KQED's Forum

It has been one year since the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel, in which more than 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 hostages taken. Nearly 100 hostages, including American citizens, remain in captivity according to the Israeli government. The war in Gaza, which has killed 41,500 people and has resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis, continues. This hour of Forum, we will hear from Bay Area Jews as they reflect on this past year and how it has affected their relationship with Israel, Judaism and their friends and neighbors.

Guests:

Jessica Kirschner, rabbi and executive director of Stanford University Hillel

Jacqueline Mates-Muchin, senior rabbi, Temple Sinai, Oakland

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American consumers are awash in subscriptions, incurring monthly or annual fees for streaming services, software, online gaming memberships, meal delivery and more. And about 40% of us report that we pay for subscriptions we don’t use, according to a 2022 study. Last week Governor Gavin Newsom signed the “Click to Cancel” bill, which will make it easier for Californians to cancel unwanted subscriptions starting in July 2025. We’ll learn more and hear from you: Are you overwhelmed by your subscriptions? How do you manage them?

Guests:

Pilar Schiavo, assemblymember, California District 40 (San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita Valley); sponsor of California's "Click to Cancel" law

Neale Mahoney , professor of economics, Stanford University; former special policy advisor for economic policy, White House National Economic Council

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A century ago, the United States designated its first wilderness area – a place to be forever preserved and protected from human impact. But what does “wilderness” mean in the era of smartphone technology that keeps us constantly connected and human-fueled climate change? And who gets to enjoy these “untrammeled” spaces? These are the questions posed by environmental journalist Marissa Ortega-Welch in her new podcast “How Wild.” We’ll talk with Ortega-Welch, an environmental historian, and an outdoor educator about the complex history and future of our wildest landscapes. And we hear from you: What does wilderness mean for you?

Guests:

Marissa Ortega-Welch, science and environmental journalist; host of the podcast "How Wild"

Phoebe Young, professor of environmental history and chair of the history department, University of Colorado Boulder. She is also the author of "Camping Grounds: Public Nature in American Life from the Civil War to the Occupy Movement."

Aparna Rajagopal, founding partner, The Avarna Group

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It’s that time of year when high school seniors everywhere start working on — or at least contemplate working on — their college applications. And for many students, it’s the personal essay that’s the trickiest part. When is humor okay? Are any topics off limits? Is it ever acceptable to use AI? We’ll get tips on how to craft a personal essay that admissions officers want to read, and we’ll hear from you: what was your college essay about?

Guests:

Anna Esaki-Smith, author of “Make College Your Superpower: It's Not Where You Go, It's What You Know”; co-founder of Education Rethink; contributor to Forbes, covering education

Allie Volpe, senior reporter, Vox

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California, a pioneer in plastic bag bans, is upping its game with a new law that now bans all plastic bags from grocery stores – including those stiff “reusable” ones. Researchers say California’s previous law prohibiting thin single-use plastic bags, but allowing thicker multiuse ones, ended up creating even more plastic waste by volume. The new law comes on the heels of California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit against Exxon Mobil accusing the petroleum giant of deceiving people about the effectiveness of plastic recycling. We talk about the future of plastic in California and whether the state’s latest efforts could help get plastic waste under control.

Guests:

Susanne Rust, investigative reporter specializing in environmental issues, Los Angeles Time

Jenn Engstrom, state director, CALPIRG - a non-profit organization that advocates for the public interest. She is co-author of the 2024 report, "Plastic Bag Bans Work."

Gerrine Pan, vice president of partnerships, Ridwell, a company specializing in hard to recycle items

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Conventional wisdom suggests vice presidential debates don’t matter, but political analysts say Tuesday’s showdown between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator JD Vance could be different. It comes at a critical juncture in the presidential campaign, with polls showing tight margins nationally and in key battleground states. We’ll recap the debate, to be hosted by CBS News in New York City.

Guests:

Scott Shafer, senior editor, KQED’s California Politics and Government; co-host, Political Breakdown

Lanhee Chen, Fellow in American Public Policy Studies at the Hoover Institution and Director of Domestic Policy Studies at Stanford University. Former policy director to Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign

Sara Sadhwani, assistant professor of politics, Pomona College

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Mark Farrell was born and raised in San Francisco, and now he wants to be the city’s mayor…again. Farrell served as mayor for six months in 2018, completing the term of Mayor Ed Lee who died unexpectedly in office. Farrell contends that the city has been on a downward spiral since his short tenure: on the campaign trail, he paints a city in decline, plagued by homelessness, a lack of public safety, and a situation in the Tenderloin so dire it requires intervention by the National Guard. A two-term former supervisor for District 2, Farrell argues that his past experience and moderate politics are what San Francisco needs at this moment. We talk to Farrell as part of our series of interviews with the five major candidates in the San Francisco mayoral race.

Guests:

Mark Farrell, former mayor, San Francisco

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Proposition 32 on the November ballot would increase California’s minimum wage to $18 an hour for all employees by 2026. Supporters say the measure would promote economic fairness and lead to job growth — especially outside major cities. Opponents argue that it will force businesses to increase prices and lay off workers. We hear from both sides of the campaign. Do you think California’s minimum wage should be higher?

Guests:

Farida Jhabvala Romero, labor correspondent, KQED

Joseph Sanberg, anti-povery advocate and entrepreneur

John Kabateck, California state director, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)

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AT 9:00 AM:

The states in the southeast hardest hit by Hurricane Helena are taking stock of the enormous amounts of damage wrecked by one of the worst storms in history. As the six states try to recover and grieve the lost lives, and as we cope with excessive heat warnings this week in the Bay Area, we get an update on how climate change is affecting us now.

Guests:

Abrahm Lustgarten, senior environmental reporter, ProPublica - author, "On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America"

Erica Gies, Independent journalist, Author of "Water Always Wins," National Geographic Explorer;," Gies wrote the recent New York Times essay "California Could Capture Its Destructive Floodwaters to Fight Drought"

AT 9:30 AM:

Gov. Gavin Newsom put away his bill-signing pen Monday, the final day to ratify bills passed by California’s Legislature. This year, lawmakers passed more than 1,200 bills. Those the governor signed into law include one that prohibits legacy preferences in private school admissions, a plan for reparations for African Americans that some advocates say falls short, gas price regulations and a law banning public schools from providing food with harmful food dyes. Newsom vetoed nearly 200 bills that came across his desk including some that would have created unemployment benefits for undocumented workers, a bill regulating artificial intelligence and one that would have required cars to have speeding alert systems as a way to curb pedestrian deaths. We’ll talk about the notable bills that will become laws and which ones didn’t make the cut.

Guests:

Alexei Koseff, reporter, CalMatters

Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk

Lindsey Holden, California politics reporter, Politico

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Connie Chung was the first Asian person to anchor a national network news program in the US and the first woman to co-anchor the CBS Evening News. For decades she covered major national stories from Watergate to the Oklahoma City bombing and interviewed presidents and foreign leaders. She also came up in newsrooms of the 1970s and 80s that were beset by rampant sexism. We talk to Chung about what she calls her “glorious highs and deep lows in the news business” and why, until recently, she struggled to believe she’d found success. Chung’s new memoir is “Connie.”

Guests:

Connie Chung, broadcast journalist; author, "Connie: A Memoir"

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