Recount in Controller's Race Takes State Into Uncharted Territory
Summer is usually a quiet time for local election officials. But that's not the case this year in a few California counties where votes will soon be recounted in the statewide controller's race. Fresno's Republican Mayor Ashley Swearingen easily came in first. But out of 4 million ballots cast, just 481 votes separate number-two finisher Betty Yee from fellow Democrat John Perez, who came in third. Perez is demanding a recount in 15 counties. We talk with Sacramento Bureau Chief Scott Detrow about the details.
Parents of Unaccompanied Children Pin Hopes on a False Rumor
As unaccompanied children arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border from Central America, many seek to reunite with family in Southern California. They -- and immigrant advocates -- point to escalating violence and poverty in their home countries as the main thing driving them north. But there's also been a fair amount of miscommunication about U.S. policies.
As Water Prices Soar, Some Profit From State's Drought
The drought is putting a lot of California's farmers in crisis this year. But for those who have water, it can be a windfall. Prices for water are soaring, and some growers are pumping out their groundwater and selling it. Some call it "groundwater mining" -- and fights are breaking out over concerns that it might threaten California's already stressed aquifers.
Creating Patrons of the Arts Through Crowdfunding
Artists who publish their work on the Internet might hit it big and find thousands, even millions of fans there. But in a world where online content has become virtually free, all those supporters might not produce a penny for the artist. We find out how a new San Francisco company is helping creative people turn all that art lovers' affection into cash.
California Songs: The Goodtime Washboard 3's 'Oakland'
Tony Bennett and Jeanette MacDonald made sure San Francisco was enshrined in popular music. But Oakland has always struggled a bit in the shadow of its shinier, richer neighbor across the Bay. Forty years ago, Bay Area DJ Jim Lange challenged listeners to give Oakland a song that paid tribute to its beauty and quirk. The winning entry, by The Goodtime Washboard 3, became an uplifting, unofficial anthem that some locals still cherish. We talk with the group's washtub bass player Bruce Bratton about their song, "Oakland."