KQED's The California Report

Rain Shortage Brings Sooty Air and Health Problems. Contra Costa County Managing Realignment with Split Sentencing. End Music.

Deep in the foothills of California's Gold Country, there is a peaceful home for animals that may seem a little out of place. Located in San Andreas, the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) cares for elephants, big cats, bears and other wildlife with a history of performing for humans. We stop by the 2,300-acre Calaveras County sanctuary, started by animal welfare advocates Ed Stewart and his late partner, Pat Derby, who used to work with animals in Hollywood.

Brown's Budget Proposes Big Spending, But Takes Fiscally Cautious Approach. Brown's Budget Pumps Billions into K-12 Schools. Medi-Cal Payment Cuts Could Threaten Access to Care for Low Income Patients. Senator Roderick Wright Ineligible to Run?. End Music.

Budget Leak Beats Brown to the Punch. Anaheim to Put District Voting Measure on the Ballot. Program Looks to Bring Play Back to the Classroom. End Music.

With Surplus in Hand, Senate Democrats Look to Expand Transitional Kindergarten. Opponents of Fracking Speak Out at Public Hearings. Sheriff Lee Baca Announces Retirement Amid Federal Investigation. Fashionable Electronics or 'Popcorn Products?': Wearable Technology at CES. End Music.

Rep. Pelosi Joins Fight to Save CCSF as Enrollment Continues to Drop. Is There a Glass Ceiling for California's Latino Students?. End Music.

New State Laws to Protect Undocumented Immigrants. Citrus Growers Assess Damage of Cold Snap. Controlling Anger and Violence in Romantic Relationships. End Music.

We take a look ahead to the New Year with our bureau chiefs: chewing over 2014 election prospects, hot Congressional races and what might happen if we don't get some rain. Also, as Obamacare is implemented, how are family planning clinics taking an unexpected hit?

Health Kiosks Come with Privacy Issues. End Music.

New State Firearm Restrictions Set to Begin. Muy Peque?o el Mundo es: Disney Markets Resort to Latino Visitors. End Music.

Vast Shortage of Black and Hispanics in Physician Workforce. Family Values: Immigrant Households More Likely to Include Grandparents. End Music.

Facing Facts and Finding Hope After Moving to a Nursing Home. Forget the Lakers, Here Come the Triqui. End Music.

California has long been a place where people hit the road on adventures. One man has spent 10 years traveling on foot — with three mules. Sixty-five year old John Sears is on a mission: he's protesting the loss open spaces by living outdoors with his mules. KQED's Shuka Kalantari caught up with the man nicknamed "Mule" in Salinas to learn where he's going next, and why.

Benefits Set to Expire for Unemployed Californians. Closure of Migrant Camps Forces Seasonal Workers to Make Tough Choice. End Music.

Reviewing the Year's Cookbooks with Evan Kleiman. Student Video Presents Fresh Image of Fresno. End Music.