New KVPR reporter Esther Quintanilla investigates how oil wells impact the health of neighboring communities

The podcast “Black Gold: Living in the Shadow of an Oil Field,” was written and produced by reporter Esther Quintanilla as the capstone project for her master’s degree in journalism at the University of Southern California. It investigates the health effects of oil wells on neighboring communities in Kern County and South Los Angeles. Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock spoke with Quintanilla, who recently joined the KVPR news team as its diverse communities reporter.