Diablo Canyon Operator Laments Power Plant Closure
The past few days have been tough for a woman named Heather Matteson. She helps operate the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant on the Central Coast -- the only one left in the state. This week PG&E announced it's closing the plant. That's a big loss for the people who work there, and a big win for environmentalists who have been fighting the nuclear plant for decades. As KQED's Science reporter Lauren Sommer explains, Heather Matteson has strong ties to both sides of that debate.
Music Picks for June: DJ Shadown, Dead Ships and Jay Som
It's time to crank up your speakers! Every month on The California Report magazine, Suzie Racho and our pop music critic Steve Hochman bring you brand new sounds with roots in the Golden State. They're here to tell us why DJ Shadow, Dead Ships and Jay Som might just make it onto your summer road trip playlist.
The World According to Sound: Idioglossia
You might know that twins sometimes develop a way of communicating together that no one else can understand. In our next installment of The World According to Sound, Chris Hoff and Sam Harnett bring us the story of twins from San Diego who captivated the nation with the way they spoke to each other.
Deader Than Ever: California Forests Head Into Fire Season
Wildfire season is here -- big fires have already blazed in Santa Barbara, Kern County, San Diego, and the mountains northeast of LA. California's forests are deader than ever. This week, federal forest officials announced that drought and an infestation of hungry bark beetles have killed 26 million trees in the Southern Sierra just since October. Add that to the 40 million trees already dead. Alice Daniel headed up to the Sierra to find out how folks in one community are bracing themselves for what could be an especially devastating fire season.
How a Former Inmate Got Out of Prison by Making Classical Guitars
California is bringing more art programs back into the prison system -- after making some big cut backs. We want you to meet a San Diego man who is out of prison. He's happily obsessed with building world class guitars. As KQED's Tiffany Camhi explains, yes, this is a tale of redemption.