Omicron Update
The omicron variant has sent coronavirus case rates soaring across the state. More than 20% of all tests have come back positive over the past week, compared with a rate of just about 2% in early December. While space is still available, many hospitals are seeing a rise in the number of patients needing ICU beds, while at-home rapid tests have been selling out and lines for professional PCR testing have grown.

Guest:

Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, professor of pediatrics and infectious disease epidemiologist at Stanford University

Michael Tubbs' "The Deeper the Roots"
Michael Tubbs overcame a childhood of poverty to become the youngest mayor of Stockton at age 26 — and the youngest mayor of any major American city. He was the first to launch a controversial "guaranteed income" program in his hometown, which rapidly became a model for other cities around the nation. He is now working as a special advisor on poverty to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Guest:

Michael Tubbs, author and former Stockton mayor

This Week in California Politics
California lawmakers gear up for a new year and a new legislative session. They also reflect on the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the nation's capitol.

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Guests:

Marisa Lagos, KQED politics and government correspondent
Doug Sovern, KCBS political reporter

Something Beautiful: Barbara Boissevain's Salt Ponds Photography
This week's something beautiful are abstract, aerial views of salt ponds, shot by Bay Area photographer Barbara Boissevain. By blending urban and natural landscapes, Boissevain highlights an unusual organic beauty in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Omicron Update | Michael Tubbs | This Week in California Politics