Gov. Brown Unveils New State Budget
The old expression "buy low, sell high" applies to the stock market, but also to politics -- and Gov. Jerry Brown is taking full advantage of it. Friday morning Brown unveiled his new state budget, reminding everyone that he inherited a mess with a massive deficit and future shortfalls. But now he says he's righted the ship with a carefully balanced spending plan that invests more in schools and health care, but also saves money for the future. We take a look at the new state budget with John Myers, senior editor of KQED's California Politics and Government Desk.
Two Salvadoran Sisters One Step Closer to Special Immigration Relief
Jennifer Cruz is a 17-year-old from El Salvador who's attending high school in San Mateo County, just south of San Francisco. We've been following her story since she arrived last year to live with her sister Yesenia. She's one of tens of thousands of Central American kids who came to the U.S. illegally on their own last year. Many of them were fleeing gang violence. In Jennifer's case, gang members were threatening to kidnap and rape her. Cruz is now fighting to stay in this country through a special kind of immigration relief. But building her legal case is forcing her to confront a painful family secret.
Northern California's Snow Mountain Wilderness Could Become U.S. Monument
Just north of the Bay Area, there's a stretch of more than 300,000 acres that could become California's largest national monument. It runs from Lake Berryessa in Napa County 100 miles north to the Snow Mountain Wilderness, in the Mendocino National Forest. For more than a decade, conservationists have sought special federal protection for the scenic landscapes. Their future may be in the hands of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, who recently came to the Bay Area to hear the pros and cons. We spoke to Jewell about that, and other issues on the federal lands that make up nearly half of California.
Impact of 'Sideways' on Wine Industry Still Felt 10 Years Later
The film "Sideways" opened in wide release 10 years ago this month. It featured a pair of middle-aged men, drinking and misbehaving their way through Santa Barbara wine country. It was a surprise hit, grossing more than $71 million at the box office. It was also a big boon for the fledgling wine industry of the Santa Ynez Valley. We find out about the lasting economic effects of the movie, which arguably changed the way Americans drink wine.
My Spot: Braving the Icy Waters of San Francisco Bay
This year, we're taking a look at places in California that are meaningful to our listeners. Our occasional series "My Spot" celebrates personal experiences with favorite parts of our diverse state. Today, we meet a San Francisco attorney and member of the historic South End Rowing Club. He takes us along on his regular bay swim -- without a wetsuit.