Meet the Team

Arielle "Kai" Taramasco

Web Producer

Arielle (Kai) Taramasco joins the KPBS newsroom after covering local and international news as a broadcast journalist in San Diego. She began her career interning as a surf photographer with Zak Noyle in her native Hawaii before studying abroad with Semester At Sea. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism from Point Loma Nazarene University. Her work has since been featured in Honolulu Star Advertiser, FreeSurf Magazine and The Buttonwood Tree. She’s also won an award for creative media from the San Diego Society of Professional Journalists.

RECENT STORIES ON KPBS

National

Jury trial of Ryan Routh, man accused of trying to kill Trump, begins in Florida

Greg Allen

Routh is charged with attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate. A conviction carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. Routh, who is not a lawyer, is representing himself in this case.
Education

Judge pauses Trump policy cutting off schools, shelters to certain immigrants

Adam Echelman

A U.S. district judge issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily pausing a series of federal policies aimed at restricting certain immigrants’ access to public benefits and programs.
IEL Immersive Enterprise Laboratories Promo Reel

IEL, an independent animation studio, creates high-quality, story-driven IP ecosystems using innovative technologies. We efficiently and effectively engage communities through TV series, feature films, short-form content, immersive experiences, social media, VR/AR, and gaming. Our compelling and interactive narratives resonate deeply with audiences across multiple platforms.
Economy

Home mortgage demand surges as rates drop to 6.35%

Laurel Wamsley

Rates saw the biggest one-week drop in a year, spurring a spike in new purchase and refinance applications.
National

NSA leaker Reality Winner is rebuilding her life -- and looking back at her past

Terry Gross

Winner was working at the NSA in 2017 when she leaked a classified document to the press. Soon after, the FBI showed up at her door. Winner's new memoir is I Am Not Your Enemy.
Politics

The killing of Charlie Kirk adds to a time of political upheaval and violence

Domenico Montanaro

The killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk Wednesday at a college in Utah is the latest in a series of politically motivated violent acts just in recent months.