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Best-selling crime author Michael Connelly discusses what intrigues him about the LA River.

Part One of Producer Angela Shelley’s video diary - Big Sadness in the Big Easy. We ride along with Angela as she explores devastated New Orleans neighborhoods, including the Ninth Ward and Lakeview.

Part Two of Producer Angela Shelley’s video diary - Big Hope in the Big Easy. We meet Angela’s family who describe their lives one year after Hurricane Katrina.

A look at the rollercoaster ride of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s amazing comeback.

Treasurer Phil Angelides talks about his campaign for governor and his conviction that he is the right choice for California.

In this extended interview, Phil Angelides discusses his platform, why he decided to run for governor and his take on the Schwarzenegger administration.

Proposition 87 would tax oil companies to raise money for alternative energy research. More than $130 million has been raised by the forces for and against Prop 87, making it the most expensive initiative campaign in the nation’s history.

Proposition 86 on California’s November 2006 ballot would triple the current cigarette tax - adding $2.60 more per pack - making California’s cigarette tax the highest tax on smoking in the country.

Correspondent Craig Miller paid a visit to San Benito County which has mirrored statewide voting results for the past eight years. Do the voters in this county have the inside scoop on the outcome of this November’s election?

Show Producer Carlos Aragon goes behind the scenes with Autumn Doerr and Heather Tahl - from the California Connected road trip crew - to discuss road tripping with Lisa McRee and the alchemy of the field.

California’s real estate market is now leveling off or even dropping after years of growth. Buyers may be left with homes they can’t afford. Homebuilders, contractors, and many others also depend on a strong real estate market. The weakening real estate market may even have the potential to push the whole economy south.

Families are moving out of the cities and suburbs into ranch-style homes in the Central Valley. Critics say the trend is consuming our state’s irreplaceable farmlands. Others say it is helping farmers financially. In any case, it is creating a battle ground between the newcomers and the farmers.

California Connected visits the Santa Barbara Zoo.

Commercial fishing took a massive blow this year with the virtual shutdown of salmon fishing along 700 miles of the West Coast. The Governors of California, Oregon and Washington have united in asking the Federal Government for aid for the fishermen.

Producer Lisa Daftari and California Connected Story Editor Randa Cardwell discuss “A Question of Justice,” a profile of 4 Iranian brothers who spent 3 years in detention, suspected but never charged with being terrorists. This story was produced in partership with the USC Annenberg School of Journalism.

Find out California’s biggest catches and other fish facts.

In 2005, California Connected visited the port and their neighbors to report on the causes, the effects and some of the possible solutions to the air pollution problem. Correspondent Bob Jimenez returns to the port to find out what has changed.

With its windy coastline and dense fog atmosphere, Half Moon Bay is the perfect environment for pumpkins. That’s why 300,000 people flock to its pumpkin patches along Highway 1 every October.

Go behind the scenes with Producer Angela Shelley, Associate Producer Anne Lilburn and Editor Michael Bloecher as they discuss the making of “The Lunch Lady,” California Connected’s story on Ann Cooper, a lunch lady who’s leading a revolution against typical school food.

Whole wheat pizza, organic foods, and salad bars don’t sound like typical school lunch options, but that’s what’s being served in one Bay Area school district.

Students at Balboa High School talk about the popular new “Grab ‘N Go” breakfast program.

With more children today over weight and less inclined to exercise, experts believe it’s not all about food. We sit with child obesity expert, Dr. Francine Kaufman, to discuss the future of children’s health.

Youth sports in California are hurting. Umpires and referees are in short supply, resulting in postponed and cancelled games, abbreviated seasons and the loss of some sports altogether. What does the future hold for youth sports if there aren’t enough people to officiate?

We visit U.C. Berkeley’s Sather Tower, also known as The Campanile.

Radio Producer Carol Gray and Associate Producer Matthew Chin discuss the ups and downs of producing California Connected’s radio segments

If fewer and fewer emergency rooms are open to incoming patients, what kind of care can you expect when you call 911?

Mayor Newsom talks about his plan, as well as the failure of imagination that has left so many Americans without health care in this first person account.

Back in 1993, an enormous wildfire roared through the canyon, destroying hundreds of homes and killing three people. When the smoke cleared, a small, concerned group of Topanga residents decided to organize a disaster response network.

Executive Producer Bret Marcus, Producer Coll Metcalfe, and Story Editor Randa Cardwell discuss “The Predator Next Door,” a story on the emotionally and politically charged issue of how to manage sex offenders.

On November 7th, California voters will be asked to weigh in on the emotionally and politically charged issue of how to manage sex offenders.

People think the organ transplant system is there for us all. But as waiting lists grow, some patients realize they need to be active in finding their organs…from a live donor, from the internet, even from China. However, many worry about the ethical implications.

Associate Producer Matthew Chin and Clearance Supervisor Patty Newton discuss the ups and downs of acquiring footage for the show.

Among the thousands who cross the U.S. border illegally are children sent alone to reunite with their families. Tijuana’s Help Center for Deported Minors is a safe-house for children caught sneaking into the United States without their parents.

Children’s Beach in La Jolla was donated by California philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps. This small sandy beach is protected by a sea wall making it a perfect spot for beachgoers. Since the 1990s, harbor seals have turned Children’s Beach into a breeding colony, setting off fierce legal battles over whether people or seals have rights to the beach.

This amendment to the state Constitution would place tighter rules on eminent domain property takeovers. It would also require government to pay property owners for new rules or laws that result in substantial economic losses to that property, such as limitations on development. Current rules require the governments to pay if their actions result in a complete loss of all beneficial uses of that property. The costs to the state are unknown, but it could be significant. Learn more

This measure would make sweeping changes to political campaigns in the state. First, it would pave the way for candidates for state-level offices to receive public financing for their election campaigns, if they qualified. And to pay for the measure, taxes on corporations would be raised from 8.84 percent to 9.04 percent and taxes on financial institutions would be raised from 10.84 percent to 11.04 percent. This would bring in an estimated $200 million per year. Second, the measure places caps on donations from individuals, groups, corporations, political parties. These caps would apply to both candidates and ballot measures. Learn more

This proposition proposes a $50 per parcel of property tax that would go to K-12 public school funding. It is estimated to bring in $450 million per year. Learn more

This proposition would tax oil production to bring in an estimated $4 billion that would then be directed toward alternative energy programs. California already received about $14 million each year from oil production taxes. Learn more

This proposition would add $2.60 in excise taxes to each pack of cigarettes purchased in the state of California. Monies would fund hospital emergency services, health insurance for children and new and existing health education activities. There already is combination of taxes that total 87 cents per pack. It is estimated to bring in $2.1 billon per year. Learn more

This proposition would amend the state constitution to require that, with certain exceptions, parents or legal guardians of a pregnant minor must be notified at least 48 hours in advance before a physician performs an abortion on that minor. Currently minors can get abortions without parental notification. This measure does not require parental approval, only that they be notified. Exceptions would include medical emergencies, or parental waivers or a court-approved waiver. Learn more

This bond measure would provide $5.4 billion to address a myriad of natural resource issues including: better water quality; protecting rivers and lakes; flood control projects; energy conservation; protectingthe coast; acquiring and developing state parks, conserving wild habitats and water planning. It is estimated to cost the state 10.5 billion over 30 years. Learn more

Also known as Jessica’s Law proposes sweeping changes to state policies on sex offenders. It will introduce stronger sentences and longer parole periods. Registered sex offenders will be required to wear a GPS trackingdevice for life. They will be banned from living within 2000 feet of a school or park (which means large parts of Los Angeles or San Francisco). There are about 90,000 registered sex offenders in California. The precise cost is unknown, but the estimates suggest several hundred million dollars. Learn more

This bond measure would provide $4.09 billion for flood control projects. Specifically, the Central Valley Flood Control System and Delta levees would receive $3 billion to repair and improve levees, another $800 million would go to projects outside the Central Valley, and $290 billion for protecting flood corridors and improved flood hazard maps. It is estimated to cost about $8 billion over 30 years. Learn more

This bond measure would provide $10.4 billion for modernization and new projects for schools from kindergarten to the university level. It would benefit K-12 public schools with $7.3 billion and another $3 billion for community colleges, the California State University and the University of California. The cost to the state is estimated to be $20.3 billion over 30 years. Learn more

This bond measure would provide in $2.85 billion to fund 13 new and existing housing and development programs. These programs include: development projects like parks and sewer systems in urban areas; homeownership programs for low- and moderate income homebuyers; help fund constructions of multi-family housing developments and other housing projects. The cost to the state is estimated to be $6.1 billion over 30 years. Learn more

This bond measure would provide in $20 billion to spend on highway and roads; local transportation and rail; improving goods transportation and security. Paying back the bonds, with interest, would cost an estimate $38.9 billion over 30 years. Learn more

There are two taxes on gasoline, a 18 cents per gallon excise tax, or “gas tax” and a 6% sales tax. Proposition 42, which voters approved in 2002, dedicated most sales tax money to specifically fund transportation projects, however twice since its passage, the state has instead used the money because of its bad fiscal condition. This proposition will mean that any suspension must be paid back, like loans instead of grants. It will also limit suspensions to only two times in any 10-year period. This measure makes it tougher for the state to bail itself out of difficult fiscal situations by diverting gasoline sales tax monies. Learn more

Agriculture is one of California’s biggest and most successful industries. We are the top state for dairy production; the sole producer of a dozen crops; and the national leader in agricultural exports. However, California agriculture faces challenges like population growth, changing climate and politics.

In Mexican communities like Rosarito Beach, American baby boomers are fueling a massive real estate boom but it also comes with a big burden. Can Baja communities keep up with the growing demands these developments place on their infrastructure and municipal services?

During the summer, the Central Valley’s Portuguese community stages regular bullfights in the tradition of their homeland. For the past 30 years, thousands have attended these evening events, where the only concession to American culture and laws is that the bull is spared harm. The animal is covered in Velcro and the matador’s lances simply stick to the material.

Producer Rick Wilkinson, Associate Producer Anne Lilburn and Assistant Researcher Jessica Garcia discuss the making of “Baja Boom”, California Connected’s story on the developing trend of Americans moving across the border into Mexico.

Most costly: 1997 - $5 billion in damage. 48 out of 58 counties delcared disaster area. Most deadly: 1955 - 74 deaths statewide.

Spanning 1,200 acres in San Diego, Balboa Park was home to the 1915 World’s Fair. In 2005, 12 million visitors enjoyed its 15 major museums, 8 botanical gardens, the world famous San Diego Zoo, the Old Globe Theater, the Cabrillo Bridge, and the Spanish Revival Masterpiece - Casa del Prado.

California’s primitive levee system has experts worried that a disaster on a similar scale to New Orleans could happen here.

Producer Joseph Angier and Associate Producer Matthew Chin discuss the making of “Rising River, Rising Risk”, a story on California’s potentially disastrous levee system.

California Connected talks to national security expert Amy Zegart, UCLA associate professor of public affairs at UCLA’s school of public policy. Her analysis: It’s tough as there are still many areas in which the intelligence community must do a better job.

USC Annenberg School of Journalism students profile 4 Iranian brothers who spent 3 years in detention, suspected but never charged with being terrorists. The story raises the question, in a post-9/11 world, has our government gone too far?

Located on the banks of the Sacramento River, Old Town began as a trading post and flourished during the Gold Rush. After several devastating floods in the mid-1800s, the streets of Old Town were raised above the flood line. Today, Old Town Sacramento is a national landmark and attracts over 5 million visitors a year to its cobblestone streets, waterfront restaurants and Western Heritage museums.

How does Yosemite preserve its natural splendor while maintaining millions of visitors every year?

Death Valley National Park has one of the darkest skies in the United States — for now.

A giant on-going rockslide has cut off the tiny town of Mariposa from its economic lifeblood - Yosemite National Park. Will it survive or become another ghost town?

Correspondent Judy Muller catches more than just fish when she takes us fly fishing at Yosemite National Park.

California Connected visits a five stamp mill in Mariposa.

Producer Rick Wilkinson and Associate Producer Matthew Chin discuss the making of Views of Yosemite, a story on the park’s mission to preserve its natural splendor while maintaining millions of visitors every year.

Video games are one of today’s most popular forms of entertainment. But what is less obvious is their increasing importance in other areas of society.

Six of the top ten stolen car hotspots are in California. California Connected goes on the spot to investigate what’s behind these high theft rates. We look at the role that the hotrod culture, and also methamphetamine, plays in the crimes.

We talk again with Commander Pennal about what’s changed on the frontlines of the war against California’s meth epidemic in this first person account.

San Bernardino and Maywood find themselves on opposite sides of the heated immigration debate. Earlier this year, Maywood became the first municipality in the state to declare itself a “sanctuary city” for illegal immigrants, while San Bernardino recently considered a tough measure that would ban the undocumented from renting property and punish those who hire them.

Graffiti Summer is Modesto’s month-long classic car and oldies summer festival. Hot rodders and low-riders cruise the city streets and end up at the A&W drive-in where car hops deliver food right to the car window.

Go behind the scenes with USC Annenberg School of Journalism graduate students Laura Cavanaugh, Leo Juarez and Dave Eisenberg as they discuss the making of Tale of Two Cities, a story about two California communities on opposite sides of the immigration debate.

Producer Joseph Angier and Associate Producer Matthew Chin discuss the making of “Wild Profits,” California Connected’s story on illegal animal poaching.

Animal poaching – the illegal taking of wildlife – is an estimated $100 million business in California. The most sought-after animals? Abalone and caviar-producing sturgeon. We follow California’s Department of Fish and Game on a statewide take-down of suspected poachers.

Can you save all the endangered animals all of the time? John Ridley takes a look at what happens when humans meddle with natural selection.

Central Casting has been the Ellis Island for new hopefuls entering the film industry for as long as there’s been a film industry. We meet some aspiring actors in Hollywood as they register for their first day of “extra” work.

Devil’s Slide is the crumbling mountainside along a 250 foot stretch of Highway 1 in San Mateo County.

Producer Coll Metcalfe, Associate Producer Anne Lilburn, and New Media Producer Marc Phu discuss the story behind You’ve Got Mail. You’ve Got Mail looks at some cities and counties offering citizens free wireless internet access.

As organics go mainstream there is a debate raging among organic farmers as to what it really means to be organic.

The surfing community was rocked when virtually the only supplier of polyurethane blanks, used to manufacture surfboards, closed his business. Californians are stepping up to fill the void with new technologies and ideas that may revolutionize the industry — but only if surfers buy in.

We sat down with Dr. John Swartzberg, head of the Wellness Letter Editorial Board, to find whether or not our bodies care if we eat organic.

We sat down with Dr. John Swartzberg, head of the Wellness Letter Editorial Board, to find whether or not our bodies care if we eat organic.

Go behind the scenes with Producer Mimi Kent and Story Editor Randa Cardwell as they discuss the making of California Connected’s “First Person” interviews.

The Marine Mammal Center is a nonprofit hospital dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and study of ill and injured marine animals.

Since we left Ward 7-D, there has been progress to report.

A powerful water battle is brewing in the tiny town of McCloud. Nestle wants to open a bottled water plant there but the company’s plan is getting a mixed reception from local residents. At issue - will the plant stimulate the economy or drain the natural resources?

According to a recent study, that water bottle costs about 2000 times more than what comes out of the faucet and, often times, isn’t any better for you. John Ridley comments on Americans’ $9 billion dollars-a-year obsession with plastic encased H2O in this Sideways.

In a community where overnight street parking is illegal, a unique Santa Barbara program helps people living in their cars find places to spend the night. In this extended scene from “Half-Homeless,” we follow the daily lives of Frank and Gary.

In a community where overnight street parking is illegal, a unique Santa Barbara program helps people living in their cars find places to spend the night.

AT&T Park has been home to baseball’s San Francisco’s Giants since 2000. Located on the San Francisco waterfront, this open-air stadium seats 41,000 people. It’s most famous attraction is McCovey Cove, beyond right field, where fans float in boats and kayaks waiting for the next “spash hit” homerun.

Producer Jonathan Dann, Associate Producer Anne Lilburn, and Editor Michael Bloecher discuss working behind-the-scenes of War Stories from Ward 7-D.

At the Polytrauma Unit of the VA medical center in Palo Alto, we follow four soldiers with Traumatic Brain Injury who are working to rehabilitate their bodies and their minds.

Big companies like Google and Earthlink see gold in that plan and are partnering with the city of San Francisco to build a network to connect the city. A poor, rural southeastern Indian reservation in San Diego County is providing wireless Internet access to reservations across a 250 square mile network via transmitters mounted on mountaintops.

We sit down with Sun Microsystems Chief Technology Officer Greg Papadopoulos to find out why open source is the business model of the future.

We continue our discussion of ‘open source’ with Sun Microsystems Chief Technology Officer Greg Papadopoulos.

California Connected presents a group of gifted people who got rich by just being plain smart.

Meet Maria, “the mom”, and Vanessa, “the daughter”, who’ve managed to survive sharing a home and a single computer to graduate together from one of California’s top universities.

Built in 1963, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway ascends 2.5 miles from the floor of the Coachella Valley to the peak of Mt. San Jacinto in less than 10 minutes.

Voter resources for the 2006 California primary election.

How safe are electronic voting machines?

The New River is called North America’s most polluted river. It flows from Mexicali, Mexico all the way up to California’s Salton Sea.

Proposition 82 proposes free pre-school for every 4 year old in California.

Political analyst David Lesher, from the New America Foundation, tells us how the increase of Independent voters is shaping the political landscape.

In the small Northern California community of Isleton, citizens keep a very close eye on their elected officials.

Our producers discuss the story behind the story of “Troubled Waters.”

Preschool Education. Tax on Incomes Over $400,000 for Individuals; $800,000 for Couples. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.

California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2006.

How well do you know your California election history?

Within the Mecca Hills of Riverside County lies the Painted Canyon.

Some cancer patients face paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for drugs that may save their lives.

Executive Producer Bret Marcus joins Associate Producer Anne Lilburn to discuss “Costly Cures.”

Assemblyman Keith Richman discusses the challenge of healthcare reform in California.

We continue our discussion with Assemblyman Keith Richman on the rising costs of healthcare, the increasing numbers of uninsured, support for low income subsidizing, and other issues concerning healthcare in California.

Facts on pharmceutical profits and national health care costs.

We visit San Pasqual Academy, an intergenerational living program for seniors and foster teens.

Producer Angela Shelley shares her behind-the-scenes experience producing “Family Matters.”

Myles, Cherie, and Patricia share their poems in an extended scene from “Family Matters.”

In Oceanside, Spanky’s Pizza has been feeding the marines of nearby Camp Pendelton for almost 40 years.

Associate Producer Matthew Chin joins Web Producer Christine da Fonte to discuss Board to Run, a story about a group of Oakland skaters that transform a freeway underpass into a skate park.

Senior Producer Justine Schmidt joins Story Editor Randa Cardwell and Associate Producer Matthew Chin to discuss Priced Out.

In the coastal community of Santa Barbara, the median home cost - more than $1.2 million - has forced local police, fire fighters and nurses further and further inland for affordable middle class housing. What happens when first-responders live outside the community they are protecting?

We sit down with Kai Ryssdal, host of public radio’s “Marketplace,” to find out his down-to-earth reasons why not to overinvest in your home.

The inventiveness and persistence from one group of Oakland skaters to transform a freeway underpass into a skate park has inspired neighborhood activists across San Francisco Bay. What can embracing skateboarders do for your town?

Californians have embraced many of these activities as their own, but which alternative sports are native to the state?

John Ridley comments on the new and distracting gadgets being added to our cars.

Built in 1872, Stearns Wharf is the oldest working wharf in California. It has survived devastating earthquakes and fires to become one of Santa Barbara’s most visited land marks.

Executive Producer Bret Marcus joins Producer Coll Metcalfe, and Associate Producer Anne Lilburn to discuss Deadly Pursuit and Cut to the Chase, two segments examining the California car chase.

Executive Producer Bret Marcus joins Producer Coll Metcalfe, and Associate Producer Matthew Chin to discuss 24 Hours on Skid Row.

In 2005, California logged more than 7,700 police pursuits in which 16 people died and 1,351 were injured. Though legislators last year passed a law that may or may not curb the number of pursuits, this explosive debate is far from over.

Lisa McRee tries out the PIT (Pursuit Intervention Technique) maneuver at the LAPD’s training center.

Los Angeles is the car-chase capital of the world. More pursuits happen here than anywhere else on the planet. So what is it about Los Angelinos that leads them to run? And why do Los Angelinos love to watch?

Firefighters call it the “Big Screen”: the front door to Los Angeles Fire Station #9, through which firemen have watched a human tragedy unfold for years. Station #9 sits in the middle of the country’s gravest homeless problem—Los Angeles’ skid row.

We spoke with Angela Alioto, who was appointed by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom to write the 10-year plan to take 3,000 chronic homeless people off the street.

In 1929, the Paseo del Mar neighborhood of San Pedro began slipping into the ocean. The land movement continued through the early 1960’s. The only remnants of what was once an exclusive sea-side neighborhood are slabs of street and house foundations, now known as the “Sunken City.”

Judy Muller interviews KROQ’s Kevin & Bean - live on their morning radio show - to find out why Southern Californians are so fascinated with the car chase.

Executive Producer Bret Marcus joins Producer Joseph Angier, Story Editor Randa Cardwell, and Reseacher Jessica Garcia to discuss Undocumented Life.

Executive Producer Bret Marcus joins Producer Joseph Angier and Associate Producer Matthew Chin to discuss Who’s Minding Our Ports?

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach together comprise the busiest port complex in the United States. Just a single attack on this port complex could send our economy into a tailspin.

What is it actually like to live in America as an undocumented immigrant? Meet three immigrants who share their experiences “getting by” on the fringes of California society.

We sit down with Chris Bertelli, deputy director of the California Office of Homeland Security, for a “reality check” on California’s state security challenges.

Since 2001, the federal government has more than tripled spending on non-military, homeland security. How quickly is that money being spent?

The California population now stands at around 37 million. How many are Latino?

More than 100 murals grace the Boyle Heights neighborhood. The most famous are the murals of the Estrada Courts, between 3200 and 3300 Olympic Blvd.

Aaron Robinson, technical editor at Car & Driver Magazine, discusses the U.S. fuel economy.

Katherine Perez is the Executive Director of the Transportation & Land Use Collaborative of Southern California. She discusses the connection between land use and transportation, as well as the state’s alternative growth choices.

Anthony Pico, chairman of the Viejas Band of the Kumeyaay Indians in San Diego county, discusses the significance, past and future, of Indian Gaming.

Prof. Amir Hussain discusses the most religiously diverse place in the history of the world: Southern California circa the present day.

Jeanne Woodford, the new undersecretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, reflects on the changes she’s seen over the last 30 years and what we can expect from the state’s newly reorganized prison system.

Peter Lehman of Humboldt State University discusses the history and future of renewable energy research and development in California.

Professor Shankar Sastry discusses the need and efforts to secure America’s data networks from acts of sabotague and terrorism as well as criminal exploitation.

Los Angeles Times reporter Duke Helfand takes a closer look at the state’s controversial dropout rate by following the diverging paths of 15 high school students from Birmingham High School.

The Hoover Institution’s Eric Hanushek argues that smaller classrooms are not nearly as effective as excellent — and better-paid — teachers, while noting that Sacramento has too much power over local schools.

Dr. Dana Goldman looks ahead to a time when a pill can add 15 years to your life and billions annually to the state’s health care expenditures.

Tom Cahill, professor emeritus of physics and atmospheric sciences at UC Davis, discusses the past, present and future of California’s air quality.