KQED's Forum

In the month of July, California experienced its worst surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths leading Gov. Newsom to impose a re-shutdown of businesses in more than 30 counties. As of today, California leads the nation with over 500,000 confirmed cases. But at his daily presser Monday, Newsom indicated that the state’s situation is improving with both new COVID-19 cases and coronavirus-related hospitalizations down in the last week. He also emphasized the virus’s disproportionate impact on the state’s Latino and Central Valley populations and reaffirmed his commitment to allocating state and federal resources to those communities where cases continue to grow. We'll talk about the steps California's taking to contain the pandemic, address testing backlogs and support communities disproportionately harmed by the virus.

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While Abraham Lincoln tends to get most of the credit for winning the Civil War, historian Fergus Bordewich reminds us not to forget about the role Congress played in the Union’s victory. In his new book, “Congress at War,” Bordewich follows four influential members of Congress as they navigate one of the most dynamic and consequential times in American history. Bordewich joins Forum to discuss the challenge of governing a divided nation and how the 36th United States Congress helped hold the union together.

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In March 2019, news broke of a massive college admissions bribery scandal. Among the accused were prominent business people, well-known actors, sports coaches, and four of California’s top universities. At the heart of the conspiracy was con man Rick Singer, an author of self-help books and purported college counselor, who masterminded rigging SAT and ACT tests, faking athletic profiles and bribing coaches. Melissa Korn and Jennifer Levitz -- Wall Street Journal reporters who broke major developments in the story -- detail the rise and fall of Rick Singer’s elaborate operation in their new book, “UNACCEPTABLE: Privilege, Deceit & the Making of the College Admissions Scandal.” In this hour, we talk with Korn and Levitz about the book and take your questions about the college admissions scandal.

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First, South Bay Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, chair of the House health subcommittee, joins us to discuss the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. Then, we check in with KQED's Scott Shafer and Anita Kumar of Politico on the latest national political news. 

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In mid-March, California became the first state to enact widespread shelter-in-place orders -- seen as a bold action to prevent the kind of spike in coronavirus cases New York was reporting at the time. Today, California has the most cases of COVID-19 in the country, surpassing New York with over 485,000 confirmed cases. Public health experts say California's early shelter-in-place orders effectively slowed the spread, but a combination of impatience with those orders, unreliable federal leadership and Gov. Newsom’s decision to re-open the economy has created a more challenging battle against the virus. We'll discuss the latest news on how California is handling the pandemic, including what's happening in the Central Valley, a new hot spot for coronavirus.

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After more than four months of limited activity and isolation, Californians have been itching to socialize. Even as cases rise in the state, many have become emboldened to gather in the safest place they can -- outdoors. But how safe is it? Public health officials across the state have been warning against the large gatherings that are increasingly popping up at public parks and beaches. We’ll get the latest on what we know about outdoor transmission of COVID-19 and the safest ways to see friends and family.

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The end of July spells the end of an additional $600 per week benefit for many unemployed Americans in the midst of a pandemic-induced recession. As Congress debates if and how to extend the supplemental cash, California lawmakers are drafting a plan to make up those funds if the federal money dries up. We discuss what’s in the works to help the close to 7 million unemployed Californians, where the recession is headed, and how lawmakers are responding.

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An investigative report by Open Vallejo, a recently launched independent news site, has found that a secret clique in the Vallejo Police Department bends back points of their badges to commemorate each time they kill in the line of duty. These revelations came as a shock at a time when the nation is focused on issues of police brutality and less than two weeks after the California Department of Justice announced an investigation into Vallejo Police for destroying evidence in the killing of Sean Monterrosa. We talk with Geoffrey King, founder and editor of Open Vallejo, about the report.

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In her new book of essays, "Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning," poet Cathy Park Hong weaves memoir with cultural criticism to explore topics of racial identity, shame, politics and capitalism. Hong describes “minor feelings” as "emotions built from the sediments of everyday racial experience and the irritant of having one’s perception of reality constantly questioned or dismissed.” It’s a feeling that’s particularly acute during the pandemic, which she says has “unmasked” a vicious anti-Asian racism. We'll talk to Hong about the book, Asian American identity and anti-Asian racism.

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Tech giant Google said Monday it would delay bringing workers back to the office until summer 2021. The company’s decision reflects a massive change that started in March when millions of white collar employees shifted to working from home. Some employers were pleasantly surprised at how productive their workers could be without the office setting. Freedom from commutes and strict working schedules has been a boon to many workers who now have more time to cook, exercise, and sleep. Still, some workers may find it harder to thrive from behind a computer screen. We talk to experts about the shift to working from home and whether it’s a sustainable model for the long term.

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