California is contending with a child care shortage, and the state has made efforts to increase options for families. But conflicting regulations from two state agencies are causing childcare centers to turn away thousands of infants and toddlers.

Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED

Health officials are scheduled to provide an update Friday morning on Governor Newsom's declaration of a state of emergency over bird flu. Although details are scant, public health experts say it’s likely a good thing. 

Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR

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San Mateo County leaders will soon be asking voters to remove their embattled sheriff from office. It’s likely an unprecedented move. 

Reporter: Brian Krans, KQED

Amazon workers across Southern California are joining a nationwide strike Thursday, just days before Christmas, as the Teamsters argue the company is denying their right to unionize. 

Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR

Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday declared a state of emergency to aid California's response to the bird flu outbreak. The governor says recent cases were detected in cows at four Southern California dairies, meaning the virus has spread from the Central Valley.

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The warden at a troubled prison in northern California is retiring this month, and the governor has just given the former chief deputy warden there a big promotion. KQED reporters Julie Small and Sukey Lewis investigated this prison for their podcast On Our Watch, and they have an article out this week that tells the emotional story of a pair of whistleblowers who work there and the challenges they faced.

Guest: Julie Small, KQED

The co-founders of failed Fresno startup Bitwise Industries have been sentenced to prison for wire fraud. 

Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR 

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The holidays are a time where we tend to eat a lot of food, and throw a lot out. Americans throw away about four pounds of waste per day, higher than anywhere in the world. But where does all that food waste go?

Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist

California Resources Corporation and Aera Energy joined forces to become the state’s largest oil company. But a new investigation from KVPR and Inside Climate News finds that the merger could leave taxpayers on the hook for millions.

Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR

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The first time Donald Trump was elected president, blue state Democrats -- particularly those from California -- asserted themselves as the frontline of the resistance. Eight years later, they say they’re making an intentional decision to stay calm, at least for now.

Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

It’s official. California regulators are enforcing an agreement with the state’s largest insurance companies that they hope will stem the insurance crisis.

Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED

Crews have been working around the clock in the community of Scotts Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountains after a rare tornado touched down in the city on Saturday. At least five people were injured.

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In 1990, a federal law required universities to return Native American remains to their homes. Many institutions had been using them for research and display. But a recent state audit shows many universities have been breaking that law ever since.

Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR

The season for kissing under the mistletoe has arrived! While there’s no guarantee for holiday smooches, you can get a permit to harvest your own mistletoe this season.

Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist

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San Diego's police commission is reviewing the department's K-9 policy, after complaints of excessive force. Data show large racial disparities in who gets bitten by police dogs.

Reporter: Katie Hyson, KPBS

Former San Joaquin Valley Congressman TJ Cox has agreed to plead guilty to two financial crimes.

Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR

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California is pushing the trucking industry to electrify to cut pollution. That effort so far has focused on swapping out old trucks for shiny new electric ones. But that doesn’t always have to be the case.

Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist

The Franklin Fire continues to threaten homes in the Malibu area. Since starting Monday night, the fire has destroyed at least seven structures. Thousands of people remain under evacuation orders and warnings.

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In the late 1990s, California voters approved a law that required public schools to teach most classes only in English. After that, many public school districts across the state essentially eliminated their bilingual programs. Voters eventually repealed this law back in 2016. But a new investigation from our partner CalMatters has found that the state's bilingual education system is still recovering, while students struggle to get the support they need.

Reporter: Tara García Mathewson, CalMatters 

Crews are trying to get a handle on a fast growing wildfire burning in Malibu. The Franklin Fire was first reported around 11 pm Monday night. It's since burned through more than 2,200 acres in the hills north of Pepperdine University. 

The LA Unified School District is opening up its state subsidized preschools to higher income families.

Reporter: Elly Yu, LAist

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There are more than 40,000 foreign nationals serving in our military. And most of them are just one mistake away from being deported. But some veterans are advocating for a federal law that would make it easier for foreign-born soldiers to become American citizens. 

Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS

Los Angeles Congressman Adam Schiff will be sworn in Monday as California’s junior U.S. Senator, filling a seat held by Dianne Feinstein for decades.

Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

President-elect Trump has pledged to conduct mass deportations. That's stoked fears among financial aid experts, who worry about how his administration might use data from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA.

Reporter: Julia Barajas, LAist

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