Brandon Bakke, a former Fresno State men’s basketball player, has written about his time with the team, which was mostly spent on the bench. In his new book, “Lessons from the Bench,” Bakke reflects on how he found a unique purpose as a player off the court.

After over 400 episodes, some changes are coming to Central Valley Daily. Today, the podcast's founding host, Elizabeth Arakelian, speaks with our new host, Soreath Hok. We'll learn more about Soreath's background and what she's looking forward to in this new role.

While the race for California governor has gotten plenty of media coverage, there are many other races that are just as consequential, but aren’t necessarily making headlines. Today, we speak with CalMatters reporter Carolyn Jones to discuss the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction and learn more about what the role entails. Plus, the latest news headlines: A Fresno County transportation tax measure runs into signature hurdles; and a new report looks at the impact on water from data centers.

It’s been over a century since grizzly bears roamed the Central Valley and other parts of California. A new bill in the state legislature proposes looking into bringing some grizzlies back into the state. Journalist Marek Warszawski explains why proponents support the idea and why others, like ranchers, say it could create problems. Plus, the latest news headlines: Fresno city attorney held at knifepoint; and a Kern County college leader steps down.

Merced County is paying more attention to mail-in ballots as Election Day approaches. A new rule at the United States Postal Service is changing up the process for voters and has resulted in hundreds of rejected ballots in the last special election. We speak with KVPR reporter Rachel Livinal about how voters can ensure their ballots count. Plus, the latest news headlines: Fresno County supervisors approve Pride Month participation; the Diocese of Fresno will ordain a co-founder of a multi-billion-dollar company.

With the ongoing war in Iran and the blockade of a key oil shipping route, gas prices in California continue to remain high. Today, we speak with CalMatters reporter Alejandro Lazo to discuss what’s really driving these gas prices and whether we can expect them to continue going up. Plus, the latest news headlines: Mountain West and Pac-12 reach an agreement over poaching fees, and a mushroom poisoning outbreak is alarming California officials.

The rollout of a new artificial intelligence tool within newsrooms at McClatchy Media has alarmed journalists and sparked protests. On today’s episode, we speak with media reporter Katie Robertson from The New York Times. She breaks down what the tool does, and we get a reaction from the union at the Fresno Bee, one of McClatchy’s newsrooms.

This week, 21-year-old Shavana Trejo from the rural Fresno County town of Huron is representing California in a national boxing championship, after winning a state title last month. Reporter Alice Daniel brings us the inspiring story of how she got there. Plus, the latest news headlines: Gov. Gavin Newsom releases a new proposed budget; and Fresno Unified trustees formally oppose a major housing plan.

Federal data shows DUI-related traffic deaths happen in Central California at a higher rate than any other part of the state. New research at Fresno State could shed light on how those deaths can be prevented. We speak to Alyssa Kennett, director of the Central California Public Health Consortium about the group’s work. Plus, the latest news headlines: The Trump administration withholds Medicaid money for California; and human rights concerns arise over the World Cup in LA.

Expecting Black mothers are more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white mothers. It’s a national statistic that holds true in Kern County. On today’s episode, Cecil Egbele with the Bakersfield Observer explains the statistics and why doulas can help Black mothers-to-be in Kern County. Plus, the latest news headlines: Election officials urge early voting; and California is monitoring four people exposed to a hantavirus outbreak.