The Bay

In this edition of The Bay’s monthly news roundup, we discuss a new report that found traffic delays could double if voters reject two public transit-related ballot measures. We also discuss a pilot program that builds solar panels over irrigation canals and preview the Golden State Valkyries return to the playoffs. Plus, we say goodbye to The Bay's senior editor, Alan Montecillo. Links:  Bay Bridge Traffic Delays Would Double if Transit Tax Measures Fail, Report Finds (KQED) Here’s What California Is Learning From Solar Panels Built Over Irrigation Canals (KQED) The Valkyries aren’t just an impressive expansion team. This is an all-time season (SF Standard)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nancy Pelosi is many things: Trailblazer. Lightning rod. First woman Speaker of the House. Mom of five. To some, she’s an out-of-touch elitist, to others, a champion for democracy. In The Speaker, a new limited-run podcast from KQED, political reporter Scott Shafer reflects on Pelosi’s historic life and career as she prepares to exit public office.  Links:  The Speaker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration has ramped up immigration arrests at airports in recent months, including at San Francisco International Airport.  According to reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle, Customs and Border Protection has also been holding immigrants at SFO – in some cases, for more than a week. Reporter Sara DiNatale joins us to explain how the airport has become a de facto detention center. Links: Under Trump, SFO is now a de facto immigration detention center (San Francisco Chronicle) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does gun violence happen? Arms Down, a program inside the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, formerly San Quentin State Prison, asks the people behind the gun. It’s a revolutionary program that treats firearm addiction like an alcohol addiction, and recasts perpetrators of gun violence as part of the solution.  This episode first aired on Aug. 25, 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco’s AI boom is making the rental market more competitive than ever. Prospective tenants face intense pressure to stand out, leaving them susceptible to substandard living conditions or outright scams.  Links: Part 1: As AI Booms, Daniel Lurie Declares ‘Rent Emergency’ in San Francisco  After the $18,000 Scam, How Can Bay Area Renters Protect Themselves? | KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has declared a ‘rent emergency’ in San Francisco amid a boom in the AI industry. In the first part of The Bay’s series about the AI-fueled rental crisis, The New York Times San Francisco Bureau Chief Heather Knight explains what that declaration really means, and how this housing crunch stands out from the past.  Links: NYT: San Francisco Mayor Declares Rent Emergency Amid A.I. Housing Frenzy KQED: San Francisco Mayor Lurie Infuses $30 Million in Reforms to Tackle ‘Rent Emergency’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since sexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez came to light last spring, city leaders quickly decided to rename parks and take down statues of the labor leader. Conversations in the classroom are also changing. Today on The Bay, we’re re-airing this conversation from last April about how one East San José teacher is recasting Cesar Chavez’s legacy in the classroom. This episode first aired on April 8, 2026. Links: Why This City’s Reckoning With Cesar Chavez Is So Complicated (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2020, San Franciscans began reckoning with the city’s monuments—many of which honored violent figures and fraught histories. In the years since, the San Francisco Arts Commission has been reimagining what public memory could look like. Now, temporary monuments celebrating everyday people are popping up all around us. Links: In San Francisco, a Reckoning With Toppled Statues Gives Rise to New Monuments Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living in the Bay Area is expensive, and raising kids here can be especially tough. So how do people do it? KQED reporter Adhiti Bandlamudi talks with three families about what they’re doing to get by. From cramming a family of four into one studio apartment to giving up on the dream of home ownership, compromise is always part of the equation. This episode first aired on May 4, 2026. Links: How We Get By | KQED In the Bay Area, Raising Kids Comes With Compromise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bay Area is getting ready for a ‘Super El Niño’ this winter. This natural weather pattern, — made worse by human-caused climate change — could bring flooding, mudslides, power outages and road closures. KQED Climate reporter Ezra David Romero explains how we might feel the impact of El Niño in our day to day lives.  Links: Guide: El Niño Could Bring a Wet, Wild Winter. How Can You — and Your Home — Be Ready Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this month’s edition of The Bay’s news roundup, Ericka, The Bay’s new producer Gabriela Glueck, and Carly Severn, KQED’s senior editor of audience news discuss workplace safety fines against the Tahoe guiding company implicated in last year’s avalanche deaths. Also, we discuss a growing movement of Silicon Valley parents against tech in classrooms, and a controversial swan hunt that appears to be helping protect California’s shrinking marshlands.  Links: KQED: Guiding Company Fined by California for Tahoe Avalanche Deaths KQED: ‘A Chromebook in the Hand of Every Child.’ Did Schools Go Too Far? San Francisco Chronicle: Silicon Valley parents are leading a backlash against tech in the classroom CalMatters: Controversial swan hunt appears to work: California’s mute swan population drops Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last December, Bay Area transit officials launched Clipper 2.0 – a revamp of the payment system used across the region’s 22 public transportation systems. But the rollout has been a disaster, with customers reporting glitches like payments not being credited and frequent account lockouts. Now, a KQED investigation has found that officials had been ringing alarm bells about Clipper 2.0 long before the bungled rollout. This episode first aired on Feb. 2, 2026. Links: Callout: Share your story about San Francisco’s rental market! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco rents are rising fast: According to Zumper, an apartment listing website, the median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in the city has surpassed $4,000 a month. If you've hunted for an apartment in SF recently, we'd love to hear your story. Just tap this link and follow the instructions to leave us a voice note. You can also call at (415) 710-9223. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Major cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – or SNAP – are taking effect as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Donald Trump signed into law last year, with an estimated 650,000 Californians are at risk of losing food assistance benefits. Food banks in the Bay Area, which have been serving people at historic rates since the pandemic, are now bracing for impact. Links: Callout: Share your story about San Francisco’s rental market! California Food Banks Brace for Slow-Moving Avalanche of SNAP Cuts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flock Safety—and the company’s automated license plate readers—have been in the news a lot lately. And just last week, Bay Area activists led a series of protests against the company and what they see as a growing surveillance state. Today, we’re sharing an episode from our friends at Close All Tabs about the fight over Flock, and what we know about how its data is used. Plus, creative ways some residents are fighting back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode discusses suicide. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This month, a federal trial against the world’s biggest social media kicked off in Oakland. California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey are leading a lawsuit that accuses Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, of knowingly creating products that put children and teenagers at risk. And as KQED’s Rachael Myrow explains, the outcome of this trial could force Meta to pay up and make big changes to its platforms. Links: ‘Meta Hooked Kids’: Federal Trial Against Tech Giant Kicks Off in Oakland Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Sur’s residents are used to natural disasters. This time, Highway 1 is closed again thanks to the Timber Fire that started on Aug. 8, which has burned more than 5,000 acres. Parts of Big Sur are also under mandatory evacuation orders. As the SF Chronicle’s Connor Letourneau reports, it’s the latest chapter in a “boom and bust” cycle that Big Sur’s small businesses know all too well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Piedmont in the East Bay is a bit of an oddity: a city less than 2 square miles large in the middle of Oakland — but not part of it. It’s now one of the wealthiest cities in the Bay Area, and some Oakland residents want to ‘Cancel Piedmont’ in order to confront the region’s inequality. Today, we’re sharing a 2019 episode from our friends at Bay Curious about the city’s history. It’s a story about Piedmont, but it’s really a story that starts in Oakland. Links: Why Is Piedmont a Separate City From Oakland? Bay Curious Explains Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bay Area’s full of subcultures and meetups for just about everyone. So as part of a new series from KQED Arts & Culture called “Finding Your People,” Arts and Culture Editor Nastia Voynovskaya takes us inside a craft night in Alameda that’s quickly become one of the hottest events in town. Links: This Craft Night Might Be the Hottest Party in Alameda KQED Arts’ ‘Finding Your People’ Series Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Class is back in session at Oakland Unified School District schools this week, with one notable change: A strict phone-free policy.  KQED’s Katie DeBenedetti explains how a statewide mandate has pushed districts across the Bay to pass their own policies banning or restricting phones, and how it's playing out in Oakland.  Links: OUSD Cellphone Ban for Students Takes Effect on the First Day of the School Year Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State and local leaders are suing the federal government after alleging that Immigration and Customs Enforcement quietly broke ground on a proposal to build an ICE facility in Gilroy. Santa Clara County leaders and a number of other Bay Area cities, counties and community groups, have banded together to put a stop to the plan. At a recent press conference, members of San Jose’s Japanese American community also spoke out, drawing parallels to the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Outside Lands is upon us, and 75,000 people are expected to descend on Golden Gate Park each of the festival’s three days. That also means lots of trash. In this episode, SF Gate’s Melissa Cho walks us through how the festival is able to divert the majority of its waste from landfills. This episode first aired on Aug. 15, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode contains mentions of suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988. Starting August 14, San Francisco will remove peer specialists from its 911 response. These peer specialists, equipped with both training and personal experience with issues like homelessness and addiction, say the decision is a regressive step in the city’s approach to mental and behavioral health emergencies. Links: These Peers Provided Alternative 911 Responders. San Francisco Is Removing Them Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Headed to the beach? Keep a watchful eye on the ocean for sneaker waves. They’re sudden, far-reaching waves that are notorious for catching beachgoers off-guard. Videos of Californians being swept away have gone viral, including a recent incident in Santa Cruz where a lifeguard saved a 10-year old from drowning. KQED’s Sarah Wright explains what sneaker waves are, why they’re dangerous, and how to stay safe while still enjoying the ocean. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean to live, work, and make decisions in a rapidly automated world? Life, Automated, a new podcast distributed by KQED and made by our partners at the Ryan Institute for Complexity at Northwestern University, explores this urgent question. Listen every other Wednesday wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we ramp up production for August, we’ve been thinking about you – our listeners – a lot.  And we’d love to chat. About what you like hearing, what you want to hear more of, and some ideas we have. If you’re up for that, leave us a voicemail at 415-710-9223. Please leave us your name and a good number to call. Talk soon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m sure you’ll agree with us: Sometimes, it's good to take a break from the news. Every July, The Bay takes a break from making new episodes. We use this time to reset, rest, and brainstorm what we want to make for you. We will resume our regular schedule on Monday Aug. 3. Say hello anytime thebay@kqed.org. We always love hearing from you. Thank you for listening and enjoying the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this June 2026 edition of the monthly news roundup, we discuss the Giants’ pride month controversy, the debate over a new data center coming to Pittsburg, and how high school students pushed for improvements to their local bus line in San Francisco. Links: Pittsburg controversy over data center on old Delta View Golf Course This Bay Area suburb lost its main industry. Can it rebuild? In San Francisco, Students Become Transit Advocates to Fix ‘the City’s School Bus’ Fans chew out SF Giants for team's 'weak' response to Pride Night saga Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we bid farewell to The Bay’s producer, Jessica Kariisa, and discuss her deep love for San Jose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last month, the streaming platform Spotify added a new feature that allows users to generate their own AI remixes. With no signs of AI slowing down in the music industry, we’re revisiting this episode about the labor implications, and how human artists are adapting. This episode first aired Nov. 14, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco (MCC-SF) was one of the first gay-positive Christian churches. During the height of the AIDS crisis, it was a place where hundreds of LGBTQ Christians found community, sustenance, and healing as they grappled with the illness and death of the epidemic. When We All Get to Heaven, a 10-episode audio documentary series produced by Eureka Street Productions and distributed by Slate, follows queer Christians caught between two communities: a religious world that said gays had no place, and a gay rights movement that said God had no place. Links: Listen: When We All Get to Heaven Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1945, Wesley Johnson, a San Francisco State graduate from Texas, rode down Fillmore Street, announcing Juneteenth and inviting all around to celebrate. At that time, the Fillmore district was the heart of San Francisco’s Black community, and famously known as the ‘Harlem of the West.’  But over the decades, systemic displacement in the name of urban renewal has dramatically shrunk the neighborhood’s Black population. Between 1970 and 2020, the Black population in the Fillmore dropped from 57% to just 16%. In this episode, we head to the Fillmore’s annual Juneteenth celebration and talk to a Fillmore native dedicated to keeping the community alive.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another huge sporting event is here in the Bay Area. The World Cup, with 48 participating countries and 104 matches spread out across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, is underway until the final on July 19. In addition to the six World Cup games at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, free watch parties are on all over the region, and two teams – Paraguay and Australia – are using the Bay Area as their base camps. KQED reporter Ayah Ali-Ahmad tells us what it’s like on the ground in San Jose, as thousands of visitors come to the Bay Area yet again. Links: Team Paraguay Arrives in San José Ahead of World Cup Games at Levi’s | KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, the Pacifica City Council approved an emergency declaration to demolish the beloved Chit Chat Cafe at the Pacifica Pier, as parts of the structure began to crumble into the ocean. Plans for the rest of the pier are still up in the air, as Pacifica residents reckon with the future of their coastal community in the face of coastal erosion, sea level rise, and climate change. Links: ‘You Can’t Beat Mother Nature’: Destroyed Cafe Gives Pacifica Look at Climate-Changed Future Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The World Cup is now underway, with planned events around the Bay Area. Under the ethos of soccer as a “global language,” local soccer leagues in the Bay Area have been providing a rare sense of solace for new immigrant youth.  This episode first published June 11, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California still has lots of ballots left to count, more than one week after the primary. Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have seized on the slow count to spread conspiracy theories of election fraud. But what’s actually behind the holdup? KQED’s Marisa Lagos explains why California counts ballots so slowly, and what could help speed up the count. Links: Ballots Are All In, but California Election Results Could Take Weeks to Settle. Why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In conversations with loved ones, transgender and non-binary kids from the Bay Area discuss acceptance, trust, and what it looks like to thrive. This episode first aired Dec. 4, 2025. Links: Become a KQED member Email us: thebay@kqed.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are still many ballots left to count, but from the governor’s race to local tax measures and the race to replace Nancy Pelosi in the House of Representatives, we sit down with KQED’s politics and government correspondent Guy Marzorati about the results of the primary so far. Links: KQED: California Primary Election Results  Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Agan was a popular teacher at Angelo Rodriguez High School in Fairfield. But for years, students whispered about his behavior. He touched some of them in public in ways that made them uncomfortable, they said, including hugging students and massaging their shoulders.  In late 2019, after multiple written complaints and an administrative hearing, the school district fired Agan. But he never lost his teaching license, and went on to teach at two more schools in California. Holly McDede, who reported this story for KQED and ProPublica, explains how a pattern of delays and a lack of transparency has allowed educators to continue teaching after school districts reported them to the state. Links: He Was Fired for Sexually Harassing Students. California Allowed Him to Keep Teaching Anyway | KQED California Teacher Previously Fired for Sexual Harassment Is No Longer in the Classroom After New Complaints | KQED KQED and ProPublica will continue reporting on how California handles cases of alleged teacher misconduct. We need your help to get the full picture, and we want to hear from you. You can share your experience with the state’s disciplinary process online at propublica.org/kqed.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This graduation season has felt different. Commencement speakers across the country are getting booed for promoting AI in their speeches – and the videos have gone viral. Recent college graduates were in school when ChatGPT first launched in late 2022, and many are worried about how AI will affect their future job prospects and society at large. Today, we hear from three recent graduates in the Bay Area about their thoughts on AI, how it affected their education, and how they feel about their futures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this edition of The Bay’s monthly news roundup, Alan Montecillo is joined by KQED political correspondent Guy Marzorati and KQED reporter Sydney Johnson ahead of California’s primary election on Tuesday, June 2. They preview the race to replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco, Measures A and E in San Jose and Oakland, and the mayoral election in the city of Richmond. Links: 2026 Primary Voter Guide: California and Bay Area Elections | KQED After Pelosi, Young SF Voters Want Change. 2 Progressives Are Competing to Offer It | KQED LISTEN: San Francisco’s Congressional Debate The Measure E parcel tax fight is hot — and pricey Will Richmond’s next mayor be a progressive, a moderate or a staunch conservative? Richmond mayoral candidates take stances on green jobs, safety and life beyond Chevron Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 15, 2024, dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the Golden Gate Bridge, in an attempt to pressure the U.S. government into ending military aid for Israel’s bombing and invasion of Gaza. Now, seven of those protesters are on trial facing felony charges in San Francisco. If convicted, they could face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The wetsuit changed surfing forever, making it possible for surfers to wade in the frigid waters of the Bay and allow the scene to thrive. In this episode of Bay Curious, we learn about the Ocean Beach surfers and the UC Berkeley physicist who had a part to play in the wetsuit’s invention.  Links: The Wetsuit Changed Surfing — We’ve Got a Berkeley Physicist to Thank for It Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This weekend, SF Carnaval is expected to draw an estimated 500,000 people to San Francisco's Mission District. The celebration, which takes place May 23-24, celebrates the music, dance, and culture of the Latin American diaspora. Links: Carnaval San Francisco 2026: From Parade Route to Parking, What to Know This Weekend Carnaval San Francisco Turns Music, Memory and Resistance Into Celebration Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Valero’s Benicia refinery employed hundreds of people and contributed millions in taxes to the local government for decades. Now, with the refinery on its way out, local leaders hope Benicia can be a leading example for how cities transition away from the fossil fuel industry. But with tight city budgets and a global fuel crisis looming, that’s much easier said than done. Links: California’s Fuel Fears Threaten Benicia’s ‘Just Transition’ to Green Economy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco has seen a 22% decrease in people sleeping on the streets, according to preliminary data from this year’s Point In Time count. But the number of families experiencing homelessness has gone up 15%. Recent changes have allowed families to stay longer in shelters, but securing affordable housing remains a challenge. In this episode, we meet one family caught up in the city’s shelter system as they wait for more permanent housing.  This episode originally aired Aug 4, 2025 Links: Fewer People Are Sleeping on San Francisco Streets. But Family Homelessness Is Up SF Families Win Shelter Extension Rights, Still Face Long Waits for Housing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Community-based preschools across the state have struggled to compete with California’s free, universal transitional-kindergarten program, where enrollment grew to 213,000 students this year. Now, hundreds of preschools have shuttered — worsening the shortage of licensed child care spaces for children younger than 4 years old. Links: As Transitional Kindergarten Grows, Hundreds of Child Care Centers Close Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Workers at San Francisco International Airport who clean planes, handle baggage, and push wheelchairs told city supervisors at a recent hearing that they’re sleeping in their cars and surviving on rice and oatmeal. Now city supervisors say their labor fight for higher wages is on notice.  Links: San Francisco Airport Labor Fight Hits City Hall This Week Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to a KQED analysis, the average Pacific Gas & Electric utility bill went up nearly 70% between 2020 and March 2025. But understanding what you’re actually paying for can be confusing. In this episode, KQED’s climate reporter Laura Klivans helps Ericka decode her PG&E bill.  This episode originally aired Dec 17, 2025 Links: The Average PG&E Utility Bill Has Gone Up Nearly 70% Since 2020 | KQED Bay Area Electricity Bills Are Some of the Highest. Where Does Your Money Go? | KQED PG&E Bills Keep Rising. What Can You Do to (Potentially) Lower Your Bills? | KQED Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Golden State Valkyries’ first season was a huge success. The team sold out every home game and became the first WNBA team ever to make the playoffs in their expansion season. This year, expectations are high. Marisa Ingemi of Valkyries Beat joins us to preview the Valkyries’ second season season, and provide some helpful tips for new fans. Links: 2026 WNBA Season Preview from a Valkyries perspective (Valkyries Beat) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jurors and journalists are getting a peek into the world of OpenAI and its founding as two of the richest, most powerful men in tech duke it out in an Oakland federal courthouse. Elon Musk claims that Sam Altman and other co-founders of OpenAI abandoned their founding promise to develop AI for the benefit of humanity. But does anyone here really have our best interests at heart? KQED’s Rachael Myrow takes us inside. Links: How to Unscramble an Omelet in Silicon Valley: The Musk v. Altman Trial That Will Try Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Raising kids is expensive, and doing so in the Bay comes with compromises. Whether it’s with space, commutes, or affordability, having a kid here means something’s gotta give. KQED reporter Adhiti Bandlamudi introduces us to three different families and tells us what they’re doing to get by. Links: How We Get By | KQED In the Bay Area, Raising Kids Comes With Compromise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 2023, a private initiative called the Civic Joy Fund has financially supported hundreds of arts and culture events in San Francisco. But a growing group of artists are calling for a boycott of events affiliated with the Civic Joy Fund, citing its connections to the Bay Area’s ultra-wealthy who already play an outsized role in local and state politics. Emma Silvers, journalist and co-owner of COYOTE Media Collective, explains why Bay Area artists are talking about the Civic Joy Fund right now.  Links: Bay Area Artists Are Turning on the Civic Joy Fund (Coyote Media) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this month’s edition of The Bay’s news roundup, Ericka, Alan, and KQED outdoors reporter Sarah Wright discuss Oakland’s new policy that will make it easier to sweep homeless encampments and RVs. Plus, a measure to tax the wealth of California’s billionaires seems headed for the November ballot, and a small group of lucky booklovers gets married at the San Francisco Public Library.  Links: Oakland Passes Controversial Policy Easing Restrictions on Encampment Sweeps | KQED California Billionaire Tax Nears the November Ballot | KQED Bay Area Book Lovers: We Have Highly Literary Date (or Friend Hang) Ideas for Your Weekend | KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nuclear power has always been hotly debated. 9% of California’s power comes from the last operating nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, in San Luis Obispo County. But after initial plans to close it by 2025, an about-face by Gov. Gavin Newsom led the state to extend its operations until 2030 — with lawmakers now debating whether to keep it open for even longer in order to bolster California's ability to provide power in the face of climate change.  Links: The Debate for Keeping Diablo Canyon Open Past 2030 Is On. What Could It Mean for Your Bills? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump last year, will cut an estimated $900 billion to $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next decade. Between funding cuts and big changes to enrollment and eligibility requirements, residents who rely on Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, are bracing for impact. Doctor and journalist Sejal Parekh explores how this is playing out in Contra Costa County. Links: Up to 93K Contra Costa County residents could lose health insurance under Trump cuts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been one week since Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his run for governor after ⁠multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct⁠. Before that, he was starting to consolidate support from voters in the progressive, vote-rich Bay Area. Now that he’s out of the race, the remaining candidates – especially the leading Democrats – are trying to win over his supporters before the June 2 primary. Links: ⁠How to watch the California governor’s debate on KRON4 and KRON4+⁠ ⁠The Rise and Fall of Eric Swallwell⁠ (The Bay) ⁠Betty Yee Becomes Latest Democrat to Exit California Governor’s Race⁠ ⁠With Swalwell Out, Who Will Bay Area Voters Support for California Governor?⁠ ⁠California Governor Candidates Compete for Swalwell's Endorsements, Donors and Voters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some school districts are now providing workforce housing, as they find themselves with vacant properties and employees who say they can’t afford to stay in the Bay Area.  Today, we meet one teacher in San Francisco who was planning to leave – until she got an apartment in a teacher housing complex. Links: When Teachers Can’t Afford to Live in the Bay Area, Districts Get Into the Housing Game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know the sound: a robotic, ancient-sounding voice as you wait for BART: 6-car Blue line train for OAK Airport in 15 minutes.  In America's tech capital, why do BART announcements sound so old? In this episode from our friends at Bay Curious, reporter Ana De Almeida Amaral sets out to find the answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode contains descriptions of sexual assault.  Until last week, former Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from Dublin, was a leading candidate for governor. But on Friday, a former staffer accused Swalwell of sexual assault. In interviews with the San Francisco Chronicle, former staff member said Swalwell sexually assaulted her when she was too intoxicated to consent in both 2019 and 2024, after multiple inappropriate advances both on Snapchat and in person. Since then, at least four more women have come forward, including one who alleges she was violently raped by Swalwell in 2018. Swalwell denies these allegations. But within days, after supporters fled his campaign and called for him to step down, he ended his run for governor and resigned his Congressional seat. Links: SF Chronicle: Ex-staffer says Eric Swalwell, candidate for California governor, sexually assaulted her KQED: Eric Swalwell Is Out of the Governor’s Race and Resigning From Congress. What Happens Now?  CalMatters: Woman alleges violent sexual assault by Eric Swalwell: 'He raped me' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rising child care prices leave many Bay Area parents with little choice but to turn down career opportunities, cut back hours, or even quit. As part of KQED’s new series on affordability, early childhood education reporter Daisy Nguyen introduces us to one mother who left her job as a teacher after the birth of her third child. Links: When Child Care Costs Half a Paycheck, Bay Area Parents Must Choose: Kids or Career | KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We asked you to share your experiences with making friends in the Bay Area. Today, we hear from you — and follow one listener as she tries to meet new friends in San Jose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Victoria Duran grew up in East San José, and remembers celebrating her community's ties to labor activist and United Farm Workers co-founder Cesar Chavez. His legacy looms large on the East Side, where he held his first organizing meetings and where his former home still stands. But for many people in San José, that sense of pride was shattered after a New York Times' investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by Chavez. Now Duran, who teaches ethnic studies and psychology at William C. Overfelt High School in East San José, is reckoning with how to teach about Chavez in light of these sexual abuse allegations. Links: Why This City’s Reckoning With Cesar Chavez Is So Complicated (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last Tuesday, the three leading Democratic candidates for San Francisco’s U.S. House seat, San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, former political advisor and software engineer Saikat Chakrabarti, and California State Senator Scott Wiener, took to the stage at the historic Sydney Goldstein Theater for their first major debate before the June primary. Moderated by KQED’s Scott Shafer and Sydney Johnson, the candidates presented their visions for leadership and clashed over taxes, transit, and more.  Links: SF House Candidates Clash on Taxes, Transit in Debate to Replace Pelosi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, the San José Unified Board of Education voted 3-2 to close 5 elementary schools and relocate another. District leaders, citing declining enrollment, say that these closures will make it easier to provide adequate services and programs to students. But many parents are furious and are vowing to fight back. Links: San José School District Moves to Close 5 Elementary Schools | KQED Alleging Discrimination, San José Parents Try to Fight School Closures | KQED Email us: thebay@kqed.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The city of Alameda sits on a man-made island surrounded on all sides by water, making it a strong case study for how the Bay Area could address sea level rise. That’s because the city, with its 360-degree waterfront, will need to use every tool available to protect itself. Links: For This Bay Area Island City, Water Is Coming From All Sides Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this edition of The Bay’s monthly news roundup, Ericka and Alan are joined by KQED senior editor Alexander Gonzalez to discuss a ransomware attack that hindered services in Foster City, a rare verdict in a case about Meta and Google’s role in fueling a youth mental health crisis, and whether San Francisco’s small clubs can survive.  Links: Bay Area city declares state of emergency 6 days after cyberattack (SFGate) Foster City: City's Phone, Email Services Restored After Cybersecurity Breach Last Week (SFGate) Jury finds Meta and Google negligent in social media harms trial (NPR) Can San Francisco’s Small Clubs Survive? (KQED) Become a KQED member Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the early weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term, Ulises Peña Lopez, a husband and father, was arrested by ICE outside his home in Sunnyvale. During the encounter, he says he was severely beaten and suffered a heart attack and stroke. Last October, Ulises was deported to Mexico. Here in the Bay Area, his wife Aby and 4-year old daughter Emily are still reeling from the impacts of his deportation. Links: A Year After ICE Detained South Bay Immigrant, Family Trauma Lingers Email us: thebay@kqed.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. and Israel’s war in Iran is leading to a global surge in gas prices, including in California, where the average is now $5.88 per gallon according to AAA. While the war with Iran is the main reason prices have increased, California has had more expensive gas for years, in part to policies that are meant to help the state reach its climate goals. Alejandro Lazo with CalMatters explains why gas is so expensive here. Links: California passed a law to curb spikes in gas prices. Why isn’t it using those powers now? Some California Democrats pitch gas price relief as prices at the pump soar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month, the United States Postal Service unveiled a new set of stamps honoring the lowrider community. This federal recognition comes three years after California lifted a decades-old ban on lowrider cruising. The state, widely understood as the birthplace of lowrider culture, has also historically been unfriendly to it. For decades, lowriding was blamed for traffic and alleged connections to gang violence. KQED’s Paloma Yaritza Abarca explains the years-long fight by community members to let their cars ride freely. This episode originally aired Nov 3, 2023. Links: The Provocative, Rebellious and Flamboyant Origins of Lowriding | KQED For Lowriders in San Francisco, It’s Not Just a Stamp — It’s Respect at the Federal Level Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A New York Times investigation published Wednesday revealed that iconic farmworker organizer Cesar Chavez sexually abused women and underage girls for years. Chavez, who died in 1993, is honored and memorialized in public schools, street names, and buildings across California and the Bay Area. The news has sent shockwaves throughout the state, especially among Latino and labor organizers. Links: César Chavez Was a Hero to Farmworkers. Now They Confront the Pain of Alleged Abuse | KQED California Weighs Renaming Parks, Streets After Cesar Chavez Amid Abuse Allegations | KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial intelligence has rapidly changed what tech workers in the Bay Area do every day. Whether you’re a software engineer or you work in sales, most employees at tech firms are expected to regularly use AI. Rya Jetha with the San Francisco Standard explains how AI is affecting tech employees across the industry, and how these changes could be a sign of what’s to come for the rest of us. Links: AI writes the code now. What’s left for software engineers? ‘Engineer’ is so 2025. In AI land, everyone’s a ‘builder’ now AI is booming. Tech jobs in San Francisco are not Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Engineered stone, or quartz, is a man-made material made with high concentrations of silica that is commonly used to make kitchen countertops in the U.S. And it’s making the workers who cut this material sick. And even though California has safety rules in place to reduce the risk to workers, some say it’s time to ban the use of engineered stone altogether. This episode first aired on ⁠Dec. 15, 2025⁠. Links: Doctors say measures to control an incurable lung disease aren't enough : NPR As Lung Disease Threatens Workers, Lawmakers Seek Protections for Countertop Manufacturers - KFF Health News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Thursday, thousands of people gathered in Oakland to welcome home Olympic figure skater and gold medalist Alysa Liu, who won the women’s singles gold medal in the 2026 Winter Olympics last month. Liu, who was born in Richmond and grew up training in Oakland, is the first American woman to win gold in her sport since 2002. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Gov. Gavin Newsom limited to two terms, California’s got a wide open governor’s race. Eight Democrats and two Republicans will be on the ballot in the June primary; from there, the top two finishers, regardless of party, will head to a runoff in November. KQED’s Guy Marzorati explains why this governor’s race is the most wide-open in decades. Links: California’s Governor’s Race Is Breaking an 80-Year Political Mold | KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

West Oakland’s 18th Street is one of the city’s most dangerous for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers, with wide lanes, hidden stop signs, and virtually nonexistent crosswalks in a residential area. It's one of many Oakland roads that has not been fixed for decades. Now, improvements are finally coming to 18th Street. The Oaklandside’s Jose Fermoso joins us to talk about what changes are on the horizon, and how upgrading roads can pave the way for broader changes in the city. Links: 18th St. is one of Oakland’s most dangerous. Here’s how the city is fixing it Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 67 is Muni’s most delayed bus line, snaking through the hills along Alemany Boulevard and Bernal Heights, ending at the 24th and Mission BART station. However unreliable it can be, it still serves an estimated 800 daily riders. But as SFMTA faces a budget deficit of more than $300 million in July, the 67 and other bus lines are at risk of disappearing if voters don’t approve ballot measures to fund transit this November. Links: It’s San Francisco’s Most Delayed Bus. For Riders, a Frustrating Problem May Get Worse Amid Bid to Save Bay Area Transit, Muni Gets a Campaign of Its Own Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many Iranian Americans across California are still in disbelief after the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes in Iran over the weekend. On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who ruled the Islamic Republic of Iran for nearly a half century. Hundreds more have been killed, including at least 6 American military servicemembers. Some Iranian Americans are overjoyed at the death of Khamenei, while others are critical of the U.S. and Israel’s involvement in yet another war in the Middle East. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco’s immigration courts are being hollowed out by the Trump Administration, with plans to close one of the courts downtown by the end of the year. Mission Local’s Clara-Sophia Daly explains how day to day operations — including asylum hearings — have changed. Links: Inside San Francisco’s hollowed-out immigration court, where asylum is ‘essentially over’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this month’s edition of The Bay’s monthly news roundup we discuss the effect of the booming AI industry on San Francisco’s rental market, Rep. Jared Huffman’s visit to his “radically redrawn” district since the passage of Prop. 50, and the revelation that Waymo employs remote workers in the Philippines.  Links:  AI is pushing S.F. rents higher and higher. Here’s how tenants are dealing (Mission Local) In his radically redrawn new district, a Marin congressman gets thrown to the wolves (San Francisco Chronicle) Here’s How Many Remote Operators Waymo Has Per Self-Driving Taxi (Futurism) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Search and rescue crews have recovered all 9 bodies of those killed in last Tuesday’s avalanche in Tahoe, which is now the deadliest in California’s modern history. Four of the victims were women from the Bay Area.  KQED’s Sarah Wright explains what we know so far, and how this tragedy highlights the Bay Area’s deep ties to outdoor recreation in Tahoe. Links: After Deadly Tahoe Avalanche, Backcountry Skiing Is Under Scrutiny. Here’s What to Know All 9 Tahoe Avalanche Victims Identified and Bodies Recovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For several weeks, a red pay phone sat outside a tattoo parlor in San Francisco’s Mission District — with a sign reading ‘Call a Republican.’ If you picked it up, a blue pay phone with the sign ‘Call a Democrat’ in the conservative city of Abilene, Texas would ring. This project, created by a company called Matter Neuroscience, aimed to connect Americans from vastly different backgrounds via the old-fashioned phone.  Links: What Happens When Democrats in San Francisco Call Up Republicans in Texas? It’s Pretty Cordial | KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve noticed more crows in the night sky this winter, you’re not imagining it. The Bay Area crow population has been on a steady rise since about 1975 — and after 2000 or so, the population exploded. So what’s behind the boom? This episode of Bay Curious first aired on June 6, 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly 31,000 health care workers with the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals have been on strike for the last four weeks. Nurses, physicians assistants, pharmacists and other workers at Kaiser Permanente say that their wages have not kept up with inflation and that their workloads have negatively impacted patient care. As the strike drags on and negotiations continue to stall, more patients face canceled surgeries and appointments without an end in sight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Silicon Valley once resisted cooperating with the U.S. military. Google, Meta and OpenAI even had policies banning the use of AI in weapons. Those days now feel like a bygone era, as Big Tech has now embraced working closely with the federal government during President Donald Trump's second term, in large part due to lucrative contracts for military and surveillance technology. This episode first aired on Sept. 3, 2025. Links: The Militarization of Silicon Valley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're working on an episode about making friends in the Bay Area. And we want your help. What's it been like for you to make friends here? How'd you do it? Is there anything about life in the Bay that makes it easier or harder to meet people? Let us know your thoughts. You can do that in one of two ways: Leave us a voicemail at 415-710-9223 Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to thebay@kqed.org We might just reach back out for an upcoming episode. We can't wait to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Venezuelan diaspora in the Bay Area is relatively small. Of the estimated 770,000 Venezuelan natives living in the United States in 2024, only about 23,000 — or 3% — are in California, according to the Migration Policy Institute. But as the country’s political turmoil continues to make headlines, a nonprofit called Dulce Tricolor Venezolano is committed to keeping their culture alive and building community through teaching traditional dance. Links: Venezuelan Dance Group in the Bay Area Keeps Culture Alive for a New Generation Subscribe to KQED’s K Onda newsletter Dulce Tricolor Venezolano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Monday, teachers at San Francisco Unified School District went on strike for the first time since 1979. The district and the United Educators of San Francisco (UESF) remain apart on issues like wage increases and family health care. We talk with the San Francisco Chronicle’s Jill Tucker about the impact on families, and why teacher strikes seem to be spreading across California. Links: San Francisco Teachers Strike: What Should Families Know? | KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since San José Mayor Matt Mahan took office in 2023, the city has dramatically shifted the city’s approach to homelessness from building permanent affordable housing to building more temporary shelters, with the goal of getting people off the street faster. Now, as he eyes the governor's office, we look into how his signature homelessness program is going. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bay Area is gearing up for ‘Benito Bowl,’ AKA Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show performance, with watch parties planned across the Bay. But his performance comes at a time when fans in immigrant communities are worried about immigration enforcement actions around the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, despite reassurances from the NFL and local police. Links: ICE at the Super Bowl: What We Know Right Now How’s Bad Bunny Left His Mark on the Bay Area? Let Us Count the Ways As Bay Area Gears Up to Host Super Bowl LX and Bad Bunny Halftime Show, Fears of ICE Loom | KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Sunday, the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will play in the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Super Bowl LX is projected to draw 90,000 visitors to the Bay Area, and up to $630 million in economic benefits for the entire region. But it's the South Bay that will feel the most disruptions to daily life. Links: The Super Bowl Party Is Here. Fans Are Excited, Even if It’s Seahawks vs Patriots Super Bowl LX Tickets: Don’t Fall for an (Expensive) Scam ICE at the Super Bowl: What We Know Right Now 7 Things to Know About the Complicated Relationship Between Santa Clara and the 49ers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clipper 2.0, or Next Generation Clipper, has been a long-awaited update for public transit riders. But the rollout has been plagued with glitches, and transit officials and riders are furious with Cubic Transportation Systems, the company contracted to operate the system. Links: ‘A Hot Mess’: Transit Riders, Officials Skewer Contractor Over Flawed Clipper 2.0 Rollout | KQED Clipper 2.0 Leaves AC Transit Cash Riders Behind | KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our first news roundup of 2026, we discuss California reactions to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, the latest drama in the long-running efforts by California Forever to build a new city, and a nostalgic goodbye to the Westfield Mall in downtown San Francisco. Links:  Growing Wave of Silicon Valley Workers Condemns ICE as C-Suites Split Over Fear of Trump | KQED ‘This mall was the shit’: Former teenagers throw final rager to honor SF Centre Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Violent crime is down in Oakland, along with most major U.S. cities. In 2025, Oakland’s homicide rate dropped 22% compared with the previous year. But Oakland city leaders are also aware that there’s a lot of work left to do — including helping people feel safe even as the statistics are showing improvements. Roselyn Romero with the Oaklandside joins us to break down why violent crime is down for the second straight year. Links: Violent crime in Oakland is way down for the second year in a row Oakland saw a historic drop in homicides in 2025. City leaders aren’t declaring victory yet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is enjoying high approval ratings and declining crime rates as he marks his first full year in office. In this live, on-stage interview with the Political Breakdown podcast, Lurie reflects on his first year, what he’s learned, and how he plans to take on the challenges ahead. Links: YouTube: Watch San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie with Political Breakdown Listen: San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie Read: San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie on the Highs and Lows of His First Government Job Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The health care industry has often been slow to adopt new technology — but not when it comes to AI. And as Kaiser Permanente’s mental health clinicians in Northern California negotiate their latest contract with the company, they’re looking for reassurance that AI isn’t coming for their jobs. Links: Will AI Replace Your Therapist? Kaiser Won't Say No Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, students, faculty, staff and alumni at the California College of the Arts learned that their school will be closing after the 2026-27 school year. Replacing it will be a new campus, run by Vanderbilt University. The arts community is now mourning the loss of Northern California's last nonprofit art school, which has served the region for 119 years. Links: What We Will Lose When California College of the Arts Closes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The recent killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement set off a wave of protests across the country. It’s also brought attention to the federal government’s efforts to stop people from recording federal agents in public.  Today, we’re sharing an episode from KQED’s Close All Tabs podcast, where host Morgan Sung sits down with criminal justice reporter C.J. Ciaramella to find out whether or not you have the right to record ICE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Area police departments say automated license plate readers contracted by an Atlanta-based company called Flock Safety have been a powerful tool for solving crime. But Bay Area residents and privacy advocates are increasingly concerned about the impacts on our privacy, as the Trump administration continues its federal immigration crackdown. In Santa Cruz, the city council voted 6-1 to end its contract with Flock, citing reports that the city’s data was accessed by out-of-state agencies.  Links: Santa Cruz the First in California to Terminate Its Contract With Flock Safety San Jose latest city to face questions whether federal authorities are accessing police license plate camera data Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices