Project Roomkey is Closing Its Doors
August 10th, 2022
28:27
Project Roomkey is coming to an end. Its goal was to temporarily house some of the state’s most vulnerable homeless people in hotel rooms during the …
Remembering Joy: A Personal Story from ECG
August 8th, 2022
27:33
Ericka here, bringing you all something different for today’s episode.
Every week, our job here at The Bay is to tell stories about this place and the people in it. But recently, I got the chance to tell a different …
A Standoff Over People’s Park in Berkeley
August 5th, 2022
22:43
In 1969, a group of protesters took over a plot of land owned by UC Berkeley and turned it into a green, public space now known as People’s Park. Since then, it’s become a place synonymous with Berkeley’s history of …
What's Going On with Monkeypox?
August 3rd, 2022
23:20
A state of emergency over monkeypox has been declared in San Francisco and in the state of California. More than 5,800 cases have been confirmed …
Why Cleaning Up Bayview-Hunters Point is an Issue of Reparations
August 1st, 2022
24:46
If you talk to longtime residents of San Francisco's Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, you'll hear lots of stories about people getting sick from …
A Message From The Bay: We’re Taking July Off!
July 1st, 2022
6:53
We work really hard to bring you three episodes a week. But we’ll admit: Sometimes, it's good to take a break from the news. The Bay is taking a …
‘We Will Continue to Be Here’: Accessing Abortion Services After Roe
June 29th, 2022
17:46
We've known for a minute that, if Roe v. Wade was overturned, California would play a big role in helping Americans access abortion services.
Now, …
'I Knew It Was Coming, But I Still Can't Believe It'
June 27th, 2022
21:33
Here in California, abortion is still legal. And an overwhelming majority of Bay Area residents support the right to have one.
Which is why, over the weekend, many people marched in protest against the Supreme Court’s …
Black, Queer, and Searching for Safe Spaces
June 24th, 2022
23:07
Before moving to the Bay Area from Jacksonville, Florida, friends told KQED Rightnowish production intern Corey Antonio Rose he was heading to ‘gay …
The Story Behind the National AIDS Memorial Grove in San Francisco
June 22nd, 2022
14:47
The National AIDS Memorial Grove in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is the nation’s first and only federally designated memorial of those who have …
He Designed a Garden at UC Santa Cruz from Death Row. Now Students Want Him Free
June 17th, 2022
25:42
In California, the death penalty is in limbo. On the one hand, the state hasn’t executed anyone since 2006. On the other, the death penalty in still legal. In practice, this means that hundreds of incarcerated people …
Dub Nation Against the World
June 15th, 2022
19:03
The Golden State Warriors are one win away from another NBA championship, which would be their fourth since 2015. But as OG fans know, they haven’t …
Organizing a Gun Buyback in San Mateo County
June 13th, 2022
21:50
This episode contains mentions of suicide.
On a weekend in early June, hundreds of San Mateo County residents drove to a courthouse parking lot in …
Chesa Boudin Has Been Recalled. So What Does it Mean?
June 10th, 2022
23:59
San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin has been recalled. This race has gotten a ton of attention both inside and outside the Bay Area, which is uncommon for a local DA race. And shortly after election night, …
We Need to Talk About Wage Theft
June 8th, 2022
24:10
In California, tens of thousands of workers aren’t getting paid what they’re owed by their employers. Many of these workers are low-wage earning immigrants in industries like construction, home care, and food service.
…
Will ‘CARE Court’ Help People Dealing with Mental Illness and Homelessness?
June 6th, 2022
23:25
California’s mental health care system is a mess. And at the same time, unsheltered homelessness is increasing and voters want their leaders to do something about it.
Those are some of the reasons why Gov. Gavin Newsom …
Attacks on Asians in SF Shook the Community and Went Viral. What Happened Next?
June 3rd, 2022
30:06
There are so many horrifying incidents of attacks on Asians that have gone viral. Many of them took place in San Francisco. There’s a lot of fear, anxiety, and anger among Asian communities in the city. And many people …
San Jose is Choosing a New Mayor
June 1st, 2022
28:39
For the first time since 2014, the race for mayor in San Jose has no incumbent running, since Mayor Sam Liccardo is term-limited. On June 7, San Jose voters will decide between 7 candidates, ranging from current elected …
Solano County’s Race for District Attorney
May 27th, 2022
20:04
In Solano County, two high-profile police killings loom large over the race for District Attorney on June 7. That’s because the incumbent, Krishna …
Mindshift: Community, Trauma, and Helping Children Heal
May 25th, 2022
30:25
On Tuesday, an armed gunman killed at least 18 children and 3 adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
There’s still a lot of questions …
Your Biggest Ideas on How to Solve the Housing Crisis
May 23rd, 2022
28:08
More than 35,000 people are living unhoused across the Bay Area – up 9 percent in the last three years, according to an annual count of folks living …
The Workers’ Right to COVID Sick Pay in California
May 20th, 2022
21:03
Just because COVID sick pay exists doesn't necessarily mean employees always feel comfortable using it. Between Americans’ unhealthy relationship with work and a sense that the world is opening back up again, employers …
An Extremist Plot to Blow Up the California Democratic Party HQ
May 18th, 2022
25:09
The threat of domestic extremist violence is all over the country. Just last weekend, an 18-year old white man drove to a predominantly Black part of …
Activists Lobbied for a New, Diverse District. An Old White Congressman is the Frontrunner
May 16th, 2022
22:03
California’s new 8th Congressional district, which includes Vallejo, Fairfield, Richmond, Pittsburg, and part of Antioch, is the most diverse in the region. It’s the only district in the entire state with at least 15% …
SFPD’s Former Comms Director is Now on the Board of Supervisors
May 13th, 2022
20:14
Lots of high-profile jobs in San Francisco have opened up lately — whether it’s because of a recall, a corruption scandal, or a simple job promotion. …
A New Wave of COVID is Hitting the Bay. How’s it Different?
May 11th, 2022
15:55
Currently, the Bay Area is California’s COVID hot spot.
The good news? Fewer people are being hospitalized or dying from COVID, thanks to the vaccine and the increased availability of treatments. This wave might also be …
KQED Live: An Interview with Chesa Boudin
May 9th, 2022
59:18
It’s election season again. On June 7, Californians have some big decisions to make in elections both locally and statewide.
In San Francisco, voters will decide whether or not District Attorney Chesa Boudin will keep …
In Sebastopol, Students Want Adults to Do More About Racist Bullying
May 6th, 2022
24:43
At West County High School in Sebastopol, there are way fewer students of color compared with schools in many Bay Area cities. And the students there …
Even in California, Abortion Services Can Be Hard to Find
May 4th, 2022
18:50
A majority of the Supreme Court plans to strike down Roe v. Wade, according to leaked documents obtained by Politico. In California, most public …
Letting go of La Pulga
May 2nd, 2022
18:59
Growing up, Katrina Ramos White helped her immigrant parents run a toy stand at the Berryessa Flea Market in San Jose. A few years ago, with hopes of buying her own home in SIlicon Valley, she took over the family …
Bay Curious: Oakland’s 16th Train Station Helped Build West Oakland and the Civil Rights Movement
April 29th, 2022
21:42
Now a derelict building, the 16th street train station in West Oakland was once a thriving center of transportation during the golden age of rail …
‘Love me Before the City Disappears’: Poet Nijla Mu’min
April 27th, 2022
23:05
Tell me memories mean something
and I will carve your face on a tree.
Never cut it down.
Guarded with what slaps and surprises
sage and old E-40 …
An Immigrant Visa Problem is Hitting Silicon Valley
April 25th, 2022
23:10
For many families waiting decades for the right to live and work permanently in the U.S. through the crazy, byzantine rules of America’s immigration …
Masks Are Optional. But Not For the Medically Vulnerable.
April 22nd, 2022
22:58
A federal judge in Florida ruled on Monday that the federal mask mandate was unlawful. Hours later, the Transportation Security Administration lifted …
San Francisco is Limiting What Police Can Do With Your DNA
April 20th, 2022
19:57
On Tuesday afternoon, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance that would limit how police store and use DNA profiles obtained …
Could Schools Be Held Accountable in Court for How They Handle Sexual Assault?
April 18th, 2022
24:39
When a student makes an allegation of sexual assault, their options for redress are often unsatisfying. Few cases end up in the legal system, and …
San Francisco’s Redistricting Disaster
April 15th, 2022
23:29
Redistricting is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to redraw a city’s political map. It’s an important yet arcane process that should ultimately lead to …
Why Does Uber Want to Team Up with Taxis?
April 13th, 2022
16:43
The rise of Uber in San Francisco a decade ago marked the beginning of the end for much of the taxi industry. Taxi companies went bankrupt and drivers struggled to pay off their medallions, pushing many of them into …
Support for Mutual Aid Came and Went, But the Need is Still There
April 11th, 2022
19:39
In 2020 call outs for mutual aid donations flooded social media, and people responded with an abundance of money, food and time. Two years later, interest and support has waned while the needs have not gone away. As …
A Mass Shooting in Downtown Sacramento
April 8th, 2022
20:57
It may feel a little far from the Bay Area, but Sacramento is home to our state Capitol. And just a stone’s throw away from that building, in the …
‘It’s Like Groundhog Day’: Another Year of Drought
April 6th, 2022
20:49
The rainy season is over. But it didn’t feel like much of a rainy season at all. And now, California is in another year of drought. In the Bay Area, the North and South Bay are getting hit the hardest.
Being asked to …
Bay Curious: The History of the Bay’s 425 Shellmounds
April 4th, 2022
17:13
Before the Emeryville shoreline was a shopping center and commercial area, it was the site of a sacred burial site belonging to the Ohlone people, natives of the San Francisco Bay Area.
There were once more than 425 of …
The ‘Sustained Excellence’ of Stanford Women’s Basketball
April 1st, 2022
20:58
When it comes to basketball in the Bay Area, there’s no team that’s done more winning than Stanford’s women’s team.
Since 1990, the Cardinal have won 15 conference championships, 3 national championships, and have made …
How BART Removed — and Then Reinstated — Director Lateefah Simon
March 30th, 2022
23:31
It’s been a weird month for BART’s Board of Directors. In the span of just 2 weeks, the agency removed — and then reinstated — Director Lateefah …
KQED Live: Finding Asylum in California
March 28th, 2022
29:30
Landing in a new country is never easy, even if you’re landing in a place like the Bay Area, which is already home to so many immigrants, refugees, and people who’ve sought asylum. And between Russia's invasion of …
What Happened at Vallejo's Project Roomkey?
March 25th, 2022
30:00
In April 2020, Vallejo became one of the first cities to opt into the state’s Project Roomkey, a program designed to provide hotel rooms for …
A Strike at Chevron’s Richmond Refinery
March 23rd, 2022
18:18
About 500 operators and technicians at Chevron’s Richmond refinery went on strike starting Monday. It’s the first labor strike at the plant in more than 40 years.
The union representing these workers says that Chevron …
Paying for Gas as a Ride Service Driver
March 21st, 2022
14:38
It’s no fun getting gas these days. The average price in many Bay Area counties reached $5.80 a gallon. And that's making it tough for people who drive for gig companies like Uber and Lyft, or who are taxi drivers.
Guest…
Many SF Teachers Haven't Been Getting Their Paychecks
March 18th, 2022
16:58
From Monday to Thursday, a group of teachers staged a sit-in at the SF Unified School District building to protest the fact the district mishandled …
Finally, California's Unemployment System Adds More Language Support
March 16th, 2022
20:00
For the last 2 years California’s unemployment system has been completely overwhelmed. One of the biggest issues: The lack of language access for people who don’t speak English or Spanish.
Now, the Employment Development …
Remembering the Atlanta Spa Shooting — And How We Move Forward
March 14th, 2022
18:03
This week marks one year since a gunman killed 8 people in Atlanta, Georgia in a targeted attack against Asian massage parlors. 6 of those killed …
Rightnowish: Self Love is a Communal Act
March 11th, 2022
18:48
It's been an intense few weeks. And we believe that all of us deserve to take a break and take care of ourselves. So in the spirit of that, we’re going to play an episode to help keep us all going despite all that’s …
Students, Growth, and Housing at UC Berkeley
March 9th, 2022
21:34
A group of homeowners sued over UC Berkeley's plans to increase enrollment, claiming that the university has not adequately studied the environmental …
SF Students Are Still Pushing for a Reckoning With Sexual Abuse
March 7th, 2022
27:52
Since the summer of 2020, SFUSD has seen waves of protests against sexual harassment and assault. Students say a familiar pattern has …
How the War in Ukraine is Affecting Former Soviet Immigrants
March 4th, 2022
18:37
KQED’s Nastia Voynovskaya was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. In the late 90s, she and her family immigrated to the Bay Area.
Growing up, Nastia’s community included Russians, Ukrainians, Armenians, Georgians, …
For 15 Years, Valero’s Benicia Refinery Released Toxic Chemicals — And No One Knew
March 2nd, 2022
17:49
Valero’s Benicia oil refinery is one of the largest refineries in the state. And from 2003 to 2018, it secretly released excessive amounts of …
Remembering the Fight for Japanese American Reparations
February 28th, 2022
23:30
Reparations in California is a series of KQED stories exploring the road to racial equity in the state.
California is in the process of a …
Reacting to Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
February 25th, 2022
13:29
On Wednesday night, Berkeleyside journalist Ally Markovich sat in front of her living room TV with her housemates and watched as Russian forces invaded Ukraine, where she was born.
Ally is one of the more than 100,000 …
How Disaster Planning Leaves Out Queer People
February 23rd, 2022
20:14
Living with climate change means we’re going to have to plan for more disasters. That includes things like emergency shelters, food, and financial help.
But there are many people who don't feel safe or welcome accessing …
The SF School Board Recall Won in a Landslide. Now What?
February 18th, 2022
21:23
San Francisco voters decided overwhelmingly to recall 3 board of education members from office: Board of Education President Gabriela López and …
SOLD OUT: A Suburb with an Eviction Problem
February 16th, 2022
29:26
Antioch has been a destination for Bay Area residents looking for affordable housing. But now, it’s at the center of a growing eviction crisis.
In …
California Will Close Death Row at San Quentin. The Next Steps Are More Complicated
February 14th, 2022
19:48
California is in limbo with the death penalty. We have an execution moratorium, and no one has been put to death in the state since 2006. But it’s still legal to sentence someone to die, which means there are hundreds …
'You Think You Can Just Close My School Down? No.'
February 11th, 2022
21:20
Over the past few weeks, students, families and educators in Oakland have pushed back hard against plans by OUSD's Board of Education to close or …
Have You Felt 'COVID Shame?'
February 9th, 2022
12:24
Way more people gotten sick with COVID-19 during these past few weeks. If you've tested positive, you may have felt a range of emotions: Surprise, fear...even anger.
There's also another emotion members of KQED's …
Is ‘Uber for Nurses’ Coming to California?
February 7th, 2022
18:12
A proposal to spread the gig economy to health care could be on the ballot this fall. A group calling itself Californians for Equitable Healthcare …
An Example of 'Land Back' in Northern California
February 4th, 2022
16:21
A conservation group representing Northern California tribes has gotten 523 acres of land back.
The Sinkyone call the land Tc'ih-Léh-Dûñ, meaning "Fish Run Place,” located about 170 miles north of San Francisco in …
The SF School Board Recall is Motivating First-Time Chinese Voters
February 2nd, 2022
23:53
The recall election of 3 San Francisco Board of Education members has motivated many Chinese voters to get involved in local politics for the first …
San Francisco’s School Board Recall Election
January 31st, 2022
31:55
Whether you have a kid in San Francisco public schools or not, if you’re a registered voter, you’ll have a say in the potential recall of three San …
‘Crowchella’ in Sunnyvale
January 28th, 2022
18:02
Clouds of crows have taken over downtown Sunnyvale like a scene out of The Birds. A combination of factors are leading them there, including the increase of outdoor dining due to the pandemic.
Now, the city is trying to …
‘There’s an Element of Risk No Matter Where I Go’
January 26th, 2022
22:48
We've all had to weigh the risks of leaving our homes during this pandemic that has lasted for nearly 2 years. For lots of people, the risk of getting severely ill from the coronavirus is currently very low, even amid …
Santa Clara's County Sheriff is Being Investigated
January 24th, 2022
24:16
Trouble could be ahead for Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith. A civil grand jury has accused her office of 7 counts of misconduct related to …
Why Are There So Many Driverless Cars in San Francisco?
January 21st, 2022
15:23
A self-driving car is not an uncommon sight in San Francisco. And it can feel like more and more of them are out there on the roads. But why?
Today, an episode from our friends at Bay Curious about this, and whether …
‘I Hope a Lawyer Will Answer’
January 19th, 2022
21:33
The U.S. currently has an immigration court backlog that surpasses 1.5 million cases — and that includes many people who are seeking asylum from …
San José Considers Expanding the Vote to Noncitizens
January 14th, 2022
17:56
On Tuesday, the San José City Council voted to study the possibility of giving noncitizens the right to vote in local elections. Community organizers …
A Chaotic Return to School
January 12th, 2022
22:02
Last week, students, teachers and staff returned to class after the winter holidays…and right in the middle of a record-high surge in confirmed …
RIP Traxamillion, an Architect of the Hyphy Movement
January 10th, 2022
18:56
Traxamillion, born Sultan Banks, was a producer from San Jose who helped define the Bay Area’s sound and propelled the Hyphy Movement to the national …
Examining January 6 with Rep. Zoe Lofgren
January 7th, 2022
14:16
Rep. Zoe Lofgren was in the U.S. Capitol a year ago when a mob of Trump supporters, white supremacists, and conspiracy theorists stormed the building …
Keeping Up With California's COVID Testing Surge
January 5th, 2022
22:11
Long COVID test lines and empty shelves where the rapid at-home tests used to be — all signs of another post-holiday pandemic surge.
It’s hard to know …
The Cost of Crossing Bay Area Bridges, And Who Pays the Most
January 3rd, 2022
18:14
As of Jan. 1, 2022, it’ll cost $7 to cross a bridge in the Bay Area. But if you thought that was expensive, wait until you hear how much it has cost those who don't pay: One Bay Area resident racked up $30,000 in unpaid …
The Bay Looks Back at 2021
December 17th, 2021
17:45
New year, same pandemic. The Bay team reflects on another year of covering local news from the Bay Area, and discusses both the hard — and hopeful — …
When a Covid Expert Gets Covid
December 15th, 2021
20:32
Alexis Madrigal was super-cautious about COVID-19 from the beginning. He co-founded the COVID Tracking Project through The Atlantic and has been reporting on the virus since the earliest days of the pandemic.
But in the …
Vallejo Plans to Fire the Cop Who Killed Sean Monterrosa
December 13th, 2021
28:28
This episode contains descriptions of police violence.
After Vallejo police officer Jarrett Tonn shot and killed Sean Monterrosa on June 2, 2020, the …
Rightnowish: A Bay Area Rollerskating Legend
December 10th, 2021
15:54
Ericka took up roller skating during the pandemic, and a lot of other people have, too. Maybe you've seen it along Lake Merritt or in front of City …
Abortion Services Are Still Hard to Find for Rural and Low Income Californians
December 8th, 2021
17:40
If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, Californians won’t lose the right to an abortion. The right to have one is codified into state law.
But having the right to an abortion isn’t the same as having good access to …
When Police Need PR Help, Many Turn to One Firm in Vacaville
December 6th, 2021
22:27
When the police kill or hurt someone, the public has a right to know what happened. But in many cases, the police’s story is carefully crafted to …
A Second Pandemic Holiday Season for Food Banks
December 3rd, 2021
14:49
During the first few weeks of sheltering in place, food banks saw a huge explosion in demand as thousands lost their jobs and income. Food banks also …
Omicron: What We Know (and Don't Know)
December 1st, 2021
18:19
Federal health officials are expanding the search for the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the U.S, including at San Francisco International Airport, where there’s increased testing for some international travelers.
…
For Afghan Artists in the Bay, It’s a Painful Time
November 29th, 2021
23:01
Artists in Afghanistan are in trouble now that the Taliban are back in charge. Visual artists and performers are fleeing the country for fear of being harassed, persecuted, and even killed.
This has ripple effects here …
Meeting My Husband During the Pandemic
November 24th, 2021
18:31
Meeting new people as an adult is hard enough, whether it’s dating or meeting new friends. Then the pandemic happened, and it got even more difficult.
How to Overcome Climate Anxiety
November 17th, 2021
20:03
The United Nations COP26 climate summit was billed by conference organizers as the “last, best hope” to save our warming planet. In the end, …
Remembering the Native American Occupation of Alcatraz
November 15th, 2021
18:18
52 years ago this month, a group of Native Americans began to occupy Alcatraz to assert their right to self-determination. The 19-month occupation is still known as one of the most important actions in contemporary …
The California Latinos at COP26
November 12th, 2021
18:28
California sent many representatives to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland — including many Latinos, who are California's largest ethnic group and are also more likely to say that …
COVID-19 Vaccines Are Rolling Out for Kids Ages 5-11
November 10th, 2021
17:16
After a review process from the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pediatric COVID-19 shots are now …
Drawing the Bay Area's New Political Maps
November 8th, 2021
18:02
What if parts of the Bay and parts of the Central Valley were represented by the same person in the U.S. House of Representatives? What about Filipino voters in Daly City and Chinese voters in the western part San …
Our New Host
November 5th, 2021
17:46
On this very special episode, meet the new host of The Bay.
The SFUSD Board Recall Election is Set. We Revisit Student Voices
November 3rd, 2021
18:29
3 members of the San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education will be facing a recall vote in February. The special election encompasses …
Oscar Grant, Rob Bonta, and Upcoming Police Reforms
November 1st, 2021
19:17
Less than six weeks after our KQED colleagues from On Our Watch published an episode that revealed new information about the police killing of Oscar …
An Investigation Into COVID-19 Outbreaks at Foster Farms
October 29th, 2021
32:21
In 2020, hundreds of workers at Foster Farms plants in California tested positive for COVID-19. 16 people have died and at least 20 others have been hospitalized.
A KQED investigation found that as Foster Farms' Central …
The Struggle to Hold Chevron Accountable
October 27th, 2021
15:59
Over the past few days, the Chevron refinery in Richmond has been intermittently sending flames and toxic fumes into the air, and people living in the area have complained of a strong gas smell.
Meanwhile, the public …
The ‘Invisible’ HelloFresh Workers Trying to Unionize in Richmond
October 25th, 2021
16:21
During the pandemic, the meal kit delivery company HelloFresh has made record profits. But some employees at HelloFresh factory kitchens like the one in Richmond say they’re not sharing in those gains, and that they …
Rain!
October 22nd, 2021
17:41
We’re getting an unusual amount of rain this week, with the potential for strong storms during the weekend. And after a summer of drought and wildfires, the rain’s just got us feeling some type of way.
So this all begs …
30 Years Ago, the Oakland Hills Burned. Could it Happen Again?
October 20th, 2021
15:48
On Oct. 19, 1991, a fire started to burn and spread in the Oakland Hills. By the time it was done, an estimated 25 people were killed and thousands of homes were destroyed.
30 years later, a warmer climate and drier …
Vallejo's 'Participatory Budgeting' Process
October 18th, 2021
23:20
Nearly a decade ago, Vallejo launched an experiment: what if citizens played a more active role in deciding how to spend public money?
It's a process …
‘40 Acres and a Tesla’? California Considers Reparations for Black Americans
October 15th, 2021
15:46
California’s Reparations Task Force has a huge challenge before them: to study and recommend reparation proposals for Black Californians and descendants of enslaved people.
The task force wrapped up a series of meetings …
Unpacking the Rise in Gun Violence
October 13th, 2021
17:08
In 2020, homicides in the Bay Area increased by about 25%, according to a Guardian analysis of census and state data. Many of those deaths involved …
How Tahoe Protected Itself From the Caldor Fire
October 11th, 2021
18:20
The Caldor Fire came very close to burning thousands of homes and businesses in South Lake Tahoe. But in the end, while the wildfire has done a lot of damage, the city was largely spared.
That’s no accident. South Lake …
Sonoma County Vineyard Workers are Demanding More Protections
October 8th, 2021
17:14
Vineyard workers already have hard jobs that usually don’t pay high wages. And as wildfire season increasingly overlaps with harvest season, their work has gotten even more dangerous.
Now, advocates and farmworkers in …
California Can Soon Strip Badges from Cops for Serious Misconduct
October 6th, 2021
14:51
Currently, there's little stopping a police officer accused of serious misconduct from simply resigning and moving to a new department.
But that's …
What’s the Deal with COVID-19 Booster Shots?
October 4th, 2021
16:54
The news about COVID-19 booster shots has been confusing. In mid-August, President Biden announced that a COVID-19 booster shot would roll out to all …
An Intergenerational Welcoming for Afghan Refugees
October 1st, 2021
23:00
Since July, at least 2,000 refugees from Afghanistan have arrived in California, with most settling in Northern California and the Bay Area.
Since the …
The Immigrant Renters the Eviction Moratorium Didn't Protect
September 29th, 2021
22:59
California’s eviction moratorium is set to expire tomorrow, September 30. But in many parts of the Bay, Latino immigrant tenants have still been getting evicted by their landlords.
That’s because protections on paper …
How Two Wineries are Dealing With Climate Change
September 27th, 2021
22:09
Wineries have been affected by heat, drought and wildfires. Many have seen lower yields and have even lost grapes. But winemakers are also adapting, and finding creative ways to make sure their livelihoods continue.
…
California Passed a Law to End Single-Family Zoning
September 24th, 2021
17:54
Two days after the recall election, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 9, which effectively ends single-family zoning in California. The law is part of a larger effort to increase the supply of housing, at a time when …
Will Oakland Require COVID-19 Vaccinations for Public School Students?
September 22nd, 2021
18:43
Oakland Unified’s Board of Education is considering a proposal that would require all students 12 and older to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Some …
Mountain View's Mobile Home Parks Could Have Rent Control Soon
September 20th, 2021
19:40
In Mountain View, residents of mobile home parks are on the verge of winning protections under the city’s rent control law — which they have been …
Where Our Water Comes From
September 17th, 2021
18:00
Most Bay Area residents rely on water that travels a long way to get here. And as we experience another drought, it’s more important than ever to understand how our water works, especially in our different local …
Gov. Gavin Newsom Easily Defeats the Recall
September 15th, 2021
15:40
19 months, 46 candidates, and hundreds of millions of dollars later, Gov. Gavin Newsom has easily defeated the effort to remove him from office. It …
Two Latino Families on the Recall Election
September 13th, 2021
30:45
Latinos are roughly 28% of the voting public in California. And over the past 20 years or so, most have voted for Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom. Now, the recall election is here, and millions of Latino voters …
What Could A Republican Governor Do?
September 10th, 2021
22:10
The last day to vote in the recall election is Tuesday, Sept. 14. And if Gov. Gavin Newsom is replaced, his most likely successor is conservative …
Many Communal Housing Residents in SF's Chinatown Want More Distance Learning
September 8th, 2021
18:07
Residents of communal housing in San Francisco’s Chinatown are organizing to keep their students home. According to a survey of residents living in Single Room Occupancy hotels in Chinatown (or SROs) by the Chinatown …
Why Was Angelo Quinto’s Death Ruled an Accident?
September 3rd, 2021
25:38
In December 2020, 30-year old Angelo Quinto died after an encounter with Antioch police. His family says that, after calling 911 for help, they …
What’s at Stake as the Caldor Fire Threatens Lake Tahoe
September 1st, 2021
18:15
The Caldor Fire continues to burn, and tens of thousands of people have evacuated areas around Lake Tahoe, including the 22,000 residents of the city of South Lake Tahoe. The fire is threatening homes, livelihoods, and …
Benicia Breaks with Solano County on Masks
August 30th, 2021
17:49
In early August, 8 Bay Area counties reinstated mask mandates in indoor public spaces due to the spread of the Delta variant. Solano County was the …
A Farewell to Our Host, Devin Katayama
August 27th, 2021
17:54
It’s time to say goodbye to our host. Devin Katayama is leaving The Bay to become KQED’s first Editor of Talent and Development, where he'll help support interns and on-call staff develop their careers.
To commemorate …
Meet the Top 6 Recall Election Candidates
August 25th, 2021
27:49
When California voters look at their ballots for the Sept. 14 recall election, they will see 46 candidates who are running to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom. If a majority of voters mark “Yes” on the recall, Newsom will be …
Some Santa Clara County Leaders Want the Sheriff Out
August 23rd, 2021
23:44
In Santa Clara County, there are a series of controversies surrounding Sheriff Laurie Smith. They range from abuse in jails, to bribery — to even …
Our Fire Conversation Needs to Change
August 20th, 2021
19:24
Several wildfires are burning in Northern California — again. Fire is now a regular part of our lives, and we need to address it with the nuance and …
An ‘All-Hands-on-Deck’ Moment for Afghan Refugee Resettlement
August 18th, 2021
14:30
The Bay Area is home to some of the largest Afghan communities in the U.S. And now, as the Taliban have taken over control of Afghanistan, refugee …
A Bay Curious Guide to Gov. Newsom’s Recall Election
August 16th, 2021
17:52
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recall election is coming. Ballots have been mailed out and the last day to vote in Sept. 14.
Feeling unprepared? Here’s a primer with nitty-gritty voting details, some context for the campaign, and …
Some Families Still Want Virtual Learning This Fall
August 13th, 2021
20:51
For the vast majority of families, this fall means a return to in-person school. But some have opted to stick with remote learning because of …
Getting Ready to Teach in Person Again
August 11th, 2021
20:14
Bay Area teachers have been preparing to teach in-person again. There’s so much to get ready for — whether it’s taking steps to keep people safe from COVID-19, or figuring out how to navigate student group projects. But …
Bay Area Students Are Going Back to School. Are Families Ready?
August 9th, 2021
21:35
Many Bay Area students are starting school this week, and in California, classes will mostly be in-person. At the same time, COVID cases are rising …
The Youth Making BART Safer for Women and Girls as Service Increases
August 6th, 2021
20:22
Even before the pandemic, public transit did not feel safe to many women and girls. That’s why the #NotOneMoreGirl initiative was launched and spearheaded by Bay Area youth — and they've already helped create changes at …
The Race Against Time to Stop the Delta Variant in the Bay
August 4th, 2021
18:22
Just when there was a palpable sense that everything might be OK, the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 came along.
The race to vaccinate more people is now even more urgent; healthcare workers who are seeing …
Eating Inside? This Restaurant Requires Proof of Vaccination
August 2nd, 2021
15:46
COVID-19 cases are on the rise again, fueled by the contagious Delta variant. And over the past few weeks, many Bay Area restaurants and bars have …
We’re Taking a Break in July
July 5th, 2021
2:27
For the next few weeks, we’re taking a break from making new episodes. It’s a lot of work to bring you 3 shows a week, and we’re going to use this time to rest up and reflect.
We’re still going to be accessible if you …
On Our Watch: The Brady Rule
July 2nd, 2021
43:21
Our colleagues at KQED and NPR have spent countless hours analyzing the world of police discipline, thanks to a police transparency law that unsealed …
California Extended Its Eviction Moratorium (Again). Now What?
June 30th, 2021
17:30
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a law that extends California’s eviction protections for people economically impacted by COVID-19 — and who have paid at least 25% of the rent they owe — until Sept. 30. The state also has a …
‘We Don’t Want to See a Drop Wasted'
June 28th, 2021
18:36
California is in a second year of drought. And depending on where you live, you might already have water restrictions in place. Healdsburg, for example, has a mandatory 40% water restriction, while Santa Rosa has a …
Tips on How to Address Your City Council (Also, It’s Our 500th Episode!)
June 25th, 2021
25:05
It’s our 500th episode! One of the great joys of working on the show has been using our space to help people in the Bay Area get excited about or …
From AIDS to COVID-19, Gay Activists in San Francisco Have Been Organizing in Public Health for Decades
June 23rd, 2021
18:35
Forty years after the AIDS epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens those most at risk in the LGBTQ community across the world. Community organizers in the Bay Area have been building on the work of people like Bobbi …
A Pivotal Moment for Regulating Oil Companies in the Bay
June 21st, 2021
17:42
On June 2, so many people spoke during a Bay Area Air Quality Management District board meeting that the agency had to postpone a vote to regulate …
The Uncertain Future of La Pulga in San Jose
June 18th, 2021
18:40
On Tuesday, San Jose’s City Council will vote on a plan to rezone parts of the Flea Market on Berryessa Road, where hundreds of immigrant vendors …
Live Events Are Coming Back, But Challenges Remain for Arts Workers and Venue Owners
June 16th, 2021
16:23
Many live concerts and events are returning to the Bay Area, as COVID-19 cases remain low and the state ends capacity limits, social distancing and mask requirements in most places.
But not everyone working in live …
Why Some Fully Vaccinated Californians Will Keep Wearing Masks After June 15
June 14th, 2021
20:26
California will fully reopen for “business as usual”on June 15. That means, among other things, that fully vaccinated people will no longer be …
One Native American Tribe in Lake County is Creating Housing for Homeless Members
June 11th, 2021
19:00
The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians doesn’t have its own reservation. Like many Native communities, many members also struggle with poverty and homelessness.
But recently, using funds from California’s ‘Project …
Can California's 'Red Flag Law' Stop Gun Violence Before it Happens?
June 9th, 2021
17:32
After the mass shooting at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority rail yard in San Jose two weeks ago, some politicians started talking about …
The ‘Golden State Stimulus’ Includes Undocumented Californians, But Many Can’t Access Their Checks
June 7th, 2021
16:02
Undocumented Californians have been mostly shut out of three rounds of federal stimulus checks. So when the ‘Golden State Stimulus’ was approved in …
Why The Vote to Recall Gov. Gavin Newsom Could Happen Sooner Than You Think
June 4th, 2021
16:10
The effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom picked up steam in late 2020, during the height of the pandemic.
Now, COVID-19 has slowed down in California, …
Fentanyl Overdoses are Claiming Younger People’s Lives in Santa Clara County
June 2nd, 2021
17:48
Deaths from fentanyl overdoses have been on the rise during the pandemic. In Santa Clara County, the ages of the victims are trending younger, according to an analysis by KQED and the Documenting COVID-19 project at …
The #VTAfamily is Mourning the Loss of Friends and Co-Workers
May 28th, 2021
17:41
The deadliest mass shooting in Bay Area history happened Wednesday at a rail yard for the Valley Transportation Authority, the Santa Clara County transit agency made up of around 2,000 employees. The 9 victims who died …
The Black and Brown Families in Oakland Reimagining Education for Their Kids
May 26th, 2021
17:54
For years, Black and brown parents of Oakland Unified students have been pushing the district to do more to support kids in low-income communities of …
South Hayward’s Trailing Vaccination Rate — and What’s Being Done About It
May 24th, 2021
16:47
South Hayward has one of the highest rates of per capita deaths in Alameda County. It also has one of the lowest vaccination rates. Some aren’t sure whether they want the vaccine, but there are also many other barriers …
San Francisco’s ‘Guaranteed Income’ Pilot for Artists Starts Today. But Some Arts Groups are Unhappy with the Process So Far
May 21st, 2021
21:36
Starting Friday, May 21, 130 artists in San Francisco will receive $1,000 a month for the next 6 months through the city’s Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, which was announced in March to help artists from marginalized …
After Nearly A Year, California’s New AG Will Investigate Vallejo Police Killing of Sean Monterrosa
May 19th, 2021
15:52
It’s almost been a year since Vallejo police officer Jarrett Tonn shot and killed Sean Monterrosa on June 2, as protests against police violence were …
PPP Loans Were Meant to Help Businesses, But Many in Bay Area Communities of Color Didn’t Get Them
May 17th, 2021
17:43
On International Boulevard in East Oakland, just 5% of businesses received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from April to August of 2020. …
The California Republicans Who Are Still Enabling Trump's Election Lies
May 14th, 2021
14:57
Just four months ago, a pro-Trump mob violently stormed the U.S. Capitol in support of the former president's conspiracy theories about the 2020 …
The PG&E Fire Victim Trust Owes Billions to Survivors — and Most Are Still Waiting
May 12th, 2021
20:33
The vast majority of the nearly 70,000 fire survivors are waiting for the compensation they're owed as a result of PG&E's bankruptcy settlement — …
Are More Hate Crime Charges A Solution to Anti-Asian Violence?
May 10th, 2021
18:43
When people see attacks on Asians — including a recent near-fatal stabbing on San Francisco’s Market Street — many refer to them as hate crimes, in …
A New Generation of Filipinx Organizers is Building on the Legacy of Stockton’s Little Manila
May 7th, 2021
24:10
In the 1920s and 1930s, Stockton’s Little Manila grew into the largest Filipino community outside of Manila itself. Thousands of Filipinos worked as farm laborers in the San Joaquin Valley, and over the years they …
As Pandemic Slows in the Bay, Diaspora Turns Attention to India
May 5th, 2021
16:16
Indians and Indian Americans in the Bay Area are facing a dual reality when it comes to COVID-19: while businesses start to reopen here, COVID-19 cases and deaths are exploding in India — and many are worried for the …
Sea Levels Are Rising in the Bay — and East Palo Alto is on the Front Lines
May 3rd, 2021
23:41
When it comes to sea level rise, East Palo Alto will be one of the first and hardest-hit areas of the Bay Area. It’s already prone to flooding now, and the city is leading the way when it comes to community-led …
What’s Next for Public Transit in the Bay Area?
April 30th, 2021
17:35
Bay Area transit agencies lost huge numbers of riders during the pandemic — and with it, enormous amounts of revenue. Federal money has saved them from big layoffs and service cuts. But as the region reopens and more …
The Lasting Impact of COVID-19 in San Quentin State Prison
April 28th, 2021
19:36
Last summer, confirmed COVID-19 cases ballooned inside San Quentin State Prison. Now, with many incarcerated people and staff now vaccinated, infections are very low and the worst of the outbreak seems to be over.
But …
Rob Bonta Supports Police Accountability. Now He’s California’s Attorney General
April 26th, 2021
16:14
The state legislature last week confirmed East Bay assembly member Rob Bonta California’s new Attorney General. His confirmation happened the same week Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd. Bonta, the …
What Derek Chauvin's Conviction Means for the Bay Area’s Ongoing Anti Policing Work
April 23rd, 2021
15:48
Oakland has been the epicenter of on-the-ground anti-policing efforts since Oscar Grant was killed by BART police in 2009. That same movement saw its …
A Quick Message From The Bay on George Floyd
April 21st, 2021
2:39
A jury has convicted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin of all three charges for murdering George Floyd. There’s a lot to process, so …
Amid SFUSD Controversies, Where Are the Student Voices?
April 19th, 2021
17:56
San Francisco Unified School District has been mired in several controversies over this past year, and the politics around its school board have been …
Nursing Home Residents Are Finally Starting to See Their Loved Ones
April 16th, 2021
17:23
About 9,000 nursing home residents in California have died of COVID-19. At the height of the winter surge, more than 80 residents were dying every day.
But now, thanks to the COVID-19 vaccines, there are now fewer than …
Uncle Bobby X on Supporting Families Who’ve Lost Loved Ones to Police Violence
April 14th, 2021
23:46
Oscar Grant’s name has been circulating after police in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center claimed that 20-year-old Daunte Wright was …
A Grandmother’s Fight to Keep Her Home — From a Corporation Paying in Cash
April 12th, 2021
23:40
A corporation known for flipping houses in the Bay Area has been buying even more homes at foreclosure auctions during the pandemic. Jocelyn Foreman lives in one of these homes and is now trying to compete with …
What California’s June 15 ‘Reopening’ Goal Means
April 9th, 2021
19:56
On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California’s economy will ‘reopen’ by June 15, as long as there’s enough vaccine supply for everyone 16 …
Will Anti-Asian Violence Lead to More Policing in Oakland’s Chinatown?
April 7th, 2021
22:39
After months of local and national attacks against people in the AAPI community, Oakland Chinatown has rallied together to support their elders and businesses.
But the community is divided — and a generational gap …
California’s Unemployment System Still Isn’t Working for Many People Who Need It the Most
April 5th, 2021
16:25
California’s Employment Development Department (or EDD) is responsible for paying out the state’s unemployment insurance. Ever since the pandemic began, the agency has struggled to close its huge backlog of claims. The …
Strategies for Finding a COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment — Now That Everyone 16+ Will Be Eligible April 15
April 2nd, 2021
18:56
Californians ages 50 and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. They have two weeks to book appointments before the state opens up …
How the Bay Area Shaped Mills College (and Vice Versa)
March 31st, 2021
17:40
Earlier this month, leaders at Mills College announced that the school, which has been in the Bay Area for 169 years, will no longer be awarding …
The Long Fight Against Ableism and Ageism During the COVID-19 Pandemic
March 29th, 2021
18:33
Throughout this pandemic, disabled people and seniors have been at risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19. And all this time, advocates and community organizers have been pushing to make sure that people in power …
Oakland and Marin County Are Starting ‘Guaranteed Income’ Pilot Projects
March 26th, 2021
16:37
Oakland and Marin County are the latest California jurisdictions to announce plans to launch guaranteed income pilot programs. The idea is to give …
With Calls to #StopAAPIHate, Specificity Matters
March 24th, 2021
17:20
The killing of 8 people in Georgia, 6 of whom were women of Asian descent, has led to marches and rallies in the Bay Area in support of the AAPI community. It’s also prompted many people to share experiences they’ve had …
Tracking Anti-Asian Hate Through Stories and Stats
March 22nd, 2021
15:49
This past year, a group of organizations have been keeping count of reports of anti-Asian hate incidents across the country. Nearly 3,800 reports have been submitted since the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center was …
Bay Curious Asks How This Year of COVID-19 Has Changed Us
March 19th, 2021
23:09
Over the last year there has been a lot of heartbreak caused by the pandemic. There have also been moments of joy and communities coming together to help each other out. KQED’s Bay Curious podcast honors how lives have …
Local School Boards Have a Lot of Power. Will the Pandemic Change That?
March 17th, 2021
18:05
School boards in California have historically had a lot of power over decisions at the local level, but the choice to reopen for in-person learning …
‘A Big First Step’: Bay Area Cities Are Rethinking Single-Family Zoning
March 15th, 2021
19:49
The single-family neighborhood has been foundational to American housing policy for decades. It’s also been a tool to keep Black and brown people out …
Why the Attempt to Recall Gov. Gavin Newsom Has Gained Traction
March 12th, 2021
20:54
Organizers behind the attempt to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom believe they will collect enough verified signatures to trigger a special election later …
Navigating This Fragile and Hopeful Moment in the COVID-19 Pandemic
March 10th, 2021
17:19
On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines for fully vaccinated people. New, confirmed cases of COVID-19 are …
Will Angelo Quinto’s Death Lead to Police Reforms in Antioch?
March 8th, 2021
21:41
Angelo Quinto was having a mental health crisis when his family called 911 for help. After Antioch Police arrived at Quinto’s home, his family says …
What Students Think About Reopening Schools
March 5th, 2021
15:53
On Thursday, the California state legislature approved a $6.6 billion plan to encourage school districts to resume in-person learning for the …
'All Eyes Should Be on Marin': A Racial Reckoning in the Bay’s Whitest County
March 3rd, 2021
21:29
Mill Valley in Marin County is one of the 10 most segregated cities in the Bay Area. During the rise of protests following George Floyd’s death in …
'Our People Are Not Disposable': How East San Jose is Coping with the Pandemic
March 1st, 2021
19:08
The ZIP codes in and near East San Jose have been hit the hardest by COVID-19 in the Bay Area. They’re predominantly immigrant neighborhoods with thousands of essential workers, many of whom work for the Silicon Valley …
The Hosts of ‘SOLD OUT’ Update Us on the Housing Crisis
February 26th, 2021
26:25
Last fall, KQED launched a new, five-part podcast about possible solutions to the housing crisis. It’s called SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in …
Why It’s Hard to Stop Chevron From Polluting the Bay
February 24th, 2021
19:14
An oil spill from Chevron’s Richmond refinery earlier this month and the toxic fumes released last November are part of a long trend of dangerous spills into the Bay Area’s water and air. So why’s it so hard to keep the …
We’re Learning the Wrong Lessons from the Tuskegee Experiment. That Matters for Vaccinating Black Americans.
February 22nd, 2021
25:08
Several surveys show that Black Americans are, on average, more hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine compared with white people. And when it comes to Black communities showing less trust in the health care system …
How the Pandemic Opened the Door for Organizing Bay Area Strippers
February 19th, 2021
19:34
After the pandemic forced strip clubs in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood to close and protests against police violence erupted in the …
Helping Oakland's Chinatown From the Street Level
February 17th, 2021
15:39
Sakhone Lasaphangthong spends his work day in Oakland's Chinatown helping people get the resources they need. He walks the streets and connects with merchants, elders, and people who don't have housing.
Over the last few …
The Asian Americans Reclaiming Traditional Medicine in the Bay
February 12th, 2021
16:51
Traditional Chinese Medicine has a complicated history in the Bay. In the 70s, a Chinese immigrant in Palo Alto named Miriam Lee was arrested and put on trial for practicing acupuncture — even though she learned it from …
The Messy Path to Reopening Public Schools
February 10th, 2021
18:11
After months of debate on whether to reopen public schools in the Bay Area's largest districts, some families have finally had enough of distance …
‘There Would Be No Black Panther Party Without the Women’
February 8th, 2021
32:53
There’s a long history of Black women in the Bay Area leading social justice work — including the hundreds of women who led the Black Panther Party. One West Oakland resident believes a celebration of these women and …
There's Rising Toxic Groundwater in the Bay. But It's Not Too Late to Address it.
February 5th, 2021
21:02
The climate crisis isn't just about big tropical storms and deadlier wildfires. Rising sea levels — as a result of climate change — are forcing …
California’s COVID-19 Vaccine Information Void
February 3rd, 2021
16:18
California’s vaccine rollout has been…confusing. Many people have been writing into KQED with basic questions about eligibility or where they go to …
Are You Really Protected From Evictions? Depends On Your Local Government.
February 1st, 2021
22:41
It’s easy to think that California’s eviction moratorium means people can expect to remain in their homes during the economic crisis and global pandemic.
But a KQED investigation found that hundreds of evictions are …
Gun Violence in the Bay Was Decreasing. Then the Pandemic Happened.
January 29th, 2021
16:02
It takes a lot of hard work to curb gun violence at the community level. For the past few years, those efforts in Richmond and Oakland were paying …
The Bay Live! What Will Living in the Bay Area Be Like in 2021?
January 27th, 2021
59:57
In our first virtual live event of 2021, we invited KQED reporters to share what stories they’ll be looking out for this year. We want to share this conversation and ask what matters to you as the Bay Area adjusts to …
By the People: How the Last Four Years Changed KQED
January 25th, 2021
19:03
KQED wasn't alone in struggling to cover former President Trump. These last four years changed how many journalists think about their responsibilities to the public. It's also forced more members of the news media to …
Introducing: A Series On Creators From the Bay Area, From Rightnowish
January 22nd, 2021
18:30
It’s been a week. So now, music.
We’re bringing you the first episode of a new series from our friends at Rightnowish that shines a light on all sorts of creators this year. In this episode, Pendarvis Harshaw introduces …
By The People: A New Presidency and A ‘Window’ of Opportunity for the Iranian Diaspora
January 20th, 2021
21:45
It's Inauguration Day in the U.S. The end of the Trump administration, and the beginning of the Biden administration is a monumental moment for the country –and for the rest of the world. Today, we hear from members of …
Social Media Giants Banned Trump, But They Still Have Lots of Problems
January 15th, 2021
15:36
Silicon Valley giants like Facebook, Twitter and Google have long struggled to deal with violent language and misinformation on their platforms.
But …
Why California’s Vaccine Rollout Has Been So Slow
January 13th, 2021
16:09
On Monday, California’s COVID-19 death toll reached 30,000. Gov. Gavin Newsom and health officials are relying on mass vaccinations to slow the …
By The People: You’ve Protested, Voted, and Donated. Cat Brooks on What’s Next
January 11th, 2021
18:24
It takes a lot of work to undo white supremacy. For many who have been committed to this work, it’s a lifetime of protests, campaigning, donating, and showing up. And sometimes, it can feel like an impossible task.
…
The California Republicans Who Helped Enable Wednesday's Attack on the Capitol
January 8th, 2021
15:13
California is a state run by Democrats. But we have elected officials who have either ignored or enabled President Trump through the years — …
It’s Not Easy to Unionize at Tech Companies. But Google Employees Are Doing It.
January 6th, 2021
17:36
This week, 200+ employees at Google announced that they've formed a union. The Alphabet Workers Union, which is supported by Communications Workers of America (CWA), is the first of its kind at Google, and will include …
By The People: Oakland’s Longtime City Clerk On How to Make Use of City Council Meetings
January 4th, 2021
21:43
If you want to get involved in local politics, your city council meeting can be a good place to start.
But it can also be a lot. It's where your …
We Remember Our Favorite Episodes of 2020
December 18th, 2020
31:12
This year in news has changed us all in so many ways. And as we wrap up 2020 with our final episode of the year, we thought we'd take some time to reflect on the stories that have stuck with us the most.
Remembering San …
We're Missing A Lot of Information About the COVID-19 Outbreaks at Foster Farm Plants
December 16th, 2020
21:06
In August, a Foster Farms poultry processing plant in Livingston was temporarily shut down because of a a COVID-19 outbreak where at least 392 …
By The People: The Plight of Farmers in India Hits Home for Thousands in the Bay
December 14th, 2020
16:30
This is the fourth episode of By The People, The Bay podcast’s new series highlighting the way democracy shows up in the places around us, and how we can all plug in.
It's been called one of the biggest protests the …
A Transgender Asylum Seeker's Quest to Come to the Bay Area
December 11th, 2020
45:35
The Bay Area has a long history of providing refuge to migrants seeking asylum. And for some, like Luna Guzmán, a transgender woman who left Guatemala at 22, places like San Francisco are one of the few places where …
Why Parents, Doctors and Lawmakers Pushed Back Against Playgrounds Closing
December 9th, 2020
17:27
Over the weekend, another surge in COVID-19 cases once again led to playgrounds being closed in many communities across California and in five Bay Area counties.
But some parents felt like this part of the new …
By The People: How Black Activists Transformed Voting in Oakland
December 7th, 2020
21:43
This is the third episode of By The People, The Bay podcast’s new series highlighting the way democracy shows up in the places around us, and how we can all plug in.
A vote in Oakland today goes farther than it did prior …
Why California Is Factoring in Historical Social Injustice in the Vaccine Rollout
December 4th, 2020
21:19
California is planning its rollout of a coronavirus vaccine. Healthcare workers have already been prioritized, but figuring out who comes next and …
Charges Have Been Filed Against Police Officers in The Bay This Year. Why Just Now?
December 2nd, 2020
20:02
It's always been difficult to charge a police officer after they've killed someone while on the job. But in the Bay, it's happened a few times within …
By The People: Shakirah Simley's Journey From Activist to Local Government
November 30th, 2020
19:47
This is the second episode of By The People, The Bay podcast's new series highlighting the way democracy shows up in the places around us, and how we …
A Filipino Nurse and The Patients She Won’t Forget
November 25th, 2020
18:43
When Evelyn Legarte migrated from the Philippines to the Bay Area in 1980, she was part of a growing number of Filipinos that now make up about 20% …
By The People: Young, Queer Candidates of Color are Changing the Bay Area Political Scene
November 23rd, 2020
21:14
One way to change your hometown? Run for office. That’s what Alex Lee, James Coleman, and Lucy Shen decided to do in the 2020 elections. All three …
Some Hotels for Unsheltered People Are Closing. Where Will They Go?
November 20th, 2020
17:08
When the pandemic hit, thousands of unsheltered people were moved into hotels under a plan known as Project Roomkey. Gov. Gavin Newsom said the goal was to eventually move people into permanent housing. But early data …
California's COVID-19 'Emergency Brake'
November 18th, 2020
19:49
On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said that California has seen the fastest two-week increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started. Now, most counties, including six in the Bay Area, are under the state’s …
Why Some Seniors Are More Resilient During the Pandemic
November 16th, 2020
22:00
We've heard a lot about how older people are vulnerable during this pandemic. And it's true that they're more vulnerable to the virus and that …
With Prop. 22 Approved, Regulating Gig Companies Just Got A Lot Harder
November 13th, 2020
18:50
California Proposition 22 was a big win for tech companies. Its passage allows a handful of corporations — like Uber and Lyft — to create a new "gig" …
What Measure P in Sonoma County Says About Police Accountability
November 11th, 2020
16:58
The Bay Area passed a number of local measures related to civilian oversight of police this election. This means an increase in access for what …
Laughing Through the Tears With Luna Malbroux
November 9th, 2020
19:30
Things are still really stressful right now. But comedian Luna Malbroux navigates that stress but choosing laughter and joy in a time of extreme …
How Voting Went Down in the Bay Area
November 6th, 2020
17:01
Voting in the Bay Area seemed to go smoothly on Tuesday, thanks in part to California's efforts to get people to vote early and by mail. That says a lot, in an election where there's been so much misinformation about …
The Poll Workers Who Made Election Day in the Bay Area Possible
November 4th, 2020
27:28
California may have mailed all voters a ballot, but a lot of people still chose to cast their ballots in person. And thousands of people worked long …
The Generational Political Divide in South San Francisco
November 2nd, 2020
27:48
The killing of George Floyd led to protests in South San Francisco, and the creation of a youth-led activist group called Change SSF.
These last few months have also exposed a generational divide about how quickly the …
The Seeds of Activism in Martinez
October 30th, 2020
31:44
Martinez isn't known for its activism. But after George Floyd was killed, and after a white couple defaced a Black Lives Matter mural in Martinez, many residents decided it was time for that to change.
Now, they've …
The Police Shooting That Motivated Walnut Creek Residents to Run for City Council
October 28th, 2020
31:07
Miles Hall was shot and killed by Walnut Creek police a year before many residents joined national protests supporting Black lives this past summer. …
What It's Like to Have Parents Who Are Essential Workers
October 26th, 2020
23:53
Bela Gonzalez and Louie Licea are 15. Both of their parents are essential workers and need to leave the house every day.
It's all pretty stressful. …
The Beginnings of San Quentin's COVID-19 Outbreak
October 23rd, 2020
16:25
On Tuesday, a California court ruled that officials at San Quentin State Prison have to either transfer or release half of the facility's population. …
What Would it Mean to Make Housing a Human Right?
October 21st, 2020
24:46
Housing is not a human right in the United States. But more people are saying it should be.
That growing movement has roots here in the Bay Area, …
Armenians Came to SF to Escape Genocide. Now, Fears of That History Are Resurfacing
October 19th, 2020
17:33
Generations of Armenians and descendants of those who escaped the Armenian Genocide have found refuge in San Francisco. That’s the epicenter of a robust church community center and where Armenian Americans can celebrate …
What Mutual Aid Means — And Why It’s Worth Protecting
October 16th, 2020
19:21
Community fridges have been popping up all over the Bay since the pandemic began as a form of mutual aid, which has deep roots here. There's a long history of this kind of community care, especially around food …
Is Prop 25 California's Best Chance to End Cash Bail?
October 14th, 2020
18:03
Proposition 25 is the culmination of a long fight over the bail system in California. A win for the "Yes" vote would uphold a law that abolishes cash …
The Digital Divide for Latino Immigrant Families in Oakland
October 12th, 2020
18:38
Distance learning is hard enough. And once you get past acquiring the technology needed to make it happen, there’s an additional step for many …
A Bay Curious Guide to Statewide Propositions
October 9th, 2020
23:15
Bay Curious is exploring the 12 statewide ballot propositions with its Prop Fest series. Today, we're sharing their guides to Props 16 and 17, which …
Immigrant Workers Make ‘Wine Country’ Possible. Now Many Have Evacuated.
October 7th, 2020
18:08
Latino and immigrant workers keep the economy of "wine country" going. And while many in the Bay Area sheltered in place at the start of the pandemic, farmworkers in Napa and Sonoma counties continued working.
Now, the …
South Asian Activist Kala Bagai Was Once Driven Out of Berkeley. Now There's A Street Named After Her.
October 5th, 2020
19:55
Berkeley recently renamed a street after a South Asian activist Kala Bagai. But her story isn’t the typical one you hear about people who get streets or monuments named after them.
Nearly 100 years ago, Bagai and her …
The North Bay Journalist Providing Vital Fire Information for Her Neighbors
October 2nd, 2020
16:11
North Bay journalist Sarah Stierch has become a resource for locals looking for critical fire information, down to their specific block. That’s because when the North Bay was burning in 2017, she knew the streets and …
The Final Push to Count Everyone in the Bay
September 30th, 2020
15:59
There are still Californians who need to be counted for the 2020 Census. Here in the Bay Area, there’s the extra challenge of making sure we count people who don't have housing and families whose homes have been …
More Than A Million Californians Are Still Waiting for Unemployment Benefits
September 28th, 2020
17:42
California wasn’t ready for the spike in unemployment since the pandemic. And one big reason is because the agency that handles unemployment benefits …
Gov. Newsom Wants to Ban Gas-Powered Car Sales by 2035. Is This A Big Deal?
September 25th, 2020
18:55
This week, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state plans to eliminate the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035 in order to keep cutting California's greenhouse gas emissions.
Many environmentalists say we need to move …
We Still Need to Solve Our Housing Crisis
September 23rd, 2020
24:32
Before the coronavirus, orange skies from wildfires, and huge protests against police violence, housing was the issue in California. But still, even …
The District Attorneys Pushing Back on 'Tough on Crime' Politics
September 21st, 2020
19:52
Since the 90s, law enforcement groups like police unions, correctional officer unions, and sheriffs' associations have had a huge influence on …
'These Communities Have the Knowledge That Will Save Us': Building Climate Resilience with Youth of Color
September 18th, 2020
23:27
After the Tubbs Fire in 2017, Lil Milagro Henriquez felt she had to do more than just tell her students to mask up for the smoky air. She wanted to empower her students to face the challenges of climate change head on. …
The Bay Area Teen Who's Been Trying to Save TPS (And Isn't Backing Down Now)
September 16th, 2020
18:06
Sixteen year-old Crista Ramos was in her high school Zoom class when her family got some stressful news: A federal court ruled in favor of ending the …
A Hunger Strike in Antioch — And What it Says About the Changing Suburbs
September 14th, 2020
30:31
Suburbs are some of the most diverse spaces in America. It's one reason why — more and more — they’ve become the backdrop of tensions between police …
Photographing Orange Skies and a Historic Year
September 11th, 2020
14:12
When KQED photojournalist Beth LaBerge woke up to orange skies in San Francisco Wednesday morning, she rushed out the door to document the extraordinary moment.
In a year with the coronavirus pandemic, racial justice …
California’s Going All In On Vote By Mail. Will Some People Get Left Behind?
September 9th, 2020
19:32
The pandemic has set off a chain of events that will make this year’s election in California different from years past. For one, the state can’t bet …
'Healing Through Resistance' with Uncle Bobby X
September 4th, 2020
25:42
Uncle Bobby Johnson, also known as the People’s Uncle, has been standing up to police brutality ever since his nephew Oscar Grant was shot by a BART …
Why The Latest Battle Between California And Gig Companies Is A Big Deal
September 2nd, 2020
18:01
For the last eight years, Uber and Lyft have successfully beaten state and local attempts to change its core labor model: treating drivers as …
California Had an ‘Eviction Moratorium.’ Thousands of People Were Evicted Anyway
August 31st, 2020
20:33
Soon after the pandemic started and Californians began to lose their jobs, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued what he called an 'eviction moratorium' to …
'Megafires' Don’t Have to be Our New Normal
August 28th, 2020
16:52
Fire season doesn't have to be this bad. There are lots of things we can do to prevent more and more extreme wildfires.
It'll take a big shift in the way we do things. California has spent decades reacting to and …
The ‘Brittle’ System of Incarcerated Firefighters
August 26th, 2020
19:01
California is low on firefighters at a really bad time. It’s partially because the state released thousands of incarcerated firefighters to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
But it’s also because this system of relying on …
What A WeChat Ban Would Mean for Organizing in San Francisco's Chinatown
August 24th, 2020
16:24
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that could ban WeChat, the popular Chinese messaging app, from operating in the …
The Grassroots Group Helping Oakland Mask Up (Again)
August 21st, 2020
17:59
Back in 2017, Quinn Jasmine Redwoods saw a long line of people at a food distribution center in Oakland. Nobody in line had a mask, even though the most deadly and destructive wildfires in Californian’s history were …
California’s Overloaded Power Grid
August 19th, 2020
18:06
People across the state lost power with almost no warning over the weekend, and there’s a risk it could happen again soon. The California Independent …
The Pandemic Feels Like Déjà Vu For Some Survivors of the HIV/AIDS Crisis
August 17th, 2020
18:41
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jesus Guillen overheard a woman ask why those being held on the Grand Princess cruise ship docked at the …
COVID-19 Has Made ICE Detention Centers Even More Dangerous
August 14th, 2020
17:44
A federal judge in San Francisco has ordered a privately-run immigrant detention center in Bakersfield to stop transferring people to the facility and to provide weekly COVID-19 tests to those inside. Now more than a …
How San Francisco Shaped VP Nominee Kamala Harris
August 12th, 2020
15:25
Sen. Kamala Harris will be the first Black woman and person of Indian descent to run for Vice President on a major party ticket. Many Americans got to know her when she ran for president last year. But we here in the …
Older and Overlooked: What One Fire Tells Us About the Vulnerability of Senior Care Homes
August 10th, 2020
18:48
Many senior care homes in the Bay Area are in fire risk areas, according to a KQED investigation. These facilities are supposed to have emergency …
How Will Pandemic ‘Learning Pods’ Impact Our Public Schools?
August 7th, 2020
18:15
Almost all Bay Area schools are required to start the school year remotely to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 this fall. In response, many …
How Open Vallejo Uncovered the Story of Bent Police Badges
August 5th, 2020
19:46
A secret clique of Vallejo police officers commemorate killings by bending the tips of their star-shaped badges — and the city’s top leaders did …
The Cost of Amazon's Drive For Speed
August 3rd, 2020
16:04
Last week, Congress questioned leaders of four of the largest tech companies in the world - Amazon, Facebook, Google and Apple - about just how much power they’ve gained over the years. Today, we're revisiting an …
A Rec From The Bay: Catching Babies With a Go-To Doula For Black Parents
July 31st, 2020
14:50
Some doulas are seeing an uptick in business during the pandemic. Hospitals are limiting the number of people who can be present at births, and many …
The Moral Case Behind 'Housing Is a Human Right'
July 29th, 2020
19:08
From November of 2019 to January of 2020, two Black mothers occupied a vacant West Oakland property without permission from the company that owned the house, Southern California-based Wedgewood Properties.
Since then — …
'We're Still Here': Remembering the 1969 Native American Occupation of Alcatraz
July 27th, 2020
18:23
On October 14 of last year, Native people from across the West Coast gathered in San Francisco for a ceremonial canoe journey to Alcatraz Island. Each canoe represented a territory, tribe, community or family. They …
A Rec from The Bay: How Learning Emotional Skills Can Help Boys Become Men
July 24th, 2020
25:11
Ashanti Branch started Ever Forward Club because he wanted the young men in his classroom to have what he didn't have as a student: a safe place to be themselves. After Ashanti gave them that, he saw them start to …
'Yes, Asians Go To Jail Too'
July 22nd, 2020
18:40
Jason Mai didn’t know why his father was taken to jail when he was 12 years old. As a kid growing up in the Bay Area, he was told by his Chinese …
The Bay's Birthday Field Trip
July 20th, 2020
22:47
We've produced more than 300 stories about the Bay Area. Today, we're taking a break from the headlines to revisit a show from March (before shelter in place orders) where we traveled to three of our favorite spots …
Part III: How Did Things Get So Bad Between Vallejo and Its Police
July 17th, 2020
30:05
At one point in Vallejo, the city was paying so much money in salaries and pensions for its police and firefighters that the city went bankrupt. It’s …
Part II: One Night in Vallejo, Two Narratives
July 15th, 2020
34:33
In 2017, Vallejo Police shot and killed Alicia Saddler's brother, Angel Ramos, in their mother's backyard. What began as a family gathering was …
Part I: The Life And Death of Willie McCoy
July 13th, 2020
29:47
Before Sean Monterrosa was shot and killed by Vallejo police on June 2, VPD officers killed Willie McCoy. Police fired 55 shots into McCoy's vehicle …
How We Got Here, Part 5: Meaningful Work
July 10th, 2020
31:24
Gig work is often marketed as 'flexible work.' But it's also precarious and unprotected work, and today gig workers are continuing to put themselves at risk because they struggle to earn the income they need to survive.
…
How We Got Here, Part 4: Disempowerment and Debt
July 9th, 2020
36:08
Many Americans are in deep debt. Household debt has reached an all time high at over $14 trillion. This means many workers have to do a lot more just …
How We Got Here, Part 3: The Road to Shareholder Capitalism
July 8th, 2020
38:20
Big companies spend more of their profits on enriching shareholders and executives than they do on increasing compensation for employees. Today, we …
How We Got Here, Part 2: The Attack on Worker Power
July 7th, 2020
43:57
Only 1 in 10 workers in America are part of a union. And for many people, having one would make it a lot easier to advocate for better pay and …
How We Got Here, Part 1: The 'Great Risk Shift' From Companies To Workers
July 6th, 2020
37:27
Tens of millions of people in the US are either out of a job or still working without meaningful protections, benefits, or wage increases. And if …
Workers Have Lost Benefits, Power, And Protections
July 3rd, 2020
6:45
On Monday, we're airing the first in a special five-part series by KQED reporter Sam Harnett and editor Alan Montecillo. It digs into how workers in the US have lost benefits, power, and protections over the last few …
The People of Color Tasked With 'Fixing' Silicon Valley's Race Problem
July 1st, 2020
15:29
Tech companies in Silicon Valley are turning to Black employees and other workers of color to help them respond to Black Lives Matter protests …
Why Are Bay Area Hospitals Still Struggling To Get Personal Protective Gear?
June 29th, 2020
16:44
New records obtained by KQED show local Bay Area hospitals have reported supply chain problems and the need for support and equipment from public agencies to deal with the coronavirus pandemic since January. Today, …
The COVID-19 Outbreak At San Quentin State Prison
June 26th, 2020
16:07
Within one week in June, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at San Quentin State Prison grew more than 700 percent. Prison authorities have now reported that more than 500 incarcerated men have the virus, and that …
Artists Reimagine Where Money Goes in A Police-Free Oakland
June 24th, 2020
16:36
In Oakland, a city that’s seen school closures and a rapid rise in homelessness in recent years, the police budget takes up around 44% of the general …
'This Is A Fight For Everyone': Asian Parents And Black Lives Matter
June 22nd, 2020
18:11
Growing up, Sarah Mizes-Tan's father encouraged her to always stand up to anti-Asian racism whenever she saw it. That's because he had experienced discrimination in the U.S. since immigrating from Singapore as a kid. …
Bay Area Dockworkers Continue Decades of Fighting Oppression on Juneteenth
June 19th, 2020
15:13
You can’t separate labor from the police violence and oppression that’s being called out this Juneteenth - the day that commemorates the end of …
What One Alternative to Policing Looks Like
June 17th, 2020
18:50
In January, the Anti Police-Terror Project launched a community first responder program in Sacramento called Mental Health First. Throughout the …
The Mad Dash to Hire 20,000 Contact Tracers in California
June 15th, 2020
19:15
Lisa Fagundes is a San Francisco librarian who also helps track and prevent the spread of COVID-19. As more Bay Area residents leave their homes, the state is hiring thousands of people like Lisa to contact people who …
‘Joy, Sadness, Rage, and Passion’ in Santa Rosa’s Streets
June 12th, 2020
15:05
There have been dozens of Bay Area cities protesting against police violence since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Most of the protests …
The Yearslong Movement To Get Police Out Of Oakland's Public Schools
June 10th, 2020
15:52
Oakland Unified is the only school district in Alameda County with its own police force. And for nearly a decade, activists with the Black Organizing …
Reflections From Vallejo Families Seeking Justice for Police Killings
June 8th, 2020
15:59
Vallejo Police killed another person of color last week. Sean Monterrosa of San Francisco was shot after police say they mistook a hammer for a gun.
…
The Layers Of Protections for Police Who Use Violence
June 5th, 2020
15:26
Californian police officers are rarely disciplined, even internally, when they do something wrong. That's what KQED reporters have learned by looking …
It’s Been More Than 10 Years Since Oscar Grant — And Not Enough Has Changed
June 3rd, 2020
17:58
On Jan. 1, 2009, Oscar Grant was shot and killed by a BART police officer. The killing was recorded and the video went viral.
There are so many other …
'The Weight of Living in a Racist World': Finding Emotional Support as a Black Man
June 1st, 2020
46:10
This past week has been a lot. Several Bay Area cities joined other communities across the country protesting the police shooting of George Floyd in …
What Disability Justice Activist Stacey Park Milbern Taught Us
May 29th, 2020
19:30
Stacey Park Milbern was an expert at organizing people. A self-identifying queer disabled woman of color, Stacey organized to help her move from …
What We Can Learn From Stockton’s Universal Basic Income Experiment
May 27th, 2020
18:50
Since early 2019, 125 random Stockton residents have been receiving $500 a month to spend however they want. And while the final data hasn't been released yet, we're starting to learn a little more about how that money …
What Isolation During Ramadan Has Meant for Bay Area Mosques
May 20th, 2020
18:01
Ramadan is an important time for mosques to receive donations that help them operate throughout the year.
But fundraising is hard when people can't attend mosques to pray, be with people, and donate. While some Bay Area …
Campaigning And Voting In A Pandemic
May 18th, 2020
20:36
This time of year is a critical point in the run up to the November elections. Normally, campaigns would spend the next few months organizing …
People In Senior Care Homes Are Still Vulnerable Right Now
May 15th, 2020
18:41
More than half of confirmed COVID-19 deaths in California come from senior care homes. And for family members and workers at these facilities, the …
How Virtual Learning Exposed Inequities In Education
May 13th, 2020
18:42
Around 1.2 million California students lack adequate access to the internet right now, despite the fact that public schools have moved classes …
How Will The Pandemic Affect Our Response To The Climate Crisis?
May 11th, 2020
18:28
Thanks to shelter-in-place orders, we car-lovin’ Californians are driving 75% less, according to one recent estimate from UC Davis. That's good for the environment in the short-term, but it's not a sustainable way to …
'My Mom Is Beyond A Superwoman': Mother's Day While Locked Up
May 8th, 2020
22:50
Pedro Archuleta and his mother, Connie Archuleta, have gotten closer since Pedro's incarceration in 2002.
But the COVID-19 pandemic has cast a shadow …
70,000 Wildfire Survivors Are Voting On A Settlement From PG&E — And It's A Mess
May 6th, 2020
21:48
PG&E needs to reach a settlement agreement with nearly 70,000 survivors of the 2017 North Bay fires and the 2018 Camp Fire. The deal needs a two-thirds majority to pass and must be approved by May 15.
But the process …
The Future Of The Bay Area’s Restaurant Industry
May 4th, 2020
20:19
This pandemic has upended the Bay Area’s restaurant industry. Huge numbers of people have been laid off, restaurants have closed, and the businesses that are still open are trying to make it work through delivery and …
'It's Not Enough': What Help Is There For California’s Undocumented Immigrants?
May 1st, 2020
17:49
An estimated 2 million Californians are undocumented. And whether they're essential workers or have recently lost employment, none of them are …
'It's Pretty Clear Who's Responsible': Activist Shot in Philippines Recovering in San Francisco
April 29th, 2020
21:30
Brandon Lee is paralyzed from the chest down and recovering at his parent’s home in San Francisco’s Sunset District. Lee had been working as an environmental activist in the Philippines when he became what's believed to …
What’s the Path Forward for Bay Area Public Transit?
April 27th, 2020
14:52
Leaders at the Bay Area's public transit agencies are dealing with a massive fiscal crisis that happened seemingly overnight.
How San Francisco’s Chinatown Avoided Covid-19 Panic
April 24th, 2020
14:15
Chinatown community leaders were taking steps to prepare for the coronavirus in early February.
‘I Don’t Want Anything to Happen to Them:’ Being Children of Essential Workers
April 22nd, 2020
21:10
For the kids of essential workers, saying goodbye to their parents each workday brings its own kind of stress.
Apple and Google Want to Help Track the Coronavirus — Using Your Phones
April 20th, 2020
15:09
Health officials have been trying to trace where COVID-19 came from and where it’s going. In some countries, including China, South Korea, Singapore and Israel, they’ve used cellphones and apps to identify and monitor …
Most Artists Have Lost Their Income. What’s Next?
April 17th, 2020
16:38
Many artists are still making creative work. But without live events, they're still in big financial trouble.
Remembering San Francisco Lesbian Rights Activist Phyllis Lyon
April 15th, 2020
20:02
Phyllis Lyon's activism throughout the years helped lay the groundwork for the LGBT rights movement to come.
Why We Need Race, Ethnicity and Language Data to Beat COVID-19
April 13th, 2020
14:33
Anyone can get sick from the coronavirus, but it's having an unequal impact on communities of color.
‘There Isn’t A Lot I Can Do:’ Protecting Loved Ones In Senior Care Homes
April 10th, 2020
22:18
Jonathan Hirsch is one of many people worrying about a loved one in a Bay Area senior care home.
Can You Get Shelter Right Now If You Don’t Have A Home? It Depends.
April 8th, 2020
16:15
Hotel rooms, RVs, and other shelter spaces are being made available. But it's going to take a lot more to keep people experiencing homelessness safe from the coronavirus.
How KQED Is Making Radio During the Coronavirus Pandemic
April 6th, 2020
15:57
News outlets are considered 'essential' businesses. Here's how we're (still) bringing you stories.
Why Local News Is Suffering When People Need It Most
April 3rd, 2020
17:47
The San Francisco Examiner and SF Weekly are cutting the pay and hours of their journalists by 40 percent.
The Confusing ‘Patchwork’ of Renter Protections
April 1st, 2020
17:07
How much help do you have right now if you can't make rent? It depends on where you live.
Inside a Bay Area Courtroom During Shelter in Place
March 30th, 2020
14:05
Courts are considered "essential," but it doesn't mean a jury trial is a safe place for people to gather right now.
Tracking the Latest Chapter of Anti-Asian Racism in America
March 27th, 2020
13:10
Asians and Asian-Americans are being harassed by people who think looking Chinese means you have the coronavirus. Three California organizations have
‘The Rest of Our Season Got Canceled’
March 25th, 2020
13:27
Students may be taking online classes, but their extracurriculars have been canceled.
Even Before the Coronavirus, Working Class People Were Barely Getting By
March 20th, 2020
16:51
The new coronavirus is highlighting just how precarious life has been for many workers and contractors.
When People Can’t Go to Their Houses of Worship
March 18th, 2020
13:01
Religious communities are trying to stay connected while also staying safe from the coronavirus.
Will Daly City’s Only Hospital Survive?
March 16th, 2020
14:25
Seton Medical Center is in financial trouble. But closing the hospital could put many vulnerable people at risk.
Don’t Panic: Your Questions Answered About the Coronavirus in the Bay Area
March 13th, 2020
16:59
News about the coronavirus in the Bay Area is changing every day. Schools are closing, white collar workers are working from home and officials are …
Working From Home? Not an Option for Gig Workers
March 11th, 2020
14:33
Lots of workers, including gig workers, can't work from home to stay safe during the coronavirus outbreak.
The ‘Disease Detectives’ Tracing the Spread of the Coronavirus
March 9th, 2020
10:38
Reported cases of the new coronavirus are increasing, and it's up to public health officials to try and figure out where those cases came from.
The Bay’s Birthday Field Trip
March 6th, 2020
20:19
To celebrate The Bay turning two, the team went on a little field trip.
Sanders Won California, But Hella Votes Are Still Being Counted
March 4th, 2020
15:37
The AP called California for Bernie Sanders, but we won't know the full results for a while.
Volunteering for Sanders and Warren in the Bay When Politics Is Personal
March 2nd, 2020
17:36
Most people don't volunteer for presidential campaigns. So we spoke to two volunteers, to learn about what led them to spend their free time helping …
How Do Mobile Homes Fit Into Mountain View’s Rent Control Debate?
February 26th, 2020
14:00
Mountain View could make changes to its rent control policy on March 3. But no matter what happens, mobile home renters will continue to be left out …
What Companies Know About KQED’s Silicon Valley Editor
February 24th, 2020
16:25
Californians can now request their personal data from companies that have them. So KQED's Rachael Myrow tried it out.
The A’s Are Abandoning Local Radio – And Oakland’s In Its Feels
February 21st, 2020
16:06
Baseball on the radio is special to many longtime fans. So some of them aren't thrilled that the A's are dropping their local English-language broadcast.
‘That’s Where I Grew Up’: The Wuhan Natives Organizing Aid From The Bay
February 19th, 2020
14:34
Thousands of college graduates from Wuhan live in the Bay Area. Some of them have formed a non-profit to help their hometown fight the coronavirus.
Reckoning With Sexual Assault at Berkeley High School
February 17th, 2020
21:16
Why protesters at Berkeley High School say they're fed up with how their school responds to allegations of sexual assault.
The Story of Change in Oakland Through the Old Capwell Building
February 14th, 2020
15:31
The building in Oakland now known as Uptown Station has a long history. And if you follow that history, you can see just how much the city has …
San Francisco’s Man-Made Taxi Medallion Crisis
February 12th, 2020
15:53
In 2010, San Francisco started selling taxi medallions. Now, some drivers are in so much debt that the stress causes physical pain.
A Black Chef’s Dream of Returning to the Fillmore
February 10th, 2020
22:08
Fernay McPherson has built up her business, piece by piece, for six years. Today, you can find Minnie Bell's Soul Movement at the Emeryville Public …
‘Fui Muy Afortunado’: How One Asylum-Seeker Made It to the Bay Area
February 7th, 2020
16:44
It’s been about one year since the Trump administration changed how seeking asylum works at the U.S-Mexico border. The so-called “Remain in Mexico” …
To Be Asian With a Face Mask During the Coronavirus Outbreak
February 5th, 2020
15:15
When Santa Clara University's provost sent an email reminding people to be aware of their racial biases around the coronavirus, Sherry Wang, a …
Why One of California’s Biggest Housing Bills Failed
February 3rd, 2020
12:50
SB 50 would have made big changes to the way housing in California gets built. So why did it fail?
The ‘Casual Corruption’ of San Francisco’s Mohammed Nuru
January 31st, 2020
14:42
Mohammed Nuru has been in San Francisco city government for a long time. He was appointed to the Public Works department in 2000 by then-Mayor Willie Brown and eventually became the director of that department in 2011.
…
Is Your Food Delivery Order Legit?
January 29th, 2020
11:12
What happens when food delivery apps add local restaurants without the owners' permission?
What ‘American Dirt’ Gets Wrong
January 27th, 2020
15:26
Many Latinx writers, including here in the Bay Area, have expressed frustration with American Dirt, a new book by Jeanine Cummins that has been called the next great American novel. Oprah even selected it for her book …
A Six-Year Journey to Find a Home
January 24th, 2020
15:52
Eddie Thomas lost his housing when he was 55 years old after working at Intel for five years. He's part of a growing trend of people becoming …
What It Takes to Help ‘Newcomer’ Immigrant Students in Oakland
January 22nd, 2020
13:51
Many local leaders in the Bay Area have made it a point to say that their communities are welcoming places for new immigrants, including those who are undocumented, are seeking asylum or are refugees.
Oakland Unified …
Indie Artists Vs. The Frida Kahlo Corporation
January 17th, 2020
13:26
You can find Frida Kahlo's image all over the Bay Area. The Mexican painter lived in San Francisco for a little bit in the '30s and '40s with her husband, Diego Rivera.
She became even more famous in the years after …
The Anonymous Companies That Buy Up Homes
January 15th, 2020
12:52
Even if you can afford to buy a home in the Bay Area, you might get outbid by an anonymous shell company paying cash.
‘Unapologetic’: Jerry Brown’s Legacy in Oakland
January 13th, 2020
21:05
Oakland feels a lot different today than it did when Jerry Brown was elected mayor in 1998. That’s because he had a lot to do with how the city …
What Does Safety For Trans People In Prison Look Like?
January 10th, 2020
16:41
Prison can be a brutal place for anyone. But for trans people who are incarcerated, it's even more dangerous.
A new bill in California's state …
For Many Immigrants With Advanced Degrees, It’s ‘Sink Or Swim’
January 8th, 2020
15:30
When Dr. Wilmer Garcia Ricardo came to the U.S. from Cuba he couldn't find work as a physician, and he had to figure out the licensing process almost …
One Iranian-American’s Identity In This Moment
January 6th, 2020
15:15
There are 180,000 people who claim Iranian ancestry living across California, according to the most recent census data. Many left Iran around the …
The Moral Case Behind ‘Housing Is a Human Right’
January 3rd, 2020
16:32
On Monday, two black mothers who occupied a vacant West Oakland property had their day in court. Southern California-based Wedgewood Properties, which owns the home, argued this is a clear case of theft. But the moms …
An Unspoken Guide to Riding BART
December 30th, 2019
16:25
When our new editor Alan Montecillo moved to the Bay Area earlier this month he noticed that people loved talking about BART. It's one of the few spaces where people from all over the Bay Area are forced to be around …
Can PG&E Be Forced To Change?
December 20th, 2019
17:30
This week, PG&E took a big step towards emerging from bankruptcy after a judge approved billions of dollars in settlements with fire survivors …
After 161 Years, an Era of Local News Ends in Martinez
December 18th, 2019
13:54
The paper will print its final issue this Sunday, ending a 161-year run covering the county seat of Contra Costa.
Welcome to Oakland’s Indigenous Red Market
December 16th, 2019
15:28
In the late fifties, the U.S. government promised Native Americans good jobs and stable housing if they left reservations for urban centers, including Oakland. Those promises were never realized. But something else …
How Maria Isabel Bueso Beat Back the Trump Administration
December 13th, 2019
24:41
Maria Isabel Bueso and her family have waited months to learn whether they could stay in the country. Bueso has lived in the Bay Area for 16 years …
An Audio Journey Through Our Turbulent Decade
December 11th, 2019
20:26
The Giants’ first World Series win in 56 years, the Occupy Oakland protests, and the Ghost Ship warehouse fire are just a few moments from the last decade that shaped and changed the Bay Area. With the help of reporters …
To Be Filipino, Gay, And HIV Positive in San Francisco
December 9th, 2019
35:09
Jaime Geaga moved to San Francisco in 1981. He was ready to start a new chapter of his life when he tested positive for HIV. Among Asian Americans, Filipino men were some of the most affected by HIV/AIDS. Filipinos also …
The Problem With Police Neck Holds
December 6th, 2019
13:09
A Petaluma man named David Ward died last week shortly after a sheriff’s deputy put him in a neck hold, according to the Sonoma County sheriff's …
The Cost of Amazon’s Drive For Speed
December 4th, 2019
13:08
When you order from Amazon in the Bay Area, your order is probably coming from a fulfillment center in Tracy. The serious injury rate for employees …
San Francisco Debates How to Honor Women With Monuments in the Era of Toppling Statues
December 2nd, 2019
15:29
San Francisco's Arts Commission wants a public monument honoring poet Maya Angelou. It's part of an effort to fix the fact that just 2 percent of …
Why Did Fresno Police Create an ‘Asian Gang Task Force’ to Solve a Crime With No Clear Connection to Gangs?
November 27th, 2019
14:28
After the mass shooting in Fresno earlier this month, police responded by creating an Asian Gang Task Force. Yet so far, police have provided no …
‘We Don’t Want Shelter, We Want Homes’
November 25th, 2019
12:46
The fight over housing rights took a turn recently when two homeless moms occupied a vacant three-bedroom home in West Oakland with their children. Their group, Moms 4 Housing, wants the city to make it possible for …
What Makes BART Such A Politicized Space?
November 22nd, 2019
13:26
Steven Foster was detained and cited by BART police for eating a sandwich on a train platform. This isn't the first time BART has been the backdrop …
The Thinking Behind KQED’s Mass Shooting Coverage
November 20th, 2019
14:42
Since the days of Columbine, America's reference point for mass shootings has shifted over and over again. These shootings have happened at schools, …
‘Yes, Asians Go To Jail Too’
November 18th, 2019
16:16
Jason Mai didn’t know why his father was taken to jail when he was 12 years old. As a kid growing up in the Bay Area, he was told by his Chinese …
Why San Francisco’s New District Attorney Chesa Boudin is a ‘Leap of Faith’
November 15th, 2019
17:32
Chesa Boudin wants to shake up San Francisco's criminal justice system. Boudin comes from an unconventional background: His parents were jailed for participating in a robbery that led him to a career as a public …
From the Bay to the Supreme Court: A Doctor’s Fight for DACA
November 13th, 2019
18:06
Jirayut "New" Latthivongskorn immigrated to the United States with his family as a kid. They settled in the Bay Area, where they spent years living in the shadows as undocumented immigrants. They avoided visits to the …
Who Owns Silicon Valley?
November 8th, 2019
15:24
Stanford has more property value than Apple, Google and Intel combined. And right now in the Bay Area, everyone is watching how these big property …
Let’s Talk About Race and the Orinda Shooting
November 6th, 2019
19:32
Why has the "mass shooting" element of this tragedy been largely overlooked?
Olympic Legends for Black Power Salute, Now Hall of Famers
November 4th, 2019
12:52
John Carlos and Tommie Smith were shunned after their infamous Black Power salute on the podium at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. The were kicked out of the Olympics and lost their track and field careers. Now, 50 years …
The Tiny Radio Station Relaying Critical Kincade Fire Information in Indigenous Languages
November 1st, 2019
12:16
During the 2017 North Bay fires, bilingual radio station KBBF in Santa Rosa became a lifeline for many Spanish speakers in Sonoma County. At the time, emergency alerts and information were poorly translated, if at all. …
How the 2017 North Bay Fires Prepared Sonoma County for the Kincade Fire
October 30th, 2019
11:55
It's been one week since the Kincade Fire started in Sonoma County, but this time residents say the county is more prepared.
A Bay Farewell to Editor Erika Aguilar
October 28th, 2019
15:26
Some bittersweet news from The Bay team: Our editor Erika Aguilar is leaving to head KQED’s new Housing and Affordability Desk. Erika is a founding member of The Bay and helped launch the podcast in March 2018. In this …
Living Between Fires and Blackouts
October 25th, 2019
11:41
PG&E said there were failures on one of its high-voltage transmission lines just minutes before the Kincaid Fire erupted in Sonoma County. It's …
San Francisco’s Car-Free Market Street Makeover
October 23rd, 2019
15:16
Starting in January, San Francisco will ban private cars from Market Street as part of a major overhaul to make the city’s main thoroughfare safer …
Why the S.F. District Attorney’s Race Matters and What You Need to Know
October 21st, 2019
16:58
This year’s race for San Francisco district attorney has been a doozy. The four-way race to replace George Gascón is wide-open. The Nov. 5 election took on some extra controversy this month when Gascón abruptly …
Shaky Shaky Shaky: How to Prepare for the Next Earthquake
October 18th, 2019
13:12
This week, the Bay Area felt a series of earthquakes in less than 24 hours. Thursday marked the 30th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake. That prompted KQED Science reporter Peter Arcuni to come up with a disaster …
‘We’re Still Here’: Canoe Journey to Alcatraz to Remember the Native American Occupation 50 Years Ago
October 16th, 2019
16:00
On Monday, Native people from across the West Coast gathered in San Francisco for a ceremonial canoe journey to Alcatraz Island. Each canoe represented a territory, tribe, community or family. They paddled to celebrate …
KQED’s Podcast #Rightnowish Tackles How Art Shapes the Bay
October 14th, 2019
12:58
Bay Area artists have a tendency to embed politics and messages for society into their creative work. KQED's newest podcast Rightnowish highlights …
In Paradise, Power Shutoffs and PG&E’s Unreliability Feel Like the New Normal
October 11th, 2019
14:32
PG&E shut off the lights to 800,000 customers in Northern California, including 141,000 in the Bay Area. The utility company says the goal is to reduce the risk of wildfires. These latest shutdowns come almost a …
Should San Francisco Force People With Mental Illness Into Treatment?
October 9th, 2019
15:49
San Francisco is moving forward with a conservatorship program that would force people experiencing chronic homelessness, substance abuse and severe …
How Nancy Pelosi’s Beginnings Prepared Her to Lead Democrats on Impeachment
October 7th, 2019
14:11
Although Nancy Pelosi didn’t run for elected office until she was 47, politics is in her blood. Born into a prominent Baltimore political family, …
How the Fair Pay to Play Act Could (Finally) Lead to a Profitable Future for Female Athletes
October 4th, 2019
12:46
Female athletes in the Bay Area are at a disadvantage when it comes to opportunities to play at the professional level. There are no professional women's sports teams in the Bay, compared to seven professional sports …
What Boulders Say About San Francisco’s Inability to Find a Solution to Homelessness
October 2nd, 2019
14:07
Residents with a place to live on Clinton Park, a street in San Francisco, pooled their money together to buy boulders for the neighborhood's …
Why Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto Is a Problem (For Some)
September 30th, 2019
12:52
North Berkeley’s “Gourmet Ghetto” is considered the birthplace of California cuisine. It’s where the original Peet’s Coffee is located, and the …
When Should Vallejo Officers Be Required to Test for Drugs or Alcohol?
September 27th, 2019
17:13
Vallejo residents attended a city council meeting this week wearing bright yellow stickers that read "Coked Cops Kill." They opposed efforts by the …
Unplugged: PG&E Shuts Down Power In Several Northern California Cities
September 25th, 2019
13:00
It’s hot. It’s dry. And your power might get shut off. PG&E has been making daily decisions this week on whether to shut off power to wildland areas in Northern California that are at risk of fire. The utility …
The Voice Behind ‘I Got 5 On It’
September 23rd, 2019
16:20
Mike Marshall has a voice you've probably heard before. He was the vocal on the 90s anthem I’ve Got Five On It. More recently, Marshall covered San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) in the movie The Last …
Ordered Out But Fighting for Her Life to Stay
September 20th, 2019
17:04
Maria Isabel Bueso immigrated to the United States from Guatemala 16 years ago so she could receive treatment in the Bay Area for a rare genetic …
Housing is Healthcare: One Doctor’s Prescription for Solving Homelessness
September 18th, 2019
18:13
President Trump and HUD Secretary Ben Carson visited the Bay Area on Tuesday. Trump attended a fundraiser but made time to call attention to the state's housing and homeless crisis. Carson toured a public housing …
Living With Parents (Cause the Rent is Too Dang High)
September 16th, 2019
11:39
In California, living with parents has become necessary for many young adults trying to save money on rent. Around 37 percent of young people ages 18 …
The Gig is Up: Lawmakers Pass AB 5 to Protect Gig Workers
September 13th, 2019
13:54
Tech companies like Lyft and Uber have introduced America to a new way of working. They've touted a flexible, be-your-own boss work model -- though without benefits or worker protections. This week, California lawmakers …
Out of the Blocks Takes Us On A Listening Tour Through West Oakland
September 11th, 2019
13:20
Heritage and gentrification intersect in West Oakland's Lower Bottoms neighborhood. That's the historical headquarters of the
Black Panther Party, and the last train stop in the East Bay before San Francisco. The …
The Conception Had An Excellent Reputation. One Bay Area Diver Asks ‘What Happened?’
September 9th, 2019
11:05
The tragedy of the Conception boat fire off the Santa Barbara coast has rippled throughout the diving community. Several of the 34 people who died on Labor Day were from the Bay Area. The boat and Truth Aquatics …
‘I’m in Shock’: What the Ghost Ship Verdict Means to Those Who Survived
September 6th, 2019
11:03
The Ghost Ship trial is over, for now. The jury acquitted Max Harris, one of the two men accused of involuntary manslaughter for his role in the 2016 …
Local Officials Calling to Bring Home SF Activist Shot in Philippines
September 4th, 2019
16:59
Brandon Lee remains in critical condition after he was shot outside his home in the Philippines last month. The San Francisco native warned that the Philippine government had been intimidating him for working as a human …
‘There’s a Lot of Mistrust and Fear on Both Sides.’ Vallejo Residents React to Police Violence
August 30th, 2019
14:08
Our reporting on deadly police shootings that have happened in Vallejo has struck a nerve with listeners, especially those who live in the city. A …
My Kid Has Anxiety. Can Their Schools Help?
August 28th, 2019
14:58
Brianna Sedillo is a student at El Cerrito High School in the East Bay. After her grandfather passed away, the pressures of high school intensified …
The Oakland Property Owners Who Chose Ethics Over Money
August 26th, 2019
17:02
When the Cabellos listed their Oakland property for sale, they got offers from developers and corporate businesses. The property sits in the gentrified Temescal neighborhood, which is part of the reason they closed …
How Did Things Get So Bad Between Vallejo and Its Police?
August 23rd, 2019
26:32
This isn’t the first time Vallejo has experienced a cluster of high profile police shootings and incidents that have caused residents to demand …
One Night, Two Narratives
August 21st, 2019
32:06
The recent wave of protests for police accountability in Vallejo started back in 2017. That’s when Angel Ramos, 21, was fatally shot by an officer …
The Life and Death of Willie McCoy
August 19th, 2019
26:51
Willie McCoy had a hard childhood, but his dreams of making music professionally kept him alive until he was shot 55 times by Vallejo police in …
There’s Something Wrong in Vallejo
August 16th, 2019
3:51
In February, Vallejo police officers shot a young black man 55 times after he was found unconscious in his car. Another was killed last year after an …
Bay Area Filipinos Stand Up For Activist Shot in the Philippines
August 14th, 2019
14:05
A San Francisco native was shot in the Philippines earlier this month in what friends and family believe was an attempted extrajudicial assassination by the Philippine government. Brandon Lee became an activist through …
The Long, Hard Search for a Missing and Homeless Loved One
August 12th, 2019
15:30
More than 34,000 people are homeless in the Bay Area. There's not enough housing or resources to help them all. Some have friends or family who have been searching for their loved ones to bring them home, but finding …
From El Paso to the Bay: Latinos Look for Community After Shootings
August 9th, 2019
19:40
Latinos this week have expressed fear, anger and unity after a gunman shot and killed 22 people at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. The suspect wrote a racist manifesto blaming immigrants and Hispanics for economic changes …
Young People Fighting For Gun Control Want to Know: What Will It Take?
August 7th, 2019
15:36
The three victims from the Gilroy Garlic Festival were young -- ages 6, 13 and 25. Many of the victims from the shootings in El Paso and Dayton were …
When The Media Descended On Gilroy
August 5th, 2019
13:00
After the shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival on July 28, a local newspaper photographer criticized how media quickly descended on the small city …
Banning RV Life in the Heart of Silicon Valley
June 28th, 2019
16:20
Google pledged $1 billion earlier this month to help ease Silicon Valley's housing crisis. That crisis is playing out in Google's home city of Mountain View, where city leaders want to ban RVs from parking overnight on …
How Gay Activists in San Francisco Educated the World About AIDS
June 26th, 2019
16:31
A San Francisco nurse named Bobbi Campbell was the first person to publicly announce he had a cancer associated with AIDS in 1981. Around this time, he convinced a Castro drugstore to display pictures of his lesions to …
A Mural That Doesn’t Age Well: The Debate Over the George Washington Murals in S.F.
June 24th, 2019
15:54
Can an artist’s original intentions withstand the test of time and modern sentiment? A mural at George Washington High School in San Francisco that …
A Migrant’s Journey from El Salvador to the Bay Area
June 21st, 2019
20:17
President Trump on Monday announced that federal immigration officers were gearing up for deportations next week. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf responded by urging her community to be prepared. It’s unclear whether the …
The Woman Who Kept Juneteenth Alive in San Francisco
June 19th, 2019
13:12
San Francisco's Juneteenth, a commemoration of the end of slavery, is one of the largest gatherings of African Americans in California every year. This year's Juneteenth parade was named in honor of Rachel Townsend, a …
The Price of Owning the Power Grid
June 17th, 2019
14:50
Environmental activists in San Francisco have long called for the city to have its own public power system. The idea never took off until PG&E went bankrupt, again, in January. The private utility company owns most …
From Quentin to the Kitchen: Preparing for Life After Prison in the Bay Area
June 14th, 2019
15:03
Formerly incarcerated people who can’t find work after prison face a 50 percent chance of returning to prison. Those who do find work have a better …
Why San Francisco Wants to Stop Charging Inmates for Phone Calls
June 12th, 2019
12:30
The cost of going to prison is both personal and financial. That’s exacerbated by the price of phone calls from the inside. In San Francisco, a 15-minute phone call can cost $2.10. Other jails charge about $5. And it's …
A ‘Surreal’ and Emotional Graduation for Paradise High
June 10th, 2019
19:07
"Surreal" is the word Paradise High School seniors used over and over again to describe their graduation months after the deadly Camp Fire that …
Teachers Strike Close to Graduation Leaves Students in Limbo
June 7th, 2019
12:41
The teachers strike at the New Haven School District in Union City and South Hayward has been going on for two weeks now. Unlike more recent teachers …
The Exploitation of Creative People and Their Passions
June 5th, 2019
13:57
It’s hard enough to live, work and survive in the Bay Area. But people whose work is their passion often make additional sacrifices to do what they love. Many of you shared stories of “passion exploitation” after KQED …
Mental Healthcare for All?
June 3rd, 2019
12:39
It's not uncommon to see people struggling with mental health in San Francisco. People experiencing the trauma of homelessness often have their worst …
The New Resistance to Vallejo Police Violence
May 31st, 2019
17:19
A series of police shootings in Vallejo over the last few years has mobilized residents to city hall in protest. This week, the families of Angel …
A Prescription Your Doctor Can’t Write: Housing as Health Care
May 29th, 2019
17:59
When Bay Area cities clear homeless encampments, proponents of such plans often say they're trying to fix a public health issue, or that encampments have become too unsafe or unhealthy. But some are making the case that …
Why We Need ‘Truth Be Told’: A New KQED Advice Podcast About Race for People of Color
May 24th, 2019
16:24
When Tonya Mosley thinks about conversations she's had with friends and family about race, she's usually asking for advice. Now, there's a podcast …
Why San Jose Ain’t San Jose Without the Sharks
May 22nd, 2019
9:20
San Jose has undergone dramatic change since the Sharks first came to the city in 1993. The population has spiked to more than 1 million, the median …
Why Is My Restaurant Server Always White?
May 20th, 2019
12:35
When you get your check at a restaurant, there’s a good chance your server is white. There’s an even better chance that the cooks and dishwashers in the back of the house are POC who get considerably less money, …
PG&E Blamed For Sparking Deadly Camp Fire. Now What?
May 17th, 2019
18:40
It's confirmed: A PG&E transmission line sparked the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history last November in Butte County. Cal …
San Francisco Bans Facial Recognition Technology
May 15th, 2019
12:09
We use facial recognition technology to unlock our cell phones, doors, and find friends on social media apps. But there's a real fear about how tech …
Would You Stop Driving Through Downtown San Francisco if You Had to Pay to Do It?
May 13th, 2019
15:20
Driving through downtown San Francisco has always been hell (good luck getting across Market Street). Traffic has gotten worse with job growth and …
Should SF’s Chinatown Muni Station Be Named After Rose Pak?
May 10th, 2019
16:34
The legacy of Rose Pak returns to San Francisco. A proposal to name a future Muni rail station after the late Chinatown activist provoked a protest at City Hall this week, and debates over how to recognize her …
In Silicon Valley, the Color of Your Badge Is A Status Symbol
May 8th, 2019
14:31
Uber drivers are planning to strike Wednesday by turning off their apps ahead of the company's public offering, which is expected to be the largest of the new tech IPOs this year. Drivers say they want higher pay and …
Oakland Ghost Ship Trial: What We Learned From Opening Statements
May 6th, 2019
16:04
A new narrative surfaced about what could have caused the deadly Oakland warehouse fire in 2016 that killed 36 people. Defense attorneys have …
Why Are There No Filipina Disney Princesses? #YouthTakeoverKQED
May 3rd, 2019
15:04
Filipinos are huge part of life and culture in the Bay Area. But the spotlight rarely falls on them, especially in media. El Cerrito High School …
Basically, Nothing in the Bay Area is Affordable to Someone Making $64,000
May 1st, 2019
12:59
We all know it's expensive to live in the Bay Area. But just how unaffordable is it? Reporters with the Mercury News and the East Bay Times looked at how high rents and mortgages have climbed since 2012, and it will …
The Bay Live: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
April 29th, 2019
53:05
High rent. Long commutes. Expensive food. Childcare. Sea level rise. Gentrification. These are just some of the challenges of living in the Bay Area. …
Why You Can’t Talk About Food Without Talking About Identity, According To S.F. Food Critic Soleil Ho
April 26th, 2019
16:55
The San Francisco Chronicle's newest food critic has been on the job for about three months now. Since starting, Soleil Ho has written about ethical …
Report Validates Women’s Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against S.F. Yoga Guru
April 24th, 2019
14:19
More women came forward after KQED published an investigation last year showing sexual misconduct allegations against Manouso Manos, a prominent international yoga teacher based in San Francisco. The reporting prompted …
#Rightnowish: KQED’s Newest Show Spotlights Artists With a Message
April 19th, 2019
13:56
There are a ton of artists, creators and thinkers in the Bay Area who have messages for society. KQED's newest radio show Rightnowish highlights them. Author and KQED Arts writer Pendarvis Harshaw brings us into …
Will High-Speed Rail Ever Make It to the Bay Area?
April 17th, 2019
17:32
California’s bullet train project was designed to get people from San Francisco to Los Angeles in less than three hours. But after years of legal and …
The Fight Over Building a Homeless Navigation Center on San Francisco’s Embarcadero
April 15th, 2019
12:53
Neighbors of San Francisco's Embarcadero waterfront community were fired up when the city proposed building a 225-bed navigation center for the homeless. First, competing Go Fund Me pages were set up to raise money for …
How Screwed is the Bay Area Because of Tech IPOs?
April 12th, 2019
11:40
First it was Lyft. Next is Pinterest. Eventually, Uber, Slack, Airbnb and Postmates. All these tech companies are expected to go public this year. …
Does East Bay Presidential Candidate Eric Swalwell Stand a Chance?
April 10th, 2019
12:42
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell doesn’t have the name recognition or the money that the other presidential candidates have. As the 18th Democratic candidate …
Watching Yosemite’s Lyell Glacier Die
April 8th, 2019
13:29
As a geologist, Greg Stock never imagined he'd witness the death of a glacier. The Lyell Glacier is Yosemite National Park's largest ice mass, and …
It’s Baaack! Controversial Housing Bill SB 50 Passes First Test
April 5th, 2019
14:13
Unlike its epic failure last year, SB 50 passed its first test this week in the state Senate Housing Committee hearing. The bill introduced by San …
SF’s Transgender Nightclub Closes: ‘If Divas Wasn’t There, I Wouldn’t Be Here’
April 3rd, 2019
10:15
Divas celebrated 31 years of serving the trans community before closing its doors for good on March 30. Some trans people say the club represented a space of inclusion and community in a city that’s becoming more …
These Are the Bays of Our Lives
April 1st, 2019
14:31
The Bay Area bubble is real. Sometimes living in the bubble means have tunnel vision on how the rest of the country lives. So today, we thought we'd leave this bay and visit some others. Travel with us as we hop around …
It’s Expensive to Keep Juvenile Detention Centers Open, Especially When They’re Nearly Empty
March 29th, 2019
15:56
An investigation by the San Francisco Chronicle found juvenile detention centers across California were nearly empty but the costs to run these facilities have skyrocketed. In San Francisco, it cost $266,000 to keep a …
More than 30 Newsrooms Join KQED’s Police Records Project
March 27th, 2019
20:55
Dozens of reporters across California have been working to obtain records from police departments on misconduct and accountability under a new state …
Can’t Park Here. Berkeley Votes to Ban RV Parking Overnight
March 25th, 2019
9:31
When a group of RVs was forced to leave Berkeley’s marina last year, many moved to West Berkeley, near Gilman Street where RVs line the sidewalks. Business owners and residents complain that the wheeled-homes leave …
Apple Gets A Cool Image, What Do Artists Get?
March 22nd, 2019
13:12
Local bands and artists are being asked to perform at San Francisco's Apple store in Union Square. As payment they get Airpods, Apple TV, or a watch. Not money. It's a story that KQED Arts music editor Nastia …
A Parking Spot for the Homeless: Oakland Churches Open Their Lots
March 20th, 2019
10:23
Nearly a quarter of the people experiencing homelessness in Oakland are living out of a car, truck or some type of vehicle. That's why four Oakland churches announced a new plan this week to allow homeless people to …
Corporate Influence on the Bay Area’s Music Scene
March 18th, 2019
10:51
The Bay Area’s eccentric reputation is built from its arts and culture. Music is a centerpiece. So it’s no wonder some in the music scene worry about …
What Bay Area Students Think About the #CollegeAdmissionScandal
March 15th, 2019
12:17
Many people were not surprised that 13 of the 50 people charged in the college admission scandal this week are from the Bay Area. Among those not …
Berkeley’s ‘Welcome’ Signs Acknowledge Ohlone Land and the Bay Area’s Original People
March 13th, 2019
16:42
Berkeley unveiled new city limit signs this week that say “Welcome to the City of Berkeley - Ohlone Territory.” Colonizers have wiped away much …
NIMBY. YIMBY. Now PHIMBY? The Housing Debate’s Newest Slogan
March 11th, 2019
14:19
Fights over housing policies in the Bay Area often include these two sides: The NIMBYs (not in my backyard) and the YIMBYs (yes in my backyard). Let …
No Charges For Officers Who Shot Stephon Clark. Will There Ever Be?
March 8th, 2019
15:15
People are outraged that two Sacramento police officers will not face criminal charges for killing 22-year old Stephon Clark last year, an unarmed …
It’s The Bay’s One-Year Anniversary!
March 6th, 2019
9:38
The Bay officially launched on March 6, 2018. Since then, we’ve covered some of the biggest Bay Area stories: elections, ICE raids and all kinds of housing laws. Plus, we've had some real conversations about Bay Area …
Oakland Teachers Strike Ends, But Not Everyone Is Happy
March 4th, 2019
16:31
The Oakland teachers strike is over. Teachers and other educators approved an agreement Sunday night to end the seven-day strike and give parents a …
In the Bay Area, Deadly Heat Waves Are For Real
March 1st, 2019
13:45
It’s cold in the Bay Area now. But in 2017, two heat waves killed 14 people in the Bay Area. KQED reporting has found that most of those people who …
Three Taser-Related Deaths and San Mateo Activists Demand Changes
February 27th, 2019
1:30
Chinedu Okobi died last October after being tased by San Mateo sheriff deputies. His death was one of three that happened last year involving tasers …
‘Unwavering Belief in Justice’: San Francisco’s Public Defender Jeff Adachi Dies
February 25th, 2019
14:34
Jeff Adachi died suddenly Friday night. While details of how he died are still under investigation, many are remembering Adachi and his tireless efforts as a public defender who provided fair legal representation to the …
Empty Halls and Picket Lines: Oakland Teachers Strike
February 22nd, 2019
1:30
It's Day 1 of the Oakland Unified school teacher strike. Teachers, parents and students began picketing Thursday for more pay, support, and smaller …
Skimming Off the Tips: InstaCart Changes Its Tipping and Pay for App Shoppers
February 20th, 2019
10:23
Lots of gig workers earn tips. So, when InstaCart started paying its full-service shoppers and deliverers on a sliding scale based on how many tips …
Can PG&E Be Trusted to Not Start a Fire This Summer?
February 15th, 2019
1:30
PG&E is under pressure to not spark a wildfire this summer. A federal judge overseeing the investor-owned utility's probation case is demanding they take prevention measures. This week, PG&E presented its …
Meth on Monday, Heroin on Friday: San Francisco Sees A New Drug Wave
February 13th, 2019
1:30
The opioid crisis has dominated the news, but there is growing evidence that methamphetamine has made a return to San Francisco. Overdoses from meth have more than doubled and about half the people admitted to San …
#10YearChallenge: What Has Changed in the Bay Area?
February 11th, 2019
12:47
Ten years is a lot of time. For the Bay Area, it's meant more money, new problems, and getting more serious about climate change. Today on the podcast, we apply the #10YearChallenge to the Bay Area and see how the past …
No More Ridin’ the Rails at 4 A.M. — BART Ends Early-Morning Service
February 8th, 2019
14:02
BART will stop offering its 4 a.m. train service on Feb. 11 in order to retrofit the Transbay Tube to better withstand major earthquakes. Workers will install a new liner in the 3.6-mile underwater structure to prevent …
Hyphy Music Legend Keak Da Sneak Says Prisons ‘Have No Compassion’ For Disabilities
February 6th, 2019
15:30
East Bay rapper Keak Da Sneak is credited with pioneering the Hyphy style. This Thursday he has to turn himself in to serve a 16-month state prison sentence. Since being shot in 2017, he’s confined to a wheelchair and …
A Teen’s Fight to Save TPS for Her Family
February 4th, 2019
14:05
High school freshman Crista Ramos had no idea her mom was living under Temporary Protected Status, a federal humanitarian program that allows about …
How the Camp Fire Made Chico’s Housing Problem Even Worse
February 1st, 2019
10:06
Chico is bursting at the seams right now. The ripples of displacement from the Camp Fire, which killed at least 86 people and destroyed about 14,000 homes, are far from over as people cram into Chico to stay living …
Oakland Unified’s Hella Hard Week Dealing With School Closures
January 30th, 2019
16:25
School closures. Teacher strike. Budget cuts. It hasn’t been a great week for Oakland Unified. The school board voted to close Roots International …
Bye, Bye Vinnee and Good Luck!
January 28th, 2019
14:08
If you're a fan of The Bay, you can thank Vinnee Tong. She helped launch the podcast last year and has helped shape the shows from choosing what we cover and how we talk about it, especially around race, identity and …
How S.F. Helped Make Kamala Harris
January 25th, 2019
14:02
Kamala Harris announced this week she’s running for president. She's certainly not the first Californian to be groomed by Bay Area politics for the …
CASA and the Push for a Regional Housing Solution
January 23rd, 2019
13:01
What if we looked at solving the Bay Area's housing crisis from a regional lens? Could we come up with solutions that actually work? It's often said …
Can Gavin Newsom Broker a Deal Between Gig Workers, Tech and Unions?
January 18th, 2019
11:47
The debate over whether gig workers are employees or contractors has been a slow, messy conversation. Now, California’s new governor, Gavin Newsom, is trying to help broker a deal between the two sides. But some drivers …
PG&E’s Road to Bankruptcy
January 16th, 2019
17:47
PG&E says it has no choice but to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and that it's going to file papers around Jan. 29. A lot of things led …
Big Oil, Small Town: Valero’s Election Influence in Benicia’s Politics
January 14th, 2019
13:39
Valero spent $200,000 in last year's Benicia city council election to help elect two candidates who were less critical of the company than others. That's created tension between the oil refiner and the city, leading …
How Housing Prices Are Hurting Salinas Schoolkids
January 11th, 2019
15:13
About 40 percent of students in the Salinas City Elementary School District are considered homeless. This can mean living in a shelter or living in …
Documents Show Fired Police Officer Asked for Sex From Woman He Arrested
January 9th, 2019
12:14
The San Mateo County district attorney is looking to reopen an investigation against a fired Burlingame police officer. The cop was accused by three …
Why S.F. Chronicle’s New Food Critic Is Focusing on Race and Identity
January 7th, 2019
16:09
Food says a lot about who we are. It can identify where we come from and what we like. In some cases, it may even let us know when we’re being racist. In a way, that’s a starting point for the San Francisco Chronicle's …
Bay Area Leading Fight to Make Police Records Public
January 4th, 2019
15:29
Getting access to police records has never been easy. Especially when the records involve allegations of police wrongdoing. A new California law - SB …
Happy New Year! From The Bay
January 2nd, 2019
10:00
See ya, 2018. What up, 2019! We’ve produced almost 150 episodes of The Bay covering all kinds of local news from e-scooters, to housing policies and …
Oscar Grant: A Killing That Changed How We View Police Shootings
December 31st, 2018
20:50
Ten years ago, in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, Oscar Grant was shot and killed by Bart police officer, Johannes Mehserle. This was one …
New Bay Area Bridge Tolls Begin Jan. 1. Here’s What That Means
December 28th, 2018
13:08
We jump into a stranger's car and take a ride over the Bay Bridge in the "casual carpool lane" to talk about higher bridge tolls. Our carpool driver …
Remember Oakland’s Response to #GrillingWhileBlack? Electric Slide
December 26th, 2018
12:29
#WhileBlack was a popular hashtag in 2018. This year we watched several videos on social media that included white people harassing black people …
‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Is What A Lot of People Have Been Waiting For in 2018
December 24th, 2018
13:28
This was a big year for people of color in lead movie roles — especially for culture, language and accents that are not English or American. One of …
Who Created the Bay Area’s Mess? One Urban Planner’s Argument
December 21st, 2018
12:01
What happens when the people most invested in trying to make the Bay Area a better place decide to LEAVE entirely? Gabriel Metcalf is the outgoing president of the Bay Area think tank SPUR, and he's moving to take a …
Two Years Later, Still No Answers for Mission District Double Killing
December 19th, 2018
15:20
In December 2016, Lindsay McCollum and Eddie “Tennessee” Tate were shot and killed in San Francisco’s Mission District. The two were homeless and …
What Electric Scooters and Shopping Carts May Soon Have in Common
December 17th, 2018
11:28
Mention electric scooters and people usually react with an eye roll. It's associated with the newness of the tech culture of the Bay Area. Some see …
Oakland Parents Want ‘Opportunity Tickets’ If Schools Close
December 14th, 2018
11:00
Oakland is considering closing 24 schools. Most of these schools are likely in East Oakland, where many of the poorest students live. A group of …
‘No Section 8’
December 12th, 2018
9:42
Most landlords in San Jose don't take Section 8 housing vouchers. And housing advocates see the vouchers as a proxy for race, or keeping out people …
Waiting in Pinole: A Mother’s and Son’s Migrant Caravan Journey to the Bay Area
December 10th, 2018
19:56
Veronica Aguilar crossed the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum from El Salvador earlier this year. She's staying with a host family in Pinole while …
Homes on Top of Buses
December 7th, 2018
10:56
Here’s a new one: stacking homes on top of a city bus yard. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency wants to build housing on top of its Potrero bus yard right across the street from KQED studios. Their idea …
SB 827 Revived: A Failed Housing Bill Gets a Second Try
December 5th, 2018
12:44
We need homes near transit. But the first time state Sen. Scott Wiener introduced a bill, SB 827, that would have required cities to approve dense …
A $220 Million Google ‘Village’ in the Bay Area’s Largest City
December 3rd, 2018
11:24
This isn't supposed to be your traditional tech campus. Google says it wants to build a village inside San Jose that will be open to the public, different from how most tech campuses operate. It's expected to have …
Homelessness in San Francisco: ‘It Doesn’t Take Miracles … It Takes Money’
November 30th, 2018
11:10
San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff announced a $6 million donation he is making to subsidize five years of rent for formerly homeless residents who will move into a renovated apartment …
Homeless Oaklanders Take Over City-Owned Lot
November 28th, 2018
12:17
The city of Oakland wasn't pleased when a group of homeless people moved to a vacant lot in East Oakland in October. After the city posted a notice to vacate, the homeless residents went to court to stop the eviction. …
‘You Got To Give Them Hope,’ Harvey Milk’s Lasting Words, 40 Years Later
November 26th, 2018
12:15
Harvey Milk and the city of San Francisco gives many people the "permission" they need to fight for gay rights in other places. The Castro became a …
Waiting in the Rain: What Paradise Fire Victims Need In Addition to Shelter
November 21st, 2018
16:16
When rain begins to fall on Butte County this week, some will be sleeping on the streets. The Camp Fire displaced tens of thousands of people, many of whom are struggling to do basic things: find shelter, see a doctor, …
What Silicon Valley Could Lose If Trump Revokes H-1B Spousal Work Visas
November 19th, 2018
13:43
A small number of people -- spouses of H1B visa holders -- were given the right to work under a special type of visa created under President Obama in …
Trauma Before and After the Camp Fire
November 16th, 2018
17:21
Paradise was a city where a lot of people already carried more than their share of trauma from childhood. Now, as many work to piece their lives back together they have the added weight of trauma from the Camp Fire. Our …
Paradise Prepared for Fire — But It Wasn’t Enough
November 14th, 2018
12:30
After two fires burned right up to the edge of town in 2008, the town of Paradise made a plan. It divided itself into evacuation zones. It went so …
For Here or To Go? The Rise of Food Delivery Apps in SF
November 12th, 2018
12:11
Caviar, Postmates, Uber Eats…the Bay Area’s tech family gave us food delivery apps. And there are plenty of gig workers willing to drive us this …
Bay Curious: How Do You Define the “Bay Area?”
November 9th, 2018
10:44
People from the Bay Area or those who live here are a proud bunch. But how do you define this magical place? Do you use geography to draw the boundaries? Maybe it’s about sports teams and their fan bases or where BART …
Bay Voters Bring Outrage and Hope to Midterms
November 7th, 2018
13:24
Resistance. That's been the call of many, including those in the Bay Area who have led the country in resisting President Trump’s attacks on marginalized people and the state’s liberal ideals. We'll hear from those who …
Voters Love School Bonds. But Should They?
November 5th, 2018
14:15
School bond measures almost always pass. More money for schools – and by extension, kids – seems like an obvious yes. But less attention is given to …
Google Employees Say ‘Time’s Up’ for the Patriarchy
November 2nd, 2018
10:19
About 1,000 Google employees walked out of work Thursday and staged a rally on the company's main Mountain View campus. The impetus was a New York Times report published last week about dozens of sexual misconduct …
Silicon Valley Is Trying To Prevent Hate Speech. Is It Working?
October 31st, 2018
14:57
Gab.ai is like Twitter without any restrictions. Gab is also where a man named Robert Bowers posted comments before allegedly shooting and killing 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue. Today: what Silicon Valley is doing …
How Much Do You Get Paid? *Crickets*
October 29th, 2018
11:36
Are you embarrassed to share your salary? Yeah, a lot of us are. Software engineer Jackie Luo makes the case that we can’t improve the pay gap (for …
A Building Burns. Oakland Suspects Arson.
October 26th, 2018
10:25
A big construction site of new housing went up in flames early Tuesday morning, and people immediately suspected arson. Some Oaklanders say it's motivated by anger against gentrification. The five-alarm fire in West …
Priest Abuse and an Exorcism: One Santa Clara Woman’s Story
October 24th, 2018
11:35
We don't often hear about priests abusing their adult parishioners. As advocates renew calls for accountability for priests accused of abusing …
Should S.F.’s Big Businesses Be Taxed to Pay for Homelessness?
October 22nd, 2018
11:55
A Twitter fight between two of San Francisco's biggest, and wealthiest, tech leaders says a lot about the city's problem with homelessness. Proposition C calls for taxing the city's most profitable companies to double …
A Raised Arm and a Clenched Fist at the 1968 Olympics
October 19th, 2018
12:34
John Carlos and Tommie Smith both won medals in the same track event at the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico City. On the medal stand, both raised …
Who Has Power and Who Doesn’t: Changes at PG&E
October 17th, 2018
9:20
Power is important. Both the kind that lets us switch on the lights and the kind that gives people the ability to make decisions for us. Tens of thousands of Northern California residents lost power over the weekend …
Fighting Homelessness in Oakland, One Vacant Lot at a Time
October 15th, 2018
12:53
Oakland sure has a lot of vacant properties, despite being in the middle of a housing crisis. In November, voters will decide whether the city should …
Should We Rebuild Where Fire Could Happen Again?
October 12th, 2018
13:13
New homes are popping up in Santa Rosa one year after the Northern California fires. Some are rebuilding in the exact same spots. Others are worried about losing everything again when the next fire comes, including …
Struggling to Return Home After the Fire
October 10th, 2018
11:51
Kayla Swaim's home was destroyed a year ago in the Tubbs Fire. She lost everything, including her sense of safety.
Proposition 5: Extending Tax Breaks for Homeowners
October 8th, 2018
12:31
Do you ever wish you had a coupon that would give you a discount on what you pay for your house? Proposition 13 is kind of like that. Now Proposition …
Live Event: The Bay Interviews Pulitzer-Winning Fire Reporters
October 5th, 2018
17:49
Most people run from a fire. Some journalists go toward it. Two reporters at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, winner of a 2018 Pulitzer Prize for its …
One Crack Too Many for SF’s Salesforce Transit Center
October 3rd, 2018
14:21
First there was one crack. Then two. Now San Francisco's new $2.2 billion Salesforce Transit Center could be shut down for weeks. In an earlier …
Yosemiteland! El Capitan With a Latte
October 1st, 2018
10:49
Airbnb, caramel macchiatos and luxury dining. Yosemite is starting to feel more and more like the Bay Area. There are more visitors, more traffic, and now a Starbucks. Today, we'll introduce you to Yosemiteland, a …
‘I Believed He Was Going to Rape Me:’ The Hearing That Gripped the Bay Area
September 28th, 2018
11:13
Christine Blasey Ford’s and Brett Kavanaugh’s testimony riveted Americans to their screens on Thursday. People gathered in Oakland, Palo Alto, San Francisco and elsewhere to watch the historic Supreme Court nomination …
Judge To Decide Whether Mario Woods Civil Case Moves Ahead
September 26th, 2018
13:45
After a police killing, it can be hard to get a clear picture of what exactly happened. Like the case of Mario Woods, who was shot and killed by San …
From $250,000 to $0: Taxi Medallions in S.F.
September 24th, 2018
13:31
If you use Uber or Lyft in San Francisco, you're no doubt helping to kill the taxi cab industry. But the city didn't help either when it started charging $250,000 for taxi medallions as the ride service companies were …
How the SF Schools ‘Lottery’ Failed
September 21st, 2018
10:53
Parents hate it, for sure. But more than that, the schools selection process has created even more segregated student bodies. The goal was the exact …
Can Oakland Out-Regulate S.F. on Scooters?
September 19th, 2018
9:19
First came electric scooters. Then came policies to regulate them. The Oakland City Council passed new rules Monday with an eye on equity, requiring …
A Dark History of Silicon Valley
September 17th, 2018
10:51
Silicon Valley got its start with a man who was regarded as a genius and won a Nobel prize. But William Shockley was also a racist and eugenicist who promoted sterilizations of black Americans. A new monument in …
Are Electric Cars Too Uncool?
September 14th, 2018
10:23
Your car says a lot about you. It can tell people how much money you have. It can say, "I care about the environment." And while we know that the adoption of electric cars is key to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, …
Yoga and #MeToo: ‘I Trusted Yoga, So I Trusted Him.’
September 12th, 2018
14:05
Imagine attending a yoga class and finding yourself in a situation where your instructor has violated your personal space by sexually abusing you. …
The Whitening and Erasure of the Asian-American Identity
September 10th, 2018
13:29
Writer Iris Kuo knows what it feels like to forget her wallet and still walk out of a fancy department store with a bag full of merchandise: It feels …
The Bay’s 100th Episode. What?!
September 7th, 2018
11:16
We can't freakin' believe it! The Bay has produced 100 episodes that represent the moment in time the Bay Area's going through. Today, Devin, Erika and Vinnee (The Bay team) talk about some of their favorite episode …
The Drug With No Street Name: Fentanyl
September 5th, 2018
13:46
Fentanyl is partly to blame for a rise in *drug* overdose deaths, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control report. Officials say the …
Bay Area Women Candidates and ‘The Long Run’ For Political Office
September 3rd, 2018
13:26
Trump may have been the catalyst for some California women seeking political office, but their campaigns are driven by local issues. The KQED special …
Bay Curious: Hetch Hetchy Water’s Epic Journey, From Mountains to Tap
August 31st, 2018
11:04
We know San Francisco cherishes its pristine water source, which comes from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir located in Yosemite. The Bay recently told you …
MindShift: Can Inviting Teachers Over to Your Home Improve How Kids Learn?
August 29th, 2018
14:48
A teacher visit at home can be intimating - for everyone. Today on The Bay, we're featuring the latest episode of KQED's education podcast MindShift, which launched its third season this week. The show is tackling the …
Q’ed Up: The West Oakland Teacher Everyone Knows
August 27th, 2018
8:50
LuPaulette Taylor has worked for decades at McClymonds High School in West Oakland. McClymonds is a school where only around 15 percent of teachers …
Verizon Squeezes the Internet Hose on Firefighters During Mendocino Fire
August 24th, 2018
10:32
Imagine fighting the largest wildfire in California history and Verizon says you'd have to upgrade your plan if you want faster internet to get your maps and documents. That's what happened to a couple of Santa Clara …
‘Cover the Important Bits’: Alameda Schools Change Their Dress Code
August 22nd, 2018
11:34
Midriffs, pajamas, and ball caps are all allowed this year at Alameda schools. A group of middle school students worked for three years to change a …
Fight for Water Makes Strange Bedfellows: Farmers…and San Francisco
August 20th, 2018
9:31
Green bins, blue bins, black bins. San Francisco is known for being super progressive when it comes to the environment. But some say the city's behind the curve on this one thing: water. This week state water officials …
‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Is What A Lot of People Have Been Waiting For
August 17th, 2018
12:18
Mansions. A multimillion-dollar wedding. Sexy characters in swank settings. The release of Crazy Rich Asians is a cultural event onscreen and off. …
Back to the Future: SF’s New Transbay Terminal
August 15th, 2018
11:28
There aren't that many people riding buses into San Francisco's new $2 billion transbay terminal. At least not when compared to the city's first terminal that opened in 1939. So how will the new transit hub that opened …
A Lesson in How to Die
August 13th, 2018
14:47
Kelly Johnson’s last days were his final act. He was a Bay Area musician, a dancer, a vaudeville act -- a performer for life. Johnson used the End of Life Option Act that has been legal in California since June 2016. …
These Fires Break All the Old Rules
August 10th, 2018
13:21
Fire drip torches, dozers, and prevailing winds – just some of the tools firefighters are using to battle the blazes engulfing California. With fires …
One Bay Area City Preps for More Rent Control; Aaand…It’s Berkeley
August 8th, 2018
11:57
If California voters approve Prop. 10 in November, the debate over rent control will continue. Read more from Guy Marzorati on that debate in the Bay …
How the DMV Got Worse
August 6th, 2018
10:09
Waiting at the DMV can be hell, but you gotta go. Over the last year, wait times at Bay Area DMVs increased 48 percent. We take a trip to the DMV (it's more fun than it sounds) and look at what's causing these delays …
Are Democratic Socialists a Thing Now?
August 3rd, 2018
13:20
Some people in the Bay Area paid hundreds of dollars to see a speech by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the new liberal Democratic star from New York. She …
How a Schoolteacher’s Letter Led to the Creation of Schulz’s ‘Franklin’ Character
August 1st, 2018
8:46
This week, the first black "Peanuts" cartoon character turns 50, marking the first time that Charlie Brown and Franklin met. It all started with a …
The Conflicted Capitalist: Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky
July 30th, 2018
11:14
Can big tech companies call themselves progressive? One of Silicon Valley's biggest CEOs says he has identified as progressive. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says he felt conflicted once about whether to charge people to use …
The Orwellian Take on San Francisco’s Informal ‘Caste’ System
July 27th, 2018
12:36
Do you work in tech? Have you bought a home recently? Use Uber? Postmates? And you live in San Francisco? Well then, you might be part of the so-called Outer Party, one of the four informal "castes" in San Francisco …
How Bay Area Activists Harness the Power of White Privilege in Border Protests
July 25th, 2018
13:03
No one knows how to run a protest like Bay Area activists. In fact, faith leaders and Black Lives Matter activists from the Bay brought their strategies to the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego to protest family …
Fire Clean-Up Mostly Done, but Now It’s Time to Fix Some Mistakes
July 23rd, 2018
12:42
It cost $1.3 billion for the federal government to clean up after the fires that devastated Northern California last October. Through the process, one worker died, others were injured, and many homeowners still have …
Oakland Is Having a Moment at the Movies
July 20th, 2018
9:56
Oakland is having a moment on the big screen. This weekend Blindspotting will be released, the third movie this year featuring the city that is …
A Bay Area Newspaper Publisher Uses the N-Word and Then Steps Down
July 18th, 2018
13:30
A journalist at the East Bay Express wrote about Napa’s BottleRock music festival and criticized it for being by and for white people. Then the paper's publisher took down the stories and used the N-word in a meeting. …
Raising Sam: A Story of Seizures, Marijuana and American Health Care
July 16th, 2018
17:23
Sam Vogelstein was having as many as 100 seizures a day. His parents tried more than 20 different medications. Then they stumbled on research showing the benefits of a marijuana-based drug. After trying to buy and make …
East Palo Alto: Bank Desert
July 12th, 2018
13:32
There are no banks in East Palo Alto – a city surrounded by some of the wealthiest communities in the Bay Area. There is one lone ATM, though. We’ll take you there and meet some people who say being ignored by banks is …
Get to Know London Breed, San Francisco’s New Mayor
July 11th, 2018
11:14
Learn more about London Breed and how she became the person and politician she is today by reading Jamilah King's article in Mother Jones.
Is This the Beginning of a Tech Worker Revolution?
July 10th, 2018
10:24
A standing room-only crowd of tech workers from the most iconic Silicon Valley companies met last week in the Mission District of San Francisco. They were there to talk about how to organize against the very companies …
FROM THE ARCHIVE: Why Some Oakland Fans Have a Complicated Relationship With the Warriors
July 5th, 2018
12:38
The Golden State Warriors have not always been the golden team. Oakland fans supported the Warriors through decades of losing seasons and rode the …
The History of the Oakland Sideshow (via Bay Curious)
July 4th, 2018
12:40
The original sideshows were pop-up parties -- part car show, part block party. They first bubbled up in mall parking lots of Deep East Oakland in the …
The People Who Work in America’s Most Famous Burrito Shop
July 3rd, 2018
9:26
The lines at La Taqueria in San Francisco’s Mission District are long. Business picked up after getting named the No. 1 burrito in the country back in 2014. But some workers say the company wasn’t properly compensating …
Man on the Street: A Story of Homelessness in San Francisco
June 28th, 2018
16:50
Homelessness in Bay Area has become a common sight; one we even try to avoid. When KQED reporter Dan Brekke interviewed one man named Perry Foster, …
Lake County Hit By Wildfire 4th Straight Year
June 27th, 2018
11:43
More than a thousand people have evacuated their homes because of the Pawnee Fire in Lake County. The wildfire that started Saturday has destroyed at least 22 buildings. It's a reoccurring nightmare; wildfires have …
Richmond Asks How It Should Alert Residents in Emergency
June 26th, 2018
11:54
The fire that ignited at the Sims Metal Management scrap yard site in January alarmed a lot of people who live in the city of Richmond. It got them …
Trump v. California Over Sanctuary Policy
June 21st, 2018
9:05
The Trump administration's fight against sanctuary policies is now being litigated in federal court. The first hearing was Wednesday in Sacramento. …
Leaving the Bay Area: Where People Are Going and Why
June 20th, 2018
9:05
A recent survey showed nearly half of Bay Area residents say they'll likely leave the region in a few years. KQED wanted to know where you're going, why and how you feel about that. These are your answers and phone …
When Oil Refineries Flare, What Happens To The Air?
June 19th, 2018
1:30
On May 5th, 2017 the power went out at the Valero oil refinery in Benicia. Above the refinery, flares blazed and released thick clouds of black …
‘Misleading Statements, Otherwise Known as a Lie’
June 14th, 2018
11:01
When ICE raided Northern California cities in February, they arrested more people than they expected. But you wouldn't have known that from the Trump …
Warriors: ‘They Bounce the Ball in Oakland’
June 13th, 2018
11:46
The Golden State Warriors have not always been the golden team. Oakland fans have supported the Warriors through decades of losing seasons and rode …
‘Money Flows North, the Green Goes South’
June 12th, 2018
12:10
Huedell Freeman was hauling 47 pounds of marijuana from a farm in Mendocino County to a medical dispensary in Los Angeles when two Rohnert Park …
San Francisco: 2. Big Tobacco: 0
June 8th, 2018
12:24
Flavored tobacco gets booted out of San Francisco. On Tuesday, voters passed Proposition E with 69 percent of the vote, making the city the first in the nation to pass such a comprehensive ordinance banning all flavored …
Total Recall: Judge Aaron Persky Voted Out
June 7th, 2018
10:41
#TBT on The Bay: Sixty percent of voters decided to remove Aaron Persky from his judgeship in Santa Clara County. He's the judge who handed a six-month sentence to former Stanford athlete Brock Turner after Turner was …
Inside the KQED Newsroom on Election Night
June 6th, 2018
12:11
Hang out with The Bay team as we wait for results from the June 5 primary. It’s time to eat newsroom pizza and hit the refresh button over and over …
Your Identity, Your Vote
June 5th, 2018
11:38
The three top candidates running for mayor in San Francisco will have the chance to be the city's "first" in some way. But does a candidate's …
Fire Inspections Go Undone: An Investigation by the Bay Area News Group
June 1st, 2018
11:22
Many of the Bay Area's largest fire agencies are failing to inspect apartment buildings and schools. An analysis by the Bay Area News Group looked at …
From ‘Just Say No’ to ‘Delay, Delay, Delay’
May 31st, 2018
10:59
Billboards adorned with giant pot leaves line Bay Area freeways. This can make it hard for parents to ignore that awkward coming of age conversation about drugs. Our health editor, who's also a parent, says drug …
Waiting For BART in Antioch
May 30th, 2018
8:09
Antioch has waited decades for a BART station. The city has seen a population boom led by the Bay Area's housing crisis, which has pushed people …
Ranked-Choice Voting Explained
May 29th, 2018
12:25
If you’re voting in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley or San Leandro ... you get three votes! Kind of. Today, we explain how ranked-choice voting works, why some people like it, why some people hate it, and how …
Reasonable vs. Necessary: What Keeps the S.F. District Attorney From Prosecuting Officers
May 25th, 2018
14:19
Two deaths by police. Zero charges. San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón said Thursday that his hands are tied and he won't be prosecuting …
East Bay Candidates Get A Little Woo-Woo
May 24th, 2018
12:34
District 15 isn’t your normal district. At a forum in Berkeley, East Bay candidates for State Assembly are asked to do something they almost never do on the campaign trail: validate their opponent's point of view.
…
Journalists in Carpools Talking Bridge Tolls
May 23rd, 2018
12:48
We jump into a stranger's car on the Bay Bridge in the "casual carpool lane" to talk about raising bridge tolls. Our carpool driver and rider join in …
‘A Severe Inability to Pay’ Criminal Processing Fees in S.F.
May 22nd, 2018
9:58
The costs of processing crime in San Francisco has left the city’s convicted criminals with millions of dollars in unpaid debt. Many people can’t …
Can Cultural Districts in San Francisco Really Stop Gentrification?
May 18th, 2018
11:33
Calle 24. Japantown. The Leather District. These are all neighborhoods in San Francisco that the city has formally recognized as cultural districts. …
Oakland Loses Battle With Developer Phil Tagami Over Coal
May 17th, 2018
7:47
Oakland has lost a battle with coal. A judge ruled Tuesday to uphold a contract that lets a developer ship coal through an Oakland port. Developer …
Hunter’s Point Gets a Hearing at SF City Hall
May 16th, 2018
10:37
San Francisco supervisors were not happy with answers they got on Monday from the company accused of falsifying soil data at Hunters Point. In recent weeks, we learned two pleaded guilty to faking reports, and there is …
Oakland’s Response to #GrillingWhileBlack: Electric Slide
May 15th, 2018
12:27
Oakland’s Lake Merritt is supposed to be a public space for everyone. But it doesn't feel that way when white residents complain about the way black residents use the park. So how did people respond when a white woman …
The Toxic Site in Our Backyard
May 11th, 2018
16:11
For a housing starved San Francisco, Hunters Point might look like a developers dreamland. The area has large plots of land, a waterfront and …
Black Women Who Code and the Culture That Eats Strategy
May 10th, 2018
11:24
There are few women in tech. There are even fewer women of color in tech, which can be isolating. At a women's mixer in Mountain View for Google …
What’s So Wrong With Recalling Judges?
May 9th, 2018
10:33
Judge Aaron Persky is facing a recall election in June after sentencing a former Stanford student-athlete Brock Turner to six months in jail for …
What Does One UC Berkeley Gardener Make?
May 8th, 2018
10:13
Thousands of University of California union employees are on strike this week amid failed contract negotiations. Among them are gardeners, janitors, nurses aides and food service workers who say the Bay Area's expensive …
Renaming Julius Kahn Playground
May 4th, 2018
15:05
San Francisco named the Julius Kahn Playground located in the Presidio after the congressman who represented the city in the early 1900s. But his …
Fighting For 80 Square Feet In Chinatown
May 3rd, 2018
11:34
Chinatown is one of the few San Francisco neighborhoods where lower income residents can still afford to make rent. The tenants living in one Single Room Occupancy - where rooms are 80 square feet - are the latest to …
The ABCs of California’s Gig Economy
May 2nd, 2018
9:14
Working without a boss has its perks. But many gig workers, like those who drive for Uber and Lyft, say they're treated more like employees than …
Can You Find the Cameras Above Street Lights? They See You
May 1st, 2018
11:52
There are license plate readers all over the Bay Area that law enforcement can use to track vehicles coming in and out of a particular area. Many of …
Costa Hawkins: The Housing Law That Renters Hate
April 27th, 2018
11:46
The debate over rent control is at a new crossroads. Tenant advocates say they've collected enough signatures to ask voters in November to repeal …
Golden State Killer Suspect Is Arrested Near Sacramento
April 26th, 2018
9:31
The so-called Golden State Killer raped more than 50 women and murdered a dozen people. Law enforcement officials said Wednesday that they'd arrested …
Teens Get Personal About the Crazy, Rich Bay Area
April 25th, 2018
10:42
What's it like to be a teenager living through the Bay Area's affordability crisis? Today, as part of KQED's Youth Takeover week -- when we hand the mic to the generation that will save us all -- the team asks San …
Straws Upon Request
April 24th, 2018
10:28
Some Bay Area cities want plastic straws out. Oakland and Berkeley are both considering ordinances on Tuesday that would force people to request …
BONUS EPISODE: Elmwood Cafe Closes
April 21st, 2018
7:50
We published an episode on Friday featuring comedian and CNN host W. Kamau Bell who told us about a racist incident he suffered in 2015 when he was …
Race and Coffee
April 20th, 2018
11:59
Comedian W. Kamau Bell knows what it feels like to be on the receiving end of some racism. His experience at Berkeley's Elmwood Cafe in 2015 is a prelude to what we saw last week, with the arrest of two black men at a …
The Big (Hayward) One
April 19th, 2018
7:51
The Hayward Fault -- geologists warn this Bay Area fault line that runs through several East Bay cities could unbuckle an earthquake more dangerous, …
NSFSchool
April 18th, 2018
13:22
Some parents in Fremont don't want comprehensive sex ed to be taught to their fourth and fifth graders in schools. They've flooded school board …
Silicon Valley Meets Motor City
April 17th, 2018
9:50
Long hours, lots of injuries: That's the story some Tesla workers tell about a factory in Fremont. Elon Musk's electric car company says it's fixed its problem and improved worker safety. But a new story by Reveal from …
Locked Out
April 13th, 2018
9:47
Buying a house while black or brown is tough, especially in Vallejo. Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting found that white people are more likely than black people to be approved for a conventional home …
Where Were You Last Time?
April 12th, 2018
10:02
A San Francisco doctor grabbed headlines right after the YouTube shooting last week. Trauma surgeon Andre Campbell took the press to task for showing up that day but not for other shootings in the community.
Guest: …
Scoot Scoot
April 11th, 2018
10:32
First came dockless bikes. Now -- scooters. These zippy, motorized, human transporters have descended upon San Francisco sidewalks. Local politicians …
Black Mirror IRL
April 10th, 2018
9:40
I know your name. Your face. The way you walk. And what you like. But should I? While Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies in Washington D.C. this …
The Real of Hip Hop
April 6th, 2018
11:41
How has the Bay Area shaped and defined hip hop? A new exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California looks at the legacy of the music and culture. We …
Coal Dust
April 5th, 2018
10:40
Oakland has banned coal from being shipped through its East Bay port. But well-known (and well-connected) developer Phil Tagami says he has the right …
Active Shooter
April 4th, 2018
10:37
On Tuesday afternoon there were reports of an active shooter on the campus of YouTube in San Bruno.
In the moments after a potential mass shooting it can be hard to know what has happened, even as first responders, …
Sanctuary Loophole
April 3rd, 2018
12:02
It's now easier for ICE to arrest immigrants in Contra Costa County. The sheriff's office is making public the names and release dates of inmates …
‘Righteous Black Rage’
March 30th, 2018
16:16
Stephon Clark. Family, friends and the Sacramento community buried the 22 year-old who was shot at at least 20 times by police. We talk to one Bay …
Section 149
March 29th, 2018
10:16
The Raiders and Warriors are leaving Oakland. But the A’s say they’re committed to staying. The team is choosing between two locations for a new stadium. We talk to a reporter who happens to be a superfan.
Guest: Nina …
For Sale (But Not For You)
March 28th, 2018
9:56
Buying a home in the Bay sucks. That's why Sally Kuchar is tweeting about it. And her message has gone viral. Here's her story.
Guest: Sally Kuchar, editor for Curbed, @sallykuchar
Out of the Fire & Into the Street
March 27th, 2018
11:10
A year ago today, a West Oakland fire killed four people, displaced dozens and destroyed a halfway house that was the very last housing option for …
The Judge Who Wanted To Be Atticus Finch
March 23rd, 2018
15:31
A San Francisco judge wearing a space tie (yes, outer space) is setting the tone for future climate change court battles. But who is he? We learn about Judge William Alsup.
Guests: Sarah Jeong, senior writer for The …
Sans Driver
March 22nd, 2018
11:11
Cars without humans are coming. On April 2, California will allow tech companies to test driverless cars that don't have people behind the steering …
Smash and Grab
March 21st, 2018
11:17
San Francisco's got a problem with car break-ins. Police have been trying to solve it and the first month of the year is looking good. But the city …
We Reserve The Right
March 20th, 2018
10:11
An Oakland coffee shop that refuses to serve uniformed police officers attracts pro-Trump protesters. Coffee shops are often seen as symbols of …
A Taser For Every Cop
March 16th, 2018
8:50
San Francisco is one of the last major U.S. cities to arm police officers with Tasers. The city’s Police Commission approved a Taser policy on …
‘Not Scared of Guns Anymore’
March 15th, 2018
10:10
What if you saw gun violence all the time? Some Bay Area students do. We check in with high schoolers in Oakland where shootings are common, as other …
Eight Stories Tall
March 14th, 2018
10:10
The housing bill that could remake Bay Area neighborhoods. SB 827 would make it easier to build higher near transit. It pits city versus state. We …
Invisible Scars
March 13th, 2018
10:40
Combat veterans fight invisible but very real battles at the Pathway Home in Yountville. We talk to a reporter who visited the facility months before last Friday’s deadly shooting to see how veterans struggle with the …
BONUS EPISODE: A ‘Vulture’ in the Newsroom
March 10th, 2018
7:47
Journalists cover protests. They don't organize them. So it's rare when they pick a side. That's what a group of Bay Area journalists did this week, …
‘No Fire Engines Here’
March 9th, 2018
11:57
Delayed evacuations, communication gaps, the North Bay on fire. KQED investigated emergency alerts during the North Bay fires. Today, we trace the first eight hours of October 8.
Guest: KQED News reporter Sukey Lewis. …
How DARE You
March 8th, 2018
9:17
The U.S. attorney general calls out Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf after filing a lawsuit against California over its sanctuary state laws. During a speech in Sacramento, Jeff Sessions targeted The Town, specifically. …
A Lesson in How to Protest Guns
March 7th, 2018
9:01
One Bay Area school is preparing students to join a national movement for stricter gun laws following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. We’ll …
What Happens After An ICE Arrest
March 6th, 2018
10:30
Immigration officials made mass arrests of hundreds of undocumented Bay Area residents last week. Today, we’ll walk you through an ICE arrest and what happens next.
Two Types of Homeless
February 27th, 2018
11:31
The Tubbs Fire in the North Bay created a whole new group of homelessness in Santa Rosa. Since October, those who lost their homes have received most …
Death of the Taxi Cab
February 21st, 2018
8:47
The San Francisco taxi driver is going extinct. And it seems nothing cab companies try is enough to survive the competition of app-based ride hailing services like Uber and Lyft. The recent suicide of a driver in New …
Introducing The Bay
February 17th, 2018
3:34
Hey! Welcome to The Bay, KQED’s latest podcast for daily news in the Bay Area. Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.
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