KQED Radio Scripts

[[emergency room care/Detsch/140116
Aliferis ]]

California hospitals got an "F" in access to emergency care, according to a
new report card from the American College of Emergency Physicians.
The group graded hospitals on a state by state basis.
Thomas Sugarman is President of the California chapter of the organization.
[[Californians have poor access to emergency care, and that's manifested in long
waiting times, long delays and difficulty, if sometimes impossibility in getting
specialists to see patients.]]

The group also graded emergency rooms on injury prevention, patient safety
and disaster preparedness. Overall, California ranked 23rd in the country.
I'm Stephanie Martin... more news online at kqed-news--dot--org.

[[Fancy Foods Show/Detsch/cs_140121
editor: Thorsen]]

If you are craving maple bacon chocolate bars or scorpion pepper hot sauce, head
over to the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

Those are among 260-thousand specialty food offerings at the Fancy Foods Show,
which ends today.

Vicky Traina owns a sun dried fruit business in Patterson.

She says the show's creative exchange is worth the steep price of showing her
foods.

[["The great thing about the specialty food organization is it allows family
businesses and independent businesses to showcase their products and it's a
show that provides great opportunities for new ideas."]]

Vendors are hoping to catch the eye of major grocery chains among the 40-
thousand attendees.

I'M Stephanie Martin, MORE NEWS ONLINE AT K-Q-E-D NEWS DOT ORG.

[[tobacco report/Detsch/cs_140123
editor:TS]]

Bay Area cities are doing a far better job preventing tobacco use than the
rest of the state.
That's according to a new report from the American Lung Association.
The Association's regional director Serena Chen tracks tobacco control
policies.
[[So the good sign is that people now have a basis for looking at how well their
cities and counties are doing and they have example they can point to and say
look this city did it why can't we do it here in our city.]]

Berkeley, Dublin, Richmond, San Rafael and Union City all earned "A" grades for
tobacco control in the Association's annual report.
More than 60 percent of other California cities got a failing grade.

[[Food Stamps/Detsch/cs_140127
Edit: Kelly]]

Americans who receive food stamps are mostly working age adults, according to a
new report from the Associated Press.

Here in California, children still make up the majority of the program. Three-fifths
of recipients are under eighteen.

But Caroline Danielson, a Research Fellow at the Public Policy Institute of
California, says new enrollees in California tend to be working age.
[[ There is a very strong growth of the overall SNAP caseload and especially for
working-age adults and those younger working-age adults. ]]

Enrollment in food stamp programs grew by 81 percent in California, between
2007 and 2011.

I'm Mina Kim... more news online at kqed-news--dot--org.

[[ACA Prison Expansion/Detsch- C/S 140129
Edit: ah]]

Several San Francisco Supervisors say they support sheriff Ross
Mirkarimi's proposal to extend the Affordable Care Act to inmates.
Officials would help inmates sign up while in jail... to receive insurance
coverage once released.
Among the supporters, Supervisor John Avalos says the bill could pay
dividends for public safety.
[[ I f we are actually helping offenders get treatment to change their lives, we are
making communities safer. ]]

The Board is expected to vote on the legislation early next month.
[[Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi's proposal to extend the Affordable Care Act to San
Francisco's inmates has already won endorsement from several members of the
Board of Supervisors.

Supervisors John Avalos, London Breed and Mark Farrell will support the
measure. Avalos says that potential taxpayer savings from the bill, which would
make ex-offenders eligible for health insurance upon release, could pay dividends
for public safety.

The Board plans to vote on the legislation early next month.

Breed: I think it's a great idea. It will provide better care at a lower cost to the
city.]]

[[No Wall/Detsch/cs_140203
Edit:ah ]]

From kqed news...I'm Mina Kim
A coalition of environmental and neighborhood groups says it has collected
more than 21-thousand signatures for a ballot measure that could limit
development of San Francisco's waterfront.
Jon Golinger [[GUHL-in-jur]] is the Campaign Director for No Wall on the
Waterfront. He says any proposed development that exceeds current height limits
should go to the voters.
[["I t certainly will send a very clear message to people at the port and to
developers who are eyeing the waterfront that they should be very thoughtful
about what they propose. I t shouldn't just be about the bottom line, it should be
about what's best for San Francisco."]]

More than nine thousand seven hundred valid signatures are needed to
qualify the measure for the June ballot.

[[No Wall/Detsch/cs_140204
Edit:ah ]]
[[RAN ONCE IN PMs]]

A campaign to limit development on San Francisco's waterfront seems to have
struck a nerve, with more than twice the petition signatures it needed.

Yesterday the "No Wall on the Waterfront" coalition turned in more than 21-
thousand signatures.

Supporters are concerned about proposed developments like a new basketball
arena for the Warriors.

Campaign Director Jon Golinger [[GUHL-in-jur]] says voters should decide on
any project that exceeds the current height limits.

[["I t certainly will send a very clear message to people at the port and to
developers who are eyeing the waterfront that they should be very thoughtful
about what they propose. I t shouldn't just be about the bottom line, it should be
about what's best for San Francisco."]]
The Elections Department will verify the signatures to see if the measure will make
the June ballot.

[[Market on the Move/Detsch/cs_140204
Edit: ah]]

San Francisco's Market Street can feel like a crush of cars, buses, taxis,
bicycles and walkers, but today supervisors plan to vote on a measure that could
increase safety and reduce traffic.
[[It's called "Market on the Move." ]]
The plan is for a two-year test.... of shared lanes..... for bikes, cars and
transit.
Spokeman Paul Rose of San Francisco's Municipal Transportation Agency
says the agency supports the measure, but funding it could be tough.
[["The Resolution certainly is aligned with our transit first policy and is
something that we're definitely interested in working with the city family. But
before can get there, we have to look at ways of identifying funds necessary to
make this happen"]]

The shared lanes are part of a larger plan in the city's proposed redesign of
Market Street.
I'm Stephanie Martin, kqednews.

[[Tar Sands/Detsch/cs_140204
Edit: Kelly ]]

Police have arrested twenty-eight environmental activists protesting the Keystone
X-L pipeline at the San Francisco Federal Building today.

A U-S State Department's review of the project found the pipeline, that would
move oil from Canada to the Gulf coast ... would not impact climate change.
Protest organizer Deirdre [[DEAR-druh]] Smith disagrees.

[["Overall, people hate Keystone and really want to see that Obama and
Congress takes climate change seriously enough and respects our communities
enough to stop this project."]]

The public has a month to weigh in on the project.

President Obama has 90 days to make a final decision on whether Keystone can be
built.

I'm Mina Kim. More news online at KQED news dot org.

[[Bay Area in Winter Olympics/Detsch/cs_140206
Edit: ah]]
Bay Area Olympic athletes will be part of the American delegation in
tomorrow's opening ceremonies in Sochi, Russia.
Local hopefuls ... include San Jose Sharks Center Joe Pavelski [[puh-VEL-
ski]], skiers Marco Sullivan and Julia Mancuso[[man-COOS-oh]] of Tahoe, and
fifteen-year old figure skater Polina [[POH-lee-nah]] Edmonds of San Jose.
Sports journalist Rick Tittle told KQED's Forum this morning, that the teen
could steal the show.
[["Polina Edmunds has a chance to be America's darling. She's not going to be
one of the favorites but you never know what's going to happen."]]
Marco Sullivan will be the first Bay Area athlete to compete this Sunday, in
the Men's Downhill.
I'm Mina Kim...more newsonline at kqed-news--dot--org.
[[The Games will run through February 23
rd
in Sochi.]]

[[College Sexual Assault/Detsch/cs_140210
Editor: ah]]

Several state lawmakers are backing a proposed bill.....
aimed at toughening sexual assault policies on college campuses.
The measure would prohibit those accused of sexual assault
to use intoxication as a defense.
It would also place a heavier burden on defendants to prove
that they received affirmative consent.
State Senator Kevin de Leon says the legislation will
improve enforcement efforts on college campuses.
[["Too and all too commonly, offenders do not face any serious
penalties for their crimes. Schools must be held accountable, and
rapes cannot simply be swept under the rug"]]
The state's auditor is currently reviewing sexual assault
policies at four California universities.
That includes U-C Berkeley...where last summer... nine
students came forward with allegations of incidents and
mishandled investigations.

[[UC Labor Negotiations/Detsch/cs_140211
Editor: ah/tgo]]

FROM K-Q-E-D NEWS, I'M Stephanie Martin.

The largest union in the University of California system is
voting today on whether to strike over its stalled contract
negotiations.
University service workers are upset with the administration's
latest offer. . . and want to hold more talks.
U-C officials say the offer will raise wages by sixteen percent
over four years and increase job safety.
Union spokesman Todd Stenhouse says that is still a bad
deal.
[[A top flight public university should not have thousands of
workers who are relying on public assistance. Our members are
fighting for dignity, they're fighting for fairness, and they're
actually fighting to be treated just as well as any other university
employee.]]

A University spokeswoman says the school may take back its
latest offer if the strike vote goes forward.

[[Harris Re-Election Announcement/Detsch/cs_140212
Edit: th]]

From KQED News, I'm Mina Kim.

State Attorney General Kamala Harris is launching her re-election campaign
... announcing her run at San Francisco City Hall today.
Harris beat Republican Steve Cooley by less than one percent in 20-10, to
become the first woman to hold the post. This year, she enters the race unopposed.
Harris says she will tackle a broad agenda in a second term.
[["We're doing things like addressing recividism reduction. Doing things like
bringing historic relief to California homeowners around the foreclosure crisis
that hit this country. So there's a lot more work to be done." And I am excited to
do it]]
Harris has raised three million dollars for the campaign.
Contenders for the job have until March 7th to announce their candidacy.

[[Cycletracks/Detsch/cs_140217
Edit: MK ]]

The state senate's transportion committee will soon take up a bill aimed at making
California more bike-friendly.

San Francisco Assemblyman Phil Ting's is calling on Caltrans to create design
standards for so called "cycle tracks". Or demarcated routes exclusively for
bicycles.

Dave Snyder is with the California Bicycle Coalition.

[["We've reached the max that we can attract to bicycling with the same old bike
lanes. Cycletracks provide a little more separation between moving bike traffic
and moving car traffic."]]
San Francisco installed cycletracks in Golden Gate Park last year.


[[Ride Service Companies Struggle with Disabled/Detsch/cs_140217
Edit: brooks/tgo ]]

From kqed-news...I'm Mina Kim.

Bay Area advocates for people with disabilities want ride service providers
to make their service more accessible to wheelchair users.

Transportation network companies like Lyft and Uber have filed
accessibility plans with the California Public Utilities Commission.
But Marilyn Golden with the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
says the proposals don't do enough.

[["Ride sharing smartphone applications provide a transportation service to the
public, they should be regulated to the same extent that every other
transportation provider is regulated."]]

A Sidecar representative said in its filing ... that wheelchair access is one of
the company's biggest challenges.
[[a senior policy analyst says that the proposals do not go far enough to ensure
service for riders who use wheel-chairs:
in its C-P-U-C filing that wheelchair access is one their biggest challenges.]]

[[Caltrans Bridge Leaks/Detsch/cs_140219
Edit:ah ]]

A top CalTrans official says oversight teams should have been informed sooner
about potentially corrosive leaks on the Bay Bridge's new span.

The agency was accused last week, of withholding information about the leaks
from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Outgoing Caltrans Chief Deputy Director Richard Land [[says the agency is
making communication a priority.]]
[["We're redoubling our efforts to make sure that all issues are communicated
from the various levels up to the Toll Bridge oversight committee as quickly as
we find out about them."]]
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission has called on CalTrans to disclose
all construction irregularities on the bridge by March 4th.

I'm Mina kim... more news online at kqed-news--dot--org.

[[Meanwhile, Chief Deputy Director Richard LandLand announced today...he is
retiring from the agency with his last day being April 4th. ]]

[[
During an update on the bridge project last week,
<http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Caltrans-kept-Bay-Bridge-leaks-from-local-
5246065.php> Steve Heminger, executive director of the Metropolitan Transportation
Commission, accused Caltrans of withholding information about the potentially corrosive
rainwater that was leaking into the steel structure under the roadbed.]]

[[Oil Extraction Tax/Detsch/cs_140220
Editor: ah]]

State Senator Noreen Evans is once again proposing to tax oil extraction in
California: this time, with some high-profile support.

Billionaire San Francisco investor Tom Steyer [[STY-ur]] announced he supports
the bill.

Steyer just launched a political organization to influence national climate change
policy.

Senator Evans says California would use the revenues to fund education, health,
human services and state parks.

[[ :16 This piece of legislation will bring close to two billion dollars, thats billion
with a b, every single year to the state of California. And as you know
California is the only state in the nation that produces oil but does not tax it
when its extracted from our ground.]]

Last year a similar bill from Evans stalled in committee.

[[Senate Resources Committee Chairwoman Fran Pavely also says she supports the
item.]]

[[Kalimah Priforce/Detsch/cs_140224
Edit: tgo]]

The White House is honoring an East Bay social entrepeneur as a "Champion of
Change."

Kalimah Priforce [[kah-LEE-mah PRY-force]] runs Oakland's Qeyno [[KEE-no]]
Labs.

His education startup ... partners with schools and local organizations to improve
digital access for minority youth.

Priforce [[PRY-force]] wants young people from under-served Bay Area
communities to to compete for technology jobs:

[["There was a problem as it relates to Silicon Valley companies looking for
talent abroad - in China, in I ndia and in other places - when I saw there was so
much potential to train young people right in Oakland or East Palo Alto."]]

Priforce [[PRY-force]] will join 9- others in receiving the award tomorrow [[Wed]]
morning.

I'm Mina Kim...more news online at kqed-news--dot--org.

[[CalFire Funding Shift/Detsch/cs_140225
Edit: ah]]

FROM K-Q-E-D NEWS, I'M JOSHUA JOHNSON.

California's wildfires could get a little easier to fight with more resources under
President Obama's proposed budget.

The spending plan would create a special fund that would let the U-S Agriculture
and Interior Departments exceed their annual fire budgets.
Here's Agriculture Undersecretary Robert Bonnie.
[["What it will do is strengthen our ability on the front end to get more work
done in the woods to reduce the fire hazard in the woods. A lot of that work is
done in partnership with states, it's done in partnership with your state agencies
in California. And so we think this proposal will enhance those working
relationships ..."]]
A CalFire spokeman says the agency supports any plan that would help the state
fight wildfires.

President Obama will submit his budget to Congress next month.

[[San Jose Motel conversion/Detsch/cs_140225
Edit:ah ]]

San Jose is considering a plan to convert motel rooms into housing for the
homeless.

Yesterday Councilman Sam Liccardo [[lick-AR-dough]] announced a proposal to
let the homeless lease underutilized accomodations.
Nonprofit groups would act as the case managers.
Liccardo says the measure helps the homeless and struggling motel owners.
[["We know that there's not enough funding out there for us to be able to
provide the housing necessary for the many homeless that are out there on the
street. This is a very affordable way for us to do it, and we've got a lot of motel
owners that will happily take a reliable check from the city over trying to go it
alone out there in the market."]]
The City Council is reviewing the project.

[[SFPUC Mountain Tunnel/Detsch/cs_140226
Edit: Kelly ]]

San Francisco's water agency is searching for badly needed funds to fix an aging
twelve mile tunnel that delivers water from Hetch Hetchy.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commision needs six-hundred twenty-eight
million dollars to rebuild or replace Mountain Tunnel, which has received little
maintenance since it was first put in place in the 1920s.

Steve Ritchie is Assistant General Manager for the San Francisco P-U-C. He says
they could turn to the state for a loan.
[["There's a state loan program for water systems we're evaluating. Certainly
our customers, our wholesale customers are very interested in this. Because
ultimately on the water system, it's our water rate payers that will utlimately need
to pay a big chunk of the bill."]]

The agency plans to release a funding plan by June.

[[EBMUD Diversion/Detsch/cs_140226
Edit: brekke]]

Meanwhile, the East Bay's largest water district may be about to tap the
Sacramento River for the first time.

The East Bay Municipal Utility District says it will ask for a federal OK to pump
water from the river ... as the drought cuts into water filling its reservoirs in the
Sierra foothills.

East Bay MUD [[say "mud"]] spokeswoman Andrea Pook [[POKE]] says the
request is likely to come in April.

[["I f our predicted runoff falls below 500,000 acre feet, then East Bay Mud
might ask for that water. I would imagine that we will request the water, but we
may or may not need to take it."]]

The district bought rights for Sacramento-area water more than 40 years ago ... but
has been blocked from using them ... by a series of legal challenges.

[[GGNRA/Detsch/cs_140303
Edit: tgo ]]

From kqed-news...I'm Mina Kim.
Tourism officials say the federal government shut down last October caused
a 20-percent dip in visits that month to Yosemite and Golden Gate National
Recreation Area. The two week shutdown closed several sites.
Alexandra Picavet [[PICK-uh-VET]] is a spokeswoman for Golden Gate
National Parks.
[["We have seventeen million visitors a year, and to have that long of a period
that we were unavailable to visitors...it just was an abberation that happened
during that very short period."]]

Officials say the temporary drop in visitors cost more than 12- MILLION
dollars in revenue.

The Golden Gate National Parks are the most visited in the National Park
System.

[[SF Jail/Detsch/cs_140304
KQED AM
Edit: ah]]

FROM K-Q-E-D NEWS, I'M RACHEL DORNHELM.
Today the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is considering a three-year
pilot program to help curb recidivism.
It would allow the Sherriff's Department to provide support to non-violent
offenders before they are released from a state facility.
Sheriff Ross Mirkarmi says that the program's rigorous schedule will help
keep ex-offenders accountable.
[[I t's the level of accountability that hadn't existed before, that begins with the
onset of incarceration and continues into their post-release environment.]]

The program could house nearly sixty state inmates in at the county jail
facility next to the Hall of Justice. The 4- MILLION dollar cost of the program is
backed by money from the state.
[[for sixty days ]]

[[Bay Bridge Leaks/Detsch/cs_140305
Edit:ah ]]

The system designed to keep rainwater out of the Bay Bridge's new eastern
span ... is failing.

Test results show leaks into the bridge's suspension section through its
guardrails and into the hollow steel structure ... are among more than 900
leaks that have been discovered.

[[The leaks could make the span vulnerable to corrosion.]]

Metropolitan Transportation Commission spokesman John Goodwin ... says the
new span is safe and the last stages of construction will not be delayed.

[[Whether it's resolving the leaks or dealing with the countless thousands of
additional items that remain on the punch list, everything is on track for
completion of the contract some time this summer. ]]

MTC officials have asked Caltrans for a list of remaining issues with the bridge.
I'm Mina Kim, more news online at KQED News dot org.

[[Boxer Climate Change Speech/Detsch/cs_140310
Edit: Kelly ]]

California Senator Barbara Boxer and fellow democrats are planning to pull
an all-nighter tonight ... to highlight climate change.

They won't debate a specific bill. Instead, senators will detail how climate
change is affecting their states ... including California's drought and coastal sea
level rise.

Boxer chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works committee.

[[We hope that we will call attention to this tonight, we think we will. I'm very
proud of my colleagues, we've got quite a few, going spend the night in the
Senate. We're going to give it what we have and try to wake up the Congress.]]

Twenty-eight Democrats, including Senator Dianne Feinstein, plan to speak.

I'm Mina Kim. More news online at KQED news dot org.

[[hopes the marathon night of speeches will underscore the urgency of the issue.]]

[[Quake Aftershocks/Detsch/cs_140310
Edit: tgo]]


Aftershocks from Sunday's earthquake 50 miles off the coast of Humboldt
County could continue for weeks.

The magnitude 6-point-8 quake was Northern California's largest earthquake
in 4- years.

No injuries have been reported.

Officials with the U-S Geological Survey say the quake has triggered at least
20- aftershocks.

David Oppenheimer is a seismologist with the U-S-G-S.

[[We've seen about 25 magnitude 2.5 and greater earthquakes so far, so I 'd say it
looks like a pretty typical sequence. We'll probably see aftershocks for a few
more weeks and then they'll start to taper off.]]

Federal officials say the quake did NOT cause any tsunami activity.
[[, says that sustained aftershocks are typical for a large quake]]

[[SF Ambulance Funding/Detsch/cs_140311
Edit: Kelly ]]

A San Francisco Supervisor says the city does not have enough ambulances to
respond to medical emergencies.

Supervisor London Breed plans to ask Mayor Ed Lee about that during the official
question period in today's board meeting.

A recent report from the board's legislative analyst found the fire department only
responds to 72 percent of nine-one-one calls for medical aid.

Breed says the city risks losing revenue unless it can meet the state's response rate
mandate of 80 percent.

[[We want to make sure that we are being responsive. We need to definitely
improve on that. We're leaving dollars on the table with the state by not doing so.
And we're also jeopardizing our program in general.]]

The fire department has requested 9-point-8 million dollars to pay for new staff
and equipment.

[[Mission Bay Fire Update/Detsch/cs_140312
Edit: tgo]]

Investigators say the cause of a 5-alarm fire in San Francisco's Mission Bay
appears to be accidental.

The fire occurred yesterday at a condo complex near A-T-and-T Park.

San Francisco Fire spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge [["TAL-midge"]] says
welders at the construction site may have unintentionally caused the blaze.

[["There was some welding going on yesterday during the construction,
which ended around 3:30 or 4:00, and the fire was reported at 5:00. The
investigation is still ongoing, but it is leaning in the direction of an
accidental fire."]]

Two firefighters were injured: one with burns, another with an ankle injury --
both minor.

The fire also forced evacuations at nearby buildings.

The Red Cross and Salvation Army assisted displaced residents.

Im Tara Siler more news online at KQED news.org

[[China Basin Fire/Detsch/cs_140312
Edit: tgo ]]


Dozens of firefighters are still dousing what's left of a construction site in San
Francisco's Mission Bay, after a five-alarm fire there.

It happened yesterday evening at a condo complex near A-T-and-T Park.

San Francisco Fire spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge [["TAL-midge"]] says
about 35 firefighters will stay there until they deem it safe.

[["What we can clearly say is that it's contained to the building of origin.
There's still some hot spots and flare ups, so we're just continuing to apply
water to it."]]

The fire forced dozens of people to evacuate their apartments nearby.

No word so far on any lingering air quality concerns from the smoke.

[[Brooklyn Basin Groundbreaking/Detsch/cs_140313
Edit: Thorsen/tgo]]

A billion-dollar development near Oakland's Jack London Square has
just broken ground.
Brooklyn Basin will include retail, parkland, a marina, trails along the
Bay and more than three thousand new housing units, including some rentals.
Spokesman Paul Nieto [["nee-ET-toe"]] of Oakland's Signature
Development says it's a joint project with the Chinese company Zarsion [[Jar-
SHOON, weak stress on second syllable]] Holdings.
[[I t's an urban environment that really connects to J ack London Square
and brings a previously unconnected parcel, which has been in maritime
and industrial use for over 100 years, into the community.]]

Brooklyn Basin's first units are expected to be ready for occupancy in
about two years.
I'm Stephanie Martin, more news online at kqednews.org.

[[Delta Channel Dams/Detsch/cs_140313
Edit: ah]]
[[Ran once in PM]]

California's water agency is preparing to install temporary dams on the state's
largest estuary as our drought gets worse.

The Department of Water Resources is requesting permits for three rock
barriers on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

They would control salt water that works its way inland when rivers are low.

Department spokeswoman Nancy Vogel [[VOH-gul]] says the dams will help
preserve water quality.

[["I f the salinity gets too high and too extensive in the Delta, the water
supply for people across California could be too poor to drink, or to use. I t
would take a great flush of fresh water to push that salt water back out of
the Delta."]]

Vogel says the barriers could be in place by May.

[[Bay Area Resiliency/Detsch/cs_140317
Edit:ah ]]

Mayors from four Bay Area cities say a grant from the Rockefeller
Foundation will help communities better prepare for earthquakes and other
disasters.
Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco are among 100 cities
worldwide that were selected in December, to receive part of a 100-million dollar
grant.
The money will help the cities hire Chief Resilience Officers to make them
adaptable to earthquakes and manage the chaos surrounding disasters.
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee ...
[["I n order to continue inviting businesses and people to live in our cities, we
have to be more ready than we ever have been. Once we get across these things,
we're going to be better, more resilient cities, we'll be in fact, smarter cities."]]

City leaders will participate in a forum to learn from each other's
experiences, and other technical support, for implementing their disaster
preparedness plans.

[[Rev Jackson-SV-HP/Detsch/cs_140319
ah]]

From kqed-news--I'm Mina Kim.

Reverend Jesse Jackson is calling on tech leaders to bring more diverse
talent to Silicon Valley.
Jackson urged Hewlett Packard to include African-Americans and Latinos
on its Board of Directors and in senior-level job searches, at the company's
shareholders meeting in Santa Clara today.
Jackson says tech companies can reach new customers that way.
[[J ACKSON: Beyond the limits of the board's purview there is a growing market.
A trillion-dollar African-American market. A trillion-dollar plus Latino-
American market. And when we exclude, we exclude market. We exclude
growth, it does not help the shareholders, and it limits our moral authority.]]

An H-P executive said nearly half the company's leadership and board
members are minorities and women.
[[H-P CEO Meg Whitman acknowledged that H-P has a "responsibility" to hire
diverse candidates. says Jackson's choice to single out the company puzzles him,
since by recruiting diverse talent to the valley. ]]

[[SF Height Limit/Detsch/cs_140319
pm news
editor:ts]]


Opponents of a ballot measure that would require voter approval for high rises on
San Francisco's waterfront, say they may appeal yesterday's court decision.
A judge ruled that Proposition B can remain on the June ballot ... after opponents
sued to block the height limit measure.
Tim Colen [[COH-len]] is one of the opponents who filed the suit.

[[COLEN: This land is currently planned for almost 3,000 apartments. Prop. B
absolutely and without question jeopardizes the production of that housing with
enormous consequences for the city's housing affordability. ]]

The Judge's ruling left open the possibility of invalidating the measure, even if
voters approve it.

[[says the measure could endanger plans for affordable housing.
arguing the Port Commission -- not voters-- should oversee waterfront height
limits. ]]

[[Rev Jackson-SV-HP/Detsch/cs_140320
KQED AM
ED: ah]]
The Reverend Jesse Jackson is calling on Silicon Valley's tech leaders to bring
more diverse talent to the workforce.

Jackson attended Hewlett Packard's annual shareholders meeting in Santa Clara
yesterday.

He urged H-P to include African-Americans and Latinos on its board and when it
searches for top executives.

[[Jackson says the lack of diversity in the tech sector contradicts the industry's
values. ]]

[[J ACKSON: When it comes to African-Americans on boards of directors, too
many zeroes. I n the C-Suites, too many zeroes. These zeroes are contrary to the
enlightened values espoused by the industry.]]

[[H-P's C-E-O Meg Whitman acknowledged that the company has a
"responsibility" to hire diverse candidates.]]

African-Americans do hold a few leadership roles in top tech companies, including
Apple's head of H-R Denise Young-Smith, Google's chief legal officer David
Drummond and Microsoft's board chairman John Thompson.

[[CA Oil Spill Preparations/Detsch/cs_140324
Edit: Kelly ]]

State Senator Jerry Hill says California is not prepared to handle a spill from the
growing number of rail lines carrying hazardous chemicals through the state.

He's crafting legislation to impose a fee on those train cars to fund cleanup efforts.

Hill says the state's current cleanup fund falls short.

[["That fund has about $17,000 in it today and that's it. So that wouldn't give us
anything that's necessary to train first responders to adequately meet the need of
a chemical spill that we're talking about."]]

Hill's proposal expands on a provision in Governor Jerry Brown's proposed budget
that would charge trains carrying crude oil to refineries.

Im Tara Siler KQED news

[[By 20-16, 200-thousand trains carrying chemicals and oil are expected to pass
through California each year. ]]

[[Oakland Abusive Driving Law/Detsch/cs_140326
Edit: ]]

An Oakland lawmaker wants the city to crack down on
drivers that harass people on bicycles or walking across the street.
Councilwoman Libby Schaaf introduced legislation
yesterday that would allow cyclists and pedestrians to sue drivers
in civil court for assault or inflicting emotional distress.
Schaaf says the bill provides an important safeguard to
Oakland's walkers and bicyclists.
[["When a car is overly aggressive to a bicyclist, the results can
be fatal. And so it is important that we add extra protection for
bicyclists and pedestrians, because the consequences of injury
are so severe."]]
Schaaf says the ordinace would not create any new criminal
penalties for law enforcement.
But she says Oakland plantiffs could receive at least one-
thousand dollars in damages plus lawyers fees.
I'm Stephanie Martin... mroe news online at kqed-news--dot--
org.

[[Waste Tire Facility Closure/Detsch/cs_140327
Edit: ah ]]

State officials are shutting down a tire disposal facility in South San
Francisco for repeated safety violations.
Inspectors revoked the operating permits at Global Waste Management after
finding old tires near flammable materials there last May.
Spokesman Mark Oldfield of CalRecycle says the company was also storing
way too many tires.
[["They were required to be below 5,000 tires on site, but on several of these
inspections we found 10,000, 15,000 even more tires on the location."]]
Cal-Recycle fined Global Waste Managament 30-thousand dollars.
[[The company could have appealed, but missed the deadline.]]

[[ShotSpotter/Detsch/cs_140327
Edit:ah ]]

Oakland City officials are urging Mayor Jean Quan not to abandon the city's
gunshot detection system.
Shot-Spotter uses acoustics to detect where gunshots come from.
Funding for the system could go to other crime fighting tools.
A letter co-signed by Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan and Vice Mayor Larry
Reid called on Quan to keep funding "Shot Spotter" in the city's new budget.
Kaplan calls it a vital public safety tool.
[["When we have a technology that works, that allows us to detect gun crime
immediately, and which is more effective at assessing the location than human
reports, then we need to use that technology."]]

A spokesman for Mayor Quan says that the program is not in jeopardy.

Oakland will finalize its mid-cycle budget by the end of June.

[[Treasure Island/Detsch/cs_140327
Edit: ah]]

The U-S Navy is preparing to test homes on San Francisco's Treasure Island
for radiation, but the supervisor who represents the island wants more details
on the tests.

Treasure Island used to be a naval station.

This week the military announced it would survey six-hundred homes there
for radioactive material.
Over the years people have dug up a number of radioactive items on the
island.
Supervisor Jane Kim says the tests came as a surprise.
[["We do know that residents have been requesting for additional survey
work. But I guess the question for is that really where the initiation of the
survey work came from or did it come from somewhere else."]]
The Navy said in a statement it does not believe there are health dangers, but
it will act quickly to protect residents if necessary.

[[Keith Jackson/Detsch/spot_140401
KQED AM
Editor: AH]]
A detention hearing takes place today for a political consultant to San Francisco
State Senator Leland Yee, caught up with the senator in an F-B-I corruption sting.

Keith Jackson faces charges of fraud, gun-running and a murder-for-hire scheme.

Jack Detsch reports, the consultant has been a fixture in San Francisco politics for
two decades.

[[Keith Jackson began his political career at thirty-two, winning election to the
Board of Education on a platform of "family values."
"He had not really been involved in the School District at all before his election.
That's Jill Wynns [Wins], also elected to the Board in 19-94. She says Jackson, a
political novice, wasn't up to the task.
"So when he got elected people were surprised. He came to the board not very
well prepared."
And... Jackson resigned three years later, briefly taking a job with the city's
Recycling Department.
He resurfaced in 20-08, when developer Lennar [LEN-arr] hired him to champion
the Hunter's Point Shipyard project in the black community.
Jim Ross, a San Francisco-based consultant, says that Jackson had credibility as an
organizer in the neighborhood.
Of the consultants or the people that you might reach out to and hire, especially
in the Western Addition on the Bayview/Hunter's Point Neighborhood, Keith
would be really high on that list.
Ross says in 20-10, Jackson abruptly left the political scene. According to the F-B-
I affidavit, that's right around the time he began talking to Raymond "Shrimp Boy"
Chow... also arrested in the case. For K-Q-E-D News, Im Jack Detsch.]]

[[Tech Bus Vote/Detsch/spot_140401
KQED AM
Editor: McEvoy ]]

The buses that carry tech workers from San Francisco to Silicon Valley might have
to pay to use city bus stops, under a plan supervisors will consider today.

Jack Detsch [[Det-CH]] reports, some housing activists want the board to rule
against the buses.

[[ Residents have argued that tech buses hogged busy intersections. In January the
city came up with a solution: charge tech companies a dollar per stop. But activists
say the new plan was done without an environmental review-- that the buses
increase pollution and housing costs.
Attorney Richard Drury is leading the appeal.
We could identify the best places to have these stops. There are mitigations that
would allow these buses to operate in a way that minimizes its environmental
impact.
Supervisor Scott Wiener supports the buses and says they shouldn't be the
scapegoat for San Francisco's housing woes. For K-Q-E-D News, Im Jack
Detsch. ]]

[[HP Settlement/detsch/cs_140402
ED: ah]]

Hewlett Packard is paying out 57- million dollars to settle a stockholder
lawsuit accusing a former C-E-O of defrauding shareholders.

Investors in the Palo-Alto based computer maker sued in 20-11, after then-
chief Leo Apotheker [[APO-thee-cur]] changed H-P's plans by shifting into
business services and products.

Bloomberg U-S Legal Team Editor Michael Hytha [[HY-thuh]] says the
payout is unprecented, but the money is just a speed-bump for H-P.

[[Certainly it's a significant amount for these types of these cases. For HP,
which is actually doing somewhat well in the past year, $57 million is not that
big of a dent. So there's no continuing effect of those particular misstatements,
unlike some of the other litigation that H-P is facing.]]

Hytha [[HY-thuh]] says that other litigation includes an 8-point-8 billion
dollar suit related to the acquisition of a British software company in 20-11.
I'm Charla Bear... more news online at kqed-news--dot--org.

[[pge react/detsch/cs_140402
KQED AM
ED: Johnson ]]

From kqed-news... I'm Charla Bear.
San Bruno's mayor wants state regulators to get tough on P-G-and-E, as the
company faces charges for the deadly gas pipeline explosion of 20-10.
Federal prosecutors claim the utility's widespread, willful neglect made the
blast inevitable.

Mayor Jim Ruane [["roo-WAYNE"]] wants Governor Brown to dismiss the
head of California's Public Utilities Commission.

Ruane [["roo-WAYNE"]] says the state's regulators and attorney general
should have taken more action after the explosion.

[[The State of California had a three-year window, and Kamala Harris decided
not to do it at that time. The death of eight people at the hands of a utility that
wasn't minding its business, and in fact the lack of oversight, is in fact
criminal.]]

A spokesman for the attorney general says the feds can pursue tougher
charges than the state can.

California's Public Utilities Commission says it ordered P-G-and-E to make
several reforms after the blast, without passing the costs on to customers.

[[Oakland Parcel Tax/detsch/cs_140402
KQED AM
ED: ah]]

Oakland Unified School District is
considering a plan that would have voters fund
"college and career readiness" programs through
a parcel tax.
Two-thirds of the voters would have to
approve the special tax that would pay for
combining schoolwork with internships and
shadowing.
UC Berkeley College and Career Support
Program director David Stern says the move
makes sense.
[[I think it's entirely appropriate to ask the
voters and to make the case that this provides
real benefits for the students, and that these are
the resources needed to make a straight-forward
appeal for the extra support.]]

Supporters say the tax could generate nine-
to-ten million dollars in revenue each year.

[[HIV Cuts/Detsch/cs_140407
Edit: Kelly ]]


Supervisor Scott Wiener wants San Francisco to put up more money to fight H-I-V
... and plans to call for a Board of Supervisors hearing to identify more financing
for H-I-V programs.
Similar to years, the city stands to lose 2-point-7 million dollars in federal HIV
funding this year, according to the Mayor's office.
Supervisor Wiener:
[[So the purpose of the hearing is to really take a look at what those cuts are,
what they will impact, and how we can make up for them in our city budget."]]
Wiener says he thinks the cuts could devastate patient care and prevention
programs in San Francisco.

[[Blackfish/Detsch/RDR
Edit: Kelly]]

Meanwhile, today, a bill to ban killer whale shows in California goes
before an Assembly committee.

The bill from Santa Monica Assemblyman Richard Bloom comes on
the heels of the widely viewed documentary

"Blackfish".

It criticizes the practice of having orcas perform in captivity.

SeaWorld San Diego is fighting the legislation.

SeaWorld officials tell lawmakers their orcas are kept happy and
healthy.

[[If the bill passes, violators would face a 100-thousand dollar fine or
six months in jail. ]]


[[Seafood Fraud/Detsch/cs_140408
Edit: Kelly ]]

California supermarkets and restaurants may one day risk
a hefty fine... if they knowingly sell falsely-labeled seafood.
A recent study from the conservation group Oceana
[[oh-shee-ANN-na]] found that 60 percent of Northern
California's restaurants sold mislabeled fish.
State Senator Alex Padilla's [[Pa-DEE-ya]] has written a
bill designed to stop the practice.
Padilla says consumers deserve better.
[["To better protect our health, our economy, and our oceans,
it's essential that seafood be labeled correctly. I t's a very
simple principle: in life we don't always get what we pay for,
but when it comes to seafood, we should."]]
The Senate's Health Committee takes up the bill
tomorrow.

[[Fracking Moratorium/Detsch/cs_140409
Edit: Snow ]]

A bill to impose a statewide moratorium on hydraulic fracturing ...also
called fracking... is moving through the state Senate.
The Natural Resources Committee passed the bill yesterday [[Tuesday]].
San Francisco democrat Tom Ammiano co-authored the bill.
[["The minimum we can do is have a moratorium and study the results and data
that's been collected for years to prove which way we should go with fracking."]]

The bill now heads to the Senate's Environmental Quality Committee.

[[JCC Shooting Reax/Detsch/cs_140414
Edit: ah]]

From kqed-news--I'm Mina Kim...
Organizations that serve the Bay Area's Jewish community are beefing up
security after shootings left three people dead in Kansas.
Frazier [[FRAY-zhur]] Glenn Cross is facing federal hate time crimes
charges for allegedly opening fire at a Jewish community center and retirement
complex near Kansas City yesterday.
Sally Flinchbaugh [[FLINCH-baw]], is the Executive Director of the Jewish
Community Center of the East Bay.
[["We have been in contact with local law enforcement. They are on heightened
patrol for us. We will be hosting hundreds of people for Seders tonight so we are
definitely aware of just, the need for everyone to feel safe."]]
Flinchbaugh [[FLINCH-baw]] says her center will add private security
officers for Passover services, which begin tonight [[MONDAY]].

[[Bay Area Europe/Detsch/spot_140415
editor: ah ]]

State and federal officials should do more to help highly
skilled workers from the European Union come to California.
That's according to a new report from the Bay Area Council.
Jack Detsch has more.
[[The Bay Area Council Economic Institute's report calls on state lawmakers to
write letters of support for certain immigration applications.
It also says the U-S should create specific visa categories for entrepreneurs from
overseas.
Tracey Grose, the Council's Vice President and a co-author of the report, says the
moves would allow Bay Area firms to recruit more foreign tech talent and create
jobs.
Our companies here are benefitting from European talent. We really need to be
looking at the ability of entrepreneurs from abroad to get their companies off the
ground here and also be able to stay here.
Grose says money from Europe currently accounts for nearly half of foreign
investment in the Bay Area.
For kqed news...I'm Jack Detsch. ]]


[[Homeless Public Housing/Detsch/cs_140416
Edited: ah]]

From kqed-news--I'm Mina Kim.
San Francisco Supervisors are considering a plan to
restore vacant public housing so the homeless can live there.
Supervisor London Breed's proposal would spend 2-
point-6 million dollars to revamp nearly 1-hundred-75 units for
homeless residents.
Breed says the plan just makes sense.
[[Opening up our vacant public housing units to homeless
families and individuals is necessary to get people off our
streets. We shouldn't as a city have units that are vacant
while we have people sleeping in shelters and on our
streets.]]

Breed says funding for the plan could come from Mayor Ed Lee's housing
budget, or the city's reserves.

[[BART Future Trains/Detsch/spot_140417
ah]]
[[POSSIBLE BACKANNOUNCE: You can find locations where BART will be showcasing the new
cars at the agency's website bart-dot-gov.]]

BART riders are getting a closer look inside the transit line's new train cars at
events across the Bay Area this week.

Jack Detsch reports the proposed design is getting mixed reviews.

[[BART has ordered nearly eight-hundred new train cars, which include digital
maps, thinner seats, and doors that block noise.
The agency hopes to add over 2-hundred more cars to the order, revamping the
oldest rapid transit fleet in the U-S.
Joel Keller, President of BART's Board of Directors, says officials want to ensure
the new design works for riders.
I t's important to the Board and the staff to get it right, and be sure that everyone
has equal opportunity to access, equal opportunity to use, and that everyone has
a comfortable, comfortable ride.
Some advocates for disabled riders say the new cars don't work because poles near
the doors limit wheelchair access.
A BART official says the agency is still working on a final design.
The new trains are expected to begin running in 20-17.]]

The train cars will be on display tomorrow afternoon at the West Oakland Station.

[[Swalwell Hawaiian Air React/Detsch/cs_140421
Edit: tgo ]]

An East Bay congressman is raising concerns about airport security after a
teenager flew from San Jose to Maui inside a plane's wheel well.

The boy apparently jumped a fence yesterday at Mineta Airport and hid on a
Hawaiian Airlines flight.

Congressman Eric Swalwell sits on the House Homeland Security Committee.

[["What is protecting us from individuals or vehicles from going on to the
tarmac? I f this teenager was simply able to hop a fence, not be spotted, no
surveillance at the airport, able to catch this, that's a big problem.]]
Federal officials say the boy was unconscious for most of the five-and-a-half hour
flight.

Officials say the boy will not face criminal charges and has been released to child
protective services in Hawaii.

I'm Mina Kim, more news online at KQED News dot org.

[[A statement from Hawaiian Airlines says the boy is "exceptionally lucky" to be
alive.]]

[[Career Colleges/Detsch/spot_140422
ah]]

A new state audit says California's failure to regulate private career colleges
is putting students at risk.


[[The Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education regulates more than a thousand
career colleges in the state ....from cosmetology schools to flight academies.
The Auditor's report says the bureau took nearly 3-hundred days to finish campus
inspections and failed to respond to complaints, even for students in danger.
Bureau officials say they're understaffed. But Elaine Howle, California's State
Auditor, says she hasn't seen evidence of that.
I f the legislature wants to keep that as a mandate, and you believe you need more
staff you've got to be convincing. They haven't convinced my office because their
processes are not efficient and they can't tell you why it's taking as long as it is to
conduct inspections.
The Bureau will close in 20-15 unless the legislature approves a new round of
funding. For K-Q-E-D News, I'm Jack Detsch. ]]


[[Warriors React/Detsch/cs_140422
Edit: Thorsen]]

The Golden State Warriors are backing off a controversial plan to build an arena
on San Francisco's waterfront.

This morning the team announced it bought a nearby parcel in Mission Bay.

The previous plan would have had to overcome a ballot item, called Proposition
"B", that would limit the height of San Francisco's waterfront developments.

Campaign co-chair Jon Golinger [[GULL-in-jer]] says the Warriors knew that
would be a tough fight.

[["I think the Warriors saw the vote on 8 Washington last year, which was a
resounding rejection of height limit increases for luxury condos, they saw how
quickly we qualified this measure with overwhelming support, and I think
they're anticipating if we run a decent campaign, we'll pass this measure.]]
The new arena site is near Third and 16th Streets, alongside U-C San Francisco's
new campus.

[[Destroyed Artifacts/Detsch/cs_140423
Edit: mk]]

Archaeologists tell the San Francisco Chronicle ... that a Marin County
housing development has disturbed thousands of ancient American Indian artifacts
dating back 45 hundred years.
Construction began on Larkspur's Rose Lane complex in early April, paving
over a site that contained human burials, tools, and other objects of Coast Miwok
life, including a large collection of bear bones.
Archaeologist Al Schwitalla [[SHHwit-tala]] says descendants of American
Indians limited the excavation.
[["I t was a really rich site. But it would have been nice to have had more time.
They didn't let us do any D-N-A analysis to determine who was living at that site
over 4-thousand years ago. Ultimately, all we have is a report."]]
A representative of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria says
academics do not have the right to dig at the site.

[[Rental Scofflaws/Detsch/cs_140424
Edit: mk]]
[[RAN ONCE IN PMs]]

San Francisco is suing several landlords who allegedly evicted tenants in order to
rent out their units on vacation-rental websites like Air B-n-B.

Yesterday City Attorney Dennis Herrera filed the lawsuits.

They accuse the property owners of misusing a state law called the Ellis Act.

The law lets landlords remove tenants to get out of the rental business.

Herrera says San Francisco needs to regulate landlords better.

[["This contributes to the scarcity of housing that we see here in San Francisco
and I think it's important that those of us in city hall send the message out loud
and clearly that we expect people to abide by the law with respect to the
properties that they own."]]
Penalties could include fines of two hundred dollars per day of illegal rental.

One of the property owners tells the Chronicle the city is wrong, and he has a
paying tenant right now.

[[Palm Drive Hospital Closure/Detsch/cs_140428
Edit: Kelly ]]


A North Bay Hospital closed its doors today after last-ditch talks failed to save it.

Sebastopol's cash-strapped Palm Drive Hospital has struggled to stay afloat for
years, as its patient population declined.
Nancy Dobbs, a Member of Palm Drive's Board of Directors, says a delays in
Medicare payments exacerbarted problems.
[["For about six weeks or eight weeks, we were getting no payments for
medicare. Even while our census was continuing to drop significantly, that put
us so far over the edge it was a hole that we couldn't climb out of."]]
Hospital officials declared bankruptcy in April.
Dobbs says negotiations to save the facility with private money did not move
quickly enough.
Emergency Care physicians at Palm Drive plan to continue protesting Palm Drive's
closure.

[[Palm Drive Hospital Folo/Detsch/cs_140428
Edit: Kelly ]]

From KQED News, I'm Stephanie Martin.

Nearly two hundred-50 people in the North Bay are out
of work now that a hospital there is closed down.
Palm Drive Hospital had been Sebastopol's largest
employer.
Yesterday the struggling facility closed... after
negotiations to keep it running with private funds fell apart.
Debra Hurst is a former Palm Drive nurse.
She says the closure could have a critical impact on
Sonoma County.
[["That hospital and the services it provided to all of West
County are critical to have. I heard just last night we treated a
heart attack and the person never would have made it into
Santa Rosa - saved their life. That's the kind of thing that's
going to start happening."]]
Hospital officials say they are still negotiating to reopen
the facility in the future.

[[Children's Hospital/Detsch/cs_140501
editor: Thorsen]]
Resident physicians at U-C-S-F Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland are bringing a
federal mediator into their contract negotiations.

A group that represents 90 doctors says it will start mediation this month.

Doctor David Durand, Children's Hospital's chief medical officer, thinks mediation
is a logical step in the talks after a year of trying to seal a deal.

[["I t's a reasonable thing to do, we're quite willing to work with the resident
union towards a resolution and if this will facilitate it we're all in favor of it."]]

The talks have stalled over calls for bonus pay.

Residents say their pay has been frozen for three years.

[[Hospital/Detsch/spot_140501
editor: Thorsen]]

FROM K-Q-E-D NEWS, I'M Stephanie Martin.

Labor talks are at a standstill between resident physicians and management
at the recently renamed U-C-S-F

Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland.


[[The Childrens' Hospital residents are asking for a one-time bonus of 25-hundred
dollars each. Their starting salary is about 52-thousand dollars.
Chief Medical Officer David Durand says the bonus isn't possible, given a recent
drop in federal grant money.
Our financial hands are really tied and so we really don't believe we're in a
position where there's a middle ground.
But the hospital, which recently affiliated with U-C-S-F...just received a 50-million
dollar donation from Salesforce-dot-com C-E-O Marc Benioff [BENN-ee-off] and
his wife Lynne.
The hospital has rejected ten contract offers in the past year from the Committee of
Interns and Residents, which represents the doctors. Administrators have only
budged on a meals benefit. Christiana Tai is one of ninety physicians C-I-R
represents at Children's.
We just really want our voices heard and it seems like they're not hearing us.
Resident physicians are licensed to practice, and are completing specialty training
in pediatrics. For K-Q-E-D News, I'm Jack Detsch.]]

[[Immigrant Licensing/Detsch/spot_140513
ah]]


California lawmakers could soon allow undocumented immigrants to obtain
professional licenses for dozens of

jobs.

Jack Detsch reports the proposal has already cleared the state senate.

[[Senator Ricardo Lara's bill allows immigrants here illegally to use tax I-D
numbers to get licenses for a range of jobs ... from pharmacist
to security guard.
Jazmin Segura, Policy Manager for Educators for Fair Consideration, says the
legislation will help immigrants educated in California give back to the state.
[Providing them with licenses would not only generate more jobs, but also allow
them to fully contribute to the State of California that has invested in their
education.]
But Ira Mehlman [MEL-men], spokesman for the Federation of American
Immigration Reform, says the proposal hurts legal residents.
[You have the state coming along and undermining them by saying 'hey, you're
going to have to compete against people who are in the country illegally.']
Lara's bill now moves to the Assembly after passing the state Senate last week.
For K-Q-E-D News, I'm Jack Detsch.]]

[[Marcus Books/Detsch/cs_140513
editor: Thorsen ]]

The proprietors of a historic black bookstore in San
Francisco's Fillmore District say they will continue to fight for
the business after being evicted earlier this month.
Greg and Karen Johnson arrived at the building last week
to find that the new owner had changed the locks.
Karen Johnson says the outpouring of support for the
store has been remarkable.
[[There's too many people who have profitted personally from
the stance that Marcus Books has taken on their behalf for
over 50 years. I t means a lot to people.]]

The Johnsons lost the building to foreclosure...and
attempts to buy it back have been unsuccessful.
And I'm Stephanie Martin, more news online at
kqednews.org.

[[Single Use Bag Ban/Detsch/cs_140514
Edit: ah ]]

From kqed-news... I'm Mina Kim.

California is moving closer to becoming the first in the nation to ban plastic
bags statewide.

The Assembly's Committee on Natural Resources approved a bill today ...
that would require supermarkets and grocers to phase out single-use bags by 20-16
... and provide reusable ones for ten cents.
Senator Alex Padilla co-authored the bill.
[["All Californians deserve the improvements to their environment and the
reduction of blight in their communities. We've struck the right balance. I t's
pretty darn good, if it's not perfect at least it's better than good in my opinion. ]]
Plastic bag manufacturers say the bill could force as many as 2-thousand
layoffs in the state.
The bill heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

[[If signed into law, the ban would take effect in 20-15 for large retailers and
grocery stores ]]
[[ and apply to pharmacies and liquor stores the next year.]] [[and must
pass both chambers of the Legislature by the end of August.]]

[[Parking Labor/Detsch/cs_140515
Edit:Thorsen ]]

The union that represents San Francisco's parking control officers is hoping
to reach a new labor deal with the city by the end of the week.
Service Employees International Union 10-21 wants the Municipal
Transportation Agency to grant pay raises and guarantee lunch breaks for workers.
S-E-I-U Negotiator Leah Berlang [[BURR-lang]] says the M-T-A should
compensate staff for taking on new duties.
[["Workers have been sacrificing for the last several years, and now it's time that
they come to the table and they respect the worker and just work with us, meet us
halfway so that we can get a fair contract."]]
Talks stalled last week when M-T-A mediators cancelled meetings with the
S-E-I-U.
The current contract expires in June.

[[Plastic Bag Reax/Detsch/cs_140514
Edit: ]]


Plastic bag manufacturers are pushing back against a bill that would make
California the first state to ban single-use bags in stores.

Yesterday a state Assembly Committee approved the bill.

It would make grocers stop using disposable bags by mid-2016, and sell
reusable ones for ten cents.

Robert Bailey, senior vice president of Spectrum Bags, says this plan threatens up
to two thousand jobs in California.

[["The grocers keep all the money, recessments could generate them almost 450
million dollars in additional profits per year, and none of it goes to the
environment."]]

Supporters of the bill say it will reduce landfill waste and litter in
neighborhoods.

The bill provides two million dollars for worker training and assistance with
shifting to production of reusable bags.

[[Walmart/Detsch/cs_140519
ah]]

From kqed-news...I'm Rachel Dornhelm.

Federal labor regulators in Oakland are hearing a case against Wal-Mart for
allegedly firing workers who went on strike.

The National Labor Relations Board alleged in January that Walmart
violated federal law by discipling more than 60 workers... and firing 20 of them ...
after they walked off the job to protest low wages last year.
Kung Feng [[FANG]] helped organize a rally for the employees in Oakland
today.

She says the workers should be reinstated with backpay.

[["And we're not stopping there, we're going to keep on fighting, we're going to
keep on fighting for justice, we're going to keep on fighting for our futures."]]

In a statement, a Walmart spokesman said the company's actions were
respectful and legal.

[[Walmart/Detsch/cs_140519
Editor: ah]]

Federal labor regulators began hearings at an Oakland regional
office yesterday [[MONDAY]] to decide if Walmart illegally disciplined
striking workers.
The National Labor Relations Board alleged in January that Walmart
violated federal law in fourteen states including California by firing and
suspending more than 60 workers who walked off the job to protest low
wages last year.
Jennifer Lin is Research Director at East Bay Alliance for a
Sustainable Economy.
She says Walmart employees are pushing for the right of all
workers to strike.
[["All workers deserve the right to be able to speak up, to stand up, to
provide food for their families and a roof over their heads."]]

In a statement, a Walmart spokesman says the company's actions
were respectful and legal.


[[Record Sealing/Detsch/cs_140521
ah]]

Some Bay Area lawmakers want counties to stop charging former juvenile
offenders to get their criminal records sealed.

Under California law, non-violent youth offenders can opt to seal their
records until they're 26.

Some counties charge one hundred-50 dollars for the service.

Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner's bill would end that fee.

[[We're talking about kids who as young people did something dumb, and then
got themselves back together, did everything they're supposed to do, and we want
to remove this thing from hanging on them.]]

Skinner says an unsealed criminal record can result in a person not getting a
job or enlisting in the military.
The Chief Probation Officers of California say current law already allows
local authorities to waive the fee.

I'm Tara Siler...more news online at kqed-news--dot--org.

[[ shows up when employers, landlords, or others run background checks, and
]]

[[Juvie Records/Detsch/spot_140523
edit: Thorsen]]

Ex-juvenile offenders currently have to pay anywhere from 85 to 210 dollars to
seal their records.
Jack Detsch reports an assembly bill that would overturn the fee is scheduled for a
hearing today.

[[Getting a job or renting an apartment isn't easy in California -- and for people
with juvenile criminal records, it can be especially tough.

Former offenders CAN have their juvenile records sealed... but in most counties,
that can cost up to 150 dollars.

Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner's bill would eliminate that fee.

She says it's unfair to people who have turned their lives around.
They no longer have offended, and they have proven that - hey look, I 'm
changed my path.
Rachel Johnson-Farias [Fa-ree-yas], a fellow at the East Bay Community Law
Center, says clean records also make it easier for former offenders to stay out of
trouble.
[I t's a win that a lot of them need to continue on a path that doesn't involve adult
criminal system involvement.]
Groups opposing the bill say the law already gives local authorities the power to
waive fees.

For K-Q-E-D News, I'm Jack Detsch.]]

And I'm Rachel Dornhelm, more news online at KQED News.

[[BPD Tasers/Detsch/cs_140506
Edit: Kelly ]]

Berkeley is considering equipping its police officers with Taser stun guns.

An item on tonight's City Council agenda would direct the City Manager to report
back on the pros and cons of issuing Tasers.

[[The Berkeley Police Association renewed its lobbying for the alternative
weapons after a suspect attacked an officer at Aquatic Park last month. ]]

Union President Chris Stines of the Berkeley Police Association says his members
need stun guns to deal with armed suspects.
[[We take great pains to try and make sure that we don't have to resort to force,
but there are those instances which we have a choice between a baton or a gun
with armed suspects. We don't want to be in a situation where a life could not be
saved because we don't have the tool necessary to do that.]]
Stines says Berkeley, Alameda and San Francisco are the only Bay Area cities that
do not allow tasers.

[[OAK Wood Chipper/Detsch/cs_140507
Edit: tgo ]]

State officials are investigating the destruction of a number of federally
protected bird nests near an Oakland post office over the weekend.
A contractor hired by the postal service says his company unknowingly
sawed off tree branches that held the nests of black crowned night herons.
Witnesses reportedly saw some of the birds being sent through a wood
chipper. Police stopped the work and five birds were taken to a rescue facility.
State Fish and Wildlife spokesman Andrew Hughan [[HUE-in]] says his
agency is investigating:
[["Whenever there's a federally-listed species or a very emotional species, which
these birds are, it does ramp it up quite a bit."]]
The trees were trimmed because the birds were defecating on postal
vehicles.

[[HIV Cuts Hearing/Detsch/spot_140507
Edit: ah/tgo ]]

San Francisco's mayor is proposing using city money to fill a funding gap in
H-I-V care and
prevention services.
San Francisco will lose nearly three million dollars of federal funding in the
upcoming fiscal year.
A representative for Mayor Ed Lee says the city could close that gap.
Supervisor Scott Wiener agrees San Francisco needs to protect its reputation
for H-I-V services.
[["We are so far ahead of the rest of the country it's incredibly impressive and it
really is a model, and it's important that we keep on track."]]
An estimated 16-thousand San Franciscans are H-I-V-positive.
[[including three hundred people diagnosed last year.]]

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