Elizabeth Arakelian
Director of RadioA Valley native, Elizabeth earned her bachelor's degree in English Language Literatures from the University of California, Santa Cruz and her master's degree in journalism from New York University. She has covered a range of beats. Her agriculture reporting for the Turlock Journal earned her a first place award from the California Newspaper Publishers Association.
While in graduate school she covered the New Hampshire Primary for NBC Owned Television Stations and subsequently worked as a television ratings analyst for the company's business news network, CNBC. Upon returning to California, her role as a higher education public relations professional reconnected her to the Valley's media scene. She is happy to be back to her journalism roots at KVPR.
Elizabeth has hosted KVPR's local broadcasts of Morning Edition and All Things Considered. She is currently KVPR's Director of Radio, and the host of KVPR's Central Valley Daily podcast.
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Journalist and author Ari Shapiro hosted NPR’s flagship show “All Things Considered” for 10 years. This fall he decided to step away, trading the studio for the stage. Shapiro is an experienced cabaret singer and in today’s episode he tells us about his show “Thank You For Listening,” which he will perform at Modesto's Gallo Center for the Arts on Sunday. Plus, the latest news headlines: Groups push for transparency in southeast Fresno expansion plans; and Prop 50 passage changes Valley House races. -
Was California’s Proposition 50 measure an early referendum on President Trump’s second term in office? Voters overwhelmingly supported an effort by Gov. Gavin Newsom to redraw congressional lines and give more power to Democrats next year. We look more closely into the measure’s approval with The Maddy Institute’s Blake Zante. Plus, the latest news headlines: A lawsuit seeks to reverse Proposition 50, and Fresno’s new effort to beautify.
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California’s Proposition 50 got the seal of approval from voters on Tuesday. The measure passed by double digits and dealt a significant victory to Democrats looking to clamp down on the Trump Administration and the GOP in Congress. KVPR News Director Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado breaks down what the result means. Plus, the latest news headlines: California Sen. Alex Padilla opts out of California governor’s race; and new details emerge in a case against a former CSU Bakersfield coach.
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School districts are in an upward climb to get student engagement and test scores back to pre-pandemic levels. Sanger Unified in Fresno County has historically struggled with test scores, but is now outperforming state averages in English and math. Lasherica Thornton, education reporter for EdSource, explains what the district is doing differently and why it’s working. Plus, the latest news headlines: Voters are turning out in high numbers for today’s special election in California; and Democratic officials push to restore funding for higher education.
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The tragic Southern California fires earlier this year destroyed houses and killed dozens. Among the homes destroyed was Demitri Camperos’. Camperos is now trekking from Altadena to Paradise — the site of the tragic 2018 Camp Fire — to raise awareness for fire victims. Host Elizabeth Arakelian met Demitri halfway through his journey in Fresno.
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“Dia de los Muertos,” or Day of the Dead, is much more than commercialized imagery of colorful skulls and skeletons adorned with bright flowers. In this episode, the KVPR newsroom sets out to shed light on three of the key ingredients to honor the occasion. Plus, the latest news headlines: The Tule River Indian Tribe gets thousands of acres of land back from the state; and Fresno County officials explore a light rail to connect towns.
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Voters in California are heading to the polls to weigh in on Proposition 50, which, if approved, could mean more Democratic seats in the House of Representatives. As Election Day approaches on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it would send election monitors to polling sites in Fresno and Kern counties and three others in the state. Fresnoland reporter Omar Rashad tells us what we know about the election monitoring plans. Plus, the latest news headlines: Groups protest plans to expand a Kern County ICE facility, and what a new report says about traffic in two Valley cities.
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Glaciers in the Sierra Nevada have existed for thousands of years. However, new research published in the journal “Science Advances” projects that they will disappear by the end of the century. Andy Jones, a doctoral candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and co-author of the research, explains the findings on today’s episode. Plus, the latest news headlines: Officials raise alarm over the future of Fresno County’s population, and why a Southern California man is walking 500 miles through the state.
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New research reveals Latinos in the San Joaquin Valley have higher rates of obesity compared to their counterparts. That is especially true among children. Tim Sheehan, a reporter with our news partner The Intersection, breaks down this research and the factors contributing to the problem. Plus, the latest news headlines: ICE places British commentator in custody at a Valley detention center; and a Lemoore fighter jet crashes in the South China Sea.
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The beloved radio show and podcast “Hidden Brain” is celebrating its 10th anniversary. On today’s episode, we speak directly with the host, Shankar Vedantam, about why the show is so successful and needed in today’s world. Vedantam also tells us what is next for the show.
