Rachel Dornhelm | radio journalist

Chasing the Work-Life Balance

Friday, January 27, 2012

aired on KQED's The California Report, listen here

Call it work-life balance, the juggle or the seesaw -- many parents in California are doing it. According to the Sloan Work and Family Research Network in almost two-thirds of the state's households with school-aged kids, both parents are working outside the home. And single parents make up almost one-third of the state's labor force. Striking the balance is an issue that all families grapple with, as reporter Rachel Dornhelm found out.

 

You can read the accompanying blog post -- from KQED's State of Health -- here.

 

Marin Struggles to Meet Fair Housing Laws

Wednesday, November 30, 2012

aired on KQED News, listen here

Ever since President Obama took over the White House, his Housing and Urban Development administration -- or HUD -- has been looking at how to increase enforcement of the nation's Fair Housing Laws. That includes evaluating whether cities and counties are working hard enough to include people of color and other protected classes in their housing plans.

HUD has cracked down on Westchester County, north of New York City, for failing to do this, following a lawsuit by housing advocates. Now, a recent audit is focusing attention on the nearly all-white county of Marin, on California's Northern coast. Reporter: Rachel Dornhelm

 

The Oakland Hills Fire: Lessons Learned and Losses Remembered

Friday, October 14, 2011

aired on KQED's California Report, listen here

This month marks the 20th anniversary of one of the worst urban fires in history -- the one that roared through the hills of Oakland and Berkeley in 1991. Twenty-five people died, 150 were injured and more than 3,000 homes burned. Neighbors and firefighters want to avoid the conditions that led to that disaster. Reporter: Rachel Dornhelm

 

SF Symphony Celebrates 100th Anniversary

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

aired on KQED News, listen here

Tonight the San Franciso Symphony celebrates its hundredth anniversary with a gala concert. Reporter Rachel Dornhelm talked to guest artist Lang-Lang and the symphony's artistic director about the milestone.

 

Sausalito's Heath Ceramics to Open Plant in San Francisco

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

aired on KQED News, listen here

Some good news for local manufacturing. A Sausalito ceramics company is opening another plant in San Francisco. Rachel Dornhelm reports the renowned tile and tablewear company heath Ceramics is expanding to the city's Mission DIstrict.

 

Transit Protest Raises Cybersecurity Concerns

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

aired on The California Report, listen here

The hacker group Anonymous released a list of patrons who'd signed up for special offers from the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, which it was able to take from the company's website. That made people wonder whether hackers would also be able to disrupt train operations. Reporter: Rachel Dornhelm

 

Bay Area Muslim Community Celebrates Ramadan, Holds Open Houses

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

published on KQED.org's News Fix, read here

Muslims in the Bay Area and around the world are observing Ramadan August 1 to 30 this year.

A 25-year-old UC Berkeley grad, Zuhair Sadaat, has set out to capture the diversity of the region's Muslim community with a blog called: 30 Mosques in 30 Nights...

San Jose City Council Approves Budget, Cuts 500 Jobs

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

aired on KQED News, listen here

The San Jose City Council has adopted a budget that closes a projected $115 million deficit. But as KQED's Rachel Dornhelm reports, the pain in the spending plan involves cutting 500 positions. 

 

Gertrude Stein collection opens at MOMA

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

aired on KQED News, listen here

An art collection amassed by the American writer Gertrude Stein and her siblings is opening at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. As KQED's Rachel Dornhelm reports, it's the first time in decades the paintings have all been housed under one roof.

 

The Close of Oakland's Charcoal Park

Thursday, April 28, 2011

aired on KQED News, listen/read here

A few days ago I visited a unique Oakland spot called Charcoal Park. Probably for the first and last time, as it closes up next week due to financial reasons.

Charcoal Park isn't really a park.  Formerly a carpet store, the space now feels like a cross between a museum and your favorite aunt's living room.  In this vast space, historical displays are interspersed with cozy couches and colorful folk art.

The curator of this unique Fruitvale space, Shirley Everett-Dicko, explained Charcoal Park this way: “It’s a product of my passions: collecting, history and barbecue.” She says she opened it because she thought “it would be a creative way of teaching history to our youth.”