Capitol correspondent for the San Jose Mercury News
Jessica Calefati on KCRW
More from KCRW
Shoppers mourn 99 Cents Only as stores wind down operations
Business & EconomyBeloved 99 Cents Only stores are closing permanently, so customers are grabbing their final bargains.
Lawmakers are leaving Congress in droves. Why?
PoliticsShould a rise in Congressional retirements set off alarm bells? Are Democrats off base with their current platform? How will a new law impact campus free speech?
Free speech v. privacy: Limiting protests near homes in OC
Orange CountyThe cities of Irvine and Santa Ana failed to pass an ordinance that would have required protestors to stand at least 300 feet from private residences.
‘Problemista’: Funny, surrealist look at US immigration system
NewsIn “Problemista,” a Salvadoran immigrant longs to become a toy designer when he arrives in New York. The challenges of getting a U.S. work visa threaten his dreams.
Sonoran white wheat is a stealthy whole grain
NewsSonoran white wheat is core to making flour tortillas. It has resurged in the past decade thanks to its versatility in baked goods, sweet flavor, and white color.
LA nonprofit puts banned LGBTQ books in school libraries
NewsThe group Open Books is giving what it calls “LGBTQ+ affirming literature” to public schools, including every elementary campus in the LAUSD.
‘Fellowship of frugality’: 99 Cents Only stores to shut down
NewsAll 371 locations of 99 Cents Only stores will close permanently, which means a big loss for those who rely on a low-income brick-and-mortar retailer in their neighborhood.
Trump takes no stakes-stance on abortion
PoliticsIs there anything about Trump’s abortion position for Joe Biden to capitalize on? Will Biden’s change of tune on Israel win him more supporters?
What it was like photographing the 1970s LA rock and roll scene
NewsThe world of 1970s Laurel Canyon is on full display in Ginny Winn’s book, “Grievous Angels, Trout Masks, and American Beauties: 1970s Rock & Roll Photography of Ginny Winn.”