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Despite the pandemic recession, some people have been able to save and pay down personal debt. But a lot of Californians are still struggling. On this episode of California State of Mind, we’ll explore what that mixed financial picture means for policymakers. Nicole talks with reporters Jackie Botts and Laurence Du Sault about their reporting on the issue. And we hear from a San Diego woman who had to take out a title loan on her car while struggling to get unemployment benefits. And there’s a new plan to encourage some schools to reopen across the state. Elizabeth talks with Ricardo Cano about California’s legislative package and how it might help get kids back in the classroom.

It’s been almost a full year of nonstop crisis management for public health officials, with nary an end in sight. As the pandemic continues, Nicole and Elizabeth sit down with California’s Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris to talk about how the state is doing and what the past year has meant for kids.  Plus, Nicole touches base with two small business owners who are trying to ride out the pandemic. Rosey Ibarra owns Social Salon Suites in Glendale and Al Griffin is the co-owner of the Placerville Public House in Placerville. They update Nicole on how their businesses are faring.

She was the first woman to serve as White House press secretary and now she’s spearheading California’s economic recovery efforts. On this episode of California State of Mind, we hear from Dee Dee Myers. She recently spoke with CalMatters’ Lauren Hepler about her new role as the state’s business and economic czar. We’ll hear portions of that conversation as Lauren breaks it down for Elizabeth. Plus, we take a look at how the state attorney general’s office might change under new leadership and get an update on how the state is tracking COVID variants. CalMatter’s Laurel Rosenhall and CapRadio’s Scott Rodd sit down with Nicole to talk about these stories and more.

The Golden State continues to grapple with some big issues made worse by the coronavirus pandemic. On this episode of California State of Mind, Elizabeth and Nicole chat with Emily Hoeven about the state’s Covid vaccination plans, the effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, and the continuing lack of a plan to get kids back into schools. Emily writes a daily newsletter for CalMatters and shares some of her insights. Speaking of education, while state and local leaders have spent months trying to figure out a safe return to in-class teaching, tens of thousands of kids have simply dropped off the rolls. Nicole gets an update from CalMatters Education Reporter Ricardo Cano.  Plus, Lunar New Year is underway and it’s a time of celebration for many, including Vietnamese-Americans and the business districts they support. In Sacramento, one of these places is seeing some change as a younger generation is moving out. Elizabeth talks with CapRadio’s Sarah Mizes-Tan about what a place like Little Saigon means to Asian-American identity.

If there’s something wrong with how your workplace is handling COVID protocols, who do you call? The California Department of Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as Cal/OSHA. This state agency is tasked with providing protections for workers on the job, but critics say Cal/OSHA has fallen short on enforcement. Jackie Botts has been covering this issue for CalMatter’s California Divide collaboration and she joined Elizabeth to explain what the agency is supposed to do and how it’s fallen short.   Also, another state agency is under fire for its handling of unemployment claims during the pandemic. CalMatters’ Lauren Hepler has an update for Nicole on the California Employment Development Department and we’ll hear from CalMatters’ Nigel Duara about what the extension of the eviction moratorium means for renters and landlords.

This month marks the midpoint in Gavin Newsom’s term as governor of the Golden State. Has he been able to deliver on some of the big promises he made at the start of his term? On this episode of California State of Mind, Nicole talks with fellow CapRadio colleagues Scott Rodd, Chris Nichols and Ezra David Romero about how Newsom has done in his first two years on issues involving technology, the environment and the unhoused.  Also, California leaders are facing criticism for the state’s slow and confusing Covid-19 vaccine process. A more stream-lined system was unveiled this week but it’s left advocates concerned about equity. CalMatters’ Barbara Feder Ostrov joins Elizabeth with an update.

Joe Biden is now the 46th President of the United States and he faces a number of challenges from social unrest and pandemic response to climate change. On this week’s California State of Mind, we’ll hear what his administration can learn from California’s response to the climate crisis, and what ideas it might not want to replicate. CapRadio’s Environmental Reporter Ezra Romero and CalMatters’ Rachel Becker join host Elizabeth Aguilera to share their reporting and observations. Also, the state has now topped three million cases of COVID-19 and Californians up and down the state are having a tough time figuring out when and where they can get vaccinated. Host Nicole Nixon and CapRadio Healthcare Reporter Sammy Caiola explore why the process seems so confusing, and where you can go to find help.

Patricia Mendoza is a single mother of two living in San Diego county. She was laid off in April from her job as a medical driver, and struggled during the pandemic to make ends meet. Now she faces the possibility of eviction. You’ll hear her story, plus Nicole talks with CalMatters reporter Nigel Duara about the state’s efforts to help people in these situations. He initially profiled Patricia for the series, Staying Sheltered, which explores income inequality in California through the lens of housing.  Also, what is it like for nurses working with COVID-19 patients in California’s hospitals? Elizabeth speaks with Deborah Burger, President of National Nurses United, and Sara Colgrove, a nurse at UC Davis Medical Center, about their experiences.

CapRadio Reporter Chris Nichols met Greg Tarola on the streets of Sacramento. He was one of many who found himself unhoused during this pandemic. In this week’s episode of California State of Mind, Chris joins Elizabeth to talk about Tarola’s plight and CalMatters Reporter Matt Levin weighs in on the state’s efforts to tackle homelessness during the pandemic. Also, how are students doing with distance learning nine months into the pandemic? Nicole talks with CalMatters Reporter Ricardo Cano about the struggle to keep kids involved.

California’s beleaguered Employment Development Department, which handles unemployment claims across the state, has been in the spotlight since the beginning of the pandemic in March, when millions of people found themselves suddenly out of work and in need of financial help. That help was slow to come for many Californians. CalMatters Economy Reporter Lauren Hepler talks with host Elizabeth Aguilera about the challenges unemployed Californians are having and what the state is doing about it. Also, we hear from people across the state who recently navigated the unemployment system with the help of a Facebook group. Nicole Nixon talks with a filmmaker in Los Angeles who started the group, a substitute teacher in Orange County and a couple in the Bay Area about how they made it work while waiting months for their payments.

Most of California is grappling with new rounds of COVID restrictions as infections are rising. Added bonus: A curfew for nearly all Californians. How are small business owners grappling with these new rules? Nicole sits down with the owners of a brewpub (Al Griffin, co-owner of Placerville Public House), a yoga studio (Jean Marie Moore, co-owner of Anasa Yoga in Oakland) and a salon (Rosey Ibarra, owner of Social Salon Suites) to discuss how they’re adapting and their concerns going into the holiday season.  Also, since the election, there’s been a lot of chatter and hand-wringing over the so-called “Latino vote.” Elizabeth invited two guests to explore and explain what’s really going on with Latino voters in the Golden State and across the country: Sonja Diaz, Founder of the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative, and Gustavo Arrellano, LA Times Columnist and author of “Ask a Mexican” and “Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America.”

The election is over, but many questions still hang over the Golden State. Who will replace Kamala Harris in the Senate? What happens if the Affordable Care Act is struck down? This week, Nicole sits down with California Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) to talk about election news and the possibility of moving to the Senate. And the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case defended by California that aims to strike down the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare. The implications for Californians could be huge. Elizabeth asked Emily Bazar and Angela Hart of Kaiser Health News and Sammy Caiola of CapRadio to explain what’s at stake.

California proposition results say a lot about who we really are as a state. Hosts Elizabeth Aguilera and Nicole Nixon discuss some of the biggest takeaways from this year's election with a variety of CalMatters reporters. You’ll hear from reporter Lauren Hepler, who has been tracking the battle between gig companies and labor unions and what the passage of Prop 22 means for drivers and consumers. Also, where do Californians actually fall when it comes to criminal justice? Reporter Byrhonda Lyons explains what happened to the three propositions you were asked to vote on. Plus, reporters Laurel Rosenhall and Ben Christopher explore what the results say about California’s politics. And as schools continue to struggle in myriad ways (including funding), voters might strike down a potential boost to California education. Reporter Ricardo Cano has the latest on why Prop. 15 is such a close race.

You’ve heard it before: This election is different. But how? Voter data expert Paul Mitchell joins us to explain how mail-in voting became a partisan issue, and why this might mean long lines at voting centers for some people on Election Day.  Also this week: What’s it like to vote in-person during a pandemic? Or, what if you’ve lost your home — and possibly your ballot — in a wildfire? And, should you still mail your ballot? Nicole gets answers from Libby Denkmann, who covers politics for KPCC in Los Angeles; Isabella Bloom, a reporter with the Votebeat collaboration; and Ben Christopher, politics reporter for CalMatters.

Social media companies are trying to battle false information this election cycle through a variety of tactics. PolitiFact California reporter Chris Nichols pulls back the curtain on just how widespread this problem is and gives advice for how to sort through it all. Then, there’s a record amount of cash going into this year’s ballot measures. What do Californians think about having to vote on all of these props.? Elizabeth discusses with CalMatters political reporter Laurel Rosenhall and Mark Baldassare with the Public Policy Institute of California.

More than three decades of conservative-friendly laws could be undone this November. Our co-host Elizabeth Aguilera chats with CalMatters politics reporter Ben Christopher about how California used to be at the vanguard of conservative thinking and policy, only to now be a punching bag for the right. Also: co-host Nicole Nixon talks GOP ballot boxes with CapRadio’s Scott Rodd and CalMatters’ Emily Hoeven.

Politics shape the lives of every Californian. Hosts Elizabeth Aguilera and Nicole Nixon introduce the California State of Mind podcast from CalMatters and CapRadio.