Julie Small Sacramento Correspondent
- Phone: 916-930-9623
Julie Small covers state government, prisons and the California Supreme Court for Southern California Public Radio.
Before joining KPCC, Julie spent 7 years as the deputy foreign editor for Public Radio’s critically acclaimed "Marketplace." She helped shape the show’s coverage of Asia during China ascendency and India’s growing economic influence. She was the Los Angeles producer of a two-week live broadcast from China in 2006 and produced some other series on counterfeit goods, and the effect of the Iraq War on European-US trade relations. She also produced the "Marketplace Morning Report" for a stint.
Small is a former staff reporter for the Los Angeles Times. She's also reported for NPR, "The California Report," and "Weekend America."
Small earned her master's degree in Journalism from the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication.
In 1996 she helped launch a national campaign for redress for Japanese-Latin Americans interned by the U.S. government during World War II. The group won a settlement from the U.S. Department of Justice in 1998.
When she’s not walking the halls of the state capitol, Julie spends her free time enjoying life with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area, but she misses her home town of Los Angeles.
Stories by Julie Small
Governor Pledges Help to Fire Victims
Governor Schwarzeneggger spoke exclusively with KPCC's Julie Small Wednesday while he visited the evacuation center at Steele Canyon High School in San Diego. She asked him why he felt it important to visit the fire victims in person.
State Finance Department Hard at Work on State Budget
Most people will spend today shopping, but the people who handle the state's budget are at work. KPCC's Julie Small reports California's finance department already has begun its annual end-of-the-year sprint to balance the state's debit and credit columns.
Hearing Held Over S.F. Bay Oil Spill
A congressional hearing on the recent San Francisco Bay oil spill convened Monday in the city by the bay. KPCC's Julie Small reports that the lawmakers, most of them Californians, questioned whether existing national standards for preventing and responding to oil spills are adequate for the state.
Democratic Health Care Plan Clears Hurdle
A Democratic plan for health care reform in California passed a State Assembly health committee Wednesday. Democrats plan to forward the measure for a full vote by the end of the month. KPCC's Julie Small says you can expect intense back room negotiating and some amendments.
Professor Offers Poetry to Inspire Education Summit Attendees
Educators have wrapped up a two-day Sacramento conference on the academic achievement gap between students from different ethnic backgrounds. While at the conference, KPCC's Julie Small found one presenter who's departed from the usual jargon that dominates meetings like this.
State Analyst: Budget Shortfalls Will Require Major Belt-Tightening
In Sacramento today, the state's independent legislative analyst released budget projections for the next fiscal year. They look a lot worse than they did a few months ago. California will need to close a $10 billion gap to balance the budget. KPCC's Julie Small crunches the numbers.
Day One of Achievement Gap Summit Focuses on Teaching
Hundreds of teachers, administrators, and parents are in Sacramento to attend a two-day "Achievement Gap Summit." State schools chief Jack O'Connell organized the summit to find ways to bring up the test scores of black and Latino students, who have consistently lagged behind the scores of white and Asian students. KPCC's Julie Small sat in on some of the first day's sessions, and says some of the ideas focus more on teachers than students.
California Sues U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
For two years, California has been waiting for the federal Environmental Protection Agency to make up its mind about vehicle emission rules. Now the state says "enough is enough." It's suing the EPA in federal court, claiming the agency is stalling state efforts to cut air pollution and "greenhouse gases." KPCC's Julie Small has more.
A Busy Time for Fire Information Officers
While an army of nearly 14,000 firefighters battled the wildfires in Southern California last week, a smaller squadron of fire information officers was busy back at the command center. They compiled the statistics and wrote the updates that reporters put on the air. It's a tougher and more frustrating job than you might think, as KPCC's Julie Small found when she tagged along with one during the Harris Fire in San Diego.
State Budget Shortfall Could Be Larger Than Expected
There's some rumbling in the State Capitol this week about a gigantic budget shortfall next year, one that'll be a lot bigger than the pretty big pool of red ink that was expected. KPCC's Julie Small says it's true, and it's got Sacramento worried.
Democrats Unveil New Health Care Plan
Democrats in Sacramento have been tinkering with their health care reform plan, and Tuesday they unveiled a new proposal that looks a lot like the one Governor Schwarzenegger's proposing. That's given legislators reason to hope they'll actually pass a reform deal this year. KPCC's Julie Small has the details.
1,400 Homes Destroyed in San Diego County Fires
More than half a million people have been evacuated from their homes in San Diego County. Some will be allowed to return home soon, but for others, there is nothing to return to. KPCC's Julie Small has been monitoring a fire that is burning in the southern part of San Diego County.
Behind the Scenes with California's Firefighting Strike Teams
This week's Southern California firestorm will go down as one of the state's worst natural disasters. But it's been one of the better examples of teamwork and preparation. The state has been getting ready for something this big for several years. Cal Fire, the state's fire-firefighting agency, has put together ten command teams to respond to any natural disaster within an hour's notice. KPCC's Julie Small has spent the week with one of those teams in San Diego County.
Death Toll at Seven from Southern California Fires
The official death toll from this week's wildfires now stands at seven. That includes four people whose bodies were found Thursday night in southern San Diego County. KPCC's Julie Small spoke with Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean. The Border Patrol called him to the scene shortly after the bodies were discovered in Potrero Canyon.
State Offers Resources to Fight Fires
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger spent the day surveying wildfires that are ravaging Southern California. He's already declared a State of Emergency in seven counties, and he's hearing from fire chiefs and local officials who say they've maxed out their resources. KPCC's Julie Small reports the state's trying to help.
