KQED's Forum

So far this month, two Bay Area tech heavyweights, Oracle Corp. and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, said they would move their headquarters to Texas. The news set off fears that the Bay Area and California are losing their allure to big employers and could spell future economic distress. While companies have routinely moved out of the Bay Area, some experts say this time is different -- in a troubling way. Other experts say that while the moves are noteworthy, they won’t derail the Bay Area’s economy or tech industry in the long term. We discuss the state of the Bay Area exodus and the region’s economy.

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It's been a year, and we want to know what's helped you through it. Whether you've gotten lost in the outdoors, discovered a new passion or re-ignited a friendship online, tell us how you've managed the chaos, stress and uncertainty of 2020.

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The pandemic is complicating the already stressful lives of California’s foster children. Surveys show that most lack technical support or internet access, which has made transitioning to online classes challenging. On top of that, stay-at-home orders have made it harder to visit with biological parents and siblings. In this hour, we’ll hear how the pandemic is affecting foster youth and how state and local services are responding. In this hour, we’ll hear how the pandemic is affecting foster youth and how state and local services are responding.

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A recall effort against Governor Gavin Newsom is gaining momentum. The campaign started long before photos surfaced of Newsom dining at an exclusive Napa restaurant with lobbyist friends. The Republicans behind the recall effort are also upset by Newsom's endorsement of a bill to compel companies to classify independent contractors as employees, and by his decisions to grant inmates early parole, and give undocumented immigrants Covid relief funds. We'll discuss the recall effort and if it stands a chance with voters.

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The number of COVID-19 patients filling hospital intensive care units continues ticking up across California. Hospitals in hard hit areas such as Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley had no remaining ICU beds available as of Sunday. We talk with Los Angeles Times healthcare reporter Soumya Karlamangla about how hospitals are handling the recent surge in coronavirus patients.

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Congressional leaders have reached an agreement on a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package, and vaccination efforts are underway across the country--both of which might relieve a California besieged by surging COVID-19 cases and severe ICU shortages. We check in with Los Angeles Congressman Adam Schiff about how Southern California is handling COVID-19 cases and the potential impacts of the relief bill on Californians. We'll also hear about the government's response to the recent cyberattack on federal agencies thought to be Russian-led.

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During his tenure as mayor of Stockton, Michael Tubbs drew national attention for championing a guaranteed income policy and launching a pilot program to test it out. But he lost his bid for a second term this year, amid criticism that he failed to fix the city's persistent problems with poverty and homelessness. Tubbs says says a four-year misinformation campaign contributed to his defeat. We'll talk to Tubbs about what's next and what he's learned.

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In his new book, “The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food,” acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson highlights Black chefs and recipes that he says have been underrated and overlooked for far too long. When Americans think of Black cuisine, they think soul food, he said, but that is only one of numerous traditions. Samuelsson, a regular on Food Network and PBS, operates over a dozen restaurants in the United States and abroad. We’ll discuss the book, Black cooking and hear his thoughts on the dire state of the restaurant industry amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Congressional leaders and the White House on Thursday appeared to inch closer to finalizing a $900 billion coronavirus relief package, but several sticking points remain. Among them: Republicans want to restrict the power of the Federal Reserve to bail out businesses while Democrats are demanding more help for states. We’ll hear the latest on the negotiations. We’ll also get an update on President-elect Joe Biden’s latest cabinet appointments including his historic pick of Native American Rep. Deb Haaland as Interior Secretary.

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The Lake Tahoe region has been changed by the pandemic. With many people fleeing cities and moving to the mountains or into their second homes, schools and grocery stores are crowded. Many mountain resorts are requiring reservations for lift tickets as a public health precaution. Will there be room for holiday skiers? Even some business owners are saying visitors should wait until the surge is over to make plans to head to Tahoe and, under the stay-at-home order, hotels are supposed to cancel reservations for leisure travel. We'll talk about the precautions on the mountain, the boom in backcountry skiing, Tahoe's red-hot housing market and what it all means for the region. 

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