window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"news_12059850": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12059850",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12059850",
"found": true
},
"title": "251014-KAISER STRIKE START-MD-06-KQED",
"publishDate": 1760463342,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12059890,
"modified": 1760482077,
"caption": "Workers chant as they strike outside of the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center in Oakland on Oct. 14, 2025. Though a handful of unions have already made endorsements ahead of the June 2 primary, no candidate has emerged as the consensus choice of the most powerful force in state Democratic politics. ",
"credit": "Martin do Nascimento/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251014-KAISER-STRIKE-START-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251014-KAISER-STRIKE-START-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251014-KAISER-STRIKE-START-MD-06-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251014-KAISER-STRIKE-START-MD-06-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251014-KAISER-STRIKE-START-MD-06-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12069962": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12069962",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12069962",
"found": true
},
"title": "20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00333_qed",
"publishDate": 1768498657,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12069959,
"modified": 1768498693,
"caption": "A kayaker floats down the Napa River past the Navy Yard of Mare Island in the city of Vallejo on Jan. 14, 2025.",
"credit": "David M. Barreda/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00333_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00333_qed-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00333_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00333_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00333_qed-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00333_qed.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12069718": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12069718",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12069718",
"found": true
},
"title": "Workers grind and polish stone for countertops 6",
"publishDate": 1768414450,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12069714,
"modified": 1768505350,
"caption": "A stone countertop fabricator wears a mask to help protect against airborne particles, which can contribute to silicosis, at a shop on Oct. 31, 2023, in Sun Valley, California.",
"credit": "Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/StoneworkerGetty-160x106.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 106,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/StoneworkerGetty-1536x1015.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1015,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/StoneworkerGetty-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/StoneworkerGetty-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/StoneworkerGetty-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/StoneworkerGetty.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1322
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12069603": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12069603",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12069603",
"found": true
},
"title": "011326_SOLANO COUNTY STRIKE _GH_022-KQED",
"publishDate": 1768343678,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1768343697,
"caption": "Demonstrators move through downtown Fairfield as Solano County workers continued a countywide strike over stalled contract negotiations on Jan. 13, 2026.",
"credit": "Gustavo Hernandez/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_022-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_022-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_022-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_022-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_022-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_022-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12068515": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12068515",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12068515",
"found": true
},
"title": "251230-SFSocialWorker-19-BL",
"publishDate": 1767206926,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1767206959,
"caption": "Alex Alvarez, a clinical social worker, stands on a parking garage at UCSF Parnassus campus in San Francisco on Dec. 30, 2025. He said the view from the gym helps him recover, reflect, and think following the fatal stabbing of his colleague Alberto Rangel at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Dec. 4, 2025.",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-19-BL-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-19-BL-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-19-BL-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-19-BL-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-19-BL-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-19-BL.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11812563": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11812563",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11812563",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11812553,
"imgSizes": {
"apple_news_ca_landscape_5_5": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-1044x783.jpg",
"width": 1044,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 783
},
"apple_news_ca_square_4_0": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-470x470.jpg",
"width": 470,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 470
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"apple_news_ca_landscape_4_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-632x474.jpg",
"width": 632,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 474
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"apple_news_ca_landscape_4_0": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-536x402.jpg",
"width": 536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 402
},
"apple_news_ca_portrait_12_9": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-1122x1280.jpg",
"width": 1122,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"apple_news_ca_portrait_4_0": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-354x472.jpg",
"width": 354,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 472
},
"apple_news_ca_portrait_9_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-840x1120.jpg",
"width": 840,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1120
},
"apple_news_ca_landscape_12_9": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-1832x1280.jpg",
"width": 1832,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"apple_news_ca_square_9_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-1104x1104.jpg",
"width": 1104,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1104
},
"apple_news_ca_portrait_4_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-414x552.jpg",
"width": 414,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 552
},
"apple_news_ca_square_12_9": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-1472x1280.jpg",
"width": 1472,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"apple_news_ca_portrait_5_5": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-687x916.jpg",
"width": 687,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 916
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"apple_news_ca_square_4_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-550x550.jpg",
"width": 550,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 550
},
"apple_news_ca_landscape_9_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-1376x1032.jpg",
"width": 1376,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1032
},
"apple_news_ca_square_5_5": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-912x912.jpg",
"width": 912,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 912
}
},
"publishDate": 1587000070,
"modified": 1587001019,
"caption": "A nurse at Highland Hospital in Oakland wore a trash bag over his scrubs in a recent selfie. He was fired two weeks after the image was posted.",
"description": null,
"title": "001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12067538": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12067538",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12067538",
"found": true
},
"title": "20251216_REVOKE OF COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED",
"publishDate": 1765991722,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12067557,
"modified": 1772147172,
"caption": "The view from inside Amarjit Singh’s truck in Livermore, on Dec. 16, 2025. ",
"credit": "Gustavo Hernandez/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12043210": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12043210",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12043210",
"found": true
},
"title": "The Oakland Unified School District Offices in Oakland on April 28, 2025.",
"publishDate": 1749254496,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12043062,
"modified": 1749254510,
"caption": "The Oakland Unified School District Offices in Oakland on April 28, 2025.",
"credit": "Martin do Nascimento/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12067537": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12067537",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12067537",
"found": true
},
"title": "20251216_REVOKE OF COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-5-KQED",
"publishDate": 1765991719,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1766015725,
"caption": "Amarjit Singh stands beside his truck on Dec. 16, 2025, in Livermore. Singh is among thousands of immigrant drivers whose commercial licenses the state planned to revoke after federal pressure. ",
"credit": "Gustavo Hernandez/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-5-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-5-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-5-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-5-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-5-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-5-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12067251": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12067251",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12067251",
"found": true
},
"title": "250818-SFUSDFirstDay-24_qed",
"publishDate": 1765835682,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12067247,
"modified": 1765835714,
"caption": "Students at Sanchez Elementary School in San Francisco arrive for their first day of the school year on Aug. 18, 2025.",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/250818-SFUSDFirstDay-24_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/250818-SFUSDFirstDay-24_qed-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/250818-SFUSDFirstDay-24_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/250818-SFUSDFirstDay-24_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/250818-SFUSDFirstDay-24_qed-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/250818-SFUSDFirstDay-24_qed.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12067172": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12067172",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12067172",
"found": true
},
"title": "Workers grind and polish stone for countertops 3",
"publishDate": 1765828944,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12067166,
"modified": 1765829003,
"caption": "A stone countertop fabricator wears a mask to help protect against airborne particles, which can contribute to silicosis, at a shop on Oct. 31, 2023, in Sun Valley, California.",
"credit": "Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12062218": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12062218",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12062218",
"found": true
},
"title": "251027-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-47-BL_QED-KQED",
"publishDate": 1761842868,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12062476,
"modified": 1761929975,
"caption": "Yosemite Conservancy staff answer questions at the Welcome Center at Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Oct. 27, 2025. The park remains open despite the federal government shutdown, but is operating with reduced staffing after more than half of its workforce was furloughed. It draws millions of visitors each year to its granite cliffs, waterfalls, and ancient sequoia groves.",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251027-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-47-BL_QED-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251027-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-47-BL_QED-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251027-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-47-BL_QED-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251027-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-47-BL_QED-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251027-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-47-BL_QED-KQED-1600x900.jpg",
"width": 1600,
"height": 900,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251027-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-47-BL_QED-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"gmarzorati": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "227",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "227",
"found": true
},
"name": "Guy Marzorati",
"firstName": "Guy",
"lastName": "Marzorati",
"slug": "gmarzorati",
"email": "gmarzorati@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Correspondent",
"bio": "Guy Marzorati is a correspondent on KQED's California Politics and Government Desk, based in San Jose. A graduate of Santa Clara University, Guy joined KQED in 2013. He reports on state and local politics and produces KQED's digital voter guide.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e7038b8dbfd55b104369b76b1cd0b9de?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "guymarzorati",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "elections",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Guy Marzorati | KQED",
"description": "Correspondent",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e7038b8dbfd55b104369b76b1cd0b9de?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e7038b8dbfd55b104369b76b1cd0b9de?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/gmarzorati"
},
"fjhabvala": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "8659",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "8659",
"found": true
},
"name": "Farida Jhabvala Romero",
"firstName": "Farida",
"lastName": "Jhabvala Romero",
"slug": "fjhabvala",
"email": "fjhabvala@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Farida Jhabvala Romero is a Labor Correspondent for KQED. She previously covered immigration. Farida was \u003ca href=\"https://www.ccnma.org/2022-most-influential-latina-journalists\">named\u003c/a> one of the 10 Most Influential Latina Journalists in California in 2022 by the California Chicano News Media Association. Her work has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists (Northern California), as well as a national and regional Edward M. Murrow Award for the collaborative reporting projects “Dangerous Air” and “Graying California.” Before joining KQED, Farida worked as a producer at Radio Bilingüe, a national public radio network. Farida earned her master’s degree in journalism from Stanford University.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9f022d4e2609741874222a1e9d41f48fea74011aa7c615eef91d9a50c944ebe?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "FaridaJhabvala",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/faridajhabvala/",
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Farida Jhabvala Romero | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9f022d4e2609741874222a1e9d41f48fea74011aa7c615eef91d9a50c944ebe?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9f022d4e2609741874222a1e9d41f48fea74011aa7c615eef91d9a50c944ebe?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/fjhabvala"
},
"sjohnson": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11840",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11840",
"found": true
},
"name": "Sydney Johnson",
"firstName": "Sydney",
"lastName": "Johnson",
"slug": "sjohnson",
"email": "sjohnson@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "KQED Reporter",
"bio": "Sydney Johnson is a general assignment reporter at KQED. She previously reported on public health and city government at the San Francisco Examiner, and before that, she covered statewide education policy for EdSource. Her reporting has won multiple local, state and national awards. Sydney is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and lives in San Francisco.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/97855f2719b72ad6190b7c535fe642c8?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "sydneyfjohnson",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Sydney Johnson | KQED",
"description": "KQED Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/97855f2719b72ad6190b7c535fe642c8?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/97855f2719b72ad6190b7c535fe642c8?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/sjohnson"
},
"jgeha": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11906",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11906",
"found": true
},
"name": "Joseph Geha",
"firstName": "Joseph",
"lastName": "Geha",
"slug": "jgeha",
"email": "jgeha@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news",
"science"
],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea84d2b6dd93d6369d453edf19dd583f117cd1759d2d9c9c92f9de77017354fe?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Joseph Geha | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea84d2b6dd93d6369d453edf19dd583f117cd1759d2d9c9c92f9de77017354fe?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea84d2b6dd93d6369d453edf19dd583f117cd1759d2d9c9c92f9de77017354fe?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/jgeha"
},
"kdebenedetti": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11913",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11913",
"found": true
},
"name": "Katie DeBenedetti",
"firstName": "Katie",
"lastName": "DeBenedetti",
"slug": "kdebenedetti",
"email": "kdebenedetti@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news",
"science"
],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Katie DeBenedetti is a digital reporter covering daily news for the Express Desk. Prior to joining KQED as a culture reporting intern in January 2024, she covered education and city government for the Napa Valley Register.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6e31073cb8f7e4214ab03f42771d0f45?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Katie DeBenedetti | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6e31073cb8f7e4214ab03f42771d0f45?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6e31073cb8f7e4214ab03f42771d0f45?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/kdebenedetti"
},
"sarahwright": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11956",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11956",
"found": true
},
"name": "Sarah Wright",
"firstName": "Sarah",
"lastName": "Wright",
"slug": "sarahwright",
"email": "swright@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "Outdoors Engagement Reporter",
"bio": "Sarah Wright is KQED's Outdoors Engagement Reporter. Originally from Lake Tahoe, she completed a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail in 2019 and was a U.S. Fulbright Program grantee to Argentina in 2023. Her journalism has appeared in The Guardian, The San Francisco Standard, The Palo Alto Weekly and the Half Moon Bay Review.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c161a3d6441865cba25e6db4fa561099ad665799e9432e34da2b84d7e371524c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"contributor",
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Sarah Wright | KQED",
"description": "Outdoors Engagement Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c161a3d6441865cba25e6db4fa561099ad665799e9432e34da2b84d7e371524c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c161a3d6441865cba25e6db4fa561099ad665799e9432e34da2b84d7e371524c?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/sarahwright"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"news_category_labor": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34551",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34551",
"score": 12.562901
},
"name": "Labor",
"slug": "labor",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": "We examine worker safety, workplace regulation, employment trends and union organizing.",
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Labor | KQED News",
"description": "We examine worker safety, workplace regulation, employment trends and union organizing.",
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34568,
"isLoading": false,
"title": "Labor",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "news",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 12
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/company-paragraph",
"content": "We examine worker safety, workplace regulation, employment trends and union organizing."
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/news?category=labor",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 12
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"news_12069984": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12069984",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12069984",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1768564801000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "who-will-labor-support-in-the-race-for-california-governor",
"title": "Who Will Labor Support in the Race for California Governor?",
"publishDate": 1768564801,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Who Will Labor Support in the Race for California Governor? | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>With less than five months until \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s primary election for governor, no candidate has emerged as the consensus choice of the most powerful force in state Democratic politics: organized labor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attorney General Rob Bonta, a longtime labor ally, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12069366/attorney-general-rob-bonta-announces-he-wont-run-for-governor\">announced this week\u003c/a> he would not run for governor, despite behind-the-scenes encouragement from many in the state’s labor movement. His decision increased the likelihood that no single candidate will be able to consolidate labor support, even as a handful of unions have already made early endorsements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is probably the least clear, most muddled gubernatorial primary field we’ve seen in California in more than half a century,” said Dan Schnur, who teaches political communications at USC and UC Berkeley. “There are several candidates with solid labor credentials, but no one who stands out to a point where you see unions flocking to them the way you have in most past campaigns.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unions remain the lifeblood of Democratic campaigns in the state, Schnur said. The groups bankroll independent political committees that typically spend tens of millions of dollars on television ads and mailers, and their network of members provides favored candidates with a ready-made field operation to knock on doors and make phone calls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not since 1990, when Dianne Feinstein defeated John Van de Kamp in the Democratic primary, has labor’s chosen candidate for governor in California failed to make the general election. Union support was a key force in the competitive primary victories of Gray Davis in 1998, Phil Angelides in 2006 and Gavin Newsom in 2018.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are eight high-profile Democrats and two Republicans vying in June’s primary, in which the top two finishers advance to November, regardless of party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12030712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12030712 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) smiles as she prepares to address supporters at an election night party on March 5, 2024, in Long Beach, California. \u003ccite>(Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many of the Democrats can already tout notable endorsements from unions and labor groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter has won the backing of the Teamsters, the United Auto Workers and the National Union of Healthcare Workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Antonio Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles, is supported by the State Building and Construction Trades, California State Association of Electrical Workers, and the Peace Officers Research Association of California — which is also endorsing Republican Chad Bianco, the sheriff of Riverside County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, former Attorney General Xavier Becerra is endorsed by the California State Council of Laborers.[aside postID=news_12069366 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/RobBontaTrumpGetty.jpg']But many of the state’s largest and most powerful labor groups are still evaluating the field. That includes the California Labor Federation, SEIU, the California Teachers Association and the California Nurses Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t think it’s possible to get that kind of coalescing behind one candidate,” said Lorena Gonzalez, president of the Labor Federation. “We have almost an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the current field of candidates … we have people who have had long relationships with organized labor.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Labor Federation will hold an endorsement vote at its pre-primary convention in March. Large unions typically have an executive team or board of directors that vet candidates through interviews and written questionnaires, before making a recommendation to a larger body of delegates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Topping the wish list for many union leaders is a governor who will be willing to raise new revenue for the state through taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals. Democrats are divided over an effort by a health care workers’ union to place a measure on the November ballot that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12070052/proposal-to-tax-billionaires-ignites-a-political-fight-in-california\">would enact a 5% tax\u003c/a> on Californians with more than $1 billion in assets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But holding union-friendly positions will only get the candidates so far. Labor leaders want to put their chips behind a candidate who can win.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064925\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064925\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-70-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-70-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-70-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-70-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rep. Eric Swalwell speaks during a press conference after a rally in support of Proposition 50 at IBEW Local 6 in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The challenge is when there’s so many folks in it, a big part of our calculus always has to be the ability to run a campaign to differentiate yourself and make it into the runoff,” said David Goldberg, president of the California Teachers Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No frontrunner has emerged in public polling to date. A \u003ca href=\"https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2026-new-poll/\">December poll\u003c/a> from Emerson College found Bianco, Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, Republican commentator Steve Hilton and Porter closely bunched at the top of the field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given the Labor Fed’s requirement of a supermajority vote among delegates for an endorsement, Gonzalez acknowledged the union could end up issuing a multi-candidate endorsement — or even agree to simply label some candidates “unacceptable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s going to be who can win, who is open to discussions and working with the unions,” Gonzalez said. “And sometimes it’s just the old-school — who you’d rather have a beer with.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11976259\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11976259\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1679108716-scaled-e1762375365136.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1352\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lorena Gonzalez speaks on stage at the SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Solidarity March and Rally on Sept. 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. \u003ccite>(David Livingston/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At this point in the 2018 campaign, Newsom had already captured the support of many large unions. In the months leading up to the primary, teachers, nurses and state employee unions poured in about $8 million in outside spending to support Newsom in the face of an onslaught of pro-charter school spending backing Villaraigosa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The universe of big political spenders who could line up against organized labor has only grown since that campaign, said Andrew Acosta, a Democratic strategist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot more groups these days that have the potential to [spend]: crypto, AI, all these other groups that really didn’t exist in 2018 that now have a pretty big footprint in California,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If no candidate is able to consolidate labor endorsements in the coming months, unions may instead focus their spending on competitive primaries for Congress and other statewide elections — or use their financial clout to attack any pro-business Democrats (such as San José Mayor Matt Mahan or Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso) who could enter the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Maybe they all say, ‘We’re OK with these three [candidates] but this one we really don’t like,’” Acosta said. “But they have other priorities — they have ballot measures labor is pushing, so they don’t have an unlimited amount of money to play in all these things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Though a handful of unions have already made endorsements ahead of the June 2 primary, no candidate has emerged as the consensus choice of the most powerful force in state Democratic politics. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1768528625,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 25,
"wordCount": 1136
},
"headData": {
"title": "Who Will Labor Support in the Race for California Governor? | KQED",
"description": "Though a handful of unions have already made endorsements ahead of the June 2 primary, no candidate has emerged as the consensus choice of the most powerful force in state Democratic politics. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Who Will Labor Support in the Race for California Governor?",
"datePublished": "2026-01-16T04:00:01-08:00",
"dateModified": "2026-01-15T17:57:05-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 13,
"slug": "politics",
"name": "Politics"
},
"sticky": false,
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12069984/who-will-labor-support-in-the-race-for-california-governor",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>With less than five months until \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s primary election for governor, no candidate has emerged as the consensus choice of the most powerful force in state Democratic politics: organized labor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Attorney General Rob Bonta, a longtime labor ally, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12069366/attorney-general-rob-bonta-announces-he-wont-run-for-governor\">announced this week\u003c/a> he would not run for governor, despite behind-the-scenes encouragement from many in the state’s labor movement. His decision increased the likelihood that no single candidate will be able to consolidate labor support, even as a handful of unions have already made early endorsements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is probably the least clear, most muddled gubernatorial primary field we’ve seen in California in more than half a century,” said Dan Schnur, who teaches political communications at USC and UC Berkeley. “There are several candidates with solid labor credentials, but no one who stands out to a point where you see unions flocking to them the way you have in most past campaigns.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unions remain the lifeblood of Democratic campaigns in the state, Schnur said. The groups bankroll independent political committees that typically spend tens of millions of dollars on television ads and mailers, and their network of members provides favored candidates with a ready-made field operation to knock on doors and make phone calls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not since 1990, when Dianne Feinstein defeated John Van de Kamp in the Democratic primary, has labor’s chosen candidate for governor in California failed to make the general election. Union support was a key force in the competitive primary victories of Gray Davis in 1998, Phil Angelides in 2006 and Gavin Newsom in 2018.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are eight high-profile Democrats and two Republicans vying in June’s primary, in which the top two finishers advance to November, regardless of party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12030712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12030712 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/AP25069706250720-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) smiles as she prepares to address supporters at an election night party on March 5, 2024, in Long Beach, California. \u003ccite>(Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many of the Democrats can already tout notable endorsements from unions and labor groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter has won the backing of the Teamsters, the United Auto Workers and the National Union of Healthcare Workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Antonio Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles, is supported by the State Building and Construction Trades, California State Association of Electrical Workers, and the Peace Officers Research Association of California — which is also endorsing Republican Chad Bianco, the sheriff of Riverside County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, former Attorney General Xavier Becerra is endorsed by the California State Council of Laborers.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12069366",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/RobBontaTrumpGetty.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But many of the state’s largest and most powerful labor groups are still evaluating the field. That includes the California Labor Federation, SEIU, the California Teachers Association and the California Nurses Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t think it’s possible to get that kind of coalescing behind one candidate,” said Lorena Gonzalez, president of the Labor Federation. “We have almost an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the current field of candidates … we have people who have had long relationships with organized labor.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Labor Federation will hold an endorsement vote at its pre-primary convention in March. Large unions typically have an executive team or board of directors that vet candidates through interviews and written questionnaires, before making a recommendation to a larger body of delegates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Topping the wish list for many union leaders is a governor who will be willing to raise new revenue for the state through taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals. Democrats are divided over an effort by a health care workers’ union to place a measure on the November ballot that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12070052/proposal-to-tax-billionaires-ignites-a-political-fight-in-california\">would enact a 5% tax\u003c/a> on Californians with more than $1 billion in assets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But holding union-friendly positions will only get the candidates so far. Labor leaders want to put their chips behind a candidate who can win.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064925\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064925\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-70-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-70-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-70-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-NewsomProp50Rally-70-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rep. Eric Swalwell speaks during a press conference after a rally in support of Proposition 50 at IBEW Local 6 in San Francisco on Nov. 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The challenge is when there’s so many folks in it, a big part of our calculus always has to be the ability to run a campaign to differentiate yourself and make it into the runoff,” said David Goldberg, president of the California Teachers Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No frontrunner has emerged in public polling to date. A \u003ca href=\"https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2026-new-poll/\">December poll\u003c/a> from Emerson College found Bianco, Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, Republican commentator Steve Hilton and Porter closely bunched at the top of the field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given the Labor Fed’s requirement of a supermajority vote among delegates for an endorsement, Gonzalez acknowledged the union could end up issuing a multi-candidate endorsement — or even agree to simply label some candidates “unacceptable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s going to be who can win, who is open to discussions and working with the unions,” Gonzalez said. “And sometimes it’s just the old-school — who you’d rather have a beer with.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11976259\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11976259\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1679108716-scaled-e1762375365136.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1352\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lorena Gonzalez speaks on stage at the SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Solidarity March and Rally on Sept. 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. \u003ccite>(David Livingston/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At this point in the 2018 campaign, Newsom had already captured the support of many large unions. In the months leading up to the primary, teachers, nurses and state employee unions poured in about $8 million in outside spending to support Newsom in the face of an onslaught of pro-charter school spending backing Villaraigosa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The universe of big political spenders who could line up against organized labor has only grown since that campaign, said Andrew Acosta, a Democratic strategist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot more groups these days that have the potential to [spend]: crypto, AI, all these other groups that really didn’t exist in 2018 that now have a pretty big footprint in California,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If no candidate is able to consolidate labor endorsements in the coming months, unions may instead focus their spending on competitive primaries for Congress and other statewide elections — or use their financial clout to attack any pro-business Democrats (such as San José Mayor Matt Mahan or Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso) who could enter the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Maybe they all say, ‘We’re OK with these three [candidates] but this one we really don’t like,’” Acosta said. “But they have other priorities — they have ballot measures labor is pushing, so they don’t have an unlimited amount of money to play in all these things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12069984/who-will-labor-support-in-the-race-for-california-governor",
"authors": [
"227"
],
"categories": [
"news_34551",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_20910",
"news_27626",
"news_34377",
"news_16",
"news_24206",
"news_19904",
"news_20482",
"news_17968",
"news_3674",
"news_35821",
"news_20378"
],
"featImg": "news_12059850",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12069959": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12069959",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12069959",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1768525751000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-forever-eyes-new-trump-initiative-to-bring-its-shipbuilding-plans-to-life",
"title": "California Forever Eyes New Trump Initiative to Bring Its Shipbuilding Plans to Life",
"publishDate": 1768525751,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California Forever Eyes New Trump Initiative to Bring Its Shipbuilding Plans to Life | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever\u003c/a>, the company behind a plan to build a new city in Solano County, announced its latest proposal on Thursday to make progress on another ambitious initiative: revitalizing the area’s shipbuilding industry with the goal of creating thousands of jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The real estate development corporation and Nimitz Group, which owns Vallejo’s Mare Island, are urging the federal government to designate the California Delta a “Maritime Prosperity Zone,” a designation created by President Donald Trump last year. The zone would span the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers through Suisun and San Pablo bays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This proposal responds directly to the national imperative to rebuild America’s maritime industrial base,” said Jan Sramek, founder & CEO of California Forever. “Solano County, and the broader California Delta region, are uniquely positioned to become a bridge between the past and the future of shipbuilding in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The announcement comes as California Forever continues to pursue a deal for Suisun City to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">annex much of its land\u003c/a> where it intends to build a mega-development in rural Solano County and develop a 2,100-acre \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12048321/california-forever-wants-to-build-a-manufacturing-town\">advanced manufacturing operation\u003c/a> nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The billionaire-backed company, one of the largest landowners in the county, said designating the delta area a Maritime Prosperity Zone could mean tax incentives and coordinated federal support, along with long-term maritime and industrial investment for the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036285\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036285\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever, speaks during a town hall meeting in Rio Vista on Dec. 5, 2023, for the proposed California city backed by Silicon Valley investors on farmland in eastern Solano County. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California Forever first announced its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037142/california-forevers-shipbuilding-plans-need-more-details-solano-county-officials-say\">interest in shipbuilding\u003c/a> last March after Trump formed the White House Office of Shipbuilding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In April, he signed an executive order for the purpose of “restoring America’s maritime dominance,” which called for creating a framework for Maritime Prosperity Zones and an action plan to build up shipbuilding capacity and the maritime industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group has eyed Collinsville, a small town in an unincorporated area across the delta from Pittsburg, as a potential shipbuilding site. But partners of this week’s proposal say it extends beyond that effort.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With something like shipbuilding, you really want to catalyze the entire region,” said Chris Rico, the president and CEO of Solano Economic Development Corporation, which is backing the proposal.[aside postID=news_12059985 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-53-KQED.jpg'] “If you’re looking at Collinsville … they understand that they’re going to need Benicia and Vallejo and even across the water in Pittsburg and Bay Point and Antioch. They all rise together.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That appears to address pushback California Forever got when it announced plans for the “Solano Shipyard” last year. While the county has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037142/california-forevers-shipbuilding-plans-need-more-details-solano-county-officials-say\">supportive of expanding the shipbuilding industry\u003c/a>, it told the organization at the time that it needed more information before it could support the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some residents have pushed for investment to restore such operations to go toward Mare Island, which was the first naval base on the Pacific Ocean and operated for nearly 150 years before it was decommissioned in 1996.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rico said building up the maritime industry throughout the county could create thousands of jobs in shipbuilding as well as industries along the supply chain. Currently, he said, 100,000 residents leave Solano County for work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“To have the possibility to have those kinds of living-wage jobs here where people could live and work close to home, that’s really what we’ve been driving towards,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not yet clear what the exact incentives of a designated Maritime Prosperity Zone would be, but Trump’s April order said the zones would provide “opportunities to incentivize and facilitate domestic and allied investment in United States maritime industries and waterfront communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048457\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12048457\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/CAForever2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/CAForever2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/CAForever2-160x84.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/CAForever2-1536x805.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Solano Foundry would be located in an area previously designated for “industry and technology” within the new city. It would also be close to Collinsville, where the company wants to build a shipyard. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of California Forever)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The zones are expected to operate similarly to \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/opportunity-zones\">Opportunity Zones\u003c/a>, which spur investment in specific low-income areas by offering tax incentives to investors. Trump’s executive order suggests that places in a Maritime Prosperity Zone would also get regulatory relief from the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bipartisan members of Congress have also introduced the SHIPS for America Act, with the goal of revitalizing shipbuilding and strengthening U.S. maritime security. That bill would establish a “\u003ca href=\"https://garamendi.house.gov/media/press-releases/garamendi-kelly-senators-young-and-kelly-introduce-ships-america-act\">Maritime Security Trust Fund,\u003c/a>” which would reinvest maritime fees into “security programs and infrastructure supporting maritime commerce.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s been an acknowledgement across the aisle that [the U.S.] not building ships is a national security issue, so we’re building on the backs of that work,” Rico said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Corey Cook, the vice president and CEO of Cal Poly Maritime Academy in Vallejo, the proposal this week highlights the Bay Area’s interest in being at the forefront of that work. He said the region has a long history of shipbuilding. According to California Forever, Northern California supported more than 220,000 shipbuilding jobs during World War II.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12023512\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12023512\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sculptures and defunct cranes occupy the waterfront facing the Napa River on Mare Island in the city of Vallejo, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There are active shipyards still throughout the Bay Area. We want to position ourselves so that once the Department of Commerce comes out with guidelines around the Maritime Prosperity Zones, that we’re ready to articulate our region’s interests in being designated,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The university, which is supporting California Forever’s proposal, expects to be a partner in preparing the workforce that a larger maritime industry will require, Cook said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We prepare Coast Guard-licensed deck officers and engineers. We also prepare students who are going to end up operating shipyards and can be involved in logistics, planning and ports and the whole realm of maritime operations,” he told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cook said the school would be looking to partner with community colleges and other California State University campuses, along with K-12 schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The company and its partners are urging the federal government to designate the California Delta a “Maritime Prosperity Zone” aimed at creating jobs and attracting investment.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1768529964,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 24,
"wordCount": 1071
},
"headData": {
"title": "California Forever Eyes New Trump Initiative to Bring Its Shipbuilding Plans to Life | KQED",
"description": "The company and its partners are urging the federal government to designate the California Delta a “Maritime Prosperity Zone” aimed at creating jobs and attracting investment.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "California Forever Eyes New Trump Initiative to Bring Its Shipbuilding Plans to Life",
"datePublished": "2026-01-15T17:09:11-08:00",
"dateModified": "2026-01-15T18:19:24-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 31795,
"slug": "california",
"name": "California"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12069959",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12069959/california-forever-eyes-new-trump-initiative-to-bring-its-shipbuilding-plans-to-life",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever\u003c/a>, the company behind a plan to build a new city in Solano County, announced its latest proposal on Thursday to make progress on another ambitious initiative: revitalizing the area’s shipbuilding industry with the goal of creating thousands of jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The real estate development corporation and Nimitz Group, which owns Vallejo’s Mare Island, are urging the federal government to designate the California Delta a “Maritime Prosperity Zone,” a designation created by President Donald Trump last year. The zone would span the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers through Suisun and San Pablo bays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This proposal responds directly to the national imperative to rebuild America’s maritime industrial base,” said Jan Sramek, founder & CEO of California Forever. “Solano County, and the broader California Delta region, are uniquely positioned to become a bridge between the past and the future of shipbuilding in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The announcement comes as California Forever continues to pursue a deal for Suisun City to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">annex much of its land\u003c/a> where it intends to build a mega-development in rural Solano County and develop a 2,100-acre \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12048321/california-forever-wants-to-build-a-manufacturing-town\">advanced manufacturing operation\u003c/a> nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The billionaire-backed company, one of the largest landowners in the county, said designating the delta area a Maritime Prosperity Zone could mean tax incentives and coordinated federal support, along with long-term maritime and industrial investment for the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036285\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036285\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever, speaks during a town hall meeting in Rio Vista on Dec. 5, 2023, for the proposed California city backed by Silicon Valley investors on farmland in eastern Solano County. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California Forever first announced its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037142/california-forevers-shipbuilding-plans-need-more-details-solano-county-officials-say\">interest in shipbuilding\u003c/a> last March after Trump formed the White House Office of Shipbuilding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In April, he signed an executive order for the purpose of “restoring America’s maritime dominance,” which called for creating a framework for Maritime Prosperity Zones and an action plan to build up shipbuilding capacity and the maritime industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group has eyed Collinsville, a small town in an unincorporated area across the delta from Pittsburg, as a potential shipbuilding site. But partners of this week’s proposal say it extends beyond that effort.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With something like shipbuilding, you really want to catalyze the entire region,” said Chris Rico, the president and CEO of Solano Economic Development Corporation, which is backing the proposal.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12059985",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-53-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> “If you’re looking at Collinsville … they understand that they’re going to need Benicia and Vallejo and even across the water in Pittsburg and Bay Point and Antioch. They all rise together.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That appears to address pushback California Forever got when it announced plans for the “Solano Shipyard” last year. While the county has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037142/california-forevers-shipbuilding-plans-need-more-details-solano-county-officials-say\">supportive of expanding the shipbuilding industry\u003c/a>, it told the organization at the time that it needed more information before it could support the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some residents have pushed for investment to restore such operations to go toward Mare Island, which was the first naval base on the Pacific Ocean and operated for nearly 150 years before it was decommissioned in 1996.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rico said building up the maritime industry throughout the county could create thousands of jobs in shipbuilding as well as industries along the supply chain. Currently, he said, 100,000 residents leave Solano County for work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“To have the possibility to have those kinds of living-wage jobs here where people could live and work close to home, that’s really what we’ve been driving towards,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not yet clear what the exact incentives of a designated Maritime Prosperity Zone would be, but Trump’s April order said the zones would provide “opportunities to incentivize and facilitate domestic and allied investment in United States maritime industries and waterfront communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048457\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12048457\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/CAForever2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/CAForever2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/CAForever2-160x84.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/CAForever2-1536x805.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Solano Foundry would be located in an area previously designated for “industry and technology” within the new city. It would also be close to Collinsville, where the company wants to build a shipyard. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of California Forever)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The zones are expected to operate similarly to \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/opportunity-zones\">Opportunity Zones\u003c/a>, which spur investment in specific low-income areas by offering tax incentives to investors. Trump’s executive order suggests that places in a Maritime Prosperity Zone would also get regulatory relief from the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bipartisan members of Congress have also introduced the SHIPS for America Act, with the goal of revitalizing shipbuilding and strengthening U.S. maritime security. That bill would establish a “\u003ca href=\"https://garamendi.house.gov/media/press-releases/garamendi-kelly-senators-young-and-kelly-introduce-ships-america-act\">Maritime Security Trust Fund,\u003c/a>” which would reinvest maritime fees into “security programs and infrastructure supporting maritime commerce.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s been an acknowledgement across the aisle that [the U.S.] not building ships is a national security issue, so we’re building on the backs of that work,” Rico said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Corey Cook, the vice president and CEO of Cal Poly Maritime Academy in Vallejo, the proposal this week highlights the Bay Area’s interest in being at the forefront of that work. He said the region has a long history of shipbuilding. According to California Forever, Northern California supported more than 220,000 shipbuilding jobs during World War II.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12023512\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12023512\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250114_Mare-Island_DMB_00190-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sculptures and defunct cranes occupy the waterfront facing the Napa River on Mare Island in the city of Vallejo, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There are active shipyards still throughout the Bay Area. We want to position ourselves so that once the Department of Commerce comes out with guidelines around the Maritime Prosperity Zones, that we’re ready to articulate our region’s interests in being designated,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The university, which is supporting California Forever’s proposal, expects to be a partner in preparing the workforce that a larger maritime industry will require, Cook said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We prepare Coast Guard-licensed deck officers and engineers. We also prepare students who are going to end up operating shipyards and can be involved in logistics, planning and ports and the whole realm of maritime operations,” he told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cook said the school would be looking to partner with community colleges and other California State University campuses, along with K-12 schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12069959/california-forever-eyes-new-trump-initiative-to-bring-its-shipbuilding-plans-to-life",
"authors": [
"11913"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_34551",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_1386",
"news_6179",
"news_33689",
"news_21130",
"news_1323",
"news_23938"
],
"featImg": "news_12069962",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12069714": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12069714",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12069714",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1768498113000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "as-california-silicosis-cases-rise-engineered-stone-industry-seeks-immunity-in-dc",
"title": "As California Silicosis Cases Rise, Engineered Stone Industry Seeks Immunity in DC",
"publishDate": 1768498113,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "As California Silicosis Cases Rise, Engineered Stone Industry Seeks Immunity in DC | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Facing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064693/california-doctors-urge-ban-on-engineered-stone-as-silicosis-cases-surge\">hundreds of lawsuits by sick workers\u003c/a> in California, a major U.S. artificial stone manufacturer and other industry representatives testified in support of a bill in Congress that would immunize their companies from liability during a Republican-led hearing on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artificial stone is linked to an aggressive form of an incurable lung disease diagnosed in more than 480 California stonecutters who inhaled toxic silica dust released when slicing and polishing the popular kitchen countertop material. Dozens have undergone lung transplants and 27 people have died from silicosis since 2019, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/OHB/Pages/essdashboard.aspx\">state health authorities\u003c/a>. Reported cases nationwide are expected to surge as awareness and surveillance increase.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5437/text\">H.R. 5437\u003c/a>, introduced by Republican Rep. Tom McClintock last September, would prohibit civil lawsuits against stone slab manufacturers or sellers for harm resulting from the alteration of their products, such as to make kitchen and bathroom countertops and other construction surfaces. The bill would also dismiss hundreds of pending lawsuits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Industry representatives, led by Minnesota-based Cambria, told lawmakers they are being unfairly targeted for damages they attribute to downstream employers at countertop fabrication shops that fail to follow required worker protections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Rather than hold the bad actors accountable, the lawsuits are being filed against dozens of innocent stone slab manufacturers,” Rebecca Schult, Cambria’s chief legal officer, said. “The wrong parties are being sued, and the lawsuits are overwhelming good companies throughout our industry.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Republican members of the House Judiciary subcommittee seemed sympathetic to the companies’ plight. They denounced job safety regulators for insufficient enforcement and focused many of their questions on the impacts of mounting litigation and insurance costs for businesses, which jeopardize industry jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033047\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033047\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stone fabricator places his hand on a table that he cut at his home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gary Talwar, vice president of Natural Stone Resources, said the Los Angeles area distribution company his family owns faces 65 silica lawsuits and higher insurance premiums. Many small operations are struggling to keep their doors open as well, he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As far as a small business, I bring product in, I put it in a warehouse, and I ship it out. Once it leaves my warehouse, I don’t know who cuts it, how they cut it, or what happens,” Talwar said. “There’s hundreds of, maybe thousands of companies across the country, just like myself, that are being hammered with lawsuits. We’re fighting for our lives, and we can’t afford it anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the two-hour hearing, Democrats slammed H.R. 5437 as a proposal seeking special treatment for artificial stone manufacturers and distributors and preventing injured workers from accessing justice in court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Congress would make a millionaire CEO’s problems go away just like that, while the workers who cut, grind, polish, and install this dangerous product struggle to make ends meet, struggle to stay alive,” said Rep. Hank Johnson, a Georgia Democrat, referring to Cambria’s CEO, Marty Davis, whose campaign donations have benefitted President Donald Trump and GOP candidates.[aside postID=news_12066901 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2.jpg']Artificial stone, also known as engineered stone or quartz, can contain more than 90% crystalline silica. Resins and other chemicals added to the factory-made slabs contribute to making engineered stone dust \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067166/health-emergency-california-doctors-urge-ban-of-countertop-material-linked-to-deadly-disease\">more dangerous than dust from natural stones\u003c/a> such as granite or marble, according to doctors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cambria faces 400 lawsuits from stoneworkers for silica-related injuries, most of them in California, Schult said. Other major manufacturers facing lawsuits, such as Israel-based Caesarstone and Cosentino, headquartered in Spain, have developed low or no-crystalline silica alternatives. But Cambria, which owns a quartz mine that supplies its high-silica products, has not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin said the courts should determine whether manufacturers have any responsibility for the impact of their products on stoneworkers. In one of the two cases against Cambria and other manufacturers that went to trial, the company was found \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-07/jury-finds-stone-companies-at-fault-in-suit-by-countertop-cutter-with-silicosis\">partially liable\u003c/a> in a $52.4 million verdict for failing to adequately warn of the hazards. Cambria appealed the jury decision. In a separate case, a jury ruled in favor of the defendant manufacturers, a decision that is also on appeal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You are looking for categorical absolute immunity in all of these cases,” Raskin said in a testy exchange with Schult. “On your definition, there’s no defect on the product, right? So how could you ever be held liable?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cambria has emerged as a vocal opponent of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067166/health-emergency-california-doctors-urge-ban-of-countertop-material-linked-to-deadly-disease\">doctor’s petition\u003c/a> last month asking California to ban cutting and polishing of artificial stone. The Western Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association said such a ban would encourage the \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/documents/petition-609.pdf\">use of safer substitutes\u003c/a> developed by some manufacturers for the Australian market. That country was the world’s first to prohibit the sale and use of high-silica artificial stone in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schult said Cambria’s own fabrication shops have cut artificial stone safely for more than 20 years, without a single silicosis case. A Cambria safety video played at the start of the hearing showed state-of-the-art facilities that use robotic machines to cut slabs in glass-enclosed areas. The company told KQED that Cambria’s fabrication practices include the use of handheld devices, but declined to specify how many of its cutting tasks are done by the robotic machines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12067172\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12067172\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stone countertop fabricator wears a mask to help protect against airborne particles, which can contribute to silicosis, at a shop on Oct. 31, 2023, in Sun Valley, California. \u003ccite>(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Some silicosis experts and employers doubt the sophisticated and expensive measures needed to safely handle engineered stone are feasible or affordable for most fabrication shops, which are typically small businesses with fewer than 10 employees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal/OSHA inspectors have found that about 95% of the fabrication operations they’ve visited were not following all of the state’s safety rules. California’s regulations, the nation’s strictest, require artificial stone to be cut or polished with machines that cover the material’s surface in water to suppress dust. Employers must also provide workers with sophisticated respirators that can cost more than $1,000 each, and a ventilation system to clean the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>James Nevin, an attorney at Brayton Purcell LLP representing hundreds of stonecutters, said that workers are contracting silicosis in even the most sophisticated fabrication facilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This epidemic starts and stops with crystalline silica artificial stone. It is entirely the uniquely toxic product that is the problem, not ‘a few bad actors’ in the countertop fabrication process,” Nevin told KQED in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly all of the sick stoneworkers in California are Latino men, many of them undocumented immigrants. McClintock, whose district includes parts of California’s Central Valley, said fabrication shops that violate worker protections undercut law-abiding competitors while regulators fail to enforce existing rules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064718\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12064718 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A photo of a pair of lungs with silicosis used in a Cal/OSHA presentation slide about the disease, and rising numbers of cases in California, at a public meeting on Nov. 13, 2025. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Museomed via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It appears they’re just turning a blind eye to law-breaking by sweatshops that are breaking our immigration laws, labor, health and safety laws, exposing their employees to the dust that causes silicosis,” McClintock told Schult. “And it appears that instead of enforcing the law against these illegal practices, the Democrats prefer to drive you out of business.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California is not the only state facing a growing silicosis problem. Dozens of additional cases have been identified in Washington, Utah, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts and other states where engineered stone is being cut. David Michaels, a former assistant secretary at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, believes thousands more silicosis cases across the country have not been reported.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Lawsuits play an important role in public health protection. If lawsuits by workers with silicosis are prohibited, these manufacturers will make no effort to prevent more workers from dying or becoming disabled by silicosis,” Michaels, an epidemiologist and professor at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We shouldn’t be discussing immunity from litigation. We should be discussing banning this product to make it safe for workers, and that would protect the manufacturers and the distributors as well,” he added. “We should not allow the carnage to continue.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, fabrication workers not yet diagnosed with silicosis sued Cambria and other major manufacturers and distributors in federal court in San Francisco, seeking to require the companies to pay for medical monitoring for all California workers exposed to artificial stone dust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Artificial stone manufacturers, facing hundreds of silicosis lawsuits in California, urged lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to pass a bill shielding the industry from liability as cases rise nationwide among countertop fabrication workers.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1769108232,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 27,
"wordCount": 1506
},
"headData": {
"title": "As California Silicosis Cases Rise, Engineered Stone Industry Seeks Immunity in DC | KQED",
"description": "Artificial stone manufacturers, facing hundreds of silicosis lawsuits in California, urged lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to pass a bill shielding the industry from liability as cases rise nationwide among countertop fabrication workers.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "As California Silicosis Cases Rise, Engineered Stone Industry Seeks Immunity in DC",
"datePublished": "2026-01-15T09:28:33-08:00",
"dateModified": "2026-01-22T10:57:12-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 34551,
"slug": "labor",
"name": "Labor"
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-4[…]f-aaef00f5a073/00ec9580-8f46-47aa-ab3e-b3d9011f1cc5/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12069714",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12069714/as-california-silicosis-cases-rise-engineered-stone-industry-seeks-immunity-in-dc",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Facing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064693/california-doctors-urge-ban-on-engineered-stone-as-silicosis-cases-surge\">hundreds of lawsuits by sick workers\u003c/a> in California, a major U.S. artificial stone manufacturer and other industry representatives testified in support of a bill in Congress that would immunize their companies from liability during a Republican-led hearing on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artificial stone is linked to an aggressive form of an incurable lung disease diagnosed in more than 480 California stonecutters who inhaled toxic silica dust released when slicing and polishing the popular kitchen countertop material. Dozens have undergone lung transplants and 27 people have died from silicosis since 2019, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/OHB/Pages/essdashboard.aspx\">state health authorities\u003c/a>. Reported cases nationwide are expected to surge as awareness and surveillance increase.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5437/text\">H.R. 5437\u003c/a>, introduced by Republican Rep. Tom McClintock last September, would prohibit civil lawsuits against stone slab manufacturers or sellers for harm resulting from the alteration of their products, such as to make kitchen and bathroom countertops and other construction surfaces. The bill would also dismiss hundreds of pending lawsuits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Industry representatives, led by Minnesota-based Cambria, told lawmakers they are being unfairly targeted for damages they attribute to downstream employers at countertop fabrication shops that fail to follow required worker protections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Rather than hold the bad actors accountable, the lawsuits are being filed against dozens of innocent stone slab manufacturers,” Rebecca Schult, Cambria’s chief legal officer, said. “The wrong parties are being sued, and the lawsuits are overwhelming good companies throughout our industry.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Republican members of the House Judiciary subcommittee seemed sympathetic to the companies’ plight. They denounced job safety regulators for insufficient enforcement and focused many of their questions on the impacts of mounting litigation and insurance costs for businesses, which jeopardize industry jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033047\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033047\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stone fabricator places his hand on a table that he cut at his home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gary Talwar, vice president of Natural Stone Resources, said the Los Angeles area distribution company his family owns faces 65 silica lawsuits and higher insurance premiums. Many small operations are struggling to keep their doors open as well, he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As far as a small business, I bring product in, I put it in a warehouse, and I ship it out. Once it leaves my warehouse, I don’t know who cuts it, how they cut it, or what happens,” Talwar said. “There’s hundreds of, maybe thousands of companies across the country, just like myself, that are being hammered with lawsuits. We’re fighting for our lives, and we can’t afford it anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the two-hour hearing, Democrats slammed H.R. 5437 as a proposal seeking special treatment for artificial stone manufacturers and distributors and preventing injured workers from accessing justice in court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Congress would make a millionaire CEO’s problems go away just like that, while the workers who cut, grind, polish, and install this dangerous product struggle to make ends meet, struggle to stay alive,” said Rep. Hank Johnson, a Georgia Democrat, referring to Cambria’s CEO, Marty Davis, whose campaign donations have benefitted President Donald Trump and GOP candidates.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12066901",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Artificial stone, also known as engineered stone or quartz, can contain more than 90% crystalline silica. Resins and other chemicals added to the factory-made slabs contribute to making engineered stone dust \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067166/health-emergency-california-doctors-urge-ban-of-countertop-material-linked-to-deadly-disease\">more dangerous than dust from natural stones\u003c/a> such as granite or marble, according to doctors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cambria faces 400 lawsuits from stoneworkers for silica-related injuries, most of them in California, Schult said. Other major manufacturers facing lawsuits, such as Israel-based Caesarstone and Cosentino, headquartered in Spain, have developed low or no-crystalline silica alternatives. But Cambria, which owns a quartz mine that supplies its high-silica products, has not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin said the courts should determine whether manufacturers have any responsibility for the impact of their products on stoneworkers. In one of the two cases against Cambria and other manufacturers that went to trial, the company was found \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-07/jury-finds-stone-companies-at-fault-in-suit-by-countertop-cutter-with-silicosis\">partially liable\u003c/a> in a $52.4 million verdict for failing to adequately warn of the hazards. Cambria appealed the jury decision. In a separate case, a jury ruled in favor of the defendant manufacturers, a decision that is also on appeal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You are looking for categorical absolute immunity in all of these cases,” Raskin said in a testy exchange with Schult. “On your definition, there’s no defect on the product, right? So how could you ever be held liable?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cambria has emerged as a vocal opponent of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067166/health-emergency-california-doctors-urge-ban-of-countertop-material-linked-to-deadly-disease\">doctor’s petition\u003c/a> last month asking California to ban cutting and polishing of artificial stone. The Western Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association said such a ban would encourage the \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/documents/petition-609.pdf\">use of safer substitutes\u003c/a> developed by some manufacturers for the Australian market. That country was the world’s first to prohibit the sale and use of high-silica artificial stone in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schult said Cambria’s own fabrication shops have cut artificial stone safely for more than 20 years, without a single silicosis case. A Cambria safety video played at the start of the hearing showed state-of-the-art facilities that use robotic machines to cut slabs in glass-enclosed areas. The company told KQED that Cambria’s fabrication practices include the use of handheld devices, but declined to specify how many of its cutting tasks are done by the robotic machines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12067172\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12067172\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/StoneworkerGetty1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stone countertop fabricator wears a mask to help protect against airborne particles, which can contribute to silicosis, at a shop on Oct. 31, 2023, in Sun Valley, California. \u003ccite>(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Some silicosis experts and employers doubt the sophisticated and expensive measures needed to safely handle engineered stone are feasible or affordable for most fabrication shops, which are typically small businesses with fewer than 10 employees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal/OSHA inspectors have found that about 95% of the fabrication operations they’ve visited were not following all of the state’s safety rules. California’s regulations, the nation’s strictest, require artificial stone to be cut or polished with machines that cover the material’s surface in water to suppress dust. Employers must also provide workers with sophisticated respirators that can cost more than $1,000 each, and a ventilation system to clean the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>James Nevin, an attorney at Brayton Purcell LLP representing hundreds of stonecutters, said that workers are contracting silicosis in even the most sophisticated fabrication facilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This epidemic starts and stops with crystalline silica artificial stone. It is entirely the uniquely toxic product that is the problem, not ‘a few bad actors’ in the countertop fabrication process,” Nevin told KQED in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly all of the sick stoneworkers in California are Latino men, many of them undocumented immigrants. McClintock, whose district includes parts of California’s Central Valley, said fabrication shops that violate worker protections undercut law-abiding competitors while regulators fail to enforce existing rules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064718\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12064718 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A photo of a pair of lungs with silicosis used in a Cal/OSHA presentation slide about the disease, and rising numbers of cases in California, at a public meeting on Nov. 13, 2025. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Museomed via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It appears they’re just turning a blind eye to law-breaking by sweatshops that are breaking our immigration laws, labor, health and safety laws, exposing their employees to the dust that causes silicosis,” McClintock told Schult. “And it appears that instead of enforcing the law against these illegal practices, the Democrats prefer to drive you out of business.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California is not the only state facing a growing silicosis problem. Dozens of additional cases have been identified in Washington, Utah, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts and other states where engineered stone is being cut. David Michaels, a former assistant secretary at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, believes thousands more silicosis cases across the country have not been reported.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Lawsuits play an important role in public health protection. If lawsuits by workers with silicosis are prohibited, these manufacturers will make no effort to prevent more workers from dying or becoming disabled by silicosis,” Michaels, an epidemiologist and professor at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We shouldn’t be discussing immunity from litigation. We should be discussing banning this product to make it safe for workers, and that would protect the manufacturers and the distributors as well,” he added. “We should not allow the carnage to continue.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, fabrication workers not yet diagnosed with silicosis sued Cambria and other major manufacturers and distributors in federal court in San Francisco, seeking to require the companies to pay for medical monitoring for all California workers exposed to artificial stone dust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12069714/as-california-silicosis-cases-rise-engineered-stone-industry-seeks-immunity-in-dc",
"authors": [
"8659"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_457",
"news_34551",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_6145",
"news_18538",
"news_18543",
"news_35825",
"news_19904",
"news_36127",
"news_19960",
"news_22456",
"news_36128",
"news_35754",
"news_23063"
],
"featImg": "news_12069718",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12069414": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12069414",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12069414",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1768257005000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "solano-county-public-service-workers-launch-2-day-strike",
"title": "Solano County Public Service Workers Launch 2-Day Strike",
"publishDate": 1768257005,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Solano County Public Service Workers Launch 2-Day Strike | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Thousands of Solano County workers launched a two-day strike Tuesday, after monthslong negotiations have yielded little progress on new labor agreements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 2,000 employees who walked off the job include social workers, engineers and administrative staff working under contracts that lapsed in October. They’re asking for higher wages and better benefits to ease what they say is a recruitment and retention crisis that’s harming both employees and residents in Solano County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside a county social services building in Fairfield on Tuesday morning, workers chanted and walked the picket lines. Among them was Richard Livingston Jr., a supervisor at Solano County Older and Disabled Adult Services who has worked for the county for 26 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While he’s been through contract fights before, Livingston noted that four unions have come together this time around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So you have workers, supervisors, managers; you have physicians; you have custodial; you have professional, technical; all these folks are here together,” Livingston said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you take care of the workers, the people that take care of the people, you’re taking care of the people,” he continued. “There’s a lot of people who work here in Solano County who said they can’t afford to live here now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069602\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12069602\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_010-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_010-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_010-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_010-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Protesters hold up signs calling for fully funded mental health services during a Solano County workers strike on Jan. 13, 2026, in Fairfield. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Linda Cheesman, a supervisor in Solano County’s General Services department, said in a statement that workers are stretched thin and services are delayed because of hundreds of vacant positions, adding that the county’s employees are under “serious strain.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“County workers want to help build a Solano for all, but we need the county to meet us with a fair and equitable contract so we can attract and retain the staff our community relies on,” she continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The workers represented by Service Employees International Union Local 1021, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 21, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 39 and Union of American Physicians and Dentists are bargaining separate contracts, but social worker Elizabeth Harrison said many of their core demands are the same: better retention rates and recruitment efforts to ease chronic understaffing in county departments.[aside postID=news_12068383 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-1020x680.jpg']“The bottom-line to that is … we’re talking about having a community that deserves fully staffed, safe and reliable public services,” Harrison, who is a member of SEIU Local 1021, said. “If we cannot get retention and recruitment under control, then what we have is as many people come in the front door to be hired as people go out the back door. They leave.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harrison, who has been an adult protective services social worker in the county for 13 years, said that vacant positions in her department means she and other employees have unmanageable caseloads and rising rates of burnout, while some of their clients experience long wait times for care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we have positions like mine, or [in] public works or agriculture, the chronic understaffing puts all of us at risk,” she told KQED. “People have growing safety concerns for the workers and the public.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The unions are asking for higher wages and better benefit coverage to encourage people to come to work for the county, and to stay for longer periods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069601\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12069601\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_002-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_002-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_002-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_002-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Union members and supporters march through downtown Fairfield as Solano County workers went on strike after contract talks with the county stalled on Jan. 13, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s not primarily the wages and the benefits, but those things play a part in retention and recruitment which then plays a part in having high quality public services. It all ties together,” Harrison told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"mceTemp\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Tazamisha Alexander, a benefits eligibility specialist for the county and a member of her union’s negotiating team, said Tuesday on the picket line that talks with the county have been difficult.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The county hasn’t really negotiated anything,” Alexander said. “The previous contract, there was a back-and-forth. We talked about things. That’s why we didn’t have to go out. This time around, it’s just been a bunch of no.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The county said it’s offered a proposal that includes salary increases, higher insurance contributions and additional benefits totalling over $90 million, and is weighing the union’s requests with its current fiscal outlook and “ongoing budget pressures.” In negotiations, officials have emphasized the “need to balance fair compensation with the County’s responsibility to maintain essential services and fiscal sustainability for the community,” the county said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Megan Richards, a management analyst in the Solano County Administrator’s Office, said the county is anticipating possible cost increases to run federal programs like Medicare or CalFresh, which are implementing new work requirements and other qualification restrictions and could shift additional administrative tasks to the county level. She also said Solano faces uncertainty in state and federal budget plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069600\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12069600\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_001-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_001-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_001-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_001-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Akbar Bibb, a member of SEIU Local 1021, speaks to a crowd of county workers and supporters during a strike rally outside the Solano County Government Center on Jan. 13, 2026, in Fairfield. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The strike that began Tuesday is directly over the county’s approach to bargaining after the unions jointly filed unfair labor practices charges with the state over the issue in December.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You go into a negotiation and you expect to have some movement back and forth, some real talks and real negotiations, but they’ve stalled,” Harrison said. “For lack of better words, it’s a waste of time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Workers formed strike lines beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday outside both the county’s Health and Social Services and administrative building in Fairfield, with others planned near county worksites in Vallejo, Vacaville and Cordelia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The action was expected to have rippling impacts on county services Tuesday and Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Health and Human Services said most of its divisions will be open for emergency response, but appointments will be rescheduled, and some services will be delayed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069632\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12069632\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_Solano-County-Strike-_GH_017_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_Solano-County-Strike-_GH_017_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_Solano-County-Strike-_GH_017_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_Solano-County-Strike-_GH_017_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A striking Solano County worker leads Solano County workers through downtown Fairfield during a strike march over contract negotiations on Jan. 13, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lynch Canyon Open Space and Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space will both be closed, while other beaches and county parks remain open. The Fairfield Civic Center Library will remain open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while other locations will be closed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, other services could still be delayed, and closures could occur, the county said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Contract negotiations are ongoing, and the parties could return to the bargaining table at any time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we’re looking to do is make sure that we have real movement and real respect at the bargaining table, and we have not experienced that from our employer here at Solano County,” said Harrison.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/rsgirldaisy/?hl=en\">\u003cem>Daisy Nguyen\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Workers gathered Tuesday outside of the county’s administrative building in Fairfield, and county worksites in Vallejo, Vacaville and Cordelia. \r\n",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1768349055,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 29,
"wordCount": 1227
},
"headData": {
"title": "Solano County Public Service Workers Launch 2-Day Strike | KQED",
"description": "Workers gathered Tuesday outside of the county’s administrative building in Fairfield, and county worksites in Vallejo, Vacaville and Cordelia. \r\n",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Solano County Public Service Workers Launch 2-Day Strike",
"datePublished": "2026-01-12T14:30:05-08:00",
"dateModified": "2026-01-13T16:04:15-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 34551,
"slug": "labor",
"name": "Labor"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12069414",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12069414/solano-county-public-service-workers-launch-2-day-strike",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Thousands of Solano County workers launched a two-day strike Tuesday, after monthslong negotiations have yielded little progress on new labor agreements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 2,000 employees who walked off the job include social workers, engineers and administrative staff working under contracts that lapsed in October. They’re asking for higher wages and better benefits to ease what they say is a recruitment and retention crisis that’s harming both employees and residents in Solano County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside a county social services building in Fairfield on Tuesday morning, workers chanted and walked the picket lines. Among them was Richard Livingston Jr., a supervisor at Solano County Older and Disabled Adult Services who has worked for the county for 26 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While he’s been through contract fights before, Livingston noted that four unions have come together this time around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So you have workers, supervisors, managers; you have physicians; you have custodial; you have professional, technical; all these folks are here together,” Livingston said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you take care of the workers, the people that take care of the people, you’re taking care of the people,” he continued. “There’s a lot of people who work here in Solano County who said they can’t afford to live here now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069602\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12069602\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_010-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_010-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_010-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_010-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Protesters hold up signs calling for fully funded mental health services during a Solano County workers strike on Jan. 13, 2026, in Fairfield. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Linda Cheesman, a supervisor in Solano County’s General Services department, said in a statement that workers are stretched thin and services are delayed because of hundreds of vacant positions, adding that the county’s employees are under “serious strain.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“County workers want to help build a Solano for all, but we need the county to meet us with a fair and equitable contract so we can attract and retain the staff our community relies on,” she continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The workers represented by Service Employees International Union Local 1021, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 21, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 39 and Union of American Physicians and Dentists are bargaining separate contracts, but social worker Elizabeth Harrison said many of their core demands are the same: better retention rates and recruitment efforts to ease chronic understaffing in county departments.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12068383",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2020/04/001_KQED_Oakland_HighlandHospital_041152020-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The bottom-line to that is … we’re talking about having a community that deserves fully staffed, safe and reliable public services,” Harrison, who is a member of SEIU Local 1021, said. “If we cannot get retention and recruitment under control, then what we have is as many people come in the front door to be hired as people go out the back door. They leave.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harrison, who has been an adult protective services social worker in the county for 13 years, said that vacant positions in her department means she and other employees have unmanageable caseloads and rising rates of burnout, while some of their clients experience long wait times for care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we have positions like mine, or [in] public works or agriculture, the chronic understaffing puts all of us at risk,” she told KQED. “People have growing safety concerns for the workers and the public.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The unions are asking for higher wages and better benefit coverage to encourage people to come to work for the county, and to stay for longer periods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069601\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12069601\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_002-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_002-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_002-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_002-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Union members and supporters march through downtown Fairfield as Solano County workers went on strike after contract talks with the county stalled on Jan. 13, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s not primarily the wages and the benefits, but those things play a part in retention and recruitment which then plays a part in having high quality public services. It all ties together,” Harrison told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"mceTemp\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Tazamisha Alexander, a benefits eligibility specialist for the county and a member of her union’s negotiating team, said Tuesday on the picket line that talks with the county have been difficult.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The county hasn’t really negotiated anything,” Alexander said. “The previous contract, there was a back-and-forth. We talked about things. That’s why we didn’t have to go out. This time around, it’s just been a bunch of no.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The county said it’s offered a proposal that includes salary increases, higher insurance contributions and additional benefits totalling over $90 million, and is weighing the union’s requests with its current fiscal outlook and “ongoing budget pressures.” In negotiations, officials have emphasized the “need to balance fair compensation with the County’s responsibility to maintain essential services and fiscal sustainability for the community,” the county said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Megan Richards, a management analyst in the Solano County Administrator’s Office, said the county is anticipating possible cost increases to run federal programs like Medicare or CalFresh, which are implementing new work requirements and other qualification restrictions and could shift additional administrative tasks to the county level. She also said Solano faces uncertainty in state and federal budget plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069600\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12069600\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_001-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_001-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_001-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_SOLANO-COUNTY-STRIKE-_GH_001-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Akbar Bibb, a member of SEIU Local 1021, speaks to a crowd of county workers and supporters during a strike rally outside the Solano County Government Center on Jan. 13, 2026, in Fairfield. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The strike that began Tuesday is directly over the county’s approach to bargaining after the unions jointly filed unfair labor practices charges with the state over the issue in December.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You go into a negotiation and you expect to have some movement back and forth, some real talks and real negotiations, but they’ve stalled,” Harrison said. “For lack of better words, it’s a waste of time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Workers formed strike lines beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday outside both the county’s Health and Social Services and administrative building in Fairfield, with others planned near county worksites in Vallejo, Vacaville and Cordelia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The action was expected to have rippling impacts on county services Tuesday and Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Health and Human Services said most of its divisions will be open for emergency response, but appointments will be rescheduled, and some services will be delayed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069632\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12069632\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_Solano-County-Strike-_GH_017_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_Solano-County-Strike-_GH_017_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_Solano-County-Strike-_GH_017_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/011326_Solano-County-Strike-_GH_017_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A striking Solano County worker leads Solano County workers through downtown Fairfield during a strike march over contract negotiations on Jan. 13, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lynch Canyon Open Space and Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space will both be closed, while other beaches and county parks remain open. The Fairfield Civic Center Library will remain open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while other locations will be closed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, other services could still be delayed, and closures could occur, the county said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Contract negotiations are ongoing, and the parties could return to the bargaining table at any time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we’re looking to do is make sure that we have real movement and real respect at the bargaining table, and we have not experienced that from our employer here at Solano County,” said Harrison.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/rsgirldaisy/?hl=en\">\u003cem>Daisy Nguyen\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12069414/solano-county-public-service-workers-launch-2-day-strike",
"authors": [
"11913"
],
"categories": [
"news_34551",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_19904",
"news_24590",
"news_20482",
"news_23938"
],
"featImg": "news_12069603",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12068599": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12068599",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12068599",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1767643211000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "salt-to-a-wound-social-workers-still-reeling-in-aftermath-of-ward-86-stabbing",
"title": "‘Salt to a Wound’: Social Workers Still Reeling in Aftermath of Ward 86 Stabbing",
"publishDate": 1767643211,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "‘Salt to a Wound’: Social Workers Still Reeling in Aftermath of Ward 86 Stabbing | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Alex Alvarez said the whole event felt like a blur. On Dec. 4, the social worker was doing his typical rounds at Zuckerberg \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> General Hospital when he heard a commotion and saw the back of a man who appeared to be \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066248/stabbing-at-san-francisco-general-hospital-leaves-social-worker-in-critical-condition\">attacking his friend\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez, who also goes by Alejandro, didn’t yet know the hooded attacker was a patient, the same one his colleagues had voiced safety concerns about multiple times after facing threats of violence. He didn’t yet know that the patient, who suffered from severe mental illness, was armed with a knife. He just knew he had to act quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just bolt out, and I pull the guy off of him because I noticed no one is doing anything. But that’s likely because everyone saw what was already unfolding, and I didn’t from my vantage point, holding him from the back of his shirt,” Alvarez recalled recently. “And there I am in the hallway, he’s holding him and then he drops him. Nothing was catching up to me when I saw what was actually happening. I just kind of was in shock. And it was at that moment that I realized, oh shoot, he wasn’t punching him, he was actually stabbing him.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez had pulled 34-year-old Wilfredo Tortolero-Arriechi off Alberto Rangel, a 51-year-old beloved social worker at Ward 86, the historic HIV/AIDS clinic located in San Francisco General. In the moments that followed, medical staff hurried to provide life-saving care. But Rangel died of his injuries within two days, setting off a fierce debate over the hospital’s safety protocols.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The aftermath of the tragedy has been a whirlwind for the close-knit staff of Ward 86. The fatal stabbing has reignited frustration and fears among workers who told KQED that reports were made to the Department of Public Health, which oversees the hospital, about Tortolero-Arriechi’s concerning behavior and threats of violence leading up to the event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066546\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066546\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A memorial for social worker Alberto Rangel, who was fatally stabbed on Dec. 4 at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, outside the hospital on Dec. 9, 2025. Rangel, 51, died two days after the attack, sparking renewed calls for improved safety at the facility. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Now, workers say they’ve been doubly traumatized by public reports they say unfairly portray what happened that afternoon in Ward 86, alongside demands from hospital leadership for them to stay silent and return to work as usual amid an ongoing investigation about the incident and events that led up to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hospital leadership and security were notified at least two weeks in advance that the patient had exhibited escalating instability, threats to stab healthcare workers, and increasingly violent threats documented by multiple providers. Providers expressed explicit fears for their safety,” reads \u003ca href=\"https://upte.org/statement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a new collective statement\u003c/a> aimed at hospital leadership and law enforcement from a group of several dozen Ward 86 staff members that was shared with KQED. “Despite these warnings, no clinic-wide safety plan was communicated to Ward 86.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials at UC San Francisco, which runs the hospital with the Department of Public Health, did not respond to multiple requests for a response to the allegations.[aside postID=news_12066248 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/12/RS46625_009_SanFrancisco_Hospital_01142021-qut-1020x680.jpg']In a statement after the stabbing, the Sheriff’s Office said an on-site deputy “intervened immediately, restraining the suspect and securing the scene.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The union representing sheriff’s deputies went a step further, placing a sponsored post in all-capital letters on Instagram saying that a “deputy sheriff saved Ward 86 from a rapid mass casualty stabbing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is exactly what deputy sheriffs are supposed to do on high-risk units: be close enough to stop an attack in progress and protect frontline healthcare workers,” Ken Lomba, president of the San Francisco Sheriff’s Association, said in a press release.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Sheriff’s Office declined to comment for this story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez, 32, said he sees the department’s sponsored post regularly, making it hard even to take a break from reality with a social media scroll. Both the post and the city’s official description feel like a blow on top of the trauma he’s still processing from that moment he jumped in to try to save Rangel, whom he looked up to as a fellow queer Latino on the ward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Multiple Ward 86 social workers told KQED, some on the condition of anonymity, that Alvarez was the first person to intervene in the attack, and eyewitnesses said the suspect dropped the 5-inch knife after being pulled off Rangel, with a deputy intervening shortly afterward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068514\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12068514\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-22-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex Alvarez, a clinical social worker, stands on a parking garage at UCSF Parnassus campus in San Francisco on Dec. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Officials at UCSF directed Ward 86 staff not to discuss any aspects of the incident unless university legal counsel is present, according to an email reviewed by KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The sheriff’s deputy did not intervene immediately during the attack. Ward 86 staff — not law enforcement — physically intervened to stop the assault,” reads the collective statement from staff. “The attacker remained unrestrained for several minutes after the assault ended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staff had to repeatedly direct the deputy to remove the attacker from the scene.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tortolero-Arriechi allegedly stabbed Rangel in the shoulder and neck. He has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal stabbing, according to the District Attorney’s office, and he is scheduled to enter a plea on Wednesday. After his arrest, he was hospitalized at San Francisco General and was recently discharged from the psychiatric ward and transferred to county jail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A life was lost, and that is never something we take lightly. I give my condolences to Mr. Rangel’s family, friends, and colleagues,” his attorney, Deputy Public Defender Sylvia Nguyen, said in an email. “Being a social worker — working behind the scenes in all aspects of medical care, serving residents who are most in need of resources and support — is often a thankless job that people do out of the goodness of their hearts. It’s clear he made an impact on so many lives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066544\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12066544 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A memorial for social worker Alberto Rangel, who was fatally stabbed on Dec. 4 at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, outside the hospital on Dec. 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The hospital has increased security and law enforcement presence in the ward, which did not have metal detectors prior to the incident, by tightening control over access points and adding weapon-detection technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are implementing immediate security enhancements to protect staff and patients, while also advancing long-term structural changes to prevent future incidents,” a spokesperson for the Department of Public Health said in an email. “In addition, the city is engaging an independent security firm to objectively review the Ward 86 incident and our safety practices systemwide. These assessments will inform both immediate corrective actions and long-term investments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city reported the incident to the California Department of Public Health, Cal/OSHA and the Joint Commission, which evaluates and accredits healthcare organizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One social worker said the hospital made some crisis counselors available and told workers they can visit San Francisco General’s trauma and recovery center for group processing sessions, but accessing those services has not been straightforward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, staff have been told to report back to work, with a welcome breakfast scheduled for this morning. Several said they still don’t feel safe enough to return yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068508\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12068508\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-07-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lindsay Felten sits in her apartment on Dec. 20, 2025. Her colleague Alberto Rangel was fatally stabbed at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Dec. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“My colleagues and myself experienced a really traumatic incident that should have been prevented,” said Lindsay Felten, a clinical social worker at Ward 86. She said that the lack of support from management has felt like “adding salt to a wound.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Felten and other Ward 86 staff are calling for protected time off, as many are now navigating both the trauma of the event and paperwork for additional therapy needs and workers’ compensation. Others are dipping into their sick leave and vacation bank to give themselves more time to heal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re being told they did everything they could, that the sheriff saved the day, when the way we see it is like we showed up for ourselves,” Felten said. “We kept our other patients and colleagues safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez is seeking workers’ compensation and has yet to return to the ward. “I’ve been too nervous to go back,” he said. “I will avoid the area. I don’t even drive by it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Threats and risky situations were not uncommon at San Francisco General before the incident last month. The hospital is known as a “safety net” for many of the city’s most vulnerable, and that often means taking in patients who are turned away from other places due to behavior, needs or because they are on Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068507\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12068507\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-02-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-02-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-02-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-02-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An altar honoring Alberto Rangel sits in Lindsay Felten’s apartment on Dec. 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ward 86 started as the first-ever dedicated HIV/AIDS outpatient clinic in 1983, at a time when the government and many medical institutions turned a blind eye to the epidemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The clinic still performs essential HIV care, and over the years, the population it serves has grown increasingly complex. Many patients are extremely low-income and come in with dual diagnoses, including substance use disorder and other mental health challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fatal stabbing has intensified debate over hospital security for both workers and patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez, who was in the midst of finals for pre-med classes he’s taking at City College at the time of the attack, wishes there was more he could do in Rangel’s final moments. He’s hoping to one day become a physician’s assistant or doctor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It cemented,” he said, “why I want to do this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Ward 86 staff feel doubly traumatized by demands to stay silent and return to work amid an ongoing investigation into the recent stabbing at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and the events that led up to it.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1767813207,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 35,
"wordCount": 1765
},
"headData": {
"title": "‘Salt to a Wound’: Social Workers Still Reeling in Aftermath of Ward 86 Stabbing | KQED",
"description": "Ward 86 staff feel doubly traumatized by demands to stay silent and return to work amid an ongoing investigation into the recent stabbing at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and the events that led up to it.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "‘Salt to a Wound’: Social Workers Still Reeling in Aftermath of Ward 86 Stabbing",
"datePublished": "2026-01-05T12:00:11-08:00",
"dateModified": "2026-01-07T11:13:27-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 34551,
"slug": "labor",
"name": "Labor"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12068599",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12068599/salt-to-a-wound-social-workers-still-reeling-in-aftermath-of-ward-86-stabbing",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Alex Alvarez said the whole event felt like a blur. On Dec. 4, the social worker was doing his typical rounds at Zuckerberg \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> General Hospital when he heard a commotion and saw the back of a man who appeared to be \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066248/stabbing-at-san-francisco-general-hospital-leaves-social-worker-in-critical-condition\">attacking his friend\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez, who also goes by Alejandro, didn’t yet know the hooded attacker was a patient, the same one his colleagues had voiced safety concerns about multiple times after facing threats of violence. He didn’t yet know that the patient, who suffered from severe mental illness, was armed with a knife. He just knew he had to act quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just bolt out, and I pull the guy off of him because I noticed no one is doing anything. But that’s likely because everyone saw what was already unfolding, and I didn’t from my vantage point, holding him from the back of his shirt,” Alvarez recalled recently. “And there I am in the hallway, he’s holding him and then he drops him. Nothing was catching up to me when I saw what was actually happening. I just kind of was in shock. And it was at that moment that I realized, oh shoot, he wasn’t punching him, he was actually stabbing him.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez had pulled 34-year-old Wilfredo Tortolero-Arriechi off Alberto Rangel, a 51-year-old beloved social worker at Ward 86, the historic HIV/AIDS clinic located in San Francisco General. In the moments that followed, medical staff hurried to provide life-saving care. But Rangel died of his injuries within two days, setting off a fierce debate over the hospital’s safety protocols.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The aftermath of the tragedy has been a whirlwind for the close-knit staff of Ward 86. The fatal stabbing has reignited frustration and fears among workers who told KQED that reports were made to the Department of Public Health, which oversees the hospital, about Tortolero-Arriechi’s concerning behavior and threats of violence leading up to the event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066546\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066546\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A memorial for social worker Alberto Rangel, who was fatally stabbed on Dec. 4 at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, outside the hospital on Dec. 9, 2025. Rangel, 51, died two days after the attack, sparking renewed calls for improved safety at the facility. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Now, workers say they’ve been doubly traumatized by public reports they say unfairly portray what happened that afternoon in Ward 86, alongside demands from hospital leadership for them to stay silent and return to work as usual amid an ongoing investigation about the incident and events that led up to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hospital leadership and security were notified at least two weeks in advance that the patient had exhibited escalating instability, threats to stab healthcare workers, and increasingly violent threats documented by multiple providers. Providers expressed explicit fears for their safety,” reads \u003ca href=\"https://upte.org/statement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a new collective statement\u003c/a> aimed at hospital leadership and law enforcement from a group of several dozen Ward 86 staff members that was shared with KQED. “Despite these warnings, no clinic-wide safety plan was communicated to Ward 86.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials at UC San Francisco, which runs the hospital with the Department of Public Health, did not respond to multiple requests for a response to the allegations.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12066248",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/12/RS46625_009_SanFrancisco_Hospital_01142021-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In a statement after the stabbing, the Sheriff’s Office said an on-site deputy “intervened immediately, restraining the suspect and securing the scene.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The union representing sheriff’s deputies went a step further, placing a sponsored post in all-capital letters on Instagram saying that a “deputy sheriff saved Ward 86 from a rapid mass casualty stabbing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is exactly what deputy sheriffs are supposed to do on high-risk units: be close enough to stop an attack in progress and protect frontline healthcare workers,” Ken Lomba, president of the San Francisco Sheriff’s Association, said in a press release.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Sheriff’s Office declined to comment for this story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez, 32, said he sees the department’s sponsored post regularly, making it hard even to take a break from reality with a social media scroll. Both the post and the city’s official description feel like a blow on top of the trauma he’s still processing from that moment he jumped in to try to save Rangel, whom he looked up to as a fellow queer Latino on the ward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Multiple Ward 86 social workers told KQED, some on the condition of anonymity, that Alvarez was the first person to intervene in the attack, and eyewitnesses said the suspect dropped the 5-inch knife after being pulled off Rangel, with a deputy intervening shortly afterward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068514\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12068514\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-22-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex Alvarez, a clinical social worker, stands on a parking garage at UCSF Parnassus campus in San Francisco on Dec. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Officials at UCSF directed Ward 86 staff not to discuss any aspects of the incident unless university legal counsel is present, according to an email reviewed by KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The sheriff’s deputy did not intervene immediately during the attack. Ward 86 staff — not law enforcement — physically intervened to stop the assault,” reads the collective statement from staff. “The attacker remained unrestrained for several minutes after the assault ended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staff had to repeatedly direct the deputy to remove the attacker from the scene.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tortolero-Arriechi allegedly stabbed Rangel in the shoulder and neck. He has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal stabbing, according to the District Attorney’s office, and he is scheduled to enter a plea on Wednesday. After his arrest, he was hospitalized at San Francisco General and was recently discharged from the psychiatric ward and transferred to county jail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A life was lost, and that is never something we take lightly. I give my condolences to Mr. Rangel’s family, friends, and colleagues,” his attorney, Deputy Public Defender Sylvia Nguyen, said in an email. “Being a social worker — working behind the scenes in all aspects of medical care, serving residents who are most in need of resources and support — is often a thankless job that people do out of the goodness of their hearts. It’s clear he made an impact on so many lives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066544\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12066544 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251209-SFGENERALMEMORIAL-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A memorial for social worker Alberto Rangel, who was fatally stabbed on Dec. 4 at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, outside the hospital on Dec. 9, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The hospital has increased security and law enforcement presence in the ward, which did not have metal detectors prior to the incident, by tightening control over access points and adding weapon-detection technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are implementing immediate security enhancements to protect staff and patients, while also advancing long-term structural changes to prevent future incidents,” a spokesperson for the Department of Public Health said in an email. “In addition, the city is engaging an independent security firm to objectively review the Ward 86 incident and our safety practices systemwide. These assessments will inform both immediate corrective actions and long-term investments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city reported the incident to the California Department of Public Health, Cal/OSHA and the Joint Commission, which evaluates and accredits healthcare organizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One social worker said the hospital made some crisis counselors available and told workers they can visit San Francisco General’s trauma and recovery center for group processing sessions, but accessing those services has not been straightforward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, staff have been told to report back to work, with a welcome breakfast scheduled for this morning. Several said they still don’t feel safe enough to return yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068508\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12068508\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-07-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lindsay Felten sits in her apartment on Dec. 20, 2025. Her colleague Alberto Rangel was fatally stabbed at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Dec. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“My colleagues and myself experienced a really traumatic incident that should have been prevented,” said Lindsay Felten, a clinical social worker at Ward 86. She said that the lack of support from management has felt like “adding salt to a wound.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Felten and other Ward 86 staff are calling for protected time off, as many are now navigating both the trauma of the event and paperwork for additional therapy needs and workers’ compensation. Others are dipping into their sick leave and vacation bank to give themselves more time to heal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re being told they did everything they could, that the sheriff saved the day, when the way we see it is like we showed up for ourselves,” Felten said. “We kept our other patients and colleagues safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez is seeking workers’ compensation and has yet to return to the ward. “I’ve been too nervous to go back,” he said. “I will avoid the area. I don’t even drive by it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Threats and risky situations were not uncommon at San Francisco General before the incident last month. The hospital is known as a “safety net” for many of the city’s most vulnerable, and that often means taking in patients who are turned away from other places due to behavior, needs or because they are on Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068507\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12068507\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-02-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-02-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-02-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251230-SFSocialWorker-02-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An altar honoring Alberto Rangel sits in Lindsay Felten’s apartment on Dec. 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ward 86 started as the first-ever dedicated HIV/AIDS outpatient clinic in 1983, at a time when the government and many medical institutions turned a blind eye to the epidemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The clinic still performs essential HIV care, and over the years, the population it serves has grown increasingly complex. Many patients are extremely low-income and come in with dual diagnoses, including substance use disorder and other mental health challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fatal stabbing has intensified debate over hospital security for both workers and patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez, who was in the midst of finals for pre-med classes he’s taking at City College at the time of the attack, wishes there was more he could do in Rangel’s final moments. He’s hoping to one day become a physician’s assistant or doctor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It cemented,” he said, “why I want to do this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12068599/salt-to-a-wound-social-workers-still-reeling-in-aftermath-of-ward-86-stabbing",
"authors": [
"11840"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_34167",
"news_457",
"news_34551",
"news_28250",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_17626",
"news_27626",
"news_35118",
"news_24939",
"news_18659",
"news_19904",
"news_35994",
"news_38",
"news_20220",
"news_30212",
"news_23007",
"news_23063"
],
"featImg": "news_12068515",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12068383": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12068383",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12068383",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1766613608000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "alameda-health-system-to-lay-off-hundreds-in-january-after-massive-federal-cuts",
"title": "Alameda Health System to Lay Off Hundreds in January After Massive Federal Cuts",
"publishDate": 1766613608,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Alameda Health System to Lay Off Hundreds in January After Massive Federal Cuts | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>In anticipation of the Trump administration’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12047647/trumps-health-law-spurs-big-medi-cal-changes-what-californians-need-to-know\">major cuts to Medicaid\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/healthnews\">the Alameda Health System\u003c/a>, which runs public hospitals and clinics throughout the East Bay, is planning to lay off nearly 300 people in January.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s one of many healthcare systems around the state and nation threatened as a result of significant expected losses in revenue from Medicaid, the nation’s insurance system for lower-income people, known as Medi-Cal in California. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, some union employees of the health system have said layoff notices, which are expected on Jan. 6, are premature, as the financial impacts of the cuts have yet to be felt. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think they’re bowing to pressures before those pressures have actually come into play,” Reilly Gardine, a clinical dietitian at Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus in Oakland, told KQED on Monday. “And I think they’re not being creative enough in figuring out alternative ways for funding.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The health system, in an emailed statement to KQED, said it expects to lose “more than $100 million annually by 2030,” due to H.R. 1, the tax and spending bill President Donald Trump refers to as “Big” and “Beautiful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11891411\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11891411\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Monish Ullal speaks with patient Jay Flohr at Highland Hospital in Oakland on Oct. 6, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The total annual budget for AHS is roughly $1.4 billion, according to its budget documents. The system could face an additional potential $60 million in cuts annually in the coming years due to cuts to federal funding that allows states to pay hospitals who treat a large share of Medi-Cal patients, officials said. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“AHS projects that cash will run out by approximately August of 2026 without immediate action,” the statement said. “In order to be proactive and ensure that AHS can continue to provide a range of emergency and comprehensive care, AHS has made the painful decision to reduce some services, reduce its workforce, and eliminate certain programs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Veronica Palacios, an eligibility specialist, and a chapter leader with labor union SEIU 1021, said workers have not been given a clear reason why the cuts need to be made now. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because if it’s being done right now and it’s not necessarily needed at this point, it sounds like you’re purposely cutting services to the community. Why do that?” Palacios said.[aside postID=news_12067733 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/12/GettyImages-1262848052-1020x680.jpg']The cuts were initially planned to go out on Dec. 24, which Gardine called “insulting,” and which Palacios said sows chaos among workers when they should be spending time with family during the holidays. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In what appeared to be a response to pressure from union members, the health system said late Monday it would delay the notices until Jan. 6. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Palacios said the layoff notices will send workers into “damage-control” mode. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How am I going to support my family, how am I going to survive? Can I get another job if this is happening with our health care system? Is this happening throughout the state of California?” she said, reflecting her colleagues’ concerns. “They’re stressed out, they’re worried, they’re afraid of what the what ifs.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The health system said the 296 people it needs to lay off will be from “departments and disciplines across the system including management, support and administrative services, and clinical care,” and that those that are affected will have access to job search assistance and resume writing guidance. Some will receive severance packages. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“AHS leadership continues to pursue multiple strategies to restore funding and strengthen sustainability,” the agency’s statement said. “We are working in partnership with federal, state and county leaders to hopefully mitigate these adverse conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gardine said before resorting to layoffs, executives at AHS should take pay cuts, and explore other options, such as ending leases at pricey office buildings in downtown and the Jack London areas of Oakland. The system should also consider hiring more permanent staff instead of relying on traveling contractors. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The resources are there, the state of California is an incredibly wealthy state. So, the fact that we are cutting essential services for our most vulnerable communities is completely outrageous,” Gardine said. “I think we have a huge fight ahead and that I think there’s a lot of us who are ready to start fighting.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The significant cuts to Medicaid caused by the Trump administration’s tax and spending bill are pushing Alameda Health System to lay off nearly 300 workers. \r\n",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1766613608,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 18,
"wordCount": 778
},
"headData": {
"title": "Alameda Health System to Lay Off Hundreds in January After Massive Federal Cuts | KQED",
"description": "The significant cuts to Medicaid caused by the Trump administration’s tax and spending bill are pushing Alameda Health System to lay off nearly 300 workers. \r\n",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Alameda Health System to Lay Off Hundreds in January After Massive Federal Cuts",
"datePublished": "2025-12-24T14:00:08-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-12-24T14:00:08-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 457,
"slug": "health",
"name": "Health"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12068383",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12068383/alameda-health-system-to-lay-off-hundreds-in-january-after-massive-federal-cuts",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In anticipation of the Trump administration’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12047647/trumps-health-law-spurs-big-medi-cal-changes-what-californians-need-to-know\">major cuts to Medicaid\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/healthnews\">the Alameda Health System\u003c/a>, which runs public hospitals and clinics throughout the East Bay, is planning to lay off nearly 300 people in January.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s one of many healthcare systems around the state and nation threatened as a result of significant expected losses in revenue from Medicaid, the nation’s insurance system for lower-income people, known as Medi-Cal in California. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, some union employees of the health system have said layoff notices, which are expected on Jan. 6, are premature, as the financial impacts of the cuts have yet to be felt. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think they’re bowing to pressures before those pressures have actually come into play,” Reilly Gardine, a clinical dietitian at Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus in Oakland, told KQED on Monday. “And I think they’re not being creative enough in figuring out alternative ways for funding.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The health system, in an emailed statement to KQED, said it expects to lose “more than $100 million annually by 2030,” due to H.R. 1, the tax and spending bill President Donald Trump refers to as “Big” and “Beautiful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11891411\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11891411\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/10/RS51824_066_Oakland_HighlandHospitalBridgeProgram_10062021-qut-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Monish Ullal speaks with patient Jay Flohr at Highland Hospital in Oakland on Oct. 6, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The total annual budget for AHS is roughly $1.4 billion, according to its budget documents. The system could face an additional potential $60 million in cuts annually in the coming years due to cuts to federal funding that allows states to pay hospitals who treat a large share of Medi-Cal patients, officials said. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“AHS projects that cash will run out by approximately August of 2026 without immediate action,” the statement said. “In order to be proactive and ensure that AHS can continue to provide a range of emergency and comprehensive care, AHS has made the painful decision to reduce some services, reduce its workforce, and eliminate certain programs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Veronica Palacios, an eligibility specialist, and a chapter leader with labor union SEIU 1021, said workers have not been given a clear reason why the cuts need to be made now. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because if it’s being done right now and it’s not necessarily needed at this point, it sounds like you’re purposely cutting services to the community. Why do that?” Palacios said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12067733",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/12/GettyImages-1262848052-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The cuts were initially planned to go out on Dec. 24, which Gardine called “insulting,” and which Palacios said sows chaos among workers when they should be spending time with family during the holidays. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In what appeared to be a response to pressure from union members, the health system said late Monday it would delay the notices until Jan. 6. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Palacios said the layoff notices will send workers into “damage-control” mode. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How am I going to support my family, how am I going to survive? Can I get another job if this is happening with our health care system? Is this happening throughout the state of California?” she said, reflecting her colleagues’ concerns. “They’re stressed out, they’re worried, they’re afraid of what the what ifs.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The health system said the 296 people it needs to lay off will be from “departments and disciplines across the system including management, support and administrative services, and clinical care,” and that those that are affected will have access to job search assistance and resume writing guidance. Some will receive severance packages. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“AHS leadership continues to pursue multiple strategies to restore funding and strengthen sustainability,” the agency’s statement said. “We are working in partnership with federal, state and county leaders to hopefully mitigate these adverse conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gardine said before resorting to layoffs, executives at AHS should take pay cuts, and explore other options, such as ending leases at pricey office buildings in downtown and the Jack London areas of Oakland. The system should also consider hiring more permanent staff instead of relying on traveling contractors. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The resources are there, the state of California is an incredibly wealthy state. So, the fact that we are cutting essential services for our most vulnerable communities is completely outrageous,” Gardine said. “I think we have a huge fight ahead and that I think there’s a lot of us who are ready to start fighting.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12068383/alameda-health-system-to-lay-off-hundreds-in-january-after-massive-federal-cuts",
"authors": [
"11906"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_457",
"news_34551",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_260",
"news_18543",
"news_35118",
"news_19904"
],
"featImg": "news_11812563",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12068027": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12068027",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12068027",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1766189097000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-delays-plan-to-reissue-commercial-licenses-drivers-mired-in-uncertainty",
"title": "California Delays Plan to Reissue Commercial Licenses, Drivers Mired in Uncertainty",
"publishDate": 1766189097,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California Delays Plan to Reissue Commercial Licenses, Drivers Mired in Uncertainty | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> has paused its plan to resume issuing contested commercial driver’s licenses under pressure from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">Trump\u003c/a> administration, according to state transportation officials, leaving thousands of immigrant truck and bus drivers uncertain if they can keep their jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The delay is the latest twist in a monthslong dispute between California and the federal government over non-domiciled commercial drivers’ licenses for noncitizens who are authorized to work but lack permanent residency (or a green card).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At stake is more than $150 million in federal highway funding that the U.S. Department of Transportation threatened to withhold from California unless the state fixes problems with its non-domiciled CDL program, including licenses that expired at a later date than the driver’s work permit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a state review found more than 20,000 licenses had incorrect expiration dates, due to Department of Motor Vehicles clerical errors, the agency sent those drivers 60-day cancellation notices. The licenses of most of these drivers, 17,000, are now set to be rescinded on Jan. 5. Many of them are Sikh truckers, with roots in Punjab, India, who said they have valid work permits and the revocations threaten their livelihoods and families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People are going to lose out. Most of these guys have homes, families, businesses,” said Rajinder Singh Tanda, president at Global Truck Permits near Stockton, who has heard from many concerned truckers who could lose their license. “This will be a disaster in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For weeks, several unions and other driver advocates pushed the state to allow eligible drivers to renew their licenses. This week, the DMV said it planned to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067557/california-plans-to-reissue-contested-drivers-licenses-to-thousands-of-immigrants\">begin reissuing\u003c/a> these documents on Dec. 17, as the agency believed it met all conditions to fix earlier problems. But the federal government notified the DMV on Dec. 16 that it may not issue these licenses yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068050\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12068050 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A long-haul truck driver holds a letter from the California Department of Motor Vehicles notifying him of the cancellation of his commercial driver’s license on Dec. 16, 2025, in Livermore, California. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“DMV stands ready to resume issuing commercial driver’s licenses, including corrected licenses to eligible drivers,” Eva Spiegel, Deputy Director of the Office of Public Affairs at the DMV, said in a statement. “Given we are in compliance with federal regulations and state law, this delay by the federal government not only hurts our trucking industry, but it also leaves eligible drivers in the cold without any resolution during this holiday season.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are hopeful the federal government will do the right thing and allow California to reissue these commercial driver’s licenses promptly,” Spiegel added. “Commercial drivers are an important part of our economy — our supply chains don’t move and our communities don’t stay connected without them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has been reviewing whether the state is complying with federal guidelines. In a Nov. 13 letter to Steve Gordon, California DMV director, the agency warned it could penalize the state by withholding not just funding but also its authority to issue all commercial drivers’ licenses.[aside postID=news_12067557 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-5-KQED.jpg']About 700,000 drivers have commercial licenses in California to operate large vehicles such as school buses, garbage trucks and big rigs, according to the DMV.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The back and forth comes as the Trump administration tried to exclude most asylum seekers, refugees and other immigrants from holding non-domiciled CDLs through an interim rule it issued in September. The emergency regulation, \u003ca href=\"https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/newsroom/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-takes-emergency-action-protect-americas-roads\">announced by\u003c/a> U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, aimed to improve safety on the roads after a series of deadly crashes involving immigrant truck drivers in Florida and other states. Trucking industry experts, however, doubted that any reliable evidence links safe driving to immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A federal court in Washington, DC put that regulation on hold on Nov. 10, which meant the 20,000 immigrant drivers with cancellation notices in California could be eligible again to renew licenses. But now those drivers will have to wait longer for a resolution, even though the state’s program is in compliance, said Shane Gusman, legislative director for Teamsters California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re very disappointed,” said Gusman, whose union represents truck drivers who could lose their jobs. “There’s absolutely no legitimate reason why the federal government stepped in and said, ‘hold off.’ And it’s really disappointing for folks right before the holiday who thought their license issues were going to be fixed. And now it’s kind of left in the world of the unknown.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bhupinder Kaur, director of operations for United Sikhs, said the nonprofit organization is encouraging hundreds of impacted drivers, including through a WhatsApp chat group, to stay hopeful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We always strive to fight for what is right,” Kaur said. “United Sikhs will continue fighting for the right of these drivers to pursue their life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "More than 20,000 immigrant truck and bus drivers in the state could lose their jobs starting next month if their commercial driver’s licenses are cancelled with no recourse.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1766195331,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 17,
"wordCount": 886
},
"headData": {
"title": "California Delays Plan to Reissue Commercial Licenses, Drivers Mired in Uncertainty | KQED",
"description": "More than 20,000 immigrant truck and bus drivers in the state could lose their jobs starting next month if their commercial driver’s licenses are cancelled with no recourse.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "California Delays Plan to Reissue Commercial Licenses, Drivers Mired in Uncertainty",
"datePublished": "2025-12-19T16:04:57-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-12-19T17:48:51-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 34551,
"slug": "labor",
"name": "Labor"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12068027",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12068027/california-delays-plan-to-reissue-commercial-licenses-drivers-mired-in-uncertainty",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> has paused its plan to resume issuing contested commercial driver’s licenses under pressure from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">Trump\u003c/a> administration, according to state transportation officials, leaving thousands of immigrant truck and bus drivers uncertain if they can keep their jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The delay is the latest twist in a monthslong dispute between California and the federal government over non-domiciled commercial drivers’ licenses for noncitizens who are authorized to work but lack permanent residency (or a green card).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At stake is more than $150 million in federal highway funding that the U.S. Department of Transportation threatened to withhold from California unless the state fixes problems with its non-domiciled CDL program, including licenses that expired at a later date than the driver’s work permit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a state review found more than 20,000 licenses had incorrect expiration dates, due to Department of Motor Vehicles clerical errors, the agency sent those drivers 60-day cancellation notices. The licenses of most of these drivers, 17,000, are now set to be rescinded on Jan. 5. Many of them are Sikh truckers, with roots in Punjab, India, who said they have valid work permits and the revocations threaten their livelihoods and families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People are going to lose out. Most of these guys have homes, families, businesses,” said Rajinder Singh Tanda, president at Global Truck Permits near Stockton, who has heard from many concerned truckers who could lose their license. “This will be a disaster in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For weeks, several unions and other driver advocates pushed the state to allow eligible drivers to renew their licenses. This week, the DMV said it planned to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067557/california-plans-to-reissue-contested-drivers-licenses-to-thousands-of-immigrants\">begin reissuing\u003c/a> these documents on Dec. 17, as the agency believed it met all conditions to fix earlier problems. But the federal government notified the DMV on Dec. 16 that it may not issue these licenses yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068050\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12068050 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A long-haul truck driver holds a letter from the California Department of Motor Vehicles notifying him of the cancellation of his commercial driver’s license on Dec. 16, 2025, in Livermore, California. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“DMV stands ready to resume issuing commercial driver’s licenses, including corrected licenses to eligible drivers,” Eva Spiegel, Deputy Director of the Office of Public Affairs at the DMV, said in a statement. “Given we are in compliance with federal regulations and state law, this delay by the federal government not only hurts our trucking industry, but it also leaves eligible drivers in the cold without any resolution during this holiday season.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are hopeful the federal government will do the right thing and allow California to reissue these commercial driver’s licenses promptly,” Spiegel added. “Commercial drivers are an important part of our economy — our supply chains don’t move and our communities don’t stay connected without them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has been reviewing whether the state is complying with federal guidelines. In a Nov. 13 letter to Steve Gordon, California DMV director, the agency warned it could penalize the state by withholding not just funding but also its authority to issue all commercial drivers’ licenses.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12067557",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-5-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>About 700,000 drivers have commercial licenses in California to operate large vehicles such as school buses, garbage trucks and big rigs, according to the DMV.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The back and forth comes as the Trump administration tried to exclude most asylum seekers, refugees and other immigrants from holding non-domiciled CDLs through an interim rule it issued in September. The emergency regulation, \u003ca href=\"https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/newsroom/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-takes-emergency-action-protect-americas-roads\">announced by\u003c/a> U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, aimed to improve safety on the roads after a series of deadly crashes involving immigrant truck drivers in Florida and other states. Trucking industry experts, however, doubted that any reliable evidence links safe driving to immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A federal court in Washington, DC put that regulation on hold on Nov. 10, which meant the 20,000 immigrant drivers with cancellation notices in California could be eligible again to renew licenses. But now those drivers will have to wait longer for a resolution, even though the state’s program is in compliance, said Shane Gusman, legislative director for Teamsters California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re very disappointed,” said Gusman, whose union represents truck drivers who could lose their jobs. “There’s absolutely no legitimate reason why the federal government stepped in and said, ‘hold off.’ And it’s really disappointing for folks right before the holiday who thought their license issues were going to be fixed. And now it’s kind of left in the world of the unknown.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bhupinder Kaur, director of operations for United Sikhs, said the nonprofit organization is encouraging hundreds of impacted drivers, including through a WhatsApp chat group, to stay hopeful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We always strive to fight for what is right,” Kaur said. “United Sikhs will continue fighting for the right of these drivers to pursue their life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12068027/california-delays-plan-to-reissue-commercial-licenses-drivers-mired-in-uncertainty",
"authors": [
"8659"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_1169",
"news_34551",
"news_28250",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_1323",
"news_27626",
"news_36248",
"news_35825",
"news_17708",
"news_20202",
"news_19904",
"news_17968"
],
"featImg": "news_12067538",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12067547": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12067547",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12067547",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1766082045000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "oakland-schools-in-turmoil-after-two-key-officials-depart-over-budget-crisis",
"title": "Oakland Schools in Turmoil After 2 Key Officials Depart Over Budget Crisis",
"publishDate": 1766082045,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Oakland Schools in Turmoil After 2 Key Officials Depart Over Budget Crisis | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Last week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055977/ousd-just-got-control-of-its-finances-back-from-the-state-its-already-in-major-trouble\">tensions in Oakland’s school district\u003c/a> over how to stave off a massive budget shortfall came to a head when the district’s top financial officer abruptly resigned, and its chief of staff was terminated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lisa Grant-Dawson, who was brought into the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a> in 2020 to lead it out of two decades under state oversight, submitted her resignation on Friday, she told KQED. That same day, Chief of Staff Dan Bellino, who’s been with the district since July, was released by interim Superintendent Denise Saddler without warning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Bellino confirmed he’d not been given cause for the termination, Grant-Dawson said her decision to leave came after she and Bellino, with other colleagues, led a weekslong budget planning effort to right a $102 million budget deficit projected next year, and planned to present last Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But two days before the presentation, she said, Saddler revealed a different plan, crafted without the budget chief’s knowledge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I learned on Monday morning that the superintendent sought to lead in a different direction with the budget scenarios that were ultimately presented to the board. And opted to not inform me and other colleagues in advance of her decision,” Grant-Dawson told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What I don’t participate in is side-swiping.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029339\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12029339 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">One parent comforts another as she becomes emotional while making a public comment to the Oakland Unified School District Board about a proposed merger during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In a statement shared with OUSD families, Saddler said she planned to bring on a team of external fiscal experts as the district prepares next year’s budget. Former Oakland City Councilmember Lynette McElhaney will take over as chief of staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As superintendent, it is my job to ensure the district has the right leadership structure, alignment and urgency to meet the work that lies ahead of us,” she wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement on social media, Board Vice President Valarie Bachelor said she supported Saddler’s decision, and “her need to develop a Senior Leadership Team that can support our district through the next phase of the work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The major leadership shakeup comes after months of tension between Oakland’s school leaders.[aside postID=news_12064579 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241009-OAKLAND-YOUTH-VOTE-MD-11-KQED-1020x680.jpg']Earlier this year, a teachers union-backed board majority overrode adopted budget cuts in favor of a proposal that was ultimately reversed after it \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041279/ousd-cancels-controversial-after-school-cuts-but-deep-divisions-within-school-board-remain\">threatened to cancel some after-school programs\u003c/a>. In April, the same cohort \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">ousted longtime Superintendent\u003c/a> Kyla Johnson-Trammel. And throughout the year, the board majority has sparred with district staff about how to address a structural funding shortfall and years of declining enrollment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That conflict \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059238/alameda-county-to-oakland-schools-reduce-costs-or-lose-financial-independence-again\">escalated in October\u003c/a>, when the board requested staff bring forward two budget proposals to cut $100 million in ongoing expenditures without closing or merging schools, or directly affecting students at school sites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An initial proposal presented by Grant-Dawson last month identified \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">$21 million in cuts\u003c/a> within those bounds. To reach the $100 million figure, though, she said campuses would need to be impacted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re a school district. And a school district’s majority of its funds are in schools,” Grant-Dawson said at the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since that initial proposal, Grant-Dawson said the senior leadership team had spent many long days developing two plans to realize the other $80 million in cuts necessary to stay solvent next year. She and Bellino had been the main editors of those documents, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037460\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and supporters attend a board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We submitted the version we were working on. The whole team saw it and knew it was being submitted,” she told KQED. “I was notified that there was a change made the next day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal that Saddler ultimately presented on Wednesday promises $102 million in cuts through major school site and administrative reductions. But Grant-Dawson said it lacks a roadmap that proves it can be implemented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no math or evidence behind it,” she said, adding that she believes ultimately, the superintendent presented a plan that “she felt the board wanted.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It accounts for a $20 million boost in revenue from growing attendance in each of the next two years. While the district has seen a 1.8% growth this year so far, it can’t guarantee efforts to recruit students will yield those results.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the $21 million in administrative cuts laid out last month, the proposal also recommends slashing another 15-20% of central office spending, and between 7.5-10% from each campus budget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056738\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12056738 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified students and parents make signs to support teachers at a ‘solidarity school’ in Diamond Park, Oakland, on May 11, 2023, during an Oakland Unified School District teachers’ strike. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To make such large reductions at school sites would likely require cutting programs or staff funded by restricted sources earmarked for specific purposes, which wouldn’t yield savings that can be reappropriated wherever the district sees fit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another line item reduces special education funding by “restructuring and reducing outside contracts, management, and programmatic elements,” but there is no description of what services and contracts OUSD could reduce while meeting its legal mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The reality,” Grant-Dawson said, is “you don’t have a list of $100 million that’s legit[imate].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To make such large cuts to school site budgets, both Saddler and Grant-Dawson have said the district will have to rethink how many schools it operates.[aside postID=news_12040189 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Photo3_qed-1020x680.jpg']“From where I sit, there is no feasible or reasonable alternative,” Saddler wrote in her proposal. “The District must be restructured — schools and central offices. If the Board makes a commitment to truly restructure OUSD, it must see it through this time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s not clear that savings from that effort could be realized by next fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t just flip a switch, especially when you’re trying to drive that magnitude of the change, in one year,” Grant-Dawson said. “We’ve said that if we’re going to do any restructuring work, it takes at least a year to even plan, engage and all those things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal Grant-Dawson said her team had submitted, which was not presented on Wednesday, but was included in the documents given to the board ahead of the vote, suggested that the district might need to borrow money from an external source to bridge the gap as it does that work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also remains to be seen whether the school board will follow through on a plan to close schools. In recent years, OUSD’s board has made \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12017719/oaklands-school-merger-plan-stalled-districts-huge-deficit-remains\">multiple commitments to do so\u003c/a> that haven’t come to fruition. In 2022, the board approved 11 campus consolidations, but reversed them before they took effect the following year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Grant-Dawson said she doesn’t believe the board has the appetite to take up that work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Reading the tea leaves, what I said to the district was, ‘You asked me to help support leading you out of receivership, but I don’t lead people back in,’” Grant-Dawson told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The sudden turnover followed a challenging year for OUSD, which must reduce the budget by $100 million to avoid sliding back into state receivership. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1766084812,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 31,
"wordCount": 1309
},
"headData": {
"title": "Oakland Schools in Turmoil After 2 Key Officials Depart Over Budget Crisis | KQED",
"description": "The sudden turnover followed a challenging year for OUSD, which must reduce the budget by $100 million to avoid sliding back into state receivership. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Oakland Schools in Turmoil After 2 Key Officials Depart Over Budget Crisis",
"datePublished": "2025-12-18T10:20:45-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-12-18T11:06:52-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 18540,
"slug": "education",
"name": "Education"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12067547",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12067547/oakland-schools-in-turmoil-after-two-key-officials-depart-over-budget-crisis",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Last week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055977/ousd-just-got-control-of-its-finances-back-from-the-state-its-already-in-major-trouble\">tensions in Oakland’s school district\u003c/a> over how to stave off a massive budget shortfall came to a head when the district’s top financial officer abruptly resigned, and its chief of staff was terminated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lisa Grant-Dawson, who was brought into the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district\">Oakland Unified School District\u003c/a> in 2020 to lead it out of two decades under state oversight, submitted her resignation on Friday, she told KQED. That same day, Chief of Staff Dan Bellino, who’s been with the district since July, was released by interim Superintendent Denise Saddler without warning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Bellino confirmed he’d not been given cause for the termination, Grant-Dawson said her decision to leave came after she and Bellino, with other colleagues, led a weekslong budget planning effort to right a $102 million budget deficit projected next year, and planned to present last Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But two days before the presentation, she said, Saddler revealed a different plan, crafted without the budget chief’s knowledge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I learned on Monday morning that the superintendent sought to lead in a different direction with the budget scenarios that were ultimately presented to the board. And opted to not inform me and other colleagues in advance of her decision,” Grant-Dawson told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What I don’t participate in is side-swiping.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029339\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12029339 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20241211-OUSDMergerVote-JY-013_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">One parent comforts another as she becomes emotional while making a public comment to the Oakland Unified School District Board about a proposed merger during a meeting at La Escuelita Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Dec. 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In a statement shared with OUSD families, Saddler said she planned to bring on a team of external fiscal experts as the district prepares next year’s budget. Former Oakland City Councilmember Lynette McElhaney will take over as chief of staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As superintendent, it is my job to ensure the district has the right leadership structure, alignment and urgency to meet the work that lies ahead of us,” she wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement on social media, Board Vice President Valarie Bachelor said she supported Saddler’s decision, and “her need to develop a Senior Leadership Team that can support our district through the next phase of the work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The major leadership shakeup comes after months of tension between Oakland’s school leaders.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12064579",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241009-OAKLAND-YOUTH-VOTE-MD-11-KQED-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Earlier this year, a teachers union-backed board majority overrode adopted budget cuts in favor of a proposal that was ultimately reversed after it \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041279/ousd-cancels-controversial-after-school-cuts-but-deep-divisions-within-school-board-remain\">threatened to cancel some after-school programs\u003c/a>. In April, the same cohort \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037315/oakland-school-board-votes-remove-superintendent-sparking-worries-instability\">ousted longtime Superintendent\u003c/a> Kyla Johnson-Trammel. And throughout the year, the board majority has sparred with district staff about how to address a structural funding shortfall and years of declining enrollment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That conflict \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059238/alameda-county-to-oakland-schools-reduce-costs-or-lose-financial-independence-again\">escalated in October\u003c/a>, when the board requested staff bring forward two budget proposals to cut $100 million in ongoing expenditures without closing or merging schools, or directly affecting students at school sites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An initial proposal presented by Grant-Dawson last month identified \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064579/oaklands-school-district-must-cut-100-million-its-proposed-plan-doesnt-get-close\">$21 million in cuts\u003c/a> within those bounds. To reach the $100 million figure, though, she said campuses would need to be impacted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re a school district. And a school district’s majority of its funds are in schools,” Grant-Dawson said at the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since that initial proposal, Grant-Dawson said the senior leadership team had spent many long days developing two plans to realize the other $80 million in cuts necessary to stay solvent next year. She and Bellino had been the main editors of those documents, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037460\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250423_OUSDSupe_GC-17_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified School District parents, students and supporters attend a board meeting at Metwest High School in Oakland on April 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We submitted the version we were working on. The whole team saw it and knew it was being submitted,” she told KQED. “I was notified that there was a change made the next day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal that Saddler ultimately presented on Wednesday promises $102 million in cuts through major school site and administrative reductions. But Grant-Dawson said it lacks a roadmap that proves it can be implemented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no math or evidence behind it,” she said, adding that she believes ultimately, the superintendent presented a plan that “she felt the board wanted.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It accounts for a $20 million boost in revenue from growing attendance in each of the next two years. While the district has seen a 1.8% growth this year so far, it can’t guarantee efforts to recruit students will yield those results.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the $21 million in administrative cuts laid out last month, the proposal also recommends slashing another 15-20% of central office spending, and between 7.5-10% from each campus budget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12056738\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12056738 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/007_KQED_OUSDSolidaritySchool_05112023_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oakland Unified students and parents make signs to support teachers at a ‘solidarity school’ in Diamond Park, Oakland, on May 11, 2023, during an Oakland Unified School District teachers’ strike. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To make such large reductions at school sites would likely require cutting programs or staff funded by restricted sources earmarked for specific purposes, which wouldn’t yield savings that can be reappropriated wherever the district sees fit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another line item reduces special education funding by “restructuring and reducing outside contracts, management, and programmatic elements,” but there is no description of what services and contracts OUSD could reduce while meeting its legal mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The reality,” Grant-Dawson said, is “you don’t have a list of $100 million that’s legit[imate].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To make such large cuts to school site budgets, both Saddler and Grant-Dawson have said the district will have to rethink how many schools it operates.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12040189",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Photo3_qed-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“From where I sit, there is no feasible or reasonable alternative,” Saddler wrote in her proposal. “The District must be restructured — schools and central offices. If the Board makes a commitment to truly restructure OUSD, it must see it through this time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s not clear that savings from that effort could be realized by next fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t just flip a switch, especially when you’re trying to drive that magnitude of the change, in one year,” Grant-Dawson said. “We’ve said that if we’re going to do any restructuring work, it takes at least a year to even plan, engage and all those things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal Grant-Dawson said her team had submitted, which was not presented on Wednesday, but was included in the documents given to the board ahead of the vote, suggested that the district might need to borrow money from an external source to bridge the gap as it does that work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also remains to be seen whether the school board will follow through on a plan to close schools. In recent years, OUSD’s board has made \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12017719/oaklands-school-merger-plan-stalled-districts-huge-deficit-remains\">multiple commitments to do so\u003c/a> that haven’t come to fruition. In 2022, the board approved 11 campus consolidations, but reversed them before they took effect the following year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Grant-Dawson said she doesn’t believe the board has the appetite to take up that work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Reading the tea leaves, what I said to the district was, ‘You asked me to help support leading you out of receivership, but I don’t lead people back in,’” Grant-Dawson told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12067547/oakland-schools-in-turmoil-after-two-key-officials-depart-over-budget-crisis",
"authors": [
"11913"
],
"categories": [
"news_18540",
"news_34551",
"news_28250",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_3854",
"news_20013",
"news_19904",
"news_34054",
"news_4281",
"news_3202",
"news_24851",
"news_1826",
"news_3366"
],
"featImg": "news_12043210",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12067557": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12067557",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12067557",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1766014745000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-plans-to-reissue-contested-drivers-licenses-to-thousands-of-immigrants",
"title": "California Plans to Reissue Contested Driver’s Licenses to Thousands of Immigrants",
"publishDate": 1766014745,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California Plans to Reissue Contested Driver’s Licenses to Thousands of Immigrants | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Update, 11:05 a.m. Saturday: \u003c/strong>After this story was published, the California Department of Motor Vehicles \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12068027/california-delays-plan-to-reissue-commercial-licenses-drivers-mired-in-uncertainty\">announced it has paused its plan\u003c/a> to resume issuing non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses under pressure from the Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Original story, 3:39 p.m. Wednesday \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067524/sikh-truck-drivers-have-a-second-chance-in-california\">Thousands of immigrant truck drivers\u003c/a> are breathing a sigh of relief after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> said Tuesday it’s preparing to reissue commercial licences it planned to revoke after federal pressure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State transportation officials confirmed that the Department of Motor Vehicles will start reissuing the contested licences to 17,000 immigrant drivers who were sent 60-day cancellation notices on Nov. 6. The agency has yet to clarify how that process will work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was so happy,” said Amarjit Singh, a 41-year-old truck owner and driver who worried he wouldn’t be able to support his two young children or afford the $4,000 monthly payments on his truck if the state canceled his license on Jan. 6. “This is a very big relief.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Singh, a Livermore resident whose work authorization is valid through 2029, first heard the news while making an afternoon delivery 90 miles away in Santa Rosa. He took a moment in his yellow sleeper truck cabin, with a 53-foot trailer, to pray in gratitude. When he made it home and told his wife, Zoraida, she cried, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s great news,” said Singh, who invested all his savings and borrowed money from relatives to purchase his truck in 2022 for $160,000. “It’s going to save my life, and it’s going to save my business.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12067538\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12067538\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The view from inside Amarjit Singh’s truck in Livermore, on Dec. 16, 2025. Advocates are calling on California officials to halt the planned license revocations. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Transportation threatened to pull more than $150 million in highway funding from California unless the state addressed non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses, in which the driver’s work permit ended before the license expired, due to a DMV clerical error. A state review found at least 17,000 licenses with mismatched expiration dates, many of them held by Sikh men like Singh who fled persecution in India and sought asylum in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The transportation and logistics industry is a major source of employment for Sikhs, a community with roots in Punjab, India, that has its largest U.S. population in California. About 150,000 Sikhs work in the trucking industry nationwide, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sikhcoalition.org/our-work/ending-employment-discrimination/resources-for-sikh-truck-drivers/\">estimates\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Non-domiciled CDLs, issued to noncitizens without permanent U.S. residency (or a green card), became a political flashpoint after incidents of fatal crashes involving immigrant truck drivers in Florida and other states.[aside postID=news_12067098 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/IMG_6628-2000x1500.jpg']President Donald Trump signed an \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/enforcing-commonsense-rules-of-the-road-for-americas-truck-drivers/\">executive order\u003c/a> in April, reinforcing English requirements for commercial vehicle drivers. In September, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced an emergency rule to exclude asylum seekers, refugees and other immigrants from holding these licenses, arguing it would \u003ca href=\"https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/newsroom/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-takes-emergency-action-protect-americas-roads\">improve safety\u003c/a> on the roads. About 200,000 commercial drivers with valid work permits were expected to lose their licenses and jobs as a result.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a vulnerable workforce here that [has] become a political football,” said Steve Viscelli, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania who studies the trucking industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Viscelli questioned whether any reliable evidence links safe driving with immigration status. He recommended the administration focus instead on enhancing job conditions and wages in the industry, especially in long-haul trucking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The best thing we can do for safety is to retain experienced, well-compensated professional drivers,” he said. “Experienced drivers are more knowledgeable, just more ready to handle those unexpected situations. And the problem is we can’t retain them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 700,000 drivers have commercial licenses in California to operate large vehicles ranging from semi-trailers to oil tankers and school buses, according to the DMV. A federal court in Washington, D.C. halted the FMCSA rule in November after unions, drivers and others sued. The administration is preparing a permanent regulation and reviewing public comments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12067539\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12067539\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The sleeping area inside Amarjit Singh’s truck is seen on Dec. 16, 2025, in Livermore. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The California DMV’s Nov. 6 cancellation letters said that only drivers who met the new FMCSA rule requirements may keep their commercial licenses. But the court’s decision putting that rule on hold meant the state could reissue CDLs with correct expiration dates to those who have valid work authorization and pass knowledge, skills and medical tests, according to several unions, elected officials and nonprofits that called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to intervene. Groups such as United Sikhs and the Sikh Coalition said \u003ca href=\"https://www.sikhcoalition.org/blog/2025/fateh-solution-for-truck-drivers-targeted-in-california/\">they met\u003c/a> with state officials seeking a resolution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson with the California State Transportation Agency, which oversees the DMV, maintained as of early Tuesday that the agency could not issue or renew non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses due to the FMCSA findings of mismatched dates. Members of WhatsApp driver chat groups, however, and several sources not authorized to speak with the media said they expected a good outcome for drivers would be announced soon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly after the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/california-immigrant-truck-drivers-21235419.php\">first reported\u003c/a> California’s plans to start reissuing non-domiciled CDLs for drivers, the transportation agency spokesperson confirmed to KQED the news but declined to provide more information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068050\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12068050\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Amarjit Singh holds a letter from the California Department of Motor Vehicles notifying him of the cancellation of his commercial driver’s license on Dec. 16, 2025, in Livermore, California. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As of Wednesday afternoon, the DMV’s website had not posted updates on the issue and drivers said they had not yet received emailed notifications of any changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s unclear how federal officials will react if the state moves to reissue these licenses. The U.S. Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bhupinder Kaur, director of operations of advocacy group United Sikhs, said many drivers have contacted the \u003ca href=\"https://unitedsikhs.org/umeed-our-247-helpline-is-a-potential-lifeline-you-are-helping-sustain-it/\">nonprofit’s helpline\u003c/a> with questions about what steps they should follow to keep their licenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some reported that DMV offices they’d flocked to on Wednesday morning were still not sharing updated information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, Kaur said the ordeal left her and several relatives in the trucking business “on edge,” fearing that these licenses could still be taken away, which would threaten families’ livelihoods. She added that some Sikh drivers and logistics businesses had already lost income as a result of the uncertainty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Immigrant truck drivers were turned into collateral damage in a federal power struggle,” Kaur said. “It should never have happened, and we hope it doesn’t happen again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Sikh truckers and other vulnerable workers have become a “political football” in the Trump administration’s push to restrict who gets commercial driver’s licenses. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1766259327,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 24,
"wordCount": 1172
},
"headData": {
"title": "California Plans to Reissue Contested Driver’s Licenses to Thousands of Immigrants | KQED",
"description": "Sikh truckers and other vulnerable workers have become a “political football” in the Trump administration’s push to restrict who gets commercial driver’s licenses. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "California Plans to Reissue Contested Driver’s Licenses to Thousands of Immigrants",
"datePublished": "2025-12-17T15:39:05-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-12-20T11:35:27-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 34551,
"slug": "labor",
"name": "Labor"
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/33d7e542-f322-4f5f-91ca-b3b60120bd95/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12067557",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12067557/california-plans-to-reissue-contested-drivers-licenses-to-thousands-of-immigrants",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Update, 11:05 a.m. Saturday: \u003c/strong>After this story was published, the California Department of Motor Vehicles \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12068027/california-delays-plan-to-reissue-commercial-licenses-drivers-mired-in-uncertainty\">announced it has paused its plan\u003c/a> to resume issuing non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses under pressure from the Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Original story, 3:39 p.m. Wednesday \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067524/sikh-truck-drivers-have-a-second-chance-in-california\">Thousands of immigrant truck drivers\u003c/a> are breathing a sigh of relief after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> said Tuesday it’s preparing to reissue commercial licences it planned to revoke after federal pressure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State transportation officials confirmed that the Department of Motor Vehicles will start reissuing the contested licences to 17,000 immigrant drivers who were sent 60-day cancellation notices on Nov. 6. The agency has yet to clarify how that process will work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was so happy,” said Amarjit Singh, a 41-year-old truck owner and driver who worried he wouldn’t be able to support his two young children or afford the $4,000 monthly payments on his truck if the state canceled his license on Jan. 6. “This is a very big relief.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Singh, a Livermore resident whose work authorization is valid through 2029, first heard the news while making an afternoon delivery 90 miles away in Santa Rosa. He took a moment in his yellow sleeper truck cabin, with a 53-foot trailer, to pray in gratitude. When he made it home and told his wife, Zoraida, she cried, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s great news,” said Singh, who invested all his savings and borrowed money from relatives to purchase his truck in 2022 for $160,000. “It’s going to save my life, and it’s going to save my business.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12067538\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12067538\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The view from inside Amarjit Singh’s truck in Livermore, on Dec. 16, 2025. Advocates are calling on California officials to halt the planned license revocations. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Transportation threatened to pull more than $150 million in highway funding from California unless the state addressed non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses, in which the driver’s work permit ended before the license expired, due to a DMV clerical error. A state review found at least 17,000 licenses with mismatched expiration dates, many of them held by Sikh men like Singh who fled persecution in India and sought asylum in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The transportation and logistics industry is a major source of employment for Sikhs, a community with roots in Punjab, India, that has its largest U.S. population in California. About 150,000 Sikhs work in the trucking industry nationwide, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sikhcoalition.org/our-work/ending-employment-discrimination/resources-for-sikh-truck-drivers/\">estimates\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Non-domiciled CDLs, issued to noncitizens without permanent U.S. residency (or a green card), became a political flashpoint after incidents of fatal crashes involving immigrant truck drivers in Florida and other states.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12067098",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/IMG_6628-2000x1500.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>President Donald Trump signed an \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/enforcing-commonsense-rules-of-the-road-for-americas-truck-drivers/\">executive order\u003c/a> in April, reinforcing English requirements for commercial vehicle drivers. In September, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced an emergency rule to exclude asylum seekers, refugees and other immigrants from holding these licenses, arguing it would \u003ca href=\"https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/newsroom/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-takes-emergency-action-protect-americas-roads\">improve safety\u003c/a> on the roads. About 200,000 commercial drivers with valid work permits were expected to lose their licenses and jobs as a result.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a vulnerable workforce here that [has] become a political football,” said Steve Viscelli, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania who studies the trucking industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Viscelli questioned whether any reliable evidence links safe driving with immigration status. He recommended the administration focus instead on enhancing job conditions and wages in the industry, especially in long-haul trucking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The best thing we can do for safety is to retain experienced, well-compensated professional drivers,” he said. “Experienced drivers are more knowledgeable, just more ready to handle those unexpected situations. And the problem is we can’t retain them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 700,000 drivers have commercial licenses in California to operate large vehicles ranging from semi-trailers to oil tankers and school buses, according to the DMV. A federal court in Washington, D.C. halted the FMCSA rule in November after unions, drivers and others sued. The administration is preparing a permanent regulation and reviewing public comments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12067539\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12067539\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_REVOKE-OF-COMMERCIAL-DRIVERS-LICENSES_DECEMBER_GH-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The sleeping area inside Amarjit Singh’s truck is seen on Dec. 16, 2025, in Livermore. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The California DMV’s Nov. 6 cancellation letters said that only drivers who met the new FMCSA rule requirements may keep their commercial licenses. But the court’s decision putting that rule on hold meant the state could reissue CDLs with correct expiration dates to those who have valid work authorization and pass knowledge, skills and medical tests, according to several unions, elected officials and nonprofits that called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to intervene. Groups such as United Sikhs and the Sikh Coalition said \u003ca href=\"https://www.sikhcoalition.org/blog/2025/fateh-solution-for-truck-drivers-targeted-in-california/\">they met\u003c/a> with state officials seeking a resolution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson with the California State Transportation Agency, which oversees the DMV, maintained as of early Tuesday that the agency could not issue or renew non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses due to the FMCSA findings of mismatched dates. Members of WhatsApp driver chat groups, however, and several sources not authorized to speak with the media said they expected a good outcome for drivers would be announced soon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly after the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/california-immigrant-truck-drivers-21235419.php\">first reported\u003c/a> California’s plans to start reissuing non-domiciled CDLs for drivers, the transportation agency spokesperson confirmed to KQED the news but declined to provide more information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068050\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12068050\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/20251216_revoke-of-commercial-drivers-licenses_December_GH-16_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Amarjit Singh holds a letter from the California Department of Motor Vehicles notifying him of the cancellation of his commercial driver’s license on Dec. 16, 2025, in Livermore, California. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As of Wednesday afternoon, the DMV’s website had not posted updates on the issue and drivers said they had not yet received emailed notifications of any changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s unclear how federal officials will react if the state moves to reissue these licenses. The U.S. Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bhupinder Kaur, director of operations of advocacy group United Sikhs, said many drivers have contacted the \u003ca href=\"https://unitedsikhs.org/umeed-our-247-helpline-is-a-potential-lifeline-you-are-helping-sustain-it/\">nonprofit’s helpline\u003c/a> with questions about what steps they should follow to keep their licenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some reported that DMV offices they’d flocked to on Wednesday morning were still not sharing updated information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, Kaur said the ordeal left her and several relatives in the trucking business “on edge,” fearing that these licenses could still be taken away, which would threaten families’ livelihoods. She added that some Sikh drivers and logistics businesses had already lost income as a result of the uncertainty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Immigrant truck drivers were turned into collateral damage in a federal power struggle,” Kaur said. “It should never have happened, and we hope it doesn’t happen again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12067557/california-plans-to-reissue-contested-drivers-licenses-to-thousands-of-immigrants",
"authors": [
"8659"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_1169",
"news_34551",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_1386",
"news_18538",
"news_1323",
"news_35346",
"news_17940",
"news_20579",
"news_35825",
"news_20202",
"news_19904",
"news_35347",
"news_804",
"news_17968",
"news_20242",
"news_20056",
"news_20517"
],
"featImg": "news_12067537",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12067247": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12067247",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12067247",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1765908047000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "as-teacher-strike-looms-san-franciscos-school-board-set-to-review-proposed-funding-cuts",
"title": "As Teacher Strike Looms, San Francisco’s School Board Set to Review Proposed Funding Cuts",
"publishDate": 1765908047,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "As Teacher Strike Looms, San Francisco’s School Board Set to Review Proposed Funding Cuts | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-board-of-education\">school board\u003c/a> on Tuesday will get a first look at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066271/sfusd-has-overspent-for-years-major-cuts-could-have-it-on-the-path-to-stability\">district leaders’ plan to slash spending\u003c/a> by more than $100 million for the second year in a row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposed cuts include deeper staffing reductions, changes to middle school schedules and school consolidations as soon as 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su said earlier this month that the reductions aim to pull the district out of state oversight, but parents and teachers are worried about the impact further classroom reductions could have, especially on already vulnerable students and schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is definitely some misalignment … in the sense that … our recommendations are calling out for sustainability in staffing, for mental health, and we’re cutting significant apportionments of positions,” said Vanessa Marrero, who heads Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, SFUSD cut $114 million in ongoing expenses through hundreds of early retirement buy-outs, a strict staffing model and administrative cuts. This year, it needs to identify another $102 million to cut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The superintendent’s draft plan — which won’t be finalized until the spring — totals about $70 million in savings by 2028.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12046126\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12046126\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The San Francisco Unified School District Administrative Offices in San Francisco on April 18, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Under an updated staffing model, only Title I eligible schools will be allocated a social worker. Previously, non-Title I campuses that met specific enrollment criteria were eligible for at least a half-time position.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal cuts 45 full-time roles, which could be spread across as many as 90 campuses. The district said it was looking to identify other restricted funding sources to pay for these roles, and to provide flexibility in schools’ discretionary spending to “prioritize investments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other major personnel reductions will come from a change to middle school schedules: campuses will transition from a seven-period block schedule rolled out over the last few years back to six-period school days.[aside postID=news_12066271 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250421-SFUSDCentralCuts-06-BL_qed-1.jpg']In 2018, the district introduced its “\u003ca href=\"https://mgredesign.sfusd.edu/\">Middle Grades Redesign\u003c/a>” initiative, which created longer class periods and aimed to add elective course opportunities for students. Presidio Middle School transitioned to the seven-period schedule in 2022, and allows students to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfusd.edu/school/presidio-middle-school/departments/electives#:~:text=Presidio%2022%2D23%20Electives,%2C%20Dance%2C%20Music%2C%20Computers)\">choose\u003c/a> four quarter-long arts, computer science, language, health or other advanced courses throughout the year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the district, returning to a standard six-period day will prioritize core classes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new schedule would cut 56 classroom teaching positions, and another eight in health. That course material would be folded into other classes, like physical education or science, according to the plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Security aide roles across campuses would also be cut in half, as well as 18 assistant principal jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eliminating transportation for 2,500 non-special education students would save another $5 million. Marrero said the current funding serves students in neighborhoods with historically lower average test scores who attend schools further from their homes. Cutting that service could create an additional barrier for some to go to a school of their choice, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12039959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12039959 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Meredith Willa Dodson speaks during a rally to reopen San Francisco Unified Schools at City Hall in San Francisco on March 13, 2021, on the first anniversary of school buildings being closed. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Another $14.6 million could come from central office personnel and service reductions, an area that the teachers’ union has long said keeps funds away from students. The district made significant reductions by restructuring the office last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We understand that [the district] needs to make cuts, but we don’t yet understand, are these really the best cuts for our students or is there some other way?” said Meredith Dodson, who runs the advocacy group SF Parents. She said families want to know what other cuts were considered and how the ones identified in the fiscal stabilization plan were determined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re just looking for that information from the district to understand that that level of analysis was done [to determine] that these are the solutions that bring the minimal amount of harm to kids. I just don’t see it yet,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beginning in the fall of 2027, the district is also suggesting savings of more than $3 million thanks to a “consolidation of [its] educational program portfolio.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent weeks, SFUSD leadership has begun to discuss reconsidering school closures, after a controversial plan to shutter 11 schools was shelved last fall. Su took over in the wake of the closure crisis, and has prioritized the district’s budget before addressing its footprint, but she said last month that after the fiscal stabilization plan is complete this year, it would be time to take back up the initiative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064757\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12064757 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/241009-SFUSDClosuresMarch-30-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/241009-SFUSDClosuresMarch-30-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/241009-SFUSDClosuresMarch-30-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/241009-SFUSDClosuresMarch-30-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Teachers, K-5 students, and their families at Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy rally at Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco on Oct. 9, 2024, to protest against the potential closure of the school. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>SFUSD, like many districts in the state, faces declining enrollment, and campuses across the city have hundreds of empty seats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While shuttering schools alone won’t save the district significant amounts of money, the district has said that having fewer schools could allow for more robust staffing and make room for more specialized programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dodson said showing families those potential benefits will be key to garnering community support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For a parent to be told that their school is going to be closed, and to be okay with it, I think they would have to believe that there’s better education on the other side of that for their kid,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reductions planned so far are still about $30 million shy of what the district will need to cut to avoid deficit spending. And, SFUSD currently faces an escalating threat of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066097/sfusd-teachers-overwhelmingly-vote-to-authorize-the-first-strike-in-49-years\">teacher strike after months\u003c/a> of halting negotiations over a new two-year contract.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While SFUSD has said it cannot meet the educators’ demands due to the budget crisis, the union has signaled that members are prepared to strike over wages, staffing demands and more subsidized health care benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "San Francisco Unified School District leaders’ proposed cuts include staffing reductions, shortened middle school schedules and school consolidations as soon as 2027. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1765997862,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 26,
"wordCount": 1065
},
"headData": {
"title": "As Teacher Strike Looms, San Francisco’s School Board Set to Review Proposed Funding Cuts | KQED",
"description": "San Francisco Unified School District leaders’ proposed cuts include staffing reductions, shortened middle school schedules and school consolidations as soon as 2027. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "As Teacher Strike Looms, San Francisco’s School Board Set to Review Proposed Funding Cuts",
"datePublished": "2025-12-16T10:00:47-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-12-17T10:57:42-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 18540,
"slug": "education",
"name": "Education"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12067247",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12067247/as-teacher-strike-looms-san-franciscos-school-board-set-to-review-proposed-funding-cuts",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-board-of-education\">school board\u003c/a> on Tuesday will get a first look at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066271/sfusd-has-overspent-for-years-major-cuts-could-have-it-on-the-path-to-stability\">district leaders’ plan to slash spending\u003c/a> by more than $100 million for the second year in a row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposed cuts include deeper staffing reductions, changes to middle school schedules and school consolidations as soon as 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su said earlier this month that the reductions aim to pull the district out of state oversight, but parents and teachers are worried about the impact further classroom reductions could have, especially on already vulnerable students and schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is definitely some misalignment … in the sense that … our recommendations are calling out for sustainability in staffing, for mental health, and we’re cutting significant apportionments of positions,” said Vanessa Marrero, who heads Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, SFUSD cut $114 million in ongoing expenses through hundreds of early retirement buy-outs, a strict staffing model and administrative cuts. This year, it needs to identify another $102 million to cut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The superintendent’s draft plan — which won’t be finalized until the spring — totals about $70 million in savings by 2028.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12046126\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12046126\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250418-SFUSD-01-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The San Francisco Unified School District Administrative Offices in San Francisco on April 18, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Under an updated staffing model, only Title I eligible schools will be allocated a social worker. Previously, non-Title I campuses that met specific enrollment criteria were eligible for at least a half-time position.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal cuts 45 full-time roles, which could be spread across as many as 90 campuses. The district said it was looking to identify other restricted funding sources to pay for these roles, and to provide flexibility in schools’ discretionary spending to “prioritize investments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other major personnel reductions will come from a change to middle school schedules: campuses will transition from a seven-period block schedule rolled out over the last few years back to six-period school days.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12066271",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250421-SFUSDCentralCuts-06-BL_qed-1.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In 2018, the district introduced its “\u003ca href=\"https://mgredesign.sfusd.edu/\">Middle Grades Redesign\u003c/a>” initiative, which created longer class periods and aimed to add elective course opportunities for students. Presidio Middle School transitioned to the seven-period schedule in 2022, and allows students to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfusd.edu/school/presidio-middle-school/departments/electives#:~:text=Presidio%2022%2D23%20Electives,%2C%20Dance%2C%20Music%2C%20Computers)\">choose\u003c/a> four quarter-long arts, computer science, language, health or other advanced courses throughout the year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the district, returning to a standard six-period day will prioritize core classes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new schedule would cut 56 classroom teaching positions, and another eight in health. That course material would be folded into other classes, like physical education or science, according to the plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Security aide roles across campuses would also be cut in half, as well as 18 assistant principal jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eliminating transportation for 2,500 non-special education students would save another $5 million. Marrero said the current funding serves students in neighborhoods with historically lower average test scores who attend schools further from their homes. Cutting that service could create an additional barrier for some to go to a school of their choice, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12039959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12039959 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/052_SanFrancisco_ReopenSchoolsMarch_03132021_qed-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Meredith Willa Dodson speaks during a rally to reopen San Francisco Unified Schools at City Hall in San Francisco on March 13, 2021, on the first anniversary of school buildings being closed. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Another $14.6 million could come from central office personnel and service reductions, an area that the teachers’ union has long said keeps funds away from students. The district made significant reductions by restructuring the office last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We understand that [the district] needs to make cuts, but we don’t yet understand, are these really the best cuts for our students or is there some other way?” said Meredith Dodson, who runs the advocacy group SF Parents. She said families want to know what other cuts were considered and how the ones identified in the fiscal stabilization plan were determined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re just looking for that information from the district to understand that that level of analysis was done [to determine] that these are the solutions that bring the minimal amount of harm to kids. I just don’t see it yet,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beginning in the fall of 2027, the district is also suggesting savings of more than $3 million thanks to a “consolidation of [its] educational program portfolio.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent weeks, SFUSD leadership has begun to discuss reconsidering school closures, after a controversial plan to shutter 11 schools was shelved last fall. Su took over in the wake of the closure crisis, and has prioritized the district’s budget before addressing its footprint, but she said last month that after the fiscal stabilization plan is complete this year, it would be time to take back up the initiative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064757\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12064757 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/241009-SFUSDClosuresMarch-30-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/241009-SFUSDClosuresMarch-30-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/241009-SFUSDClosuresMarch-30-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/241009-SFUSDClosuresMarch-30-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Teachers, K-5 students, and their families at Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy rally at Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco on Oct. 9, 2024, to protest against the potential closure of the school. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>SFUSD, like many districts in the state, faces declining enrollment, and campuses across the city have hundreds of empty seats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While shuttering schools alone won’t save the district significant amounts of money, the district has said that having fewer schools could allow for more robust staffing and make room for more specialized programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dodson said showing families those potential benefits will be key to garnering community support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For a parent to be told that their school is going to be closed, and to be okay with it, I think they would have to believe that there’s better education on the other side of that for their kid,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reductions planned so far are still about $30 million shy of what the district will need to cut to avoid deficit spending. And, SFUSD currently faces an escalating threat of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066097/sfusd-teachers-overwhelmingly-vote-to-authorize-the-first-strike-in-49-years\">teacher strike after months\u003c/a> of halting negotiations over a new two-year contract.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While SFUSD has said it cannot meet the educators’ demands due to the budget crisis, the union has signaled that members are prepared to strike over wages, staffing demands and more subsidized health care benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12067247/as-teacher-strike-looms-san-franciscos-school-board-set-to-review-proposed-funding-cuts",
"authors": [
"11913"
],
"categories": [
"news_18540",
"news_34551",
"news_28250",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_3854",
"news_20013",
"news_19904",
"news_38",
"news_30812",
"news_33375",
"news_3946",
"news_1290",
"news_2044",
"news_30789"
],
"featImg": "news_12067251",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12067166": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12067166",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12067166",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1765833371000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "health-emergency-california-doctors-urge-ban-of-countertop-material-linked-to-deadly-disease",
"title": "Doctors Petition California to Ban Countertop Material Linked to Deadly Disease",
"publishDate": 1765833371,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Doctors Petition California to Ban Countertop Material Linked to Deadly Disease | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>A medical association has petitioned California to prohibit the use of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064693/california-doctors-urge-ban-on-engineered-stone-as-silicosis-cases-surge\">popular countertop construction material\u003c/a> linked to an aggressive lung disease disabling and killing stoneworkers. The campaign escalated pressure on the state to follow Australia, which became the first country to ban engineered stone last year after facing a similar health crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California has the U.S.’s strictest regulations to prevent workers from inhaling toxic silica dust — generated by the cutting, polishing and grinding of engineered stone slabs to make kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, fireplace surfaces and other products. Most countertop fabrication shops, however, don’t have the money or capacity to comply with the rules, leaving thousands of stonecutters at risk of contracting silicosis, according to the Western Occupational & Environmental Medical Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The evidence is now clear that engineered stone containing crystalline silica is too toxic to fabricate and install safely, and education and enforcement alone will not be sufficient to curtail the escalating occupational health emergency caused by this product,” WOEMA’s Dec. 12 letter to regulators said. The association represents more than 600 occupational safety physicians and other experts in seven western states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The doctors requested that the state body that adopts new job safety rules to start the process to ban all fabrication and installation tasks on engineered stone containing more than 1% crystalline silica, similar to Australia’s policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, which declined to comment on WOEMA’s letter, has up to six months to review and decide. The proposal is likely to face stiff opposition from manufacturers, distributors and fabricators of engineered stone, also known as quartz or artificial stone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artificial stone represents a growing multibillion-dollar market in the U.S., with increasing demand expected in California due to the rebuilding effort in Los Angeles after the massive fires in January 2025. More than half of the silicosis cases in the state are located in Los Angeles County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033047\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033047\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stone fabricator places his hand on a table that he cut at his home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Laurie Weber, who directs the International Surface Fabricators Association, said Australia’s model is not directly transferable to the U.S. economy, and that more research is needed to understand what would happen if hundreds of small and mid-size fabrication businesses suddenly had to stop working with their primary material.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ISFA does not believe a ban is the answer. The problem is not the material. The problem is employers ignoring the law and a lack of enforcement resources to ensure compliance,” Weber said in a statement. “Before California considers a prohibition that would reshape an entire segment of the construction economy, we respectfully request clarity on how WOEMA determined that engineered stone cannot be fabricated safely — even in shops fully compliant with Cal/OSHA’s existing silica standard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ISFA and others in the industry instead support a licensing program, in which only shops certified to handle artificial stone following regulations have access to it. A \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB20\">recent law\u003c/a> signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that addresses the rise of silicosis through education and enforcement initially included a certification system — but that component was removed from the final draft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 450 silicosis cases have been \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/OHB/Pages/essdashboard.aspx\">confirmed\u003c/a> among stoneworkers in California since 2019, and regulators expect the numbers could rise to between 1,000 and 1,500 within the next decade. Nearly all of those sick are Latino men, many immigrants lacking permanent legal status, who didn’t know about the hazards of working on crystalline silica products. Twenty-five stoneworkers died, and dozens received lung transplants, according to the California Department of Public Health.[aside postID=news_12064693 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-01-KQED-1.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As long as this dangerous material remains available and is purchased and used in California, it’s inevitable that people will continue to be exposed and die,” Robert Blink, an occupational medicine doctor in San Francisco and former WOEMA president, told KQED. “There’s always resistance to change. But when you’ve got something this dangerous out there that’s literally killing people … we’ve got to stop this from going up. This is not a time for small measures, frankly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Engineered stone can contain more than 90% crystalline silica, much more than natural stones such as marble. The factory-made material’s popularity has skyrocketed because it is stain-resistant, produced in attractive colors and designs and is often cheaper than natural stones. But many consumers are unaware of the hazards that artificial stone dust poses to the workers who shape and install their countertops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing scientific evidence has shown that the silica dust released by the material is so toxic that small amounts of exposure are enough to make workers sick. The tiny airborne particles can penetrate filter masks and lodge in the lungs, causing progressive scarring and injury in workers, some as young as their 20s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dozens of silicosis cases have also been reported by doctors in Illinois, Utah, Colorado, Massachusetts, as well as other states that are not tracking the disease as systematically as California’s public health authorities. Those figures are widely believed to be underreported. Israel, Spain and other countries have also seen a surge in silicosis tied to engineered stone. Medical experts in the UK are urging authorities to prohibit the use of the material.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>James Nevin, an attorney at Brayton Purcell, a firm that represents hundreds of sick workers suing major manufacturers and distributors of artificial stone, said clients are located in 16 other states, including New York, Nevada, Florida, Kentucky and Hawaii.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033303\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033303\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stone countertop fabricator’s hands are covered in dust at a shop on Oct. 31, 2023, in Sun Valley, California. Inhaling fine particles can contribute to silicosis. \u003ccite>(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California currently bans the dry cutting of engineered stone and mandates the use of wet methods — machines that submerge or cover the material’s surface with water to suppress dust. Employers are also required to implement local exhaust ventilation, ensure employees wear powered air-purifying respirators and take other measures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Cal/OSHA inspectors have found most of the 120 shops they’ve visited in the last two years were violating the rules, which fabricators and doctors consider too expensive and challenging for many employers to follow. California has about 4,600 countertop fabrication workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Major manufacturers, such as Israel-based Caesarstone, did not immediately return requests for comment on the California ban proposal, but publicly opposed a prohibition in Australia. A spokesperson for Cosentino, a company headquartered in Spain, also declined to comment, but told KQED last month that silicosis is preventable when proper safety and health measures are in place to protect workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both companies, which face hundreds of lawsuits by workers claiming silica-related injuries in the U.S. and other countries, have developed crystalline silica-free products for the Australian market but continue to sell high-silica engineered stone in the U.S.[aside postID=news_12066901 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doctors who’ve followed the issue argue that the safer alternatives have similar qualities, appearance and cost to traditional engineered stone and could be made immediately available in California, without significant economic consequences for fabrication businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Policymakers have publicly expressed dismay at the rising number of silicosis cases in the state, but have not favored a prohibition so far. Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board Chair Joseph Alioto Jr. said that the state should focus its resources on expanding Cal/OSHA enforcement of current silica regulations. Alioto recommended the agency partner with local public health departments and district attorneys to assist with investigations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We currently have a regulation to do stuff. We just need to get out into the field and do it,” said Alioto, an attorney in San Francisco, during a Nov. 20 meeting. “We just need boots on the ground to police this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s office declined to comment on his stance on a ban on artificial stone, referring questions to the Public Health Department. An agency spokesperson said that they are tracking the silicosis situation closely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lopez, a 43-year-old former stonecutter who was diagnosed with silicosis last year, said he believes removing hazardous artificial stone from fabrication shops could save lives. The once-active father of four is now confined to his East Bay home, waiting for a double lung transplant, unable to work and reliant on an oxygen supply machine to breathe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I’d known about the seriousness of this disease from the beginning, I wouldn’t have worked in this field, in the stone industry, because I wouldn’t have wanted to get sick like I am now,” said Lopez, an immigrant who lacks permanent legal status, who cut countertops in California for decades. KQED is withholding his full name because he fears losing medical care if federal authorities arrest him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If they have the possibility of selling other products that contain zero silica, that would be better, so that people don’t get sick,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Health advocates urged the state to follow Australia's lead, after the country banned artificial stone, popular in the production of kitchen surfaces, to prevent silicosis among stoneworkers.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1765846174,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 28,
"wordCount": 1590
},
"headData": {
"title": "Doctors Petition California to Ban Countertop Material Linked to Deadly Disease | KQED",
"description": "Health advocates urged the state to follow Australia's lead, after the country banned artificial stone, popular in the production of kitchen surfaces, to prevent silicosis among stoneworkers.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Doctors Petition California to Ban Countertop Material Linked to Deadly Disease",
"datePublished": "2025-12-15T13:16:11-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-12-15T16:49:34-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 34551,
"slug": "labor",
"name": "Labor"
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/3e909817-d053-4ac3-aa83-b3b4011c9eee/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12067166",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12067166/health-emergency-california-doctors-urge-ban-of-countertop-material-linked-to-deadly-disease",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A medical association has petitioned California to prohibit the use of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064693/california-doctors-urge-ban-on-engineered-stone-as-silicosis-cases-surge\">popular countertop construction material\u003c/a> linked to an aggressive lung disease disabling and killing stoneworkers. The campaign escalated pressure on the state to follow Australia, which became the first country to ban engineered stone last year after facing a similar health crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California has the U.S.’s strictest regulations to prevent workers from inhaling toxic silica dust — generated by the cutting, polishing and grinding of engineered stone slabs to make kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, fireplace surfaces and other products. Most countertop fabrication shops, however, don’t have the money or capacity to comply with the rules, leaving thousands of stonecutters at risk of contracting silicosis, according to the Western Occupational & Environmental Medical Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The evidence is now clear that engineered stone containing crystalline silica is too toxic to fabricate and install safely, and education and enforcement alone will not be sufficient to curtail the escalating occupational health emergency caused by this product,” WOEMA’s Dec. 12 letter to regulators said. The association represents more than 600 occupational safety physicians and other experts in seven western states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The doctors requested that the state body that adopts new job safety rules to start the process to ban all fabrication and installation tasks on engineered stone containing more than 1% crystalline silica, similar to Australia’s policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, which declined to comment on WOEMA’s letter, has up to six months to review and decide. The proposal is likely to face stiff opposition from manufacturers, distributors and fabricators of engineered stone, also known as quartz or artificial stone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artificial stone represents a growing multibillion-dollar market in the U.S., with increasing demand expected in California due to the rebuilding effort in Los Angeles after the massive fires in January 2025. More than half of the silicosis cases in the state are located in Los Angeles County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033047\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033047\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stone fabricator places his hand on a table that he cut at his home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Laurie Weber, who directs the International Surface Fabricators Association, said Australia’s model is not directly transferable to the U.S. economy, and that more research is needed to understand what would happen if hundreds of small and mid-size fabrication businesses suddenly had to stop working with their primary material.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ISFA does not believe a ban is the answer. The problem is not the material. The problem is employers ignoring the law and a lack of enforcement resources to ensure compliance,” Weber said in a statement. “Before California considers a prohibition that would reshape an entire segment of the construction economy, we respectfully request clarity on how WOEMA determined that engineered stone cannot be fabricated safely — even in shops fully compliant with Cal/OSHA’s existing silica standard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ISFA and others in the industry instead support a licensing program, in which only shops certified to handle artificial stone following regulations have access to it. A \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB20\">recent law\u003c/a> signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that addresses the rise of silicosis through education and enforcement initially included a certification system — but that component was removed from the final draft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 450 silicosis cases have been \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/OHB/Pages/essdashboard.aspx\">confirmed\u003c/a> among stoneworkers in California since 2019, and regulators expect the numbers could rise to between 1,000 and 1,500 within the next decade. Nearly all of those sick are Latino men, many immigrants lacking permanent legal status, who didn’t know about the hazards of working on crystalline silica products. Twenty-five stoneworkers died, and dozens received lung transplants, according to the California Department of Public Health.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12064693",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-01-KQED-1.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As long as this dangerous material remains available and is purchased and used in California, it’s inevitable that people will continue to be exposed and die,” Robert Blink, an occupational medicine doctor in San Francisco and former WOEMA president, told KQED. “There’s always resistance to change. But when you’ve got something this dangerous out there that’s literally killing people … we’ve got to stop this from going up. This is not a time for small measures, frankly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Engineered stone can contain more than 90% crystalline silica, much more than natural stones such as marble. The factory-made material’s popularity has skyrocketed because it is stain-resistant, produced in attractive colors and designs and is often cheaper than natural stones. But many consumers are unaware of the hazards that artificial stone dust poses to the workers who shape and install their countertops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing scientific evidence has shown that the silica dust released by the material is so toxic that small amounts of exposure are enough to make workers sick. The tiny airborne particles can penetrate filter masks and lodge in the lungs, causing progressive scarring and injury in workers, some as young as their 20s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dozens of silicosis cases have also been reported by doctors in Illinois, Utah, Colorado, Massachusetts, as well as other states that are not tracking the disease as systematically as California’s public health authorities. Those figures are widely believed to be underreported. Israel, Spain and other countries have also seen a surge in silicosis tied to engineered stone. Medical experts in the UK are urging authorities to prohibit the use of the material.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>James Nevin, an attorney at Brayton Purcell, a firm that represents hundreds of sick workers suing major manufacturers and distributors of artificial stone, said clients are located in 16 other states, including New York, Nevada, Florida, Kentucky and Hawaii.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033303\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033303\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stone countertop fabricator’s hands are covered in dust at a shop on Oct. 31, 2023, in Sun Valley, California. Inhaling fine particles can contribute to silicosis. \u003ccite>(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California currently bans the dry cutting of engineered stone and mandates the use of wet methods — machines that submerge or cover the material’s surface with water to suppress dust. Employers are also required to implement local exhaust ventilation, ensure employees wear powered air-purifying respirators and take other measures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Cal/OSHA inspectors have found most of the 120 shops they’ve visited in the last two years were violating the rules, which fabricators and doctors consider too expensive and challenging for many employers to follow. California has about 4,600 countertop fabrication workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Major manufacturers, such as Israel-based Caesarstone, did not immediately return requests for comment on the California ban proposal, but publicly opposed a prohibition in Australia. A spokesperson for Cosentino, a company headquartered in Spain, also declined to comment, but told KQED last month that silicosis is preventable when proper safety and health measures are in place to protect workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both companies, which face hundreds of lawsuits by workers claiming silica-related injuries in the U.S. and other countries, have developed crystalline silica-free products for the Australian market but continue to sell high-silica engineered stone in the U.S.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12066901",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doctors who’ve followed the issue argue that the safer alternatives have similar qualities, appearance and cost to traditional engineered stone and could be made immediately available in California, without significant economic consequences for fabrication businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Policymakers have publicly expressed dismay at the rising number of silicosis cases in the state, but have not favored a prohibition so far. Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board Chair Joseph Alioto Jr. said that the state should focus its resources on expanding Cal/OSHA enforcement of current silica regulations. Alioto recommended the agency partner with local public health departments and district attorneys to assist with investigations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We currently have a regulation to do stuff. We just need to get out into the field and do it,” said Alioto, an attorney in San Francisco, during a Nov. 20 meeting. “We just need boots on the ground to police this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s office declined to comment on his stance on a ban on artificial stone, referring questions to the Public Health Department. An agency spokesperson said that they are tracking the silicosis situation closely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lopez, a 43-year-old former stonecutter who was diagnosed with silicosis last year, said he believes removing hazardous artificial stone from fabrication shops could save lives. The once-active father of four is now confined to his East Bay home, waiting for a double lung transplant, unable to work and reliant on an oxygen supply machine to breathe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I’d known about the seriousness of this disease from the beginning, I wouldn’t have worked in this field, in the stone industry, because I wouldn’t have wanted to get sick like I am now,” said Lopez, an immigrant who lacks permanent legal status, who cut countertops in California for decades. KQED is withholding his full name because he fears losing medical care if federal authorities arrest him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If they have the possibility of selling other products that contain zero silica, that would be better, so that people don’t get sick,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12067166/health-emergency-california-doctors-urge-ban-of-countertop-material-linked-to-deadly-disease",
"authors": [
"8659"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_457",
"news_34551",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_1386",
"news_18538",
"news_18543",
"news_19904",
"news_36127",
"news_19960",
"news_38",
"news_32943",
"news_36128",
"news_23007",
"news_35754",
"news_23063"
],
"featImg": "news_12067172",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12066741": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12066741",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12066741",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1765555252000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "a-morale-bomb-national-park-workers-face-wage-cuts-and-dubiously-legal-review-system",
"title": "‘A Morale Bomb’: National Park Workers Face Wage Cuts and 'Dubiously Legal' Review System",
"publishDate": 1765555252,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "‘A Morale Bomb’: National Park Workers Face Wage Cuts and ‘Dubiously Legal’ Review System | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>As National Park Service leaders grapple with\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12054083/yosemite-sequoia-and-kings-canyon-workers-unionize-amid-fears-of-further-firings\"> reduced staffing\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065920/trump-orders-dei-out-of-national-park-bookstores\">restrictive, ideological policies\u003c/a>, maintenance workers at Yosemite National Park are now also facing a pay cut in 2026 that could reduce hourly wages by as much as $3.50 for some positions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s after the National Park Service told its staff that pay for newly hired or promoted employees will now be based on rates for the Fresno area, instead of Stockton, as they have been \u003ca href=\"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/05/13/E9-11193/prevailing-rate-systems-redefinition-of-the-fresno-and-stockton-ca-appropriated-fund-federal-wage\">for the last 16 years\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The National Federation of Federal Employees’ Local 465, which represents NPS employees at five national parks, including Yosemite, put out a press release this week saying workers were told of the wage change in late November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The move comes as park service leaders nationwide say they’re being told to make changes to employee reviews and performance ratings that they worry could influence future potential layoffs they fear are coming in the near future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former national park employee Elizabeth Villano, a spokesperson for advocacy group Resistance Rangers, called the changes to the review process a “morale bomb” for workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re going to continue to push out qualified, passionate civil servants from their job,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060933\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12060933 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A National Park Service employee at Yosemite National Park, California, on March 1, 2025. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Any wage-grade employee, like maintenance workers for park facilities and trails, hired, promoted or changing positions as of Jan. 1, 2026, will have their pay changed — “a reduction,” the NFFE release said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One NPS employee who is also a NFFE union representative called the change a “slap in the face” for the hundreds of employees affected, many of whom commute one or even two hours into work and face steep costs of living in and around the Yosemite area. KQED has agreed not to publish the names of employees because they fear retribution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>National parks are still suffering from a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npca.org/articles/9551-staffing-crisis-at-national-parks-reaches-breaking-point-new-data-shows-24\">24% reduction\u003c/a> in their workforce. While the Department of the Interior has technically \u003ca href=\"https://www.doi.gov/document-library/human-resources-policy/memo-2025-lifting-may-2-2025-personnel-actions-freeze\">lifted\u003c/a> its hiring freeze, the NFFE is continuing to raise concerns about the Trump administration’s ongoing \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency-cost-efficiency-initiative/\">policies\u003c/a> promoting government efficiency, which have instructed parks to reduce their workforces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The loss in pay and the pressure to fill gaps will likely result in added stress to the Yosemite [wage-grade] workers, lower retention, fewer opportunities for workers to detail into different positions to gain career experience, and slower overall park operations,” the release states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, a spokesperson for the Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, said that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management “created new locality areas for the Federal Wage System effective October 1,” which meant that “most wage system employees will see a pay increase under the new structure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A small number of locations, including Yosemite, will see a decrease based on the updated OPM tables,” said the DOI spokesperson. “We are coordinating with the Office of Human Capital to understand the impacts and to identify options that may help affected employees.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Regarding reviews within the parks system, the DOI said that “There is no percentage cap on [Employee Performance Appraisal Plan] ratings,” and that “consistent with OPM’s government-wide performance management guidance, we are working to normalize ratings across the agency. The goal of this effort is to ensure fair, consistent performance evaluations across all of our parks and programs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Reviews an ‘insult to injury’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Currently underway at parks nationwide is a wider discussion about employee performance plans, whose drafting and implementation have been delayed all year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to several national park employees from across the country, NPS leadership has instructed them to abide by a new “quota” or “cap” on high performance ratings — currently issued on a one-to-five scale. Under the revised system, the employees say they’ve been told, only around 30% of employees appear to be allowed to get high ratings. Different parks have been given different numbers over the past week, Villano said, only adding to the confusion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970738\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970738\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/GettyImages-1846156476-scaled-e1759449061670.jpg\" alt=\"state parks\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A welcome sign is seen at the Yosemite National Park on Dec. 13, 2023. \u003ccite>(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The NPS employees say this mandate has essentially forced park leaders to artificially deflate their employees’ performance reviews — a move Villano said is akin to “asking employees and supervisors to lie.” She also called the action “dubiously legal” and potentially in violation of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-430/subpart-B/section-430.208\">federal code\u003c/a> that outlines how performance ratings must occur.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s them taking a dagger into the backs of everyone who’s been working overtime, crushing themselves just to keep the parks open, safe, accessible and the resources protected,” Villano said. “It feels like an insult to injury.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Park superintendents, she said, were “told explicitly that the management of their park, no matter how above and beyond they were going, was a three, except for if they were managing more than one park, then they could maybe get a four,” Villano said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One park superintendent, who also asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation or firing, said by the time they got the new instructions, they had already sent out their initial performance reviews. Now, they’re being told to rescind and resubmit them because they didn’t conform to the new requirements, they said.[aside postID=news_12065920 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251027-YosemiteShutdown-51-BL_qed.jpg']“Employees across the parks know what they would have gotten and are now going to get something different,” the superintendent said. “All of the park superintendents are having to carry the liability for this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also concerning is the potential “self-fulfilling prophecy” of giving mid-tier grades to most employees, said Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If they know ahead of time that they’re gonna be rated as average … over time, that’s exactly what they’re gonna get,” Wade said. “It defies all good sense of leadership.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Villano said while there is no denying that the park service’s normal system of performance reviews is flawed, these changes have not been thought out or systematic, and she’s worried that low scores could be used to justify future layoffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/11/agency-layoff-rules-get-overhaul-under-nearly-finalized-trump-administration-proposal/409706/\">report \u003c/a>from \u003cem>Government Executive\u003c/em>, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management is set to propose new formulas for federal layoffs that would base decisions on the weighted sum of their three most recent performance ratings — rather than their time of service at the agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the ethical and legal questions, the anonymous NPS employee and NFFE union representative said the Yosemite wage and performance review changes create a major morale issue for current workers, and are likely to deter prospective ones, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can’t tell you how many people are looking for jobs actively outside the park,” they said. “It’s just not a winning deal right now to come work for the National Park Service, and that’s a sad thing to say about one of our most beloved institutions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066876\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066876\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251028-YosemiteShutdown-123-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251028-YosemiteShutdown-123-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251028-YosemiteShutdown-123-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251028-YosemiteShutdown-123-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A park ranger holds a map at the entrance to Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Oct. 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Wade agreed, saying that even with the hiring freeze now lifted, the loss of a quarter of permanent positions at the NPS since January 2025 – in addition to reduced numbers of applicants to federal jobs and continued restrictions on hiring – he’s most worried about a coming “experience gap” at parks, and what that would mean for the future of these treasured landmarks..\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People are being asked to do more with less,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to the changes, Villano said park leaders and employees are organizing — the most coordination she’s seen since the February 2025 mass layoffs dubbed the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/national-parks/2025/02/25/national-park-service-layoffs-what-to-know/80234977007/\">Valentine’s Day massacre\u003c/a>.” She said some have even planned to unilaterally give out the same exact score to everyone so as not to deflate some and not others’ reviews.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They took it a step too far this time by asking by asking us to turn on each other and tell each other that we’re doing bad work when day in and day out we know how deeply untrue that is,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Resistance Rangers, she said, is offering information and resources on how to respond, including instructions to help supervisors and employees create a paper trail of how their ratings may be changing and what options they may have, including refusing to sign new performance reviews.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My message to rangers right now is that even just showing up to work when every single day you’re being told that your work doesn’t matter, and the agency you work for is slowly disintegrating around you — that in and of itself is heroic,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is a community of rangers who are fighting together to make sure that your work doesn’t go unappreciated and unrewarded.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Wage cuts announced for Yosemite National Park employees come as reported new performance metrics raise ethical alarms for National Park Service leaders and employees.\r\n",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1765565063,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 34,
"wordCount": 1594
},
"headData": {
"title": "‘A Morale Bomb’: National Park Workers Face Wage Cuts and 'Dubiously Legal' Review System | KQED",
"description": "Wage cuts announced for Yosemite National Park employees come as reported new performance metrics raise ethical alarms for National Park Service leaders and employees.\r\n",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "‘A Morale Bomb’: National Park Workers Face Wage Cuts and 'Dubiously Legal' Review System",
"datePublished": "2025-12-12T08:00:52-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-12-12T10:44:23-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 34551,
"slug": "labor",
"name": "Labor"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12066741",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12066741/a-morale-bomb-national-park-workers-face-wage-cuts-and-dubiously-legal-review-system",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As National Park Service leaders grapple with\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12054083/yosemite-sequoia-and-kings-canyon-workers-unionize-amid-fears-of-further-firings\"> reduced staffing\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065920/trump-orders-dei-out-of-national-park-bookstores\">restrictive, ideological policies\u003c/a>, maintenance workers at Yosemite National Park are now also facing a pay cut in 2026 that could reduce hourly wages by as much as $3.50 for some positions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s after the National Park Service told its staff that pay for newly hired or promoted employees will now be based on rates for the Fresno area, instead of Stockton, as they have been \u003ca href=\"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/05/13/E9-11193/prevailing-rate-systems-redefinition-of-the-fresno-and-stockton-ca-appropriated-fund-federal-wage\">for the last 16 years\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The National Federation of Federal Employees’ Local 465, which represents NPS employees at five national parks, including Yosemite, put out a press release this week saying workers were told of the wage change in late November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The move comes as park service leaders nationwide say they’re being told to make changes to employee reviews and performance ratings that they worry could influence future potential layoffs they fear are coming in the near future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former national park employee Elizabeth Villano, a spokesperson for advocacy group Resistance Rangers, called the changes to the review process a “morale bomb” for workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re going to continue to push out qualified, passionate civil servants from their job,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060933\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12060933 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A National Park Service employee at Yosemite National Park, California, on March 1, 2025. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Any wage-grade employee, like maintenance workers for park facilities and trails, hired, promoted or changing positions as of Jan. 1, 2026, will have their pay changed — “a reduction,” the NFFE release said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One NPS employee who is also a NFFE union representative called the change a “slap in the face” for the hundreds of employees affected, many of whom commute one or even two hours into work and face steep costs of living in and around the Yosemite area. KQED has agreed not to publish the names of employees because they fear retribution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>National parks are still suffering from a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npca.org/articles/9551-staffing-crisis-at-national-parks-reaches-breaking-point-new-data-shows-24\">24% reduction\u003c/a> in their workforce. While the Department of the Interior has technically \u003ca href=\"https://www.doi.gov/document-library/human-resources-policy/memo-2025-lifting-may-2-2025-personnel-actions-freeze\">lifted\u003c/a> its hiring freeze, the NFFE is continuing to raise concerns about the Trump administration’s ongoing \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency-cost-efficiency-initiative/\">policies\u003c/a> promoting government efficiency, which have instructed parks to reduce their workforces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The loss in pay and the pressure to fill gaps will likely result in added stress to the Yosemite [wage-grade] workers, lower retention, fewer opportunities for workers to detail into different positions to gain career experience, and slower overall park operations,” the release states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, a spokesperson for the Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, said that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management “created new locality areas for the Federal Wage System effective October 1,” which meant that “most wage system employees will see a pay increase under the new structure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A small number of locations, including Yosemite, will see a decrease based on the updated OPM tables,” said the DOI spokesperson. “We are coordinating with the Office of Human Capital to understand the impacts and to identify options that may help affected employees.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Regarding reviews within the parks system, the DOI said that “There is no percentage cap on [Employee Performance Appraisal Plan] ratings,” and that “consistent with OPM’s government-wide performance management guidance, we are working to normalize ratings across the agency. The goal of this effort is to ensure fair, consistent performance evaluations across all of our parks and programs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Reviews an ‘insult to injury’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Currently underway at parks nationwide is a wider discussion about employee performance plans, whose drafting and implementation have been delayed all year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to several national park employees from across the country, NPS leadership has instructed them to abide by a new “quota” or “cap” on high performance ratings — currently issued on a one-to-five scale. Under the revised system, the employees say they’ve been told, only around 30% of employees appear to be allowed to get high ratings. Different parks have been given different numbers over the past week, Villano said, only adding to the confusion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970738\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970738\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/GettyImages-1846156476-scaled-e1759449061670.jpg\" alt=\"state parks\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A welcome sign is seen at the Yosemite National Park on Dec. 13, 2023. \u003ccite>(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The NPS employees say this mandate has essentially forced park leaders to artificially deflate their employees’ performance reviews — a move Villano said is akin to “asking employees and supervisors to lie.” She also called the action “dubiously legal” and potentially in violation of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-430/subpart-B/section-430.208\">federal code\u003c/a> that outlines how performance ratings must occur.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s them taking a dagger into the backs of everyone who’s been working overtime, crushing themselves just to keep the parks open, safe, accessible and the resources protected,” Villano said. “It feels like an insult to injury.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Park superintendents, she said, were “told explicitly that the management of their park, no matter how above and beyond they were going, was a three, except for if they were managing more than one park, then they could maybe get a four,” Villano said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One park superintendent, who also asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation or firing, said by the time they got the new instructions, they had already sent out their initial performance reviews. Now, they’re being told to rescind and resubmit them because they didn’t conform to the new requirements, they said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12065920",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251027-YosemiteShutdown-51-BL_qed.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Employees across the parks know what they would have gotten and are now going to get something different,” the superintendent said. “All of the park superintendents are having to carry the liability for this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also concerning is the potential “self-fulfilling prophecy” of giving mid-tier grades to most employees, said Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If they know ahead of time that they’re gonna be rated as average … over time, that’s exactly what they’re gonna get,” Wade said. “It defies all good sense of leadership.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Villano said while there is no denying that the park service’s normal system of performance reviews is flawed, these changes have not been thought out or systematic, and she’s worried that low scores could be used to justify future layoffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/11/agency-layoff-rules-get-overhaul-under-nearly-finalized-trump-administration-proposal/409706/\">report \u003c/a>from \u003cem>Government Executive\u003c/em>, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management is set to propose new formulas for federal layoffs that would base decisions on the weighted sum of their three most recent performance ratings — rather than their time of service at the agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the ethical and legal questions, the anonymous NPS employee and NFFE union representative said the Yosemite wage and performance review changes create a major morale issue for current workers, and are likely to deter prospective ones, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can’t tell you how many people are looking for jobs actively outside the park,” they said. “It’s just not a winning deal right now to come work for the National Park Service, and that’s a sad thing to say about one of our most beloved institutions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066876\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066876\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251028-YosemiteShutdown-123-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251028-YosemiteShutdown-123-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251028-YosemiteShutdown-123-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251028-YosemiteShutdown-123-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A park ranger holds a map at the entrance to Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Oct. 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Wade agreed, saying that even with the hiring freeze now lifted, the loss of a quarter of permanent positions at the NPS since January 2025 – in addition to reduced numbers of applicants to federal jobs and continued restrictions on hiring – he’s most worried about a coming “experience gap” at parks, and what that would mean for the future of these treasured landmarks..\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People are being asked to do more with less,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to the changes, Villano said park leaders and employees are organizing — the most coordination she’s seen since the February 2025 mass layoffs dubbed the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/national-parks/2025/02/25/national-park-service-layoffs-what-to-know/80234977007/\">Valentine’s Day massacre\u003c/a>.” She said some have even planned to unilaterally give out the same exact score to everyone so as not to deflate some and not others’ reviews.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They took it a step too far this time by asking by asking us to turn on each other and tell each other that we’re doing bad work when day in and day out we know how deeply untrue that is,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Resistance Rangers, she said, is offering information and resources on how to respond, including instructions to help supervisors and employees create a paper trail of how their ratings may be changing and what options they may have, including refusing to sign new performance reviews.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My message to rangers right now is that even just showing up to work when every single day you’re being told that your work doesn’t matter, and the agency you work for is slowly disintegrating around you — that in and of itself is heroic,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is a community of rangers who are fighting together to make sure that your work doesn’t go unappreciated and unrewarded.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12066741/a-morale-bomb-national-park-workers-face-wage-cuts-and-dubiously-legal-review-system",
"authors": [
"11956"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_34551",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_32707",
"news_24345",
"news_1323",
"news_35888",
"news_27626",
"news_35063",
"news_19904",
"news_17898",
"news_35725",
"news_2905"
],
"featImg": "news_12062218",
"label": "news"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026PresidentialReducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/news?category=labor": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 132,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 447,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"news_12069984",
"news_12069959",
"news_12069714",
"news_12069414",
"news_12068599",
"news_12068383",
"news_12068027",
"news_12067547",
"news_12067557",
"news_12067247",
"news_12067166",
"news_12066741"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news_category_labor": {
"isLoading": true
},
"news_34551": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34551",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34551",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Labor",
"slug": "labor",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": "We examine worker safety, workplace regulation, employment trends and union organizing.",
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Labor | KQED News",
"description": "We examine worker safety, workplace regulation, employment trends and union organizing.",
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34568,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/labor"
},
"news_8": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_8",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "8",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 8,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/news"
},
"news_13": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_13",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "13",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Politics",
"slug": "politics",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Politics | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 13,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/politics"
},
"news_20910": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20910",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20910",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Eric Swalwell",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Eric Swalwell Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20927,
"slug": "eric-swalwell",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/eric-swalwell"
},
"news_27626": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_27626",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "27626",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-news Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 27643,
"slug": "featured-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/featured-news"
},
"news_34377": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34377",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34377",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "featured-politics",
"slug": "featured-politics",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "featured-politics Archives | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34394,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/featured-politics"
},
"news_16": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_16",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "16",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Gavin Newsom",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Gavin Newsom Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16,
"slug": "gavin-newsom",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/gavin-newsom"
},
"news_24206": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_24206",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "24206",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Katie Porter",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Katie Porter Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 24223,
"slug": "katie-porter",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/katie-porter"
},
"news_19904": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_19904",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "19904",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Labor",
"slug": "labor",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Labor | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 19921,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/labor"
},
"news_20482": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20482",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20482",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "labor unions",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "labor unions Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20499,
"slug": "labor-unions",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/labor-unions"
},
"news_17968": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17968",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17968",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Politics",
"slug": "politics",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Politics | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 18002,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/politics"
},
"news_3674": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3674",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3674",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Rob Bonta",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Rob Bonta Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3692,
"slug": "rob-bonta",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/rob-bonta"
},
"news_35821": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35821",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35821",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Steve Hilton",
"slug": "steve-hilton",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Steve Hilton | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35838,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/steve-hilton"
},
"news_20378": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20378",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20378",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Xavier Becerra",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Xavier Becerra Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20395,
"slug": "xavier-becerra",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/xavier-becerra"
},
"news_33734": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33734",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33734",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Local Politics",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Local Politics Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33751,
"slug": "local-politics",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/local-politics"
},
"news_33733": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33733",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33733",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33750,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/news"
},
"news_31795": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_31795",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "31795",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31812,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/california"
},
"news_1386": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1386",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1386",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Bay Area",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Bay Area Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1398,
"slug": "bay-area",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/bay-area"
},
"news_6179": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6179",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6179",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "california delta",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "california delta Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6203,
"slug": "california-delta",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-delta"
},
"news_33689": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33689",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33689",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "california forever",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "california forever Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33706,
"slug": "california-forever",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-forever"
},
"news_21130": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_21130",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "21130",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Coast Guard",
"slug": "coast-guard",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Coast Guard | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "noindex"
},
"ttid": 21147,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/coast-guard"
},
"news_1323": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1323",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1323",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Donald Trump",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Donald Trump Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1335,
"slug": "donald-trump",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/donald-trump"
},
"news_23938": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_23938",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "23938",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Solano County",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Solano County Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 23955,
"slug": "solano-county",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/solano-county"
},
"news_33738": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33738",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33738",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33755,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/california"
},
"news_457": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_457",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "457",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16998,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/health"
},
"news_6145": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6145",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6145",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Cal-OSHA",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Cal-OSHA Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6169,
"slug": "cal-osha",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/cal-osha"
},
"news_18538": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18538",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18538",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california"
},
"news_18543": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18543",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18543",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 466,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/health"
},
"news_35825": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35825",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35825",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "immigrant workers",
"slug": "immigrant-workers",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "immigrant workers | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35842,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigrant-workers"
},
"news_36127": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36127",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36127",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "lung disease",
"slug": "lung-disease",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "lung disease | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36144,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/lung-disease"
},
"news_19960": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_19960",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "19960",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "public health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "public health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 19977,
"slug": "public-health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/public-health"
},
"news_22456": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_22456",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "22456",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "public safety",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "public safety Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 22473,
"slug": "public-safety",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/public-safety"
},
"news_36128": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36128",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36128",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "stoneworkers",
"slug": "stoneworkers",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "stoneworkers | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36145,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/stoneworkers"
},
"news_35754": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35754",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35754",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "workplace protections",
"slug": "workplace-protections",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "workplace protections | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35771,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/workplace-protections"
},
"news_23063": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_23063",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "23063",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "workplace safety",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "workplace safety Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 23080,
"slug": "workplace-safety",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/workplace-safety"
},
"news_33747": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33747",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33747",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33764,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/health"
},
"news_24590": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_24590",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "24590",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "labor strikes",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "labor strikes Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 24607,
"slug": "labor-strikes",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/labor-strikes"
},
"news_34167": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34167",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34167",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Criminal Justice",
"slug": "criminal-justice",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Criminal Justice Archives | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34184,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/criminal-justice"
},
"news_28250": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_28250",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "28250",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Local",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Local Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 28267,
"slug": "local",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/local"
},
"news_17626": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17626",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17626",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "crime",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "crime Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17660,
"slug": "crime",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/crime"
},
"news_35118": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35118",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35118",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "health care",
"slug": "health-care",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "health care | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35135,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/health-care"
},
"news_24939": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_24939",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "24939",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "health care workers",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "health care workers Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 24956,
"slug": "health-care-workers",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/health-care-workers"
},
"news_18659": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18659",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18659",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "hospitals",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "hospitals Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18676,
"slug": "hospitals",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/hospitals"
},
"news_35994": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35994",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35994",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "mental health care",
"slug": "mental-health-care",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "mental health care | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36011,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/mental-health-care"
},
"news_38": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_38",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "38",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 58,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/san-francisco"
},
"news_20220": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20220",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20220",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco General Hospital",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco General Hospital Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20237,
"slug": "san-francisco-general-hospital",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/san-francisco-general-hospital"
},
"news_30212": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_30212",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "30212",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "social services",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "social services Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30229,
"slug": "social-services",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/social-services"
},
"news_23007": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_23007",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "23007",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "worker safety",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "worker safety Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 23024,
"slug": "worker-safety",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/worker-safety"
},
"news_33729": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33729",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33729",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33746,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/san-francisco"
},
"news_260": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_260",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "260",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Alameda County",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Alameda County Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 268,
"slug": "alameda-county",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/alameda-county"
},
"news_1169": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1169",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1169",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Immigration Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1180,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/immigration"
},
"news_36248": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36248",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36248",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "immigrant drivers",
"slug": "immigrant-drivers",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "immigrant drivers | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36265,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigrant-drivers"
},
"news_17708": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17708",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17708",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "immigrants",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "immigrants Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17742,
"slug": "immigrants",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigrants"
},
"news_20202": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20202",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20202",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "immigration Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20219,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigration"
},
"news_33748": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33748",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33748",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Immigration Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33765,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/immigration"
},
"news_18540": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18540",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18540",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Education Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2595,
"slug": "education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/education"
},
"news_3854": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3854",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3854",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "budget cuts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "budget cuts Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3873,
"slug": "budget-cuts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/budget-cuts"
},
"news_20013": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20013",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20013",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "education Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20030,
"slug": "education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/education"
},
"news_34054": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34054",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34054",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "oakland",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "oakland Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 34071,
"slug": "oakland",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/oakland"
},
"news_4281": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4281",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4281",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland School Board",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland School Board Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4300,
"slug": "oakland-school-board",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/oakland-school-board"
},
"news_3202": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3202",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3202",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland schools",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland schools Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3220,
"slug": "oakland-schools",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/oakland-schools"
},
"news_24851": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_24851",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "24851",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland teachers",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland teachers Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 24868,
"slug": "oakland-teachers",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/oakland-teachers"
},
"news_1826": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1826",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1826",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland Unified School District",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland Unified School District Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1841,
"slug": "oakland-unified-school-district",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/oakland-unified-school-district"
},
"news_3366": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3366",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3366",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "OUSD",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "OUSD Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3384,
"slug": "ousd",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/ousd"
},
"news_33746": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33746",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33746",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Education Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33763,
"slug": "education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/education"
},
"news_33730": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33730",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33730",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33747,
"slug": "oakland",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/oakland"
},
"news_35346": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35346",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35346",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Drivers License",
"slug": "drivers-license",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Drivers License | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35363,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/drivers-license"
},
"news_17940": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17940",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17940",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Drivers' Licenses",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Drivers' Licenses Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17974,
"slug": "drivers-licenses",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/drivers-licenses"
},
"news_20579": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20579",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20579",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "immigrant rights",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "immigrant rights Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20596,
"slug": "immigrant-rights",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigrant-rights"
},
"news_35347": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35347",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35347",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Licenses",
"slug": "licenses",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Licenses | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35364,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/licenses"
},
"news_804": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_804",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "804",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Livermore",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Livermore Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 814,
"slug": "livermore",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/livermore"
},
"news_20242": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20242",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20242",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Sikh",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Sikh Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20259,
"slug": "sikh",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/sikh"
},
"news_20056": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20056",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20056",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Sikh Community",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Sikh Community Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20073,
"slug": "sikh-community",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/sikh-community"
},
"news_20517": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20517",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20517",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "transportation",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "transportation Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20534,
"slug": "transportation",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/transportation"
},
"news_30812": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_30812",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "30812",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "san francisco teachers",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "san francisco teachers Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30829,
"slug": "san-francisco-teachers",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/san-francisco-teachers"
},
"news_33375": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33375",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33375",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "san francisco teachers' union",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "san francisco teachers' union Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33392,
"slug": "san-francisco-teachers-union",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/san-francisco-teachers-union"
},
"news_3946": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3946",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3946",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco Unified School District",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Unified School District Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3965,
"slug": "san-francisco-unified-school-district",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/san-francisco-unified-school-district"
},
"news_1290": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1290",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1290",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "SFUSD",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "SFUSD Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1302,
"slug": "sfusd",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/sfusd"
},
"news_2044": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2044",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2044",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "teachers",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "teachers Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2059,
"slug": "teachers",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/teachers"
},
"news_30789": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_30789",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "30789",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "United Educators of San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "United Educators of San Francisco Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30806,
"slug": "united-educators-of-san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/united-educators-of-san-francisco"
},
"news_32943": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_32943",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "32943",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "silicosis",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "silicosis Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 32960,
"slug": "silicosis",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/silicosis"
},
"news_32707": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_32707",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "32707",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "audience-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "audience-news Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 32724,
"slug": "audience-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/audience-news"
},
"news_24345": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_24345",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "24345",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California State Parks",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California State Parks Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 24362,
"slug": "california-state-parks",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-state-parks"
},
"news_35888": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35888",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35888",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "featured-audience-news",
"slug": "featured-audience-news",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "featured-audience-news | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35905,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/featured-audience-news"
},
"news_35063": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35063",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35063",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "federal funding",
"slug": "federal-funding",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "federal funding | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35080,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/federal-funding"
},
"news_17898": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17898",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17898",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "National Park Service",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "National Park Service Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17932,
"slug": "national-park-service",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/national-park-service"
},
"news_35725": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35725",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35725",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "National Parks Service",
"slug": "national-parks-service",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "National Parks Service | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35742,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/national-parks-service"
},
"news_2905": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2905",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2905",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "parks",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "parks Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2923,
"slug": "parks",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/parks"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
},
"requestOutcomesReducer": {
"notFound": []
},
"navPromosReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": true,
"promos": {
"news": {
"name": "2026 Voter Guide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"imageURL": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Nav-News-Nov2026ElectionCoverage@2x-7bd4aad4.png",
"description": "Get informed in minutes with our Voter Guide for California’s November 3 election."
},
"podcasts-radio": {},
"video-tv": {},
"events": {},
"support": {}
}
}
}