Sacramento County recently conducted its Point-in Time Count, with hundreds of volunteers taking to the streets to survey and get a snapshot of the county’s unhoused population. The count is federally-mandated and is used to allocate funding for local homelessness programs, but has also faced some criticism for its limited timeframe. We’ll learn more about why this count happens and what the information is used for from Trent Simmons with Sacramento Steps Forward and Angela Hassell, Executive Director of Loaves & Fishes.

Roughly 2.6 million people call the Sacramento region home - a number that is projected to increase over the next 25 years. How are the six counties that make up the region - Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, Sutter and Yuba - preparing for that growth? A formal plan to invest in transportation, climate and housing was recently announced by Valley Vision and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG). Evan Schmidt, CEO of Valley Vision and James Corless, Executive Director of SACOG join Insight to discuss the 2025 Blueprint and what it means for the region.

Buried deep in the heart of Calaveras County is California’s deepest cave chamber, big enough to hold the Statue of Liberty. Moaning Caverns in Vallecito is known for its spiral staircase descending 16 stories underground and its daily tours, but it’s also becoming “the place” to hear live music. We’ll learn more about this unique event from Cave Concert Director Tristann Dias.

After spiking in the early years of the pandemic, homicides in California have taken a turn for the better. Governor Gavin Newsom even touted the state’s declining homicide rate during his final state of the state address. But the reason behind this drop is not exactly clear. Nigel Duara is a Justice Reporter with CalMatters and joins us to offer context.

Being constantly connected can have its perks, but there’s growing evidence showing that doomscrolling can have negative impacts on our mental health and lead to news fatigue. Alex Mahadevan is the Director of MediaWise and the AI Innovation Lab at Poynter, a nonprofit media institute that provides fact-checking, media literacy and journalism ethics. He joins us today to explain how people can spot misinformation online.

The deadline to purchase health insurance through California’s health insurance marketplace, Covered California, is fast approaching, with open enrollment closing Jan. 31. The marketplace offers coverage to roughly two million people, but the health insurance landscape is facing significant uncertainty, after federal tax credits expired at the end of last year which could cause premiums to skyrocket. Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman and Dr. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine at UC Davis join Insight to talk about how they are navigating these challenges, and what resources are available for those looking to enroll.

California is considered a relatively safe place for transgender youth, but there is growing concern that the Trump Administration is working to change that. Carolyn Jones is the K-12 Education Reporter for CalMatters and she joins us today to discuss a couple of California policies that may be at risk.

For generations, Vic’s Ice Cream has been a landmark for Sacramentans with a sweet tooth. Established in the Land Park neighborhood in 1947, the shop is known for serving handmade ice cream and classic sandwiches, but many feared for its future following the death of its owner in March 2024. But after a year of renovations Vic’s has reopened, under local family ownership, and is maintaining its nostalgic spirit. General Manager David Gilson talks about what it was like to reopen the ice cream parlor’s doors, and what the future may hold.

Tensions across the country continue to escalate following a weekend that saw the killing of another person in Minneapolis by federal agents. Some Democratic lawmakers, including California’s Adam Schiff are calling for a rejection of the current budget package that would include more funding for ICE. Today on Insight, Blake Jones, co-author of POLITICO’s California Playbook joins us to explain how this could lead to another government shutdown.

The National Flood Insurance Program provides coverage for millions of people across the U.S., including almost 200,000 Californians living in flood-prone areas. But the program is also facing a looming deadline, and could lapse at the end of the month if Congress does not reauthorize funding. Nicholas Pinter, Associate Director of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences talks about the history of the NFIP, and how important the program is to residents when disaster strikes.

The Sacramento region is no stranger to the silver screen with appearances in Ladybird, Michael Cera’s road trip comedy Sacramento, and most recently in the 13 Oscar-nominated film One Battle After Another.  But a Davis filmmaker is looking to bring a scrappy independent filmmaking spirit to the area with the Davis Flash Film Challenge. Filmmakers of any level can participate and will have one month to write, shoot and edit a short film, based on a to be released prompt. Craig Musburger, founder of Everywhere Science and the Davis Flash film Challenge joined us to talk about his work and where the idea for the one-month challenge came from.

University students with disabilities face a variety of challenges in the classroom and can require extra support to be able to participate fully and achieve their education goals. At Sac State, the Disability Access Center is in charge of granting accommodations to “ensure disabled students have equal educational access.” But students in the Sac State Disability Justice Club have spoken up about inconsistencies and delays in the accommodation process, which they feel have impacted their ability to learn. Valdy Ngassam is President of the club and he joins us today, along with State Hornet Reporter Jada Portillo, to talk about why the DJC was started and some of the issues they are trying to highlight. The club has a disability accessibility survey on how Sac State can improve the campus for students with disabilities. Both disabled and nondisabled students can fill out the survey.

From protests against the Vietnam War to recent demonstrations against the violence in Gaza, colleges and universities have historically found themselves at the center of free speech debates. However, a growing number of these institutions have begun to adopt “neutrality statements,” which some argue are meant to curtail speech and academic freedom. Brian Soucek is a constitutional law expert and professor at UC Davis who recently released a book on the topic, “The Opinionated University.” He joins us on Insight to explain more.

Sacramento and the Central Valley have been under a blanket of fog for the past several weeks and there seems to be no end in sight. We’ll learn more about why the gloom has been hanging around from KCRA Meteorologist Ophelia Young.

Democratic Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff visited the newest and largest ICE detention center in the state, a former prison in Kern County. CalMatters California Divide Reporter Wendy Fry traveled to the Mojave Desert to visit the facility and interview the senators. Located in California City, it opened in late August and currently holds more than 1,400 people, with a capacity to hold 2,560 detainees. 

Del Monte’s Modesto Cannery Closes

A major fruit processing facility in the Central Valley is shutting down. The Walnut Creek-based company Del Monte Foods has announced it will close its fruit cannery in Modesto as part of larger bankruptcy proceedings, putting more than a thousand full-time and seasonal workers out of a job. Stanislaus County District 2 Supervisor Vito Chiesa talks about what the closure means for one of California’s largest agricultural regions.

CAKE Benefit Concert

One of Sacramento’s biggest and best known homegrown acts is going the distance for community radio stations across the country. CAKE is back on tour and they’re performing at Channel 24 this spring, with some of the proceeds benefiting KVMR in Nevada City. John McCrea, singer, lyricist and co-founder of CAKE, joined us to talk about the band’s history, connection to Sacramento and what’s next for the group.

The Sacramento City Unified School District is working to close an estimated $43 million budget shortfall for the current fiscal year and difficult conversations are being had to close a deficit that could reach more than $100 million in the 2027-2028 school year. Jennah Pendleton is an Education Reporter for the Sacramento Bee and has been following these developments closely. She joins us to explain how SCUSD got to this point and what significant cuts are being considered.

A plan to develop more than 1,000 acres in southeastern Sacramento County for a solar project has drawn intense scrutiny from the area’s environmental community. The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved the Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Ranch project in November and quickly found itself the subject of lawsuits. Carol Witham is the treasurer for the Sacramento Valley’s California Native Plant Society chapter, which filed a lawsuit against the project. She joins us today to explain why they filed suit and what happens next.

Sacramento’s monthly storytelling showcase “In a Nutshell” returns to The Sofia this Friday with “Stories of Substance.” Comedian and host Keith Lowell Jensen joins us, along with featured storyteller Shane Mauss, to explain what substances they’ll actually be riffing on and why it’s such a fitting topic for the first show of the year.

California is shaping its budget for the next fiscal year, with an estimated deficit ranging from $2.8 billion to almost $18 billion. That means some tough choices. CapRadio Statehouse Politics Reporter Gerardo Zavala joins us today to explain how federal funding cuts and the state’s own budget problems, have the potential to impact the lives of one of our state’s most vulnerable populations, immigrants.

The city of Sacramento recently welcomed a new city manager, Maraskeshia Smith, who was selected last September following a nationwide search. She will assume a host of responsibilities, from overseeing thousands of employees to managing Sacramento’s budget and implementing policies. Smith’s appointment also comes following controversy around Sacramento’s previous city manager, Howard Chan. CapRadio reporters Riley Palmer and Tony Rodriguez recently sat down with Smith, and join Insight with more on her priorities and vision for the city.

Gospel music, patriotic music and more are returning to the foothills Monday in honor of the late civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For decades the MLK Community Choir has honored King’s legacy of nonviolence, activism and the spirit of bringing community together, but went on hiatus following their 40th anniversary in 2022. This year the choir is bringing their beloved performance back, with a free noon concert at the Nevada Theatre in Nevada City. Choral director Stan Thomas-Rose talks about the choir’s history, and gives a preview of what music lovers can look forward to next week.

Governor Gavin Newsom has made education funding one of his priorities during his final year in office. He also made an unexpected proposal during last week’s State of the State address — to bring oversight of the state Department of Education under the governor’s control. This move came as a surprise to California’s elected State Superintendent of Public Education Tony Thurmond, who would see his job’s future responsibilities pared down. CalMatters K-12 Education Reporter Carolyn Jones joins Insight to talk about Newsom’s proposal, and the impacts it could have inside and outside the classroom. 

Snow enthusiasts rejoiced when the new year brought  some much needed powder to the Sierra. But Tahoe resorts weren’t the only ones celebrating an end to the “snow drought”. Other businesses also rely heavily on the tourism dollars that snow brings into the local economy. Mountain Slice Pizzeria & Creamery is located in Tahoe City, owner and operator Alex Hunt joins us to talk about why snow matters to his bottom line and why they could use some more of it.

Located in Clarksburg, the Old Sugar Mill is home to more than a dozen local wineries along the Delta. But this summer, the historic venue was at risk of foreclosure after the untimely passing of its owner. In response, a group of tenants that operate out of the Old Sugar Mill joined together to keep it open - and tastings and wine production has been operating as usual. And the new year comes with new ownership. David Ogilvie is the Owner and Winemaker of Silt Wine Company, and led the Old Sugar Mill Tenant Group. He joins Insight with an update.

Modesto Opera’s ‘Cinderella’  

Opera Modesto is hosting a weekend of activities and performances celebrating “Cinderella” in support of its Story Into-Song Literacy Initiative. Roy Stevens is Opera Modesto’s General Director and Annalisa Winberg serves as its General Director and Stage Director of “Cinderella.” They join Insight today to talk about the importance of opera and the arts to the Central Valley. 

Antigovernment protests in Iran have entered their third week, under a countrywide communication blackout imposed last week. Thousands of Iranians have been reportedly killed or arrested as the Islamic Republic’s crackdown becomes increasingly violent, and solidarity protests spring up around the world — including in California and the Sacramento region. Professor Sahar Razavi, Director of the Iranian and Middle Eastern Studies Center at Sac State discusses the latest push for regime change, and the complexities that could determine what Iran’s future could look like.

California tourism has been riding high in recent years, with travel spending in 2024 reaching a record. But 2025 threw a wrench into year-over-year growth, with sizable declines in international visitors and the steepest tourism drop coming from the state’s largest international market - Canada. Angie Pappas is the Associate Vice President of External Affairs and Media Relations for Visit California. She joins us with a travel forecast for the new year, as well as how important tourism is to the overall economy.

Putah Creek runs 85 miles across Northern California, creating the border between Solano and Yolo counties. Thirty years ago salmon were extinct in the stream and it was all but dried up, the victim of years of drought and dams diverting water away. In 2000, an accord brought those flows back and 25 years later Putah Creek saw a record breaking run of salmon. UC Davis assistant professor Robert Lusardi and Dr. Max Stevenson, Streamkeeper of Putah Creek, join Insight to tell us why the return of salmon to Putah Creek is so important for the local ecosystem.