just one casa. a court appointed special advocate to make a difference. find out how you can help at california casa.org. tonight on kqed newsroom, tonight's guest, the executive director of the new york times. plus more recall elections and efforts to regulate oil and gas drilling with our political experts and we visit a unique place in the bay that people call home in this week's edition of something beautiful. coming to you this friday

october 22, 2001. hello 2021. we begin with the fridayfive. our picks for some of the top stories this week. despite the wet weather we're still in a drought. the worse drought since the 1800s according to governor gavin newsom. this week newsom expanded changes to the entire state. in southern california members of congress held a sub committee hearing about that recent oil spill that dumped thousands of gallons of crude oil off the coast. >> when a locally owned business like mr. brennamen's that's been in the family for ten generations loses tens of thousands of dollars because of the leak that's their subsidy to oil and gas. when a hotel loses its bookings

that's their subsidy for oil and gas. when the fragile decades long efforts to recover species under the endangered species act is finally showing progress but an oil spill puts it all at risk that's a cost of oil and gas too. on monday about 1,000 parents and students rallied on the state capitol to protest a rule that all students must get vaccines to attend school. california schools may need to send $160 million in pandemic response funding back to the government if they don't find ways to use that money by the spending deadline. oakland is expanding its guaranteed pilot project. in where parents with low income can get $500 a month. the extension will allow 300

extra families. to qualify. a family of two earning less than $20,000 a year or a family of three earning less than 30,000 annually. here's oakland mayor libby schaff. >> let's make it clear. we don't believe that it should be pilot, it should be permanent. we're proud to be part of a national movement that is creating both the evidence, the data, the research as well as the stories. the narrative change about who is poor and why they are poor. san francisco shut down one location of the fast food chain in and out. for refusing to enforce vaccination requirements among its customers. the company has called the city's indoor vaccination requirements intrusive, improper and offensive. however it has complied and the restaurant is open once again. and that's this week's news recap. i'll be joined later by our

political experts but first the los angeles times is the largest newsroom in california. and it's coverage spans the whole state. the times has had regular turn over in the leadership position. with nine executive editors in the past 15 years. our special guest tonight veteran journalist kevin merida was named the new executive editor in june. merida began his career at the dallas morning news. he spent 20 years shaping news coverage as a reporter and manager. before stepping into his most recent venture espn. there merida launched a hugely successful platform called the undefeated which covers sports through the lens of culture and race. kevin merida join us now to share his vision for reshaping news coverage here in california. kevin welcome to the show. i have to say welcome to california. >> thanks pria. i'm glad to be with you and certainly glad to be here in california. >> well i understand you moved here at least in part to be

closer to your family. >> it's the first time we can bring all of our immediate family together in many years. our two oldest sons who are in the film business were here and they've been out here since they graduated from college. our youngest son came with us, so we have the immediate family together. that includes a grandson. so it's just great to enjoy this family time. as a newcomer to the state would you discuss how you see california's profile in comparison to the rest of the nation. what do you see as our successes and our challenges. >> look, ironically we have a series going on now called the united states of california. which talks about california being an engine of invasion and a leader in so many different areas. and certainly we see entertainment. everything we see with entertaining, the

changes,consumers being here. the center of the environmental discussion that is so important globally. we're at the center of really multiculturalism and how we live with each other. as the demographics change, andneighborhoods and communities and the richness of the melting pot. the modern melting pot so california is a leader. i look at california really as the most important state in the country. >> you know, with that said, california it's the fifth largest economy in the world. and yet it doesn't seem like the news here gets the same priority as newspapers on the east coast. the l.a. times is the largest newsroom west of the pa torbgs pa

potomakc. >> another instrument competing for people's time and their money. they're sub kreupgss subscriptions. we want people to feel that it's essential and part of their lives. i think part of what you're referring to is something of an east coast bias. i think that does exist. i spent a lot of time on the east coast. the major news organizations there like the new york times, washington times, are all anchored in the east coast. so that in some ways is why places like the los angeles times and other really tremendous news organizations may not be, they seem to far away. but i think california is central. and we're building something that i think will be, really a

jewel for people and it's not only for california. with 40 million people but we export so much and i think that there's a lot of interest globally in what the los angeles times can provide. >> well when you stepped into the position, you immediately became one of the most influential news executives in the country and i'm sure it has not escaped your notice that you are one of the few people of color to be in such a position. so how do you see the relationship essentially between your blackness and your work? >> look i think we're all, a product of, we have multiple identities. i was block before i was anything else. i was born black and i think that's very much a part of my identity growing up black. growing up in black neighborhoods. raised by black parents. and they imparted that on me. it's not my only identity. i think we all have lots of

identitities but you want to bring who you are to your work. i encourage that in everybody. to bring their authentic self. that's how we're all going to get better if we all bring who we are to our work. and you shouldn't change that as journalists. it's a value i try to spread and very important to me. >> last year, latino journalist sent a letter to the new york sometimes and it stated that for most of your history the los angeles times has covered the latino community in dehumanizing ways painting us as criminals, victims or simply ignoring us. at the time latino representation at the new york times newsroom was only 13%. do you have a goal for the percentage of latin x journalists that you want to have employed at the times? >> the goal is unlimited. there are a goal i don't have,

that they set before i came here. we're working on those percentages. but i will say that. it's, we have half of our county. half of our city is latino. and you know i think the really important thing is to have representation everywhere. not just in the ranks of reporters, and photographers andvideo journalists and others but in management and leadership. and in places where the influence can be felt even more. i'm actively, you know, concerned about that. in terms of coverage certainly we are working on some efforts to enhance our coverage. be more, you'll see later about new products and new initiatives which not prepared to talk about yet. they're in development. so i think that we're, we very much are going to, really be

aggressive about increasing latino journalists. but also just about our coverage and how we get closer to our community. >> can you tell me about a time that it's tougher to cover. >> when we were doing a story about being a black man. it was a very important series, it was ground breaking at the time. it was a series that involved narrative stories about black men in all different walks of life. we took on big topics and hard topics and we had decided that we didn't want black men to be kind of bit players in their own narratives and a collection of statistics. they had been studied like i joked they had been studied more than sharks. you know, there's been all kinds of studies about the plight of black men. to get that series right and do

polling and tell stories, we had to tackle everything. i personally decide to take on the story of the black then that sometimes are scary for others who don't know them. those who are on the nightly news with mug shots and those who have robbed and killed and were stick up artists and spend time in prison. at the time we did the series 2 million black men had been to prison. but it's important that everyone be seen. and be understood so that, i had done a profile of a particular black man who had been in and out of prison and served time and by his own úadm and had been accused of murders that had beaten the wrap and to really try to understand that lifestyle and what he was trying to do. he was really trying to turn his life around but at some point, the larger society will not let you do that. and you get, if you go into the

criminal justice system as a black man it's very difficult to escape that. early on everyone when you're young. to try to understand that life was a really complex job. it's one of the hardest jobs i had ever done. i hope i was successful at it but it was a really important story. >> last year i would say the spread of the coronavirus was absolutely the top story. this year it's all about the covid-19 vaccine. so what is your prediction for the biggest story of 2022. >> wow. you know, who knows it's probably going to be something that doesn'thappen. i do think there are some topics that are under cover. and certainly mental health is one. i think it's really you know slowly built as a topic in a lot of ways particularly as athletes and others had given

the visibility. but in every day life it's a product in some ways, a product of covid and everything that we've gone through as a product of the reckoning in america and the protests and the wake of george floyd but probably every day life. and i think mental health is one of the biggest topics in the country. >> in two years what is the best you what do you think we'll be seeing as far as the times. >> we will have a wider newsroom, we will do more creative experimental things. you may see us produce a sound track of los angeles. you may see us initiating community journalism project. you might see us with a mural

series with a collection of artists. you will probably see us with books and you know maybe not all this happening in two years but these are the kind of things l.a. times books, l.a. times docu series. a real multi media company. and i think you will begin to see how our journalism will expand. and grow. and be ambitious. >> well kevin, we're excited to hear it and looking forward to watching it all unfold over the years to come. thanks for coming on the show. kevin merida the new executive editor of the los angeles times. >> thanks pria. turning now to politics. the san francisco department of elections has set a february 15th date for the recall of three san francisco school board members. the recall follows months of controversy over efforts to rename 44 schools in the midst

of the pandemics. racist tweets and tensions over reopening schools. also governor newsom has announced a proposal to ban wells from operating close to schools, homes and health care facilities. joining me is senior political writer joe garafoli. hi joe. >> hi. >> nice to have you here with me in studio. >> good to be back. >> and katie ore. >> hi pria. >> let's start with the school board recall. refresh our memory on the myriad of reasons that people are unhappy to have this recall. >> there are myriad. let's start with some of the ones you mentioned the last year. a lot of parents are ticked off that the san francisco schools were closed while private schools were open. private schools and businesses were open. they were ticked off at the time that the board took to

rename schools. some were feinstein school. and they were angry about increasing enrollment at a very competitive high school. and collins one of the board members she had the anti asian tweets. they removed her from the vice president position. she sued the district for $87 million. she eventually dropped it. then we have the city attorney suing the school district to keep it open. to open it to classes. on top of all that, the district has $116 million shortfall. and this recall election is going to cost $8 million. it's going to come out of san francisco taxpayers wallets in one way or another. >> a lot to clean up there. katie some students and participants are also unhappy about mandatory vaccinations for students and they protested up in sacramento this week. can you tell us more about that situation. >> protests are not anything new especially over the last

couple of years. but this one took intensity in the very small and vocal minorities of people who are opposing these mandates. basically governor newsom has said that all students whether in private or public schools eventually will have to get covid-19 vaccine. and if you don't like that, you're going to have to pull your kid out and home school them. so these parents are furious about that. they staged walk outs around the state on monday where they pulled kids out of their class. they had various protests. however despite the numbers that they might bring out to the capital i really don't see this changing. california has mandated other kinds of vaccines for school children. and especially once the fda gave these vaccines final approval. i feel it's basically a done deal for california. >> that goes into effect next school year. is that right? >> yes, that's right. they expect that grade seven through 12 will receive their financial fda approval for shots beginning in july.

>> okay. joe let's talk to governor newsom and this new proposal you made this week to ban new oil and gas development close to schools and then some other public facilities with can't be within 3,200 feet. are you expecting to see any more proposals over the last couple of years. what are the obstacles. >> the obstacles are lobbying in sacramento. they are a very powerful force. they're often joined by the building trade union. one of the most powerful unions in the state. it's a combination tough to overcome. they've shot down legislation in the past. as for this, some of the environmental activists are upset that it only pertains to new drilling sites down the road. it doesn't affect existing ones. i was surprised 2 million californians live within those bufferrer zones. much of it is in southern california oil country in california.

i don't know about oil. you would think given the green power we have in california, that more of this stuff will be passed. but the industry forces are very strong. >> governor newsom did veto some bill this is year. some were sort of surprising one against farm workers voting by mail. another one that you mentioned in your column this week that advocates say would help homeless people get mental care. and in your column you mentioned that the governor's veto has a lot of power here in california and has in a few decades. >> it's not been overridden since 1980. jerry brown was governor and he had hair at that point. i did too. so he but, newsom signed 94% of the bills that came to him. i went looking at some that he didn't and a lot have universal

report both republicans and democrats. but the reason they don't push back on them is because they said, it's one thing to vote no on something on paper when you know it's going to pass. but if you're going to say let's get 2/3 of each house to go up against the governor on this and endanger your own priorities, then a lot of legislatures are not so enthused on that. >> back off a little. >> you come at the king you best not miss. and so he, there's a reluctance to go at, to challenge the governor and try and override his veto. there's been no talk on overrides on any of the legislations that passes. >> the supreme court has it is refusing to halt the law in texas related to abortion. while it's under consideration this law will not be halted.

so what does this mean forcalifornians. >> so of course in california our laws regarding abortions are very different from those in california. california sees itself as a safe haven for reproductive rights. so what people are expecting are really to see a surgeover patients of patients come to california. there's a feeling that we'll see people in need of abortion services flock to more conservative states like new york, california. we might see people get flights to los angeles, san francisco, places they can come directly. and so what the state is preparing for is to make sure there are structures in place to help those people. helping them find places to

stay. helping them buy a plane ticket. helping them by perhaps paying for the procedure. that's where california is focusing at the moment. >> the sacramento you're actually doing a report on this. >> yes we talked to women who had driven thousands of miles from texas. these women they can't get appointments in texas because of the six week window so tight. they get up at 5:00 in the morning. they drive several hundred miles to have the procedure in oklahoma city. they drive-thru protesters then they have to turn around and drive back. i spoke to a woman who is a bartender she got off of her shift at 1:00 in the morning and her friend drove her up for hours and hours. not everybody can do this. this is only the women of means

can do this or some kind of means to do this. and other women are doing all sorts of thins. they're drinking a will the of vitamin c and try to induce, induce an abortion themselvesl. it's a terrible mess. >> let's talk about the universal >> and there's a push to keep this in california. >> the state has funds to keep the pilot program. we think $500 what's that for people who have jobs.

for many people, for half of america they cannot afford an expense of $400 or more. this is money being used in the right way. >> katie, you have a little something to add. >> i just wanted to point out that we've actually had kind of a trial, universal basic income in the country during the pandemic. millions of people receive stimulus checks from the government because they have lost work or seen their hours reduced due to this pandemic. i think going forward, leaders are going to have to look at how long these programs last. and you know the stigma associated with getting government assistance as well. >> all right, katie ore with kqed thank you for your time today, katie. >> thank you. >> and joe garafoli, thanks for coming into the studio. >> good to be back, thank you. >> this week's look at something beautiful is salsalito's colorfully painted

house poet houseboats. today there's over 400 houseboats bobbing in this bay community.

>> that's the ends of our show for tonight. thank you for joining us. if you want to get a look behind the scenes please hang out with us on kqed.org and you can reach me on twitter at priad. clemens. we'll see you right back here next friday night. have a great weekend.

s i was born and raised in mexico, then moved to the united states where i raised my family. and i spent my life traveling sharing the food and culture of mexico with the world. now i'm sitting directly in the place where my two beloved countries meet. to get a true sense of life in this unique place. >> la front era. >> it was just too exciting. >> beware what you wish for. >> that's where the ambush starts. >> he was walking on the ridge line and i fire. >> you are never the same. >> it's important for people to sell these stories to understand where when we send our sons and daughters to go and fight but also in helping us to come home.

>> here is tonight's line up on kqed. wanna help kids get their homework done? well, an internet connection's a good start. but kids also need computers. and sometimes the hardest thing about homework is finding a place to do it. so why not hook community centers up with wifi? for kids like us, and all the amazing things we're gonna learn. over the next 10 years, comcast is committing $1 billion to reach 50 million low-income americans with the tools and resources they need to be ready for anything. i hope you're ready. 'cause we are.

♪ yamiche: the biden agenda on the line. >> do you think you won't get a deal? >> i do think i will get a deal. yamiche: agreement on his slimmed-down infrastructure plan. >> we must defend and strengthen the right that unlocks all other rights, the right to vote. yamiche: but democrats face another setback in their effort to pass a voting rights bill. >> as long as senate democrats remain fixated on their radical agenda, this body will continue to do the job the framers decided, and stop terrible ideas in their tracks. yamiche: as senate rublicans blocked debate on their latest legislation, the move setting off another argument over the future of the filibuster. plus.