Sonoma County Report Finds Santa Rosa Police Violated Protesters’ Rights (Aired: July 31, 2020)

At the beginning of July, The Sonoma County Human Rights Commission published a 40-page report titled, “Human Rights Violations in Santa Rosa California – Policing the Black Lives Matter Protests.” The report alleges numerous violations by law enforcement against protesters.  KRCB’s Adia White spoke with commission chair D’mitra Smith. Smith describes the tactics used by police and how the commission evaluated them.  …

Sonoma County Cannabis Industry Claims Looser Permit Requirements Could Help Boost Tax Revenue (Aired: July 30, 2020)

When Sonoma County shut down this spring, cannabis businesses, deemed essential, were allowed to stay open. Now that the county is wrestling with a plunge in tax revenues, marijuana growers and sellers see an opportunity. Loosen permitting and other restrictions, they say, and we can guarantee a boost in cash for the county. Alexa Wall, chair …

Local Organization Works to Get Everyone Counted On The 2020 Census (Aired: July 29, 2020)

The State of California is suing the Trump administration over an order that aims to block undocumented immigrants from being counted in the census. The effort is likely to fail. But some fear the attempt alone may discourage immigrants from being counted.  The Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County is working to ensure everyone fills out the …

Kevin Shenkman – Part Two (Aired: July 24, 2020)

Yesterday, we met Kevin Shenkman. He’s the lawyer whose challenges have caused many California cities to move from at-large elections to contests by district. His reward for this campaign has included anti-Semitic slurs and death threats. Shenkman talks about his work in Sonoma County with news director Steve Mencher.  For more, visit norcalpublicmedia.org/escuchando 

Lawyer in Voting Rights Cases Faces Death Threats (Aired: July 23, 2020)

Today marks our first in-depth story as part of an election initiative we’re calling Escuchando – Spanish for “listening.” We’ll be listening to the residents in District One in Santa Rosa as they elect their first city council representative in November. The reasons that Santa Rosa is switching from an at-large system of voting to one …

Hundreds of Healthcare Workers at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Strike Over Safety Concerns and Benefits (Aired: July 22, 2020)

Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Workers are on strike for the week to demand a safer workplace. They say Providence St. Joseph Health, which owns the hospital, is proposing to cut their health care benefits and sick leave. They also say the hospital is not providing adequate personal protective equipment in the midst of the pandemic. …

Santa Rosa Activist Describes What Defunding the Police Could Look Like (Aired: July 21, 2020)

The national movement for racial justice following George Floyd’s killing has found a stage in Sonoma County. Libby is a local activist working with the grassroots group Love and Light. Libby, who is biracial, queer, trans, and gender-nonconforming, asked us to not use their full name. Camille  Escovedo spoke with them in June about what an …

Board of Supervisors to Discuss Strengthening Law Enforcement Oversight Office on August 4th (Aired: July 16, 2020)

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday to delay a decision about strengthening the county’s law enforcement watchdog agency. The board heard about an hour of public comment at this week’s meeting. The vast majority of speakers were in favor of putting an ordinance on the November ballot that would expand law enforcement transparency …

San Francisco Mime Troupe Pivots to Radio This COVID Summer (Aired: July 15, 2020)

For more than 50 years, one of the pleasures of summer life in the Bay Area has been the outdoor performances of the San Francisco Mime Troupe. This summer, of course, the season is cancelled. And so the Mime Troupe brings its progressive politics and guerilla theater to the radio, as lyricist/composer Daniel Savio told KRCB …

Redwood Empire Foodbank Works To Increase Food Security (Aired: July 14, 2020)

Amid the pandemic, layoffs, and fire-season the need for food security in Sonoma County has sky-rocketed. On Monday Governor Gavin Newsom ordered all wineries, bars, restaurants, and a host of other businesses to shutter indoor operations. The order comes as hospitalizations and coronavirus related deaths continue to climb statewide. More layoffs are expected as a result of …