Five years ago, the Caldor Fire consumed more than 200,000 acres across the Sierra Foothills and Echo Summit, with much of the devastation in the town of Grizzly Flats. CapRadio Local Government Reporter Riley Palmer traveled to Grizzly Flats recently to speak with community members about the rebuilding process and how residents are faring five years after a wildfire consumed their town.

Fire crews manage a back fire in Sly Park, Calif., fighting the Caldor Fire on Monday, Aug, 23, 2021.Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

The Caldor Fire ignited the evening of Aug. 14, 2021. In the initial days, the wildfire exploded across the Sierra foothills and headed towards South Lake Tahoe with mass evacuation orders along the Highway 50 corridor. What started as straightforward “breaking news” coverage in our newsroom eventually evolved into a years-long investigation into stalled US Forest Service projects that might have prevented the devastation to Grizzly Flats. We’ll hear reflections from former CapRadio journalists who covered the story, including Scott Rodd, who is now an investigative reporter for KPBS in San Diego; photojournalist Andrew Nixon, who covered many wildfires, including the Caldor; and Emily Zentner, Data Journalist for the California Newsroom and worked on the Burned investigation.

Firefighters protect homes in Christmas Valley from the Caldor Fire Monday, Aug. 30, 2021.Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

The lessons learned from the Dixie Fire and Caldor Fire continue to resurface, as California’s wildfire years become longer and more devastating. Making sure residents have the right information is critical, but the amount — and quality — of sources can be overwhelming. Zeke Lunder is a pyrogeographer and founder of the wildfire information website The Lookout, which he started during the Dixie Fire. He joins Insight to talk about how these wildfires served as a pivotal moment to change the information landscape, and how the public can take action when disaster strikes.

One of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s final political fights in California is a revival of an old one. As wildfire costs threaten utilities’ financial models, the governor wants to help them pay less for fires. CalMatters Economy Reporter Levi Sumagaysay joins Insight to break down the package of bills to address the spiraling costs of wildfires that has made a slew of different interests unhappy.

President Donald Trump's second administration has been marked by escalating immigration enforcement, from mass deportations and raids to major changes in the immigration court system. These are having ripple effects across the Sacramento region, which has seen its own share of enforcement action. An event this week aims to shed more light on the current situation on the ground, as well as local organizations helping immigrant, refugee and other communities. The Sacramento Immigration Seminar will be held Thursday, Aug. 20 at Sacramento State, and will feature groups including Opening Doors, Norcal Resist and the California Immigration Project. Opening Doors CEO Jessie Mabry joins Insight to break down the event, as well as the current immigration landscape across Sacramento.

Throughout California, and in much of Europe, wine harvest is historically early this year. On average, harvest is happening three weeks earlier than last year – which was also early. Is that a good or bad thing as we head into peak fire season? Rick Kushman has worked in the wine industry and written and reported on it for years. He’s here today to give us the lowdown on the early wine harvest and how area vineyards are faring as fires begin to flare up in the foothills and along the coastal wine-growing region.

Tensions over Sacramento City Unified’s budget crisis are continuing to rise. The county overturned an agreement between the district and the teacher’s union and California’s highest education officer has even gotten involved. Michael Fine is the CEO of the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT), an independent state agency that provides assistance to local education agencies in times of crisis. He joins us today to explain the district’s latest budget numbers and what decisions could lie ahead.

For the better part of a decade, the Sacramento Office of Violence Prevention has worked to address youth and gang violence in the city. A key piece is contracting with community organizations to work directly with young people at a high risk of falling into gangs or those who are gang associated. A recent investigation found that some of those organizations have received millions with little and sometimes no oversight. Sacramento Bee Investigative Reporter Joe Rubin joins us with his investigation.

Khaalid Muttaqi is the former Director of the Sacramento Office and Violence Prevention. He is now the Chief Operating Officer for Advance Peace, a national gun violence reduction agency that establishes formal partnerships with communities. The program uses previously incarcerated street outreach workers to support young people at the center of urban gun violence. The program was part of the city of Sacramento from 2017 and 2020. During that period, youth homicides fell to zero over an 18-month period. Muttaqi joins Insight with more on the work and challenges facing youth violence prevention.

Celebration Arts, Sacramento’s premier Black theater, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. They’ve spent the last four decades as a central hub for arts that celebrate and explore the Black experience. In order to celebrate their long history of plays, performances and concerts over the years, the organization is going back to their roots - dance. After 50 years, they have brought back dance classes from Afro-modern to jazz to polynesian. Taught by one of the original founders, Elaine Gosine, and longtime fixture in the Sacramento dance scene, Elvin Nathan Jones. They join Executive Artistic Director Erinn Anova on today’s show to preview the company’s anniversary year, which includes a Coltrane-inspired dance concert on Oct. 10 called Moving Trane.

California's water system is complicated, ranging from reservoirs to the snowpack, to a significant amount of groundwater. Those underground aquifers are critical for the Golden State's agricultural communities to tap into when conditions get dry, but overpumping is causing communities to significantly sink over the years. A new study shows that irreparable sinking is now happening in parts of the northern Sacramento Valley, from Woodland up to Redding, caused by major droughts from 2020-2022. J.T. Reager heads the Water and Ecosystems group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, and spoke with Insight about the study's findings and what can be done to prevent future damage.

Finding a Path to Forgiveness 

A 2023 deadly stabbing spree in Davis is approaching the end of a lengthy legal process that put mental illness front-and-center in a debate about justice. Carlos Reales Dominguez, a former UC Davis student, was arrested shortly after the stabbing deaths of 50-year-old David Breaux and 20-year-old Karim Abou Najm, as well as the stabbing of 64-year-old Kimberlee Guillory, who is the lone survivor. However the case had a long journey through the court system, as Dominguez was initially found incompetent to stand trial after being diagnosed with schizophrenia. Last month, a jury found Dominguez guilty of involuntary manslaughter, a lesser charge of what was being sought by prosecutors, and not guilty of the attempted murder of Guillory. Following the verdict, the judge declared Dominguez legally insane, citing his schizophrenia making him incapable of understanding the nature and quality of his actions. Dominguez is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 19. While the trial is over, the impact on the victim’s families is profound and ongoing. Before his death, David Breaux earned the nickname "Compassion Guy” from the people of Davis who stopped by to talk with him on the corner of 3rd and C streets. His sister Maria Breaux has been processing her grief over the past three years. She joins Insight about an article she published titled, How I Practiced Forgiveness When It Hurt the Most.

Sarah Gailey is an award-winning author who spins tales in many forms, from comic books that star some of your favorite fantasy characters to novels that explore themes of belonging, community and how an environment can shape our identities. They’re appearing this Saturday, Aug. 15 at A Seat at the Table Books in Elk Grove in support of two new novels, Make Me Better and Spread Me.

California is home to the fourth-largest economy in the world, with a GDP of more than $4 trillion. A significant portion of its economy is driven by trade, with billions of dollars worth of goods passing through the Golden State’s ports. Dr. Noel Hacegaba is the President of the California Association of Port Authorities, and the CEO of the Port of Long Beach. He joins Insight to provide an update on how these centers of commerce are faring, and navigating challenges from international conflict to environmental protections.

A magnitude 7.9-earthquake struck San Francisco in 1906, leading to a fire that lasted several days and destroyed over 80 percent of the city. Often referred to as the “Big One,” the 1906 earthquake left an indelible mark in the minds of Californians and the surrounding terrain and left many wondering about the next one. UC Davis Geology Professor Mike Oskin will be giving a presentation on the topic at the next Science Cafe. He joins us today with a preview of  “Earthquakes in California: What might the next ‘Big One’ be like?”

The biggest moments in history often share something in common. They likely were captured with a photograph. Visual journalists document the vast range of the human experience. For more than two decades, Paul Kitagaki Jr.'s images have graced the Sacramento Bee. The Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer’s byline has appeared more than 5,000 times in the newspaper. But his career spans nearly 50 years. Paul’s images have appeared in National Geographic, Time, Smithsonian Magazine and the cover of Sports Illustrated. His work also includes a long-term documentary project Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit about survivors and descendants of Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II, inspired in part by his own family’s forced removal. Paul joins us today after a huge milestone, retiring from the Sac Bee.

California's two-year legislative session is coming to an end. Lawmakers have just three weeks to sort through hundreds of bills, and tackle major issues, before the Legislature adjourns on Aug. 31. Governor Gavin Newsom then has until the end of September to act on all the legislation that makes it to his desk. Chris Micheli is a professor at McGeorge School of Law, a lobbyist and a longtime Capitol observer, who authors Capitol Week's Micheli Minute. He joins Insight to break down the big issues that state lawmakers will be tackling.

The Sacramento City Unified School District has been in crisis for almost a year, as it tried to avoid a state takeover. The district is now asking California’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction to step in. Diana Lambert is a reporter for EdSource and joins us today to explain what’s going on, as well as give some updates on Highlands Community Charter School, which is starting its school year under Twin Rivers Unified School District despite looking for a new home in Sutter County. 

Haus of Comedy

Have there ever been times you’ve looked back on your life and thought, ‘I should have said yes?’ Well, it’s never too late to learn how. Jessilee Windhaus is an improviser, actor, instructor and entrepreneur. Her latest endeavor is the Haus of Comedy, where she serves as founder and executive director. In addition to offering a wide variety of improv and sketch comedy shows to enjoy as spectators, there are also a bunch of classes and workshops for people to learn and hone their skills. We’ll hear why the skills used in improv are useful off the stage as well.

Waymos have become an increasingly common sight on Sacramento's streets after arriving in the Capital City earlier this year. The robotaxis have been learning the city's streets as part of a testing program, but could soon be carrying passengers as soon as this month. This comes as other major changes are going into effect, from new traffic restrictions around Old Sacramento to the opening — or reopening — of businesses along the Waterfront and in the Railyards. Sacramento City Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum joins Insight to provide an update on these developments around the city center.

For some high school students, the traditional way of learning can be challenging. At a time when they are trying to figure out what they want to do with their future. A new school in Sacramento is pioneering a different way of teaching to unlock potential and help bridge the gap between school and the real world. Providing students with hands-on learning, internships, and dual enrollment at local colleges. With the explicit goal that, “all students will be enrolled in a postsecondary institution or employed within six months of graduation.” Kevin Dobson, Founder and Executive Director of Capital College and Career Academy, joins Insight to tell us more about the school. And he was joined by two of his students Ivan Bernardino and Angelina Zdor.

Despite the heat, it probably feels like the start to fall for all the parents and kids out there, as schools get underway across the region. But there’s still plenty of time to soak up all the summer fun we can. Veronica Rodriguez is back to highlight a variety of arts and culture events taking place in this month’s Arts Talk. 

As Sacramento’s heat wave continues, it has only exasperated fire activity in the region. We check in with ABC10’s Rob Carlmark to hear more about the heat waves in Sacramento and the effects of wildfire smoke. We’ll also get an update on the Gann Fire, which began Monday in Calaveras County, from Cal Fire Battalion Chief Robert Foxworthy.

For more than a decade California made major strides in getting more people health insurance coverage, thanks in large part to the expansion of Medi-Cal, the state's version of Medicaid. Just two years ago the state was close to providing universal coverage, but that is now at risk. Cuts passed last year under H.R.1, coupled with restrictions California put in place amid budgetary challenges and rising Medi-Cal spending, could cause millions of people to lose health insurance coverage over the coming years. A new documentary from CalMatters is exploring the human toll of those cuts. Health Reporter Kristen Hwang joined Insight with her reporting for "Inside California's Fight to Fund Health Care."

The Japanese Food and Cultural Bazaar is celebrating 80 years next weekend. Sandy Kataoka Fong and Sharon Ito are members of the Buddhist Church of Sacramento, which hosts the popular weekend festival each year. They join us to highlight this year’s event.

For close to two decades, children who cross the border alone have been eligible for legal representation as they navigate immigration courts. That resource that is now in jeopardy. On Friday, the federal contract to provide these services expired and the nonprofit that manages the legal network says more than 20,000 unaccompanied minors are expected to be left without independent legal representation. A group of current and former prosecutors sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services in support of unaccompanied minors. State Assemblymember Maggy Krell is a Democrat based in Sacramento and signed the open letter sent to the Trump Administration. She joins us today to explain what the issues are and why she’s calling for action.

California offers plenty of opportunities to explore the great outdoors. But when an emergency strikes every second counts, and help may take hours to arrive. A Grass Valley native and recent high school graduate is working to build a new generation of flying first responders — large AI-powered drones — aimed at saving lives, and born out of personal experience. Lev Weisswasser is the founder of Winter Flight Rescue, and talks about the work behind getting this project off the ground.

It's the return of Concert Connect! From LA pop music to Bay Area hip hop, west coast jazz to the ‘90s rock of Sacramento bands like Cake, California is home to no shortage of amazing musicians. With so many great artists calling the Golden State home and frequently making their way through our area while on tour, we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of the best. Insight Senior Producer Andrew Garcia is here to give us the lowdown on some upcoming shows.

The war between the United States, Iran and Israel has stretched into its sixth month. The conflict has killed thousands of Iranian civilians since the first strikes were launched in late February, along with at least 18 U.S. servicemembers, with hundreds more injured. The war has been broadly unpopular with the American public, which has faced economic impacts like rising gas prices despite an agreement being reached in June to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Sahar Razavi, Director of Iranian and Middle Eastern Studies at Sacramento State joins Insight with an update of the conflict, and the challenges standing in the way of negotiations that could bring an end to the fighting. 

It’s been a tough couple of seasons for California’s wine industry. Soumya Karlamangla is a National Correspondent for the New York Times. She recently took a trip to the Central Coast and joins us to discuss what winemakers are grappling with as sales continue to slump.

What started as a dream for two young producers to bring Broadway caliber musical theater to life during the early 1950s has become a cultural staple of the community. When Music Circus began in 1951, there were almost 400 tents like it operating across the country. Now, it’s only one of three that remains and its history is being celebrated in a new book. “Broadway Sacramento: 75 Years of Theater Magic” was written by Margaret Kane, a life-long theater lover who also served as Broadway Sacramento’s Board Chair. She joins us today to talk about its history and why she wanted to preserve it.