Exploring South Asian culture in the Bay Area and beyond

A new exhibit at San Jose State University's King Library highlights the historical and cultural contributions of South Asian communities in the Bay Area. "South Asians in Silicon Valley" features the stories of communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, focusing on food, religion, activism and the game of cricket. KTVU's Alex Savidge speaks with Mantra Roy, Collection Strategy Librarian and Curator of the exhibit about all it has to offer.

California salmon season canceled for 2nd year in a row

Governor Newsom is requesting a federal emergency, as California's salmon season has been canceled for the second year in a row. The Pacific Fishery Management Council made the request this week due to the continued low number of Chinook Salmon. The governor says the emergency request will help bring financial support to the affected fishing communities, while those in the local salmon fishing industry blame the state for what they call "irresponsible" water policies. KTVU's Alex Savidge and Jana Katsuyama speak with Scott Artis, Executive Director of the Golden State Salmon Association about the decision to close the season.

Black Maternal Health Week

KTVU's Jana Katsuyama speaks with Kaiser Permanente East Bay OBGYN Dr. Carla Wicks about some of the steps we can take to correct racial bias and disparity in women's healthcare.

Legacies of The Great Migration opens this weekend in Berkeley

A powerful art exhibition will be on display at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) focused on one of the largest movements of people in our country's history starting this weekend. From the early 1900's through the 1970's, more than 6 million Black people moved from the South to other regions of the country in pursuit of better economic and educational opportunities. KTVU's Alex Savidge is joined in studio by BAMPFA Senior Curator Anthony Graham for more on "A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of The Great Migration".

Stanford researchers make critical COVID-19 discovery

After 5 years with COVID-19, health experts say there is still much to learn about the virus that causes the disease. At the height of the pandemic, hospitals were overwhelmed with patients with severe cases of the respiratory virus including life-threatening complications. It was believed that a certain type of lung cell made some people more susceptible to severe infection but now that is no longer the case. KTVU's Heather Holmes speaks with Stanford scientists Catherine Blish and Mark Krasnow about their critical new research that found a different suspected source of vulnerability. Illustration by Emily Moskal.

Trans athletes barred from participating in women's sports

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) which oversees more than 200 smaller colleges and universities announced a new policy this week that essentially bans transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. The policy states that "only athletes who were assigned female at birth and have not begun hormone therapy" can take part in competition; it is believed to be the first college sports governing body to take such a step. KTVU's Alex Savidge and Heather Holmes discuss the move and its future implications with Shaun Fletcher, Professor of Public Relations and Sport Communication at San Jose State University.

Celebrating the achievements of Stanford legend Tara VanDerveer

Legendary Stanford Women's Basketball Coach Tara VanDerveer helped take college basketball to new heights, spending 45 years coaching her team to victory. She led The Cardinal to three national championships, 14 final fours and in total the Hall of Fame coach racked up more wins than any other coach in college basketball history. KTVU's Alex Savidge and Heather Holmes take a look at her incredible career at Stanford and beyond with Shaun Fletcher, Professor of Public Relations and Sport Communication at San Jose State University.

Minimally-invasive surgeries now available to treat esophageal cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 22,000 Americans are diagnosed with esophageal cancer each year, but it doesn't have to be a death sentence. KTVU's Heather Holmes speaks with Kaiser Permanente Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Velotta and his patient Francisca Ortiz about her fight against esophageal cancer at age 61 and how she found out something was wrong in the first place.

Oakland Zoo recognized as "gold standard" in zoological profession

For the 36th year in a row, Oakland Zoo has received accreditation from The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which is considered the world "gold standard" for zoological facilities. A team from the AZA recently reviewed all of Oakland Zoo's operations including animal welfare, safety and security, veterinary care and conservation efforts. This accreditation renewal process must happen every 5 years to remain up to date and comes as the Oakland Zoo begins its 101st year in operation. KTVU's Alex Savidge discusses the achievement with Oakland Zoo CEO Nik Dehejia.

Applications open for Alameda County Youth Poet Laureate Competition

KTVU's Jana Katsuyama is joined live in studio by Deb Sica, Acting Librarian of Alameda County for details on this year's Alameda County Youth Poet Laureate Competition. Later this month, Zoe Dorado, the very first winner of the laureate contest heads to Washington, D.C. to compete in the 2024 National Youth Poet Laureate Event.

State Farm to drop thousands of California policy holders this year

California's largest home insurer, State Farm, plans to drop tens of thousands of policyholders later this year because of significant wildfire risk. Those customers will not have their policies renewed once their current contract is up. Many of them live in Contra Costa, Sonoma, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties. KTVU's Alex Savidge and Jana Katsuyama discuss the changes with Karl Susman, insurance expert and broker with Susman Insurance Agency.

Total solar eclipse captivates millions across the country

KTVU's Alex Savidge and Jana Katsuyama speak with Andrew Fraknoi, Former Chair and current member of the Foothill College Astronomy Department about the rarity of today's total solar eclipse and what scientists can learn from the event.