KQED's Forum

Conservationists are alarmed at a huge drop in the number of western monarch butterflies that spend the winter in California. Scientists think pesticides, habitat loss, and fewer native plants -- like milkweed where the monarch lays eggs -- are causing the more than 95 percent decline since the 1980’s. We’ll hear why this colorful butterfly is crucial to our ecosystem, and what can be done to help bring up the population.

The federal government has been partially closed for nearly a month now, as President Trump continues to insist on funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. For some 800,000 federal employees, that's meant weeks of being furloughed or working without pay. In this segment, we'll hear from government workers in the Bay Area about how the shutdown is affecting their lives and the local economies. If you or your business are being affected by the government shutdown, please tell us how.

After the Camp Fire devastated the town of Paradise, many evacuees sought shelter in the nearby city of Chico. As traffic accidents spike and classrooms overflow, we'll examine how Chico is coping with more than 20,000 additional residents. We'll also get the latest on where 657 evacuees will go as the Red Cross shelter at the Chico fairgrounds closes at the end of the month.

Some Oakland teachers will take to the streets instead of their classrooms on Friday for a "sick out" rally to call for higher wages and smaller class sizes. The Oakland Unified School District's teachers have been without a contract for 18 months. The sick out, which is not sanctioned by the local union, comes in the midst of a strike by teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest public school district in the nation.

In their new book, "Undo It!," Dean and Anne Ornish outline lifestyle changes that they say can help prevent, and even reverse, the effects of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and depression. Dr. Dean Ornish joins us in studio to share what he sees as the components of a healthy diet, explain why meaningful relationships matter and discuss how going vegan can turn the tide on heart disease.

In his proposed budget, Governor Newsom allocated $2 billion for housing initiatives. But perhaps the bigger housing news is money that Newsom has threatened not to distribute. Specifically, the governor says that he will withhold transportation funding from regions that fail to meet new housing goals. Supporters of the idea like the additional incentive for communities to build. But critics say that homebuilding is complex, ruled by market forces and that cities shouldn't be punished for forces outside their control.

President Trump's Attorney General nominee, William Barr, answered a second round of questions from senators at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday. The former attorney general under President George W. Bush told lawmakers that he will allow special counsel Robert Mueller to complete his investigation into Russian election interference despite any possible pressure from the President. Barr also said that he supports Trump's call for funding a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Forum recaps the hearing and discusses Barr's record in law and government.

Peter Sagal, the host of NPR's "Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me!" has been running for most of his life. His new memoir, "The Incomplete Book of Running," reflects on how that simple exercise, of which 60 million Americans participated in during 2017, has brought him solace throughout his life. Sagal joins Forum to discuss what it's like making fun of the news for a living and what he's learned after 14 marathons and innumerable miles logged.

The 40-year-old East Bay Express laid off six employees Friday, including most of its editorial staff. The weekly newspaper, which has been struggling financially for the last several years, will now rely on freelancers for content. The newspaper has won national recognition for its local watchdog journalism, including its 2016 expose of a sex abuse scandal in the Oakland Police Department. We'll discuss the future of the East Bay Express, and what the lay-offs say about the future of local journalism in the Bay Area and nationwide.

Whether you are a customer, an employee or a fire victim, you likely have a question following Pacific Gas & Electric's announcement on Monday that it will file for bankruptcy by month's end. In this segment we'll discuss the latest news about the San Francisco-based energy company and how it might navigate bankruptcy, including a market share drop of 52 percent on Monday.

Whether you travel alone, or en famille, most of us dream of taking a break from our day to day lives. Last week, The New York Times released their "52 Places to Go in 2019." As the lucky traveler picked to visit all 52 places prepares to embark on his journey, we turn to you: What destinations will you be visiting this year? What getaways would you recommend to others?

San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said today it plans to file for bankruptcy. This comes as the company faces tens of billions of dollars in liabilities for its possible role in starting California wildfires.  Yesterday PG&E announced that its chief executive Geisha Williams will step down. We'll talk about what bankruptcy might mean for customers and employees as well as the thousands of people still displaced by the fires.

Did President Trump work secretly on behalf of Russia? That’s the question the FBI was seeking to answer when it reportedly opened an inquiry back in 2017.  The president denies it, but there are many unanswered questions. We’ll take them up, and talk about the ongoing government shutdown with NPR’s Domenico Montanaro. 

On Sept. 11, the small town of Gander, Newfoundland became host to 7,000 international travelers whose flights were grounded following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The Tony-nominated musical 'Come From Away,' which opened in San Francisco this week, tells the stories of the stranded passengers and the kindnesses, small and large, extended to them by Gander's residents. Forum talks with the show co-creator, one of its performers, and a passenger who spent five days in the town.

Governor Newsom unveiled his first budget proposal on Thursday, which included increased expenditures in education, health care and wildfire safety. The $144 billion general fund budget--4 percent larger than the previous one--includes details on the Governor's plan to make prescription drugs more affordable and to expand state-funded health care to undocumented residents. We'll get the budget lowdown from KQED reporters Katie Orr and April Dembosky.