California is an undisputed leader in clean transportation, leading the nation in adopting innovations such as electric vehicles and protected bike lanes. Now, some of these green modes of transportation are getting a lot more popular, while others have become more controversial, such as the state’s embattled High Speed Rail Project. CapRadio Politics Reporter Gerardo Zavala has been tracking some of these developments and he joins us now to discuss what he’s learned.

CapRadio’s ongoing series “Rewilding Sacramento” has introduced us to some of the diverse wildlife that calls the region home.  Environment Reporter Manola Secaira joins us today to share some of her recent stories on snakes, ringtales and turtles, and the challenges they’re currently facing.

If you spend a lot of time walking around midtown Sacramento, you may have noticed some new public art pieces. The Urban Dreams Art Experience - inspired by the creativity on display annually at Burning Man - is a city-wide exhibition that celebrates “local talent, surprise, and imagination on a grand scale.” The free public art experience runs through Sept. 14 and is a collaboration between the Midtown Association, Visit Sacramento and Sacramento Valley Spark. We’ll learn more about it from Emily Baime Michaels, executive director of the Midtown Association, and Ed Fletcher, president of Sacramento Valley Spark.

The public now has access to a database of police-misconduct records from nearly 700 California law enforcement agencies. It’s the first resource of its kind in the nation and will allow people access to information that’s critical for stakeholders in the criminal legal system. The database - The Police Records Access Project - is a years-long collaboration between CalMatters, The Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle and KQED. Sukey Lewis is a criminal justice reporter for KQED and she joins us to explain how the public can use this resource.

Cursive writing began to fade away in K-12 education in 2010, back when Common Core began to focus more on keyboard skills for students. California recently passed a law requiring cursive instruction during first through sixth grade. But historians are worried that an entire generation cannot read or interpret historical documents, which are often written in cursive script. As schools start around the region, we’re going to listen back to this February interview with Sacramento State Archivist and instructor Julie Thomas about the threat to learning factual information about the past, and the value of reintroducing cursive in the classroom.

Almost 80 years ago, the Zanzibar Cafe in Sacramento’s West End neighborhood drew in crowds to dance while enjoying Southern food and jazz. But the business shut down after less than a decade, never to open again. Now, a new concert called “The Zanzibar” is welcoming people to rebuild that atmosphere and sense of community. Tauz Hall-Shandil is the co-founder of Cherub and the concert’s organizer, and joins Insight to talk about the show taking place at 8 p.m. at the Rink Studios in Old North Sacramento.

The city of Folsom is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in California, and has long been known as a tech hub - anchored for decades by the computer chip manufacturer Intel. But last month the company announced it is laying off hundreds of workers at its Folsom campus, on top of hundreds of additional layoffs earlier this year and plans to sell its offices in the city. Mayor Sarah Aquino joins Insight to talk about how these decisions could impact Folsom’s growth, new developments in the works, as well as why many people are choosing to call the city home.

The 2026 race for California governor saw another major shakeup last week, after Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis dropped out to run for State Treasurer instead. Dustin Gardiner is co-author of POLITICO’s California Playbook talks about how Kounalakis’s departure could impact the crowded field of candidates vying for the top job, as well as how other statewide office races are shaking out ahead of next year’s elections.

Main Street Theatre Works has been serving up professional productions in Amador County for three decades. They’re celebrating their 30th anniversary with “The Affections of May,” which opened this past weekend and runs through Sept. 6 at the Kennedy Mine Amphitheatre. Susan McCandless is the theater company’s Artistic Director and she joins us today to talk about what it takes to bring the stage to life in the town of Jackson.

Located in Clarksburg, the Old Sugar Mill is home to more than a dozen local wineries, and is a popular spot for events and weddings along the Delta. But this historic venue is facing an uncertain future, following reports that its in foreclosure after the untimely passing of its owner. David Ogilvie is the Owner and Winemaker of Silt Wine Company, and is currently leading the Old Sugar Mill Tenant Group. He explains the grassroots push from businesses to keep the Old Sugar Mill open.

State and federal lawmakers, research scientists, tribal representatives and community members gathered yesterday for the 29th annual Lake Tahoe Summit on the south shore. The event highlighted bipartisan and bi-state support for the alpine jewel, but also comes as significant federal funding and staffing cuts threaten Lake Tahoe’s preservation. CapRadio Environment Reporter Manola Secaira provides a recap of the summit, and what officials are saying about keeping Tahoe blue.

Sacramento may be slightly overshadowed by the Bay Area, but those in the know recognize it as a true destination for food lovers. And it’s been that way for decades. Becky Grunewald is a longtime Sacramento culture and food writer, and has an article in this month’s Comstock’s Magazine shining a light on some of the city’s small food factories. We’ll learn about making ravioli at Corti Brothers, Taiwanese sausages at Taiwan Best Mart, and the secret behind Kobasic’s chocolates. We’ll also get a preview of the 79th annual Japanese Food Bazaar happening this Saturday at the Sacramento Buddhist Church.

Democrats in the California legislature met over the weekend to negotiate new congressional maps. This comes as Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing a controversial redistricting plan in response to Republicans in Texas redrawing their own lines to grab more GOP seats. The redrawing of the maps could determine control of the House following the Midterms. CapRadio State Politics Reporter Laura Fitzgerald breaks down the redistricting debate ahead of a potential special election in November for voters to approve the new district maps.

The Lookout is a wildfire educational website and YouTube channel, led by founder and host Zeke Lunder. It provides daily updates on the biggest fires burning in Central and Northern California during wildfire season. As a pyrogeographer and the founder of Deer Creek Resources, Lunder has been mapping wildfires for more than 20 years. He spent a week biking around fire-prone areas of Los Angeles with firefighters for a new five-part series “Danger in Plain Sight.” He joins us today to talk about what he learned there and how that knowledge can be used in other places.

If you’re into family-friendly festivals, August is shaping up pretty well for the Sacramento region. From the inaugural Festival del Sol to the Sacramento Banana Festival, there are plenty of opportunities to get your festival vibe on all month long. Arts Advocate Veronica Rodriguez joins us to share all the best places where you can experience dance, music and food from across the world right in your own backyard.

Since taking office, the Trump administration has cracked down on providing gender-affirming care, especially to transgender minors. New threats of cutting federal funding to hospitals or subpoenaing confidential patient information has now led hospitals to limit or stop providing gender treatment for trans youth, even in blue states like California which has long been seen as a haven for transgender rights. New York Times reporter Jill Cowan joins Insight to talk about these decisions, and the shocks they are sending through the LGBTQ+ community.

One year ago, the controversial billionaire-backed company California Forever pulled a plan to build a new city from scratch in Solano County off the November ballot, with plans to bring it back in 2026. But since the start of this year, the company has been the center of additional developments including potential land annexation agreements with Suisun City and Rio Vista, and proposing new manufacturing facilities. KQED Housing Reporter Adhiti Bandlamudi breaks down these decisions, and how they are creating tensions between the county, city and community members.

Sacramento has the makings of a new super band. The extremely versatile fusion band LabRats have teamed up with electronic musician Terra Lopez to breathe new life into her project Rituals of Mine. And their first hometown show happens this Friday at Harlow’s. Terra Lopez and Jacob Swedlow join us to play some clips and talk about the future of this new effort.

The State of California is moving forward with plans to separate the Department of Business, Consumer Services and Housing into two agencies, with one dedicated solely to housing issues. Secretary Tomiquia Moss has led the agency since February 2024 and she joins us today to explain what the split will mean for Californians.

California has long touted itself as a green state, with two-thirds of its energy coming from renewable sources in 2023. One major driver of this increasingly-clean supply has been the adoption of rooftop solar. But adoption of this energy source has slowed in recent years following opposition from investor-owned utility companies and pushback from Governor Gavin Newsom. Mother Jones journalist Henry Carnell talks about the accuracy of the “cost shift” argument against rooftop solar, and how utilities have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Newsom and other officials.

Sacramento is known for hot summer weather, but last month seemed like a departure from years’ past. While the region saw plenty of sun, there were more days with temperatures in the 80s than in the triple digits. FOX40 Chief Meteorologist Adam Epstein sheds light on what caused the cooldown, how this summer stacks up to previous records, and whether a return to hotter weather is on the horizon.

She said she would let California voters know by August. Former Vice President Kamala Harris announced Wednesday that she would not be running for Governor of the Golden State. Melanie Mason is a Senior Political Reporter for POLITICO and joins us today to break down what this means for the 2026 Governor’s race and Harris’ future in politics.

One year ago, the Park Fire ignited after a man pushed a burning car into Chico’s Bidwell Park in Butte County, nearly destroying the community of Cohasset. It is the fourth-largest wildfire in state history, as well as the largest wildfire to be started by arson. And the road to recovery is long. Butte County Supervisor Doug Teeter represents Cohasset. A 2018 Camp Fire survivor himself, he talks about navigating high fire risk and rebuilding. Also, Fire Chief Garrett Sjolund from Cal Fire’s Butte County Unit recounts his experiences battling the Park Fire, and the lessons taken away.

Located along the San Joaquin River, the City of Stockton has a rich history of shipbuilding and shipping, dating back to the 1800s and reaching its peak during World War II. Over the past decade, a dedicated group of former sailors, history enthusiasts and community members have been working to preserve and showcase the city’s connection to shipping. David Rajkovich is President of the Stockton Maritime Museum and discusses the small, wooden Navy ship at the center of this resurgence called the USS Lucid.

As the Trump Administration ramps up immigration enforcement, the Department of Education is turning its attention to undocumented students. The DOE has frozen or withheld funding to programs - from adult education, to learning trades like welding or farming, as well as education for migrant students. Some turned out to be temporary, but they have sparked legal challenges at the federal level. It’s also shaping the upcoming Midterm race for California’s Superintendent of Schools. CalMatters K-12 Education Reporter Carolyn Jones and Higher Education Reporter Adam Echelman join us with their reporting.

We all know the feeling of being stressed out, whether it’s from public speaking or cramming for a test. But a team of researchers are looking at ways to use someone’s surroundings to reduce stress and improve wellness, specifically by changing the color of lighting. Veronica Then and Jae Yong Suk from the California Lighting Technology Center, and Sreenivasan Meyyappan from the Center for Mind and Brain at UC Davis shed more light on their experiment at The Color Lab, and the real-world potential behind it.

There have been a number of high-profile restaurant closures in Sacramento the last few months. Changing consumer habits and a lack of downtown activity are some of the key factors cited by industry experts. We’ll learn more from CapRadio Communities Reporter Keyshawn Davis.

After the Taliban retook control in 2021, tens of thousands of Afghans resettled in California. Many of them worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan. But in his second term, President Donald Trump has withdrawn legal protections and erected new barriers to permanent status that threaten their future in their adopted home. CalMatters Capitol Reporter Alexei Koseff shares conversations with refugees who are facing an uncertain future to stay in the country. 

The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta spans over a thousand miles of waterways. But these rivers, streams and sloughs are also home to an ongoing danger: dozens of derelict commercial and recreational boats, some of which have sat abandoned for decades. Chief of External Affairs Sheri Pemberton and attorney Andrew Kershen from the California State Lands Commission join Insight to talk about the environmental and travel hazards these wrecks can pose, as well as the process of cleaning up the state’s rivers. 

Watching bats take off into the summer night has long been a tradition around Sacramento, with one of the largest bat colonies residing under the bridge along the Yolo Causeway. Now there’s an opportunity to see these flying mammals while paddleboarding the Cosumnes River. We’ll learn more about the Sunset Bat Flyout Paddle from Maddy Barton and Amber Veselka. They are the co-founders and guides for Wild Spirit Recreation, which is leading the tour this Saturday.