Archive for the ‘Stories’ Category

by KELLEY WEISS California Watch and KQED’s California Report For many mothers in California, child support payments can be hard to collect. But for women with outstanding claims against Native American tribal members, it can be almost impossible. That’s because tribes are sovereign nations and do not have to comply with state child support orders. […]


by KELLEY WEISS California Watch and KQED’s California Report Since 1975, the California Department of Child Support Services has accumulated $19.2 billion in unpaid child support. That’s twice as much as the state with the next-highest child support debt, Texas. But the reason for the huge amount isn’t just dead-beat dads. This story was produced […]


by KELLEY WEISS Marketplace A judge is set to rule today on a Northern California city’s plan to get out of bankruptcy. Having most of your debt forgiven might seem like a cheap way to go…but the bankruptcy has created some unintended consequences for the City of Vallejo. Now it’s working to get back on […]


by KELLEY WEISS KQED’s Health Dialogues It’s estimated that more than three million Americans struggle with Binge Eating Disorder. And even though this is the most prevalent eating disorder, it’s hard for people to get treatment. Binge Eating Disorder doesn’t have a formal diagnosis like anorexia and bulimia so insurance companies often won’t cover treatment. […]


by KELLEY WEISS KQED’s California Report Vallejo could be out of bankruptcy by summer, if a judge gives the go-ahead to a plan that could deliver as little as five cents on the dollar to a host of creditors. Chapter 9 might sound like an easy way out to many cash-strapped municipalities. But there’s been […]


by KELLEY WEISS KQED’s Health Dialogues Health Dialogues follows Jim Thomson, of Grass Valley, Calif., as he navigates the Medicare enrollment process. A self-employed craftsman, Thomson says Medicare will save him money…as long as he can find the right plan. LISTEN TO THE FULL STORY. And, view an audio slideshow about Thomson’s transition to Medicare.


by KELLEY WEISS KQED’s California Report A big target of Governor Brown’s proposed budget cuts is Medi-Cal. The spending plan would slash almost $2 billion from the state health care program for the poor and disabled. And this could leave patients sicker and clinics and hospitals picking up the tab for services no longer covered. […]


by KELLEY WEISS World Vision Report With celebrity support and online promotion, a small purple berry from the Brazilian Amazon called açaí has exploded onto the global market. But for the communities that live in the Amazon and depend on the berry, the popularity is not always welcomed. We’ll explore the impact of the açaí […]


by KELLEY WEISS NPR’s Morning Edition Environmentalists are encouraging people to cut down holiday trees instead of buying artificial ones. The argument: buying a real Christmas tree reduces your carbon footprint, helps keep the ecosystem healthy and supports local tree farms absorbing carbon. LISTEN TO THE FULL STORY


by KELLEY WEISS NPR’s Morning Edition Holiday sales projections are up about two percent from last year, but shoppers are still being cautious. The estimated spending bump is unlikely to come from those out of work — especially from those who have seen their unemployment benefits run out. Most unemployed people are scaling back on […]