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Valley Public Radio Staff

Kristina Herrick
Kristina Herrick
Classical Music Host
Juanita Stevenson
Juanita Stevenson
Valley Edition host
George Mason
George Mason
On-air host, Clearly Classical
Rebecca Plevin
Rebecca Plevin
Reporter
Jason Scott
Jason Scott
Host, Clearly Classical and All Things Considered
Vince DiCiccio
Vince DiCiccio
Host, The Oasis; The Intersection
Ezra Romero
Ezra Romero
Reporter and Producer
Marv Allen
Marv Allen
Host, Morning Edition

Health

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Health
9:42 am
Mon December 10, 2012

Healthy Families Transition Timeline Stays on Track, Despite Concerns

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California Governor Jerry Brown’s administration says it will start moving about 860,000 children in the Healthy Families program into Medi-Cal on January 1st. But as Pauline Bartolone reports from Sacramento, state lawmakers and doctors want them to slow down.

Democratic Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg sent a message to the administration last week.  

“Do not make the actual transition unless you are assured that the child who has a doctor and sees a doctor under one program – HF’s – will be able to have ready access to a doctor when they’re shifted.”

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Just One Breath
6:00 am
Sat December 8, 2012

Valley fever treatments can do harm as they heal

Next imagePrevious image
Dr. Arash Heidari prepares medicine that will be injected into an omaya injection reservoir on valley fever patient Mel Ramirez's head. Amphotericin, the antifungal medication, has stopped the progression of valley fever in Ramirez's brain and spinal cord
Credit Henry A. Barrios / The Bakersfield Californian
Dr. Arash Heidari treats valley fever patients at Kern Medical Center.
Credit Henry A. Barrios / The Bakersfield Californian
Dr. Arash Heidari checks on his patient Mel Ramirez before beginning a procedure to treat valley fever in Ramirez's brain and spinal cord.
Credit Henry A. Barrios / The Bakersfield Californian
Mel Ramirez is awake as Dr. Arash Heidari performs a procedure where he injects the antifungal medication amphotericin, which has stopped the progression of valley fever in Ramirez's brain and spinal cord. Ramirez has undergone the procedure three times a
Credit Duke University
Dr. Joseph Heitman, James B. Duke Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, in his lab at Duke University Medical Center in 2006.
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By YESENIA AMARO AND TRACY WOOD

Thousands of California and Arizona adults and children annually contract valley fever and find themselves battling the disease for months or years — missing work and school, spending weeks in the hospital — with frequent recurrences.

If they had a bacterial infection — food poisoning, strep throat or a boil on the skin — their doctor could reach for multiple, cost-effective antibiotics that usually are able to kill the bacteria, even though resistance to antibiotics is on the rise.

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Health
4:17 pm
Fri November 30, 2012

The Face of HIV in California is Among Young People of Color

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December 1st is World AIDS Day. Here in California, health officials say the face of the disease is getting younger. 

More than 110,000 Californians are currently living with an HIV or AIDS diagnosis, and roughly 14 cases are diagnosed in the state every day. 

Dr. Gil Chavez of the California Department of Public Health says he’s seeing more cases among young, gay, minorities. 

“The 13-24 year age group is the only demographic group in the state where we have seen an increasing – in new HIV infections.” 

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