KALW NewsRoom

(2007-11-14) The California legislature recently reformed its juvenile justice system. We look at how decentralizing youth corrections will help replace tough conditions with tough love. Also, we talk with the founder of a youth outreach center in San Francisco about how he helps young people positively direct their lives.

The Summer in the City Edition

(2007-08-22) The city of Oakland has a problem... too many teenagers are getting caught up in dangerous activities. We take a first-hand look at the pressures leading kids into Oakland's underground economy of prostitution, drugs and murder... and what's being done to help get them out.

The Oakland Roots Edition

(2006-12-10) What difference can one person, or one policy, make? In the city of Oakland, a person and a policy changed everything. We share the story of Lionel Wilson, Oakland's first black mayor, who made diversifying city government his top priority. Also, we review Oakland's history of redevelopment, which continues to shape the city.

The Land Use Edition

(2007-03-07) What happens when private rights conflict with the public interest? The debate over eminent domain takes us to the Richmond waterfront, where the city, the parks district and a land-owner battle over some prime property. Also, we drop in on a public forum to see why California voters will take on eminent domain reform... again.

The New Suburbia Edition

(2007-08-01) Poor people are moving to the suburbs in record numbers, but many cities aren't providing enough housing to shelter them. What's fair when it comes to creating community? Also, we discuss a grand plan to develop San Francisco's CalTrain terminal.

San Francisco Town Hall on Poverty - Program

(2007-02-14) San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom visited the Whitney Young Community Center to discuss the issues facing the city's Bayview/Hunters Point District. In a lively, two-hour discussion, Newsom and dozens of the city's department heads talked with residents about issues ranging from affordable housing to redevelopment to violence. This half-hour program includes excerpts from that conversation. You can also hear the unedited hearing in our "Complete Archives."

The Land of Opportunity Edition

(2007-08-06) Entrepreneurs seeking to strike it rich in the U.S. need more than just inspiration and elbow grease. They need good credit. For those just getting started, and those who don't believe in paying interest, that's a problem. Some Bay Area microlenders are here to help, where banks will not. Also, we learn about how small loans that have helped impoverished people around the world are being used to transform lives in the Bay Area.

The 2nd Chance Edition

(2007-08-13) Most crimes in the United States are committed by substance abusers. Yet prisons only offer treatment to about 15% of inmates. Now, prisoners at San Quentin are training to become the first in the country to become certified as drug abuse counselors. Also, a counselor who's seen both sides discusses the reasons for recidivism.

The ICE Raids Edition

(2007-06-20) Imagine living in fear, every day of your life, because you live in a country illegally. That's the case for 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. We have the story of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, from both sides of the closed door. Also, we evaluate pending legislation that would transform this country's immigration laws.

The Beyond Bars Edition

(2007-07-24) California has the highest rate of parolee recidivism in the nation. What factors lead to the correctional revolving door? We travel behind the walls of San Quentin State Prison to talk with men about to be released... to the bus depot where they make their transition to society... and to the meeting hall where they try to find their way. Also, we talk with the warden of San Quentin about sentencing and parole reform.

The Day Laborers Edition

(2007-07-18) The Federal Immigration Bill is dead. But many undocumented workers continue to scrape out a living on U.S. streets as day laborers. We travel to Hayward, where civic leaders consider the controversial creation of a center where day laborers can congregate, learn new skills, and have their rights honored. Also, we talk with Eric Holt-Gimenez, who has spent decades retracing the steps of migrant laborers.

The Tenderloin Edition

(2007-07-04) In collaboration with students from UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism, we look, in depth, at San Francisco's Tenderloin District. What trends are shaping this historic downtown? How do neighbors make community out of a diverse mix of backgrounds, cultures and lifestyles? Four stories that show where the Tenderloin has been, and where it is going.

In Search of the American Dream: Organized Labor

(2007-06-13) In the 1950s, more than one in three American workers belonged to a union. Unions worked to ensure good wages, healthcare, and a pension. But today, fewer than one in eleven workers is part of an organization looking out for their workplace well-being. And many argue that is making it difficult for millions of working Americans to join the middle class. KALW's Rose Aguilar looks at how the American Dream has been affected by the changing labor movement.

In Search of the American Dream: Higher Education

(2007-05-24) Our series exploring the changes in American society and institutions continues with the California community college system. Opportunities abound in certain high-tech tracks, but the vast majority of programs face challenges in funding and incoming student preparation. Also, we talk with former California Board of Education President Michael Kirst about the challenges of transitioning from high school to college.

In Search of the American Dream: Primary Education

(2007-05-02) In part two of our documentary series, we consider the idealistic vision once held for public education in California... and we examine the realities of the system today.

In Search of the American Dream: Small Business

(2007-05-16) We continue our series considering how Americans reach their goals by opening the doors to small businesses. What do McDonalds, Yahoo! and Farmer Joe's Market have in common? They all started out as inklings in the minds of entrepreneurs. We explore the opportunities available today for ambitious businesspeople. And we discuss the large role immigrants play in the modern American marketplace.

In Search of the American Dream: California History

(2007-04-25) To launch our documentary series, we consider how California has changed since World War II. Government programs and an emboldened workforce led to an emerging middle class in the years following the war. California met the challenge of educating its growing population and bolstering a supportive infrastructure. But over the last several decades, that development has decayed, and the wealth gap is widening again. We explore this progression through interviews, historic audio and music.

The Burst Bubble Edition

(2007-02-21) The bubble has burst. And people banking on the housing market could be in trouble. We take a look at rising foreclosures and what high-risk loans mean in the changing real estate market. Also, we talk with Stephen Levy, director of the Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy, about how the high, but flattening, cost of housing will affect individuals and the overall economy.

The Drug War Edition

(2007-02-01) Before the 'War on Terror,' America fought the 'War on Drugs.' Twenty years ago, Americans were called to battle, and a nation transformed. We have the story of a woman caught up in the trafficking. Also, we consider what happens to children when their parents are put away. And we look back at the history of drug laws in America.

The Foster Care Edition

(2007-01-18) Imagine being taken away from everything you know. That's the beginning for foster kids. Children are removed from terrible situations... and sometimes find themselves in equally bad places. We go inside the system to see what works, what doesn't, and what hope there is for neglected and abused children.