KVCR Latest Headlines

Brown Has Veto Option on New State Budget

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:30:00 -0700

The California legislature finished up its work on the state budget over the weekend - but spending levels aren't set in stone yet. Governor Jerry Brown has until the middle of next week to sign the budget and issue any line-item vetoes.

Obama Begins European Trip With G-8 Summit In Ireland

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:21:00 -0700

President Obama is in Northern Ireland Monday — the first stop on a three-day European visit that includes a G-8 summit meeting and a side trip to Berlin.

The president begins his tour with a speech in Belfast, celebrating Northern Ireland's peace process and urging young people in the country to keep it moving forward.

Visa Exchange Program Draws Scrutiny Under Immigration Bill

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:13:00 -0700

Landing a job at a summer camp or at an amusement park is a rite of passage for many young Americans. Those jobs also appeal to foreigners participating in a cultural exchange using J-1 visas. But with U.S. youth unemployment at 25 percent, Congress is now taking a close look at the J-1 visa exchange program.

My Father, The Pilot

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 09:51:00 -0700

My dad was a mild-mannered guy. Never bragged. Hated sports. Mom won the arguments. He was an avocado farmer near Santa Barbara, but being Dad was his No. 1 job.

He read me bedtime stories, never missed a piano recital or a family dinner. And he played it safe: Dad's idea of adventure was driving his Ford Taurus to town without the wiper fluid filled to the top.

How Rock 'N' Roll Can Explain The U.S. Economy

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 07:55:00 -0700

White House economic adviser Alan Krueger took some ribbing from his boss this week. President Obama noted that Krueger will soon be leaving Washington to go back to his old job, teaching economics at Princeton.

The Case For Surveillance: Keeping Up With Terrorist Tactics

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 07:46:00 -0700

Since public revelations that the National Security Agency is collecting telephone records and reviewing Internet communications in the U.S. and abroad, officials have been making the case that the programs are vital. They argue that the tactics match the new ways terrorists are planning and communicating.

Ignoring Racist Tweets, 11-Year-Old Nails National Anthem... Again

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 05:00:00 -0700

Something pretty magical happened at last night's NBA finals: Sebastien de la Cruz, the 11-year-old who sang the national anthem on Tuesday, was back on Thursday to prove his critics wrong.

Following his first performance, de la Cruz was barraged on Twitter with racist remarks, questioning why a young, Latino boy in a charro outfit should be singing the Star Spangled Banner. (We won't repeat any of the slurs, but The Daily Dot has a collection.)

Bad News, Men: You're Not Very Charming

Tue, 28 May 2013 15:37:00 -0700

I hate to break this to you, Men Of The Entire United States (Especially Actors), but The Atlantic has just run a lengthy piece pronouncing you un-charming.

At first, Benjamin Schwarz seems to mean "good conversationalist" when he says "charming." He says:

Women commonly complain about the difficulty in gaining any conversational purchase when, say, trying to engage the fathers of their children's classmates or the husbands of their tennis partners.

Little Dog Does A Big Job In Oregon

Tue, 28 May 2013 15:32:00 -0700

He can't see, and he's not very big — but as dogs go, Xander the pug is having a big impact on his community in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The blind pup has even made the front page of the local paper, for bringing empathy and happiness to people for whom such things are in short supply.

Forgotten For Decades, WWII Alaskans Finally Get Their Due

Tue, 28 May 2013 15:29:00 -0700

Alaskan Clyde Iyatunguk grew up hearing stories about the U.S. Army colonel, Marvin 'Muktuk' Marston, who helped his father trade his spear for a rifle, to protect his homeland during World War II.

Marston is a household name with Native Alaskans. The nickname comes from an Eskimo eating contest — muktuk is whale skin and blubber, eaten raw.

Summer-Like Conditions Are Fueling California Wildfire

Tue, 28 May 2013 08:51:00 -0700

As they battle the White Fire north of Santa Barbara that in less than day has covered more than 1,000 acres, firefighters are contending with strong winds, low humidity, high temperatures and other dangerous conditions "like they'd normally see in August and September," our colleagues at Southern California Public Radio report.

In Damascus, A View Of Syria's War Turned Inside Out

Tue, 28 May 2013 08:39:00 -0700

The Ummayyid Mosque in Damascus has been a mosque for around 1,400 years. It sits in the center of a city where many people are struggling to live normal lives amid war.

Steve Inskeep/NPR Many years ago, the president of Syria, Hafez al-Assad, approved the construction of a new presidential residence on a mountainside above Damascus.

Obama To Limit Drone Strikes, Renew Effort To Close Guantanamo

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:08:00 -0700

President Obama on Thursday unveiled a major pivot in White House counterterrorism policy, calling for a limiting of CIA drones strikes and for a renewed effort to close the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Speaking at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., the president said the death of Osama bin Laden and most of his top lieutenants, and the fact that there have been no large-scale terrorist attacks on the U.S. homeland, meant that a new policy was in order — one that concentrates on capturing, rather than killing terrorist suspects.

Where Did That Fried Chicken Stereotype Come From?

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:25:00 -0700

Sports-talk radio was abuzz this morning with some comments that Sergio Garcia, the professional golfer, made about his frequent foil, Tiger Woods.

"We'll have him 'round every night," Garcia said. "We will serve fried chicken," Garcia said.
The comment came after Garcia was asked if he would invite his rival, with whom he has a frosty relationship, to his house during next month's U.S. Open.

Brown Skeptical of LAO's Higher Revenue Projections

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:20:00 -0700

Listen to the news podcast

California Governor Jerry Brown is dismissing calls from Democrats to increase spending after the state’s non-partisan legislative analyst’s office projected higher budget revenues than he did.

Speaking to the California Chamber of Commerce today (WEDNESDAY) in Sacramento, the governor said it’s too risky to spend money that might never materialize.

Antidepressant May Protect The Heart Against Mental Stress

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:54:00 -0700

Stress can be a bummer for your heart. And, it seems, antidepressants may help some people with heart disease better weather that stress. That's the intriguing suggestion from a study that tested how people with heart disease reacted when faced with challenging mental and social tests

Obama Group's Climate Push Puts President Under Scrutiny

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:48:00 -0700

Organizing for Action — a group that formed out of President Obama's re-election campaign — has posted five tweets in the past week about climate change using the @BarackObama Twitter account.

Sick Inmates Dying Behind Bars Despite Release Program

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:38:00 -0700

Prison is a tough place, but Congress made an exception nearly 30 years ago, giving terminally ill inmates and prisoners with extraordinary family circumstances an early way out. It's called compassionate release.
But a recent investigation found that many federal inmates actually die while their requests drift through the system.

Triple Murder May Link Tsarnaev And Man Killed In Florida

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:29:00 -0700

Ibragim Todashev, the 27-year-old man shot and killed after he allegedly attacked an FBI agent Wednesday in Orlando, may have been involved with Boston bombings suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev in a 2011 triple murder.
As NPR's Dina Temple-Raston reported on All Things Considered, "it's still under investigation, but law enforcement authorities told us that this young man had been interviewed extensively" about the September 2011 killings of three men in Waltham, Mass., as well as his friendship with Tsarnaev.

'We Will Never Give In To Terror,' Britain's Cameron Vows

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:16:00 -0700

One day after a British soldier was hacked to death on a busy southeast London street by two men who were heard claiming that they wanted to avenge the deaths of Muslims killed during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Prime Minister David Cameron declared Thursday that "we will never give in to terror or terrorism in any of its forms."

California Fire Camps Key To Reducing Prison Overcrowding

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:32:00 -0700

Listen to the news podcast

Reducing overcrowding at California prisons is not easy. Generally, inmates must either be released or given more space, which is expensive. But there is a third option. Inmates can be sent to fire camps. That's a cornerstone of Governor Jerry Brown's plan to reduce prison overcrowding in response to a federal court order. State Government Reporter Katie Orr takes a closer look at what these camps entail.

Why Apple (And Lots Of Other Companies) Wound Up In Ireland

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:29:00 -0700

Andy Wong/AP Apple was criticized in a Senate committee hearing Tuesday for using complex accounting to minimize the corporate taxes it pays. One key piece of the company's tax strategy: It funnels lots of its profits through subsidiaries in Ireland.

Libya 'Talking Points' Emails Put Petraeus Back In Spotlight

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:19:00 -0700

Former CIA Director David Petraeus is under renewed scrutiny over the role he played in creating the discredited "talking points" about the attack that killed four Americans last year in Benghazi, Libya. The Washington Post has a front-page story Wednesday that suggests Petraeus sought to shape the resulting memo to favor his agency.

Man Killed By FBI In Florida Was Linked To Boston Suspect

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:16:00 -0700

In Orlando, Fla., early Wednesday "an FBI agent was involved in a deadly shooting connected to the Boston Marathon bombing case," NBC News is reporting. A man who was being questioned by the agent is dead. NPR's Dina Temple-Raston and Carrie Johnson have also confirmed the news.

'I Have Not Done Anything Wrong,' Key IRS Official Says

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:13:00 -0700

"I have not done anything wrong. I have not broken any laws. I have not violated any IRS rules or regulations."

That was the word Wednesday morning from Lois Lerner, the Internal Revenue Service official at the center of the political storm over the agency's targeting of some conservative groups who were given extra scrutiny from 2010 into 2012.

Bernanke Hints That The Economy Still Needs Help

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:00:00 -0700

In the nearly impenetrable language that comes with his job, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress on Wednesday that even though the economy is doing better, the central bank needs to keep giving it a boost.

In Oklahoma, Rescue Efforts Give Way To Recovery

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:00:00 -0700

(Most recent update: 11:40 a.m. ET.)
The news Wednesday from Moore, Okla., much of which was destroyed by a massive tornado Monday, begins with word that officials doubt they will find any more survivors or bodies under the hundreds of homes, businesses and other buildings that were leveled.

After Tornado, A Dog Rescue Raises Spirits, And Gains Fans

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:57:00 -0700

Before Monday's tornado hit, Barbara Garcia says, she had a gameplan. In the event of an emergency, the Moore, Okla., resident would gather up her little dog and retreat to a bathroom to wait out the storm. But after Monday's powerful twister blew through her neighborhood, Garcia tells CBS News, she couldn't find her dog.

Click here to view the video

A Brief History Of Oklahoma Tornadoes

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:06:00 -0700

Although Oklahoma is a state where tornadoes are a fact of life, few days stand out like May 3, 1999.

That was when some 70 tornadoes touched down over a 21-hour period, cutting paths of destruction like deep cuts of a knife blade in and around Oklahoma City. One tornado maxed out the Fujita scale at F-5, smashing through some of the very same areas that were hardest hit on Monday. Its winds topped out at a staggering 318 mph, the highest ever recorded anywhere on Earth.

'I Was Dismayed' To Learn What Agency Did, Ex-IRS Chief Says

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:05:00 -0700

Facing questions for the first time about why Internal Revenue Service personnel singled out some conservative groups for inappropriate scrutiny while he was head of the agency, former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman told Congress on Tuesday that "I was dismayed and I was saddened" to learn about what had happened under his watch.

Yahoo's Other Billion-Dollar Bets: Where Are They Now?

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:04:00 -0700

Yahoo's $1.1 billion purchase of Tumblr could be considered a bargain compared with its other big-dollar bets. The company's history is dotted with pricey purchases of once-hot Web properties that had more promise than eventual purpose. A look back:

GeoCities, 1999: $3.7 Billion

Apple CEO Faces Senate Panel's Accusations Of 'Tax Gimmickry'

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:00:00 -0700

Giant technology firm Apple is paying billions of dollars less than it should in U.S. taxes each year, according to a report by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. In a hearing Tuesday in Washington, D.C., Apple CEO Tim Cook will defend the company.

Death Toll From Devastating Tornado Revised Down

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:54:00 -0700

After beginning the day with word that at least 51 people had been killed and that the number of dead might top 90, a spokeswoman for the state medical examiner's office said that the official death toll was 24 — a figure that could still change. The fatalities included at least 9 children. The spokeswoman, Amy Elliott, said during a televised news conference the initial number included some victims who were counted twice.

Socks Are Optional As Pakistan Grapples With Power Cuts

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:10:00 -0700

Pakistanis have coped with – even rioted – over the country's frequent power cuts. Now, the government is feeling their impact, too. The country's caretaker prime minister has banned air conditioners in government offices and instituted a dress code for civil servants. Among his recommendations: No socks.

Massive Tornado Rips Through Oklahoma City Suburbs

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:32:00 -0700

A massive tornado ripped through the southern suburbs of Oklahoma City, Monday afternoon.

Helicopter images showed large tracts of Moore, Okla., completely leveled by what the National Weather Service says was at least an EF-4 tornado with winds in excess of 166 mph. The tornado stayed on the ground for 40 minutes and traveled 20 miles.

Washington State Butcher Spikes Pig Feed With Weed

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:31:00 -0700

William von Schneidau, an intrepid butcher in Seattle, is giving a whole new meaning to "potbelly pig." Lately, he's been feeding marijuana refuse to the pigs he turns into prosciutto for BB Ranch, his butcher shop in the city's famous Pike Place Market.

Pot-scented bacon? Well, not quite.

I91 HOV Project

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:40:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

If your commute takes you on the 91 through Riverside, you may be experiencing some traffic delays. KVCR's Jhoann Acosta has more.

ABC's Karl Expresses Regret, But Stands By Benghazi Story

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:16:00 -0700

ABC News White House correspondent Jonathan Karl now says he regrets that some key parts of a major story he reported on May 10 were wrong.

The story sent off a political uproar. As we said last week, it made it appear that in a Sept. 14, 2012, email a top White House aide had come down on the side of the State Department to push for downplaying any terrorist connection to the attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya.

Pope Francis Puts The Poor Front And Center

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:11:00 -0700

Over the past week, Pope Francis has launched a crescendo of attacks on the global financial system and what he calls a "cult of money" that does not help the poor.

The 2-month-old papacy of Francis — the Argentina-born Jorge Bergoglio — is shaping up as a papacy focused on the world's downtrodden. And in sharp contrast with the two preceding papacies, this one even contains echoes of the Latin American liberation theology movement that John Paul II and Benedict XVI had repressed.

California Poet Laureate Interview Part 1

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:43:00 -0700

Listen to the podcast

Just recently, we connected with UC Riverside professor, Juan Felipe Herrera. He spoke about what he and his students have done to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Can A Piece Of Hair Reveal How Much Coke Or Pepsi You Drink?

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:21:00 -0700

One way to know how much soda people drink is to ask them. The problem? We tend to underestimate, lie or forget what we've consumed. And this is a challenge for researchers who study the links between sugar-sweetened beverages and obesity. A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition explains a technique that could help researchers get a good measurement of sugary beverage consumption — by analyzing a piece of hair or a blood sample.

FBI Agents Killed In Training Accident Worked In Elite Unit

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:18:00 -0700

Christopher Lorek and Stephen Shaw, the two FBI agents who died in a training accident on Friday off the coast of Virginia Beach, Va., were part of the bureau's Critical Incident Response Group.

According to the FBI, that unit:

"Consists of a cadre of special agents and professional support personnel who provide expertise in crisis management, tactical operations, crisis negotiations, hostage rescue, hazardous devices mitigation, critical incident intelligence, and surveillance and aviation.

Bans Of Same-Sex Marriage Can Take A Psychological Toll

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:15:00 -0700

As the country awaits two important Supreme Court decisions involving state laws on same-sex marriage, a small but consistent body of research suggests that laws that ban gay marriage — or approve it — can affect the mental health of gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans. When several states passed laws to prohibit same-sex marriage, for example, the mental health of gay residents seemed to suffer, while stress-related disorders dropped in at least one state after gay marriage was legalized.

WATCH: David Beckham Tears Up At Final Home Game

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:37:00 -0700

David Beckham, the storied midfielder who rose to international fame because of his style on and off the pitch, played his last home game for Paris Saint-Germain last night.

As the AP reports, despite being used to the lights and the big stage, Beckham, who announced his retirement from soccer last week, was finally overwhelmed.

Tesla Rides High, But Faces Formidable Foe: Car Dealers

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:31:00 -0700

Its Model S sedan (base priced at $62,400, after federal tax credits) was just named Motor Trend Car of the Year. Reviewers at Consumer Reports gave the lithium-ion battery powered vehicle a rave.

And the company, headed by billionaire innovator Elon Musk, 41, posted a profit for the first time in its 10-year history — powered in part by zero-emission environmental credits.

Working Women On Television: A Mixed Bag At Best

Sat, 18 May 2013 08:47:00 -0700

When actress Geena Davis was watching children's shows with her daughter a few years ago, she became so troubled by the lack of female representation, she started a think tank on gender in the media. The Geena Davis Institute recently partnered with University of California, Los Angeles, professors to conduct a study analyzing gender roles and jobs on screen.

UCR's Poetry for Boston

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:48:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

Just recently, we connected with UC Riverside professor, Juan Felipe Herrera. He spoke about what he and his students have done to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Book News: Amazon May Be Called Before Parliament Over Taxes

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:09:00 -0700

The daily lowdown on books, publishing, and the occasional author behaving badly.
Amazon faces a grilling from members of Britain's Parliament over its extremely low U.K. corporate tax payments, Reuters reported Friday. As NPR noted on Thursday, Amazon has the subject of intense scrutiny after it was revealed that the Internet retailer's U.K. unit paid only slightly more in taxes than it received in government grants because its sales are routed through Luxembourg.

Council Approves Final Plan for Delta

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:44:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

The Delta Stewardship Council has unanimously approved the final plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. As Amy Quinton reports from Sacramento, the plan is designed to protect the Delta ecosystem while providing a more reliable supply of water for California.

The Council’s goal was to create a legally enforceable long -term management plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The vote came after two-and-a-half years of study and almost 100 public meetings.

Young Gazan Men Get Unwanted Haircuts, Courtesy Of Police

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:41:00 -0700

As 17-year-old Tarik al-Nakib tells it, he was just out to buy some bread one afternoon in April when a silver bus from the Gaza Strip police department pulled up next to him.

"One guy opened the door and asked me to get in the bus," Nakib says. "Another came out and pushed me in. I was trying to understand what was going on, what did I do? No one wanted to answer me."