Ten Years of The California Report: A Decade of California Stories The California Report archives feature stories about every aspect of life in the Golden State. Here are a few highlights from the stacks: Highlights From The Gold Rush Series 1998-1999 Sutter's Mill Listen At the South Fork of the American River, California marks an anniversary this weekend. One hundred fifty years ago, California's history changed forever, and the events that day caused the biggest mass migration the nation has ever seen. It all started on the site of a modest-looking saw mill on the banks of the American River. David Wright reports. Californios Listen The gold rush drew thousands of people to California, and the fertile land made them want to stay. But most of it had already been claimed by Mexican settlers known as the Californios. That set up a land grab that filled the courts for years. Laura Chiera reports on the history of one Californio family in Marin County. Sam Brannan Listen One of the major players and characters of the Gold Rush era was Sam Brannan. Even though he only has one street named after him, he was really the founder of San Francisco. Alvar Stugard follows the trail. California Indians Listen There were once more than 300,000 native people in California. Diseases introduced by Spanish missionaries cut that population in half by the time gold was discovered. And by the turn of the century, after the settlers enslaved or slaughtered much of the population, only 15,000 Indians remained. As Cheryl Colopy reports, historians and descendents of survivors see the sesquicentennial of the Gold Rush as a time to remember these first Californians. Chinese and the Gold Rush Listen During the Gold Rush, many Chinese came to California hoping to strike it rich. Carolyn Lee reports on the obstacles and opportunities that met the early Chinese immigrants -- and the lasting impact they made on the state. Highlights From the Great Valley Series Land And Competition Oct 15, 1999 Listen California's Valley and its agricultural industry are in a state of metamorphosis. Over 6 million people now live in the Great Valley, and that number is rapidly growing. In the first installment of a series examining the critical issues facing agriculture in the valley, Steven Cuevas reports on the growing competition for land. Great Valley Technology Dec 10, 1999 Listen Technology is constantly changing the world of work in California. In fact, Silicon Valley's microchip advancements have revolutionized nearly every aspect of life through faster and cheaper computers. And agriculture is no exception. Now, satellites, biotechnology and computers are taking their place alongside tractors, combines and other standard equipment that California farmers rely on to deliver their crops to the market. Scott Shafer reports on how technology is changing rural California and thrusting agriculture into the 21st century. Water In The Great Valley Nov 5, 1999 Listen Earlier this century, one of the most elaborate water networks in the world was built in California's Central Valley. Since then, dams, reservoirs and canals have delivered Sierra snowpack to a thirsty valley below. Now, Central Valley farmers are worried that new demands on the precious resource could change the way they farm. Environmentalists plan to restore fisheries. Developers want to build new housing as population in Valley cities explodes. It all requires more water. Cheryl Colopy reports on the struggle over water in the Valley. The California Water Series Water Conservation Nov 14, 2003 Listen The recent disputes over Colorado River water and flows in the Klamath River highlight a growing problem here in California. We have more demand for water than there is supply. Each year the state draws more water from underground aquifers than is replenished through rain. Over the last decade, urban water managers have used conservation to achieve dramatic results. The population of California's cities grew by 3.5 million people in the last ten years, but overall water consumption has stayed the same. The state is going to have to do much better. Meanwhile, the population here continues to grow. By the year 2030, California's population is expected to increase by 50 percent -- 17 million more people. Water agencies are scrambling to find new supply, and are considering new dams, underground storage and desalination. Now a group of researchers in Oakland says there could be another option: conservation. Tamara Keith reports. San Joaquin River Stories Nov 21, 2003 Listen In California's Central Valley, competing demands for water have parceled out every drop of the San Joaquin River. The river's lush marshlands once supported diverse wildlife and native salmon runs, but today the water travels in canals to prosperous farmlands and the riverbed runs dry for miles. In the past three decades, California has passed some of the nation's strictest laws protecting water quality and wildlife habitat, and those laws opened the doors to litigation over how the San Joaquin is managed. In a journey down the San Joaquin River, Molly Peterson examines the values that shape one of California's major conflicts over water use. Imperial Valley Water Nov 28, 2003 Listen Water has long been recognized as California's gold. Where water flows, development follows. In the southern part of the state, the thirst for growth along the Southern California coast has fed an eight-year struggle to move water from Imperial Valley farms to urban San Diego. Erik Anderson reports. Conversations With Notable Californians Robert Mondavi Dec 17, 1999 Listen In the last quarter of the 20th century, California's wine industry has helped define the state's culture and image throughout the world. Today California wines go toe to toe with the best of European wines -- a remarkable achievement in such a short period of time. No one person has had more influence on California's wine industry than Robert Mondavi. At his Napa winery, California's wine impressario talks about his genetic predisposition toward winemaking. Buck Owens Mar 5, 1999 Listen Nashville has long been considered the country music capital of the world. But in the 1950s and '60s, California challenged that city with a sound that was louder and rougher. Loudest of all was Bakersfield musician Buck Owens, a Dustbowl refugee who earned his keep playing honky-tonks of the Central Valley. The country music star still performs twice a week in the town where it all began, at his own club -- The Crystal Palace. Reporter Steven Cuevas paid a visit. The California Report Magazine Specials Indian Gaming In The Golden State Jun 20, 2003 Listen The state now has more than 50 Indian casinos, with more on the way. In a special half-hour edition, The California Report examines all sides to the issue of Indian Gaming Casinos -- including: casinos' interaction with communities, what happens to the billions of dollars casinos bring into the state each year, the quality of life of Native Americans in California, the tribes influence or lack of influence in state politics, and what casinos mean to the folks who gamble in them. Education Crisis In California? Sep 19, 2003 Listen The search for a way out of the ongoing financial woes and other problems facing California schools continues. This special edition of The California Report Magazine, hosted by Kathy Baron, examines whether the state is at risk of losing ground in education reforms. The California Report is KQED's statewide radio news program, providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions affecting California and its diverse population. Copyright © 1994-2009 KQED. All Rights Reserved.

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