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Book bans are on the rise across the country — but not in California. For the second year a local program is helping San Diego readers push back.

The recent retirements of Nancy Pelosi and other longtime House Democrats have led to more calls for aging members to pass the torch. Incumbents argue their experience is crucial as the executive branch is upending the balance of power in Washington.

Premieres Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025 at 10 p.m on KPBS TV / Stream with KPBS+. Amid Trump’s immigration crackdown, a Venezuelan family struggles to keep its legal status. With ProPublica, two films about the uncertain future for those who fled to the U.S., including the stories of men sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador.

Send us a voice memo about a song that hit you hard in 2025 — one you listened to on repeat, made you cry, or just got you in your feels like no other.

Macario Martínez is a singer-songwriter who became an overnight sensation and is poised to be the next great “Música Mexicana” superstar. With a story that could have come straight out of a movie, Macario became an overnight sensation after a viral TikTok promoting his single “sueña lindo, corazón” reminded an entire country that the world is full of talent and dreams to chase. His powerful story has already taken him and his music to Mexico’s most important stages, and his hit single now has accumulated over 21 million streams on Spotify and the official video has reached over 1 million views on YouTube. After his viral moment, Macario showcased his talent for some of Mexico’s biggest crowds at iconic festivals like Monterrey’s Festival Tecate Pal Norte and Mexico City’s Vive Latino, where he also shared a stage with local icons Little Jesus and Porter. In these shows, Macario captured the hearts of crowds and proved that “sueña lindo, corazón” is just one of many great songs in his growing repertoire. Before he found his audience, Macario had already released an EP and an album as an independent artist; both have received critical acclaim after surfacing to the mainstream. “He has emerged as a working-class folk hero.” - Wall Street Journal “'Hey, destiny don’t be cruel,' Macario sings in one of his not-yet viral singles. So far, destiny seems to be listening”. - El País “Macario Martinez has racked up millions of views with his rags-to-riches story and has become Mexico's latest pop star.” - NPR Macario Martinez on Instagram / TikTok

Nobel winners Olga Tokarczuk and Peter Handke bring us a reissue and a new book respectively this week. Also, a story from a fictional African country and a commentary on beauty.

A few moments of controversy have touched an otherwise sleepy, wide open race to be California’s next governor.

Particle FM presents a special evening of ambient music and sound art at Quint Gallery in La Jolla. The evening will feature Berlin-based musician, DJ, and field recordist Jake Muir, with an opening set by cross-border sound art group New Tongues. Atrevido (Particle FM founder Christian Gonzalez) will open the evening with a DJ set. The event will feature Particle FM’s audiophile 4-speaker Klipsch sound system to create a dynamic listening experience in Quint’s expansive gallery space. RSVP online in advance to reserve a seat at particle.fm. Requested $15 donation at the door. Jake Muir is a Berlin based artist, DJ, and field recordist working with found sound. He approaches his practice as a listener first, carefully curating, layering and processing sounds that help him deconstruct and contextualize his lived experiences and influences. Using investigative software methodologies, DJ techniques, and dextrous engineering, Muir makes deeply personal sonic art that fluidly traverses genre, encouraging reflection, and sometimes prompting psychedelic states. Muir’s work has been presented at various spaces and festivals including INA-GRM (Paris), Public Records (NYC), Roter Salon (Berlin), Blitz Club (Munich), Human Resources (Los Angeles), The Lab (San Francisco), Honcho Campout (PA), and Sustain Release (NY). His recordings have been published by Sferic Records, Ilian Tape, Enmossed, Dust Editions, Further Records, and Boomkat Editions. His album Bathhouse Blues was included in Pitchfork’s 30 Best Jazz and Experimental Albums of 2023 list. New Tongues is a cross-border sound art group based in Baja, Mexico and San Diego, California. Founded in 2023 by artist/musician Preston Swirnoff with field recordist/sound designer Xareni Lizarraga and violist/producer Kathia Rudametkin, New Tongues is an adventure in interdisciplinary collaboration. With an emphasis on live performance and immersive sound environments, the group uses sound sculptures, field recordings, and traditional instruments to craft electroacoustic song forms that celebrate intimacy, sound ecologies, and deep listening. This performance will feature Swirnoff and Lizarraga as a duo. Particle FM is a community internet radio station and event producer that was founded in 2021 and aims to represent an intersection of cultures, identities, and musical styles. Particle FM on Instagram Jake Muir on Instagram

For decades women have championed KPBS’ ideals by donating, volunteering and advocating for our trusted, inclusive and educational services. The Gratitude Collective is a community of women who support KPBS’ vision to connect, reflect and serve the San Diego region. Members of the Gratitude Collective are superfans of KPBS and prioritize their philanthropy in support of our commitment to local news, arts and culture, children’s programming, and community engagement and representation via dialogue and events. The Gratitude Collective provides a space for lifelong learning and connection via quarterly experiences such as speaking engagements with women leaders in various fields, social events and KPBS community meetings.

Artists from abroad are worried that the current climate is making American tours not worth the time and effort.