A new statewide hotline allows people to anonymously report hate crimes. How the winter storms and massive snowpack is impacting Tuolumne County tourism. A Sacramento historian discusses his new book about how a Sacramento swim coach led his team to the Olympics.

California launches hate crime hotline

Governor Gavin Newsom kicked off this year’s “Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month” with a new resource, a statewide hotline to report hate crimes. The goal is to create a safe space that allows people to make an anonymous report and be connected to services as well as the option of law enforcement with the victim’s consent. This comes as the state reports that the most recent data shows hate crimes have jumped 33% from 2020 to 2021, reaching their highest levels in two decades. Hate crimes span race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. But since the start of the pandemic, Asian Americans have shouldered the brunt of disinformation. This includes violent attacks caught on camera and sparking a larger conversation about mental health following two mass shootings within the Asian American community in California at the start of the year. A national survey this year from The Asian American Foundation found one in two Asian Americans report feeling unsafe in the U.S. due to their race or ethnicity. CapRadio’s Race and Equity Reporter Sarah Mizes-Tan joined Insight to provide more details on the state hotline and provide listeners a better understanding of how this data touches many parts of life.

Tuolumne County tourism challenges

The unofficial start to summer is just a couple of weeks away. Memorial Day signals a time to dust off camping supplies, hiking boots, or other outdoor gear, to bask in the fresh air and sunshine. But this year will look quite different in some spots of California compared to years past. The powerful storms this winter have led many State Parks to be partially or entirely closed especially in the Sierra where many campgrounds and popular trails remain buried under snow. In the Central and Eastern Sierra Caltrans is working to remove a wall of snow blocking miles of state highways in the passes. All of this is presenting challenges for the people who call this area home and the businesses that rely on tourists for their livelihood. One of those counties is Tuolumne County one of the gateways to Yosemite National Park which closed twice so far this year due to snow and the threat of flooding. Lisa Mayo with Visit Tuolumne joined the program to share the challenges her county is experiencing.

Sacramento's Olympic coach

Sacramento is often regarded as the underdog city in sports, but the tide has turned recently. In just the past year, collegiate and professional sports in the Capital City have defied the odds with overdue success. But decades before, an underdog story catapulted to an international level. The Arden Hills Swim and Tennis Club might not sound like a winning team, but they would go on to create an Olympic dynasty. Historian and author Bill George joined Insight to discuss his new book “Victory in The Pool” which details the story of a Sacramento swim club that led to glory at the 1968 and 1972 Olympic games.