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 the order. Throughout the pandemic, The Redwood Empire Foodbank has been making sure that Sonoma County residents do not go without food.  KRCB’s Adia White spoke with Allison Goodwin, Director of Programs at the Foodbank, about the current need in Sonoma County. 

Find a list of food resources available during the pandemic at norcalpublicmedia.org/coronavirus

Sonoma County Reports 14 COVID-Related Deaths with Five Tied To Skilled Nursing Facilities (Aired: July 10, 2020)

Many indoor businesses in Sonoma County are expected to be shut down again on Monday. The county is currently out of compliance with several of the state’s metrics, including having over 100 cases per 100,000 residents. As of Thursday evening, 14 people have died in Sonoma County and cases have surpassed 1,500. KRCB’s Adia White reports. 

Find more reporting at norcalpublicmedia.org.

(Photo: A surgical nurse preparing a patient in the ICU in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic – Wikimedia commons) 

Man Files Lawsuit Against Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Over Use of Force, Part 2 (Aired: July 8, 2020)

Man Files Lawsuit Against Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Over Use of Force, Part 2 (Aired: July 8, 2020)

A Winsdor man is suing the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office over unnecessary use of force during a 2019 arrest. But the suit goes further in alleging a pattern of abuse in the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. 35-year old LaMarcus McDonald says that a deputy severely injured him during a 2019 arrest. On Thursday’s North Bay Report, we described what happened that night. But McDonald’s lawsuit goes beyond his own case to reference other instances of police brutality in the county. Reporter Adia White spoke with KQED Criminal Justice Editor, Alex Emslie, about why this is unique.

You can listen to the first part of this interview.

Hear more from the full interview.

Read Alex Emslie’s article, “Lawsuit: Sonoma Deputy Assaulted Black Man Sleeping in Car, Then Covered It Up” on KQED news. “

Santa Rosa City Council to Vote on Emergency Sick Leave (Aired: July 7, 2020)

The Santa Rosa City Council is expected to decide on July 7 whether to require employers in the city to provide 14 days of sick leave for employees during the current health emergency. Currently, the state mandates three sick days for most workplaces.

News Director Steve Mencher spoke about the proposal with Maddy Hirschfield, political director of the North Bay Labor Council.

Man Files Lawsuit Against Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Over Use of Force (Aired: July 2, 2020)

35-year old La’Marcus McDonald is suing the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office in a federal lawsuit filed at the end of last month. McDonald, who is Black, says that a deputy slammed his head to the pavement and knocked him unconscious in July of 2019. KRCB’s Adia White spoke with KQED Criminal Justice Editor, Alex Emslie, about the details of the lawsuit. In the audio clip, Emslie starts by describing what happened to McDonald that night.

You can hear the entire interview at norcalpublicmedia.org.

Applications for CalFresh Double During the Coronavirus Pandemic (Aired: July 1, 2020)

The latest data from the state of California shows unemployment for May at nearly 17%. That’s more than four times what it was a year earlier. Because of pandemic related economic stress, food banks and government aid programs are seeing a dramatic rise in need.

In Sonoma County, the Department of Human Services reports increasing numbers of residents enrolling in Calfresh, the state’s version of food stamps. KRCB’s Adia White spoke with Felisa Pinson, Division Director for the county’s Economic Assistance Division.  Pinson explains just how many new applications for Calfresh her department has received.

That was Felisa Pinson, Division Director for the county’s Economic Assistance Division. You can learn more about economic resources and ways you can help on our website norcalpublicmedia.org

DACA Recipient Describes Relief After Supreme Court Decision to Uphold Protections for Dreamers (Aired: June 30, 2020)

In 2018, then-House Minority Leader Representative Nancy Pelosi, held the House floor for over 8 hours, reading testimonies and advocating for young immigrants. These youth relied on the protections of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program or DACA. Sonoma Valley resident, Denia Candela, was one of the young people Pelosi spotlighted that day. KRCB’s Adia White spoke with Candela about the ongoing fight over DACA, including the recent Supreme Court decision to temporarily protect the program.

For more on the DACA program, watch our documentary, “An Uncertain Future: Connecting With Dreamers in Our Community” on norcalpublicmedia.org

Sonoma County Conversations About Race (Aired: June 26, 2020)

The Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County has begun hosting weekly ‘Conversations on Race.’ The series supports the partnership’s mission to fight racism in Sonoma County.  In the most recent conversation, Vince Harper, director of community engagement, interviews Rubin Scott, President of the local chapter of the NAACP. In this excerpt,Scott starts by talking about how the Black community in Sonoma County responded to the murder of George Floyd and the nationwide movement that followed. 

You can hear the full conversation at norcalpublicmedia.org.

As COVID-19 Cases Climb in The Latinx Community, Activists Demand Equity in Disaster Response (Aired: June 25, 2020)

COVID-19 has been difficult for everyone, but immigrant rights activists in Sonoma County say the pandemic is hitting the undocumented and the Latinx community the hardest. Many undocumented immigrants still haven’t recovered from the 2017 and 2019 wildfires. Now, they struggle to make the rent, homeschool kids, and stay safe without access to federal aid. KRCB’s Camille Escovedo reports. 

For more on coverage on equity and the pandemic visit norcalpublicmedia.org

The Santa Rosa City Schools Board Considers Making Ethnic Studies A Graduation Requirement (Aired: June 24, 2020)

The Santa Rosa City Schools Board is deciding today whether to make ethnic studies a requirement for graduation. Omar Medina is a board director and has long been an advocate for equity and inclusion in education. He spoke with KRCBs Adia White about how soon the requirement could be implemented and the impact he hopes it will have on students.

To learn more about DACA, watch our documentary “An Uncertain Future: Connecting With Dreamers in Our Community” Saturday on KRCB TV at 7 p.m. Find out more at norcalpublicmedia.org