California Democrats Worry About Voter Turnout as They Gather for Convention
You'd be hard-pressed to find a state that's deeper blue than California. Democrats dominate statewide politics, Jerry Brown seems headed for an easy re-election and Republicans have had a tough time fielding credible statewide candidates. And yet, as Democrats gather in Los Angeles this weekend for their annual party convention, there are a few storm clouds, like political scandals in Sacramento and, as KQED's Tara Siler explains, concern that too many Democrats might not even bother to vote this year.
Youth in Stockton Correctional Facility Learn a Business, Repay Victims in Unique Program
Teens in the juvenile justice system have plenty of time to think about their futures -- but inside one correctional facility in Stockton, a private business lets kids plan for their futures while helping victims along the way.
Did the End of California's Redevelopment Agencies Hurt Affordable Housing?
There's new evidence every day of the brutal housing market in parts of California. Many housing experts think the short supply of affordable rental units is likely to get worse, at least partly because the state did away with Redevelopment Agencies two years ago. For all their faults, the agencies were legally required to devote a fifth of their revenue to affordable housing -- about a $1 billion a year. What happens now that the money is gone?
CA Song: Devendra Banhart's '16th & Valencia Roxy Music'
These days the intersection of 16th and Valencia Streets in San Francisco's Mission District is hipster central, a playground for young tech workers and others. But it wasn't that long ago that the neighborhood had a much edgier vibe. And it gave psychadelic folksinger Devendra Banhart some of his first impressions of San Francisco when he arrived as a teenager. For our occasional series California Songs, Banhart describes the inspiration for "16th & Valencia Roxy Music."
San Mateo Bocce Club Hopes to Keep Tradition Alive
The sport of bocce ball is played all over the world, but in Northern California, it's still mostly an Italian game. Reporter Vanessa Rancaño sends us an audio postcard from a San Mateo social club that's struggling to keep the tradition alive.