KQED's Forum

Emerging evidence shows that drug overdose deaths are surging from increased substance abuse driven by feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression during the coronavirus pandemic. Fatal drug overdoses were already ticking upward in 2019, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- a trend the pandemic is accelerating. And more challenging, many treatment programs have been scaled back as the federal government puts some funding for non-COVID-related work on hold indefinitely. We'll discuss the growing concern over this epidemic within the pandemic and what can be done to address it.

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The Oakland Zoo announced last week that it may have to shut down permanently unless it's allowed to open its doors to visitors soon. The zoo, which has remained closed since mid-March owing to coronavirus concerns, is spending $2.5 million a month to care for the animals and maintain the facility, and it's quickly burning through its reserves. We'll talk to Oakland Zoo CEO Joel Parrott about the future of the zoo and how other zoos across the state are coping with the pandemic. 

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Last month, when many Fox News hosts were putting a positive spin on President Trump’s low-turnout Tulsa rally, Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace didn’t mince words. “The arena was empty,” he told a Trump aide, adding that the campaign looked “silly” for not owning up to the crowd size. Moments like these have earned Wallace the ire of Trump, but the anchor also takes heat for his association with the controversial conservative network. Wallace joins Forum to talk about the latest headlines and his new book “Countdown 1945."

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In a state where more than a quarter of residents are foreign-born, many low-income and undocumented immigrants have dealt with heavy burdens during the coronavirus pandemic. The biggest challenges involve high infection rates, loss of income, and feeling forced to continue working in high-risk environments. Many programs designed to give financial assistance to undocumented workers are running dry as the pandemic persists. Meanwhile, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency that processes immigration applications, plans to furlough more than two-thirds of its staff in coming months due to budget cuts. That move could significantly delay citizenship and green card applications as well as asylum cases. We discuss how low-income and undocumented immigrants in California are faring during the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that states are free to punish presidential electors who don’t support the winner of the popular vote. It also upheld almost the entirety of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which bans robocalls to cell phones. Those rulings come after the court issued some unexpected decisions recently in cases involving undocumented immigrants who arrived as children, LGBTQ workers, and abortion rights in Louisiana. More rulings are still to come, including a decision on whether President Trump is required to release his tax returns to house democrats and a New York grand jury. We discuss the cases with Jessica Levinson, professor of law at Loyola Law School and host of the new podcast, “Passing Judgment."

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With official July 4 fireworks cancelled this year due to coronavirus, amateur displays illuminated the skies around the Bay Area Saturday night. But the illegal displays led to noise complaints -- and are being blamed for at least 100 blazes around the region. Emergency officials even took to social media to warn of fire risks. And it’s not just independence day:  fireworks have been a familiar sound in many cities in recent weeks. We'll talk about the prevalence and impact of fireworks displays around the region.

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During this time of civil unrest in America, many people are calling for dismantling racism. Much of the conversation frames the conflict as between a black minority and a white majority. The current uprising is sparking conversations about how other groups of color can show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Part of that work, experts say, involves confronting division and anti blackness much more broadly. In this hour, we explore what cross-racial solidarity means in America.

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On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered a speech titled "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" -- calling attention to the hypocrisy of the Declaration of Independence and its claim that "all men are created equal.” Today, amid protests against racism and a growing Black Lives Matter movement, equality is still a goal in progress. And the promises of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" ring differently, and perhaps more profoundly, in an ongoing pandemic that continues to claim both lives and livelihoods. Still, America and its ideals persist. This hour, we’ll talk to author Casey Gerald about Douglass’ speech and the current challenges we face as a nation, and hear what the Fourth of July means to you.

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As coronavirus cases continue rising in California, colleges and universities across the state are assessing how best to operate for the fall semester. Some are completely transitioning to remote learning. Others are looking to combine both online and in-person classes. These changes have left students with some difficult choices: Continue school under these conditions or withdraw for the semester? Return to campus or stay home? In this hour, well hear from students, schools, and health officials about what college campuses could look like this fall.

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Over the weekend, the San Jose Police Department placed four of its police officers on administrative leave for posting racist and anti-Muslim comments in a private Facebook group. This latest scandal comes days after San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo issued a nine-point plan aimed at reforming, but not defunding, the city’s police department. Given these recent developments, critics of the police are saying that Liccardo’s plan does not go far enough to address systemic racism. We’ll talk about this latest incident, the efforts to reform the department and what the next steps are.

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