Marissa Ortega-Welch

The California monarch butterfly population has reached an all-time low and scientists worry the species might go extinct. But, in December 2020, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided not to add them to the endangered species list. And it's not just the butterflies that have been denied environmental protections. If we only focus on monarchs, we're missing the big picture.

Early this morning, the United States Congress voted to certify the electoral college votes confirming the new Biden administration. But before that, the world watched as the U.S. Capitol was taken over a by a violent mob of pro-Trump extremists.

COVID-19 testing sites around the Bay Area are seeing an increase in testing. At a press conference on Monday, San Francisco’s Public Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax reminded people that a negative test result does not mean that it’s safe to gather with others over the holidays.

The country is starting the week with a new president-elect. For many people, it was a weekend of celebration. For others, it was a weekend of protest. And, while we’ve been directing a lot of our attention to the presidential race, we are also following the aftermath of our local elections here in the Bay Area. 

Prop 23 — the state proposition that sought to regulate dialysis clinics — failed to pass.

Wildfires have caused record-breaking stretches of bad air quality in the Bay Area these last few years. In this interview, Dr. Gina Solomon from UCSF and the Public Health Institute speaks about the long term health effects of breathing in all this smoke.

A federal judge on Monday blocked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from allowing the dredging and filling of salt ponds in the South Bay.

California Climate Change Policy Will Stop Sales Of New Gas-Powered Cars By 2035 / 100 Hundred Firefighters From Mexico Assist U.S. Forest Service In San Bernadino / Dr. Joseph Castro Named As California State University Chancellor / Santa Clara County Declares Juneteenth An Official Holiday

On Tuesday, State Health Officials announced that three more Bay Area counties will be allowed to reopen additional businesses. 

A state audit released yesterday found that the University of California school system has been admitting wealthy students as favors to donors and well-connected families.

Alameda County To Pay COVID-19 Victims $1,250 To Stay Home / Sean Monterrosa Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against City Of Vallejo / California Testing Data Must Be Fixed Before More Counties Are Added To COVID-19 Watchlist

Life may feel like it’s on pause because of COVID-19. But climate change isn’t paused. How is the pandemic affecting the climate and the people working on solutions? 

Teachers Union Cautions Against Reopening Schools / Hayward Charter School Wins Lawsuit Against District Over Classroom Space / Broken Data Collection System Hinders California's Battle With COVID-19 

COVID has cancelled many people’s vacation plans, so more Bay Areans might be turning to camping. But can we go? Is it safe? And how can we do it responsibly?

Melissa Jones is the Executive Director of the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiatives, a coalition of the region's public health departments. The coalition has been meeting regularly to discuss best practices for policy decisions around COVID19. One of which is whether or not counties should keep their parks open for residents to access during the shelter in place order. 

Remembering Phyllis Lyon / First Responders Free Lunch / Weather Report

Remembering Phyllis Lyon

Every day, KALW reports the number of new coronavirus cases in the Bay Area. But, we also know there aren’t enough tests available to confirm every case. Some people who experience symptoms are told by their doctors to just stay home and quarantine.

Free COVID-19 tests in Hayward / Park visitation problems / Proposed ballot measures stymied

Under the "shelter in place" order, we technically can go to parks and walk on trails, but should we and if so, how do we do it safely? KALW's science reporter Marissa Ortega-Welch spoke with UCSF hospitalist Dr. Sajan Patel about the “do’s and don’ts.”

Oakland’s Lake Merritt was the nation’s first wildlife refuge, before Yosemite, before Yellowstone.

Most eyes were on the Democratic presidential primary, last night. When polls closed, NPR made a quick call: Bernie Sanders won California. But it wasn’t that simple.

Measure Q is called the Oakland Parks and Recreation Preservation, Litter Reduction, and Homelessness Support Act. 

If that sounds like everything but the kitchen sink, you can think of it as a parcel tax to fund outdoor areas.

About sixty percent of the revenue would go toward maintaining and improving Oakland’s parks, from cleaning the bathrooms to fixing trails.

San Francisco’s Prop C is an incredibly small and specific ballot measure, but it’ll likely mean a lot to the handful of people it affects. 

Experts and enthusiasts discuss another year of data.

Smartphones are making the wilderness easier to access, but no longer a place to escape and unplug.

Meet a maverick fire chief in the Sierra Nevada who says California’s forests are actually not having enough fire, or, the right kind of fires.

A statewide story about L.A.’s water use, Bay Area’s trash, and a whole lot of gulls. 

Professor of Journalism Elena Conis wrote a book on the history of vaccines. She says, since we’ve had vaccinations in this country, we’ve had opposition to them.