Who Is the Bear on the California Flag? A Story Bigger Than One Legend
The grizzly bear on California’s state flag makes it distinctive and recognizable. Many people believe the bear is Monarch, one of the last California grizzlies. Captured in the mountains in 1889, he was held in captivity and displayed to the public for the last 22 years of his life. The KQED podcast Bay Curious wanted to find out if it really was Monarch on the flag, and to sort through some of the other legends around the bear. They sent KQED’s Katherine Monahan to find out.
West Sacramento’s Indigenous Urban Farms Grow Fresh Food and Community
In West Sacramento, Three Sisters Gardens is a place where neighbors grow food and community. Founded by Alfred Melbourne, the garden is rooted in Indigenous growing practices and the idea that people, plants, and land thrive through cooperation. Local youth play a central role, learning how to plant, harvest, and distribute food while working alongside adults and elders. In a city long shaped by food deserts, the space has become both a source of fresh produce and a place for hands-on learning and mentorship. The California Report’s intern Srishti Prabha takes us there.
