Jonathan Linden
Podcast Producer / Central Valley Journalism CollaborativeJonathan Linden is a podcast producer at KVPR. Born and raised in Riverside, he's a Southern California native. Jonathan's passion for public radio began at a young age when his brother would play NPR while driving him home from middle school. He earned his B.A. in journalism from Biola University in 2019.
Jonathan has worked at several NPR affiliates, including serving as Morning Edition host at KCLU and reporting at KAZU and KVCR. While reporting at KAZU, Jonathan covered the flooding of the town of Pajaro and the first U.S. Women's Open held at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Both stories helped contribute to KAZU's two 2023 regional Edward R. Murrow awards.
When not working, Jonathan can often be found walking or running his Alaskan Malamute Balto or keeping up with the latest Dodgers game.
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The weather terms “El Niño” and “La Niña” have long been indicators of how wet a year is likely to be. El Niño years are typically predicted to be super wet years, while La Niña years are considered dry. But new research suggests those forecasts aren’t always accurate. We speak with UC San Diego oceanographer Rosa Luna-Niño about why – and what she suggests we look at instead. Plus, the latest news headlines, including: Mass worker protests in Kern County and why two eagles in the San Bernardino Mountains are now internet celebrities. -
Spring is weeks away, and it’s time for crops like almond farms to bloom. A key part of that process is bees, but they’re dying in large numbers. Today, we speak with San Francisco Chronicle reporter Maliya Ellis about this concerning phenomenon to hear what’s behind it and what it could mean for the Central Valley. Plus, the latest news headlines: DOGE cuts are hitting the Valley, and the Sierra Nevada snowpack is so far lower than last year.
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National parks across the United States were already understaffed. But in recent weeks, the Trump administration's efforts to reduce the size of the federal government have led to even more uncertainty. So, what does that mean for the parks ahead of the busiest times of the year? Today, we talk with Bloomberg journalist Laura Bliss about how the layoffs are affecting the park service. Plus, the latest news headlines: Concern over where to dump California wildfire debris, and two men are accused of smuggling thousands of migrants into the country.
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The 2025 Oscars are now behind us. And many of us witnessed our favorite movies take home awards for costume, design and picture. But another important part of films is the music. On today’s show, we speak with Fresno native Jeff Atamajian about what it means to be a film music orchestrator. Atmajian had a role in orchestrating music for the latest hit movie “Wicked.” Plus, the latest news headlines: California’s latest snowpack results and changes coming to the Big Fresno Fair.
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Tamara Keith grew up here in the Central Valley before eventually heading to the University of California at Berkeley to study philosophy. From there, she spent some years reporting news in various positions before landing a job as Senior White House Correspondent with National Public Radio. On this bonus episode of Central Valley Daily, we sit down with Keith to discuss her Valley roots and what it’s like to report in Washington, D.C., during these times. Plus, she shares her views on a recent shake-up involving press access and the Trump administration.
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In one school district in the Central Valley, students and teachers are seeing surprising learning improvements among English learners. That’s despite a pandemic causing learning delays for many students. In today’s episode, we talk with Esther Quintanilla, a reporter with the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative, about what’s behind the learning improvements. Plus, the latest news headlines: A Fresno police officer accuses the city of retaliation, and what do voters think of President Trump so far?
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Whether you know Paula Poundstone as a stand-up comedian, actor, or panelist on NPR’s popular quiz show Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, she’s a long-time comedy veteran. She’s making two tour stops in the Valley this coming weekend, and she sat down with KVPR producer Jonathan Linden for this episode to talk about authenticity on stage, her evolution as a performer, and life with a house full of animals. Plus, the latest news headlines: The ACLU is suing the Department of Homeland Security over January’s Kern County immigration raid, and a House committee grills an Army Corps general over Tulare County water releases.
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The 559 area code in the San Joaquin Valley is running out of availability. So what do we do when that happens? On today’s episode, we speak with a regulator from the California Public Utilities Commission to hear how the agency fixes these issues. Plus, the latest news headlines: Water allocations increasing for Valley farmers and a new guilty plea tied to Bitwise Industries.
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The San Joaquin River, just along the City of Fresno, offers recreation and a getaway from city life. But it also provides another crucial resource: gravel. The multinational company Cemex is proposing to dig deeper for the resource, but community residents are trying to stop the project. Today, we speak with Sharon Weaver from the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust about the concerns she and others have about the proposal. Plus, the latest news headlines: Yosemite National Park workers protest job cuts, and Kern County voters head to a special election.
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A California farm tax break approved in the 1960s is still helping produce profits for farmland owners today. But a new investigation by the news website Fresnoland is shining light on the unequal distribution of those profits. Today, we speak with Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver, who breaks down The Williamson Act.Plus, the latest news headlines: Protest against Republicans are planned over proposed medicaid cuts, and Fresno State basketball players are accused of sports betting.
