The Park Fire north of Chico is chewing huge amounts of land and has exploded to more than 164,000 acres in just over a day. The fast-moving grass and brush fire forced more than 4,000 people to evacuate the foothills of Lassen National Forest to find shelter on flatland. Evacuation warnings now include Paradise, which the Camp Fire all but destroyed in 2018.

Guest: Ezra David Romero, KQED

Homeless rights advocates blasted a decision by Governor Gavin Newsom to crack down on homeless encampments across the state. Meanwhile, some city officials are celebrating the decision.

Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED

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California has strong, clean air and clean energy goals that are currently aligned with federal policy. Arguably, the state has never had so much climate momentum. And now, with Kamala Harris poised as the Democratic standard bearer, the Golden State could see one of its own in the White House. Harris has spent much of her career working on environmental and climate issues. A Harris administration could help the state meet its goals and perhaps give it additional momentum. But what might happen to the state goals under a second Trump presidency?

Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED

Cal Fire is rushing crews to the latest rapidly growing wildfire in Northern California – this time forcing thousands of people from their homes in Butte and Tehama counties. The Park Fire has burned more than 45,000 acres.

Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED

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Kamala Harris is the first Black and Asian American woman to ever serve as vice president. And now, Harris will likely be the first person of South Asian descent to lead a major party's presidential ticket. This comes as there's a growing grassroots movement to empower these communities to take part in the democratic process.

Guest: Taher Hasanali, Political Director with India America Impact

A 15 year old boy from Gaza, who lost both legs in a bombing earlier this year, is now in California to receive prosthetics and medical treatment.

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The phrase "representation matters" might sound trite, but it's true and meaningful. Bay Area resident Joti Singh says the possibility of a Kamala Harris presidency means something to her young daughters, who like Harris, are also of Black and South Asian descent.

Reporters: Sasha Khokha & Marisa Lagos, KQED

Kamala Harris' rise to the possible Democratic Party nominee is once again putting a spotlight on the Black community. Many feel a deep sense of pride in her likely nomination. But they also wonder whether the U.S. is ready for a Black woman to be President.

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In a historic announcement, President Joe Biden announced Sunday he's ending his reelection campaign. The president endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to run in his place as the Democratic presidential nominee.

Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED

Most California delegates were quick to voice their support for Kamala Harris as the next Democratic Party nominee.

Guest: Alexei Koseff, CalMatters

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The Republican National Convention came to an end Thursday night with a speech from GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. The Trump campaign is gaining momentum as we head to November. But will the national GOP agenda resonate in deeply blue California, particularly in a region that had long been a GOP stronghold, Orange County?

Guest: Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Politics Editor, Orange County Register

Departments of the University of California must now post opinions on a separate page instead of their website homepage. The new rules would require academic departments to only post research, course information and other administrative announcements on their homepage.

Reporter: Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters

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The Republican National Convention wraps up Thursday night in Milwaukee with a speech from presidential nominee Donald Trump. The talk around the convention this week is the importance of congressional races in California, and how the state can be involved in the GOP's national agenda.

Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED

A state ballot measure set to go before voters this November could trigger a wage hike for California prisoners.

Reporter: Shaanth Nanguneri, CalMatters

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For most migrants and asylum seekers, San Diego is not a final destination. It's a layover. But more migrants are choosing to stay in San Diego. And many are becoming homeless.

Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS

California will have to build public charging stations at an unprecedented — and some experts say unrealistic — pace to meet the needs of the millions more electric cars expected on its roads in the next decade.

Reporter: Alejandro Lazo, CalMatters

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Last year, the city of Fontana hired a private contractor to help enforce its strict new street vending law. Officials say it’s working. But some vendors say the crackdown is affecting their livelihoods.

Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR

California delegates to the Republican National Convention are cheering former president Donald Trump's pick of Ohio Senator JD Vance as his vice presidential nominee.

Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed landmark legislation prohibiting forced outing policies in schools, making it the first state to do so. The bill bans schools from requiring educators to disclose information regarding a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity to parents.

Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio

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As a fast-moving fire broke out over the hills near the town of Mariposa earlier this month, residents rushed out of their homes. The French Fire started on the Fourth of July, and was the latest fire to hit so close to the town. And for residents, fire is becoming a part of life.

Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR

California Republicans are in Milwaukee this week for the Republican National Convention, just days after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. 

Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED 

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Peso Pluma’s new album Éxodo just dropped and it hit the Billboard 200. The artist sings corridos, a type of Mexican traditional music that was once relegated to Spanish language radio. But today, a younger generation of artists like Peso Pluma and Xavi are bringing the music into the mainstream. And California's demographic change is helping to fuel this movement.

Reporter: Aisha Natalia Wallace-Palomares, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism

The U.S. Postal Service has until Friday to put forward a plan to reopen two rural California post offices. For over two years, the town of Niland in Northern Imperial County has been cut off from daily access to the mail, after the local post office burned down in 2022.

Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS

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