Central Valley Daily

Suicide is among the leading causes of death in the San Joaquin Valley. Journalist Tim Sheehan joins us to break down the data and the resources available to residents. If you or someone you know is at risk, call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 9-8-8. Plus, the latest news headlines: Why Fresno County supervisors are rejecting a state project to create jobs; and speculation builds around a potential challenger to a Valley House Republican.

Large employers in California now have to cover fertility care for policyholders, including IVF. But lawmakers have delayed the coverage, potentially leaving families trying to conceive in a lurch. We speak to freelance journalist Sarah Kwon about what this means for a Central Valley family. Plus, the latest news headlines: Attorney General Rob Bonta responds to military presence at Los Angeles park; and a former employee speaks out about a suicide death at a Valley meat plant.

On today’s episode of Central Valley Daily, we bring you the story of Yan Garcia-Heredia, who legally immigrated to the U.S. from Venezuela. After he was arrested in Mendota in connection to a robbery, charges were dropped – and yet he is being held in ICE custody. San Francisco Chronicle reporter Raheem Hosseini has covered this case closely, and explains what’s at stake.Plus, the latest news headlines: why mothers who lost sons held a protest yesterday in Hanford; and what new research says about the harmful effects of arsenic in drinking water.

Wildfires in recent years have ravaged Giant Sequoia groves in California’s Sierra Nevada. But it turns out less-intense fire can actually be a tool for forest regeneration. Assistant Cooperative Extension Forest and Fuels Specialist Kristen Shive of UC Berkeley breaks down the latest research on sequoia restoration and addresses why human intervention can be controversial.

Fresno faith leaders are speaking out about the way the Trump administration has handled protests against immigration enforcement in places such as Los Angeles. They recently penned a letter raising alarm about further actions by the government. We speak with a reverend who joined the letter about what concerns he and others have. Plus, the latest news headlines: Fresno police catch an alleged serial rapist using a novel technique; and how state legislators aim to track water usage at large data centers.

A community of homeowners in western Stanislaus County are facing a 200 percent increase to their water bills. That’s because the agency that supplies water is threatening to stop. Lois Henry, CEO and Editor of SJV Water, breaks down the water woes of Diablo Grande. Plus, the latest news headlines: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno files for bankruptcy; and the federal government moves to take control of state oil permitting.

The San Joaquin Valley is considered the nation’s breadbasket. But it is increasingly becoming a dustier place to live. New research co-authored by UC Merced professors shows efforts to conserve groundwater in the face of drought may be worsening the region’s dust problem. Plus, the latest news headlines: Fresno gets much-needed funding to continue downtown revitalization; and air quality officials caution against too many fireworks this Fourth of July.

Expectant mothers in Mariposa County often have to drive close an hour to the nearest hospital. In this maternal healthcare desert, doulas are helping fill a critical need for families. KVPR’s Rachel Livinal brings us more on how this support system is growing in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

A recent report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows snowpack in the Western U.S. is rapidly melting. We speak to Climatologist Dan McEvoy about what kind of conditions this phenomenon creates. Plus, the latest news headlines: A new heat dashboard shows Latino communities are hit harder; and a west Fresno school is first in the nation to be named after a Sikh activist.

California’s economy is deeply intertwined with people without legal status. And as mass deportations threaten communities and the state’s workforce, billions could be on the line for the state. We speak with a UC Merced researcher about the potential impacts. Plus, the latest news headlines: A Valley group opposes plans for an ICE facility in Kern County; and what the federal government is saying about California’s trans athlete policy weeks after controversy.