuts to education. New census data shows California's population is getting grayer with fewer children, and more ethnically diverse. California's high-speed rail receives federal money turned down by Florida, while the state Legislative Analyst's Office says the project is on track to cost much more than expected.
Fri, May 13, 2011
Climate Watch Conversation with Mindy Lubber, President, CeresClimate Watch Senior Editor Craig Miller talks with Mindy Lubber, president of the Boston based nonprofit Ceres. The organization works to address sustainability challenges such as global climate change and water scarcity. This week, it held a conference in Oakland at which environmentalists, executives and investors from around the world gathered to consider ways for business to adopt environmentally sustainable practices.
Fri, May 06, 2011
Geoff Hoyle's "Geezer"Acclaimed comic and clown Geoff Hoyle talks with KQED-FM's Dave Iverson about "Geezer," his tour de force one-man show about growing old. Legendary for his work with the Pickle Family Circus, Hoyle brings his irrepressible comedy and trademark physicality to the play which runs until mid-July at The Marsh in San Francisco.
Fri, May 06, 2011
Pension cuts, Wells Fargo protests, and the crowded mayoral raceTwo new proposals on pension reform in Sacramento could cut up to 40% from California public employee pension benefits. Protestors angry over Wells Fargo's foreclosure policies disrupt the company's annual meeting in San Francisco. The already crowded San Francisco mayoral race is off to a dramatic start, as nine major candidates face off in their first debate.
Fri, April 29, 2011
Stanford considers ROTCNewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels examines the controversy over bringing ROTC back to Stanford University, 40 years after the program was eliminated.
Fri, April 29, 2011
News Panel: Opposition over CA budget deal, Prop 8, and privacy concerns over mobile devicesAs this weekend's Democratic State Convention kicks off in Sacramento, Gov. Brown still faces stiff opposition from Republicans over a budget deal. Sponsors of Proposition 8 want Judge Vaughn Walker's August 4th ruling thrown out, saying his sexual orientation presents a conflict of interest. Privacy concerns abound over data files on mobile devices that keep track of our whereabouts.
Fri, April 22, 2011
News Panel: Obama visits SF, gas and food prices rise, and the controversy over developing Treasure IslandPresident Obama faces protests at a fundraising event in San Francisco one day after holding a virtual town hall at Facebook in Silicon Valley. Rising gas prices hit California especially hard as food prices are also climbing. Secretly recorded video of Yusef Bey IV is new key evidence in the murder trial of Oakland journalist Chauncey Bailey. The San Francisco Planning Commission reviews the controversial $1.5 billion plan for developing Treasure Island.
Fri, April 08, 2011
News Panel: Possible federal shutdown, Barry Bonds' perjury trial, and more on the San Bruno explosionThe clock is ticking as government leaders in Washington, D.C. remain deadlocked in last minute negotiations to avoid a federal shutdown at midnight on Friday. More than 7 months after the explosion in San Bruno, victims criticize PG&E and demand pipeline safety at a California Public Utilities Commission hearing. Barry Bonds' perjury trial wraps up with closing arguments.
Fri, April 08, 2011
Climate Watch ConversationEuropean Union Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard speaks with Senior Editor Craig Miller about working with California leaders on climate policy. The Commissioner met with Gov. Brown and business executives at a conference on climate related issues and policy.
Fri, April 01, 2011
News Panel: The ongoing battle over the CA budget, Twitter, and Cesar Chavez DayGov. Brown vows to balance the state's budget as he declares negotiations with Republicans are over. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors considers a controversial tax break to keep Twitter in town. One year after the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passes, the uninsured and local heath care clinics struggle. Farm workers push for better conditions as President Obama declares March 31st Cesar Chavez Day.
Fri, March 25, 2011
A Conversation with Steven Anthony Jones, Artistic Director, Lorraine Hansberry TheatreAs the theatre prepares to enter its fourth decade of presenting plays by America's foremost African-American playwrights, we speak with its new artistic director, Steven Anthony Jones. A popular actor with ACT for many years, Jones has high hopes of raising the profile of the company. This week, the theatre announced its 31st season. Jones will also talk about his vision for the company's future following the deaths of its co-founders last year.
Fri, March 25, 2011
News Panel: Gov. Brown's June special election, a challenge to AB 32, and Chauncey Bailey's murder trialGov. Brown turns to social media and appeals directly to voters in the face of continued Republican opposition to his proposed June special election. A Superior Court judge says environmental justice advocates may challenge the state's greenhouse gas law, AB 32. Testimony begins in the murder trial of Oakland journalist Chauncey Bailey.
Fri, March 18, 2011
News Panel: The CA Republican Party's convention and the constitutionality of SF's ranked choice voting systemThe California Republican Party kicks off its convention Friday in Sacramento as the state's budget battles continue. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals considers the constitutionality of the controversial ranked choice voting system in San Francisco, approved by voters in 2002. California hospitals must now disclose how many patients contract infections while under their care.
Fri, March 18, 2011
Climate Watch ConversationClimate Watch Senior Editor Craig Miller talks with Mary Nichols, Chair of the California Air Resources Board about implementing AB 32, the state's renewable energy goals and promoting alternative transit.
Fri, March 11, 2011
News Panel: Japan earthquake, CA census results, and police misconduct in the Bay AreaImpact of the Japan earthquake on the West Coast. A budget showdown looms in Sacramento as Gov. Brown misses his self-imposed deadline for a special election. California census data reveals ethnic shifts and changing populations and could re-draw the political map. Major police misconduct investigations in both San Francisco and the East Bay place departments under the microscope.
Fri, March 04, 2011
News Panel: San Bruno pipeline explosion, pink slips for Bay Area educators, and Oakland's gang debateNTSB hearings on the San Bruno pipeline explosion bring startling revelations. Among them, the city's fire chief says he had no knowledge the PG&E transmission line even existed. School districts prepare for what could be a record number of pink slips as the fate of Governor Brown's special election hangs in the balance. The debate heats up over an Oakland injunction that could ban alleged gang members from associating with each other in one neighborhood. Eighteen years later, a possible settlement in the notorious abuse case at Pelican Bay State Prison.
Fri, February 25, 2011
"We Were Here" -- Interview with filmmaker David WeissmanThirty years after the epidemic struck, San Francisco filmmaker David Weissman documents the AIDS years. "We Were Here" tells the story through the voices of 5 people who lived through it. The documentary screens at The Castro Theatre through March 3, 2011.
Fri, February 25, 2011
News Panel: Pension Reform, Marriage Equality, and California's Water ManagementThe brewing battle over pension reform -- will a Wisconsin-style labor showdown come to California? The Department of Justice declares the federal law banning same-sex marriage unconstitutional, fueling the debate surrounding Proposition 8. And a new report on California's water management warns the system is deteriorating and that changes must be made.
Fri, February 18, 2011
News Panel: Obama visits Silicon Valley and the SF Giants take a swing at another seasonPresident Obama meets with Silicon Valley executives -- promoting innovation, job creation and education -- as a new report identifies tough economic challenges ahead. A program protecting 16 million acres of California farmland from development could soon end. With spring training underway, the World Champion San Francisco Giants take a swing at another season.
Fri, February 18, 2011
Textural Rhythms: Constructing the Jazz Tradition, Contemporary African American QuiltsSan Francisco's Museum of the African Diaspora features works of art spun from two highly improvisational forms of African American culture...jazz and quilting. Watch as featured artist Marion Coleman takes an "anything goes" approach to create contemporary art quilts in her Castro Valley studio.
Fri, February 11, 2011
News Panel: PG&E's role in the San Bruno blast, Concord school closures, and San Quentin's updated lethal injection chamberNewly released documents reveal PG&E cut corners on its pipeline inspections, even after the San Bruno blast. Two schools will close in Concord and parents mobilize to save the sites that may be next. A federal judge tours the updated lethal injection chamber at San Quentin State Prison to determine if it meets constitutional standards.
Fri, February 11, 2011
Jimmy Collier: His music and travels with Dr. KingAs a young man, singer/songwriter Jimmy Collier helped dismantle segregation in the South through the power of music. He shares his experiences traveling with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and transforming African-American spirituals into civil rights anthems.
Fri, February 04, 2011
News Panel: The California budget and Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts' future"Bogged down by deep differences which divide them" is how Gov. Jerry Brown referred to California legislators in his State of the State address, as the budget clock keeps ticking. Will Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts stay or go and what might it mean for the police force and the community? And, there's progress in the Presidio but also controversy over high housing costs and whether the developers are delivering on their promises.
Fri, February 04, 2011
"Strange Travel Suggestions" at the Marsh BerkeleyKQED's Dave Iverson talks with Bay Area based travel writer and storyteller Jeff Greenwald about bringing his "Strange Travel Suggestions" to the stage at the Marsh Berkeley.
Fri, January 28, 2011
News Panel: Obama's State of the Union and Brown's State of the StatePresident Obama's State of the Union address and what it means to California. Gov. Jerry Brown delivers his State of the State next Monday as polls show voters support his ideas, while big city mayors oppose his plan to end redevelopment funding. What new forces may help shape the future of education in the face of deepening budget cuts? And the Supreme Court reviews prison policy and rules that parole board decisions cannot be overturned by judges.
Fri, January 21, 2011
News Panel: The Health care debate heats up, the SF police chief shuffle, and the latest in the San Bruno blast investigationCalifornia moves forward on health care reform, while the debate heats up in Washington. Cities rush to spend redevelopment funds before the cash-strapped state eliminates them, and the police chief shuffle: Who will take over new District Attorney George Gascon's position in San Francisco, and will Oakland's Anthony Batts go to San Jose? Also, the latest developments in the San Bruno pipeline blast investigation.
Fri, January 14, 2011
Interview with Willie BrownFormer San Francisco mayor and speaker of the California Assembly Willie Brown joins Belva Davis to reflect on the tragic events in Tucson and shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords as we approach the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
Fri, January 14, 2011
News Panel: Jerry Brown's dramatic budget planJust a week after his inauguration, Gov. Jerry Brown unveils a dramatic budget plan to tackle the state's $25 billion deficit, which includes a voter approved extension of tax hikes in a special election . It also calls for deep spending cuts to Medi-Cal and social services. The state's university and college systems would lose a dramatic 20 percent of their funding.
