The California Report Magazine

Voices From the Fires The wildfires that roared through Wine Country will rank among the deadliest and most destructive in California history. But many Californians are already jumping in, doing what they can now to support the recovery. We hear from both survivors and volunteers, who are looking ahead to a new future, post-fire. An Oakland Hills Fire Survivor's Advice to a North Bay Fire Victim Jill Permutt couldn’t sleep the night the fires broke out near her home in Santa Rosa-- the moon was oddly red, and the winds were whipping fast. That feeling of desperate, surreal, surging panic? Joan Tanzer has felt it too. She lost her house in the Oakland Hills firestorm of 1991. Until last week, the two women were strangers. But then a mutual friend told Joan about Jill, about how her entire neighborhood in Santa Rosa had just burned to the ground. Joan called her right away, and since then they’ve talked several times. Sasha Khokha brings us inside their conversation, to hear the exchange of stories and advice. How Do You Help Homeless Kids Stay in School? When families lose their homes, whether from fire, foreclosure or another kind disaster, helping the kids adapt is tough. Now we're going to hear about fifth grader who became homeless after his family was evicted from their home in Oakland. He spends hours just trying to get to school each day. Federal law says school districts are supposed to help students like him, making it as easy as possible for them to get to school, even as they bounce around in search of stability. Reporter Lee Romney spent the day with 10-year-old Naseem Bennett. Worshipping at Santa Monica’s Church of Type In Santa Monica, off Pico Boulevard, there’s a shop that feels like it's from another time, from the era before computers, scanners and copiers. Kevin Bradley, the proprietor, is a master of the handset letterpress. After spending two decades building up his business in Tennessee, he came West to carry on the sacred tradition. Reporter Peter Gilstrap takes us to Bradley's storefront studio, the Church of Type. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices