Medical care at California State Prison, Corcoran received a poor rating in a recently published state watchdog review. Now, prison advocates worry that doesn’t bode well for the quality of care during the pandemic. Corcoran’s medical care received a rating of “Inadequate,” the lowest rating possible, in a report published …
Read More »Processing The Pandemic: A Funeral Director Takes A Page From The Grief Playbook
On this week’s Valley Edition, we continue our series looking at how people are processing the pandemic. Last week, we heard from a hip hop dance instructor who says she’s taking more time to slow down and enjoy simple pleasures. This week, a funeral manager talks about his experience. He …
Read More »Lessons From Kings County Prison Where COVID-19 ‘Spread Like Wildfire’
When news of the pandemic first reached the men incarcerated at Avenal State Prison in central California, inmate Ed Welker said the prevailing mood was panic. “We were like, ‘Yeah, it’s going to come in here and it’s going to spread like wildfire and we’re all going to get it,’” …
Read More »Sequoia-Kings Canyon Archives Safe From Wildfires At UC Merced Library
When wildfires burn in our national parks, we naturally worry about the forest. But what about the photographs, maps and documents that tell the stories of our parks? How do we keep those important archives safe? FM89’s Alice Daniel spoke with Emily Lin, librarian and head of digital curation at …
Read More »COVID-19, Homelessness, The Election: What We Learned From Our Valley Votes Survey
With the election coming up next Tuesday, we wanted to delve into what brings voters to the polls. What do they want changed? What do they want candidates to address in their neighborhoods? We decided to ask residents using a survey we called “ Valley Votes 2020 .” We collected …
Read More »From Rent Control To Data Security, We Break Down Propositions 19, 20, 21 & 24
As the November 3rd election deadline draws near, Valley Public Radio continues its look at the propositions before voters. Joining Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock for a conversation about the potential changes to rent control, property taxes, data security, and how the state charges theft-related crimes are Ben Christopher, election …
Read More »Labor Day No Time For A ‘Holiday From Safety,’ Health Official Warns In Light Of COVID-19
Over the last month, the spread of COVID-19 in the San Joaquin Valley has slowed. But not all measures of the disease have improved, and health officials say it’s no time for the community to let down its guard. Fresno County’s Interim Health Officer Dr. Rais Vohra is concerned about …
Read More »Advice For Small Businesses From Local Small Business Development Centers
As businesses throughout the Valley struggle due to COVID-19, many small businesses and entrepreneurs are turning to their local Small Business Development Centers, or SBDCs, for help accessing capital and reimagining their business models. Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock spoke with Rich Mostert, director of the Valley Community SBDC and …
Read More »Fresno ICU Nurse On Safety Concerns Following The Death Of A Colleague From COVID-19
This week the staff at Kaiser Fresno Medical Center said goodbye to Sandra “Sandy” Oldfield, a registered nurse at the hospital who died of COVID-19 after treating an infected patient. On Wednesday evening, hundreds gathered for a candlelight vigil to honor her memory. Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock spoke with …
Read More »She Was Released From Mesa Verde With No Place To Go: A Friend She Made Inside Helped Out
Karla Lopez, 32, currently lives in Stockton with her friend Lilian Marquez. The two met at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Facility in Bakersfield nine months ago and have been friends since then. But Lopez’ journey to get here started way back in November of 2018. That’s when a caravan …
Read More »Protecting The Valley’s Vulnerable Populations From COVID-19
COVID-19 is disproportionately hurting vulnerable communities like seniors, ag workers and the homeless. To learn about efforts to protect these at-risk populations, FM89’s Kathleen Schock spoke with Lisa Blecker, pesticide safety education program coordinator for the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Laura Moreno, chair of the Fresno Madera …
Read More »Woman At Risk Of Contracting COVID-19 Released From Bakersfield Detention Center
As state and local officials continue to stress the importance of social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak, lawyers across California are joining forces to get their at-risk clients out of ICE detention centers, including the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Facility in Bakersfield. Sofia Bahena Ortuno, 64 years old, is one …
Read More »“I Didn’t Pay $7,000 A Year To Sit At Home” – Valley Students On Learning From Home
We recently asked a few students for audio postcards about how the pandemic is affecting them. Today, we’re going to hear Selma High School senior Mia Salinas who says she’s missing out on prom, her final season of track, and the chance to say good bye to her teachers and …
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