California Prepares for Wildfire; Disparity in Covid Deaths Highlight Need for Vaccine Equity

California State Of Mind

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation this week that allows the state to spend $536 million dollars on wildfire prevention this year, but will it be enough? CalMatters’ Emily Hoeven joins Elizabeth and Nicole to talk about what some critics are calling a bandaid over a gaping wound. They’ll also discuss the state’s inability to get relief money into the hands of childcare providers and why the death of a bill to ban fracking may actually be good news for Gov. Newsom.

Then, nearly 40,000 Californians of color have died from Covid-19 since the pandemic started, compared to 18,000 white Californians. Those figures are just one reason behind the ongoing push for equity in vaccine distribution. Nicole talks about that with Dr. Manuel Pastor, the director of the Equity Research Institute at USC.