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_12103287": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12103287",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12103287",
"found": true
},
"title": "coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1",
"publishDate": 1791381573,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12103286,
"modified": 1791381612,
"caption": "Dustin Drury and Angela Inferrera serve hand-batched cold brew and avocado toast on homemade sourdough at Cold Brew Coffee Crew, their residential coffee shop in Hollywood.",
"credit": "Photo by Betsy Shepherd/KCRW",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1-2000x1500.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1500,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1-2000x1500.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1500,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 120,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1-1536x1152.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1152,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1-2048x1536.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"height": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1-2000x1500.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1500,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/coffee-shop-6ac65024686d1-scaled.jpg",
"width": 2560,
"height": 1920
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101124": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101124",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101124",
"found": true
},
"title": "091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01",
"publishDate": 1790183395,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101122,
"modified": 1790183422,
"caption": "Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, exits the room after speaking during a news conference at the Spring Street Courthouse, formerly the United States Court House, in Los Angeles on Aug. 13, 2026. ",
"credit": "Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-160x107.jpeg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-1536x1024.jpeg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-672x372.jpeg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-1038x576.jpeg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-1200x675.jpeg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01-600x600.jpeg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091726-Bill-Essayli-AP-CM-01.jpeg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12095610": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12095610",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12095610",
"found": true
},
"title": "081726-SFUSDFirstDay-33-MC_qed",
"publishDate": 1786997799,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1786997834,
"caption": "Leo Pham leads the way to his classroom after Jose Ortega Elementary School’s first morning circle of the school year on August 17, 2026, in San Francisco.",
"credit": "Miles Cull/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-33-MC_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-33-MC_qed-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-33-MC_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-33-MC_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-33-MC_qed-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-33-MC_qed-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-33-MC_qed.jpg",
"width": 1998,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12095031": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12095031",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12095031",
"found": true
},
"title": "260812-FamilyRehab-01",
"publishDate": 1786570007,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1787263850,
"caption": "Jasmine smiles at her toddler, Angel, on the Via Avanta playground on June 17, 2026. ",
"credit": "Courtesy of Emmanuel Luissi",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-01-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-01-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-01-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-01-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-01-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-01-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-01.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12095350": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12095350",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12095350",
"found": true
},
"title": "tidepools",
"publishDate": 1786728635,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12095307,
"modified": 1786728688,
"caption": "Marine biologist Greg Rouse, standing, and chemist Steve Taylor collect seawater and sand from La Jolla tide pools.",
"credit": "Lucas Brady Woods/LAist",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/tidepools-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 120,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/tidepools-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/tidepools-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/tidepools-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/tidepools-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/tidepools.jpg",
"width": 1344,
"height": 1008
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12093775": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12093775",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12093775",
"found": true
},
"title": "260803_BackyardParty-KQED_1",
"publishDate": 1785797504,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1786655442,
"caption": "Afrobeat-influenced band Persona Non Grata rocks the back porch of a newly rebuilt home in West Altadena.",
"credit": "Steven Cuevas",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_1-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 120,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_1-1536x1152.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1152,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_1-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_1-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1500
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12094699": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12094699",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12094699",
"found": true
},
"title": "oil-drilling-6a7b272ca23d8",
"publishDate": 1786455889,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12094698,
"modified": 1786455935,
"caption": "Catalina and Genaro Ventura sit on their porch, with dog Yogi, in Jefferson Park. They've lived near the Murphy oil drilling site for more than 25 years.",
"credit": "Erin Stone/LAist",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/oil-drilling-6a7b272ca23d8-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/oil-drilling-6a7b272ca23d8-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/oil-drilling-6a7b272ca23d8-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/oil-drilling-6a7b272ca23d8-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/oil-drilling-6a7b272ca23d8-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/oil-drilling-6a7b272ca23d8.jpg",
"width": 1344,
"height": 896
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12054070": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12054070",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12054070",
"found": true
},
"title": "240109-CAWindStorm-075_qed (1)",
"publishDate": 1756405036,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12053867,
"modified": 1756405053,
"caption": "The remains of a house in Altadena, California, after the Eaton Fire swept through the area northeast of Los Angeles, California, on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-075_qed-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-075_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-075_qed-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-075_qed-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-075_qed-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12093545": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12093545",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12093545",
"found": true
},
"title": "260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-17_qed",
"publishDate": 1785538482,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785538502,
"caption": "Customers flock to the new Randy’s Donuts location in Santa Clara during a grand opening event on July 31, 2026.",
"credit": "Joseph Geha/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-17_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-17_qed-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-17_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-17_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-17_qed-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-17_qed-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-17_qed.jpg",
"width": 1999,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12093213": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12093213",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12093213",
"found": true
},
"title": "Valley Fever, or coccidioidomycosis, spreads as the climate warms",
"publishDate": 1785419719,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12093212,
"modified": 1785419760,
"caption": "SHAFTER, CA - September 21:\nErik McIntyre, who was disabled by coccidioidomycosis, poses for a portrait at the Golden Living Center in Shafter, CA on September 21, 2023. \nValley Fever, or coccidioidomycosis, is a fungus that develops below the undisturbed surface of soils in hot, dry areas in the western United States. The fungus, when inhaled in dust, can cause longterm and sometimes severe health issues. If the fungus disseminates beyond the lungs, it can cause cocci meningitis, resulting in paralysis and neurological issues. As the climate warms and becomes drier, the fungus, which can also infect animals, could spread to new areas of the country. ",
"credit": "Photo by Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-1771552836-2000x1336.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1336,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-1771552836-2000x1336.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1336,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-1771552836-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-1771552836-1536x1026.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1026,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-1771552836-2048x1368.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"height": 1368,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-1771552836-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-1771552836-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-1771552836-2000x1336.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1336,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-1771552836-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-1771552836-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-1771552836-scaled.jpg",
"width": 2560,
"height": 1710
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12092682": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12092682",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12092682",
"found": true
},
"title": "KVPR Avenal",
"publishDate": 1785161454,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12092676,
"modified": 1785161492,
"caption": "Signage at the entrance to the City of Avenal in Kings County. ",
"credit": "Israel Cardona Hernandez/KVPR",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/KVPR-Avenal-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 120,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/KVPR-Avenal-1536x1152.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1152,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/KVPR-Avenal-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/KVPR-Avenal-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/KVPR-Avenal-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/KVPR-Avenal-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/KVPR-Avenal.jpg",
"width": 1760,
"height": 1320
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12090269": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12090269",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12090269",
"found": true
},
"title": "VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden",
"publishDate": 1783547504,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1783551197,
"caption": "Master violinist Vijay Gupta entered Juilliard at age 7. The son of strict, disciplinarian Bengali immigrant parents, Vijay appeared on Oprah a few years later. At 19, he joined the L.A. Phil, yet he was desperately unhappy. He also began volunteering on L.A.’s Skid Row, and founded the acclaimed Street Symphony.",
"credit": "Image courtesy of Kat Bawden",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_news_12101122": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12101122",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12101122",
"name": "Nick Gerda, LAist",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12096390": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12096390",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12096390",
"name": "Carolyn Jones, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12096008": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12096008",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12096008",
"name": "Clare Wiley",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12094974": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12094974",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12094974",
"name": "Steven Cuevas",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12093430": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12093430",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12093430",
"name": "Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"scuevas": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "2600",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "2600",
"found": true
},
"name": "Steven Cuevas",
"firstName": "Steven",
"lastName": "Cuevas",
"slug": "scuevas",
"email": "scuevas@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Steven is a former Los Angeles bureau chief for The California Report.\r\n\r\nHe reports on an array of issues across the Southland, from immigration and regional politics to religion, the performing arts and pop culture.\r\n\r\nPrior to joining KQED in 2012, Steven covered Inland southern California for KPCC in Pasadena. He also helped establish the first newsroom at \u003ca href=\"http://kut.org/\">KUT\u003c/a> in Austin, Texas where he was a general assignment reporter.\r\n\r\nSteven has received numerous awards for his reporting including an RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting in addition to awards from the LA Press Club, the Associated Press and the Society for Professional Journalists.\r\n\r\nSteven grew up in and around San Francisco and now lives in Pasadena just a short jog from the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2d253580794f8e026100fae05cfabbbd4889b4fe15146146cacb82a01974c538?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Steven Cuevas | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2d253580794f8e026100fae05cfabbbd4889b4fe15146146cacb82a01974c538?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2d253580794f8e026100fae05cfabbbd4889b4fe15146146cacb82a01974c538?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/scuevas"
},
"kmizuguchi": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11739",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11739",
"found": true
},
"name": "Keith Mizuguchi",
"firstName": "Keith",
"lastName": "Mizuguchi",
"slug": "kmizuguchi",
"email": "kmizuguchi@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/64d8a7de0723d4099b9fe4e915136103febcc20809abce228ee4415bcb237023?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Keith Mizuguchi | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/64d8a7de0723d4099b9fe4e915136103febcc20809abce228ee4415bcb237023?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/64d8a7de0723d4099b9fe4e915136103febcc20809abce228ee4415bcb237023?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/kmizuguchi"
},
"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"
},
"skennedy": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11935",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11935",
"found": true
},
"name": "Samantha Kennedy",
"firstName": "Samantha",
"lastName": "Kennedy",
"slug": "skennedy",
"email": "SKennedy@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/adc7b14bf1e801793202a156ecc864d4ad505b0fd63162a2f3da0e5ba57222d0?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Samantha Kennedy | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/adc7b14bf1e801793202a156ecc864d4ad505b0fd63162a2f3da0e5ba57222d0?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/adc7b14bf1e801793202a156ecc864d4ad505b0fd63162a2f3da0e5ba57222d0?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/skennedy"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"news_tag_los-angeles": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4",
"score": 8.559324
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "los angeles",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "los angeles Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4,
"slug": "los-angeles",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "los angeles",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "news",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 1
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/news?tag=los-angeles",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 1
}
},
{
"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_12103286": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12103286",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12103286",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1791401336000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "la-homes-turn-into-new-artisanal-coffee-spots",
"title": "LA Homes Turn Into New Artisanal Coffee Spots",
"publishDate": 1791401336,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "LA Homes Turn Into New Artisanal Coffee Spots | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, October 7, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>In Los Angeles, a new crop of cafes is taking the artisanal coffee experience to the next level. People are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcrw.com/shows/kcrw-reports/stories/l-a-s-backyard-coffeehouses-are-all-the-buzz\">turning their homes into coffee speakeasies\u003c/a>, serving specialty brews out of their kitchens and backyards. Despite – and perhaps because of their low-profile, these DIY businesses are all the buzz. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Researchers are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103289/keep-teens-off-chatgpt-says-youth-ai-safety-institute\">calling on OpenAI to keep kids under 18 off of ChatGPT\u003c/a> — at least for now. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A state agency has found that Los Angeles Unified School District \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-high-risk-insolvency-state-education-finance-agency\">risks running out of money\u003c/a> by the end of next school year. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Californians will vote on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103136/why-opponents-of-prop-43-say-it-would-cripple-local-funding\">Proposition 43\u003c/a> this November. That measure would make it harder to impose or increase local taxes.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcrw.com/shows/kcrw-reports/stories/l-a-s-backyard-coffeehouses-are-all-the-buzz\">L.A.’s backyard coffeehouses are all the buzz\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Los Angeles has over a hundred specialty coffee shops, but a new crop of cafés are taking the artisanal coffee experience to the next level. All across the county, people are turning their homes into coffee speakeasies, serving specialty brews out of their kitchens and backyards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A county program that gives out licenses to micro-enterprise food and beverage businesses has led to a quadrupling of the spots since the beginning of the year. The program prohibits outdoor signage, so customers led by Instagram and word-of-mouth are lining up at the secret locations for a private-garden experience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Echo Park neighborhood sits Loto Coffee. There are about a dozen people sitting in a terraced cactus garden – reading, sipping, chatting – as homeowner Julian Scharman pulls and pours espresso shots. “The focus here is excellent Mexican coffees,” Scharman said. “My mom is from Japan so there’s a lot of Japanese touches here that you’ll see . The handmade ceramics that I made myself that I serve all the coffee in, little Japanese sweets.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The personal touch is one of the hallmarks of these backyard cafes. Across town in Hollywood, Cold Brew Coffee Crew serves hand-batched iced coffee and homemade bread under a big avocado tree. Dustin Drury and Angela Infrarera run their cafe out of a leafy bungalow court that used to house actors in Western movies. “The most expensive thing is what? RENT! Well, we already pay rent for our bungalow so we were like what kind of businesses can we run out of our house?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The allure of these private spaces has a lot to do with how Los Angeles is laid out, says cultural critic David Ulin. “The history of Los Angeles has really been a history of a kind of private space city. There was a domestic quality to cultural life here,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now, Ulin says, the city is becoming more integrated, with public transportation, vertical development and with these residential spaces turning into community hubs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103289/keep-teens-off-chatgpt-says-youth-ai-safety-institute\">Keep teens off ChatGPT, says Youth AI Safety Institute \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Common Sense Media’s Youth AI Safety Institute has rated ChatGPT for Teens as an \u003ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://institute.commonsensemedia.org/risk-assessments/chatgpt-teens\">“Unacceptable Risk” for everyone under 18\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/openai\">OpenAI\u003c/a> launched the teen version in August, promising “\u003ca href=\"https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-for-teens/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stronger built-in safety protections\u003c/a>,” including alerts to parents when a teen discusses self-harm, a study mode parents can switch on, and a chatbot less likely to act like a friend. “If our system estimates someone is under 18 or they state their age is between 13 and 17, they are automatically placed into ChatGPT for Teens,” the announcement said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The institute tested the product before and after the launch, running more than 4,000 prompts on accounts registered to 13- to 17-year-olds. Child psychiatrists and a pediatrician reviewed the responses. “We were actually hoping and expecting to see big improvements across the board based on that announcement,” said Tom Siegel, the institute’s executive director and a former Google trust and safety executive. “It didn’t, unfortunately, work out that way at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report’s central finding concerns safety notifications. Testers linked more than a dozen new teen accounts to parent accounts, then spent up to an hour describing suicidal thoughts, self-harm or disordered eating. The parents received no alerts. The only two notifications the testers got came from older accounts with weeks of conversation history on sensitive topics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OpenAI pushed back on that finding. According to an editorial note added to the report, OpenAI told the researchers parent and teen accounts must be linked for about three hours before notifications can be sent, and the company has updated its help center to reflect this. The help center now says it “may take up to a few hours” after linking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-high-risk-insolvency-state-education-finance-agency\">LAUSD at high risk of insolvency, state education finance agency finds\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s school finance watchdog agency has found the Los Angeles Unified School District is at high risk of financial insolvency.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Financial Crisis and Management Assistance Team presented its analysis at Tuesday’s school board meeting. “FCMAT’s role is not to determine which programs the district should preserve, which reductions it should make or what agreements it should reach with the labor [unions],” Jennifer Noga, an intervention specialist with the agency, told the board. “That is 100% a local decision. Our goal is to help identify the fiscal risk and help the district understand what needs to be addressed to restore fiscal stability.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The agency’s analysis of LAUSD is based on a series of questions the agency has identified as risk factors for insolvency. The analysis found that LAUSD’s deficit spending, declining enrollment and increasing costs of employee salaries and special education put the district at risk of exhausting its reserves \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28722537-fcmat-lausd-fiscal-health-risk-analysis-report-2026-boe-presentation/#document/p9/a2830958\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>by the end of next school year\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. It also \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28722537-fcmat-lausd-fiscal-health-risk-analysis-report-2026-boe-presentation/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>found LAUSD is at a “moderate” risk\u003c/u>\u003c/a> of insolvency, but ultimately received a “high” rating because \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/los-angeles-unified-schoool-district-insolvency-letter-lacoe-july-2026\">\u003cu>a previous evaluation\u003c/u>\u003c/a> by the Los Angeles County Office of Education automatically triggered a more severe label. (That LACOE evaluation is also what triggered the state evaluation in the first place.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>United Teachers Los Angeles, the union that represents LAUSD educators, said \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28725205-utla-response-lausd-fcmat-report-2026/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in a memo to the board\u003c/a> and in public comments that FCMAT’s analysis penalized the district for paying teachers more and overstated financial risk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The district has a \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-board-budget-fiscal-stabilization-plan-2026-2027-school-year\">plan to cut spending\u003c/a>, which includes eliminating thousands of jobs and funding for high-needs schools. The district must also bargain with employee unions before implementing furlough days planned for the 2027-28 school year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-43\">An explainer on Proposition 43\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proposition 43 on the November ballot would raise the requirement for increasing special taxes placed on the ballot by citizens. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Currently, special taxes proposed by cities, counties or special districts need that supermajority approval, but as a result of a 2017 California Supreme Court ruling, special taxes proposed by voters require only a majority vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The initiative is supported by business groups and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Meanwhile, unions and the California League of Cities say Prop. 43 would cripple their ability to raise critical revenue at a time when the federal government is slashing funding to state and local governments. \u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, October 7, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, October 7, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/list",
"attrs": {
"items": [
"In Los Angeles, a new crop of cafes is taking the artisanal coffee experience to the next level. People are turning their homes into coffee speakeasies, serving specialty brews out of their kitchens and backyards. Despite – and perhaps because of their low-profile, these DIY businesses are all the buzz. ",
"Researchers are calling on OpenAI to keep kids under 18 off of ChatGPT — at least for now. ",
"A state agency has found that Los Angeles Unified School District risks running out of money by the end of next school year. ",
"Californians will vote on Proposition 43 this November. That measure would make it harder to impose or increase local taxes."
],
"ordered": false,
"values": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003c/ul>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\u003c/ul>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>In Los Angeles, a new crop of cafes is taking the artisanal coffee experience to the next level. People are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcrw.com/shows/kcrw-reports/stories/l-a-s-backyard-coffeehouses-are-all-the-buzz\">turning their homes into coffee speakeasies\u003c/a>, serving specialty brews out of their kitchens and backyards. Despite – and perhaps because of their low-profile, these DIY businesses are all the buzz. \u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>In Los Angeles, a new crop of cafes is taking the artisanal coffee experience to the next level. People are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcrw.com/shows/kcrw-reports/stories/l-a-s-backyard-coffeehouses-are-all-the-buzz\">turning their homes into coffee speakeasies\u003c/a>, serving specialty brews out of their kitchens and backyards. Despite – and perhaps because of their low-profile, these DIY businesses are all the buzz. \u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Researchers are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103289/keep-teens-off-chatgpt-says-youth-ai-safety-institute\">calling on OpenAI to keep kids under 18 off of ChatGPT\u003c/a> — at least for now. \u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Researchers are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103289/keep-teens-off-chatgpt-says-youth-ai-safety-institute\">calling on OpenAI to keep kids under 18 off of ChatGPT\u003c/a> — at least for now. \u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>A state agency has found that Los Angeles Unified School District \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-high-risk-insolvency-state-education-finance-agency\">risks running out of money\u003c/a> by the end of next school year. \u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>A state agency has found that Los Angeles Unified School District \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-high-risk-insolvency-state-education-finance-agency\">risks running out of money\u003c/a> by the end of next school year. \u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Californians will vote on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103136/why-opponents-of-prop-43-say-it-would-cripple-local-funding\">Proposition 43\u003c/a> this November. That measure would make it harder to impose or increase local taxes.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Californians will vote on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103136/why-opponents-of-prop-43-say-it-would-cripple-local-funding\">Proposition 43\u003c/a> this November. That measure would make it harder to impose or increase local taxes.\u003c/li>\n"
]
}
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "L.A.’s backyard coffeehouses are all the buzz",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcrw.com/shows/kcrw-reports/stories/l-a-s-backyard-coffeehouses-are-all-the-buzz\">L.A.’s backyard coffeehouses are all the buzz\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcrw.com/shows/kcrw-reports/stories/l-a-s-backyard-coffeehouses-are-all-the-buzz\">L.A.’s backyard coffeehouses are all the buzz\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Los Angeles has over a hundred specialty coffee shops, but a new crop of cafés are taking the artisanal coffee experience to the next level. All across the county, people are turning their homes into coffee speakeasies, serving specialty brews out of their kitchens and backyards.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Los Angeles has over a hundred specialty coffee shops, but a new crop of cafés are taking the artisanal coffee experience to the next level. All across the county, people are turning their homes into coffee speakeasies, serving specialty brews out of their kitchens and backyards.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A county program that gives out licenses to micro-enterprise food and beverage businesses has led to a quadrupling of the spots since the beginning of the year. The program prohibits outdoor signage, so customers led by Instagram and word-of-mouth are lining up at the secret locations for a private-garden experience.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A county program that gives out licenses to micro-enterprise food and beverage businesses has led to a quadrupling of the spots since the beginning of the year. The program prohibits outdoor signage, so customers led by Instagram and word-of-mouth are lining up at the secret locations for a private-garden experience.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the Echo Park neighborhood sits Loto Coffee. There are about a dozen people sitting in a terraced cactus garden – reading, sipping, chatting – as homeowner Julian Scharman pulls and pours espresso shots. “The focus here is excellent Mexican coffees,” Scharman said. “My mom is from Japan so there’s a lot of Japanese touches here that you’ll see . The handmade ceramics that I made myself that I serve all the coffee in, little Japanese sweets.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In the Echo Park neighborhood sits Loto Coffee. There are about a dozen people sitting in a terraced cactus garden – reading, sipping, chatting – as homeowner Julian Scharman pulls and pours espresso shots. “The focus here is excellent Mexican coffees,” Scharman said. “My mom is from Japan so there’s a lot of Japanese touches here that you’ll see . The handmade ceramics that I made myself that I serve all the coffee in, little Japanese sweets.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The personal touch is one of the hallmarks of these backyard cafes. Across town in Hollywood, Cold Brew Coffee Crew serves hand-batched iced coffee and homemade bread under a big avocado tree. Dustin Drury and Angela Infrarera run their cafe out of a leafy bungalow court that used to house actors in Western movies. “The most expensive thing is what? RENT! Well, we already pay rent for our bungalow so we were like what kind of businesses can we run out of our house?”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The personal touch is one of the hallmarks of these backyard cafes. Across town in Hollywood, Cold Brew Coffee Crew serves hand-batched iced coffee and homemade bread under a big avocado tree. Dustin Drury and Angela Infrarera run their cafe out of a leafy bungalow court that used to house actors in Western movies. “The most expensive thing is what? RENT! Well, we already pay rent for our bungalow so we were like what kind of businesses can we run out of our house?”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The allure of these private spaces has a lot to do with how Los Angeles is laid out, says cultural critic David Ulin. “The history of Los Angeles has really been a history of a kind of private space city. There was a domestic quality to cultural life here,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The allure of these private spaces has a lot to do with how Los Angeles is laid out, says cultural critic David Ulin. “The history of Los Angeles has really been a history of a kind of private space city. There was a domestic quality to cultural life here,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now, Ulin says, the city is becoming more integrated, with public transportation, vertical development and with these residential spaces turning into community hubs.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Now, Ulin says, the city is becoming more integrated, with public transportation, vertical development and with these residential spaces turning into community hubs.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Keep teens off ChatGPT, says Youth AI Safety Institute ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103289/keep-teens-off-chatgpt-says-youth-ai-safety-institute\">Keep teens off ChatGPT, says Youth AI Safety Institute \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103289/keep-teens-off-chatgpt-says-youth-ai-safety-institute\">Keep teens off ChatGPT, says Youth AI Safety Institute \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Common Sense Media’s Youth AI Safety Institute has rated ChatGPT for Teens as an \u003ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://institute.commonsensemedia.org/risk-assessments/chatgpt-teens\">“Unacceptable Risk” for everyone under 18\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Common Sense Media’s Youth AI Safety Institute has rated ChatGPT for Teens as an \u003ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://institute.commonsensemedia.org/risk-assessments/chatgpt-teens\">“Unacceptable Risk” for everyone under 18\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/openai\">OpenAI\u003c/a> launched the teen version in August, promising “\u003ca href=\"https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-for-teens/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stronger built-in safety protections\u003c/a>,” including alerts to parents when a teen discusses self-harm, a study mode parents can switch on, and a chatbot less likely to act like a friend. “If our system estimates someone is under 18 or they state their age is between 13 and 17, they are automatically placed into ChatGPT for Teens,” the announcement said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/openai\">OpenAI\u003c/a> launched the teen version in August, promising “\u003ca href=\"https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-for-teens/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stronger built-in safety protections\u003c/a>,” including alerts to parents when a teen discusses self-harm, a study mode parents can switch on, and a chatbot less likely to act like a friend. “If our system estimates someone is under 18 or they state their age is between 13 and 17, they are automatically placed into ChatGPT for Teens,” the announcement said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The institute tested the product before and after the launch, running more than 4,000 prompts on accounts registered to 13- to 17-year-olds. Child psychiatrists and a pediatrician reviewed the responses. “We were actually hoping and expecting to see big improvements across the board based on that announcement,” said Tom Siegel, the institute’s executive director and a former Google trust and safety executive. “It didn’t, unfortunately, work out that way at all.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The institute tested the product before and after the launch, running more than 4,000 prompts on accounts registered to 13- to 17-year-olds. Child psychiatrists and a pediatrician reviewed the responses. “We were actually hoping and expecting to see big improvements across the board based on that announcement,” said Tom Siegel, the institute’s executive director and a former Google trust and safety executive. “It didn’t, unfortunately, work out that way at all.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report’s central finding concerns safety notifications. Testers linked more than a dozen new teen accounts to parent accounts, then spent up to an hour describing suicidal thoughts, self-harm or disordered eating. The parents received no alerts. The only two notifications the testers got came from older accounts with weeks of conversation history on sensitive topics.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The report’s central finding concerns safety notifications. Testers linked more than a dozen new teen accounts to parent accounts, then spent up to an hour describing suicidal thoughts, self-harm or disordered eating. The parents received no alerts. The only two notifications the testers got came from older accounts with weeks of conversation history on sensitive topics.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>OpenAI pushed back on that finding. According to an editorial note added to the report, OpenAI told the researchers parent and teen accounts must be linked for about three hours before notifications can be sent, and the company has updated its help center to reflect this. The help center now says it “may take up to a few hours” after linking. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>OpenAI pushed back on that finding. According to an editorial note added to the report, OpenAI told the researchers parent and teen accounts must be linked for about three hours before notifications can be sent, and the company has updated its help center to reflect this. The help center now says it “may take up to a few hours” after linking. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "LAUSD at high risk of insolvency, state education finance agency finds",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-high-risk-insolvency-state-education-finance-agency\">LAUSD at high risk of insolvency, state education finance agency finds\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-high-risk-insolvency-state-education-finance-agency\">LAUSD at high risk of insolvency, state education finance agency finds\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s school finance watchdog agency has found the Los Angeles Unified School District is at high risk of financial insolvency.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>California’s school finance watchdog agency has found the Los Angeles Unified School District is at high risk of financial insolvency.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Financial Crisis and Management Assistance Team presented its analysis at Tuesday’s school board meeting. “FCMAT’s role is not to determine which programs the district should preserve, which reductions it should make or what agreements it should reach with the labor [unions],” Jennifer Noga, an intervention specialist with the agency, told the board. “That is 100% a local decision. Our goal is to help identify the fiscal risk and help the district understand what needs to be addressed to restore fiscal stability.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Financial Crisis and Management Assistance Team presented its analysis at Tuesday’s school board meeting. “FCMAT’s role is not to determine which programs the district should preserve, which reductions it should make or what agreements it should reach with the labor [unions],” Jennifer Noga, an intervention specialist with the agency, told the board. “That is 100% a local decision. Our goal is to help identify the fiscal risk and help the district understand what needs to be addressed to restore fiscal stability.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The agency’s analysis of LAUSD is based on a series of questions the agency has identified as risk factors for insolvency. The analysis found that LAUSD’s deficit spending, declining enrollment and increasing costs of employee salaries and special education put the district at risk of exhausting its reserves \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28722537-fcmat-lausd-fiscal-health-risk-analysis-report-2026-boe-presentation/#document/p9/a2830958\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>by the end of next school year\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. It also \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28722537-fcmat-lausd-fiscal-health-risk-analysis-report-2026-boe-presentation/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>found LAUSD is at a “moderate” risk\u003c/u>\u003c/a> of insolvency, but ultimately received a “high” rating because \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/los-angeles-unified-schoool-district-insolvency-letter-lacoe-july-2026\">\u003cu>a previous evaluation\u003c/u>\u003c/a> by the Los Angeles County Office of Education automatically triggered a more severe label. (That LACOE evaluation is also what triggered the state evaluation in the first place.)\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The agency’s analysis of LAUSD is based on a series of questions the agency has identified as risk factors for insolvency. The analysis found that LAUSD’s deficit spending, declining enrollment and increasing costs of employee salaries and special education put the district at risk of exhausting its reserves \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28722537-fcmat-lausd-fiscal-health-risk-analysis-report-2026-boe-presentation/#document/p9/a2830958\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>by the end of next school year\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. It also \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28722537-fcmat-lausd-fiscal-health-risk-analysis-report-2026-boe-presentation/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>found LAUSD is at a “moderate” risk\u003c/u>\u003c/a> of insolvency, but ultimately received a “high” rating because \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/los-angeles-unified-schoool-district-insolvency-letter-lacoe-july-2026\">\u003cu>a previous evaluation\u003c/u>\u003c/a> by the Los Angeles County Office of Education automatically triggered a more severe label. (That LACOE evaluation is also what triggered the state evaluation in the first place.)\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>United Teachers Los Angeles, the union that represents LAUSD educators, said \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28725205-utla-response-lausd-fcmat-report-2026/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in a memo to the board\u003c/a> and in public comments that FCMAT’s analysis penalized the district for paying teachers more and overstated financial risk.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>United Teachers Los Angeles, the union that represents LAUSD educators, said \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28725205-utla-response-lausd-fcmat-report-2026/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in a memo to the board\u003c/a> and in public comments that FCMAT’s analysis penalized the district for paying teachers more and overstated financial risk.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The district has a \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-board-budget-fiscal-stabilization-plan-2026-2027-school-year\">plan to cut spending\u003c/a>, which includes eliminating thousands of jobs and funding for high-needs schools. The district must also bargain with employee unions before implementing furlough days planned for the 2027-28 school year.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The district has a \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-board-budget-fiscal-stabilization-plan-2026-2027-school-year\">plan to cut spending\u003c/a>, which includes eliminating thousands of jobs and funding for high-needs schools. The district must also bargain with employee unions before implementing furlough days planned for the 2027-28 school year.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "An explainer on Proposition 43",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-43\">An explainer on Proposition 43\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-43\">An explainer on Proposition 43\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Proposition 43 on the November ballot would raise the requirement for increasing special taxes placed on the ballot by citizens. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Proposition 43 on the November ballot would raise the requirement for increasing special taxes placed on the ballot by citizens. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Currently, special taxes proposed by cities, counties or special districts need that supermajority approval, but as a result of a 2017 California Supreme Court ruling, special taxes proposed by voters require only a majority vote.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Currently, special taxes proposed by cities, counties or special districts need that supermajority approval, but as a result of a 2017 California Supreme Court ruling, special taxes proposed by voters require only a majority vote.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The initiative is supported by business groups and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Meanwhile, unions and the California League of Cities say Prop. 43 would cripple their ability to raise critical revenue at a time when the federal government is slashing funding to state and local governments. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The initiative is supported by business groups and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Meanwhile, unions and the California League of Cities say Prop. 43 would cripple their ability to raise critical revenue at a time when the federal government is slashing funding to state and local governments. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "A program that makes it easy to sell food and drink from your kitchen has micro-cafés bubbling up.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1791401345,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 20,
"wordCount": 1180
},
"headData": {
"title": "LA Homes Turn Into New Artisanal Coffee Spots | KQED",
"description": "A program that makes it easy to sell food and drink from your kitchen has micro-cafés bubbling up.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "LA Homes Turn Into New Artisanal Coffee Spots",
"datePublished": "2026-10-07T12:28:56-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-10-07T12:29:05-07:00",
"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": 33520,
"slug": "podcast",
"name": "Podcast"
},
"source": "The California Report",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrarchive/",
"audioUrl": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC3034929777.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12103286",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12103286/la-homes-turn-into-new-artisanal-coffee-spots",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, October 7, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>In Los Angeles, a new crop of cafes is taking the artisanal coffee experience to the next level. People are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcrw.com/shows/kcrw-reports/stories/l-a-s-backyard-coffeehouses-are-all-the-buzz\">turning their homes into coffee speakeasies\u003c/a>, serving specialty brews out of their kitchens and backyards. Despite – and perhaps because of their low-profile, these DIY businesses are all the buzz. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Researchers are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103289/keep-teens-off-chatgpt-says-youth-ai-safety-institute\">calling on OpenAI to keep kids under 18 off of ChatGPT\u003c/a> — at least for now. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A state agency has found that Los Angeles Unified School District \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-high-risk-insolvency-state-education-finance-agency\">risks running out of money\u003c/a> by the end of next school year. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Californians will vote on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103136/why-opponents-of-prop-43-say-it-would-cripple-local-funding\">Proposition 43\u003c/a> this November. That measure would make it harder to impose or increase local taxes.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcrw.com/shows/kcrw-reports/stories/l-a-s-backyard-coffeehouses-are-all-the-buzz\">L.A.’s backyard coffeehouses are all the buzz\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Los Angeles has over a hundred specialty coffee shops, but a new crop of cafés are taking the artisanal coffee experience to the next level. All across the county, people are turning their homes into coffee speakeasies, serving specialty brews out of their kitchens and backyards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A county program that gives out licenses to micro-enterprise food and beverage businesses has led to a quadrupling of the spots since the beginning of the year. The program prohibits outdoor signage, so customers led by Instagram and word-of-mouth are lining up at the secret locations for a private-garden experience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Echo Park neighborhood sits Loto Coffee. There are about a dozen people sitting in a terraced cactus garden – reading, sipping, chatting – as homeowner Julian Scharman pulls and pours espresso shots. “The focus here is excellent Mexican coffees,” Scharman said. “My mom is from Japan so there’s a lot of Japanese touches here that you’ll see . The handmade ceramics that I made myself that I serve all the coffee in, little Japanese sweets.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The personal touch is one of the hallmarks of these backyard cafes. Across town in Hollywood, Cold Brew Coffee Crew serves hand-batched iced coffee and homemade bread under a big avocado tree. Dustin Drury and Angela Infrarera run their cafe out of a leafy bungalow court that used to house actors in Western movies. “The most expensive thing is what? RENT! Well, we already pay rent for our bungalow so we were like what kind of businesses can we run out of our house?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The allure of these private spaces has a lot to do with how Los Angeles is laid out, says cultural critic David Ulin. “The history of Los Angeles has really been a history of a kind of private space city. There was a domestic quality to cultural life here,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now, Ulin says, the city is becoming more integrated, with public transportation, vertical development and with these residential spaces turning into community hubs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103289/keep-teens-off-chatgpt-says-youth-ai-safety-institute\">Keep teens off ChatGPT, says Youth AI Safety Institute \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Common Sense Media’s Youth AI Safety Institute has rated ChatGPT for Teens as an \u003ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://institute.commonsensemedia.org/risk-assessments/chatgpt-teens\">“Unacceptable Risk” for everyone under 18\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/openai\">OpenAI\u003c/a> launched the teen version in August, promising “\u003ca href=\"https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-for-teens/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stronger built-in safety protections\u003c/a>,” including alerts to parents when a teen discusses self-harm, a study mode parents can switch on, and a chatbot less likely to act like a friend. “If our system estimates someone is under 18 or they state their age is between 13 and 17, they are automatically placed into ChatGPT for Teens,” the announcement said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The institute tested the product before and after the launch, running more than 4,000 prompts on accounts registered to 13- to 17-year-olds. Child psychiatrists and a pediatrician reviewed the responses. “We were actually hoping and expecting to see big improvements across the board based on that announcement,” said Tom Siegel, the institute’s executive director and a former Google trust and safety executive. “It didn’t, unfortunately, work out that way at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report’s central finding concerns safety notifications. Testers linked more than a dozen new teen accounts to parent accounts, then spent up to an hour describing suicidal thoughts, self-harm or disordered eating. The parents received no alerts. The only two notifications the testers got came from older accounts with weeks of conversation history on sensitive topics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OpenAI pushed back on that finding. According to an editorial note added to the report, OpenAI told the researchers parent and teen accounts must be linked for about three hours before notifications can be sent, and the company has updated its help center to reflect this. The help center now says it “may take up to a few hours” after linking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-high-risk-insolvency-state-education-finance-agency\">LAUSD at high risk of insolvency, state education finance agency finds\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s school finance watchdog agency has found the Los Angeles Unified School District is at high risk of financial insolvency.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Financial Crisis and Management Assistance Team presented its analysis at Tuesday’s school board meeting. “FCMAT’s role is not to determine which programs the district should preserve, which reductions it should make or what agreements it should reach with the labor [unions],” Jennifer Noga, an intervention specialist with the agency, told the board. “That is 100% a local decision. Our goal is to help identify the fiscal risk and help the district understand what needs to be addressed to restore fiscal stability.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The agency’s analysis of LAUSD is based on a series of questions the agency has identified as risk factors for insolvency. The analysis found that LAUSD’s deficit spending, declining enrollment and increasing costs of employee salaries and special education put the district at risk of exhausting its reserves \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28722537-fcmat-lausd-fiscal-health-risk-analysis-report-2026-boe-presentation/#document/p9/a2830958\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>by the end of next school year\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. It also \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28722537-fcmat-lausd-fiscal-health-risk-analysis-report-2026-boe-presentation/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>found LAUSD is at a “moderate” risk\u003c/u>\u003c/a> of insolvency, but ultimately received a “high” rating because \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/los-angeles-unified-schoool-district-insolvency-letter-lacoe-july-2026\">\u003cu>a previous evaluation\u003c/u>\u003c/a> by the Los Angeles County Office of Education automatically triggered a more severe label. (That LACOE evaluation is also what triggered the state evaluation in the first place.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>United Teachers Los Angeles, the union that represents LAUSD educators, said \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28725205-utla-response-lausd-fcmat-report-2026/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in a memo to the board\u003c/a> and in public comments that FCMAT’s analysis penalized the district for paying teachers more and overstated financial risk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The district has a \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-board-budget-fiscal-stabilization-plan-2026-2027-school-year\">plan to cut spending\u003c/a>, which includes eliminating thousands of jobs and funding for high-needs schools. The district must also bargain with employee unions before implementing furlough days planned for the 2027-28 school year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-43\">An explainer on Proposition 43\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proposition 43 on the November ballot would raise the requirement for increasing special taxes placed on the ballot by citizens. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Currently, special taxes proposed by cities, counties or special districts need that supermajority approval, but as a result of a 2017 California Supreme Court ruling, special taxes proposed by voters require only a majority vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The initiative is supported by business groups and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Meanwhile, unions and the California League of Cities say Prop. 43 would cripple their ability to raise critical revenue at a time when the federal government is slashing funding to state and local governments. \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12103286/la-homes-turn-into-new-artisanal-coffee-spots",
"authors": [
"11739"
],
"programs": [
"news_72"
],
"categories": [
"news_33520",
"news_34018"
],
"tags": [
"news_37557",
"news_1759",
"news_32668",
"news_37556",
"news_35581",
"news_37558",
"news_36581",
"news_37560",
"news_4",
"news_33542",
"news_37559",
"news_21998",
"news_21268",
"news_20385"
],
"featImg": "news_12103287",
"label": "source_news_12103286"
},
"news_12101122": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101122",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101122",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790200804000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "1-million-in-homeless-funds-for-a-nightclub-new-la-fraud-cases-allege-bribery-and-theft",
"title": "$1 Million in Homeless Funds for a Nightclub: New LA Fraud Cases Allege Bribery and Theft",
"publishDate": 1790200804,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "$1 Million in Homeless Funds for a Nightclub: New LA Fraud Cases Allege Bribery and Theft | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal and county law enforcement announced charges Wednesday against three people in a widening investigation of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/homelessness\">homelessness\u003c/a> services fraud in the L.A. area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors previously \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/bill-essayli-federal-charges-homelessness-homekey\">\u003cu>charged\u003c/u>\u003c/a> three \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/executive-director-south-la-based-charity-arrested-federal-complaint-alleging-23\">\u003cu>other people\u003c/u>\u003c/a> and said they plan to bring “many more” cases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Wednesday’s announcement at a news conference, authorities alleged a bribery scheme built on “ghost” clients illustrates a yearslong problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nobody was minding the shop,” the region’s top federal prosecutor, Bill Essayli, told reporters in response to a question from LAist. “There’s no vetting. There’s no auditing. There’s no accounting. It was just a rush to push as much money out the door.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are the charges?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Authorities arrested Michael Young — founder of the Culver City nonprofit Home At Last — and accused him of using shell companies and fake bids to misappropriate $12 million in taxpayer funds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The allegations include siphoning $1 million into a high-end nightclub, a nearly $50,000 trip to Tahiti and a $140,000 restoration of a vintage Chevy Impala.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scott Turner, the U.S. secretary for Housing and Urban Development, said Young’s group received more than $118 million in public dollars for homeless housing since 2019 — over $75 million of it through the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064495\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064495\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Secretary of Housing and Urban Development nominee, Scott Turner, testifies during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. \u003ccite>(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The new cases allege about $12 million in misappropriated funds — almost all of it by Young.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bribery charges are against Lakiya Malone, an employee of the nonprofit Special Service for Groups, or SSG, who was responsible for referring homeless people to housing funded by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say Malone took roughly $180,000 in bribes from Alexander Soofer, head of the now-defunct nonprofit Abundant Blessings, and in exchange steered him “ghost” participants — so he could bill for services never rendered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She was supposed to guard the money, and instead she took bribes,” Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, Special Service for Groups said it has been working with federal prosecutors “to ensure that any responsible individuals are held accountable” and has strengthened its “protocols and compliance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Charges against Soofer \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/executive-director-south-la-based-charity-arrested-federal-complaint-alleging-23\">\u003cu>were announced in January\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. Authorities announced Wednesday that he has agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Soofer \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28652149-alex-soofer-plea-agreement/#document/p46/a2829674\">\u003cu>admitted in his plea agreement\u003c/u>\u003c/a> to the alleged bribery scheme.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12085155\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12085155\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Hollywood Courthouse, in Los Angeles, on March 12, 2025. \u003ccite>(Jules Hotz for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to prosecutors, Soofer also admitted to “pocketing at least $2 million in taxpayer money for his own personal enrichment and for businesses unrelated to homeless housing,” and that he has agreed to forfeit the money to the U.S. government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors previously alleged he diverted a much larger amount: at least $10 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/la-homeless-nonprofit-soofer\">\u003cu>An LAist investigation found\u003c/u>\u003c/a> the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority kept awarding millions in contract renewals to Soofer’s group even after the authority’s own compliance team labeled it “high-risk” for, among other things, billing for services while reporting no enrolled participants.[aside postID=news_12096431 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260127-SUPERBOWLHOMELESSNESS-13-BL-KQED.jpg']The third defendant announced Wednesday is Donye Mitchell of the nonprofit Big Blue Umbrella.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mitchell is accused of lying about his experience to land a $1.2 million county-funded grant, receiving $315,000 and using those funds for personal expenses, including bail for a domestic violence arrest and video games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mitchell is “a convicted fraudster, by the way,” Essayli said. He was convicted in 2011 of defrauding California unemployment benefits, according to the criminal complaint in the new case, and was ordered in 2012 to compensate the state $6 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The county funds he’s accused of stealing were awarded by a county vendor in 2024 — well after his fraud conviction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>LAist has left phone messages for Young’s and Malone’s lawyers inviting their response to the charges and will update this article if they provide comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is unknown who is representing Mitchell, whose arrest authorities announced after Wednesday’s news conference.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Prosecutors’ critique\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Essayli and L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman criticized what they called a glaring lack of oversight of massive spending on homeless services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hochman cited \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/audit-homeless-carter-lahsa\">\u003cu>a court-ordered 2025 report\u003c/u>\u003c/a> that found L.A. city officials failed to properly track $2.3 billion in homeless funds, largely by outsourcing to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority — which the review found failed to collect accurate data on its vendors and hold them accountable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11954914\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11954914\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01.jpg\" alt=\"Tents line a paved road near a sidewalk. A bicycle is on its side in front of a gray and navy tent with a blue tarp covering its roof. Scattered belongings and cardboard boxes cover the spaces between each tent. A city bus is seen driving in the background.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The city of Los Angeles relocated a large homeless camp in the Beverly Grove area, next to Beverly Hills, on May 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui/SIPA USA via Reuters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We have not seen the results you would expect for billions of dollars being spent,” Hochman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is the beginning of these prosecutions,” he added. ”Many more” are expected in the coming months, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Nick Gerda as a reporter for CalMatters. Gerda reports on alleged financial corruption for LAist. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/09/la-homeless-services-federal-charges/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Federal and local prosecutors unveil new cases and a guilty plea, while asking: Who was actually watching the books at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority?",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790266652,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 30,
"wordCount": 933
},
"headData": {
"title": "$1 Million in Homeless Funds for a Nightclub: New LA Fraud Cases Allege Bribery and Theft | KQED",
"description": "Federal and local prosecutors unveil new cases and a guilty plea, while asking: Who was actually watching the books at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority?",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "$1 Million in Homeless Funds for a Nightclub: New LA Fraud Cases Allege Bribery and Theft",
"datePublished": "2026-09-23T15:00:04-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-24T09:17:32-07:00",
"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"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Nick Gerda, LAist",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101122",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101122/1-million-in-homeless-funds-for-a-nightclub-new-la-fraud-cases-allege-bribery-and-theft",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal and county law enforcement announced charges Wednesday against three people in a widening investigation of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/homelessness\">homelessness\u003c/a> services fraud in the L.A. area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors previously \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/bill-essayli-federal-charges-homelessness-homekey\">\u003cu>charged\u003c/u>\u003c/a> three \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/executive-director-south-la-based-charity-arrested-federal-complaint-alleging-23\">\u003cu>other people\u003c/u>\u003c/a> and said they plan to bring “many more” cases.\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>In Wednesday’s announcement at a news conference, authorities alleged a bribery scheme built on “ghost” clients illustrates a yearslong problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nobody was minding the shop,” the region’s top federal prosecutor, Bill Essayli, told reporters in response to a question from LAist. “There’s no vetting. There’s no auditing. There’s no accounting. It was just a rush to push as much money out the door.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are the charges?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Authorities arrested Michael Young — founder of the Culver City nonprofit Home At Last — and accused him of using shell companies and fake bids to misappropriate $12 million in taxpayer funds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The allegations include siphoning $1 million into a high-end nightclub, a nearly $50,000 trip to Tahiti and a $140,000 restoration of a vintage Chevy Impala.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scott Turner, the U.S. secretary for Housing and Urban Development, said Young’s group received more than $118 million in public dollars for homeless housing since 2019 — over $75 million of it through the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064495\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064495\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ScottTurnerGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Secretary of Housing and Urban Development nominee, Scott Turner, testifies during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. \u003ccite>(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The new cases allege about $12 million in misappropriated funds — almost all of it by Young.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bribery charges are against Lakiya Malone, an employee of the nonprofit Special Service for Groups, or SSG, who was responsible for referring homeless people to housing funded by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors say Malone took roughly $180,000 in bribes from Alexander Soofer, head of the now-defunct nonprofit Abundant Blessings, and in exchange steered him “ghost” participants — so he could bill for services never rendered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She was supposed to guard the money, and instead she took bribes,” Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, Special Service for Groups said it has been working with federal prosecutors “to ensure that any responsible individuals are held accountable” and has strengthened its “protocols and compliance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Charges against Soofer \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/executive-director-south-la-based-charity-arrested-federal-complaint-alleging-23\">\u003cu>were announced in January\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. Authorities announced Wednesday that he has agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Soofer \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28652149-alex-soofer-plea-agreement/#document/p46/a2829674\">\u003cu>admitted in his plea agreement\u003c/u>\u003c/a> to the alleged bribery scheme.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12085155\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12085155\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/031225-MentalHealth-JAH-CM-11-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Hollywood Courthouse, in Los Angeles, on March 12, 2025. \u003ccite>(Jules Hotz for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to prosecutors, Soofer also admitted to “pocketing at least $2 million in taxpayer money for his own personal enrichment and for businesses unrelated to homeless housing,” and that he has agreed to forfeit the money to the U.S. government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prosecutors previously alleged he diverted a much larger amount: at least $10 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/la-homeless-nonprofit-soofer\">\u003cu>An LAist investigation found\u003c/u>\u003c/a> the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority kept awarding millions in contract renewals to Soofer’s group even after the authority’s own compliance team labeled it “high-risk” for, among other things, billing for services while reporting no enrolled participants.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12096431",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260127-SUPERBOWLHOMELESSNESS-13-BL-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The third defendant announced Wednesday is Donye Mitchell of the nonprofit Big Blue Umbrella.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mitchell is accused of lying about his experience to land a $1.2 million county-funded grant, receiving $315,000 and using those funds for personal expenses, including bail for a domestic violence arrest and video games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mitchell is “a convicted fraudster, by the way,” Essayli said. He was convicted in 2011 of defrauding California unemployment benefits, according to the criminal complaint in the new case, and was ordered in 2012 to compensate the state $6 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The county funds he’s accused of stealing were awarded by a county vendor in 2024 — well after his fraud conviction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>LAist has left phone messages for Young’s and Malone’s lawyers inviting their response to the charges and will update this article if they provide comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is unknown who is representing Mitchell, whose arrest authorities announced after Wednesday’s news conference.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Prosecutors’ critique\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Essayli and L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman criticized what they called a glaring lack of oversight of massive spending on homeless services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hochman cited \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/audit-homeless-carter-lahsa\">\u003cu>a court-ordered 2025 report\u003c/u>\u003c/a> that found L.A. city officials failed to properly track $2.3 billion in homeless funds, largely by outsourcing to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority — which the review found failed to collect accurate data on its vendors and hold them accountable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11954914\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11954914\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01.jpg\" alt=\"Tents line a paved road near a sidewalk. A bicycle is on its side in front of a gray and navy tent with a blue tarp covering its roof. Scattered belongings and cardboard boxes cover the spaces between each tent. A city bus is seen driving in the background.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/CalMattersUnhousedLA01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The city of Los Angeles relocated a large homeless camp in the Beverly Grove area, next to Beverly Hills, on May 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Ted Soqui/SIPA USA via Reuters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We have not seen the results you would expect for billions of dollars being spent,” Hochman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is the beginning of these prosecutions,” he added. ”Many more” are expected in the coming months, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Nick Gerda as a reporter for CalMatters. Gerda reports on alleged financial corruption for LAist. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/09/la-homeless-services-federal-charges/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101122/1-million-in-homeless-funds-for-a-nightclub-new-la-fraud-cases-allege-bribery-and-theft",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12101122"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_6266",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_23052",
"news_4020",
"news_4",
"news_4500"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12101124",
"label": "source_news_12101122"
},
"news_12096390": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12096390",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12096390",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1787418012000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "californians-voted-to-spend-1-billion-on-k-12-arts-why-are-schools-returning-the-money",
"title": "Californians Voted to Spend $1 Billion on K-12 Arts. Why Are Schools Returning the Money?",
"publishDate": 1787418012,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Californians Voted to Spend $1 Billion on K-12 Arts. Why Are Schools Returning the Money? | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years after voters passed an ambitious arts education funding measure, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/education\">California’s K-12 schools\u003c/a> were supposed to be awash in dance, music, theater and fine arts. But some schools are returning their arts money to the state, saying the rules on how to spend it are too vague and they can’t find enough arts teachers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The sad thing is, this means that thousands of kids aren’t getting art,” said Austin Beutner, the former superintendent of Los Angeles Unified who wrote \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/prop28artsandmusicedfunding.asp\">Proposition 28\u003c/a>. “We thought Prop. 28 was clear.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prop. 28, which voters overwhelmingly approved in 2022, sets aside about $1 billion a year for the arts in California public schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12094193\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12094193\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260806_SFUSDNEWSCHOOL_GC-15-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260806_SFUSDNEWSCHOOL_GC-15-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260806_SFUSDNEWSCHOOL_GC-15-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260806_SFUSDNEWSCHOOL_GC-15-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A kindergarten classroom at Mission Bay Elementary School in San Francisco on August 6, 2026. Mission Bay Elementary is the first new public SFUSD school to open in 20 years. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Schools with more low-income students get more money, but otherwise funding is based on enrollment. Los Angeles Unified, with about 400,000 students, got about $72 million last year, while Death Valley Unified, with 21 students, got about $2,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schools must spend at least 80% of their money on additional arts staff, with the rest going to art supplies and other arts expenses. Whatever they don’t spend, they’re required to return to the state after three years. The first three-year period just ended, and the California Department of Education hasn’t yet announced how much money schools returned.[aside postID=news_12094994 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-03-BL-KQED.jpg']The state redistributes the unspent money to individual schools that are using their Prop. 28 money correctly, based on their annual spending reports.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State data \u003ca href=\"https://createca.org/california-arts-education-data-project/\">compiled by Create CA\u003c/a>, an arts nonprofit that supported Prop. 28, shows dozens, if not hundreds of schools that spent no money. Among them are charter schools, small schools, and mid-sized schools in every corner of the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the other end of the spectrum, many districts have gone on spending sprees, hiring teachers and expanding programs at all schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bakersfield City Schools, for example, doubled the size of its folklorico and mariachi dance programs, bought thousands of musical instruments and paired local artists with classroom teachers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Long Beach Unified has also doubled down on the arts. Its high school course catalog offers dozens of arts classes, including classics like marching band and painting as well as more obscure classes like improvisational dance, steel drums, stage technology, chamber orchestra and photography.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Too few teachers, too much confusion\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>But other districts, particularly smaller and rural districts, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/05/arts-education/\">have hit some snags\u003c/a>. Even though the state allows districts to pool their Prop. 28 money to share a teacher, the law doesn’t provide explicit language about it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Regardless, schools say there are not enough art teachers to hire. According to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sri.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/California-Arts-Education-Landscape-2025.pdf\">recent Stanford Research Institute study\u003c/a>, California needs at least 5,000 new arts teachers to meet the demand. Rural areas in general \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/03/rural-schools-california/\">have a harder time\u003c/a> hiring teachers, particularly those with specialized training.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another obstacle is what some school officials describe as vague directions in the law. Prop. 28 broadly defines what constitutes an arts class, but it doesn’t require those classes to align with the state’s existing \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/vp/cf/\">arts framework\u003c/a>. And schools already get arts funding from the state, leaving some school officials wondering if they can mix their funds and still comply with the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12083046\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12083046\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260508-EXPANSIONCONSEQUENCE-TV-05194-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260508-EXPANSIONCONSEQUENCE-TV-05194-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260508-EXPANSIONCONSEQUENCE-TV-05194-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260508-EXPANSIONCONSEQUENCE-TV-05194-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Heather Posner (center), executive director of Carquinez Garden School, does arts and crafts with children in the school yard of Carquinez Garden School in Crockett on May 8, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We need clarity and confidence that we’re doing this the right way,” said El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools Ed Manansala, saying schools are afraid of misusing the funds – for example, sharing a music teacher with another district but not dividing their time lawfully. “We have a long history of supporting the arts and we really want to make sure we do this right.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Manansala and other school officials also say they’re afraid of getting sued if they don’t use the money correctly. That’s what happened to Los Angeles Unified. Beutner sued his former district last year, claiming it cut existing arts funding and backfilled it with Prop. 28 money, which is prohibited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit is pending in Los Angeles Superior Court. The district said that its use of Prop. 28 money was legal.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We should not be fighting over this’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Nonetheless, the confusion led Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/al-muratsuchi-34399\">Al Muratsuchi\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2440\">write a bill\u003c/a> that would clarify some of the Prop. 28 language – for example, defining what constitutes supplemental arts funding. The legislation so far has had nearly unanimous bipartisan support, but one very vocal opponent: Beutner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beutner said that Muratsuchi’s bill, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2440\">Assembly Bill 2440\u003c/a>, essentially guts Prop. 28 by giving schools too much leeway to spend their money. Among his concerns is that districts will not increase arts education at all school sites, but instead cluster it at certain schools or try to pawn off a physical education class, for example, as an arts class.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I believe in the arts, and what it can do for students. Some kids only come to school because of the arts,” Beutner said. “We should not be fighting over this. Prop. 28 is very clear” in that it requires schools to add extra arts programs, not replace existing programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089615\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1777px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089615\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_6623_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1777\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_6623_qed.jpg 1777w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_6623_qed-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_6623_qed-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1777px) 100vw, 1777px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The majority of students enrolled in the transitional kindergarten program at Kingsley Elementary School come from Spanish-speaking families. Teacher Ana Quintanilla helps them learn basic letters and words. \u003ccite>(Ana Tintocalis/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Beutner also described the bill as a “get-out-of-jail-free card” for Los Angeles Unified, because he said it would give the district more freedom in how it spends its Prop. 28 money. District spokesperson Christy Hagen said in an email that the district had nothing to do with the bill and hasn’t taken a position on it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beutner said he’d like to see Muratsuchi’s legislation tabled until a judge rules on his lawsuit against Los Angeles Unified. Otherwise, spending the funding could become even more confusing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill is currently in the suspense file in the Senate appropriations committee, awaiting approval Thursday. If the committee doesn’t agree to hear it, it’ll likely die.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Muratsuchi said he’s open to a last-minute compromise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“(Beutner) and I share the same goal of Prop. 28 providing arts and music to every child in California regardless of zip code,” said Muratsuchi, a Democrat from Torrance. “We want to make sure the law’s language reflects that. Hopefully I convinced him that I mean well and we have the same objective.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Urgent need for clarity\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Clarifying the languageis crucial if the law is going to be successful, said Veronica Alvarez, executive director of Create CA, a nonprofit that promotes arts education in California schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Too many school districts are not spending their Prop. 28 money because they’re confused about the guidelines or can’t comply with what they view as overly narrow requirements, Alvarez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We want clearer statewide rules, so all kids from Shasta to Bakersfield get high-quality arts education,” Alvarez said. “Hopefully we can move forward on this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2026/08/arts-programs-california/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Proposition 28, which voters overwhelmingly approved in 2022, sets aside about $1 billion a year for the arts in California public schools.\r\n\r\n",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1787354969,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 31,
"wordCount": 1309
},
"headData": {
"title": "Californians Voted to Spend $1 Billion on K-12 Arts. Why Are Schools Returning the Money? | KQED",
"description": "Proposition 28, which voters overwhelmingly approved in 2022, sets aside about $1 billion a year for the arts in California public schools.\r\n\r\n",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Californians Voted to Spend $1 Billion on K-12 Arts. Why Are Schools Returning the Money?",
"datePublished": "2026-08-22T10:00:12-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-21T16:29:29-07:00",
"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"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Carolyn Jones, CalMatters",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12096390/californians-voted-to-spend-1-billion-on-k-12-arts-why-are-schools-returning-the-money",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years after voters passed an ambitious arts education funding measure, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/education\">California’s K-12 schools\u003c/a> were supposed to be awash in dance, music, theater and fine arts. But some schools are returning their arts money to the state, saying the rules on how to spend it are too vague and they can’t find enough arts teachers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The sad thing is, this means that thousands of kids aren’t getting art,” said Austin Beutner, the former superintendent of Los Angeles Unified who wrote \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/prop28artsandmusicedfunding.asp\">Proposition 28\u003c/a>. “We thought Prop. 28 was clear.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prop. 28, which voters overwhelmingly approved in 2022, sets aside about $1 billion a year for the arts in California public schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12094193\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12094193\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260806_SFUSDNEWSCHOOL_GC-15-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260806_SFUSDNEWSCHOOL_GC-15-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260806_SFUSDNEWSCHOOL_GC-15-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260806_SFUSDNEWSCHOOL_GC-15-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A kindergarten classroom at Mission Bay Elementary School in San Francisco on August 6, 2026. Mission Bay Elementary is the first new public SFUSD school to open in 20 years. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Schools with more low-income students get more money, but otherwise funding is based on enrollment. Los Angeles Unified, with about 400,000 students, got about $72 million last year, while Death Valley Unified, with 21 students, got about $2,000.\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>Schools must spend at least 80% of their money on additional arts staff, with the rest going to art supplies and other arts expenses. Whatever they don’t spend, they’re required to return to the state after three years. The first three-year period just ended, and the California Department of Education hasn’t yet announced how much money schools returned.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12094994",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-03-BL-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The state redistributes the unspent money to individual schools that are using their Prop. 28 money correctly, based on their annual spending reports.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State data \u003ca href=\"https://createca.org/california-arts-education-data-project/\">compiled by Create CA\u003c/a>, an arts nonprofit that supported Prop. 28, shows dozens, if not hundreds of schools that spent no money. Among them are charter schools, small schools, and mid-sized schools in every corner of the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the other end of the spectrum, many districts have gone on spending sprees, hiring teachers and expanding programs at all schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bakersfield City Schools, for example, doubled the size of its folklorico and mariachi dance programs, bought thousands of musical instruments and paired local artists with classroom teachers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Long Beach Unified has also doubled down on the arts. Its high school course catalog offers dozens of arts classes, including classics like marching band and painting as well as more obscure classes like improvisational dance, steel drums, stage technology, chamber orchestra and photography.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Too few teachers, too much confusion\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>But other districts, particularly smaller and rural districts, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/05/arts-education/\">have hit some snags\u003c/a>. Even though the state allows districts to pool their Prop. 28 money to share a teacher, the law doesn’t provide explicit language about it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Regardless, schools say there are not enough art teachers to hire. According to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sri.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/California-Arts-Education-Landscape-2025.pdf\">recent Stanford Research Institute study\u003c/a>, California needs at least 5,000 new arts teachers to meet the demand. Rural areas in general \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/03/rural-schools-california/\">have a harder time\u003c/a> hiring teachers, particularly those with specialized training.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another obstacle is what some school officials describe as vague directions in the law. Prop. 28 broadly defines what constitutes an arts class, but it doesn’t require those classes to align with the state’s existing \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/vp/cf/\">arts framework\u003c/a>. And schools already get arts funding from the state, leaving some school officials wondering if they can mix their funds and still comply with the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12083046\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12083046\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260508-EXPANSIONCONSEQUENCE-TV-05194-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260508-EXPANSIONCONSEQUENCE-TV-05194-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260508-EXPANSIONCONSEQUENCE-TV-05194-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260508-EXPANSIONCONSEQUENCE-TV-05194-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Heather Posner (center), executive director of Carquinez Garden School, does arts and crafts with children in the school yard of Carquinez Garden School in Crockett on May 8, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We need clarity and confidence that we’re doing this the right way,” said El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools Ed Manansala, saying schools are afraid of misusing the funds – for example, sharing a music teacher with another district but not dividing their time lawfully. “We have a long history of supporting the arts and we really want to make sure we do this right.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Manansala and other school officials also say they’re afraid of getting sued if they don’t use the money correctly. That’s what happened to Los Angeles Unified. Beutner sued his former district last year, claiming it cut existing arts funding and backfilled it with Prop. 28 money, which is prohibited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit is pending in Los Angeles Superior Court. The district said that its use of Prop. 28 money was legal.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We should not be fighting over this’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Nonetheless, the confusion led Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/al-muratsuchi-34399\">Al Muratsuchi\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2440\">write a bill\u003c/a> that would clarify some of the Prop. 28 language – for example, defining what constitutes supplemental arts funding. The legislation so far has had nearly unanimous bipartisan support, but one very vocal opponent: Beutner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beutner said that Muratsuchi’s bill, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2440\">Assembly Bill 2440\u003c/a>, essentially guts Prop. 28 by giving schools too much leeway to spend their money. Among his concerns is that districts will not increase arts education at all school sites, but instead cluster it at certain schools or try to pawn off a physical education class, for example, as an arts class.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I believe in the arts, and what it can do for students. Some kids only come to school because of the arts,” Beutner said. “We should not be fighting over this. Prop. 28 is very clear” in that it requires schools to add extra arts programs, not replace existing programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089615\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1777px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089615\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_6623_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1777\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_6623_qed.jpg 1777w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_6623_qed-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/IMG_6623_qed-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1777px) 100vw, 1777px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The majority of students enrolled in the transitional kindergarten program at Kingsley Elementary School come from Spanish-speaking families. Teacher Ana Quintanilla helps them learn basic letters and words. \u003ccite>(Ana Tintocalis/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Beutner also described the bill as a “get-out-of-jail-free card” for Los Angeles Unified, because he said it would give the district more freedom in how it spends its Prop. 28 money. District spokesperson Christy Hagen said in an email that the district had nothing to do with the bill and hasn’t taken a position on it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beutner said he’d like to see Muratsuchi’s legislation tabled until a judge rules on his lawsuit against Los Angeles Unified. Otherwise, spending the funding could become even more confusing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill is currently in the suspense file in the Senate appropriations committee, awaiting approval Thursday. If the committee doesn’t agree to hear it, it’ll likely die.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Muratsuchi said he’s open to a last-minute compromise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“(Beutner) and I share the same goal of Prop. 28 providing arts and music to every child in California regardless of zip code,” said Muratsuchi, a Democrat from Torrance. “We want to make sure the law’s language reflects that. Hopefully I convinced him that I mean well and we have the same objective.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Urgent need for clarity\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Clarifying the languageis crucial if the law is going to be successful, said Veronica Alvarez, executive director of Create CA, a nonprofit that promotes arts education in California schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Too many school districts are not spending their Prop. 28 money because they’re confused about the guidelines or can’t comply with what they view as overly narrow requirements, Alvarez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We want clearer statewide rules, so all kids from Shasta to Bakersfield get high-quality arts education,” Alvarez said. “Hopefully we can move forward on 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\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2026/08/arts-programs-california/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12096390/californians-voted-to-spend-1-billion-on-k-12-arts-why-are-schools-returning-the-money",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12096390"
],
"categories": [
"news_18540",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_26542",
"news_25612",
"news_33552",
"news_30911",
"news_20013",
"news_35401",
"news_4"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12095610",
"label": "source_news_12096390"
},
"news_12096008": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12096008",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12096008",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1787320800000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "at-this-los-angeles-rehab-moms-in-recovery-live-with-their-children",
"title": "At This Los Angeles Rehab, Moms in Recovery Live With Their Children",
"publishDate": 1787320800,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "At This Los Angeles Rehab, Moms in Recovery Live With Their Children | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>It’s only 10 in the morning at this family rehabilitation center in suburban \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/los-angeles\">Los Angeles\u003c/a>, and Jasmine has already had a long day. She’s trying to put her 14-month-old son, Angel, down for a nap. But he’s teething — and fussy. \u003cbr>\u003cbr>“It’s hard,” said Jasmine, who only gave her first name because her family doesn’t know she’s in treatment. But just a few weeks into her program at Via Avanta in the San Fernando Valley, she feels more equipped to face hard things. “Now I can get through my day without using, and I’m so grateful for that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Treatment centers that allow mothers and children to live together are hard to come by, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35313/2020_NSSATS_FINAL.pdf\">2020 survey\u003c/a>, even though research shows keeping the two together is better for both parent and child. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095273\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Genesis, a resident of Via Avanta, poses with her baby Avielle on June 17, 2026. (Courtesy of Emmanuel Luissi)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Millions of Californians —approximately \u003ca href=\"https://www.chcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SubstanceUseAlmanac2025.pdf\">17% of state residents —\u003c/a> meet the criteria for a substance use disorder. But the diagnosis remains taboo for mothers, and many moms avoid treatment altogether rather than leave their kids behind.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I wanted to quit, but it was hard to admit that I was an addict,” said Jasmine, whose frequent daily drug use kept her awake for days. Her body ached, and she was always exhausted, which made it hard to take care of her baby.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I didn’t like myself because I was using,” she said. “I felt guilt and shame.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Angel was eight months old, Jasmine had a fight with her partner, with whom she had a “toxic” relationship for eight years. “Something clicked in my head, and I said: ‘I don’t want this for my life. I don’t want my son to learn anything from him.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Jasmine finally went to a shelter to get help, she said it was the hardest decision she ever made. But she knew it was “the right thing.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The staff at the shelter connected Jasmine with the team at Via Avanta, where she has lived for four months with her baby while in treatment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today the receptionist told me: ‘Your baby is so happy, it means you’re doing a good job,’” Jasmine said.“That feels so good.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A family rehab, with kids in mind\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Around a third of clients at Via Avanta come on their own, while the courts refer others. The Medi-Cal-funded program is for women only, but not all of them are mothers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Via Avanta enforces a strict daily regimen, women are free to leave if they choose. Cell phones are forbidden. Women get up at 7 a.m. to feed the children, clean their rooms and prepare meals for the day. All the clients help out with childcare, even if they have none of their own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The kids thrive here,” said Jennie Wyatt Coste, the center’s program coordinator and certified substance abuse counselor. “It’s the parents who take a little while to adjust to the structure.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The family rehab is a place where parents can rebuild trust with their children that may have been lost during drug use, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095036\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The playroom at the Didi Hirsch Via Avanta Facility. (Courtesy of Didi Hirsch)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That was my story,” said Wyatt Coste, who was a client in the program almost 40 years ago, before becoming an employee. “I would drop my daughter off at grandma’s and not come back for two or three days.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wyatt Coste married young, and the relationship became abusive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By the time her daughter was four, she was facing six years in prison for selling drugs. Her probation officer told her about Via Avanta.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was terrified, because I didn’t know what to expect,” she said about joining the program for the first time and learning to handle her emotions. “I went through a lot of uncomfortable situations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her 4-year-old daughter at the time had been staying with her grandmother. When she came to live with Wyatt Coste at Via Avanta, she acted out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The honeymoon was over very quickly,” Wyatt Coste said. “She was very mad that I had not been a part of her life.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wyatt Coste learned new parenting tactics, like patience, kindness, and using timeouts instead of spankings. As the months went on, she repaired the bond with her daughter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She had a right to be angry with me,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Day by day, milestone by milestone, Wyatt Coste built up her confidence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I wanted to be a good mother,” she said. “That is what keeps me clean still today.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These days, Wyatt Coste has a great relationship with her kids and granddaughter, who all live together under one roof. “I hope that I’ve broken the cycle,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Life after the program\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After they leave Via Avanta, some women may choose lifelong abstinence, and for others, occasional alcohol or marijuana use is more realistic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Relapse is common, said Jessica Lasater, division director of residential substance use services at Didi Hirsch. And when that happens, moms are always welcomed back. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a home. This is a community of women and staff members that is ready to support their journey, wherever they’re at,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095035\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A bedroom at the Didi Hirsch Via Avanta Facility. (Courtesy of Didi Hirsch)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Genesis, a mother of four from Los Angeles, is at Via Avanta for the third time, after relapsing. While her baby learns to sleep through the night, Genesis attends the center’s group activities and classes on interrupted sleep.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Living here is tough,” she said. “There’s a lot of rules.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Genesis goes through the Narcotic Anonymous steps, she is also learning how to respond to her children’s tantrums with patience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve learned how to be a mother here,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her children’s well-being is what motivates Genesis to stay in recovery: “They’re tired of me relapsing. I want them to know their mom is a fighter and a survivor.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://law-journals-books.vlex.com/vid/women-and-children-in-875444568?utm_\">Research\u003c/a> has shown that family-centered programs like Via Avanta lead to \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10867297/\">better outcomes\u003c/a>, including less addiction severity, less parental stress, and improved behavioral and emotional functioning for children. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/famp.12501\">2019 study\u003c/a> indicated that mothers are more engaged in treatment when their children stay in their care. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But residential programs for moms and kids are still few and far between, in part because stigma prevents mothers from getting treatment, Lasaster said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve seen many women who postpone their treatment for years,” Lasaster said. When she asks the women why they didn’t come sooner, they cite their duties as both homemakers and breadwinners.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095032\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Via Avanta resident Jasmine walks with her toddler, Angel, in the playground at the Southern California facility on June 17, 2026. (Courtesy of Emmanuel Luissi)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of weight on women to carry it all,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Via Avanta currently has 25 women residents —even though they have room for up to 40. Lasater said leaving extended family and committing to a strict, sober daily routine is not for everyone. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Being ready to really shake up that entire system is such a big leap,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jasmine was able to make that radical change, with the goal of enjoying a simple life. When she finishes treatment in September, she looks forward to taking her son to the grocery store and playing at the park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I always thought my purpose in life was something big,” she said. “Now I just think my purpose is to enjoy life — without using.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s only 10 in the morning at this family rehabilitation center in suburban \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/los-angeles\">Los Angeles\u003c/a>, and Jasmine has already had a long day. She’s trying to put her 14-month-old son, Angel, down for a nap. But he’s teething — and fussy. \u003cbr>\u003cbr>“It’s hard,” said Jasmine, who only gave her first name because her family doesn’t know she’s in treatment. But just a few weeks into her program at Via Avanta in the San Fernando Valley, she feels more equipped to face hard things. “Now I can get through my day without using, and I’m so grateful for that.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It’s only 10 in the morning at this family rehabilitation center in suburban \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/los-angeles\">Los Angeles\u003c/a>, and Jasmine has already had a long day. She’s trying to put her 14-month-old son, Angel, down for a nap. But he’s teething — and fussy. \u003cbr>\u003cbr>“It’s hard,” said Jasmine, who only gave her first name because her family doesn’t know she’s in treatment. But just a few weeks into her program at Via Avanta in the San Fernando Valley, she feels more equipped to face hard things. “Now I can get through my day without using, and I’m so grateful for that.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Treatment centers that allow mothers and children to live together are hard to come by, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35313/2020_NSSATS_FINAL.pdf\">2020 survey\u003c/a>, even though research shows keeping the two together is better for both parent and child. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Treatment centers that allow mothers and children to live together are hard to come by, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35313/2020_NSSATS_FINAL.pdf\">2020 survey\u003c/a>, even though research shows keeping the two together is better for both parent and child. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12095273,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of Emmanuel Luissi",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095273\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Genesis, a resident of Via Avanta, poses with her baby Avielle on June 17, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095273\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Genesis, a resident of Via Avanta, poses with her baby Avielle on June 17, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Millions of Californians —approximately \u003ca href=\"https://www.chcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SubstanceUseAlmanac2025.pdf\">17% of state residents —\u003c/a> meet the criteria for a substance use disorder. But the diagnosis remains taboo for mothers, and many moms avoid treatment altogether rather than leave their kids behind.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Millions of Californians —approximately \u003ca href=\"https://www.chcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SubstanceUseAlmanac2025.pdf\">17% of state residents —\u003c/a> meet the criteria for a substance use disorder. But the diagnosis remains taboo for mothers, and many moms avoid treatment altogether rather than leave their kids behind.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I wanted to quit, but it was hard to admit that I was an addict,” said Jasmine, whose frequent daily drug use kept her awake for days. Her body ached, and she was always exhausted, which made it hard to take care of her baby.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I wanted to quit, but it was hard to admit that I was an addict,” said Jasmine, whose frequent daily drug use kept her awake for days. Her body ached, and she was always exhausted, which made it hard to take care of her baby.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I didn’t like myself because I was using,” she said. “I felt guilt and shame.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I didn’t like myself because I was using,” she said. “I felt guilt and shame.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Angel was eight months old, Jasmine had a fight with her partner, with whom she had a “toxic” relationship for eight years. “Something clicked in my head, and I said: ‘I don’t want this for my life. I don’t want my son to learn anything from him.’”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When Angel was eight months old, Jasmine had a fight with her partner, with whom she had a “toxic” relationship for eight years. “Something clicked in my head, and I said: ‘I don’t want this for my life. I don’t want my son to learn anything from him.’”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Jasmine finally went to a shelter to get help, she said it was the hardest decision she ever made. But she knew it was “the right thing.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When Jasmine finally went to a shelter to get help, she said it was the hardest decision she ever made. But she knew it was “the right thing.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The staff at the shelter connected Jasmine with the team at Via Avanta, where she has lived for four months with her baby while in treatment.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The staff at the shelter connected Jasmine with the team at Via Avanta, where she has lived for four months with her baby while in treatment.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Today the receptionist told me: ‘Your baby is so happy, it means you’re doing a good job,’” Jasmine said.“That feels so good.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Today the receptionist told me: ‘Your baby is so happy, it means you’re doing a good job,’” Jasmine said.“That feels so good.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "A family rehab, with kids in mind",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A family rehab, with kids in mind\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A family rehab, with kids in mind\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Around a third of clients at Via Avanta come on their own, while the courts refer others. The Medi-Cal-funded program is for women only, but not all of them are mothers. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Around a third of clients at Via Avanta come on their own, while the courts refer others. The Medi-Cal-funded program is for women only, but not all of them are mothers. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Via Avanta enforces a strict daily regimen, women are free to leave if they choose. Cell phones are forbidden. Women get up at 7 a.m. to feed the children, clean their rooms and prepare meals for the day. All the clients help out with childcare, even if they have none of their own. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>While Via Avanta enforces a strict daily regimen, women are free to leave if they choose. Cell phones are forbidden. Women get up at 7 a.m. to feed the children, clean their rooms and prepare meals for the day. All the clients help out with childcare, even if they have none of their own. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The kids thrive here,” said Jennie Wyatt Coste, the center’s program coordinator and certified substance abuse counselor. “It’s the parents who take a little while to adjust to the structure.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The kids thrive here,” said Jennie Wyatt Coste, the center’s program coordinator and certified substance abuse counselor. “It’s the parents who take a little while to adjust to the structure.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The family rehab is a place where parents can rebuild trust with their children that may have been lost during drug use, she said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The family rehab is a place where parents can rebuild trust with their children that may have been lost during drug use, she said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12095036,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of Didi Hirsch",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095036\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The playroom at the Didi Hirsch Via Avanta Facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095036\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The playroom at the Didi Hirsch Via Avanta Facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That was my story,” said Wyatt Coste, who was a client in the program almost 40 years ago, before becoming an employee. “I would drop my daughter off at grandma’s and not come back for two or three days.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“That was my story,” said Wyatt Coste, who was a client in the program almost 40 years ago, before becoming an employee. “I would drop my daughter off at grandma’s and not come back for two or three days.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wyatt Coste married young, and the relationship became abusive. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Wyatt Coste married young, and the relationship became abusive. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>By the time her daughter was four, she was facing six years in prison for selling drugs. Her probation officer told her about Via Avanta.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>By the time her daughter was four, she was facing six years in prison for selling drugs. Her probation officer told her about Via Avanta.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12095587"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/072526-YouthSports-36-MC-KQED.jpg",
"query": "",
"labelWasCleared": false,
"heroImageAlt": "",
"heroImageLink": "",
"labelLink": "",
"alignment": "right",
"target": "_self",
"manualLinks": [],
"posts": []
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I was terrified, because I didn’t know what to expect,” she said about joining the program for the first time and learning to handle her emotions. “I went through a lot of uncomfortable situations.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I was terrified, because I didn’t know what to expect,” she said about joining the program for the first time and learning to handle her emotions. “I went through a lot of uncomfortable situations.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her 4-year-old daughter at the time had been staying with her grandmother. When she came to live with Wyatt Coste at Via Avanta, she acted out. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Her 4-year-old daughter at the time had been staying with her grandmother. When she came to live with Wyatt Coste at Via Avanta, she acted out. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The honeymoon was over very quickly,” Wyatt Coste said. “She was very mad that I had not been a part of her life.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The honeymoon was over very quickly,” Wyatt Coste said. “She was very mad that I had not been a part of her life.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wyatt Coste learned new parenting tactics, like patience, kindness, and using timeouts instead of spankings. As the months went on, she repaired the bond with her daughter.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Wyatt Coste learned new parenting tactics, like patience, kindness, and using timeouts instead of spankings. As the months went on, she repaired the bond with her daughter.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“She had a right to be angry with me,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“She had a right to be angry with me,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Day by day, milestone by milestone, Wyatt Coste built up her confidence.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Day by day, milestone by milestone, Wyatt Coste built up her confidence.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I wanted to be a good mother,” she said. “That is what keeps me clean still today.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I wanted to be a good mother,” she said. “That is what keeps me clean still today.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These days, Wyatt Coste has a great relationship with her kids and granddaughter, who all live together under one roof. “I hope that I’ve broken the cycle,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>These days, Wyatt Coste has a great relationship with her kids and granddaughter, who all live together under one roof. “I hope that I’ve broken the cycle,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Life after the program",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Life after the program\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Life after the program\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After they leave Via Avanta, some women may choose lifelong abstinence, and for others, occasional alcohol or marijuana use is more realistic.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>After they leave Via Avanta, some women may choose lifelong abstinence, and for others, occasional alcohol or marijuana use is more realistic.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Relapse is common, said Jessica Lasater, division director of residential substance use services at Didi Hirsch. And when that happens, moms are always welcomed back. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Relapse is common, said Jessica Lasater, division director of residential substance use services at Didi Hirsch. And when that happens, moms are always welcomed back. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is a home. This is a community of women and staff members that is ready to support their journey, wherever they’re at,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“This is a home. This is a community of women and staff members that is ready to support their journey, wherever they’re at,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12095035,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of Didi Hirsch",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095035\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A bedroom at the Didi Hirsch Via Avanta Facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095035\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A bedroom at the Didi Hirsch Via Avanta Facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Genesis, a mother of four from Los Angeles, is at Via Avanta for the third time, after relapsing. While her baby learns to sleep through the night, Genesis attends the center’s group activities and classes on interrupted sleep.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Genesis, a mother of four from Los Angeles, is at Via Avanta for the third time, after relapsing. While her baby learns to sleep through the night, Genesis attends the center’s group activities and classes on interrupted sleep.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Living here is tough,” she said. “There’s a lot of rules.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Living here is tough,” she said. “There’s a lot of rules.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Genesis goes through the Narcotic Anonymous steps, she is also learning how to respond to her children’s tantrums with patience. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>While Genesis goes through the Narcotic Anonymous steps, she is also learning how to respond to her children’s tantrums with patience. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve learned how to be a mother here,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I’ve learned how to be a mother here,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her children’s well-being is what motivates Genesis to stay in recovery: “They’re tired of me relapsing. I want them to know their mom is a fighter and a survivor.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Her children’s well-being is what motivates Genesis to stay in recovery: “They’re tired of me relapsing. I want them to know their mom is a fighter and a survivor.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://law-journals-books.vlex.com/vid/women-and-children-in-875444568?utm_\">Research\u003c/a> has shown that family-centered programs like Via Avanta lead to \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10867297/\">better outcomes\u003c/a>, including less addiction severity, less parental stress, and improved behavioral and emotional functioning for children. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://law-journals-books.vlex.com/vid/women-and-children-in-875444568?utm_\">Research\u003c/a> has shown that family-centered programs like Via Avanta lead to \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10867297/\">better outcomes\u003c/a>, including less addiction severity, less parental stress, and improved behavioral and emotional functioning for children. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/famp.12501\">2019 study\u003c/a> indicated that mothers are more engaged in treatment when their children stay in their care. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/famp.12501\">2019 study\u003c/a> indicated that mothers are more engaged in treatment when their children stay in their care. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But residential programs for moms and kids are still few and far between, in part because stigma prevents mothers from getting treatment, Lasaster said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But residential programs for moms and kids are still few and far between, in part because stigma prevents mothers from getting treatment, Lasaster said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve seen many women who postpone their treatment for years,” Lasaster said. When she asks the women why they didn’t come sooner, they cite their duties as both homemakers and breadwinners.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I’ve seen many women who postpone their treatment for years,” Lasaster said. When she asks the women why they didn’t come sooner, they cite their duties as both homemakers and breadwinners.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12095032,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of Emmanuel Luissi",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095032\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Via Avanta resident Jasmine walks with her toddler, Angel, in the playground at the Southern California facility on June 17, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095032\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Via Avanta resident Jasmine walks with her toddler, Angel, in the playground at the Southern California facility on June 17, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of weight on women to carry it all,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of weight on women to carry it all,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Via Avanta currently has 25 women residents —even though they have room for up to 40. Lasater said leaving extended family and committing to a strict, sober daily routine is not for everyone. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Via Avanta currently has 25 women residents —even though they have room for up to 40. Lasater said leaving extended family and committing to a strict, sober daily routine is not for everyone. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Being ready to really shake up that entire system is such a big leap,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Being ready to really shake up that entire system is such a big leap,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jasmine was able to make that radical change, with the goal of enjoying a simple life. When she finishes treatment in September, she looks forward to taking her son to the grocery store and playing at the park. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Jasmine was able to make that radical change, with the goal of enjoying a simple life. When she finishes treatment in September, she looks forward to taking her son to the grocery store and playing at the park. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I always thought my purpose in life was something big,” she said. “Now I just think my purpose is to enjoy life — without using.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I always thought my purpose in life was something big,” she said. “Now I just think my purpose is to enjoy life — without using.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Southern California’s Via Avanta, a rehabilitation center, helps families rebuild their lives.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1787266667,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 43,
"wordCount": 1392
},
"headData": {
"title": "At This Los Angeles Rehab, Moms in Recovery Live With Their Children | KQED",
"description": "Southern California’s Via Avanta, a rehabilitation center, helps families rebuild their lives.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "At This Los Angeles Rehab, Moms in Recovery Live With Their Children",
"datePublished": "2026-08-21T07:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-20T15:57:47-07:00",
"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": 8,
"slug": "news",
"name": "News"
},
"source": "The California Report Magazine",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/californiareportmagazine",
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/f1e34553-1530-420b-a15b-b4aa01677696/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Clare Wiley",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12096008/at-this-los-angeles-rehab-moms-in-recovery-live-with-their-children",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It’s only 10 in the morning at this family rehabilitation center in suburban \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/los-angeles\">Los Angeles\u003c/a>, and Jasmine has already had a long day. She’s trying to put her 14-month-old son, Angel, down for a nap. But he’s teething — and fussy. \u003cbr>\u003cbr>“It’s hard,” said Jasmine, who only gave her first name because her family doesn’t know she’s in treatment. But just a few weeks into her program at Via Avanta in the San Fernando Valley, she feels more equipped to face hard things. “Now I can get through my day without using, and I’m so grateful for that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Treatment centers that allow mothers and children to live together are hard to come by, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35313/2020_NSSATS_FINAL.pdf\">2020 survey\u003c/a>, even though research shows keeping the two together is better for both parent and child. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095273\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-FamilyRehab-06-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Genesis, a resident of Via Avanta, poses with her baby Avielle on June 17, 2026. (Courtesy of Emmanuel Luissi)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Millions of Californians —approximately \u003ca href=\"https://www.chcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SubstanceUseAlmanac2025.pdf\">17% of state residents —\u003c/a> meet the criteria for a substance use disorder. But the diagnosis remains taboo for mothers, and many moms avoid treatment altogether rather than leave their kids behind.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I wanted to quit, but it was hard to admit that I was an addict,” said Jasmine, whose frequent daily drug use kept her awake for days. Her body ached, and she was always exhausted, which made it hard to take care of her baby.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I didn’t like myself because I was using,” she said. “I felt guilt and shame.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\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>When Angel was eight months old, Jasmine had a fight with her partner, with whom she had a “toxic” relationship for eight years. “Something clicked in my head, and I said: ‘I don’t want this for my life. I don’t want my son to learn anything from him.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Jasmine finally went to a shelter to get help, she said it was the hardest decision she ever made. But she knew it was “the right thing.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The staff at the shelter connected Jasmine with the team at Via Avanta, where she has lived for four months with her baby while in treatment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today the receptionist told me: ‘Your baby is so happy, it means you’re doing a good job,’” Jasmine said.“That feels so good.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A family rehab, with kids in mind\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Around a third of clients at Via Avanta come on their own, while the courts refer others. The Medi-Cal-funded program is for women only, but not all of them are mothers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Via Avanta enforces a strict daily regimen, women are free to leave if they choose. Cell phones are forbidden. Women get up at 7 a.m. to feed the children, clean their rooms and prepare meals for the day. All the clients help out with childcare, even if they have none of their own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The kids thrive here,” said Jennie Wyatt Coste, the center’s program coordinator and certified substance abuse counselor. “It’s the parents who take a little while to adjust to the structure.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The family rehab is a place where parents can rebuild trust with their children that may have been lost during drug use, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095036\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-05-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The playroom at the Didi Hirsch Via Avanta Facility. (Courtesy of Didi Hirsch)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That was my story,” said Wyatt Coste, who was a client in the program almost 40 years ago, before becoming an employee. “I would drop my daughter off at grandma’s and not come back for two or three days.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wyatt Coste married young, and the relationship became abusive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By the time her daughter was four, she was facing six years in prison for selling drugs. Her probation officer told her about Via Avanta.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was terrified, because I didn’t know what to expect,” she said about joining the program for the first time and learning to handle her emotions. “I went through a lot of uncomfortable situations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her 4-year-old daughter at the time had been staying with her grandmother. When she came to live with Wyatt Coste at Via Avanta, she acted out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The honeymoon was over very quickly,” Wyatt Coste said. “She was very mad that I had not been a part of her life.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wyatt Coste learned new parenting tactics, like patience, kindness, and using timeouts instead of spankings. As the months went on, she repaired the bond with her daughter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She had a right to be angry with me,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Day by day, milestone by milestone, Wyatt Coste built up her confidence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I wanted to be a good mother,” she said. “That is what keeps me clean still today.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These days, Wyatt Coste has a great relationship with her kids and granddaughter, who all live together under one roof. “I hope that I’ve broken the cycle,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Life after the program\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After they leave Via Avanta, some women may choose lifelong abstinence, and for others, occasional alcohol or marijuana use is more realistic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Relapse is common, said Jessica Lasater, division director of residential substance use services at Didi Hirsch. And when that happens, moms are always welcomed back. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a home. This is a community of women and staff members that is ready to support their journey, wherever they’re at,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095035\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-04-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A bedroom at the Didi Hirsch Via Avanta Facility. (Courtesy of Didi Hirsch)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Genesis, a mother of four from Los Angeles, is at Via Avanta for the third time, after relapsing. While her baby learns to sleep through the night, Genesis attends the center’s group activities and classes on interrupted sleep.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Living here is tough,” she said. “There’s a lot of rules.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Genesis goes through the Narcotic Anonymous steps, she is also learning how to respond to her children’s tantrums with patience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve learned how to be a mother here,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her children’s well-being is what motivates Genesis to stay in recovery: “They’re tired of me relapsing. I want them to know their mom is a fighter and a survivor.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://law-journals-books.vlex.com/vid/women-and-children-in-875444568?utm_\">Research\u003c/a> has shown that family-centered programs like Via Avanta lead to \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10867297/\">better outcomes\u003c/a>, including less addiction severity, less parental stress, and improved behavioral and emotional functioning for children. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/famp.12501\">2019 study\u003c/a> indicated that mothers are more engaged in treatment when their children stay in their care. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But residential programs for moms and kids are still few and far between, in part because stigma prevents mothers from getting treatment, Lasaster said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve seen many women who postpone their treatment for years,” Lasaster said. When she asks the women why they didn’t come sooner, they cite their duties as both homemakers and breadwinners.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095032\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-FamilyRehab-02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Via Avanta resident Jasmine walks with her toddler, Angel, in the playground at the Southern California facility on June 17, 2026. (Courtesy of Emmanuel Luissi)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of weight on women to carry it all,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Via Avanta currently has 25 women residents —even though they have room for up to 40. Lasater said leaving extended family and committing to a strict, sober daily routine is not for everyone. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Being ready to really shake up that entire system is such a big leap,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jasmine was able to make that radical change, with the goal of enjoying a simple life. When she finishes treatment in September, she looks forward to taking her son to the grocery store and playing at the park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\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\u003cp>“I always thought my purpose in life was something big,” she said. “Now I just think my purpose is to enjoy life — without using.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12096008/at-this-los-angeles-rehab-moms-in-recovery-live-with-their-children",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12096008"
],
"programs": [
"news_72",
"news_26731"
],
"categories": [
"news_457",
"news_6266",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_20754",
"news_27626",
"news_18543",
"news_4",
"news_35037",
"news_21312",
"news_20851",
"news_30162"
],
"featImg": "news_12095031",
"label": "source_news_12096008"
},
"news_12095307": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12095307",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12095307",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1786748504000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "scientists-are-building-a-noahs-ark-of-californias-tide-pools",
"title": "Scientists Are Building a 'Noah’s Ark' of California’s Tide Pools",
"publishDate": 1786748504,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Scientists Are Building a ‘Noah’s Ark’ of California’s Tide Pools | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, August 14, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Dinosaur bones and taxidermied animals get most of the attention at the Natural History Museum in LA County. But researchers are excited about \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/california-tide-pools-natural-history-museum-la\">a new collection\u003c/a> that could have big implications for monitoring climate change. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The U.S. Department of Justice says California is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095240/us-doj-finds-unbroken-pattern-of-sexual-abuse-by-california-prison-staff\">failing to protect incarcerated women \u003c/a>from sexual abuse and harassment by prison staff. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A federal judge says she’s leaning toward ruling that federal immigration agents \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/los-angeles-warrantless-immigration-arrests-blocked/\">can not make warrantless arrests\u003c/a> under most circumstances in Los Angeles.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/california-tide-pools-natural-history-museum-la\">Inside the effort to comprehensively document California’s tide pools\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On an overcast morning in July, marine biologist Greg Rouse knelt next to a large tide pool near La Jolla’s Bird Rock. “This place is incredibly diverse in habitats,” Rouse said, scooping a sample of seawater into a plastic bag.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A few miles down the beach, in his seaside lab at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, Rouse separated the sampled water into a petri dish. At first glance it was just water and some floating ocean debris.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But when Rouse slid the petri dish under a microscope, hundreds of nearly-microscopic animals burst into life on a high-resolution monitor: shrimps and snails, pillbug-like isopods, worms of all sorts of different shapes, and at least one bright-orange sea slug. Sampling tide pools like this is fairly routine for Rouse, but lately, it has been part of something bigger. Rouse is leading the first phase of an effort to document California’s intertidal ecosystems. That means logging every organism found in the tidal seawater, sand and rocks from San Diego to the Oregon border over the next two years. “It’s a baseline of what is here right now,” Rouse said. “It’s a shame we didn’t do this 20 or 40 years ago. But in those times, we didn’t really have the DNA technology and the cost efficiency that we have these days.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project, called the California Intertidal Biodiversity DNA Barcode Library project, is ambitious. Nothing of this scale has been attempted in the U.S. It’s being led by a coalition of top research institutions, including Scripps, the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, the California Ocean Protection Council and the Southern California Coastal Research Project. The goal is to create a comprehensive picture of California’s tidal habitats by focusing on the algae and invertebrates that live in them, including their DNA profiles. Scientists say that will let them more effectively track changes in those ecosystems.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The intertidal region is made up of the narrow strip of coastline that alternates between being submerged at high tide and exposed at low tide. It’s habitats are some of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/what-a-persistent-ocean-heatwave-means-for-sea-life-and-a-possible-el-nino-year\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>rising water temperatures\u003c/u>\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/high-tides-rising-sea-levels-long-beach\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>sea levels\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. The two-year project launched with $10 million in state funding earlier this year but kicked into high gear this summer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last month, Rouse led a group of dozens of scientists to the tide pools, where they pulled more than 7,000 samples from the area around Bird Rock. “Anything we could see, we took. But also we took a lot of stuff you can’t see back to the lab and had many people on microscopes finding all the tiny creatures,” Rouse said. “Because most of the diversity is actually too small to see.” Testing is still underway, but so far the samples represent 1,600 species of invertebrates and algae, hundreds of which could be new to science.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095240/us-doj-finds-unbroken-pattern-of-sexual-abuse-by-california-prison-staff\">US DOJ finds ‘unbroken pattern’ of sexual abuse by California prison staff\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">California prison officials\u003c/a> have failed to protect incarcerated women from sexual abuse and harassment by staff for years, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-california-womens-prisons-violate-constitution-failing-protect\">said\u003c/a> in a new report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. The department reviewed 350 allegations of sexual misconduct, interviewed prisoners and looked at body-worn camera footage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report\u003c/a> released Thursday, investigators said they found an “unbroken pattern” of staff sexual assault dating back over 20 years at California’s two women’s prisons. The department concluded that prison officials knew women faced a substantial risk of sexual abuse but failed to adequately protect them. Investigators pointed to gaps in surveillance camera coverage, a lack of confidential reporting options, inadequate investigations and failures to hold staff accountable — systemic problems the DOJ said amount to “deliberate indifference” and violate incarcerated women’s constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. “Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/los-angeles-warrantless-immigration-arrests-blocked/\">Federal judge poised to restrict immigration arrest tactics in Los Angeles raids\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A judge on Thursday indicated that she’s inclined to order federal immigration agents to stop arresting people without warrants in Los Angeles if they haven’t assessed their flight risk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If she grants the order, it would be one of the most significant so far in a wide-ranging lawsuit over the government’s ongoing immigration raids in Southern California. It would force agents to fundamentally change the way they’ve conducted the sweeps at the heart of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since 1946, federal law has allowed immigration officers to arrest someone without a warrant only when they have probable cause both that the person is in the country unlawfully and that they are likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained. Courts have long held that to mean that agents are required to consider the person’s ties to the community, like a person having a job, a home and a family in the community where the arrest occurs. However, in raids in Southern California and across the country, supervisors have told agents to “get out and start grabbing people,” and agents have ambushed people without knowing their immigration history and targeted Latinos at places like car washes and bus stops, court records and body camera footage show. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last month, plaintiffs attorneys in the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/07/immigration-agent-text-messages/\">lawsuit filed with the court\u003c/a> text messages and body cam footage that showed federal agents using racial slurs to identify targets in the Los Angeles raids. They argued the evidence showed immigration agents simply detained people who looked Latino. U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong’s tentative ruling Thursday means agents would need to obtain “individualized, pre-arrest probable cause determinations of flight risk” in the city and the areas surrounding Los Angeles, home to 19 million people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, August 14, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, August 14, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/list",
"attrs": {
"items": [
"Dinosaur bones and taxidermied animals get most of the attention at the Natural History Museum in LA County. But researchers are excited about a new collection that could have big implications for monitoring climate change. ",
"The U.S. Department of Justice says California is failing to protect incarcerated women from sexual abuse and harassment by prison staff. ",
"A federal judge says she’s leaning toward ruling that federal immigration agents can not make warrantless arrests under most circumstances in Los Angeles."
],
"ordered": false,
"values": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n\n\n\u003c/ul>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\u003c/ul>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Dinosaur bones and taxidermied animals get most of the attention at the Natural History Museum in LA County. But researchers are excited about \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/california-tide-pools-natural-history-museum-la\">a new collection\u003c/a> that could have big implications for monitoring climate change. \u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Dinosaur bones and taxidermied animals get most of the attention at the Natural History Museum in LA County. But researchers are excited about \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/california-tide-pools-natural-history-museum-la\">a new collection\u003c/a> that could have big implications for monitoring climate change. \u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>The U.S. Department of Justice says California is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095240/us-doj-finds-unbroken-pattern-of-sexual-abuse-by-california-prison-staff\">failing to protect incarcerated women \u003c/a>from sexual abuse and harassment by prison staff. \u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>The U.S. Department of Justice says California is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095240/us-doj-finds-unbroken-pattern-of-sexual-abuse-by-california-prison-staff\">failing to protect incarcerated women \u003c/a>from sexual abuse and harassment by prison staff. \u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>A federal judge says she’s leaning toward ruling that federal immigration agents \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/los-angeles-warrantless-immigration-arrests-blocked/\">can not make warrantless arrests\u003c/a> under most circumstances in Los Angeles.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>A federal judge says she’s leaning toward ruling that federal immigration agents \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/los-angeles-warrantless-immigration-arrests-blocked/\">can not make warrantless arrests\u003c/a> under most circumstances in Los Angeles.\u003c/li>\n"
]
}
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Inside the effort to comprehensively document California’s tide pools",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/california-tide-pools-natural-history-museum-la\">Inside the effort to comprehensively document California’s tide pools\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/california-tide-pools-natural-history-museum-la\">Inside the effort to comprehensively document California’s tide pools\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On an overcast morning in July, marine biologist Greg Rouse knelt next to a large tide pool near La Jolla’s Bird Rock. “This place is incredibly diverse in habitats,” Rouse said, scooping a sample of seawater into a plastic bag.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>On an overcast morning in July, marine biologist Greg Rouse knelt next to a large tide pool near La Jolla’s Bird Rock. “This place is incredibly diverse in habitats,” Rouse said, scooping a sample of seawater into a plastic bag.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A few miles down the beach, in his seaside lab at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, Rouse separated the sampled water into a petri dish. At first glance it was just water and some floating ocean debris.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A few miles down the beach, in his seaside lab at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, Rouse separated the sampled water into a petri dish. At first glance it was just water and some floating ocean debris.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But when Rouse slid the petri dish under a microscope, hundreds of nearly-microscopic animals burst into life on a high-resolution monitor: shrimps and snails, pillbug-like isopods, worms of all sorts of different shapes, and at least one bright-orange sea slug. Sampling tide pools like this is fairly routine for Rouse, but lately, it has been part of something bigger. Rouse is leading the first phase of an effort to document California’s intertidal ecosystems. That means logging every organism found in the tidal seawater, sand and rocks from San Diego to the Oregon border over the next two years. “It’s a baseline of what is here right now,” Rouse said. “It’s a shame we didn’t do this 20 or 40 years ago. But in those times, we didn’t really have the DNA technology and the cost efficiency that we have these days.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But when Rouse slid the petri dish under a microscope, hundreds of nearly-microscopic animals burst into life on a high-resolution monitor: shrimps and snails, pillbug-like isopods, worms of all sorts of different shapes, and at least one bright-orange sea slug. Sampling tide pools like this is fairly routine for Rouse, but lately, it has been part of something bigger. Rouse is leading the first phase of an effort to document California’s intertidal ecosystems. That means logging every organism found in the tidal seawater, sand and rocks from San Diego to the Oregon border over the next two years. “It’s a baseline of what is here right now,” Rouse said. “It’s a shame we didn’t do this 20 or 40 years ago. But in those times, we didn’t really have the DNA technology and the cost efficiency that we have these days.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The project, called the California Intertidal Biodiversity DNA Barcode Library project, is ambitious. Nothing of this scale has been attempted in the U.S. It’s being led by a coalition of top research institutions, including Scripps, the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, the California Ocean Protection Council and the Southern California Coastal Research Project. The goal is to create a comprehensive picture of California’s tidal habitats by focusing on the algae and invertebrates that live in them, including their DNA profiles. Scientists say that will let them more effectively track changes in those ecosystems.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The project, called the California Intertidal Biodiversity DNA Barcode Library project, is ambitious. Nothing of this scale has been attempted in the U.S. It’s being led by a coalition of top research institutions, including Scripps, the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, the California Ocean Protection Council and the Southern California Coastal Research Project. The goal is to create a comprehensive picture of California’s tidal habitats by focusing on the algae and invertebrates that live in them, including their DNA profiles. Scientists say that will let them more effectively track changes in those ecosystems.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The intertidal region is made up of the narrow strip of coastline that alternates between being submerged at high tide and exposed at low tide. It’s habitats are some of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/what-a-persistent-ocean-heatwave-means-for-sea-life-and-a-possible-el-nino-year\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>rising water temperatures\u003c/u>\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/high-tides-rising-sea-levels-long-beach\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>sea levels\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. The two-year project launched with $10 million in state funding earlier this year but kicked into high gear this summer.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The intertidal region is made up of the narrow strip of coastline that alternates between being submerged at high tide and exposed at low tide. It’s habitats are some of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/what-a-persistent-ocean-heatwave-means-for-sea-life-and-a-possible-el-nino-year\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>rising water temperatures\u003c/u>\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/high-tides-rising-sea-levels-long-beach\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>sea levels\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. The two-year project launched with $10 million in state funding earlier this year but kicked into high gear this summer.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last month, Rouse led a group of dozens of scientists to the tide pools, where they pulled more than 7,000 samples from the area around Bird Rock. “Anything we could see, we took. But also we took a lot of stuff you can’t see back to the lab and had many people on microscopes finding all the tiny creatures,” Rouse said. “Because most of the diversity is actually too small to see.” Testing is still underway, but so far the samples represent 1,600 species of invertebrates and algae, hundreds of which could be new to science.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Last month, Rouse led a group of dozens of scientists to the tide pools, where they pulled more than 7,000 samples from the area around Bird Rock. “Anything we could see, we took. But also we took a lot of stuff you can’t see back to the lab and had many people on microscopes finding all the tiny creatures,” Rouse said. “Because most of the diversity is actually too small to see.” Testing is still underway, but so far the samples represent 1,600 species of invertebrates and algae, hundreds of which could be new to science.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "US DOJ finds ‘unbroken pattern’ of sexual abuse by California prison staff",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095240/us-doj-finds-unbroken-pattern-of-sexual-abuse-by-california-prison-staff\">US DOJ finds ‘unbroken pattern’ of sexual abuse by California prison staff\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095240/us-doj-finds-unbroken-pattern-of-sexual-abuse-by-california-prison-staff\">US DOJ finds ‘unbroken pattern’ of sexual abuse by California prison staff\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">California prison officials\u003c/a> have failed to protect incarcerated women from sexual abuse and harassment by staff for years, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-california-womens-prisons-violate-constitution-failing-protect\">said\u003c/a> in a new report.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">California prison officials\u003c/a> have failed to protect incarcerated women from sexual abuse and harassment by staff for years, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-california-womens-prisons-violate-constitution-failing-protect\">said\u003c/a> in a new report.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. The department reviewed 350 allegations of sexual misconduct, interviewed prisoners and looked at body-worn camera footage. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. The department reviewed 350 allegations of sexual misconduct, interviewed prisoners and looked at body-worn camera footage. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report\u003c/a> released Thursday, investigators said they found an “unbroken pattern” of staff sexual assault dating back over 20 years at California’s two women’s prisons. The department concluded that prison officials knew women faced a substantial risk of sexual abuse but failed to adequately protect them. Investigators pointed to gaps in surveillance camera coverage, a lack of confidential reporting options, inadequate investigations and failures to hold staff accountable — systemic problems the DOJ said amount to “deliberate indifference” and violate incarcerated women’s constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report\u003c/a> released Thursday, investigators said they found an “unbroken pattern” of staff sexual assault dating back over 20 years at California’s two women’s prisons. The department concluded that prison officials knew women faced a substantial risk of sexual abuse but failed to adequately protect them. Investigators pointed to gaps in surveillance camera coverage, a lack of confidential reporting options, inadequate investigations and failures to hold staff accountable — systemic problems the DOJ said amount to “deliberate indifference” and violate incarcerated women’s constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. “Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. “Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Federal judge poised to restrict immigration arrest tactics in Los Angeles raids",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/los-angeles-warrantless-immigration-arrests-blocked/\">Federal judge poised to restrict immigration arrest tactics in Los Angeles raids\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/los-angeles-warrantless-immigration-arrests-blocked/\">Federal judge poised to restrict immigration arrest tactics in Los Angeles raids\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A judge on Thursday indicated that she’s inclined to order federal immigration agents to stop arresting people without warrants in Los Angeles if they haven’t assessed their flight risk. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A judge on Thursday indicated that she’s inclined to order federal immigration agents to stop arresting people without warrants in Los Angeles if they haven’t assessed their flight risk. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If she grants the order, it would be one of the most significant so far in a wide-ranging lawsuit over the government’s ongoing immigration raids in Southern California. It would force agents to fundamentally change the way they’ve conducted the sweeps at the heart of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If she grants the order, it would be one of the most significant so far in a wide-ranging lawsuit over the government’s ongoing immigration raids in Southern California. It would force agents to fundamentally change the way they’ve conducted the sweeps at the heart of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since 1946, federal law has allowed immigration officers to arrest someone without a warrant only when they have probable cause both that the person is in the country unlawfully and that they are likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained. Courts have long held that to mean that agents are required to consider the person’s ties to the community, like a person having a job, a home and a family in the community where the arrest occurs. However, in raids in Southern California and across the country, supervisors have told agents to “get out and start grabbing people,” and agents have ambushed people without knowing their immigration history and targeted Latinos at places like car washes and bus stops, court records and body camera footage show. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Since 1946, federal law has allowed immigration officers to arrest someone without a warrant only when they have probable cause both that the person is in the country unlawfully and that they are likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained. Courts have long held that to mean that agents are required to consider the person’s ties to the community, like a person having a job, a home and a family in the community where the arrest occurs. However, in raids in Southern California and across the country, supervisors have told agents to “get out and start grabbing people,” and agents have ambushed people without knowing their immigration history and targeted Latinos at places like car washes and bus stops, court records and body camera footage show. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last month, plaintiffs attorneys in the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/07/immigration-agent-text-messages/\">lawsuit filed with the court\u003c/a> text messages and body cam footage that showed federal agents using racial slurs to identify targets in the Los Angeles raids. They argued the evidence showed immigration agents simply detained people who looked Latino. U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong’s tentative ruling Thursday means agents would need to obtain “individualized, pre-arrest probable cause determinations of flight risk” in the city and the areas surrounding Los Angeles, home to 19 million people. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Last month, plaintiffs attorneys in the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/07/immigration-agent-text-messages/\">lawsuit filed with the court\u003c/a> text messages and body cam footage that showed federal agents using racial slurs to identify targets in the Los Angeles raids. They argued the evidence showed immigration agents simply detained people who looked Latino. U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong’s tentative ruling Thursday means agents would need to obtain “individualized, pre-arrest probable cause determinations of flight risk” in the city and the areas surrounding Los Angeles, home to 19 million people. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "It will help better track the effects of climate change on the ecosystem.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1786748516,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 20,
"wordCount": 1322
},
"headData": {
"title": "Scientists Are Building a 'Noah’s Ark' of California’s Tide Pools | KQED",
"description": "It will help better track the effects of climate change on the ecosystem.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Scientists Are Building a 'Noah’s Ark' of California’s Tide Pools",
"datePublished": "2026-08-14T16:01:44-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-14T16:01:56-07:00",
"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": 33520,
"slug": "podcast",
"name": "Podcast"
},
"source": "The California Report",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrarchive/",
"audioUrl": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC6784715518.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12095307",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12095307/scientists-are-building-a-noahs-ark-of-californias-tide-pools",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, August 14, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Dinosaur bones and taxidermied animals get most of the attention at the Natural History Museum in LA County. But researchers are excited about \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/california-tide-pools-natural-history-museum-la\">a new collection\u003c/a> that could have big implications for monitoring climate change. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The U.S. Department of Justice says California is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095240/us-doj-finds-unbroken-pattern-of-sexual-abuse-by-california-prison-staff\">failing to protect incarcerated women \u003c/a>from sexual abuse and harassment by prison staff. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A federal judge says she’s leaning toward ruling that federal immigration agents \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/los-angeles-warrantless-immigration-arrests-blocked/\">can not make warrantless arrests\u003c/a> under most circumstances in Los Angeles.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/california-tide-pools-natural-history-museum-la\">Inside the effort to comprehensively document California’s tide pools\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On an overcast morning in July, marine biologist Greg Rouse knelt next to a large tide pool near La Jolla’s Bird Rock. “This place is incredibly diverse in habitats,” Rouse said, scooping a sample of seawater into a plastic bag.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A few miles down the beach, in his seaside lab at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, Rouse separated the sampled water into a petri dish. At first glance it was just water and some floating ocean debris.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But when Rouse slid the petri dish under a microscope, hundreds of nearly-microscopic animals burst into life on a high-resolution monitor: shrimps and snails, pillbug-like isopods, worms of all sorts of different shapes, and at least one bright-orange sea slug. Sampling tide pools like this is fairly routine for Rouse, but lately, it has been part of something bigger. Rouse is leading the first phase of an effort to document California’s intertidal ecosystems. That means logging every organism found in the tidal seawater, sand and rocks from San Diego to the Oregon border over the next two years. “It’s a baseline of what is here right now,” Rouse said. “It’s a shame we didn’t do this 20 or 40 years ago. But in those times, we didn’t really have the DNA technology and the cost efficiency that we have these days.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project, called the California Intertidal Biodiversity DNA Barcode Library project, is ambitious. Nothing of this scale has been attempted in the U.S. It’s being led by a coalition of top research institutions, including Scripps, the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, the California Ocean Protection Council and the Southern California Coastal Research Project. The goal is to create a comprehensive picture of California’s tidal habitats by focusing on the algae and invertebrates that live in them, including their DNA profiles. Scientists say that will let them more effectively track changes in those ecosystems.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\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 intertidal region is made up of the narrow strip of coastline that alternates between being submerged at high tide and exposed at low tide. It’s habitats are some of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/what-a-persistent-ocean-heatwave-means-for-sea-life-and-a-possible-el-nino-year\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>rising water temperatures\u003c/u>\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/high-tides-rising-sea-levels-long-beach\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>sea levels\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. The two-year project launched with $10 million in state funding earlier this year but kicked into high gear this summer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last month, Rouse led a group of dozens of scientists to the tide pools, where they pulled more than 7,000 samples from the area around Bird Rock. “Anything we could see, we took. But also we took a lot of stuff you can’t see back to the lab and had many people on microscopes finding all the tiny creatures,” Rouse said. “Because most of the diversity is actually too small to see.” Testing is still underway, but so far the samples represent 1,600 species of invertebrates and algae, hundreds of which could be new to science.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095240/us-doj-finds-unbroken-pattern-of-sexual-abuse-by-california-prison-staff\">US DOJ finds ‘unbroken pattern’ of sexual abuse by California prison staff\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">California prison officials\u003c/a> have failed to protect incarcerated women from sexual abuse and harassment by staff for years, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-california-womens-prisons-violate-constitution-failing-protect\">said\u003c/a> in a new report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. The department reviewed 350 allegations of sexual misconduct, interviewed prisoners and looked at body-worn camera footage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report\u003c/a> released Thursday, investigators said they found an “unbroken pattern” of staff sexual assault dating back over 20 years at California’s two women’s prisons. The department concluded that prison officials knew women faced a substantial risk of sexual abuse but failed to adequately protect them. Investigators pointed to gaps in surveillance camera coverage, a lack of confidential reporting options, inadequate investigations and failures to hold staff accountable — systemic problems the DOJ said amount to “deliberate indifference” and violate incarcerated women’s constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. “Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/los-angeles-warrantless-immigration-arrests-blocked/\">Federal judge poised to restrict immigration arrest tactics in Los Angeles raids\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A judge on Thursday indicated that she’s inclined to order federal immigration agents to stop arresting people without warrants in Los Angeles if they haven’t assessed their flight risk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If she grants the order, it would be one of the most significant so far in a wide-ranging lawsuit over the government’s ongoing immigration raids in Southern California. It would force agents to fundamentally change the way they’ve conducted the sweeps at the heart of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since 1946, federal law has allowed immigration officers to arrest someone without a warrant only when they have probable cause both that the person is in the country unlawfully and that they are likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained. Courts have long held that to mean that agents are required to consider the person’s ties to the community, like a person having a job, a home and a family in the community where the arrest occurs. However, in raids in Southern California and across the country, supervisors have told agents to “get out and start grabbing people,” and agents have ambushed people without knowing their immigration history and targeted Latinos at places like car washes and bus stops, court records and body camera footage show. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last month, plaintiffs attorneys in the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/07/immigration-agent-text-messages/\">lawsuit filed with the court\u003c/a> text messages and body cam footage that showed federal agents using racial slurs to identify targets in the Los Angeles raids. They argued the evidence showed immigration agents simply detained people who looked Latino. U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong’s tentative ruling Thursday means agents would need to obtain “individualized, pre-arrest probable cause determinations of flight risk” in the city and the areas surrounding Los Angeles, home to 19 million people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\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\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12095307/scientists-are-building-a-noahs-ark-of-californias-tide-pools",
"authors": [
"11739"
],
"programs": [
"news_72"
],
"categories": [
"news_33520",
"news_34018"
],
"tags": [
"news_37341",
"news_616",
"news_255",
"news_32894",
"news_37339",
"news_35278",
"news_37342",
"news_4",
"news_2700",
"news_21998",
"news_21268",
"news_37340",
"news_37343"
],
"featImg": "news_12095350",
"label": "source_news_12095307"
},
"news_12094974": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12094974",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12094974",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1786739427000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "in-altadena-a-youth-music-scene-grows-from-the-eaton-fires-ashes",
"title": "In Altadena, a Youth Music Scene Grows From the Eaton Fire’s Ashes",
"publishDate": 1786739427,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "In Altadena, a Youth Music Scene Grows From the Eaton Fire’s Ashes | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Families are gradually moving into newly built homes in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075283/the-eaton-fire-destroyed-altadenas-lush-greenery-these-volunteers-are-growing-it-back\">Altadena\u003c/a> after the Eaton fire, which largely turned the Los Angeles community into ashes in early 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While dirt lots still dominate Altadena’s west side, live music shows and throngs of teenagers flocking to see them have been filling the void. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People like having something to do, somewhere to go,” said 16-year-old Elise Lamond, a guitarist in the Altadena-based quintet Last Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1622\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093780\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6-160x130.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6-1536x1246.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ynez Brice, left, of the Altadena band Last Friday performing at a Backyard Party-sponsored show in Los Angeles. (Courtesy of Matt Chait)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On one recent summer night, Lamond watched Persona Non Grata, a young, multi-ethnic seven-member music collective influenced by funk and Afrobeat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The mood was celebratory. A few dozen kids crowded the stage — a freshly painted back porch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The shows were a little smaller in the beginning, and then slowly more and more people started to become aware of them,” said Lamond, who’s been involved in the scene from the start.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The birth of a new music scene\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Within weeks after the Eaton Fire, local music promoter Matt Chait and his colleague Sandra Denver were scouting for stages amid the scorched lots of Altadena. Now, shows are popping up a few times a month in backyards, parking lots, at a local veterans’ hall and other unconventional venues. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The upstart music scene is a confluence of different initiatives meant to help fire survivors and musicians. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First, nonprofit Altadena Musicians formed to get musical instruments back in the hands of artists who lost gear. While volunteering with that organization, Chait and Denver launched \u003ca href=\"http://backyardpartyla.com\">Backyard Party\u003c/a>. The aim was to give teenage musicians opportunities to perform, be creative and have a place to socialize after the disaster.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1463\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093777\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3-1536x1124.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kids crowd a backyard porch to watch the Altadena band Last Friday. (Steven Cuevas)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If they want to talk about [the fire], they absolutely should,” Chait said. “If they want to write songs about it, they absolutely should.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But because many of the young musicians directly impacted by the fire say they do not want to be identified as “victims” or otherwise be defined by it, Chait said the music space is for the young musicians to grow in whichever ways they choose.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The families and parents are already still dealing with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If they want to move past it and just sing about cars or boys or whatever the hell they want to sing about, they should do that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Teenagers running the show\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fourteen-year-old Sadie Denver of the Altadena band Last Friday said the early backyard shows raised thousands of dollars for fire-impacted kids and their families, including three of her own bandmates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We wanted to do fundraisers for it because we knew so many people who were affected. Everyone was affected,” Denver said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a recent weekday night, the band’s five members crowded into a small, one-room backyard studio to rehearse at the home of 17-year-old drummer Charlie Bohlman.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093778\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Last Friday rocks the back porch of a home near Altadena. (Steven Cuevas)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As each member slowly develops songwriting chops, for now they lean on covers by contemporary punk and alt-rock bands like Wet Leg, Dream Nails and South Pasadena’s Linda Lindas. Tonight they’re also running through PJ Harvey’s ‘90s indie rock classic, “50ft Queenie.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Denver’s father, Nate, is a local fire chief and veteran noise punk musician. Her mom, Sandra, is also a Los Angeles indie music scene veteran and co-founder of Backyard Party.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My focus really is the teenagers and trying to help them create the scene and get to know each other,” she said. Other teenagers help them run the shows. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They run the door, they’re even the bouncers,” Denver said, laughing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Sandra Denver sometimes collects the $5 or $10 admission at the door, the adults mostly keep their distance at these all-ages shows, while the kids, depending on the band, crowd up against the makeshift stage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When the retro garage rock band The Lawnchairs played in a backyard in Los Angeles’ Highland Park neighborhood, kids busted out in song and kicked up a gentle, slow-moving mosh pit on the grass. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fifteen-year-old Ynez Brice, Last Friday’s lead guitarist, said the backyard shows are a place to put away your phones, make new connections and feel part of something bigger. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People that don’t know each other, I see them coming together and talking with each other,” Brice said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said the shows foster the feeling that teens can “talk with someone … no matter what.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">As the scene grows, so do the musicians\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Matt Chait launched Backyard Party, his expectations were modest. Over the last year, it’s grown into a donor-supported nonprofit with a newly launched summer program, offering kids and parents tips on music gear, songwriting and the music business.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When there’s a music scene that’s being built, the bands are generally the center of it. But they don’t really run it,” said Chait, adding that the organization does promotion so bands can earn up to several hundred bucks a show. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Beyond the graphic design and booking services, Chait said they provide a bigger service to the kids. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s such an incredible amount of social education that goes on with something as simple as a punk show.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093779\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Retro garage band The Lawnchairs rock a recent backyard show. (Steven Cuevas)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite being in multiple bands and formally educating themselves in music, some of the young musicians are noncommittal about pursuing a career in music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If at some point I can get to the point where we’re like ‘Oh, we can have normal gigs, and we can get paid sometimes,’ I would like that,” Ynez Brice said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But I’d [also] rather have a job. I know I love music, but there’s also other things I like.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Drummer Charlie Bohlman said he’s eager to get in a van and hit the road with Last Friday, or with the metallic hardcore band he also drums for called Love at First Fight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Dude, I would love to have a career in music. I have a backup plan too — to just leave and travel the world,” Bohlman said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Backyard Party-sponsored shows will continue throughout the summer and well into the school year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the young Altadena area musicians have moved back after the fire; others have left the burn scar behind. Right now, they’re more concerned with the usual teenage challenges — crushes, fashion and school — and that next live show.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Families are gradually moving into newly built homes in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075283/the-eaton-fire-destroyed-altadenas-lush-greenery-these-volunteers-are-growing-it-back\">Altadena\u003c/a> after the Eaton fire, which largely turned the Los Angeles community into ashes in early 2025. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Families are gradually moving into newly built homes in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075283/the-eaton-fire-destroyed-altadenas-lush-greenery-these-volunteers-are-growing-it-back\">Altadena\u003c/a> after the Eaton fire, which largely turned the Los Angeles community into ashes in early 2025. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While dirt lots still dominate Altadena’s west side, live music shows and throngs of teenagers flocking to see them have been filling the void. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>While dirt lots still dominate Altadena’s west side, live music shows and throngs of teenagers flocking to see them have been filling the void. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People like having something to do, somewhere to go,” said 16-year-old Elise Lamond, a guitarist in the Altadena-based quintet Last Friday.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“People like having something to do, somewhere to go,” said 16-year-old Elise Lamond, a guitarist in the Altadena-based quintet Last Friday.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12093780,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Courtesy of Matt Chait",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6-160x130.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6-1536x1246.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093780\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6-160x130.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6-1536x1246.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ynez Brice, left, of the Altadena band Last Friday performing at a Backyard Party-sponsored show in Los Angeles. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093780\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ynez Brice, left, of the Altadena band Last Friday performing at a Backyard Party-sponsored show in Los Angeles. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On one recent summer night, Lamond watched Persona Non Grata, a young, multi-ethnic seven-member music collective influenced by funk and Afrobeat. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>On one recent summer night, Lamond watched Persona Non Grata, a young, multi-ethnic seven-member music collective influenced by funk and Afrobeat. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The mood was celebratory. A few dozen kids crowded the stage — a freshly painted back porch. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The mood was celebratory. A few dozen kids crowded the stage — a freshly painted back porch. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The shows were a little smaller in the beginning, and then slowly more and more people started to become aware of them,” said Lamond, who’s been involved in the scene from the start.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The shows were a little smaller in the beginning, and then slowly more and more people started to become aware of them,” said Lamond, who’s been involved in the scene from the start.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "The birth of a new music scene",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The birth of a new music scene\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The birth of a new music scene\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Within weeks after the Eaton Fire, local music promoter Matt Chait and his colleague Sandra Denver were scouting for stages amid the scorched lots of Altadena. Now, shows are popping up a few times a month in backyards, parking lots, at a local veterans’ hall and other unconventional venues. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Within weeks after the Eaton Fire, local music promoter Matt Chait and his colleague Sandra Denver were scouting for stages amid the scorched lots of Altadena. Now, shows are popping up a few times a month in backyards, parking lots, at a local veterans’ hall and other unconventional venues. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The upstart music scene is a confluence of different initiatives meant to help fire survivors and musicians. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The upstart music scene is a confluence of different initiatives meant to help fire survivors and musicians. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>First, nonprofit Altadena Musicians formed to get musical instruments back in the hands of artists who lost gear. While volunteering with that organization, Chait and Denver launched \u003ca href=\"http://backyardpartyla.com\">Backyard Party\u003c/a>. The aim was to give teenage musicians opportunities to perform, be creative and have a place to socialize after the disaster.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>First, nonprofit Altadena Musicians formed to get musical instruments back in the hands of artists who lost gear. While volunteering with that organization, Chait and Denver launched \u003ca href=\"http://backyardpartyla.com\">Backyard Party\u003c/a>. The aim was to give teenage musicians opportunities to perform, be creative and have a place to socialize after the disaster.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12093777,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Steven Cuevas",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3-1536x1124.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093777\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3-1536x1124.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kids crowd a backyard porch to watch the Altadena band Last Friday. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093777\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kids crowd a backyard porch to watch the Altadena band Last Friday. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If they want to talk about [the fire], they absolutely should,” Chait said. “If they want to write songs about it, they absolutely should.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“If they want to talk about [the fire], they absolutely should,” Chait said. “If they want to write songs about it, they absolutely should.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But because many of the young musicians directly impacted by the fire say they do not want to be identified as “victims” or otherwise be defined by it, Chait said the music space is for the young musicians to grow in whichever ways they choose.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But because many of the young musicians directly impacted by the fire say they do not want to be identified as “victims” or otherwise be defined by it, Chait said the music space is for the young musicians to grow in whichever ways they choose.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The families and parents are already still dealing with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The families and parents are already still dealing with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If they want to move past it and just sing about cars or boys or whatever the hell they want to sing about, they should do that.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“If they want to move past it and just sing about cars or boys or whatever the hell they want to sing about, they should do that.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Teenagers running the show",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Teenagers running the show\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Teenagers running the show\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fourteen-year-old Sadie Denver of the Altadena band Last Friday said the early backyard shows raised thousands of dollars for fire-impacted kids and their families, including three of her own bandmates.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Fourteen-year-old Sadie Denver of the Altadena band Last Friday said the early backyard shows raised thousands of dollars for fire-impacted kids and their families, including three of her own bandmates.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We wanted to do fundraisers for it because we knew so many people who were affected. Everyone was affected,” Denver said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We wanted to do fundraisers for it because we knew so many people who were affected. Everyone was affected,” Denver said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On a recent weekday night, the band’s five members crowded into a small, one-room backyard studio to rehearse at the home of 17-year-old drummer Charlie Bohlman.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>On a recent weekday night, the band’s five members crowded into a small, one-room backyard studio to rehearse at the home of 17-year-old drummer Charlie Bohlman.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12093778,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Steven Cuevas",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4-1536x1152.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093778\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Last Friday rocks the back porch of a home near Altadena. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093778\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Last Friday rocks the back porch of a home near Altadena. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As each member slowly develops songwriting chops, for now they lean on covers by contemporary punk and alt-rock bands like Wet Leg, Dream Nails and South Pasadena’s Linda Lindas. Tonight they’re also running through PJ Harvey’s ‘90s indie rock classic, “50ft Queenie.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As each member slowly develops songwriting chops, for now they lean on covers by contemporary punk and alt-rock bands like Wet Leg, Dream Nails and South Pasadena’s Linda Lindas. Tonight they’re also running through PJ Harvey’s ‘90s indie rock classic, “50ft Queenie.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Denver’s father, Nate, is a local fire chief and veteran noise punk musician. Her mom, Sandra, is also a Los Angeles indie music scene veteran and co-founder of Backyard Party.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Denver’s father, Nate, is a local fire chief and veteran noise punk musician. Her mom, Sandra, is also a Los Angeles indie music scene veteran and co-founder of Backyard Party.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My focus really is the teenagers and trying to help them create the scene and get to know each other,” she said. Other teenagers help them run the shows. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“My focus really is the teenagers and trying to help them create the scene and get to know each other,” she said. Other teenagers help them run the shows. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"arts_13992702"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-15-BL.jpg",
"query": "",
"labelWasCleared": false,
"heroImageAlt": "",
"heroImageLink": "",
"labelLink": "",
"alignment": "right",
"target": "_self",
"manualLinks": [],
"posts": []
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They run the door, they’re even the bouncers,” Denver said, laughing.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“They run the door, they’re even the bouncers,” Denver said, laughing.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Sandra Denver sometimes collects the $5 or $10 admission at the door, the adults mostly keep their distance at these all-ages shows, while the kids, depending on the band, crowd up against the makeshift stage.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>While Sandra Denver sometimes collects the $5 or $10 admission at the door, the adults mostly keep their distance at these all-ages shows, while the kids, depending on the band, crowd up against the makeshift stage.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When the retro garage rock band The Lawnchairs played in a backyard in Los Angeles’ Highland Park neighborhood, kids busted out in song and kicked up a gentle, slow-moving mosh pit on the grass. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When the retro garage rock band The Lawnchairs played in a backyard in Los Angeles’ Highland Park neighborhood, kids busted out in song and kicked up a gentle, slow-moving mosh pit on the grass. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fifteen-year-old Ynez Brice, Last Friday’s lead guitarist, said the backyard shows are a place to put away your phones, make new connections and feel part of something bigger. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Fifteen-year-old Ynez Brice, Last Friday’s lead guitarist, said the backyard shows are a place to put away your phones, make new connections and feel part of something bigger. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People that don’t know each other, I see them coming together and talking with each other,” Brice said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“People that don’t know each other, I see them coming together and talking with each other,” Brice said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said the shows foster the feeling that teens can “talk with someone … no matter what.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>She said the shows foster the feeling that teens can “talk with someone … no matter what.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "As the scene grows, so do the musicians",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">As the scene grows, so do the musicians\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">As the scene grows, so do the musicians\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Matt Chait launched Backyard Party, his expectations were modest. Over the last year, it’s grown into a donor-supported nonprofit with a newly launched summer program, offering kids and parents tips on music gear, songwriting and the music business.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When Matt Chait launched Backyard Party, his expectations were modest. Over the last year, it’s grown into a donor-supported nonprofit with a newly launched summer program, offering kids and parents tips on music gear, songwriting and the music business.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When there’s a music scene that’s being built, the bands are generally the center of it. But they don’t really run it,” said Chait, adding that the organization does promotion so bands can earn up to several hundred bucks a show. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“When there’s a music scene that’s being built, the bands are generally the center of it. But they don’t really run it,” said Chait, adding that the organization does promotion so bands can earn up to several hundred bucks a show. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Beyond the graphic design and booking services, Chait said they provide a bigger service to the kids. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Beyond the graphic design and booking services, Chait said they provide a bigger service to the kids. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s such an incredible amount of social education that goes on with something as simple as a punk show.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“There’s such an incredible amount of social education that goes on with something as simple as a punk show.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12093779,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Steven Cuevas",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5-1536x1152.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093779\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Retro garage band The Lawnchairs rock a recent backyard show.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093779\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Retro garage band The Lawnchairs rock a recent backyard show.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite being in multiple bands and formally educating themselves in music, some of the young musicians are noncommittal about pursuing a career in music. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Despite being in multiple bands and formally educating themselves in music, some of the young musicians are noncommittal about pursuing a career in music. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If at some point I can get to the point where we’re like ‘Oh, we can have normal gigs, and we can get paid sometimes,’ I would like that,” Ynez Brice said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“If at some point I can get to the point where we’re like ‘Oh, we can have normal gigs, and we can get paid sometimes,’ I would like that,” Ynez Brice said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“But I’d [also] rather have a job. I know I love music, but there’s also other things I like.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“But I’d [also] rather have a job. I know I love music, but there’s also other things I like.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Drummer Charlie Bohlman said he’s eager to get in a van and hit the road with Last Friday, or with the metallic hardcore band he also drums for called Love at First Fight. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Drummer Charlie Bohlman said he’s eager to get in a van and hit the road with Last Friday, or with the metallic hardcore band he also drums for called Love at First Fight. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Dude, I would love to have a career in music. I have a backup plan too — to just leave and travel the world,” Bohlman said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Dude, I would love to have a career in music. I have a backup plan too — to just leave and travel the world,” Bohlman said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Backyard Party-sponsored shows will continue throughout the summer and well into the school year.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Backyard Party-sponsored shows will continue throughout the summer and well into the school year.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some of the young Altadena area musicians have moved back after the fire; others have left the burn scar behind. Right now, they’re more concerned with the usual teenage challenges — crushes, fashion and school — and that next live show.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Some of the young Altadena area musicians have moved back after the fire; others have left the burn scar behind. Right now, they’re more concerned with the usual teenage challenges — crushes, fashion and school — and that next live show.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Nonprofit Backyard Party encourages teenage musicians to perform, be creative and socialize after the disaster.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1786739434,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 38,
"wordCount": 1198
},
"headData": {
"title": "In Altadena, a Youth Music Scene Grows From the Eaton Fire’s Ashes | KQED",
"description": "Nonprofit Backyard Party encourages teenage musicians to perform, be creative and socialize after the disaster.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "In Altadena, a Youth Music Scene Grows From the Eaton Fire’s Ashes",
"datePublished": "2026-08-14T13:30:27-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-14T13:30:34-07:00",
"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": 223,
"slug": "arts-and-culture",
"name": "Arts and Culture"
},
"source": "The California Report Magazine",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/californiareportmagazine",
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/8a2b3d5f-2846-4f5d-b88d-b4a50134e279/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Steven Cuevas",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12094974",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12094974/in-altadena-a-youth-music-scene-grows-from-the-eaton-fires-ashes",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Families are gradually moving into newly built homes in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075283/the-eaton-fire-destroyed-altadenas-lush-greenery-these-volunteers-are-growing-it-back\">Altadena\u003c/a> after the Eaton fire, which largely turned the Los Angeles community into ashes in early 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While dirt lots still dominate Altadena’s west side, live music shows and throngs of teenagers flocking to see them have been filling the void. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People like having something to do, somewhere to go,” said 16-year-old Elise Lamond, a guitarist in the Altadena-based quintet Last Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1622\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093780\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6-160x130.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_6-1536x1246.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ynez Brice, left, of the Altadena band Last Friday performing at a Backyard Party-sponsored show in Los Angeles. (Courtesy of Matt Chait)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On one recent summer night, Lamond watched Persona Non Grata, a young, multi-ethnic seven-member music collective influenced by funk and Afrobeat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The mood was celebratory. A few dozen kids crowded the stage — a freshly painted back porch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\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 shows were a little smaller in the beginning, and then slowly more and more people started to become aware of them,” said Lamond, who’s been involved in the scene from the start.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The birth of a new music scene\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Within weeks after the Eaton Fire, local music promoter Matt Chait and his colleague Sandra Denver were scouting for stages amid the scorched lots of Altadena. Now, shows are popping up a few times a month in backyards, parking lots, at a local veterans’ hall and other unconventional venues. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The upstart music scene is a confluence of different initiatives meant to help fire survivors and musicians. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First, nonprofit Altadena Musicians formed to get musical instruments back in the hands of artists who lost gear. While volunteering with that organization, Chait and Denver launched \u003ca href=\"http://backyardpartyla.com\">Backyard Party\u003c/a>. The aim was to give teenage musicians opportunities to perform, be creative and have a place to socialize after the disaster.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1463\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093777\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_3-1536x1124.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kids crowd a backyard porch to watch the Altadena band Last Friday. (Steven Cuevas)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If they want to talk about [the fire], they absolutely should,” Chait said. “If they want to write songs about it, they absolutely should.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But because many of the young musicians directly impacted by the fire say they do not want to be identified as “victims” or otherwise be defined by it, Chait said the music space is for the young musicians to grow in whichever ways they choose.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The families and parents are already still dealing with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If they want to move past it and just sing about cars or boys or whatever the hell they want to sing about, they should do that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Teenagers running the show\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fourteen-year-old Sadie Denver of the Altadena band Last Friday said the early backyard shows raised thousands of dollars for fire-impacted kids and their families, including three of her own bandmates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We wanted to do fundraisers for it because we knew so many people who were affected. Everyone was affected,” Denver said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a recent weekday night, the band’s five members crowded into a small, one-room backyard studio to rehearse at the home of 17-year-old drummer Charlie Bohlman.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093778\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_4-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Last Friday rocks the back porch of a home near Altadena. (Steven Cuevas)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As each member slowly develops songwriting chops, for now they lean on covers by contemporary punk and alt-rock bands like Wet Leg, Dream Nails and South Pasadena’s Linda Lindas. Tonight they’re also running through PJ Harvey’s ‘90s indie rock classic, “50ft Queenie.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Denver’s father, Nate, is a local fire chief and veteran noise punk musician. Her mom, Sandra, is also a Los Angeles indie music scene veteran and co-founder of Backyard Party.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My focus really is the teenagers and trying to help them create the scene and get to know each other,” she said. Other teenagers help them run the shows. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They run the door, they’re even the bouncers,” Denver said, laughing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Sandra Denver sometimes collects the $5 or $10 admission at the door, the adults mostly keep their distance at these all-ages shows, while the kids, depending on the band, crowd up against the makeshift stage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When the retro garage rock band The Lawnchairs played in a backyard in Los Angeles’ Highland Park neighborhood, kids busted out in song and kicked up a gentle, slow-moving mosh pit on the grass. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fifteen-year-old Ynez Brice, Last Friday’s lead guitarist, said the backyard shows are a place to put away your phones, make new connections and feel part of something bigger. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People that don’t know each other, I see them coming together and talking with each other,” Brice said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said the shows foster the feeling that teens can “talk with someone … no matter what.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">As the scene grows, so do the musicians\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Matt Chait launched Backyard Party, his expectations were modest. Over the last year, it’s grown into a donor-supported nonprofit with a newly launched summer program, offering kids and parents tips on music gear, songwriting and the music business.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When there’s a music scene that’s being built, the bands are generally the center of it. But they don’t really run it,” said Chait, adding that the organization does promotion so bands can earn up to several hundred bucks a show. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Beyond the graphic design and booking services, Chait said they provide a bigger service to the kids. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s such an incredible amount of social education that goes on with something as simple as a punk show.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093779\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260803_BackyardParty-KQED_5-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Retro garage band The Lawnchairs rock a recent backyard show. (Steven Cuevas)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite being in multiple bands and formally educating themselves in music, some of the young musicians are noncommittal about pursuing a career in music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If at some point I can get to the point where we’re like ‘Oh, we can have normal gigs, and we can get paid sometimes,’ I would like that,” Ynez Brice said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But I’d [also] rather have a job. I know I love music, but there’s also other things I like.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Drummer Charlie Bohlman said he’s eager to get in a van and hit the road with Last Friday, or with the metallic hardcore band he also drums for called Love at First Fight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Dude, I would love to have a career in music. I have a backup plan too — to just leave and travel the world,” Bohlman said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Backyard Party-sponsored shows will continue throughout the summer and well into the school year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\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\u003cp>Some of the young Altadena area musicians have moved back after the fire; others have left the burn scar behind. Right now, they’re more concerned with the usual teenage challenges — crushes, fashion and school — and that next live show.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12094974/in-altadena-a-youth-music-scene-grows-from-the-eaton-fires-ashes",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12094974"
],
"programs": [
"news_72",
"news_26731"
],
"categories": [
"news_223",
"news_28250",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_35617",
"news_34878",
"news_27626",
"news_4",
"news_1425",
"news_20851",
"news_30162",
"news_4463"
],
"featImg": "news_12093775",
"label": "source_news_12094974"
},
"news_12094698": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12094698",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12094698",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1786476778000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "residents-try-to-shut-down-south-la-oil-drill-site",
"title": "Residents Try to Shut Down South LA Oil Drill Site",
"publishDate": 1786476778,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Residents Try to Shut Down South LA Oil Drill Site | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Tuesday, August 11, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Los Angeles is a city. But it’s also an urban oilfield. About a third of L.A. County residents live less than a mile from an active oil drilling site. Now one of those sites in South L.A. \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/community-resistance-south-la-murphy-oil-drilling-site-could-be-shut-down\">could be shut down. \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A federal agency is \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/brief/news/climate-environment/trump-review-california-coastal-authority\">conducting an unusual review\u003c/a> of California’s Coastal Management Program. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, did a review of the program just two years ago. But Trump administration officials asked for a new one because they say the current version doesn’t reflect “national priorities.” \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Governor Gavin Newsom says he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/environment-and-energy/2026-08-10/newsom-says-he-wont-push-for-a-diablo-canyon-extension-this-year\">won’t oversee an extension\u003c/a> for the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California’s last functioning nuclear plant.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/community-resistance-south-la-murphy-oil-drilling-site-could-be-shut-down\">After more than a decade of community resistance, a South LA oil drilling site could be shut down\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Genaro and Catalina Ventura moved to the South L.A. neighborhood of Jefferson Park more than 25 years ago. The Craftsman-style house they found was a dream — spacious, with a yard where they could garden and their children and dog could play. What they didn’t know before moving in was that just a few hundred yards behind the house is an active oil drilling site.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Genaro Ventura, a now-retired custodian for the city of L.A., worked nights. When he’d come home around 2 a.m., the smell of oil and chemicals was often strong in the air. “Since the night is quiet, there’s no traffic or smog,” Genaro Ventura told LAist in Spanish. “You can really smell the air from the drill site, and it’s a terrible odor.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Five years after the family moved in, Genaro was diagnosed with cancer in his left kidney and had to have it removed. In 2013, a brain tumor led to another surgery, and the following year another brain tumor required radiation treatment. He has to return regularly for scans. Most recently he’s developed lung cancer and is scheduled to start chemotherapy. With no family history of cancer, the Venturas suspect the illnesses are related to air pollution from the nearby drill site. And it’s not just Genaro Ventura. The family’s last dog died of cancer. Their elderly chihuahua now has cancer, too. Two of Catalina Ventura’s friends nearby were also diagnosed with cancer and recently moved away. Their son and many children in the neighborhood grew up with asthma.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now, after more than a decade of \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/health/in-a-largely-black-and-latino-community-neighbors-worry-about-the-oil-wells-n-their-midst\">community organizing\u003c/a>, the Murphy drill site could be shut down. The city is considering whether to revoke E&B Natural Resource’s license to operate the site. “It is really the best chance we have ever had to see this toxic industrial site shut down and removed from our neighborhood,” longtime South L.A. resident Richard Parks said at a recent community town hall at a church down the road from the drill site. Parks is the president of the nonprofit Redeemer Community Partnership, a group that has spearheaded the shutdown effort.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to questions from LAist, a spokesperson for E&B emphasized the company’s compliance with regulations and said the facility “plays an important role in supplying locally produced petroleum to the Los Angeles Basin.” The spokesperson also pointed to a July \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28506372-eb-roux-analysis/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report the company commissioned from environmental consulting firm Roux Associates\u003c/a>. The report says “the administrative record contains no scientific evidence that the Murphy site jeopardizes or adversely affects public health or safety of nearby residents or workers.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a hearing last month. the oil company now has until Aug. 23 to respond to a list of questions from Jonathan Hershey, Associate Zoning Administrator in Los Angeles. Then the public has until Sept. 25 to respond to the company’s answers to those questions. After that, the oil company will have the final word, with their last opportunity to respond to public comment set for Oct. 9. Hershey will then provide a written determination on whether or not to revoke the company’s permit to operate. He warned that his decision could take time, telling hearing attendees to “please be patient.” Once the determination is made, it can be appealed within 15 days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094648/californians-vow-to-fight-federal-takeover-of-coastline-for-oil-drilling\">Californians vow to fight ‘federal takeover’ of coastline for oil drilling\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State lawmakers, Indigenous leaders, advocates and business groups gathered in Santa Monica on Monday to challenge the Trump administration’s efforts to open the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-coast\">California coast\u003c/a> for oil drilling and other industrial projects\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The stakeholders rallied ahead of an in-person meeting held by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reviewing California’s Coastal Management Program, which speakers at the press conference considered to be an attack on California’s right to protect its coastline. “This federal administration is bent on industrializing our coast,” California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said, addressing a crowd of dozens, many of whom brandished protest signs or wore oceanic blue T-shirts with the slogan “No Federal Takeover.” “For the first time in over four decades, through Republican and Democratic presidential administrations, this is the first administration moving aggressively to expand new offshore oil drilling.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rally and meeting come just over a month after NOAA \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089085/trump-administration-takes-aim-at-california-coastal-protections\">began the regulatory process\u003c/a> with a notice in the Federal Register about its plans to study California’s Coastal Management Program. Following Monday’s in-person meeting, there will be opportunities for public comment at \u003ca href=\"https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/aug26/czma-public-meetings.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">virtual meetings\u003c/a> Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While critics see the move as part of the Trump administration’s broader goals to increase oil and gas production, those in the president’s cabinet say there are economic costs to coastal-protection schemes. “America must continue to lead in innovation, space exploration, and economic strength,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in May. “Obstructionist policies that delay critical national infrastructure in the name of environmental extremism are unacceptable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/environment-and-energy/2026-08-10/newsom-says-he-wont-push-for-a-diablo-canyon-extension-this-year\">Gov. Newsom says he won’t push for a Diablo Canyon extension this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/tags/gavin-newsom\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Governor Gavin Newsom\u003c/u>\u003c/a> says he won’t spearhead an extension for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/tags/diablo-canyon-power-plant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Diablo Canyon Power Plant\u003c/u>\u003c/a>, California’s last functioning nuclear energy plant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a press conference on clean energy in Oakland late last week, Newsom said he’s passing the baton to whoever takes over his role at the beginning of next year. “That will be a determination made by policymakers that will be here a lot longer than I will,” Newsom said. “I got a sell-by date in five months.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In November, voters will choose either Democrat Xavier Becerra or Republican Steve Hilton to serve as governor after Newsom’s term ends in January.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California State Legislature previously extended Diablo Canyon’s operations to the year 2030 by passing SB 846 — a bill that Newsom signed into law. An advocacy group called \u003ca href=\"https://diablocanyon2045.com/press-release-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Diablo Canyon 2045\u003c/u>\u003c/a> responded to Newsom’s comments with a statement that said pushing the extension decision out to next year would cost more money in the long run. “Regardless of the Governor’s comment, there is still time for the legislature to uphold their commitment to affordability this session,” a press release from the group says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for PG&E, the utility that operates Diablo Canyon, sent KCBX a statement responding to Newsom’s comments. “Extending Diablo Canyon beyond 2030 this legislative session will immediately save electric customers $1.7 billion in unnecessary costs to build new power plants by 2032 as required by the CPUC’s recent 6,000-megawatt procurement order,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislature only has three more weeks to pass a Diablo Canyon extension bill this year, before final recess begins on August 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Tuesday, August 11, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Tuesday, August 11, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/list",
"attrs": {
"items": [
"Los Angeles is a city. But it’s also an urban oilfield. About a third of L.A. County residents live less than a mile from an active oil drilling site. Now one of those sites in South L.A. could be shut down. ",
"A federal agency is conducting an unusual review of California’s Coastal Management Program. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, did a review of the program just two years ago. But Trump administration officials asked for a new one because they say the current version doesn’t reflect “national priorities.” ",
"Governor Gavin Newsom says he won’t oversee an extension for the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California’s last functioning nuclear plant."
]
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n\n\n\u003c/ul>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\u003c/ul>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Los Angeles is a city. But it’s also an urban oilfield. About a third of L.A. County residents live less than a mile from an active oil drilling site. Now one of those sites in South L.A. \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/community-resistance-south-la-murphy-oil-drilling-site-could-be-shut-down\">could be shut down. \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Los Angeles is a city. But it’s also an urban oilfield. About a third of L.A. County residents live less than a mile from an active oil drilling site. Now one of those sites in South L.A. \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/community-resistance-south-la-murphy-oil-drilling-site-could-be-shut-down\">could be shut down. \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>A federal agency is \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/brief/news/climate-environment/trump-review-california-coastal-authority\">conducting an unusual review\u003c/a> of California’s Coastal Management Program. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, did a review of the program just two years ago. But Trump administration officials asked for a new one because they say the current version doesn’t reflect “national priorities.” \u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>A federal agency is \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/brief/news/climate-environment/trump-review-california-coastal-authority\">conducting an unusual review\u003c/a> of California’s Coastal Management Program. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, did a review of the program just two years ago. But Trump administration officials asked for a new one because they say the current version doesn’t reflect “national priorities.” \u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Governor Gavin Newsom says he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/environment-and-energy/2026-08-10/newsom-says-he-wont-push-for-a-diablo-canyon-extension-this-year\">won’t oversee an extension\u003c/a> for the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California’s last functioning nuclear plant.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Governor Gavin Newsom says he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/environment-and-energy/2026-08-10/newsom-says-he-wont-push-for-a-diablo-canyon-extension-this-year\">won’t oversee an extension\u003c/a> for the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California’s last functioning nuclear plant.\u003c/li>\n"
]
}
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "After more than a decade of community resistance, a South LA oil drilling site could be shut down",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/community-resistance-south-la-murphy-oil-drilling-site-could-be-shut-down\">After more than a decade of community resistance, a South LA oil drilling site could be shut down\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/community-resistance-south-la-murphy-oil-drilling-site-could-be-shut-down\">After more than a decade of community resistance, a South LA oil drilling site could be shut down\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Genaro and Catalina Ventura moved to the South L.A. neighborhood of Jefferson Park more than 25 years ago. The Craftsman-style house they found was a dream — spacious, with a yard where they could garden and their children and dog could play. What they didn’t know before moving in was that just a few hundred yards behind the house is an active oil drilling site.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Genaro and Catalina Ventura moved to the South L.A. neighborhood of Jefferson Park more than 25 years ago. The Craftsman-style house they found was a dream — spacious, with a yard where they could garden and their children and dog could play. What they didn’t know before moving in was that just a few hundred yards behind the house is an active oil drilling site.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Genaro Ventura, a now-retired custodian for the city of L.A., worked nights. When he’d come home around 2 a.m., the smell of oil and chemicals was often strong in the air. “Since the night is quiet, there’s no traffic or smog,” Genaro Ventura told LAist in Spanish. “You can really smell the air from the drill site, and it’s a terrible odor.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Genaro Ventura, a now-retired custodian for the city of L.A., worked nights. When he’d come home around 2 a.m., the smell of oil and chemicals was often strong in the air. “Since the night is quiet, there’s no traffic or smog,” Genaro Ventura told LAist in Spanish. “You can really smell the air from the drill site, and it’s a terrible odor.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Five years after the family moved in, Genaro was diagnosed with cancer in his left kidney and had to have it removed. In 2013, a brain tumor led to another surgery, and the following year another brain tumor required radiation treatment. He has to return regularly for scans. Most recently he’s developed lung cancer and is scheduled to start chemotherapy. With no family history of cancer, the Venturas suspect the illnesses are related to air pollution from the nearby drill site. And it’s not just Genaro Ventura. The family’s last dog died of cancer. Their elderly chihuahua now has cancer, too. Two of Catalina Ventura’s friends nearby were also diagnosed with cancer and recently moved away. Their son and many children in the neighborhood grew up with asthma.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Five years after the family moved in, Genaro was diagnosed with cancer in his left kidney and had to have it removed. In 2013, a brain tumor led to another surgery, and the following year another brain tumor required radiation treatment. He has to return regularly for scans. Most recently he’s developed lung cancer and is scheduled to start chemotherapy. With no family history of cancer, the Venturas suspect the illnesses are related to air pollution from the nearby drill site. And it’s not just Genaro Ventura. The family’s last dog died of cancer. Their elderly chihuahua now has cancer, too. Two of Catalina Ventura’s friends nearby were also diagnosed with cancer and recently moved away. Their son and many children in the neighborhood grew up with asthma.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now, after more than a decade of \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/health/in-a-largely-black-and-latino-community-neighbors-worry-about-the-oil-wells-n-their-midst\">community organizing\u003c/a>, the Murphy drill site could be shut down. The city is considering whether to revoke E&B Natural Resource’s license to operate the site. “It is really the best chance we have ever had to see this toxic industrial site shut down and removed from our neighborhood,” longtime South L.A. resident Richard Parks said at a recent community town hall at a church down the road from the drill site. Parks is the president of the nonprofit Redeemer Community Partnership, a group that has spearheaded the shutdown effort.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Now, after more than a decade of \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/health/in-a-largely-black-and-latino-community-neighbors-worry-about-the-oil-wells-n-their-midst\">community organizing\u003c/a>, the Murphy drill site could be shut down. The city is considering whether to revoke E&B Natural Resource’s license to operate the site. “It is really the best chance we have ever had to see this toxic industrial site shut down and removed from our neighborhood,” longtime South L.A. resident Richard Parks said at a recent community town hall at a church down the road from the drill site. Parks is the president of the nonprofit Redeemer Community Partnership, a group that has spearheaded the shutdown effort.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In response to questions from LAist, a spokesperson for E&B emphasized the company’s compliance with regulations and said the facility “plays an important role in supplying locally produced petroleum to the Los Angeles Basin.” The spokesperson also pointed to a July \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28506372-eb-roux-analysis/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report the company commissioned from environmental consulting firm Roux Associates\u003c/a>. The report says “the administrative record contains no scientific evidence that the Murphy site jeopardizes or adversely affects public health or safety of nearby residents or workers.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In response to questions from LAist, a spokesperson for E&B emphasized the company’s compliance with regulations and said the facility “plays an important role in supplying locally produced petroleum to the Los Angeles Basin.” The spokesperson also pointed to a July \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28506372-eb-roux-analysis/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report the company commissioned from environmental consulting firm Roux Associates\u003c/a>. The report says “the administrative record contains no scientific evidence that the Murphy site jeopardizes or adversely affects public health or safety of nearby residents or workers.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After a hearing last month. the oil company now has until Aug. 23 to respond to a list of questions from Jonathan Hershey, Associate Zoning Administrator in Los Angeles. Then the public has until Sept. 25 to respond to the company’s answers to those questions. After that, the oil company will have the final word, with their last opportunity to respond to public comment set for Oct. 9. Hershey will then provide a written determination on whether or not to revoke the company’s permit to operate. He warned that his decision could take time, telling hearing attendees to “please be patient.” Once the determination is made, it can be appealed within 15 days.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>After a hearing last month. the oil company now has until Aug. 23 to respond to a list of questions from Jonathan Hershey, Associate Zoning Administrator in Los Angeles. Then the public has until Sept. 25 to respond to the company’s answers to those questions. After that, the oil company will have the final word, with their last opportunity to respond to public comment set for Oct. 9. Hershey will then provide a written determination on whether or not to revoke the company’s permit to operate. He warned that his decision could take time, telling hearing attendees to “please be patient.” Once the determination is made, it can be appealed within 15 days.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Californians vow to fight ‘federal takeover’ of coastline for oil drilling",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094648/californians-vow-to-fight-federal-takeover-of-coastline-for-oil-drilling\">Californians vow to fight ‘federal takeover’ of coastline for oil drilling\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094648/californians-vow-to-fight-federal-takeover-of-coastline-for-oil-drilling\">Californians vow to fight ‘federal takeover’ of coastline for oil drilling\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State lawmakers, Indigenous leaders, advocates and business groups gathered in Santa Monica on Monday to challenge the Trump administration’s efforts to open the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-coast\">California coast\u003c/a> for oil drilling and other industrial projects\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>State lawmakers, Indigenous leaders, advocates and business groups gathered in Santa Monica on Monday to challenge the Trump administration’s efforts to open the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-coast\">California coast\u003c/a> for oil drilling and other industrial projects\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The stakeholders rallied ahead of an in-person meeting held by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reviewing California’s Coastal Management Program, which speakers at the press conference considered to be an attack on California’s right to protect its coastline. “This federal administration is bent on industrializing our coast,” California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said, addressing a crowd of dozens, many of whom brandished protest signs or wore oceanic blue T-shirts with the slogan “No Federal Takeover.” “For the first time in over four decades, through Republican and Democratic presidential administrations, this is the first administration moving aggressively to expand new offshore oil drilling.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The stakeholders rallied ahead of an in-person meeting held by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reviewing California’s Coastal Management Program, which speakers at the press conference considered to be an attack on California’s right to protect its coastline. “This federal administration is bent on industrializing our coast,” California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said, addressing a crowd of dozens, many of whom brandished protest signs or wore oceanic blue T-shirts with the slogan “No Federal Takeover.” “For the first time in over four decades, through Republican and Democratic presidential administrations, this is the first administration moving aggressively to expand new offshore oil drilling.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The rally and meeting come just over a month after NOAA \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089085/trump-administration-takes-aim-at-california-coastal-protections\">began the regulatory process\u003c/a> with a notice in the Federal Register about its plans to study California’s Coastal Management Program. Following Monday’s in-person meeting, there will be opportunities for public comment at \u003ca href=\"https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/aug26/czma-public-meetings.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">virtual meetings\u003c/a> Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The rally and meeting come just over a month after NOAA \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089085/trump-administration-takes-aim-at-california-coastal-protections\">began the regulatory process\u003c/a> with a notice in the Federal Register about its plans to study California’s Coastal Management Program. Following Monday’s in-person meeting, there will be opportunities for public comment at \u003ca href=\"https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/aug26/czma-public-meetings.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">virtual meetings\u003c/a> Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While critics see the move as part of the Trump administration’s broader goals to increase oil and gas production, those in the president’s cabinet say there are economic costs to coastal-protection schemes. “America must continue to lead in innovation, space exploration, and economic strength,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in May. “Obstructionist policies that delay critical national infrastructure in the name of environmental extremism are unacceptable.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>While critics see the move as part of the Trump administration’s broader goals to increase oil and gas production, those in the president’s cabinet say there are economic costs to coastal-protection schemes. “America must continue to lead in innovation, space exploration, and economic strength,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in May. “Obstructionist policies that delay critical national infrastructure in the name of environmental extremism are unacceptable.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Gov. Newsom says he won’t push for a Diablo Canyon extension this year",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/environment-and-energy/2026-08-10/newsom-says-he-wont-push-for-a-diablo-canyon-extension-this-year\">Gov. Newsom says he won’t push for a Diablo Canyon extension this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/environment-and-energy/2026-08-10/newsom-says-he-wont-push-for-a-diablo-canyon-extension-this-year\">Gov. Newsom says he won’t push for a Diablo Canyon extension this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/tags/gavin-newsom\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Governor Gavin Newsom\u003c/u>\u003c/a> says he won’t spearhead an extension for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/tags/diablo-canyon-power-plant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Diablo Canyon Power Plant\u003c/u>\u003c/a>, California’s last functioning nuclear energy plant.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/tags/gavin-newsom\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Governor Gavin Newsom\u003c/u>\u003c/a> says he won’t spearhead an extension for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/tags/diablo-canyon-power-plant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Diablo Canyon Power Plant\u003c/u>\u003c/a>, California’s last functioning nuclear energy plant.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At a press conference on clean energy in Oakland late last week, Newsom said he’s passing the baton to whoever takes over his role at the beginning of next year. “That will be a determination made by policymakers that will be here a lot longer than I will,” Newsom said. “I got a sell-by date in five months.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>At a press conference on clean energy in Oakland late last week, Newsom said he’s passing the baton to whoever takes over his role at the beginning of next year. “That will be a determination made by policymakers that will be here a lot longer than I will,” Newsom said. “I got a sell-by date in five months.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In November, voters will choose either Democrat Xavier Becerra or Republican Steve Hilton to serve as governor after Newsom’s term ends in January.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In November, voters will choose either Democrat Xavier Becerra or Republican Steve Hilton to serve as governor after Newsom’s term ends in January.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The California State Legislature previously extended Diablo Canyon’s operations to the year 2030 by passing SB 846 — a bill that Newsom signed into law. An advocacy group called \u003ca href=\"https://diablocanyon2045.com/press-release-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Diablo Canyon 2045\u003c/u>\u003c/a> responded to Newsom’s comments with a statement that said pushing the extension decision out to next year would cost more money in the long run. “Regardless of the Governor’s comment, there is still time for the legislature to uphold their commitment to affordability this session,” a press release from the group says.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The California State Legislature previously extended Diablo Canyon’s operations to the year 2030 by passing SB 846 — a bill that Newsom signed into law. An advocacy group called \u003ca href=\"https://diablocanyon2045.com/press-release-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Diablo Canyon 2045\u003c/u>\u003c/a> responded to Newsom’s comments with a statement that said pushing the extension decision out to next year would cost more money in the long run. “Regardless of the Governor’s comment, there is still time for the legislature to uphold their commitment to affordability this session,” a press release from the group says.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for PG&E, the utility that operates Diablo Canyon, sent KCBX a statement responding to Newsom’s comments. “Extending Diablo Canyon beyond 2030 this legislative session will immediately save electric customers $1.7 billion in unnecessary costs to build new power plants by 2032 as required by the CPUC’s recent 6,000-megawatt procurement order,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for PG&E, the utility that operates Diablo Canyon, sent KCBX a statement responding to Newsom’s comments. “Extending Diablo Canyon beyond 2030 this legislative session will immediately save electric customers $1.7 billion in unnecessary costs to build new power plants by 2032 as required by the CPUC’s recent 6,000-megawatt procurement order,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The legislature only has three more weeks to pass a Diablo Canyon extension bill this year, before final recess begins on August 31.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The legislature only has three more weeks to pass a Diablo Canyon extension bill this year, before final recess begins on August 31.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "It comes after more than a decade of community organizing.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1786476785,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 23,
"wordCount": 1373
},
"headData": {
"title": "Residents Try to Shut Down South LA Oil Drill Site | KQED",
"description": "It comes after more than a decade of community organizing.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Residents Try to Shut Down South LA Oil Drill Site",
"datePublished": "2026-08-11T12:32:58-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-11T12:33:05-07:00",
"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": 33520,
"slug": "podcast",
"name": "Podcast"
},
"source": "The California Report",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrarchive/",
"audioUrl": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC8373649751.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12094698",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12094698/residents-try-to-shut-down-south-la-oil-drill-site",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Tuesday, August 11, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Los Angeles is a city. But it’s also an urban oilfield. About a third of L.A. County residents live less than a mile from an active oil drilling site. Now one of those sites in South L.A. \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/community-resistance-south-la-murphy-oil-drilling-site-could-be-shut-down\">could be shut down. \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A federal agency is \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/brief/news/climate-environment/trump-review-california-coastal-authority\">conducting an unusual review\u003c/a> of California’s Coastal Management Program. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, did a review of the program just two years ago. But Trump administration officials asked for a new one because they say the current version doesn’t reflect “national priorities.” \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Governor Gavin Newsom says he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/environment-and-energy/2026-08-10/newsom-says-he-wont-push-for-a-diablo-canyon-extension-this-year\">won’t oversee an extension\u003c/a> for the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California’s last functioning nuclear plant.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/community-resistance-south-la-murphy-oil-drilling-site-could-be-shut-down\">After more than a decade of community resistance, a South LA oil drilling site could be shut down\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Genaro and Catalina Ventura moved to the South L.A. neighborhood of Jefferson Park more than 25 years ago. The Craftsman-style house they found was a dream — spacious, with a yard where they could garden and their children and dog could play. What they didn’t know before moving in was that just a few hundred yards behind the house is an active oil drilling site.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Genaro Ventura, a now-retired custodian for the city of L.A., worked nights. When he’d come home around 2 a.m., the smell of oil and chemicals was often strong in the air. “Since the night is quiet, there’s no traffic or smog,” Genaro Ventura told LAist in Spanish. “You can really smell the air from the drill site, and it’s a terrible odor.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Five years after the family moved in, Genaro was diagnosed with cancer in his left kidney and had to have it removed. In 2013, a brain tumor led to another surgery, and the following year another brain tumor required radiation treatment. He has to return regularly for scans. Most recently he’s developed lung cancer and is scheduled to start chemotherapy. With no family history of cancer, the Venturas suspect the illnesses are related to air pollution from the nearby drill site. And it’s not just Genaro Ventura. The family’s last dog died of cancer. Their elderly chihuahua now has cancer, too. Two of Catalina Ventura’s friends nearby were also diagnosed with cancer and recently moved away. Their son and many children in the neighborhood grew up with asthma.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now, after more than a decade of \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/health/in-a-largely-black-and-latino-community-neighbors-worry-about-the-oil-wells-n-their-midst\">community organizing\u003c/a>, the Murphy drill site could be shut down. The city is considering whether to revoke E&B Natural Resource’s license to operate the site. “It is really the best chance we have ever had to see this toxic industrial site shut down and removed from our neighborhood,” longtime South L.A. resident Richard Parks said at a recent community town hall at a church down the road from the drill site. Parks is the president of the nonprofit Redeemer Community Partnership, a group that has spearheaded the shutdown effort.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\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>In response to questions from LAist, a spokesperson for E&B emphasized the company’s compliance with regulations and said the facility “plays an important role in supplying locally produced petroleum to the Los Angeles Basin.” The spokesperson also pointed to a July \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28506372-eb-roux-analysis/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report the company commissioned from environmental consulting firm Roux Associates\u003c/a>. The report says “the administrative record contains no scientific evidence that the Murphy site jeopardizes or adversely affects public health or safety of nearby residents or workers.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a hearing last month. the oil company now has until Aug. 23 to respond to a list of questions from Jonathan Hershey, Associate Zoning Administrator in Los Angeles. Then the public has until Sept. 25 to respond to the company’s answers to those questions. After that, the oil company will have the final word, with their last opportunity to respond to public comment set for Oct. 9. Hershey will then provide a written determination on whether or not to revoke the company’s permit to operate. He warned that his decision could take time, telling hearing attendees to “please be patient.” Once the determination is made, it can be appealed within 15 days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094648/californians-vow-to-fight-federal-takeover-of-coastline-for-oil-drilling\">Californians vow to fight ‘federal takeover’ of coastline for oil drilling\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State lawmakers, Indigenous leaders, advocates and business groups gathered in Santa Monica on Monday to challenge the Trump administration’s efforts to open the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-coast\">California coast\u003c/a> for oil drilling and other industrial projects\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The stakeholders rallied ahead of an in-person meeting held by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reviewing California’s Coastal Management Program, which speakers at the press conference considered to be an attack on California’s right to protect its coastline. “This federal administration is bent on industrializing our coast,” California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said, addressing a crowd of dozens, many of whom brandished protest signs or wore oceanic blue T-shirts with the slogan “No Federal Takeover.” “For the first time in over four decades, through Republican and Democratic presidential administrations, this is the first administration moving aggressively to expand new offshore oil drilling.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rally and meeting come just over a month after NOAA \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089085/trump-administration-takes-aim-at-california-coastal-protections\">began the regulatory process\u003c/a> with a notice in the Federal Register about its plans to study California’s Coastal Management Program. Following Monday’s in-person meeting, there will be opportunities for public comment at \u003ca href=\"https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/aug26/czma-public-meetings.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">virtual meetings\u003c/a> Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While critics see the move as part of the Trump administration’s broader goals to increase oil and gas production, those in the president’s cabinet say there are economic costs to coastal-protection schemes. “America must continue to lead in innovation, space exploration, and economic strength,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in May. “Obstructionist policies that delay critical national infrastructure in the name of environmental extremism are unacceptable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/environment-and-energy/2026-08-10/newsom-says-he-wont-push-for-a-diablo-canyon-extension-this-year\">Gov. Newsom says he won’t push for a Diablo Canyon extension this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/tags/gavin-newsom\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Governor Gavin Newsom\u003c/u>\u003c/a> says he won’t spearhead an extension for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/tags/diablo-canyon-power-plant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Diablo Canyon Power Plant\u003c/u>\u003c/a>, California’s last functioning nuclear energy plant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a press conference on clean energy in Oakland late last week, Newsom said he’s passing the baton to whoever takes over his role at the beginning of next year. “That will be a determination made by policymakers that will be here a lot longer than I will,” Newsom said. “I got a sell-by date in five months.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In November, voters will choose either Democrat Xavier Becerra or Republican Steve Hilton to serve as governor after Newsom’s term ends in January.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California State Legislature previously extended Diablo Canyon’s operations to the year 2030 by passing SB 846 — a bill that Newsom signed into law. An advocacy group called \u003ca href=\"https://diablocanyon2045.com/press-release-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>Diablo Canyon 2045\u003c/u>\u003c/a> responded to Newsom’s comments with a statement that said pushing the extension decision out to next year would cost more money in the long run. “Regardless of the Governor’s comment, there is still time for the legislature to uphold their commitment to affordability this session,” a press release from the group says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for PG&E, the utility that operates Diablo Canyon, sent KCBX a statement responding to Newsom’s comments. “Extending Diablo Canyon beyond 2030 this legislative session will immediately save electric customers $1.7 billion in unnecessary costs to build new power plants by 2032 as required by the CPUC’s recent 6,000-megawatt procurement order,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislature only has three more weeks to pass a Diablo Canyon extension bill this year, before final recess begins on August 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\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\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12094698/residents-try-to-shut-down-south-la-oil-drill-site",
"authors": [
"11739"
],
"programs": [
"news_72"
],
"categories": [
"news_33520"
],
"tags": [
"news_37317",
"news_1068",
"news_36051",
"news_37316",
"news_4",
"news_36848",
"news_36090",
"news_17781",
"news_37315",
"news_21998",
"news_21268",
"news_35256"
],
"featImg": "news_12094699",
"label": "source_news_12094698"
},
"news_12093430": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12093430",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12093430",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1785607247000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again",
"title": "LA Fire Survivors Say Newsom Is Trying to Help Utilities Reduce Their Wildfire Costs, Again",
"publishDate": 1785607247,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "LA Fire Survivors Say Newsom Is Trying to Help Utilities Reduce Their Wildfire Costs, Again | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you live in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>, chances are you’ve seen the ads that say “Home insurance rates skyrocket” and “The FAIR Plan is broken.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They urge you to contact your state representative to ask them to “fix our wildfire problem to make California more affordable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those ads are connected to what Los Angeles fire survivors, consumer advocacy groups and the insurance industry say is a secretive, last-minute attempt by Gov. Gavin Newsom to help utilities reduce how much they pay for wildfires they cause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the legislative session set to resume next week and run through the end of the month, the governor’s staff has been talking with state lawmakers about addressing challenges around wildfire recovery and rising catastrophic risk in California, a spokesperson for his office confirmed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers have not released the text of the proposals. Newsom spokesperson Anthony Martinez would not say whether the legislation will do the following, as alleged by fire survivors and a consumer advocacy group:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Limit compensation for fire victims’ pain and suffering.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Eliminate insurance companies’ right to recover wildfire costs from utilities or other corporations.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Cap attorneys’ fees, making it harder for fire survivors to get representation.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Every Fire Survivor’s Network, a group started by survivors of last year’s Eaton Fire, and Consumer Watchdog, a consumer advocacy group that focuses on insurance and other issues, say the bills would shift recovery costs from utility companies to insurance policyholders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076327\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076327\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-2000x1500.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Eaton Fire disproportionately ravaged Altadena’s historic Black neighborhoods, including the home that once stood on this lot at the corner of Glenrose Avenue and West Terrace Street. \u003ccite>(Photo Courtesy:William Jenkins/AfroLA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Insurance industry representatives agree. The strange bedfellows are calling out the late political maneuvering known as “gut-and-amend,” which lawmakers use to create bills by gutting other pending bills and replacing their language for a different purpose and are meant to be fast-tracked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The groups are speaking out against the purported bill package, which appears to align with the goals of Wildfire Victims First, a campaign funded by utilities that, despite its name, has no wildfire survivors groups among its supporters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Californians deserve a government that works in the open, not behind closed doors,” said Joy Chen, leader of the Every Fire Survivor’s Network, in a press conference last week. She urged the governor to “choose democracy over corporate special interests.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an open \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KPrBXx7Rh6rX_I8fmuJE_FZipdKQGp0ARkYyapDFP4E/edit?tab=t.cpm7mapxvld9#heading=h.btckwp8x4d9d\">letter\u003c/a> to the governor, Chen laid out how she said Newsom has, over the years, already helped utilities shift responsibility for wildfires they cause.[aside postID=news_12093383 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-WOODSIDE-FIRE-01-KQED.jpg']The state’s three major utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric, have tremendous influence in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They have what seems to be an unlimited number of names, entities and affiliates; donate to campaigns by Democrats and Republicans; and together employ hundreds of lobbyists who advocate for hundreds of bills every session. In the 2025-26 session, their donations to sitting legislators totaled more than $1.2 million, according to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/financials#giver%5B%5D=oid--10505&giver%5B%5D=oid--8938&giver%5B%5D=oid--4887&transaction_type%5B%5D=Candidate+Donations&transaction_type%5B%5D=Gift&transaction_type%5B%5D=Independent+Expenditures&transaction_type%5B%5D=Party+Committees&transaction_type%5B%5D=Sponsored+Travel&year%5B%5D=2025&year%5B%5D=2026&page=31\">CalMatters’ Digital Democracy Database\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Martinez said the discussions between the governor’s office and California lawmakers are informed by a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cawildfirefund.com/sb-254-natural-catastrophe-resilience-study\">report\u003c/a> released in April by the California Earthquake Authority, which under \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb254\">Senate Bill 254\u003c/a> was tasked with studying how the state should “responsibly and equitably allocate the burdens from natural catastrophes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That bill — rewritten so late last year that it required the Legislature \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/09/california-cap-and-trade-extension/\">to extend its session\u003c/a> — also allows utilities to shift additional wildfire costs to consumers if their costs exceed a wildfire fund created in 2019 through legislation also backed by the governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The three major utilities paid half of the $21 billion fund. Californians paid the other half through monthly surcharges on their electric bills. Eaton Fire survivors have \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-08-01/this-fire-could-have-been-prevented-how-utilities-fought-removal-of-old-powerlines\">sued\u003c/a> Edison over what they say is negligence that led to the fire; the cost of claims from the fire are expected to \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-07-23/eaton-fire-could-wipe-out-21-billion-state-wildfire-fund-new-documents-say\">exceed what’s in the fund\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082708\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1980px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082708\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2172244931.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1367\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2172244931.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2172244931-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2172244931-1536x1060.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Governor Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference of housing & homelessness with new legislation and funding and bills signing, along with other local, state and federal leaders are gathered in San Francisco, California, United States on Sept. 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Among the April report’s many recommendations is to put more money in the wildfire fund by increasing the surcharge on utility customers by $8.50 a month, bringing the total to $11 a month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nathan Click, a spokesperson for Wildfire Victims First, said the campaign is calling on lawmakers to “urgently implement” many of the conclusions in the SB 254 report, which he said “highlighted how payouts to financial middlemen — like trial attorneys, hedge funds and insurance companies — are often paid out before wildfire victims receive a single dollar for rebuilding.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Click did not answer CalMatters’ question about why there are no fire survivors groups on the list of more than 200 organizations that support the effort. Most are local chambers of commerce or business groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters contacted nearly a dozen of the organizations. Ten did not respond or would not make their executives available for an interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the chief executive of one of them, Jennifer Gray Thompson, said she changed her mind about participating once she realized the coalition did not include fire victims groups. Her organization, After the Fire, which helps support leaders in communities around the country that have experienced mega fires, was briefly on the list but was removed promptly at her request, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m from Sonoma,” Thompson told CalMatters. “I’m a national advocate for fire victims. I’m definitely not on their side,” she added. Former state Sen. Bill Dodd, a Democrat whom she said did a lot of good for fire survivors when he was in office, was among those who contacted her to solicit her group’s support for the effort, according to emails she shared with CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087362\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087362\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260611-PGEBREAKUPPRICING-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260611-PGEBREAKUPPRICING-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260611-PGEBREAKUPPRICING-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260611-PGEBREAKUPPRICING-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A PG&E substation on Mission and 8th Streets in San Francisco on June 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Dodd did not return a phone call and text message from CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Council, another supporter, counts PG&E among its member businesses. Spokesperson Rufus Jeffris said the council “generally supports sensible policies and investments that reduce wildfire risk and increase community wildfire resilience and balance the diverse needs of business, consumers and residents.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A Consumer Watchdog analysis of utilities’ required financial disclosures shows that 66% of the non-governmental organizations on the list have received utility-industry contributions, grants, sponsorships and more worth about $7.3 million from 2023 to 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Click called Consumer Watchdog a “shadow lobby firm for trial attorneys” and said “it should come as no surprise that they are trying to protect a system that prioritizes trial attorneys over wildfire victims.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spokespeople for PG&E, Edison and SDG&E referred CalMatters to the Wildfire Victims First campaign regarding the campaign and the legislative proposal.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What state lawmakers are saying or not saying\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/benjamin-allen-70\">Ben Allen\u003c/a>, a Democrat from the Los Angeles area whose constituents include survivors of the Palisades Fire, attended the Friday press conference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>Any solutions that we have have to (hold) the responsible parties accountable,\u003cstrong>”\u003c/strong> Allen said in a room full of fire survivors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Who’s responsible for the costs of wildfire recovery is important to both Allen’s current job and possibly his future one: He is chair of the Senate energy and utilities committee, and is \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/06/california-insurance-commissioner-top-two/\">running for\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/insurance-commissioner/\">insurance commissioner\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079349\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079349\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ben Allen, a California state senator, speaks during a forum for candidates for California insurance commissioner at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) in San Francisco on April 9, 2026. The event brought together candidates to discuss the state’s insurance market, including affordability and coverage challenges facing homeowners. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Allen’s spokesperson, Ben Cheever, said the senator was not available for an interview about the specifics of the legislative package.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he sent the following statement from Allen: “I will carefully review any proposal put forth to ensure we hold responsible parties accountable while meaningfully reducing risk to improve affordability. We should not simply shift around the costs consumers pay without addressing this more holistically.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fellow Democrat Sen. Sasha Renee Perez, who represents Eaton Fire survivors, said in an interview with CalMatters that if a legislative package contains the proposals fire survivors suspect they do, she would have a “tremendous issue” with them being presented at the last minute. She also said she has talked with other members of the Legislature who “are very upset with what’s taking place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Perez said she would oppose any proposal that limits non-economic damages for fire survivors: “I represent Altadena. I have a friend who lost his sister in the fire. How do you put a price tag on losing your sibling?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The senator also said she was “so frustrated and shocked” that SB 254, which started off as a bill intended to reduce profits for investor-owned utilities, ended up helping utilities instead during the last three days of last year’s session.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12093339\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12093339\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260729-POWER-HOUSE-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260729-POWER-HOUSE-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260729-POWER-HOUSE-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260729-POWER-HOUSE-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A wall of demonstration EV Chargers and smart electrical panels made by Tesla, GM and Span are on display at PG&E’s PowerHouse in San Ramon on July 30, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That’s not the way government should work,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters also contacted several other lawmakers or their offices, especially ones who lead related committees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following Democratic lawmakers’ offices did not respond: Assembly Speaker \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/robert-rivas-165041\">Robert Rivas\u003c/a>; Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/lisa-calderon-165426\">Lisa Calderon\u003c/a>, who leads the insurance committee; and Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/cottie-petrie-norris-165040\">Cottie Petrie-Norris\u003c/a>, who leads the utilities and energy committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spokespeople for Senate President Pro Tem \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/monique-limon-13069\">Monique Limon\u003c/a> and Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/josh-becker-165449\">Josh Becker\u003c/a> responded with emailed statements similar to that sent by Newsom spokesperson Martinez: “The current system is unsustainable and not working for fire survivors, utility customers, or insurance policyholders.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The insurance industry’s concerns\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Insurance industry representatives say if insurance companies can’t recover wildfire costs from utilities, also known as subrogation, they will inevitably raise premiums.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t think it’s fair to make insurance policyholders pay more to bail out utility shareholders,\u003cstrong>”\u003c/strong> said Denni Ritter, a vice president at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ritter also pushed back against the assertion by the utilities’ campaign that insurance companies usually recover their costs from utilities before paying out claims to their policyholders: “It’s not like AAA goes, ‘OK, we’ll pay you once we’ve recovered from the utilities’.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068294\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12068294\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251222-PGEUpdates-18-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251222-PGEUpdates-18-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251222-PGEUpdates-18-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251222-PGEUpdates-18-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">PG&E employees work to repair a substation on Mission and 8th Streets in San Francisco on Dec. 22, 2025, after a fire at the site over the weekend contributed to a major citywide power outage. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rex Frazier is president of the Personal Insurance Federation of California, which represents the largest insurers operating in the state. He said this campaign is the latest attempt by utilities to chip away at their industry’s possible liability for wildfires. Sometimes, the insurance industry has had conversations with utilities, he said. That’s not happening this time, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now he, like other Californians, is seeing the ads from the Wildfire Victims First campaign, whose website says it’s funded by PG&E, SDG&E and SCE shareholders and three other organizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re trying to understand why they’re talking about the insurance market,” Frazier said. “We can’t get a clear answer about what they have in mind.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Jeanne Kuang contributed reporting.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/07/wildfire-liability-battle/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Survivors, insurance industry slam purported last-minute bills to shift wildfire costs away from utilities.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785529975,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 49,
"wordCount": 2071
},
"headData": {
"title": "LA Fire Survivors Say Newsom Is Trying to Help Utilities Reduce Their Wildfire Costs, Again | KQED",
"description": "Survivors, insurance industry slam purported last-minute bills to shift wildfire costs away from utilities.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "LA Fire Survivors Say Newsom Is Trying to Help Utilities Reduce Their Wildfire Costs, Again",
"datePublished": "2026-08-01T11:00:47-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-07-31T13:32:55-07:00",
"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": 8,
"slug": "news",
"name": "News"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you live in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>, chances are you’ve seen the ads that say “Home insurance rates skyrocket” and “The FAIR Plan is broken.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They urge you to contact your state representative to ask them to “fix our wildfire problem to make California more affordable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those ads are connected to what Los Angeles fire survivors, consumer advocacy groups and the insurance industry say is a secretive, last-minute attempt by Gov. Gavin Newsom to help utilities reduce how much they pay for wildfires they cause.\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>With the legislative session set to resume next week and run through the end of the month, the governor’s staff has been talking with state lawmakers about addressing challenges around wildfire recovery and rising catastrophic risk in California, a spokesperson for his office confirmed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers have not released the text of the proposals. Newsom spokesperson Anthony Martinez would not say whether the legislation will do the following, as alleged by fire survivors and a consumer advocacy group:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Limit compensation for fire victims’ pain and suffering.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Eliminate insurance companies’ right to recover wildfire costs from utilities or other corporations.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Cap attorneys’ fees, making it harder for fire survivors to get representation.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Every Fire Survivor’s Network, a group started by survivors of last year’s Eaton Fire, and Consumer Watchdog, a consumer advocacy group that focuses on insurance and other issues, say the bills would shift recovery costs from utility companies to insurance policyholders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076327\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076327\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-2000x1500.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/blackhomesmatter_-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Eaton Fire disproportionately ravaged Altadena’s historic Black neighborhoods, including the home that once stood on this lot at the corner of Glenrose Avenue and West Terrace Street. \u003ccite>(Photo Courtesy:William Jenkins/AfroLA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Insurance industry representatives agree. The strange bedfellows are calling out the late political maneuvering known as “gut-and-amend,” which lawmakers use to create bills by gutting other pending bills and replacing their language for a different purpose and are meant to be fast-tracked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The groups are speaking out against the purported bill package, which appears to align with the goals of Wildfire Victims First, a campaign funded by utilities that, despite its name, has no wildfire survivors groups among its supporters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Californians deserve a government that works in the open, not behind closed doors,” said Joy Chen, leader of the Every Fire Survivor’s Network, in a press conference last week. She urged the governor to “choose democracy over corporate special interests.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an open \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KPrBXx7Rh6rX_I8fmuJE_FZipdKQGp0ARkYyapDFP4E/edit?tab=t.cpm7mapxvld9#heading=h.btckwp8x4d9d\">letter\u003c/a> to the governor, Chen laid out how she said Newsom has, over the years, already helped utilities shift responsibility for wildfires they cause.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12093383",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-WOODSIDE-FIRE-01-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The state’s three major utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric, have tremendous influence in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They have what seems to be an unlimited number of names, entities and affiliates; donate to campaigns by Democrats and Republicans; and together employ hundreds of lobbyists who advocate for hundreds of bills every session. In the 2025-26 session, their donations to sitting legislators totaled more than $1.2 million, according to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/financials#giver%5B%5D=oid--10505&giver%5B%5D=oid--8938&giver%5B%5D=oid--4887&transaction_type%5B%5D=Candidate+Donations&transaction_type%5B%5D=Gift&transaction_type%5B%5D=Independent+Expenditures&transaction_type%5B%5D=Party+Committees&transaction_type%5B%5D=Sponsored+Travel&year%5B%5D=2025&year%5B%5D=2026&page=31\">CalMatters’ Digital Democracy Database\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Martinez said the discussions between the governor’s office and California lawmakers are informed by a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cawildfirefund.com/sb-254-natural-catastrophe-resilience-study\">report\u003c/a> released in April by the California Earthquake Authority, which under \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb254\">Senate Bill 254\u003c/a> was tasked with studying how the state should “responsibly and equitably allocate the burdens from natural catastrophes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That bill — rewritten so late last year that it required the Legislature \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/09/california-cap-and-trade-extension/\">to extend its session\u003c/a> — also allows utilities to shift additional wildfire costs to consumers if their costs exceed a wildfire fund created in 2019 through legislation also backed by the governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The three major utilities paid half of the $21 billion fund. Californians paid the other half through monthly surcharges on their electric bills. Eaton Fire survivors have \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-08-01/this-fire-could-have-been-prevented-how-utilities-fought-removal-of-old-powerlines\">sued\u003c/a> Edison over what they say is negligence that led to the fire; the cost of claims from the fire are expected to \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-07-23/eaton-fire-could-wipe-out-21-billion-state-wildfire-fund-new-documents-say\">exceed what’s in the fund\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082708\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1980px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082708\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2172244931.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1367\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2172244931.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2172244931-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2172244931-1536x1060.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Governor Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference of housing & homelessness with new legislation and funding and bills signing, along with other local, state and federal leaders are gathered in San Francisco, California, United States on Sept. 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Among the April report’s many recommendations is to put more money in the wildfire fund by increasing the surcharge on utility customers by $8.50 a month, bringing the total to $11 a month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nathan Click, a spokesperson for Wildfire Victims First, said the campaign is calling on lawmakers to “urgently implement” many of the conclusions in the SB 254 report, which he said “highlighted how payouts to financial middlemen — like trial attorneys, hedge funds and insurance companies — are often paid out before wildfire victims receive a single dollar for rebuilding.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Click did not answer CalMatters’ question about why there are no fire survivors groups on the list of more than 200 organizations that support the effort. Most are local chambers of commerce or business groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters contacted nearly a dozen of the organizations. Ten did not respond or would not make their executives available for an interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the chief executive of one of them, Jennifer Gray Thompson, said she changed her mind about participating once she realized the coalition did not include fire victims groups. Her organization, After the Fire, which helps support leaders in communities around the country that have experienced mega fires, was briefly on the list but was removed promptly at her request, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m from Sonoma,” Thompson told CalMatters. “I’m a national advocate for fire victims. I’m definitely not on their side,” she added. Former state Sen. Bill Dodd, a Democrat whom she said did a lot of good for fire survivors when he was in office, was among those who contacted her to solicit her group’s support for the effort, according to emails she shared with CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087362\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087362\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260611-PGEBREAKUPPRICING-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260611-PGEBREAKUPPRICING-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260611-PGEBREAKUPPRICING-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260611-PGEBREAKUPPRICING-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A PG&E substation on Mission and 8th Streets in San Francisco on June 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Dodd did not return a phone call and text message from CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Council, another supporter, counts PG&E among its member businesses. Spokesperson Rufus Jeffris said the council “generally supports sensible policies and investments that reduce wildfire risk and increase community wildfire resilience and balance the diverse needs of business, consumers and residents.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A Consumer Watchdog analysis of utilities’ required financial disclosures shows that 66% of the non-governmental organizations on the list have received utility-industry contributions, grants, sponsorships and more worth about $7.3 million from 2023 to 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Click called Consumer Watchdog a “shadow lobby firm for trial attorneys” and said “it should come as no surprise that they are trying to protect a system that prioritizes trial attorneys over wildfire victims.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spokespeople for PG&E, Edison and SDG&E referred CalMatters to the Wildfire Victims First campaign regarding the campaign and the legislative proposal.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What state lawmakers are saying or not saying\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/benjamin-allen-70\">Ben Allen\u003c/a>, a Democrat from the Los Angeles area whose constituents include survivors of the Palisades Fire, attended the Friday press conference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>Any solutions that we have have to (hold) the responsible parties accountable,\u003cstrong>”\u003c/strong> Allen said in a room full of fire survivors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Who’s responsible for the costs of wildfire recovery is important to both Allen’s current job and possibly his future one: He is chair of the Senate energy and utilities committee, and is \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/06/california-insurance-commissioner-top-two/\">running for\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/insurance-commissioner/\">insurance commissioner\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079349\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079349\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ben Allen, a California state senator, speaks during a forum for candidates for California insurance commissioner at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) in San Francisco on April 9, 2026. The event brought together candidates to discuss the state’s insurance market, including affordability and coverage challenges facing homeowners. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Allen’s spokesperson, Ben Cheever, said the senator was not available for an interview about the specifics of the legislative package.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he sent the following statement from Allen: “I will carefully review any proposal put forth to ensure we hold responsible parties accountable while meaningfully reducing risk to improve affordability. We should not simply shift around the costs consumers pay without addressing this more holistically.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fellow Democrat Sen. Sasha Renee Perez, who represents Eaton Fire survivors, said in an interview with CalMatters that if a legislative package contains the proposals fire survivors suspect they do, she would have a “tremendous issue” with them being presented at the last minute. She also said she has talked with other members of the Legislature who “are very upset with what’s taking place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Perez said she would oppose any proposal that limits non-economic damages for fire survivors: “I represent Altadena. I have a friend who lost his sister in the fire. How do you put a price tag on losing your sibling?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The senator also said she was “so frustrated and shocked” that SB 254, which started off as a bill intended to reduce profits for investor-owned utilities, ended up helping utilities instead during the last three days of last year’s session.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12093339\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12093339\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260729-POWER-HOUSE-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260729-POWER-HOUSE-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260729-POWER-HOUSE-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260729-POWER-HOUSE-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A wall of demonstration EV Chargers and smart electrical panels made by Tesla, GM and Span are on display at PG&E’s PowerHouse in San Ramon on July 30, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That’s not the way government should work,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters also contacted several other lawmakers or their offices, especially ones who lead related committees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following Democratic lawmakers’ offices did not respond: Assembly Speaker \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/robert-rivas-165041\">Robert Rivas\u003c/a>; Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/lisa-calderon-165426\">Lisa Calderon\u003c/a>, who leads the insurance committee; and Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/cottie-petrie-norris-165040\">Cottie Petrie-Norris\u003c/a>, who leads the utilities and energy committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spokespeople for Senate President Pro Tem \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/monique-limon-13069\">Monique Limon\u003c/a> and Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/josh-becker-165449\">Josh Becker\u003c/a> responded with emailed statements similar to that sent by Newsom spokesperson Martinez: “The current system is unsustainable and not working for fire survivors, utility customers, or insurance policyholders.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The insurance industry’s concerns\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Insurance industry representatives say if insurance companies can’t recover wildfire costs from utilities, also known as subrogation, they will inevitably raise premiums.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t think it’s fair to make insurance policyholders pay more to bail out utility shareholders,\u003cstrong>”\u003c/strong> said Denni Ritter, a vice president at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ritter also pushed back against the assertion by the utilities’ campaign that insurance companies usually recover their costs from utilities before paying out claims to their policyholders: “It’s not like AAA goes, ‘OK, we’ll pay you once we’ve recovered from the utilities’.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12068294\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12068294\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251222-PGEUpdates-18-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251222-PGEUpdates-18-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251222-PGEUpdates-18-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251222-PGEUpdates-18-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">PG&E employees work to repair a substation on Mission and 8th Streets in San Francisco on Dec. 22, 2025, after a fire at the site over the weekend contributed to a major citywide power outage. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rex Frazier is president of the Personal Insurance Federation of California, which represents the largest insurers operating in the state. He said this campaign is the latest attempt by utilities to chip away at their industry’s possible liability for wildfires. Sometimes, the insurance industry has had conversations with utilities, he said. That’s not happening this time, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now he, like other Californians, is seeing the ads from the Wildfire Victims First campaign, whose website says it’s funded by PG&E, SDG&E and SCE shareholders and three other organizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re trying to understand why they’re talking about the insurance market,” Frazier said. “We can’t get a clear answer about what they have in mind.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Jeanne Kuang contributed reporting.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/07/wildfire-liability-battle/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\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/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12093430"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_34165",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_35617",
"news_18538",
"news_34878",
"news_16",
"news_24336",
"news_35916",
"news_4",
"news_140"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12054070",
"label": "source_news_12093430"
},
"news_12093399": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12093399",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12093399",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1785536539000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "randys-donuts-opens-in-santa-clara-across-from-stans-donuts",
"title": "Randy’s Donuts Opens in Santa Clara, Across From Stan’s Donuts",
"publishDate": 1785536539,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Randy’s Donuts Opens in Santa Clara, Across From Stan’s Donuts | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>A hot and fresh battle is cooking in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara\">Santa Clara\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>People are calling it doughnut wars. Dueling \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13967902/eizels-bakery-pop-up-donuts-san-jose\">doughnuts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Randy’s Donuts, the famed doughnut shop started in Inglewood in Southern California and known for its iconic 32-foot doughnut-shaped rooftop sign, has expanded into Northern California, with a grand opening event held for its first Bay Area franchise on Friday in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071882/7-things-to-know-about-the-complicated-relationship-between-santa-clara-and-the-49ers\">Santa Clara\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The mood was celebratory at Randy’s at 2595 Homestead Road, with hundreds of customers lining up in the early morning hours to partake in the festivities, which included some free samples, swag giveaways and music, under the shadow of an inflatable giant doughnut. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093476\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Doughnuts are seen in the glass display case at Randy’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The bright orange shop is offering about 50 varieties of handmade doughnuts, including classic glazed raised, chocolate or maple Long Johns, and other spins such as mango Tajin and matcha tea, while some have toppings like Oreos, Fruity Pebbles, and s’mores. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ausaf Masud, one of three co-owners of the new franchise under a company called Sweet Rings LLC, said his partners hope to open about five total Randy’s locations across the Bay Area in due time, and the opening on Friday was a good start. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The line is across two blocks right now. I think we have 400 people right now waiting in the line,” Masud said. “It’s amazing to see the love.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But it’s the location of Randy’s that has caused a yeast-like raising of eyebrows among armies of local doughnut eaters. It’s just across the street from Stan’s Donuts, a Santa Clara staple opened in 1959, still run by the family of the original founder. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12093478\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093478\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shawn Lemelle and his aunt Sheila Lemelle proudly display their Randy’s Donuts purchase during a grand opening event at the brand’s new location in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12093473\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093473\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers flood the new Randy’s Donuts location in Santa Clara during a grand opening event on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The cash-only establishment also makes its doughnuts by hand, many of which are formed right in front of a large plate-glass window in view of customers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their most popular offering is a raised glazed, along with their rotating selection of buttermilk doughnuts and old-fashioneds. The shop offers counter service for those who have a little time to sit and enjoy a pillowy pastry and a coffee on site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The shop is regularly bustling, and often has a line that starts along the wall inside and wends its way down the shopping center sidewalk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On this particular Friday, a very popular day for the business typically, owner Julie Clark said the line was four to five times as long as usual. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s so heartwarming; it’s overwhelming, actually. And it just makes us so happy as a staff and as a business to see all the regulars, and we’ve seen so many today, as well as new people that we’re getting all the time,” Clark said. “It’s just been the biggest blessing. We are so fortunate.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093472\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Julie Clark, the owner of Stan’s Donuts in Santa Clara, poses for a photo in front of her shop and a long line of customers on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Clark said her shop’s menu is a bit smaller on purpose. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re old school. We stick to the classics,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some longtime customers of Stan’s showed up on Friday just to ensure the shop was busy on the day of Randy’s grand opening. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>James Stewart lives nearby and said he comes to Stan’s about once a week, and has been a customer for about 40 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s just kind of a more mom-and-pop shop. I think Randy’s choosing that location was strategic, so I’m here to support Stan’s,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said he hopes people will try out Stan’s and Randy’s to make a comparison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Stan’s will win every time,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Masud, of Randy’s, insisted he wasn’t trying to start a doughnut standoff. He said he and his partners chose the location for the size of its kitchen, as they plan to make doughnuts for future locations at the Santa Clara shop, and its drive-thru, which is planned to open later this year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Masud even said he and his family live in the area and have been fans of Stan’s before getting into the doughnut business themselves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s nothing against anyone. It’s a business. You know, once in a while you do get competitors,” he said. “It’s just like Shell and Chevron having stations next to each other.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perhaps no one was more excited than Avery St. Lawrence, who said she loves waking up early, waiting in lines and sweet things. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She just moved to Santa Clara a week ago from Michigan, and plans to attend \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084071/bay-areas-first-medical-school-in-over-100-years-could-open-in-2030\">Santa Clara University\u003c/a> School of Law soon. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Friday morning, she waited in two long lines to try both Randy’s and Stan’s for the first time, and did a taste test. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This feels a lot fluffier,” she said outside of Stan’s, holding one of their glazed raised doughnuts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093475\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Avery St. Lawrence makes doughnut decisions while ordering at her doughnut order during a grand opening event at Randy’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>One bite later: “This one is better. This one’s way better.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mark Kelegian, the CEO of Randy’s Donuts brand, said the company is not targeting Stan’s or its customers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“No, that’s all manufactured. There’s no doughnut war,” he said. “The fact that there’s a doughnut shop across the street or a block away or two blocks away, there always is…There’s generally enough business for everyone.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said many people might initially find out about Randy’s because of its giant doughnut sign, which was prominently featured in the \u003cem>Iron Man 2\u003c/em> movie and other media, but they come back for the brand’s sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12093543\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-10_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093543\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-10_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-10_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-10_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Stan’s Donuts employee forms doughnuts in the front window of the shop during a busy Friday morning in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12093471\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093471\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-1-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-1-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rowena Chu and her son Zachary Bacher eat glazed doughnuts at the counter of crowded Stan’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our doughnuts are unique, and we think they’re the best in the world,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some customers on Friday said there is room in their hearts for doughnuts from both operations, and were celebrating the increasing number of purveyors in town. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s just doughnuts,” Crystal Camarena, of Sunnyvale, said. “Be happy, eat doughnuts, all the doughnuts.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A hot and fresh battle is cooking in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara\">Santa Clara\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A hot and fresh battle is cooking in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara\">Santa Clara\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>People are calling it doughnut wars. Dueling \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13967902/eizels-bakery-pop-up-donuts-san-jose\">doughnuts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>People are calling it doughnut wars. Dueling \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13967902/eizels-bakery-pop-up-donuts-san-jose\">doughnuts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Randy’s Donuts, the famed doughnut shop started in Inglewood in Southern California and known for its iconic 32-foot doughnut-shaped rooftop sign, has expanded into Northern California, with a grand opening event held for its first Bay Area franchise on Friday in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071882/7-things-to-know-about-the-complicated-relationship-between-santa-clara-and-the-49ers\">Santa Clara\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Randy’s Donuts, the famed doughnut shop started in Inglewood in Southern California and known for its iconic 32-foot doughnut-shaped rooftop sign, has expanded into Northern California, with a grand opening event held for its first Bay Area franchise on Friday in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071882/7-things-to-know-about-the-complicated-relationship-between-santa-clara-and-the-49ers\">Santa Clara\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The mood was celebratory at Randy’s at 2595 Homestead Road, with hundreds of customers lining up in the early morning hours to partake in the festivities, which included some free samples, swag giveaways and music, under the shadow of an inflatable giant doughnut. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The mood was celebratory at Randy’s at 2595 Homestead Road, with hundreds of customers lining up in the early morning hours to partake in the festivities, which included some free samples, swag giveaways and music, under the shadow of an inflatable giant doughnut. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12093476,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"imageCredit": "Joseph Geha/KQED",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093476\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Doughnuts are seen in the glass display case at Randy’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093476\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Doughnuts are seen in the glass display case at Randy’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The bright orange shop is offering about 50 varieties of handmade doughnuts, including classic glazed raised, chocolate or maple Long Johns, and other spins such as mango Tajin and matcha tea, while some have toppings like Oreos, Fruity Pebbles, and s’mores. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The bright orange shop is offering about 50 varieties of handmade doughnuts, including classic glazed raised, chocolate or maple Long Johns, and other spins such as mango Tajin and matcha tea, while some have toppings like Oreos, Fruity Pebbles, and s’mores. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ausaf Masud, one of three co-owners of the new franchise under a company called Sweet Rings LLC, said his partners hope to open about five total Randy’s locations across the Bay Area in due time, and the opening on Friday was a good start. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Ausaf Masud, one of three co-owners of the new franchise under a company called Sweet Rings LLC, said his partners hope to open about five total Randy’s locations across the Bay Area in due time, and the opening on Friday was a good start. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The line is across two blocks right now. I think we have 400 people right now waiting in the line,” Masud said. “It’s amazing to see the love.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The line is across two blocks right now. I think we have 400 people right now waiting in the line,” Masud said. “It’s amazing to see the love.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But it’s the location of Randy’s that has caused a yeast-like raising of eyebrows among armies of local doughnut eaters. It’s just across the street from Stan’s Donuts, a Santa Clara staple opened in 1959, still run by the family of the original founder. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But it’s the location of Randy’s that has caused a yeast-like raising of eyebrows among armies of local doughnut eaters. It’s just across the street from Stan’s Donuts, a Santa Clara staple opened in 1959, still run by the family of the original founder. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/gallery",
"attrs": {
"linkTo": "none"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">\n\n\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12093478,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093478\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shawn Lemelle and his aunt Sheila Lemelle proudly display their Randy’s Donuts purchase during a grand opening event at the brand’s new location in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093478\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shawn Lemelle and his aunt Sheila Lemelle proudly display their Randy’s Donuts purchase during a grand opening event at the brand’s new location in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12093473,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093473\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers flood the new Randy’s Donuts location in Santa Clara during a grand opening event on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093473\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers flood the new Randy’s Donuts location in Santa Clara during a grand opening event on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
]
}
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The cash-only establishment also makes its doughnuts by hand, many of which are formed right in front of a large plate-glass window in view of customers. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The cash-only establishment also makes its doughnuts by hand, many of which are formed right in front of a large plate-glass window in view of customers. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Their most popular offering is a raised glazed, along with their rotating selection of buttermilk doughnuts and old-fashioneds. The shop offers counter service for those who have a little time to sit and enjoy a pillowy pastry and a coffee on site. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Their most popular offering is a raised glazed, along with their rotating selection of buttermilk doughnuts and old-fashioneds. The shop offers counter service for those who have a little time to sit and enjoy a pillowy pastry and a coffee on site. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The shop is regularly bustling, and often has a line that starts along the wall inside and wends its way down the shopping center sidewalk. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The shop is regularly bustling, and often has a line that starts along the wall inside and wends its way down the shopping center sidewalk. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On this particular Friday, a very popular day for the business typically, owner Julie Clark said the line was four to five times as long as usual. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>On this particular Friday, a very popular day for the business typically, owner Julie Clark said the line was four to five times as long as usual. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s so heartwarming; it’s overwhelming, actually. And it just makes us so happy as a staff and as a business to see all the regulars, and we’ve seen so many today, as well as new people that we’re getting all the time,” Clark said. “It’s just been the biggest blessing. We are so fortunate.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It’s so heartwarming; it’s overwhelming, actually. And it just makes us so happy as a staff and as a business to see all the regulars, and we’ve seen so many today, as well as new people that we’re getting all the time,” Clark said. “It’s just been the biggest blessing. We are so fortunate.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12093472,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"imageCredit": "Joseph Geha/KQED",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093472\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Julie Clark, the owner of Stan’s Donuts in Santa Clara, poses for a photo in front of her shop and a long line of customers on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093472\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Julie Clark, the owner of Stan’s Donuts in Santa Clara, poses for a photo in front of her shop and a long line of customers on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Clark said her shop’s menu is a bit smaller on purpose. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Clark said her shop’s menu is a bit smaller on purpose. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re old school. We stick to the classics,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’re old school. We stick to the classics,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some longtime customers of Stan’s showed up on Friday just to ensure the shop was busy on the day of Randy’s grand opening. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Some longtime customers of Stan’s showed up on Friday just to ensure the shop was busy on the day of Randy’s grand opening. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>James Stewart lives nearby and said he comes to Stan’s about once a week, and has been a customer for about 40 years. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>James Stewart lives nearby and said he comes to Stan’s about once a week, and has been a customer for about 40 years. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s just kind of a more mom-and-pop shop. I think Randy’s choosing that location was strategic, so I’m here to support Stan’s,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It’s just kind of a more mom-and-pop shop. I think Randy’s choosing that location was strategic, so I’m here to support Stan’s,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12093298"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20250321_BALCLUTHA_DMB_00005-KQED.jpg"
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said he hopes people will try out Stan’s and Randy’s to make a comparison. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>He said he hopes people will try out Stan’s and Randy’s to make a comparison. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Stan’s will win every time,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Stan’s will win every time,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Masud, of Randy’s, insisted he wasn’t trying to start a doughnut standoff. He said he and his partners chose the location for the size of its kitchen, as they plan to make doughnuts for future locations at the Santa Clara shop, and its drive-thru, which is planned to open later this year. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Masud, of Randy’s, insisted he wasn’t trying to start a doughnut standoff. He said he and his partners chose the location for the size of its kitchen, as they plan to make doughnuts for future locations at the Santa Clara shop, and its drive-thru, which is planned to open later this year. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Masud even said he and his family live in the area and have been fans of Stan’s before getting into the doughnut business themselves. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Masud even said he and his family live in the area and have been fans of Stan’s before getting into the doughnut business themselves. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s nothing against anyone. It’s a business. You know, once in a while you do get competitors,” he said. “It’s just like Shell and Chevron having stations next to each other.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“There’s nothing against anyone. It’s a business. You know, once in a while you do get competitors,” he said. “It’s just like Shell and Chevron having stations next to each other.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Perhaps no one was more excited than Avery St. Lawrence, who said she loves waking up early, waiting in lines and sweet things. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Perhaps no one was more excited than Avery St. Lawrence, who said she loves waking up early, waiting in lines and sweet things. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She just moved to Santa Clara a week ago from Michigan, and plans to attend \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084071/bay-areas-first-medical-school-in-over-100-years-could-open-in-2030\">Santa Clara University\u003c/a> School of Law soon. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>She just moved to Santa Clara a week ago from Michigan, and plans to attend \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084071/bay-areas-first-medical-school-in-over-100-years-could-open-in-2030\">Santa Clara University\u003c/a> School of Law soon. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Friday morning, she waited in two long lines to try both Randy’s and Stan’s for the first time, and did a taste test. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>On Friday morning, she waited in two long lines to try both Randy’s and Stan’s for the first time, and did a taste test. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This feels a lot fluffier,” she said outside of Stan’s, holding one of their glazed raised doughnuts. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“This feels a lot fluffier,” she said outside of Stan’s, holding one of their glazed raised doughnuts. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12093475,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"imageCredit": "Joseph Geha/KQED",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093475\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Avery St. Lawrence makes doughnut decisions while ordering at her doughnut order during a grand opening event at Randy’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093475\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Avery St. Lawrence makes doughnut decisions while ordering at her doughnut order during a grand opening event at Randy’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One bite later: “This one is better. This one’s way better.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>One bite later: “This one is better. This one’s way better.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mark Kelegian, the CEO of Randy’s Donuts brand, said the company is not targeting Stan’s or its customers.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Mark Kelegian, the CEO of Randy’s Donuts brand, said the company is not targeting Stan’s or its customers.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“No, that’s all manufactured. There’s no doughnut war,” he said. “The fact that there’s a doughnut shop across the street or a block away or two blocks away, there always is…There’s generally enough business for everyone.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“No, that’s all manufactured. There’s no doughnut war,” he said. “The fact that there’s a doughnut shop across the street or a block away or two blocks away, there always is…There’s generally enough business for everyone.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said many people might initially find out about Randy’s because of its giant doughnut sign, which was prominently featured in the \u003cem>Iron Man 2\u003c/em> movie and other media, but they come back for the brand’s sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>He said many people might initially find out about Randy’s because of its giant doughnut sign, which was prominently featured in the \u003cem>Iron Man 2\u003c/em> movie and other media, but they come back for the brand’s sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/gallery",
"attrs": {
"linkTo": "none"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">\n\n\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12093543,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-10_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093543\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Stan’s Donuts employee forms doughnuts in the front window of the shop during a busy Friday morning in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-10_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093543\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Stan’s Donuts employee forms doughnuts in the front window of the shop during a busy Friday morning in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12093471,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093471\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rowena Chu and her son Zachary Bacher eat glazed doughnuts at the counter of crowded Stan’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093471\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rowena Chu and her son Zachary Bacher eat glazed doughnuts at the counter of crowded Stan’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
]
}
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our doughnuts are unique, and we think they’re the best in the world,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Our doughnuts are unique, and we think they’re the best in the world,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some customers on Friday said there is room in their hearts for doughnuts from both operations, and were celebrating the increasing number of purveyors in town. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Some customers on Friday said there is room in their hearts for doughnuts from both operations, and were celebrating the increasing number of purveyors in town. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s just doughnuts,” Crystal Camarena, of Sunnyvale, said. “Be happy, eat doughnuts, all the doughnuts.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It’s just doughnuts,” Crystal Camarena, of Sunnyvale, said. “Be happy, eat doughnuts, all the doughnuts.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Randy’s Donuts, known for its original location in Southern California with a giant doughnut sign, opened its first Bay Area franchise Friday. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785541990,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 36,
"wordCount": 1278
},
"headData": {
"title": "Randy’s Donuts Opens in Santa Clara, Across From Stan’s Donuts | KQED",
"description": "Randy’s Donuts, known for its original location in Southern California with a giant doughnut sign, opened its first Bay Area franchise Friday. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Randy’s Donuts Opens in Santa Clara, Across From Stan’s Donuts",
"datePublished": "2026-07-31T15:22:19-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-07-31T16:53:10-07:00",
"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": 24114,
"slug": "food",
"name": "Food"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12093399",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12093399/randys-donuts-opens-in-santa-clara-across-from-stans-donuts",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A hot and fresh battle is cooking in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/santa-clara\">Santa Clara\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>People are calling it doughnut wars. Dueling \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13967902/eizels-bakery-pop-up-donuts-san-jose\">doughnuts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Randy’s Donuts, the famed doughnut shop started in Inglewood in Southern California and known for its iconic 32-foot doughnut-shaped rooftop sign, has expanded into Northern California, with a grand opening event held for its first Bay Area franchise on Friday in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071882/7-things-to-know-about-the-complicated-relationship-between-santa-clara-and-the-49ers\">Santa Clara\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The mood was celebratory at Randy’s at 2595 Homestead Road, with hundreds of customers lining up in the early morning hours to partake in the festivities, which included some free samples, swag giveaways and music, under the shadow of an inflatable giant doughnut. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093476\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Doughnuts are seen in the glass display case at Randy’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The bright orange shop is offering about 50 varieties of handmade doughnuts, including classic glazed raised, chocolate or maple Long Johns, and other spins such as mango Tajin and matcha tea, while some have toppings like Oreos, Fruity Pebbles, and s’mores. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\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>Ausaf Masud, one of three co-owners of the new franchise under a company called Sweet Rings LLC, said his partners hope to open about five total Randy’s locations across the Bay Area in due time, and the opening on Friday was a good start. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The line is across two blocks right now. I think we have 400 people right now waiting in the line,” Masud said. “It’s amazing to see the love.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But it’s the location of Randy’s that has caused a yeast-like raising of eyebrows among armies of local doughnut eaters. It’s just across the street from Stan’s Donuts, a Santa Clara staple opened in 1959, still run by the family of the original founder. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12093478\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093478\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shawn Lemelle and his aunt Sheila Lemelle proudly display their Randy’s Donuts purchase during a grand opening event at the brand’s new location in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12093473\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093473\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers flood the new Randy’s Donuts location in Santa Clara during a grand opening event on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The cash-only establishment also makes its doughnuts by hand, many of which are formed right in front of a large plate-glass window in view of customers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their most popular offering is a raised glazed, along with their rotating selection of buttermilk doughnuts and old-fashioneds. The shop offers counter service for those who have a little time to sit and enjoy a pillowy pastry and a coffee on site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The shop is regularly bustling, and often has a line that starts along the wall inside and wends its way down the shopping center sidewalk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On this particular Friday, a very popular day for the business typically, owner Julie Clark said the line was four to five times as long as usual. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s so heartwarming; it’s overwhelming, actually. And it just makes us so happy as a staff and as a business to see all the regulars, and we’ve seen so many today, as well as new people that we’re getting all the time,” Clark said. “It’s just been the biggest blessing. We are so fortunate.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093472\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Julie Clark, the owner of Stan’s Donuts in Santa Clara, poses for a photo in front of her shop and a long line of customers on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Clark said her shop’s menu is a bit smaller on purpose. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re old school. We stick to the classics,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some longtime customers of Stan’s showed up on Friday just to ensure the shop was busy on the day of Randy’s grand opening. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>James Stewart lives nearby and said he comes to Stan’s about once a week, and has been a customer for about 40 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s just kind of a more mom-and-pop shop. I think Randy’s choosing that location was strategic, so I’m here to support Stan’s,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said he hopes people will try out Stan’s and Randy’s to make a comparison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Stan’s will win every time,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Masud, of Randy’s, insisted he wasn’t trying to start a doughnut standoff. He said he and his partners chose the location for the size of its kitchen, as they plan to make doughnuts for future locations at the Santa Clara shop, and its drive-thru, which is planned to open later this year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Masud even said he and his family live in the area and have been fans of Stan’s before getting into the doughnut business themselves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s nothing against anyone. It’s a business. You know, once in a while you do get competitors,” he said. “It’s just like Shell and Chevron having stations next to each other.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perhaps no one was more excited than Avery St. Lawrence, who said she loves waking up early, waiting in lines and sweet things. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She just moved to Santa Clara a week ago from Michigan, and plans to attend \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084071/bay-areas-first-medical-school-in-over-100-years-could-open-in-2030\">Santa Clara University\u003c/a> School of Law soon. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Friday morning, she waited in two long lines to try both Randy’s and Stan’s for the first time, and did a taste test. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This feels a lot fluffier,” she said outside of Stan’s, holding one of their glazed raised doughnuts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093475\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Avery St. Lawrence makes doughnut decisions while ordering at her doughnut order during a grand opening event at Randy’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>One bite later: “This one is better. This one’s way better.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mark Kelegian, the CEO of Randy’s Donuts brand, said the company is not targeting Stan’s or its customers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“No, that’s all manufactured. There’s no doughnut war,” he said. “The fact that there’s a doughnut shop across the street or a block away or two blocks away, there always is…There’s generally enough business for everyone.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said many people might initially find out about Randy’s because of its giant doughnut sign, which was prominently featured in the \u003cem>Iron Man 2\u003c/em> movie and other media, but they come back for the brand’s sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12093543\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-10_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093543\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-10_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-10_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-10_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Stan’s Donuts employee forms doughnuts in the front window of the shop during a busy Friday morning in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12093471\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093471\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-1-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260731-RANDYSDONUTS-JG-1-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rowena Chu and her son Zachary Bacher eat glazed doughnuts at the counter of crowded Stan’s Donuts in Santa Clara on July 31, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our doughnuts are unique, and we think they’re the best in the world,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some customers on Friday said there is room in their hearts for doughnuts from both operations, and were celebrating the increasing number of purveyors in town. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\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\u003cp>“It’s just doughnuts,” Crystal Camarena, of Sunnyvale, said. “Be happy, eat doughnuts, all the doughnuts.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12093399/randys-donuts-opens-in-santa-clara-across-from-stans-donuts",
"authors": [
"11906"
],
"categories": [
"news_29992",
"news_223",
"news_1758",
"news_24114",
"news_28250",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_24312",
"news_27626",
"news_333",
"news_4",
"news_1749",
"news_21285"
],
"featImg": "news_12093545",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12093212": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12093212",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12093212",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1785439958000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "drug-shows-some-promise-for-people-suffering-from-valley-fever",
"title": "Drug Shows Some Promise for People Suffering From Valley Fever",
"publishDate": 1785439958,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Drug Shows Some Promise for People Suffering From Valley Fever | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, July 30, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Valley fever cases continue to climb across California. The fungal disease is showing up in places where doctors may not expect it. And now a new study suggests an experimental drug could offer hope for people with the most severe form of the illness. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>At this week’s LA Police Commissioners meeting, \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/unlawful-conduct-by-immigration-officers\">a report documented potential misconduct\u003c/a> by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers operating in the city. \u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New drug could help people affected by Valley fever\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s been experiencing \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/09/24/nx-s1-5518201/california-is-seeing-a-spike-in-cases-of-valley-fever\">a record number of cases of Valley Fever.\u003c/a> It’s a fungal infection caused by breathing in spores that live in soil. Its most severe form can be deadly or require lifelong treatment. But now, a new drug is showing promise against the most severe cases of the illness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dr. Fariba Donovan is an associate professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Valley Fever Center for Excellence. She’s \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42475691/\">studying whether Olorofim\u003c/a> can help people with severe symptoms. “Patients have intact immune systems and the disease is just an uncomplicated pneumonia. Sometimes we don’t even consider medical treatment, but we have to diagnose the patients and give them reassurance that post-immune response will take over the disease and they don’t necessarily need an antifungal treatment. However, sometimes when patients develop severe disease such as meningitis, they do need treatment, and all of those medications are suppressing the growth of the fungus, but they don’t eliminate the fungus,” she said. “Olorofim is blocking the RNA and DNA synthesis, and by doing so, blocks the protein synthesis, and technically can eliminate the fungus. So we think that actually by using this medication, that has very minimal side effects, potentially at one point, although we are not there yet. We don’t have enough data to say that potentially we can give the patient medication for a period of time and then stop it and patient should be okay.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Donovan said more research is being done about the potential benefits of Olorofim, and hopefully, they can eventually receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/unlawful-conduct-by-immigration-officers\">Reports of possible unlawful conduct by immigration officers increased in June, LAPD says\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A year ago at this time, the streets of Los Angeles and other American cities were the sites of highly visible, large-scale immigration raids. While those scenes have died down, immigration enforcement remains more quietly active.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal data show Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-07-23/ice-detentions-spiked-in-june-targeting-immigrants-with-no-criminal-records-new-data-show\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>more people \u003c/u>\u003c/a>in June, at 43,000, than in any month since January 2025. Locally, Los Angeles Police Department officials say June had the highest tally of potential unlawful conduct by federal immigration officers. The 12 incidents investigated mark the most since the department began reporting the data in March.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>German Hurtado, LAPD immigration affairs liaison, said in an interview that he noticed the uptick of reported immigration enforcement incidents, but could not say what caused the increase. He said the increase seen in June might be reflective of the department’s efforts to capture more of the potential issues. “We’re finding better ways to improve how to capture these incidents,” Hurtado said. “It could be a combination of everything, but I did see that it was a large increase.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In February, \u003ca href=\"https://mayor.lacity.gov/sites/g/files/wph2066/files/2026-02/Executive%20Directive%20No.%2017%20-%20Protecting%20Angelenos%20from%20Ongoing%20Dangerous%20Federal%20Immigration.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mayor Karen Bass\u003c/a> issued a directive requiring the reporting. Police commissioners approved the most recent report at their meeting Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, July 30, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, July 30, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/list",
"attrs": {
"items": [
"Valley fever cases continue to climb across California. The fungal disease is showing up in places where doctors may not expect it. And now a new study suggests an experimental drug could offer hope for people with the most severe form of the illness. ",
"At this week’s LA Police Commissioners meeting, a report documented potential misconduct by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers operating in the city. "
]
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n\u003c/ul>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\u003c/ul>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Valley fever cases continue to climb across California. The fungal disease is showing up in places where doctors may not expect it. And now a new study suggests an experimental drug could offer hope for people with the most severe form of the illness. \u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Valley fever cases continue to climb across California. The fungal disease is showing up in places where doctors may not expect it. And now a new study suggests an experimental drug could offer hope for people with the most severe form of the illness. \u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>At this week’s LA Police Commissioners meeting, \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/unlawful-conduct-by-immigration-officers\">a report documented potential misconduct\u003c/a> by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers operating in the city. \u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>At this week’s LA Police Commissioners meeting, \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/unlawful-conduct-by-immigration-officers\">a report documented potential misconduct\u003c/a> by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers operating in the city. \u003c/li>\n"
]
}
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "New drug could help people affected by Valley fever",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New drug could help people affected by Valley fever\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New drug could help people affected by Valley fever\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s been experiencing \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/09/24/nx-s1-5518201/california-is-seeing-a-spike-in-cases-of-valley-fever\">a record number of cases of Valley Fever.\u003c/a> It’s a fungal infection caused by breathing in spores that live in soil. Its most severe form can be deadly or require lifelong treatment. But now, a new drug is showing promise against the most severe cases of the illness.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>California’s been experiencing \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/09/24/nx-s1-5518201/california-is-seeing-a-spike-in-cases-of-valley-fever\">a record number of cases of Valley Fever.\u003c/a> It’s a fungal infection caused by breathing in spores that live in soil. Its most severe form can be deadly or require lifelong treatment. But now, a new drug is showing promise against the most severe cases of the illness.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dr. Fariba Donovan is an associate professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Valley Fever Center for Excellence. She’s \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42475691/\">studying whether Olorofim\u003c/a> can help people with severe symptoms. “Patients have intact immune systems and the disease is just an uncomplicated pneumonia. Sometimes we don’t even consider medical treatment, but we have to diagnose the patients and give them reassurance that post-immune response will take over the disease and they don’t necessarily need an antifungal treatment. However, sometimes when patients develop severe disease such as meningitis, they do need treatment, and all of those medications are suppressing the growth of the fungus, but they don’t eliminate the fungus,” she said. “Olorofim is blocking the RNA and DNA synthesis, and by doing so, blocks the protein synthesis, and technically can eliminate the fungus. So we think that actually by using this medication, that has very minimal side effects, potentially at one point, although we are not there yet. We don’t have enough data to say that potentially we can give the patient medication for a period of time and then stop it and patient should be okay.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Dr. Fariba Donovan is an associate professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Valley Fever Center for Excellence. She’s \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42475691/\">studying whether Olorofim\u003c/a> can help people with severe symptoms. “Patients have intact immune systems and the disease is just an uncomplicated pneumonia. Sometimes we don’t even consider medical treatment, but we have to diagnose the patients and give them reassurance that post-immune response will take over the disease and they don’t necessarily need an antifungal treatment. However, sometimes when patients develop severe disease such as meningitis, they do need treatment, and all of those medications are suppressing the growth of the fungus, but they don’t eliminate the fungus,” she said. “Olorofim is blocking the RNA and DNA synthesis, and by doing so, blocks the protein synthesis, and technically can eliminate the fungus. So we think that actually by using this medication, that has very minimal side effects, potentially at one point, although we are not there yet. We don’t have enough data to say that potentially we can give the patient medication for a period of time and then stop it and patient should be okay.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Donovan said more research is being done about the potential benefits of Olorofim, and hopefully, they can eventually receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Donovan said more research is being done about the potential benefits of Olorofim, and hopefully, they can eventually receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Reports of possible unlawful conduct by immigration officers increased in June, LAPD says",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/unlawful-conduct-by-immigration-officers\">Reports of possible unlawful conduct by immigration officers increased in June, LAPD says\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/unlawful-conduct-by-immigration-officers\">Reports of possible unlawful conduct by immigration officers increased in June, LAPD says\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A year ago at this time, the streets of Los Angeles and other American cities were the sites of highly visible, large-scale immigration raids. While those scenes have died down, immigration enforcement remains more quietly active.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A year ago at this time, the streets of Los Angeles and other American cities were the sites of highly visible, large-scale immigration raids. While those scenes have died down, immigration enforcement remains more quietly active.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Federal data show Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-07-23/ice-detentions-spiked-in-june-targeting-immigrants-with-no-criminal-records-new-data-show\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>more people \u003c/u>\u003c/a>in June, at 43,000, than in any month since January 2025. Locally, Los Angeles Police Department officials say June had the highest tally of potential unlawful conduct by federal immigration officers. The 12 incidents investigated mark the most since the department began reporting the data in March.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Federal data show Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-07-23/ice-detentions-spiked-in-june-targeting-immigrants-with-no-criminal-records-new-data-show\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>more people \u003c/u>\u003c/a>in June, at 43,000, than in any month since January 2025. Locally, Los Angeles Police Department officials say June had the highest tally of potential unlawful conduct by federal immigration officers. The 12 incidents investigated mark the most since the department began reporting the data in March.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>German Hurtado, LAPD immigration affairs liaison, said in an interview that he noticed the uptick of reported immigration enforcement incidents, but could not say what caused the increase. He said the increase seen in June might be reflective of the department’s efforts to capture more of the potential issues. “We’re finding better ways to improve how to capture these incidents,” Hurtado said. “It could be a combination of everything, but I did see that it was a large increase.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>German Hurtado, LAPD immigration affairs liaison, said in an interview that he noticed the uptick of reported immigration enforcement incidents, but could not say what caused the increase. He said the increase seen in June might be reflective of the department’s efforts to capture more of the potential issues. “We’re finding better ways to improve how to capture these incidents,” Hurtado said. “It could be a combination of everything, but I did see that it was a large increase.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In February, \u003ca href=\"https://mayor.lacity.gov/sites/g/files/wph2066/files/2026-02/Executive%20Directive%20No.%2017%20-%20Protecting%20Angelenos%20from%20Ongoing%20Dangerous%20Federal%20Immigration.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mayor Karen Bass\u003c/a> issued a directive requiring the reporting. Police commissioners approved the most recent report at their meeting Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In February, \u003ca href=\"https://mayor.lacity.gov/sites/g/files/wph2066/files/2026-02/Executive%20Directive%20No.%2017%20-%20Protecting%20Angelenos%20from%20Ongoing%20Dangerous%20Federal%20Immigration.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mayor Karen Bass\u003c/a> issued a directive requiring the reporting. Police commissioners approved the most recent report at their meeting Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "It comes as cases continue to rise in California.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785439966,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 10,
"wordCount": 598
},
"headData": {
"title": "Drug Shows Some Promise for People Suffering From Valley Fever | KQED",
"description": "It comes as cases continue to rise in California.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Drug Shows Some Promise for People Suffering From Valley Fever",
"datePublished": "2026-07-30T12:32:38-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-07-30T12:32:46-07:00",
"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": 33520,
"slug": "podcast",
"name": "Podcast"
},
"source": "The California Report",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrarchive/",
"audioUrl": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC6998166644.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12093212",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12093212/drug-shows-some-promise-for-people-suffering-from-valley-fever",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, July 30, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Valley fever cases continue to climb across California. The fungal disease is showing up in places where doctors may not expect it. And now a new study suggests an experimental drug could offer hope for people with the most severe form of the illness. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>At this week’s LA Police Commissioners meeting, \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/unlawful-conduct-by-immigration-officers\">a report documented potential misconduct\u003c/a> by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers operating in the city. \u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New drug could help people affected by Valley fever\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s been experiencing \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/09/24/nx-s1-5518201/california-is-seeing-a-spike-in-cases-of-valley-fever\">a record number of cases of Valley Fever.\u003c/a> It’s a fungal infection caused by breathing in spores that live in soil. Its most severe form can be deadly or require lifelong treatment. But now, a new drug is showing promise against the most severe cases of the illness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dr. Fariba Donovan is an associate professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Valley Fever Center for Excellence. She’s \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42475691/\">studying whether Olorofim\u003c/a> can help people with severe symptoms. “Patients have intact immune systems and the disease is just an uncomplicated pneumonia. Sometimes we don’t even consider medical treatment, but we have to diagnose the patients and give them reassurance that post-immune response will take over the disease and they don’t necessarily need an antifungal treatment. However, sometimes when patients develop severe disease such as meningitis, they do need treatment, and all of those medications are suppressing the growth of the fungus, but they don’t eliminate the fungus,” she said. “Olorofim is blocking the RNA and DNA synthesis, and by doing so, blocks the protein synthesis, and technically can eliminate the fungus. So we think that actually by using this medication, that has very minimal side effects, potentially at one point, although we are not there yet. We don’t have enough data to say that potentially we can give the patient medication for a period of time and then stop it and patient should be okay.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Donovan said more research is being done about the potential benefits of Olorofim, and hopefully, they can eventually receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/unlawful-conduct-by-immigration-officers\">Reports of possible unlawful conduct by immigration officers increased in June, LAPD says\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A year ago at this time, the streets of Los Angeles and other American cities were the sites of highly visible, large-scale immigration raids. While those scenes have died down, immigration enforcement remains more quietly active.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\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>Federal data show Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-07-23/ice-detentions-spiked-in-june-targeting-immigrants-with-no-criminal-records-new-data-show\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>more people \u003c/u>\u003c/a>in June, at 43,000, than in any month since January 2025. Locally, Los Angeles Police Department officials say June had the highest tally of potential unlawful conduct by federal immigration officers. The 12 incidents investigated mark the most since the department began reporting the data in March.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>German Hurtado, LAPD immigration affairs liaison, said in an interview that he noticed the uptick of reported immigration enforcement incidents, but could not say what caused the increase. He said the increase seen in June might be reflective of the department’s efforts to capture more of the potential issues. “We’re finding better ways to improve how to capture these incidents,” Hurtado said. “It could be a combination of everything, but I did see that it was a large increase.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In February, \u003ca href=\"https://mayor.lacity.gov/sites/g/files/wph2066/files/2026-02/Executive%20Directive%20No.%2017%20-%20Protecting%20Angelenos%20from%20Ongoing%20Dangerous%20Federal%20Immigration.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mayor Karen Bass\u003c/a> issued a directive requiring the reporting. Police commissioners approved the most recent report at their meeting Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12093212/drug-shows-some-promise-for-people-suffering-from-valley-fever",
"authors": [
"11739"
],
"programs": [
"news_72"
],
"categories": [
"news_33520"
],
"tags": [
"news_37255",
"news_1470",
"news_4",
"news_37254",
"news_21998",
"news_21268",
"news_35642",
"news_20548"
],
"featImg": "news_12093213",
"label": "source_news_12093212"
},
"news_12092676": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12092676",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12092676",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1785163161000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "theres-a-political-power-struggle-in-the-city-of-avenal",
"title": "There's a Political Power Struggle in the City of Avenal",
"publishDate": 1785163161,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "There’s a Political Power Struggle in the City of Avenal | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories for Monday, July 27, 2026: \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>The city of Avenal in Kings County \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-07-24/lawsuits-recalled-council-members-a-self-appointed-mayor-who-is-in-charge-in-avenal\">is facing a political power struggle\u003c/a>. Voters recently recalled four council members, but the city is disputing the election results, and the only member who wasn’t recalled now claims he is the mayor. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Health care advocates are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/health-science-and-technology/2026-07-22/health-advocates-urge-stronger-oversight-of-hospital-costs-in-santa-barbara-county\">calling for stronger state oversight\u003c/a> over rising hospital costs in Santa Barbara County.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A team leading the closure of L.A. County’s aging Men’s Central Jail \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/mens-central-jail-closure-beyond-2031\">says people will have to be held there for at least five more years\u003c/a> even though the facility was supposed to close in 2021.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A judge has convicted a man of igniting the Park Fire in 2024, the largest wildfire that year and the fourth largest in the state’s history. He’s facing up to 25 years to life in prison for what prosecutors said was him pushing a burning car into an embankment, where the fire started. \u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-07-24/lawsuits-recalled-council-members-a-self-appointed-mayor-who-is-in-charge-in-avenal\">A small Kings County community has big struggles\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Arriving in Avenal, known as the “Pistachio Capital of the World,” nothing seems out of the ordinary at first. The streets are quiet. Residents are going about their daily routines, stopping at local businesses or chatting with neighbors.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The loudest sounds come from birds perched in the trees, and large pickup trucks that roll through.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But behind its small-town charm, Avenal has become the center of one of the most unusual political disputes unfolding anywhere in California. It’s a battle over city leadership that has divided residents, drawn legal scrutiny and raised questions about how local government should function.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It all started last year when elected officials in Avenal wanted to establish their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-03-29/lives-at-stake-a-fire-department-divides-a-california-town\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>own fire department\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. At one point, the city was paying Kings County $425,000 each year for fire services, but last year, the county informed the city that the annual fee would increase to nearly $1.1 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Avenal officials, feeling the pinch of rising costs for fire services, ultimately pushed the city to consider creating its own fire department.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kings County sued the City of Avenal for alleged \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-03-29/lives-at-stake-a-fire-department-divides-a-california-town\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Brown Act violations\u003c/a> involving decisions made over the department. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Registrar of Voters also certified the election results in May. Not all residents cast a vote, but of those who did, more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/2026-05-29/in-avenal-four-of-five-city-councilmembers-ousted-in-citizen-led-recall-effort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>75% voted to oust\u003c/u>\u003c/a> Mayor Alvaro Preciado and Councilmembers Leticia Gamez, David Reynosa and Pablo Hernandez.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The officials who were recalled have contested the election results, saying the election wasn’t valid because it wasn’t ordered by the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/health-science-and-technology/2026-07-22/health-advocates-urge-stronger-oversight-of-hospital-costs-in-santa-barbara-county\">Stronger health care oversight in Santa Barbara County\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Health care advocates are calling for stronger state oversight of hospital costs in Santa Barbara County. During a virtual town hall last week hosted by Health Access California, advocates said rising hospital prices are driving up insurance premiums, deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs for patients.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group released a report highlighting Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital as one of seven hospitals statewide — identified by California’s Office of Health Care Affordability — as unusually expensive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the report, nearly 48,000 Santa Barbara County residents report having difficulty paying medical bills. Health Access California argues that high hospital prices contribute to rising health care costs across the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When hospital prices go up, that directly impacts how much people are paying for their premiums, as well as their deductibles and other cost sharing,” said Katie Van Deynze, policy and legislative advocate for Health Access California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report says Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital receives payments from commercial insurers that are significantly higher than Medicare reimbursement rates for the same care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/mens-central-jail-closure-beyond-2031\">Los Angeles jail operates longer\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The team leading L.A. County’s push to close Men’s Central Jail says a full closure is not feasible in the next five years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is yet another delay since the county Board of Supervisors voted in July 2020 to close the jail within one year. A \u003ca href=\"https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/bc/1104568_DEVELO_1.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">two-year \u003cu>plan\u003c/u>\u003c/a> was announced in 2021, then a \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/activists-frustrated-with-countys-5-year-plan-to-close-uninhabitable-mens-central-jail\">five-year plan\u003c/a> in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Jail Closure Implementation Team, also known as JCIT, told the Board of Supervisors this week that they’ve outlined a framework that will improve conditions for thousands of people in L.A. County’s justice system, but the steps they’ve identified are still not enough to safely close the jail within the five-year timeline.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Park Fire conviction two years after the blaze started\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A judge convicted a Northern California man last week \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11998589/park-fire-is-now-4th-largest-in-california-history-and-growing-amid-dangerous-weather\">of starting the fire that destroyed hundreds of homes and burned for hundreds of miles\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/park-fire\">Park Fire\u003c/a>, the 2024 blaze was started by what prosecutors say was Ronnie Stout II pushing his mom’s burning car into an embankment. The fire started there, authorities said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stout faces 25 years to life for the crimes, with enhancements from the state’s so-called “Three Strikes Law” and for arson with special circumstances. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A witness for the state said that Stout had physically pushed the burning car he had previously been driving, though Stout’s lawyer argued that the vehicle could have been in the embankment because of its own movement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stout is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9. \u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories for Monday, July 27, 2026: \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories for Monday, July 27, 2026: \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/list",
"attrs": {
"items": [
"The city of Avenal in Kings County is facing a political power struggle. Voters recently recalled four council members, but the city is disputing the election results, and the only member who wasn’t recalled now claims he is the mayor.",
"Health care advocates are calling for stronger state oversight over rising hospital costs in Santa Barbara County.",
"A team leading the closure of L.A. County’s aging Men’s Central Jail says people will have to be held there for at least five more years even though the facility was supposed to close in 2021.",
"A judge has convicted a man of igniting the Park Fire in 2024, the largest wildfire that year and the fourth largest in the state’s history. He’s facing up to 25 years to life in prison for what prosecutors said was him pushing a burning car into an embankment, where the fire started."
]
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003c/ul>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\u003c/ul>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>The city of Avenal in Kings County \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-07-24/lawsuits-recalled-council-members-a-self-appointed-mayor-who-is-in-charge-in-avenal\">is facing a political power struggle\u003c/a>. Voters recently recalled four council members, but the city is disputing the election results, and the only member who wasn’t recalled now claims he is the mayor. \u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>The city of Avenal in Kings County \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-07-24/lawsuits-recalled-council-members-a-self-appointed-mayor-who-is-in-charge-in-avenal\">is facing a political power struggle\u003c/a>. Voters recently recalled four council members, but the city is disputing the election results, and the only member who wasn’t recalled now claims he is the mayor. \u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Health care advocates are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/health-science-and-technology/2026-07-22/health-advocates-urge-stronger-oversight-of-hospital-costs-in-santa-barbara-county\">calling for stronger state oversight\u003c/a> over rising hospital costs in Santa Barbara County.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Health care advocates are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/health-science-and-technology/2026-07-22/health-advocates-urge-stronger-oversight-of-hospital-costs-in-santa-barbara-county\">calling for stronger state oversight\u003c/a> over rising hospital costs in Santa Barbara County.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>A team leading the closure of L.A. County’s aging Men’s Central Jail \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/mens-central-jail-closure-beyond-2031\">says people will have to be held there for at least five more years\u003c/a> even though the facility was supposed to close in 2021.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>A team leading the closure of L.A. County’s aging Men’s Central Jail \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/mens-central-jail-closure-beyond-2031\">says people will have to be held there for at least five more years\u003c/a> even though the facility was supposed to close in 2021.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>A judge has convicted a man of igniting the Park Fire in 2024, the largest wildfire that year and the fourth largest in the state’s history. He’s facing up to 25 years to life in prison for what prosecutors said was him pushing a burning car into an embankment, where the fire started. \u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>A judge has convicted a man of igniting the Park Fire in 2024, the largest wildfire that year and the fourth largest in the state’s history. He’s facing up to 25 years to life in prison for what prosecutors said was him pushing a burning car into an embankment, where the fire started. \u003c/li>\n"
]
}
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "A small Kings County community has big struggles",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-07-24/lawsuits-recalled-council-members-a-self-appointed-mayor-who-is-in-charge-in-avenal\">A small Kings County community has big struggles\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-07-24/lawsuits-recalled-council-members-a-self-appointed-mayor-who-is-in-charge-in-avenal\">A small Kings County community has big struggles\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Arriving in Avenal, known as the “Pistachio Capital of the World,” nothing seems out of the ordinary at first. The streets are quiet. Residents are going about their daily routines, stopping at local businesses or chatting with neighbors.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Arriving in Avenal, known as the “Pistachio Capital of the World,” nothing seems out of the ordinary at first. The streets are quiet. Residents are going about their daily routines, stopping at local businesses or chatting with neighbors.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The loudest sounds come from birds perched in the trees, and large pickup trucks that roll through.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The loudest sounds come from birds perched in the trees, and large pickup trucks that roll through.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But behind its small-town charm, Avenal has become the center of one of the most unusual political disputes unfolding anywhere in California. It’s a battle over city leadership that has divided residents, drawn legal scrutiny and raised questions about how local government should function.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But behind its small-town charm, Avenal has become the center of one of the most unusual political disputes unfolding anywhere in California. It’s a battle over city leadership that has divided residents, drawn legal scrutiny and raised questions about how local government should function.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It all started last year when elected officials in Avenal wanted to establish their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-03-29/lives-at-stake-a-fire-department-divides-a-california-town\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>own fire department\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. At one point, the city was paying Kings County $425,000 each year for fire services, but last year, the county informed the city that the annual fee would increase to nearly $1.1 million.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It all started last year when elected officials in Avenal wanted to establish their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-03-29/lives-at-stake-a-fire-department-divides-a-california-town\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>own fire department\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. At one point, the city was paying Kings County $425,000 each year for fire services, but last year, the county informed the city that the annual fee would increase to nearly $1.1 million.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Avenal officials, feeling the pinch of rising costs for fire services, ultimately pushed the city to consider creating its own fire department.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Avenal officials, feeling the pinch of rising costs for fire services, ultimately pushed the city to consider creating its own fire department.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kings County sued the City of Avenal for alleged \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-03-29/lives-at-stake-a-fire-department-divides-a-california-town\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Brown Act violations\u003c/a> involving decisions made over the department. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Kings County sued the City of Avenal for alleged \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-03-29/lives-at-stake-a-fire-department-divides-a-california-town\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Brown Act violations\u003c/a> involving decisions made over the department. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Registrar of Voters also certified the election results in May. Not all residents cast a vote, but of those who did, more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/2026-05-29/in-avenal-four-of-five-city-councilmembers-ousted-in-citizen-led-recall-effort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>75% voted to oust\u003c/u>\u003c/a> Mayor Alvaro Preciado and Councilmembers Leticia Gamez, David Reynosa and Pablo Hernandez.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Registrar of Voters also certified the election results in May. Not all residents cast a vote, but of those who did, more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/2026-05-29/in-avenal-four-of-five-city-councilmembers-ousted-in-citizen-led-recall-effort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>75% voted to oust\u003c/u>\u003c/a> Mayor Alvaro Preciado and Councilmembers Leticia Gamez, David Reynosa and Pablo Hernandez.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The officials who were recalled have contested the election results, saying the election wasn’t valid because it wasn’t ordered by the city.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The officials who were recalled have contested the election results, saying the election wasn’t valid because it wasn’t ordered by the city.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Stronger health care oversight in Santa Barbara County",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/health-science-and-technology/2026-07-22/health-advocates-urge-stronger-oversight-of-hospital-costs-in-santa-barbara-county\">Stronger health care oversight in Santa Barbara County\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/health-science-and-technology/2026-07-22/health-advocates-urge-stronger-oversight-of-hospital-costs-in-santa-barbara-county\">Stronger health care oversight in Santa Barbara County\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Health care advocates are calling for stronger state oversight of hospital costs in Santa Barbara County. During a virtual town hall last week hosted by Health Access California, advocates said rising hospital prices are driving up insurance premiums, deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs for patients.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Health care advocates are calling for stronger state oversight of hospital costs in Santa Barbara County. During a virtual town hall last week hosted by Health Access California, advocates said rising hospital prices are driving up insurance premiums, deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs for patients.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The group released a report highlighting Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital as one of seven hospitals statewide — identified by California’s Office of Health Care Affordability — as unusually expensive.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The group released a report highlighting Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital as one of seven hospitals statewide — identified by California’s Office of Health Care Affordability — as unusually expensive.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the report, nearly 48,000 Santa Barbara County residents report having difficulty paying medical bills. Health Access California argues that high hospital prices contribute to rising health care costs across the region.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>According to the report, nearly 48,000 Santa Barbara County residents report having difficulty paying medical bills. Health Access California argues that high hospital prices contribute to rising health care costs across the region.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When hospital prices go up, that directly impacts how much people are paying for their premiums, as well as their deductibles and other cost sharing,” said Katie Van Deynze, policy and legislative advocate for Health Access California.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“When hospital prices go up, that directly impacts how much people are paying for their premiums, as well as their deductibles and other cost sharing,” said Katie Van Deynze, policy and legislative advocate for Health Access California.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report says Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital receives payments from commercial insurers that are significantly higher than Medicare reimbursement rates for the same care.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The report says Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital receives payments from commercial insurers that are significantly higher than Medicare reimbursement rates for the same care.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Los Angeles jail operates longer",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/mens-central-jail-closure-beyond-2031\">Los Angeles jail operates longer\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/mens-central-jail-closure-beyond-2031\">Los Angeles jail operates longer\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The team leading L.A. County’s push to close Men’s Central Jail says a full closure is not feasible in the next five years.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The team leading L.A. County’s push to close Men’s Central Jail says a full closure is not feasible in the next five years.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is yet another delay since the county Board of Supervisors voted in July 2020 to close the jail within one year. A \u003ca href=\"https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/bc/1104568_DEVELO_1.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">two-year \u003cu>plan\u003c/u>\u003c/a> was announced in 2021, then a \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/activists-frustrated-with-countys-5-year-plan-to-close-uninhabitable-mens-central-jail\">five-year plan\u003c/a> in 2024.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This is yet another delay since the county Board of Supervisors voted in July 2020 to close the jail within one year. A \u003ca href=\"https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/bc/1104568_DEVELO_1.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">two-year \u003cu>plan\u003c/u>\u003c/a> was announced in 2021, then a \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/activists-frustrated-with-countys-5-year-plan-to-close-uninhabitable-mens-central-jail\">five-year plan\u003c/a> in 2024.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Jail Closure Implementation Team, also known as JCIT, told the Board of Supervisors this week that they’ve outlined a framework that will improve conditions for thousands of people in L.A. County’s justice system, but the steps they’ve identified are still not enough to safely close the jail within the five-year timeline.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Jail Closure Implementation Team, also known as JCIT, told the Board of Supervisors this week that they’ve outlined a framework that will improve conditions for thousands of people in L.A. County’s justice system, but the steps they’ve identified are still not enough to safely close the jail within the five-year timeline.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Park Fire conviction two years after the blaze started",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Park Fire conviction two years after the blaze started\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Park Fire conviction two years after the blaze started\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A judge convicted a Northern California man last week \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11998589/park-fire-is-now-4th-largest-in-california-history-and-growing-amid-dangerous-weather\">of starting the fire that destroyed hundreds of homes and burned for hundreds of miles\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A judge convicted a Northern California man last week \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11998589/park-fire-is-now-4th-largest-in-california-history-and-growing-amid-dangerous-weather\">of starting the fire that destroyed hundreds of homes and burned for hundreds of miles\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/park-fire\">Park Fire\u003c/a>, the 2024 blaze was started by what prosecutors say was Ronnie Stout II pushing his mom’s burning car into an embankment. The fire started there, authorities said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/park-fire\">Park Fire\u003c/a>, the 2024 blaze was started by what prosecutors say was Ronnie Stout II pushing his mom’s burning car into an embankment. The fire started there, authorities said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Stout faces 25 years to life for the crimes, with enhancements from the state’s so-called “Three Strikes Law” and for arson with special circumstances. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Stout faces 25 years to life for the crimes, with enhancements from the state’s so-called “Three Strikes Law” and for arson with special circumstances. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A witness for the state said that Stout had physically pushed the burning car he had previously been driving, though Stout’s lawyer argued that the vehicle could have been in the embankment because of its own movement. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A witness for the state said that Stout had physically pushed the burning car he had previously been driving, though Stout’s lawyer argued that the vehicle could have been in the embankment because of its own movement. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Stout is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Stout is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Voters in the small Kings County city of Avenal recently recalled four council members, but the city is disputing the election results, and the only member who wasn’t recalled now claims he is the mayor.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785166226,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 24,
"wordCount": 909
},
"headData": {
"title": "There's a Political Power Struggle in the City of Avenal | KQED",
"description": "Voters in the small Kings County city of Avenal recently recalled four council members, but the city is disputing the election results, and the only member who wasn’t recalled now claims he is the mayor.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "There's a Political Power Struggle in the City of Avenal",
"datePublished": "2026-07-27T07:39:21-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-07-27T08:30:26-07:00",
"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": 33520,
"slug": "podcast",
"name": "Podcast"
},
"source": "The California Report",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrarchive/",
"audioUrl": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC6787261566.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12092676",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12092676/theres-a-political-power-struggle-in-the-city-of-avenal",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories for Monday, July 27, 2026: \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>The city of Avenal in Kings County \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-07-24/lawsuits-recalled-council-members-a-self-appointed-mayor-who-is-in-charge-in-avenal\">is facing a political power struggle\u003c/a>. Voters recently recalled four council members, but the city is disputing the election results, and the only member who wasn’t recalled now claims he is the mayor. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Health care advocates are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/health-science-and-technology/2026-07-22/health-advocates-urge-stronger-oversight-of-hospital-costs-in-santa-barbara-county\">calling for stronger state oversight\u003c/a> over rising hospital costs in Santa Barbara County.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A team leading the closure of L.A. County’s aging Men’s Central Jail \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/mens-central-jail-closure-beyond-2031\">says people will have to be held there for at least five more years\u003c/a> even though the facility was supposed to close in 2021.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A judge has convicted a man of igniting the Park Fire in 2024, the largest wildfire that year and the fourth largest in the state’s history. He’s facing up to 25 years to life in prison for what prosecutors said was him pushing a burning car into an embankment, where the fire started. \u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-07-24/lawsuits-recalled-council-members-a-self-appointed-mayor-who-is-in-charge-in-avenal\">A small Kings County community has big struggles\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Arriving in Avenal, known as the “Pistachio Capital of the World,” nothing seems out of the ordinary at first. The streets are quiet. Residents are going about their daily routines, stopping at local businesses or chatting with neighbors.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The loudest sounds come from birds perched in the trees, and large pickup trucks that roll through.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But behind its small-town charm, Avenal has become the center of one of the most unusual political disputes unfolding anywhere in California. It’s a battle over city leadership that has divided residents, drawn legal scrutiny and raised questions about how local government should function.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It all started last year when elected officials in Avenal wanted to establish their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-03-29/lives-at-stake-a-fire-department-divides-a-california-town\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>own fire department\u003c/u>\u003c/a>. At one point, the city was paying Kings County $425,000 each year for fire services, but last year, the county informed the city that the annual fee would increase to nearly $1.1 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\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>Avenal officials, feeling the pinch of rising costs for fire services, ultimately pushed the city to consider creating its own fire department.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kings County sued the City of Avenal for alleged \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-03-29/lives-at-stake-a-fire-department-divides-a-california-town\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Brown Act violations\u003c/a> involving decisions made over the department. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Registrar of Voters also certified the election results in May. Not all residents cast a vote, but of those who did, more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/2026-05-29/in-avenal-four-of-five-city-councilmembers-ousted-in-citizen-led-recall-effort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u003cu>75% voted to oust\u003c/u>\u003c/a> Mayor Alvaro Preciado and Councilmembers Leticia Gamez, David Reynosa and Pablo Hernandez.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The officials who were recalled have contested the election results, saying the election wasn’t valid because it wasn’t ordered by the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kcbx.org/health-science-and-technology/2026-07-22/health-advocates-urge-stronger-oversight-of-hospital-costs-in-santa-barbara-county\">Stronger health care oversight in Santa Barbara County\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Health care advocates are calling for stronger state oversight of hospital costs in Santa Barbara County. During a virtual town hall last week hosted by Health Access California, advocates said rising hospital prices are driving up insurance premiums, deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs for patients.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group released a report highlighting Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital as one of seven hospitals statewide — identified by California’s Office of Health Care Affordability — as unusually expensive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the report, nearly 48,000 Santa Barbara County residents report having difficulty paying medical bills. Health Access California argues that high hospital prices contribute to rising health care costs across the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When hospital prices go up, that directly impacts how much people are paying for their premiums, as well as their deductibles and other cost sharing,” said Katie Van Deynze, policy and legislative advocate for Health Access California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report says Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital receives payments from commercial insurers that are significantly higher than Medicare reimbursement rates for the same care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/mens-central-jail-closure-beyond-2031\">Los Angeles jail operates longer\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The team leading L.A. County’s push to close Men’s Central Jail says a full closure is not feasible in the next five years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is yet another delay since the county Board of Supervisors voted in July 2020 to close the jail within one year. A \u003ca href=\"https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/bc/1104568_DEVELO_1.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">two-year \u003cu>plan\u003c/u>\u003c/a> was announced in 2021, then a \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/activists-frustrated-with-countys-5-year-plan-to-close-uninhabitable-mens-central-jail\">five-year plan\u003c/a> in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Jail Closure Implementation Team, also known as JCIT, told the Board of Supervisors this week that they’ve outlined a framework that will improve conditions for thousands of people in L.A. County’s justice system, but the steps they’ve identified are still not enough to safely close the jail within the five-year timeline.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Park Fire conviction two years after the blaze started\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A judge convicted a Northern California man last week \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11998589/park-fire-is-now-4th-largest-in-california-history-and-growing-amid-dangerous-weather\">of starting the fire that destroyed hundreds of homes and burned for hundreds of miles\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/park-fire\">Park Fire\u003c/a>, the 2024 blaze was started by what prosecutors say was Ronnie Stout II pushing his mom’s burning car into an embankment. The fire started there, authorities said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stout faces 25 years to life for the crimes, with enhancements from the state’s so-called “Three Strikes Law” and for arson with special circumstances. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A witness for the state said that Stout had physically pushed the burning car he had previously been driving, though Stout’s lawyer argued that the vehicle could have been in the embankment because of its own movement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stout is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9. \u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12092676/theres-a-political-power-struggle-in-the-city-of-avenal",
"authors": [
"11935"
],
"categories": [
"news_33520",
"news_34018"
],
"tags": [
"news_35118",
"news_4",
"news_34332",
"news_17286",
"news_21998",
"news_21268"
],
"featImg": "news_12092682",
"label": "source_news_12092676"
},
"news_12090227": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12090227",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12090227",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1783692018000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "what-skid-row-taught-acclaimed-violinist-vijay-gupta-about-music",
"title": "What Skid Row Taught Acclaimed Violinist Vijay Gupta About Music",
"publishDate": 1783692018,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "What Skid Row Taught Acclaimed Violinist Vijay Gupta About Music | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Acclaimed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/los-angeles\">violinist Vijay Gupta\u003c/a> still sees his late father everywhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’d appear unexpectedly, like when a concert hall conductor pointed to his chest to coax more heart out of a musician, something that Gupta’s dad would do when coaching the young Vijay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And it was like, there’s dad,” Gupta said. “And he’d already been gone for a couple years, and yet there he was like he had never gone. He had never abandoned me. He had never died.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gupta’s parents, Bengali immigrants, loom large in the pages of his new memoir \u003cem>Restrung\u003c/em>. Especially his father, Vivek Gupta — Vijay’s biggest mentor, his toughest musical coach and a brutal disciplinarian.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If Vivek heard his son pause when he should have been practicing, Vijay risked another beating. The violin became as much a shield against the blows as it was an instrument of music, and a refuge for Vijay. But his dad also came up with creative schemes to push young Vijay into the spotlight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I was 7 or 8 years old, he was writing to famous people as me,” Gupta said. “He would write to Oprah, David Letterman, Sally Jessy Raphael and Zubin Mehta, and it was sort of like I was living in a world made of his dreams.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he was 9 years old, Gupta was among a group of young, Juilliard-trained violin protégées invited to accompany rapper Coolio onstage at the 1995 Billboard Awards. The quintet of violinists accompanied the rapper on “Gangsta’s Paradise,” a song featuring lyrics that would foreshadow Gupta’s life in his mid-20s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRveeMoCDiw\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m 23 now, but will I see 24? / The way things are goin’, I don’t know / Tell me why we are so blind to see, that the ones we hurt are you and me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ten years later, at age 19, after pursuing two university undergrad degrees — one in medicine, the other in music — Gupta won a seat on the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra. He did so after acing his very first audition, becoming the youngest violinist to ever join a major orchestra in the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I didn’t know what I signed up for at 19 years old. I just happened to get that gig,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suddenly, he was earning a six-figure salary but still didn’t know how to drive a car or do online banking. His father joined him on his cross-country trek from New York to Los Angeles, the two moving into a small apartment together. His mother managed his finances from New York, explaining to her son that his salary would also help support family in the U.S. and the Indian state of West Bengal. It’s a decision that would later lead to financial calamity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12090270\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12090270 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Master violinist Vijay Gupta entered Juilliard at age 7. The son of strict, disciplinarian Bengali immigrant parents, Vijay appeared on Oprah a few years later. At 19, he joined the L.A. Phil, yet he was desperately unhappy. He also began volunteering on L.A.’s Skid Row and founded the acclaimed Street Symphony. \u003ccite>(Image courtesy of Kat Bawden)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I was suddenly supporting my family, and I got tenure, and I don’t want to be there,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So, five years later, I’m eating my feelings and all I’m thinking about during L.A. Phil concerts is my post-concert In-N-Out order, and how many bottles of Russian River pinot I’m going to drink that night,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Five years into his stint with the L.A. Phil and deeply unhappy, Gupta began pursuing a second musical path. He said he wanted to take professional-level classical music out of “stuffy” concert halls and bring it into much different concert settings: jails, homeless shelters, prisons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He headed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/skid-row\">Skid Row\u003c/a>, a part of downtown Los Angeles he discovered while on a driving lesson with his father. Just a little over a mile away from the footlights of Walt Disney Concert Hall, Skid Row is home to the largest concentration of homeless people in the United States. Gupta tapped a few other L.A. Phil musicians to form the \u003ca href=\"https://www.streetsymphony.org/\">Street Symphony\u003c/a>. The nonprofit ensemble has since evolved into a sprawling collective of professional and amateur musicians spanning a host of genres.[aside postID=news_12088748 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260618-PASADENA-ROCK-OPERA-SC01-KQED.jpg']One of the first people Gupta reached out to was Georgia Hawley, communications director at \u003ca href=\"https://www.midnightmission.org/events-musicwithamission/\">The Midnight Mission\u003c/a>, Los Angeles’s longest-running homeless shelter offering meals, drug rehabilitation and other services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He called and said, ‘Hey, I have this group called Street Symphony, and I want to come and play. Do I need to audition? Should I send you a tape? What do you need?’” Hawley said. “And I said, ‘Well, our next opening is Thursday … are you available?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, Hawley had just launched the Music with a Mission program, offering free, weekly concerts for shelter clients. She has since worked closely with Gupta on hundreds of music events in Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, he fought a lot with being this young person who was in this adult world and having to behave a certain way and act a certain way, and he was supporting his family,” Hawley said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think just not having an outlet to talk to people about that and to say, ‘I’m hurt, I’m scared.’ And I think the more he tried to help others, the more he couldn’t ignore what was happening to him.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Skid Row would end up becoming something of a mirror, a pathway for Gupta to finally reconcile his own demons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zGAgEBl3ws&t=2599s\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The real transformation started happening for me in Skid Row was when people said, ‘Hey Vijay, it’s good that you’re coming here to walk your steps, keep coming.’ What are you talking about? I’m here to bring you joy, I’m the healer! And they’re like, ‘Yeah, yeah. Keep coming,’” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Walk your steps,” meaning the guiding principles of the 12-Step program used in rehab. People in Skid Row wanted to show Gupta something they could see, but that he couldn’t — or wouldn’t — see himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would not have admitted to anyone that I was as much an addict, not only to food and alcohol, but everybody else’s version of who I should be,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, Gupta kept up a frenetic performing schedule. In addition to his role at L.A. Phil, he began doing public speaking events where he’d take his violin and lecture about classical music and its connection to neuroscience, social activism and spirituality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12090268\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1428px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12090268\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1428\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden.jpg 1428w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden-160x224.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden-1097x1536.jpg 1097w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Master violinist Vijay Gupta entered Juilliard at age 7. The son of strict, disciplinarian Bengali immigrant parents, Vijay appeared on Oprah a few years later. At 19, he joined the L.A. Phil, yet he was desperately unhappy. He also began volunteering on L.A.’s Skid Row, and founded the acclaimed Street Symphony. \u003ccite>(Image courtesy of Kat Bawden)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At a 2012 Grantmakers in the Arts conference in Miami, Gupta appeared on stage in a rumpled suit, his shirttails sticking out beneath his navy-blue blazer. He was much heavier then and still drinking a lot. But once the bow touched the strings, his playing was effortless, fluid and gorgeous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That guy had never been kissed. That guy had never been on a date, absolutely hated himself. Probably [weighed] around 315 pounds,” Gupta said, reflecting on the performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And that guy was using the violin, that effortlessness, as a way of hiding in plain sight. If I was infallible, bulletproof, then people might forgive the fact that I was actually Quasimodo.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2018, after winning a six-figure MacArthur Genius Grant, Gupta left the L.A. Phil. He threw himself into his work with Street Symphony and pursued solo and chamber work, collaborating widely with other artists on a range of projects. He’s currently developing a one-man show combining performance, documentary film and storytelling based in part on his new memoir.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the way back to his home in Altadena from Skid Row, Gupta talked more about his parents. Though his dad is gone and he’s estranged from his mom, he still sees them in other people. Since seeking therapy, dealing with addiction and even taking up boxing, the bad memories don’t haunt or hurt as much. But they still resurface.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I write about it in the book that my mom ambushed me backstage at Walt Disney Concert Hall,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She was there just to berate me in front of my colleagues. Sometimes I would walk into Skid Row and be like, ‘Oh, is that her, is that mom?’ I would just see her everywhere in Skid Row.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Gupta, the area is a crucible, calling it the largest recovery zone for people teetering on the edge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a place where people are undone, and it’s also a place where people are remade,” he said. “If someone wants to get clean, or they want a bed or want to start over, this is a place where people can begin again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "In his memoir ‘Restrung,’ the Los Angeles-based performer recounts family trauma, addiction and recovery, and how his work with the unhoused transformed his life. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1783698602,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 35,
"wordCount": 1674
},
"headData": {
"title": "What Skid Row Taught Acclaimed Violinist Vijay Gupta About Music | KQED",
"description": "In his memoir ‘Restrung,’ the Los Angeles-based performer recounts family trauma, addiction and recovery, and how his work with the unhoused transformed his life. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "What Skid Row Taught Acclaimed Violinist Vijay Gupta About Music",
"datePublished": "2026-07-10T07:00:18-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-07-10T08:50:02-07:00",
"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"
},
"source": "The California Report Magazine",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/californiareportmagazine",
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/7de0e9a0-2429-471b-82d0-b482013b833b/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12090227",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12090227/what-skid-row-taught-acclaimed-violinist-vijay-gupta-about-music",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Acclaimed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/los-angeles\">violinist Vijay Gupta\u003c/a> still sees his late father everywhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’d appear unexpectedly, like when a concert hall conductor pointed to his chest to coax more heart out of a musician, something that Gupta’s dad would do when coaching the young Vijay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And it was like, there’s dad,” Gupta said. “And he’d already been gone for a couple years, and yet there he was like he had never gone. He had never abandoned me. He had never died.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gupta’s parents, Bengali immigrants, loom large in the pages of his new memoir \u003cem>Restrung\u003c/em>. Especially his father, Vivek Gupta — Vijay’s biggest mentor, his toughest musical coach and a brutal disciplinarian.\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>If Vivek heard his son pause when he should have been practicing, Vijay risked another beating. The violin became as much a shield against the blows as it was an instrument of music, and a refuge for Vijay. But his dad also came up with creative schemes to push young Vijay into the spotlight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I was 7 or 8 years old, he was writing to famous people as me,” Gupta said. “He would write to Oprah, David Letterman, Sally Jessy Raphael and Zubin Mehta, and it was sort of like I was living in a world made of his dreams.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he was 9 years old, Gupta was among a group of young, Juilliard-trained violin protégées invited to accompany rapper Coolio onstage at the 1995 Billboard Awards. The quintet of violinists accompanied the rapper on “Gangsta’s Paradise,” a song featuring lyrics that would foreshadow Gupta’s life in his mid-20s.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/BRveeMoCDiw'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/BRveeMoCDiw'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>“I’m 23 now, but will I see 24? / The way things are goin’, I don’t know / Tell me why we are so blind to see, that the ones we hurt are you and me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ten years later, at age 19, after pursuing two university undergrad degrees — one in medicine, the other in music — Gupta won a seat on the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra. He did so after acing his very first audition, becoming the youngest violinist to ever join a major orchestra in the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I didn’t know what I signed up for at 19 years old. I just happened to get that gig,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suddenly, he was earning a six-figure salary but still didn’t know how to drive a car or do online banking. His father joined him on his cross-country trek from New York to Los Angeles, the two moving into a small apartment together. His mother managed his finances from New York, explaining to her son that his salary would also help support family in the U.S. and the Indian state of West Bengal. It’s a decision that would later lead to financial calamity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12090270\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12090270 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Master violinist Vijay Gupta entered Juilliard at age 7. The son of strict, disciplinarian Bengali immigrant parents, Vijay appeared on Oprah a few years later. At 19, he joined the L.A. Phil, yet he was desperately unhappy. He also began volunteering on L.A.’s Skid Row and founded the acclaimed Street Symphony. \u003ccite>(Image courtesy of Kat Bawden)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I was suddenly supporting my family, and I got tenure, and I don’t want to be there,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So, five years later, I’m eating my feelings and all I’m thinking about during L.A. Phil concerts is my post-concert In-N-Out order, and how many bottles of Russian River pinot I’m going to drink that night,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Five years into his stint with the L.A. Phil and deeply unhappy, Gupta began pursuing a second musical path. He said he wanted to take professional-level classical music out of “stuffy” concert halls and bring it into much different concert settings: jails, homeless shelters, prisons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He headed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/skid-row\">Skid Row\u003c/a>, a part of downtown Los Angeles he discovered while on a driving lesson with his father. Just a little over a mile away from the footlights of Walt Disney Concert Hall, Skid Row is home to the largest concentration of homeless people in the United States. Gupta tapped a few other L.A. Phil musicians to form the \u003ca href=\"https://www.streetsymphony.org/\">Street Symphony\u003c/a>. The nonprofit ensemble has since evolved into a sprawling collective of professional and amateur musicians spanning a host of genres.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12088748",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260618-PASADENA-ROCK-OPERA-SC01-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>One of the first people Gupta reached out to was Georgia Hawley, communications director at \u003ca href=\"https://www.midnightmission.org/events-musicwithamission/\">The Midnight Mission\u003c/a>, Los Angeles’s longest-running homeless shelter offering meals, drug rehabilitation and other services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He called and said, ‘Hey, I have this group called Street Symphony, and I want to come and play. Do I need to audition? Should I send you a tape? What do you need?’” Hawley said. “And I said, ‘Well, our next opening is Thursday … are you available?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, Hawley had just launched the Music with a Mission program, offering free, weekly concerts for shelter clients. She has since worked closely with Gupta on hundreds of music events in Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, he fought a lot with being this young person who was in this adult world and having to behave a certain way and act a certain way, and he was supporting his family,” Hawley said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think just not having an outlet to talk to people about that and to say, ‘I’m hurt, I’m scared.’ And I think the more he tried to help others, the more he couldn’t ignore what was happening to him.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Skid Row would end up becoming something of a mirror, a pathway for Gupta to finally reconcile his own demons.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/5zGAgEBl3ws'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/5zGAgEBl3ws'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>“The real transformation started happening for me in Skid Row was when people said, ‘Hey Vijay, it’s good that you’re coming here to walk your steps, keep coming.’ What are you talking about? I’m here to bring you joy, I’m the healer! And they’re like, ‘Yeah, yeah. Keep coming,’” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Walk your steps,” meaning the guiding principles of the 12-Step program used in rehab. People in Skid Row wanted to show Gupta something they could see, but that he couldn’t — or wouldn’t — see himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would not have admitted to anyone that I was as much an addict, not only to food and alcohol, but everybody else’s version of who I should be,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, Gupta kept up a frenetic performing schedule. In addition to his role at L.A. Phil, he began doing public speaking events where he’d take his violin and lecture about classical music and its connection to neuroscience, social activism and spirituality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12090268\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1428px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12090268\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1428\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden.jpg 1428w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden-160x224.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden-1097x1536.jpg 1097w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Master violinist Vijay Gupta entered Juilliard at age 7. The son of strict, disciplinarian Bengali immigrant parents, Vijay appeared on Oprah a few years later. At 19, he joined the L.A. Phil, yet he was desperately unhappy. He also began volunteering on L.A.’s Skid Row, and founded the acclaimed Street Symphony. \u003ccite>(Image courtesy of Kat Bawden)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At a 2012 Grantmakers in the Arts conference in Miami, Gupta appeared on stage in a rumpled suit, his shirttails sticking out beneath his navy-blue blazer. He was much heavier then and still drinking a lot. But once the bow touched the strings, his playing was effortless, fluid and gorgeous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That guy had never been kissed. That guy had never been on a date, absolutely hated himself. Probably [weighed] around 315 pounds,” Gupta said, reflecting on the performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And that guy was using the violin, that effortlessness, as a way of hiding in plain sight. If I was infallible, bulletproof, then people might forgive the fact that I was actually Quasimodo.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2018, after winning a six-figure MacArthur Genius Grant, Gupta left the L.A. Phil. He threw himself into his work with Street Symphony and pursued solo and chamber work, collaborating widely with other artists on a range of projects. He’s currently developing a one-man show combining performance, documentary film and storytelling based in part on his new memoir.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the way back to his home in Altadena from Skid Row, Gupta talked more about his parents. Though his dad is gone and he’s estranged from his mom, he still sees them in other people. Since seeking therapy, dealing with addiction and even taking up boxing, the bad memories don’t haunt or hurt as much. But they still resurface.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I write about it in the book that my mom ambushed me backstage at Walt Disney Concert Hall,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She was there just to berate me in front of my colleagues. Sometimes I would walk into Skid Row and be like, ‘Oh, is that her, is that mom?’ I would just see her everywhere in Skid Row.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Gupta, the area is a crucible, calling it the largest recovery zone for people teetering on the edge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a place where people are undone, and it’s also a place where people are remade,” he said. “If someone wants to get clean, or they want a bed or want to start over, this is a place where people can begin 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/12090227/what-skid-row-taught-acclaimed-violinist-vijay-gupta-about-music",
"authors": [
"2600"
],
"programs": [
"news_26731"
],
"categories": [
"news_29992",
"news_223",
"news_31795",
"news_8",
"news_33520"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_28519",
"news_27626",
"news_4",
"news_1425",
"news_34560",
"news_17954",
"news_30162"
],
"featImg": "news_12090269",
"label": "source_news_12090227"
}
},
"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?tag=los-angeles": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 0,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 433,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"news_12103286",
"news_12101122",
"news_12096390",
"news_12096008",
"news_12095307",
"news_12094974",
"news_12094698",
"news_12093430",
"news_12093399",
"news_12093212",
"news_12092676",
"news_12090227"
],
"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_tag_los-angeles": {
"isLoading": true
},
"news_4": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "los angeles",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "los angeles Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4,
"slug": "los-angeles",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/los-angeles"
},
"source_news_12103286": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12103286",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The California Report",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrarchive/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12101122": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12101122",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12096390": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12096390",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12096008": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12096008",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The California Report Magazine",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/californiareportmagazine",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12095307": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12095307",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The California Report",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrarchive/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12094974": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12094974",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The California Report Magazine",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/californiareportmagazine",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12094698": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12094698",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The California Report",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrarchive/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12093430": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12093430",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12093212": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12093212",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The California Report",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrarchive/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12092676": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12092676",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The California Report",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrarchive/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12090227": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12090227",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The California Report Magazine",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/californiareportmagazine",
"isLoading": false
},
"news_72": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_72",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "72",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2014/10/TCR-2-Logo-Web-Banners-03.png",
"name": "The California Report",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "program",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "The California Report Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6969,
"slug": "the-california-report",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/program/the-california-report"
},
"news_33520": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33520",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33520",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Podcast",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Podcast Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33537,
"slug": "podcast",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/podcast"
},
"news_34018": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34018",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34018",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "tcr",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "tcr Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 34035,
"slug": "tcr",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/tcr"
},
"news_37557": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37557",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37557",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "backyards",
"slug": "backyards",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "backyards | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37574,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/backyards"
},
"news_1759": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1759",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1759",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "budget",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "budget Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1772,
"slug": "budget",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/budget"
},
"news_32668": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_32668",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "32668",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "ChatGPT",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "ChatGPT Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 32685,
"slug": "chatgpt",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/chatgpt"
},
"news_37556": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37556",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37556",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "coffee shops",
"slug": "coffee-shops",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "coffee shops | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37573,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/coffee-shops"
},
"news_35581": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35581",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35581",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "homes",
"slug": "homes",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "homes | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35598,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/homes"
},
"news_37558": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37558",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37558",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "insolvency",
"slug": "insolvency",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "insolvency | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37575,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/insolvency"
},
"news_36581": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36581",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36581",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "LA Unified School District",
"slug": "la-unified-school-district",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "LA Unified School District | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36598,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/la-unified-school-district"
},
"news_37560": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37560",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37560",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "local taxes",
"slug": "local-taxes",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "local taxes | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37577,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/local-taxes"
},
"news_33542": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33542",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33542",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "OpenAI",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "OpenAI Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33559,
"slug": "openai",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/openai"
},
"news_37559": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37559",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37559",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Proposition 43",
"slug": "proposition-43",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Proposition 43 | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37576,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/proposition-43"
},
"news_21998": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_21998",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "21998",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "TCRAM",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "TCRAM Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 22015,
"slug": "tcram",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/tcram"
},
"news_21268": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_21268",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "21268",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "tcrarchive",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "tcrarchive Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21285,
"slug": "tcrarchive",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/tcrarchive"
},
"news_20385": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20385",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20385",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "teens",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "teens Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20402,
"slug": "teens",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/teens"
},
"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_6266": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6266",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6266",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Housing Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6290,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/housing"
},
"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_23052": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_23052",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "23052",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "fraud",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "fraud Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 23069,
"slug": "fraud",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/fraud"
},
"news_4020": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4020",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4020",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Homelessness",
"slug": "homelessness",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Homelessness | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "index"
},
"ttid": 4039,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/homelessness"
},
"news_4500": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4500",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4500",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "theft",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "theft Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4519,
"slug": "theft",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/theft"
},
"news_18481": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18481",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18481",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "CALmatters",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "affiliate",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "CALmatters Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18515,
"slug": "calmatters",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/affiliate/calmatters"
},
"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_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_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_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_26542": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_26542",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "26542",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "CA Legislature",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "CA Legislature Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 26559,
"slug": "ca-legislature",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/ca-legislature"
},
"news_25612": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_25612",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "25612",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California Department of Education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Department of Education Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 25629,
"slug": "california-department-of-education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-department-of-education"
},
"news_33552": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33552",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33552",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "california school funding",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "california school funding Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33569,
"slug": "california-school-funding",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-school-funding"
},
"news_30911": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_30911",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "30911",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "california schools",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "california schools Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30928,
"slug": "california-schools",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-schools"
},
"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_35401": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35401",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35401",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "k-12",
"slug": "k-12",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "k-12 | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35418,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/k-12"
},
"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_26731": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_26731",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "26731",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "The California Report Magazine",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "program",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "The California Report Magazine Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 26748,
"slug": "the-california-report-magazine",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/program/the-california-report-magazine"
},
"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_20754": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20754",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20754",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "child care",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "child care Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20771,
"slug": "child-care",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/child-care"
},
"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_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_35037": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35037",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35037",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "prison",
"slug": "prison",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "prison | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35054,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/prison"
},
"news_21312": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_21312",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "21312",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "San Fernando Valley",
"slug": "san-fernando-valley",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "San Fernando Valley | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "noindex"
},
"ttid": 21329,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/san-fernando-valley"
},
"news_20851": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20851",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20851",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "The California Report",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "The California Report Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20868,
"slug": "the-california-report",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/the-california-report"
},
"news_30162": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_30162",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "30162",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "The California Report Magazine",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "The California Report Magazine Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30179,
"slug": "the-california-report-magazine",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/the-california-report-magazine"
},
"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_37341": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37341",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37341",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "biodiversity",
"slug": "biodiversity",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "biodiversity | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37358,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/biodiversity"
},
"news_616": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_616",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "616",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California prisons",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California prisons Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 625,
"slug": "california-prisons",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-prisons"
},
"news_255": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_255",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "255",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "climate change",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "climate change Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 263,
"slug": "climate-change",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/climate-change"
},
"news_32894": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_32894",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "32894",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "DOJ",
"slug": "doj",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "DOJ | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "noindex"
},
"ttid": 32911,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/doj"
},
"news_37339": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37339",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37339",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "ecosystem",
"slug": "ecosystem",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "ecosystem | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37356,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/ecosystem"
},
"news_35278": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35278",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35278",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Immigration Raids",
"slug": "immigration-raids",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Immigration Raids | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35295,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigration-raids"
},
"news_37342": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37342",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37342",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "incarcerated women",
"slug": "incarcerated-women",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "incarcerated women | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37359,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/incarcerated-women"
},
"news_2700": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2700",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2700",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "sexual abuse",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "sexual abuse Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2718,
"slug": "sexual-abuse",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/sexual-abuse"
},
"news_37340": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37340",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37340",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "tide pools",
"slug": "tide-pools",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "tide pools | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37357,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/tide-pools"
},
"news_37343": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37343",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37343",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "warrantless arrests",
"slug": "warrantless-arrests",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "warrantless arrests | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37360,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/warrantless-arrests"
},
"news_223": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_223",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "223",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts and Culture",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts and Culture Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 231,
"slug": "arts-and-culture",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/arts-and-culture"
},
"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_35617": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35617",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35617",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Altadena",
"slug": "altadena",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Altadena | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35634,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/altadena"
},
"news_34878": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34878",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34878",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Eaton Fire",
"slug": "eaton-fire",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Eaton Fire | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34895,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/eaton-fire"
},
"news_1425": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1425",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1425",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "music",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "music Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1437,
"slug": "music",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/music"
},
"news_4463": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4463",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4463",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "wildfires",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "wildfires Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4482,
"slug": "wildfires",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/wildfires"
},
"news_33736": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33736",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33736",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts and Culture",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts and Culture Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33753,
"slug": "arts-and-culture",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/arts-and-culture"
},
"news_37317": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37317",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37317",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "California coastline",
"slug": "california-coastline",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "California coastline | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37334,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-coastline"
},
"news_1068": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1068",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1068",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Diablo Canyon",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Diablo Canyon Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1079,
"slug": "diablo-canyon",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/diablo-canyon"
},
"news_36051": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36051",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36051",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Governor Gavin Newsom",
"slug": "governor-gavin-newsom",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Governor Gavin Newsom | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36068,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/governor-gavin-newsom"
},
"news_37316": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37316",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37316",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Jefferson Park",
"slug": "jefferson-park",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Jefferson Park | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37333,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/jefferson-park"
},
"news_36848": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36848",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36848",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "nuclear power plant",
"slug": "nuclear-power-plant",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "nuclear power plant | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36865,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/nuclear-power-plant"
},
"news_36090": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36090",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36090",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "offshore drilling",
"slug": "offshore-drilling",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "offshore drilling | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36107,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/offshore-drilling"
},
"news_17781": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17781",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17781",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "oil drilling",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "oil drilling Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17815,
"slug": "oil-drilling",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/oil-drilling"
},
"news_37315": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37315",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37315",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "oil field",
"slug": "oil-field",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "oil field | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37332,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/oil-field"
},
"news_35256": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35256",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35256",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Trump Administration",
"slug": "trump-administration",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Trump Administration | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35273,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/trump-administration"
},
"news_34165": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34165",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34165",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Climate",
"slug": "climate",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Climate Archives | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34182,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/climate"
},
"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_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_24336": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_24336",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "24336",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Insurance Commissioner",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Insurance Commissioner Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 24353,
"slug": "insurance-commissioner",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/insurance-commissioner"
},
"news_35916": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35916",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35916",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "LA wildfires",
"slug": "la-wildfires",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "LA wildfires | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35933,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/la-wildfires"
},
"news_140": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_140",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "140",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "PG&E",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "PG&E Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 144,
"slug": "pge",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/pge"
},
"news_33750": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33750",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33750",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Climate Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33767,
"slug": "climate",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/climate"
},
"news_29992": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_29992",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "29992",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30009,
"slug": "arts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/arts"
},
"news_1758": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1758",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1758",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Economy",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Full coverage of the economy",
"title": "Economy Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2648,
"slug": "economy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/economy"
},
"news_24114": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_24114",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "24114",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Food",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Food Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 24131,
"slug": "food",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/food"
},
"news_24312": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_24312",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "24312",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Bay Area Food",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Bay Area Food Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 24329,
"slug": "bay-area-food",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/bay-area-food"
},
"news_333": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_333",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "333",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Food",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Food Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 341,
"slug": "food",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/food"
},
"news_1749": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1749",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1749",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Santa Clara",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Santa Clara Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1761,
"slug": "santa-clara",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/santa-clara"
},
"news_21285": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_21285",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "21285",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "South Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "South Bay Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21302,
"slug": "south-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/south-bay"
},
"news_33735": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33735",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33735",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Food and Drink",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Food and Drink Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33752,
"slug": "food-and-drink",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/food-and-drink"
},
"news_33731": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33731",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33731",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "South Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "South Bay Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33748,
"slug": "south-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/south-bay"
},
"news_37255": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37255",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37255",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "immigration officers",
"slug": "immigration-officers",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "immigration officers | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37272,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigration-officers"
},
"news_1470": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1470",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1470",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "LAPD",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "LAPD Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1482,
"slug": "lapd",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/lapd"
},
"news_37254": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37254",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37254",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Olorofim",
"slug": "olorofim",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Olorofim | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37271,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/olorofim"
},
"news_35642": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35642",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35642",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "treatment",
"slug": "treatment",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "treatment | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35659,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/treatment"
},
"news_20548": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20548",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20548",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "valley fever",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "valley fever Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20565,
"slug": "valley-fever",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/valley-fever"
},
"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_34332": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34332",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34332",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Park Fire",
"slug": "park-fire",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Park Fire Archives | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34349,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/park-fire"
},
"news_17286": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17286",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17286",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "tcr",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "tcr Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17318,
"slug": "tcr",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/tcr"
},
"news_28519": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_28519",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "28519",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California Report Magazine",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Report Magazine Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 28536,
"slug": "california-report-magazine",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-report-magazine"
},
"news_34560": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34560",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34560",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "podcasts | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34577,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/podcasts"
},
"news_17954": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17954",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17954",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Skid Row",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Skid Row Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17988,
"slug": "skid-row",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/skid-row"
},
"news_37043": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37043",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37043",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Music",
"slug": "music",
"taxonomy": "interest",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Music | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37060,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/music"
}
},
"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": {}
}
}
}