Karen Smith

California Department of Public Health

Director of the California Department of Public Health

Karen Smith on KCRW

A powerful drug that’s 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin has   been linked to recent overdoses across California, many of them fatal.   It’s called fentanyl, and it’s a synthetic…

Overdoses from Fentanyl Up in California, Public Health Alert Issued

A powerful drug that’s 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin has  been linked to recent overdoses across California, many of them fatal.  It’s called fentanyl, and it’s a synthetic…

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

More from KCRW

The cleanup is underway in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, and local organizations are educating immigrant day laborers on how to stay safe.

from KCRW Features

Germans head to the polls Sunday at a time of increasing popularity for far-right politicians and Europe at a crossroads over Ukraine.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Amid a new phase of war, public opinion polls show a majority of Israelis want to see the end of fighting in Gaza and a return of hostages.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Donald Trump points fingers at Volodymyr Zelensky about the war with Russia. Should the president take accountability for the DOJ? Plus, how valuable are political rallies?

from Left, Right & Center

President Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport more than 200 alleged Venezuelan gang members. But a judge blocked those deportations over the weekend.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Ukraine says tens of thousands of children have been taken and illegally hidden within Russia’s adoption system since the invasion.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Famed Big Bear bald eagles, Jackie and Shadow, welcomed two newborns after years of losses. The chicks must now weather the winter cold and predators to survive.

from KCRW Features

A new bill wants to clarify if nail salon workers are independent contractors.

from KCRW Features

Which news headlines are worth the worry? If Democrats want to raise the alarms on Trump, they’ll have to communicate. Plus, KCRW takes listener questions.

from Left, Right & Center