California GOP Looks to the Future to Rebuild
If the Republican Party in California were a car it might be a Ford Pinto. Out of date, tough to sell and prone to erupting in flames. The state GOP has a shrinking share of registered voters -- now less than 30 percent -- and very little power in Sacramento. This weekend, party officials are holding their annual statewide convention south of San Francisco. They have their eyes on the November election, but in some ways they're still exercising demons from an election 20 years ago.
New Cesar Chavez Film Puts Spotlight on Delano
The first feature film about an iconic California farm labor leader hits theaters later this month. It's called, simply, "Cesar Chavez," and it puts the Kern County farm town of Delano center stage. But if you visit Delano today, it's not so easy to find the sites depicted in the film. The California Report's Central Valley bureau chief Sasha Khokha explores Chavez's legacy in the town today.
Sistema Bomb Recharges Traditional Mexican Folk Music
You might be familiar with the 1958 Ritchie Valens song, "La Bamba." But what you might not know is that the song comes from a very old Mexican musical genre, the Son Jarocho. And now, it's being transformed, inspired in part by a new generation of California musicians. KALW's Julie Caine paid a visit to one of them in his San Francisco studio and brings us this story.
Jazz Review: Ambrose Akinmusire's 'The Imagined Savior is Far Easier to Paint'
Trumpter Ambrose Akinmusire was born and raised in Oakland, and he's been a stand out talent since his teenage years in the Berkeley High School jazz band. At 31, he's an award-winning player, but he's taken his time as a recording artist, releasing only two solo albums in the last seven years. According to The California Report's jazz critic Andrew Gilbert, this measured deliberation is a hallmark of how thoughtful Akinmusire is as a composer and musician. He has this review of "The Imagined Savior is Far Easier to Paint."
Sonoma County Observatory Initiates Newcomers Into Mysteries of the Night Sky
Star gazers and astronomy buffs in Sonoma County have a well-kept secret: The Robert Ferguson Observatory, nestled inside Sugar Loaf Ridge State Park in Kenwood. The observatory is a volunteer-run nonprofit that opens its telescopes at least once a month for public "star parties."