High-Speed Rail Gets a Boost, Legislative Sprint Begins
California's plan to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco by high-speed rail has been called everything from visionary to the "crazy train" because of its $68 billion price tag. But supporters, including Gov. Jerry Brown, caught a big break in court Thursday when a three-judge panel overturned a lower court decision that had thrown the whole project into doubt. We talk about that and about the four-week sprint to the end of this two-year legislative session with with John Myers, senior editor for KQED's California Politics and Government Desk.
State Archives Running Out of Room
Ever since California became a state in 1850, the state archives has been the official repository of public records, from maps to legislation -- every imaginable kind of document. But now, the state archives is running out of space. One big reason is the simple fact that it can't get rid of a single record from previous governors' administrations. Nothing -- no matter how useless some of those documents may be. We take a look at a plan to solve the problem.
State's Only Smokejumpers Face Fire Season
Meteorologists say the coming weeks could be some of the worst California has ever seen for wildfires caused by lightning strikes. These fires are often in very remote, mountainous parts of the state, removed or detached from any road access. Only a special unit of firefighters can tackle the blaze without access to water. We catch up the California's only smoke jumping crew in Redding.
Can Scientists Stop Schizophrenia Before it Starts?
Scientists recently announced they've discovered new genetic markers for schizophrenia, an often-devastating mental illness that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. Schizophrenia is also expensive, costing more than $62 billion a year to care for the small number of Americans who are diagnosed with it. In the first of a three-part series, we look at a controversial new approach in California that aims to prevent schizophrenia before it starts.
Pop Music Review: Got a Girl's 'I Love You, But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now'
In the indie music world, this may be the "Age of the Duo" -- She and Him and Best Coast, to name just two bands. But a new pair harkens back to an earlier age. Pop music critic Steve Hochman reviews Got A Girl's debut album.