KVPR News Podcast

Now that vaccines have become more widely available, it’s easy to forget that ICUs are still full of COVID-19 patients fighting for their lives alongside battle-weary nurses who have been deep in the trenches of this pandemic for nearly a year. To learn more about the toll it has taken, physically and mentally, Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock spoke with four registered nurses who work in ICUs throughout the Valley: Ashley Bowers from Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, Connie Green,

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California has filed a new complaint against the Tulare County Jail for its living conditions during the pandemic, alleging that the jail is failing to adequately test for COVID-19 and that its social distancing policy violates inmates’ constitutional rights. Filed last Thursday in federal court, the supplemental complaint is the latest development in a lawsuit originally brought against the jail last summer. The initial complaint from July alleged

The Fresno Unified School District announced a potential reopening plan Tuesday for in-person learning. The new agreement between the district and the Fresno Teachers Association outlines a return to a hybrid model that includes in-person instruction by April 6th. Superintendent Bob Nelson says the increased ability to vaccinate all district employees changed the conversation. “This time last week, I could not have reasonably said we were going to vaccinate everybody by March. Today I can and

Ever since the COVID-19 vaccine rollout began, every week has brought news of extremes, with success stories followed by supply problems and other hiccups in access and distribution. This week was no different, and included supply disruptions due to winter storms as well as an unexpected boost from the governor. Plus, despite the fact that new infections have slowed, case totals at three local correctional facilities—the Fresno County Jail, Avenal State Prison and the Substance Abuse Treatment

Armando Celestino walks between rows of grapevines in a Madera County vineyard. He’s handing out small zip lock bags to farm workers filled with hand sanitizer, masks and information on the COVID-19 vaccine. Celestino works with Centro Binancional, a community organization that assists those who speak, indigenous languages like Mixtec and Zapotec. When Celestino hands a bag to Bernadino Cruz, Cruz stops trimming the vines and turns to speak with him. Celestino asks Cruz a series of questions:

People tend to listen more when someone uses powerful, authoritative language regardless of whether the person talking is a man or a woman. At least that’s according to one new study, co-authored by UC Merced Assistant Professor of Economics, Ketki Sheth. Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock spoke with her about the research, and what the implications are for women in the workforce.

A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that among Black Americans, only 42% intend to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Many have suggested that the reluctance to get vaccinated among Black Americans and other communities of color is a function of the mistrust that some in those populations have in the health care system. To better understand this issue, Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock spoke with Dr. Kamell Eckroth-Bernard, a vascular surgeon with UCSF Fresno, and Angel Reyna, President of

Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Monday that the San Joaquin Valley will get a major boost to its COVID-19 vaccine allocation. That’s due in part to the region’s food and ag workers, who now are also receiving some priority access to the vaccine. Valley counties will now be receiving thousands more doses each week, amounting to an average increase of 58%, thanks to a change in how the state is distributing vaccines. In earlier weeks, each county’s share was calculated based on its relative

Along Fern Avenue in the Tower District, businesses are boarded up, some lined with graffiti. There’s trash piled in the doorways. But on this sunny Saturday afternoon, volunteers move brooms along the sidewalk and sweep the debris into boxes. There’s an upbeat feeling about their work. One of the cleaning crew is Kacey Auston. She grew up in the Tower and is now leasing the former Bank of America building on this street. It’s still empty but she plans on opening a marijuana dispensary called

Shipments of more than 15,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine promised to the San Joaquin Valley have been delayed this week, thanks to severe weather that has snarled shipping and distribution networks in the central and eastern parts of the country. “All of our doses for last week were held up because of weather,” or about 6,000 doses, said Kern County Public Health Director Brynn Carrigan during a media call on Friday. Mariposa County is also waiting for a week’s supply, about 500 doses, while