Sacramento City Unified School Superintendent Jorge Aguilar talks about the new COVID vaccine mandate for students and staff. How the needs and challenges for those experiencing homelessness are evolving—and what deep issues still remain. A look at wildfire's impact on animal habitat when the footprint is as large as the Dixie Fire. CapRadio Jazz Host Andrew Mills speaks with singer Samara Joy, who is performing at the Pacific Jazz Festival in Stockton. Today's Guests Sacramento City Unified School Superintendent Jorge Aguilar talks about the new COVID vaccine mandate for students and staff and answers parent questions. Sister Libby Fernandez, longtime homelessness advocate and director of Mercy Pedalers, discusses how the needs and challenges for those experiencing homelessness are evolving — and what deep issues still remain.  Dr. Rachel Blakey, Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA and Research Associate at The Institute for Bird Populations, on wildfire's impact on animal habitat when the footprint is as large as the Dixie Fire. CapRadio Jazz Host Andrew Mills speaks with 21-year-old singer Samara Joy who is performing this weekend at the Pacific Jazz Festival in Stockton. 

Insight with Beth Ruyak

Sac City Unified’s new vaccine mandate for students and staff | ‘Mercy Pedalers’ and homelessness advocacy | The Dixie Fire’s impact on habitat | A conversation with jazz singer Samara Joy

It’s the Sacramento Kings opening night and they’re celebrating five years at Golden 1 Center. We check in on the status of California’s redistricting process. How Wall Street hedge funds cashed out billions in PG&E stock, as wildfire survivors wait. A look at the 2021 inductees of the California Hall of Fame. Today's Guests John Rinehart, Sacramento Kings President of Business Operations, on opening night and celebrating five years at Golden 1 Center. CapRadio Politics Reporter, Nicole Nixon, gives us the status of the state’s redistricting process. Every decade, following the Census, maps are redrawn for federal, state and local elected officials by the independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.   Lily Jamali, co-host of KQED's "The California Report," brings us her latest reporting, taking a look at how Wall Street hedge funds cashed out billions in PG&E stock as wildfire survivors suffer and wait. California Museum Executive Director Amanda Meeker gives us the 2021 inductees of the California Hall of Fame.   

Sacramento Kings 5 year anniversary at Golden 1 Center | A status update on redistricting | Wall Street profits off PG&E before wildfire Victims | California Hall of Fame

CapRadio investigates a no-bid contract in the state’s COVID-19 response connected to former President Trump’s border wall construction. After being stranded in Afghanistan, a Sac City Unified Afghan family begins their return home following the U.S. withdrawal. The pandemic’s impact on child care providers. Critical shortage of blood supply plummeting to levels not seen since pandemic’s start. Today's Guests CapRadio State Government Reporter Scott Rodd shares his investigation into a no-bid contract in the state’s COVID-19 response that is connected to former President Trump’s border wall construction in California and Texas.  Read Scott’s previous investigations on no-bid contracts Big Newsom Donors — Including Blue Shield — Received No-Bid Contracts During COVID-19 Response As Newsom Pushes To Extend Emergency Spending Authority During Pandemic, Lobbyist Influence Remains Opaque Another $282M In No-Bid Pandemic Contracts To Major Newsom Contributor UnitedHealth Ethel I Baker Principal Nate McGill updates the return of a Sacramento City Unified family stranded in Afghanistan since the U.S. withdrawal.  A photo of a SCUSD family that will return home after being stuck in Afghanistan following the U.S.'s withdraw.Courtesy of Ethel I Baker Principal Nate McGill Heidi Keiser, Public Policy Officer for the non-profit Child Action, Inc., on the pandemic's impact on child care providers in Sacramento County.  Dr. Chris Gresens, Medical Director Mountain and West Divisions with the blood services provider Vitalant, on the critical shortage of blood supply, plummeting to levels not seen since pandemic’s start. 

CapRadio investigates COVID no-bid contracts | SCUSD Afghan family begins return home | The pandemic’s impact on child care providers | Critical shortage of blood supply

As the FDA reviews the safety of mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines, we’ll get the latest developments on the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson boosters. Amid the push to have all teachers, staff and students vaccinated or regularly tested, we look at how the mandates could exacerbate ongoing staffing shortages. Despite many body-positivity campaigns across social media, teen girls still face body image issues; we learn what the research says about social media and body image. Finally, we speak with the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera's outgoing and incoming executive directors about the challenges and successes over the past six years. Today's Guests Dr. Donald J. Alcendor, Associate Professor at Meharry Medical College and former voting member on the FDA Antimicrobial Drug Advisory Committee, explains the latest developments regarding Moderna and J&J booster shots. Diana Lambert, a senior education reporter with EdSource, shares her reporting about whether new Covid testing and vaccine mandates will worsen school staffing shortages throughout California. Jessica Grose, parenting columnist at the New York Times, on what research says about teen girls, body image and Instagram.  Executive Director Designate for The Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, Giuliano Kornberg, and Executive Director, Alice Sauro, discuss the transition for the organization 

COVID-19 booster shots explained | How vaccine and testing mandates affect school staffing | Social media’s impacts on teen body image | Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera’s new executive director

Lake Tahoe’s water level amid drought and how it is impacting the Truckee River. Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation discusses their ongoing campaign to end racism in sports names and mascots. Rep. Adam Schiff (D) joins us to talk about his new book ‘Midnight in Washington.’ Lassen Volcanic National Park reopens for the first time since the Dixie Fire burned more than half of the area. Today's Guests UC Davis Civil and Environmental Engineering professor Geoffrey Schladow explains Lake Tahoe’s water level amid drought and how it is impacting the Truckee River. Yocha Dehe Wintun Tribal Secretary, James Kinter, talks about their ongoing campaign to end racism in sports names and mascots, which is the subject of an upcoming documentary.  Congressman and Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff (D), joins us to talk about his new book Midnight in Washington: How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could ahead of his speaking engagement in Sacramento on Friday.  Lassen Volcanic National Park Program Manager, Kevin Sweeney, on the park reopening for the first time since the Dixie Fire burned more than half of the area.  

Lake Tahoe Level Drops / Yocha Dehe Wintun’s Campaign to End Racism in Sports Names and Mascots / Congressmember Adam Schiff / Lassen Volcanic National Park Reopens After Dixie Fire

The bills that the governor vetoed become new state laws. Also, learning about the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe. One tribal member joins us with their journey to preserve the native language. Finally, CapRadio’s Donna Apidone shares her interview with the author of “All We Can Save,” a women-penned anthology of the climate movement. Today's Guests CalMatters Reporter Laurel Rosenhall explains the bills that Gov. Newsom blocked from becoming new state laws.  Shelly Covert, Spokesperson for the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe and Executive Director of the California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP), discusses why the tribe is still fighting to restore federal recognition.  Nisenan-descendant Alan Wallace on working to preserve the language, which has been disappearing, with only one living documented Nisenan speaker.  CapRadio’s Donna Apidone discusses “All We Can Save,” an anthology about the environment and brings us parts of her conversation with Abigail Dillen, the president of Earthjustice, a law organization specializing in large environment cases. Dillen is one of the 60 women who wrote essays and poetry for the book. 

Bills Gov. Newsom vetoed | Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe | Preserving the Nisenan language | CapRadio Reads discusses “All We Can Save” climate movement anthology

Update on Afghan families that have moved to Sacramento and the biggest need to help the families in their resettlement efforts. ‘Healthy Davis Together’ discusses their collaboration with school districts in Yolo County for on-site COVID-19 testing. Finally, a UC Davis Ph.D. Native American Studies scholar returns the remains of her grandmother’s aunt from an ‘Indian Boarding School’ to her native Alaskan homeland more than 120 years later. Today's Guests Jessie Tientcheu, Chief Executive Officer of Opening Doors, one of five refugee resettlement agencies in Sacramento, joins us to update our listeners on the Afghan families that have moved to Sacramento and the biggest need to help the families in their resettlement efforts. Dr. Sheri Belafsky, Medical Director of Healthy Davis Together, discusses their collaboration with school districts in Yolo County for on-site COVID-19 testing.  Lauren Peters, a UC Davis Ph.D. scholar in Native American Studies with a designated emphasis in Human Rights and enrolled in the Agdaagux Tribe in the Unangax Nation, explains her passion for finding the orphan children stolen by missionaries during the Native boarding school era and reuniting them with their families —  including relocating her grandmother's aunt home from Carlisle Indian Industrial School to her home on St. Paul Island, Alaska.  

Biggest need for Afghan refugees | Yolo County schools collaboration to keep COVID cases down | Indigenous orphan returns home more than a century later

Wilton Rancheria explains the history and challenges of becoming a federally recognized tribe. California Indian Legal Services explains the relationship between tribes and the state. The Sacramento LGBT Center’s first Native American board member explains the long history of “two-spirit” members within tribal and indigenous communities. Finally, we learn about the UC Davis Native Nest center, which works to increase retention rates by creating community and place for indigenous students.  Music used in today’s show is from Mary Youngblood’s album “Dancing With The Wind.” Today's Guests Jesus Tarango, chairman of Wilton Rancheria, explains the history and challenges of becoming a federally recognized tribe. The tribe also provides an update on the development of Sky River Casino in Sacramento County’s Elk Grove. Heather Hostler, executive director for California Indian Legal Services, discusses the relationship between tribes and the state for issues such as land and water rights, trust, treaties.  Carl Colegrove, a board member with the Sacramento LGBT Community Center and a member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, explains the long history of two-spirit members within tribal and indigenous communities.  Michelle Villegas-Frazier and Nora Zade discuss the UC Davis Native Nest center on campus, which works to increase retention rates by creating community and place for indigenous students.  

Honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day

We learn how Tahoe was able to protect itself from the Caldor Fire and what the continued threats are amid ongoing droughts and heat waves. We check in on how the Sacramento area is doing when it comes to preservation of open spaces for wildlife and plants. And, the return of the Aftershock Festival in Sacramento after being postponed in 2020. Today's Guests CapRadio Data Reporter, Emily Zentner, and KQED Climate Reporter, Ezra David Romero, join us with their reporting on how Tahoe was able to protect itself from the Caldor Fire Haven Kiers, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at UC Davis, explains how the Sacramento area is doing when it comes to preservation of open spaces for wildlife and plants following a CapRadio/Valley Vision regional survey which found that over 90% of respondents felt very strongly or somewhat strongly that we preserve wild open spaces for plants and animals.  Chief Marketing Officer, Chamie McCurry, discusses the return of the Aftershock Festival in Sacramento after being postponed in 2020. 

How Tahoe was protected during the Caldor Fire | Sacramento’s preservation of open spaces | The return of the Aftershock Festival

Gov. Newsom signed a series of police reform bills into state law. Also, a CapRadio/Valley Vision food resilience survey looks at the challenges to accessing community gardens and food banks. Finally, the aftermath of the oil spill off the Southern California coast. Today's Guests Co-founders of the Law Enforcement Accountability Directive (LEAD) Richard Owen and Mark T. Harris discuss the new police reform laws recently signed by the governor and what work they think still needs to be done California Peace Officers Association Deputy Director Shaun Rundle explains what positions the association took on the police reform laws and how they could affect training going forward CapRadio Race and Equity Reporter Sarah Mizes-Tan shares her reporting on the Hmong community, following the new Valley Vision/CapRadio survey on food access that shows that Latino and AAPI residents want to access farm-grown and specialty cultural foods, but that it isn't always easy.  CapRadio Reporter Janelle Salanga shares their reporting on solutions, following the new Valley Vision/CapRadio survey that shows access to food aid and food banks isn't as easy as walking down that street. Some communities must travel long distances. And, during the pandemic, the food need has increased. Ronald Tjeerdema, an environmental toxicology professor at UC Davis, joins us to discuss the work being done in Southern California to contain and clean up the oil spill off the coast. He will also help us understand the grave concern for the sensitive wildlife in the area and how they are being cared for and treated. 

New police reform laws | Challenges to community gardens and food banks | The environmental ramifications of the Southern California oil spill

The challenges and successes of obtaining locally grown food. The latest CDC recommendations for pregnant women and the vaccine. The new ‘Faith J McKinnie Gallery’ featuring artist Brandon Gastinell. Today's Guests B&L Owner Patrick Mulvaney and Nugget Market’s Vice President of Grocery Operations and Purchasing Saj Khan explain the challenges and successes of obtaining locally grown food in response to a regional survey conducted by CapRadio and the non-profit Valley Vision asking residents if their needs are being met and how the pandemic affected access to food.  GoodDay Sacramento / CBS13 anchor and journalist Dina Kupfer joins us to discuss her fertility journey and decision to get the COVID-19 vaccination after becoming pregnant. Dina will be joined by her doctor, Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh, who will also discuss the latest CDC recommendations for pregnant women and the vaccine. Black Artist Foundry founder, curator and gallerist Faith J McKinnie, along with artist Brandon Gastinell, discuss a new contemporary gallery in midtown Sacramento celebrating underrepresented and marginalized queer artists and artists of color.  

The challenge of sourcing local foods | CBS 13's Dina Kupfer's decision to get vaccinated while pregnant | New ‘Faith J McKinnie Gallery’ with Brandon Gastinell

California is the first state in the country to require eligible students to get the COVID-19 vaccine pending full FDA approval. A Valley Vision-CapRadio regional survey focuses on food access and sustainability. Manetti Shrem Museum of Art discusses the new Wayne Thiebaud exhibit by highlighting contemporary artists inspired by Thiebaud — including former students. Today's Guests CapRadio Politics Reporter Nicole Nixon and State Senator and pediatrician Dr. Richard Pan discuss California becoming the first state in the country to require eligible students to get the COVID-19 vaccine pending full FDA approval. Evan Schmidt, CEO of Valley Vision, and Shawn Harrison with Soil Born Farms discuss the latest regional survey partnership with CapRadio focusing on food access and sustainability.  Susie Kantor, exhibit curator at Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, and former student Vonn Cummings Sumner discuss the new Wayne Thiebaud exhibit celebrating the legacy of the 100-year-old UC Davis professor emeritus by highlighting contemporary artists inspired by Thiebaud — including a selection of his former students.  

California’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students | Food access and sustainability in the region | A UC Davis Wayne Thiebaud-inspired exhibit

Latest local business headlines from historic sales and sudden closures. A new law ends the subminimum wage, impacting thousands of Californians with disabilities. The first-ever hotline for employees and employers with disabilities. The highlights of Apple Hill. Today's Guests We get an update on the latest local business headlines with Real Estate Reporter Ben van der Meer and Managing Editor Sonya Sorich of the Sacramento Business Journal, including the latest plans for the old Campbell’s Soup plant and the sudden closing of de Vere’s Irish Pub. Bridget Kolakosky with the State Council on Developmental Disabilities discusses a bill signed into law that ends the subminimum wage, impacting thousands of Californians with disabilities who have been paid below the minimum wage as employees.  Leah Burdick with PRIDE Industries, one of the nation's largest employers of people with disabilities, discusses the first-ever hotline for employees and employers.  Chris Delfino, President of Apple Hill Growers Association, helps us explore Apple Hill during harvest season. 

Sacramento Biz Journal Update / Subminimum Wage Bill / Work Hotline for Employees With Disabilities / Apple Hill Highlights

Updated 9:52 a.m. An absenteeism surge is happening at schools across the state following reopening for in-person learning. The human rights crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women. California’s first-in-the-nation Transgender Advisory Council. The Sacramento Greek Food Festival returns for its 58th year. Today's Guests Senior reporter at EdSource Carolyn Jones discusses an absenteeism surge happening at schools across the state following reopening.  Britta Guerrero, CEO of the Sacramento Native American Health Center (SNAHC) and member of the San Carlos Apache tribe, discusses the human rights crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women. Interim Director of Impact Strategies Zoë Flowers with the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence expands the conversation surrounding Gabby Petito to include women of color and the LGBTQ+ community.  Ebony Harper, the executive director at California TRANScends, on her appointment to the newly created Transgender Advisory Council, created by Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.  Terry Kastanis and Koula Gianulias join Insight to talk about the long history and tradition of the Sacramento Greek Food Festival, which is returning this year after being sidelined last year due to COVID. 

School Absenteeism Surge / Missing Indigenous Women / Violence Against Women of Color / Transgender Advisory Council / Sacramento Greek Festival

 The state updates Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots now available to eligible Californians. A California NPR investigation about air quality due to wildfires, breaking down the data by zip code. The Sacramento Zoo explains potential plans to move to Elk Grove. Today's Guests California Department of Public Health epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan provides an update on Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots available to eligible Californians.  Data reporter Alison Saldanha with NPR’s California Newsroom, and KQED reporter Farida Jhabvala Romero, join us with their investigative project surrounding air quality due to wildfires. Elk Grove Mayor Bobby Singh-Allen, Sacramento Councilmember Katie Valenzuela and President of the Sacramento Zoological Board of Trustees, Elizabeth Stallard, discuss the future of the Sacramento Zoo and the potential plans to move it to Elk Grove. 

Booster Shots / California NPR Wildfire Air Quality Investigation / Sacramento Zoo Moving to Elk Grove?

A daily, in-depth interview program providing context and background to the issues that face the Sacramento region.

hubhopper

Insight with Beth Ruyak

hubhopper