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Bay Curious

Bay Curious is a show about your questions – and the adventures you find when you go looking for the answers. Join host Olivia Allen-Price to explore all aspects of the San Francisco Bay Area – from the debate over "Frisco", to the dinosaurs that once roamed California, to the causes of homelessness. Whether you lived here your whole life, or just arrived, Bay Curious will deepen your understanding of this place you call home.
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Episodes

Why is Marin County So White?

Marin County is the whitest county in the Bay Area -- but why? Reporter Ericka Cruz-Guevarra takes us through some pivotal moments in Marin history that contributed to its demographics today. Reported by Ericka Cruz-Guevarra. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Feb 16, 201714 min

How Many Are Being Displaced by Gentrification in Oakland?

Putting a number on displacement is a tall order, but we do have an idea about who is leaving Oakland. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Feb 09, 201713 min

Why Does San Jose Have So Many Urban Islands?

Bay Curious listener Kristin Seitz was looking at a map of San Jose when she noticed an awful lot of holes. The city's territory isn't one undivided shape, but rather resembles a piece of Swiss cheese. Seitz wondered: Why are there so many unincorporated "urban islands" in the San Jose area? Reported by Ericka Cruz-Guevarra. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia A...

Feb 02, 20177 min

For Sale: San Francisco Air

Owners of historic buildings might be able to sell the air space above their building, allowing developers elsewhere to build higher.

Jan 26, 201714 minEp. 120

Is Air Quality in the Bay Area Getting Worse?

Listener Jenny Wread has noticed the Bay Area's smog on her commute. And she's hearing more Spare the Air alerts. How is the air quality doing in the Bay Area as the population grows? Reported by Matt Beagle. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Jan 26, 201711 min

Ode to the Foghorn: The Sound of the Sea

Take a trip around the San Francisco Bay and get to know our local foghorns -- where they are, how they work, who turns them on. Reported by Laura Klivans. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Julia McEvoy, Ethan Lindsey and Howard Gelman. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question or sign up for our newsletter at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia All...

Jan 19, 201715 minEp. 88

For Whom The Foghorn Blows

If you live in the Bay Area, a foggy day can be a good excuse for some guilt-free time indoors. If you live near the water, days like that bring something else: foghorns. Reported by Laura Klivans. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Suzie Racho, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Jan 19, 201715 min

Why Aren’t There Any Strip Clubs in the East Bay?

In the 1960s, San Francisco was in the midst of a sexual revolution. Officials across the Bay in Oakland wanted none of it. Reported by Adizah Eghan. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Jan 12, 20179 min

Sutro Tower: The Origins of an ‘Eyesore’

When Sutro Tower was first proposed, nearly everybody hated it. How did it get built? Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Jan 05, 201711 min

Does San Jose Deserve the Nickname ‘Man Jose’?

The Big Apple, Sin City, the Big Easy -- all famous nicknames for American cities. But have you heard of Man Jose? This week we explore if San Jose should be called Man Jose. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice. And use the #BayCurious hashtag!

Dec 29, 201612 min

There’s a Secret Message to Decode in San Jose

f you’ve walked past Adobe’s corporate headquarters in downtown San Jose, you may have spotted them: four big orange LED lights that look like flat-head screws, turning in apparently random patterns. This week’s Bay Curious question comes from listener Geoff Morgan, who wanted to know: What do the turning wheels on the top of the Adobe building mean? To start with, it helps to know Adobe makes computer software for people who work with words, pictures and sound. “At the core of our DNA, really, ...

Dec 28, 201611 min

How Much Truth Is There to Those ‘Speed Enforced by Aircraft’ Signs?

We've all seen the signs warning us of eyes in the sky looking for speeders. A Bay Curious listener wanted to find out if someone really was up there ready to hand out tickets. Reported by Kelly Dunleavy O'Mara. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Dec 22, 20167 min

What Happens to San Francisco’s Recycling Once It Leaves the Curb?

Take a trip to Recology's Recycle Central, where San Francisco's waste is sorted and sent off for processing. Join the Bay Curious team as they test your trash I.Q. Reported by Lindsey Hoshaw. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Dec 15, 201613 min

Did the Emptying of Mental Hospitals Contribute to Homelessness?

After patients were released from mental hospitals, there wasn't always a place for them to go. On this week's episode, we explore if deinstitutionalization was a factor in the Bay Area's homeless crisis. Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Dec 08, 201611 min

Where Did the Wild Parrots of San Francisco Come From?

The busy streets of San Francisco seems like the last place you'd find wild parrots. And yet, there they are. How'd they get here? Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Nov 24, 201612 min

The Origins of ‘Hella’

Long associated with the Bay Area, the word 'hella' has gained widespread use. But how was the word born? Ask a question at baycurious.org Follow Olivia Allen-Price @oallenprice

Nov 17, 20169 min

Why Are BART Trains So Loud?

Sometimes the noise on BART is so loud you can hardly think. Why such a racket? And could it possibly damage your hearing? Sam Harnett and Eli Wirtschafter help host Olivia Allen-Price get to the bottom of this weeks questions, which comes from listener Eric Bauer. Ask a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice

Nov 10, 201610 min

Welcome to the Bay Curious Podcast

Bay Curious gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what we work on. And you join us on the journey to find the answer. Ask a question at BayCurious.org.

Nov 02, 20164 min
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