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Fifth & Mission

San Francisco Chroniclecms.megaphone.fm
The flagship news podcast of the San Francisco Chronicle. Producer/host Cecilia Lei and co-host Laura Wenus discuss the biggest stories of the day with Chronicle journalists and newsmakers from around the Bay Area. | Get full digital access to the Chronicle: sfchronicle.com/pod
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Episodes

17 Ballots Later, a Surprise Win for Aaron Peskin

Though incumbent San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton was favored to be reelected, deadlocked votes and an impasse led to Peskin winning the job. Chronicle reporter J.D. Morris joins host Cecilia Lei to discuss the dramatic election and what Peskin's leadership may signal for city governance. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 10, 202316 min

Tiny Homes at 16th and Mission: Will It Help Homelessness?

Other Bay Area cities have used tiny homes to address the housing crisis, but San Francisco has been slow to embrace the model. Chronicle reporter Trisha Thadani joins host Cecilia Lei to discuss a proposal to build a temporary tiny cabin village at 16th and Mission, and why that may signal a shift in how the city is addressing homelessness. ​| Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 09, 202315 min

The Future of Gavin Newsom's Political Power

California's governor was to be inaugurated for his second term Friday after facing down a number of challenges, including a recall election and the COVID-19 pandemic. Chronicle political reporters Dustin Gardiner and Sophia Bollag join host Cecilia Lei to reflect on the highs and lows of his leadership and his increasing national influence. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 06, 202319 min

Why Fixing Homelessness Is Personal for Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao

Sheng Thao will soon be inaugurated as Oakland’s new mayor. The daughter of Hmong refugees and survivor of domestic violence joins host Joe Garofoli to speak about her journey to the mayor's office, including how she plans to tackle Oakland’s homelessness crisis — something she’s experienced firsthand. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 05, 202325 min

How to Weather the "Bomb Cyclone" Storm

While some Bay Area residents are still recovering from the New Year’s Eve storm, Wednesday’s “bomb cyclone” storm is threatening the region with further devastation. Chronicle meteorologist Gerry Diaz joins host Cecilia Lei to discuss what to expect, why this latest storm is dangerous and how you can stay safe. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 04, 202317 min

"Put Down the Baggage": How to Avoid Chronic Stress

Exercising and healthy eating are common new year's resolutions but Dr. Elissa Epel, author of "The Stress Prescription: 7 Days to More Joy and Ease," shares why stress management might be the most important goal you make this year. She joins host Cecilia Lei to discuss simple tips to alleviate stress and anxiety as we enter another year of the pandemic and tackle other uncertainties. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 03, 202321 min

What Surprised Us and What We Missed in 2022

For the last Fifth & Mission episode of the year, Chronicle reporters and editors talk about the news story that surprised them the most in 2022, and what story they think the newsroom overlooked. Plus, editor-in-chief Emilio Garcia-Ruiz joins host Cecilia Lei to reflect on what it's been like to lead the newsroom since coming to San Francisco in 2020, and he shares his thoughts on the future of journalism. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. V...

Dec 21, 202223 min

Dispatch From Ukraine: Berkeley Student Shares His Experience of War

Maksym Dubkov, a Ukrainian graduate student who spoke to Fifth & Mission shortly after Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, paused his graduate studies to return home over the summer. He founded a volunteer organization to provide humanitarian aid to the areas most affected by the war. He joins Cecilia Lei to talk about his experience and what he wants Americans to understand about Ukraine. Plus, volunteer paramedic Olha Bihotska and university student Kateryna Vazhnenko talk about their li...

Dec 20, 202226 min

The Bitter Taste of Gentrification

Calavera is an upscale Mexican restaurant in Uptown Oakland that claims to be influenced by Oaxacan culture. But Chronicle food critic Cesar Hernandez says the restaurant exemplifies "food gentrification." He joins host Cecilia Lei to discuss the fine line between upscale Mexican food and cultural appropriation, and how restaurant patrons can be more conscious in their dining choices. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 19, 202221 min

Cal-OSHA Ends Mandatory COVID Sick Pay

California's workplace regulators have passed a new set of rules that no longer require employers to pay workers to stay home if they catch the virus. Reporter Chase DiFeliciantonio joins host Demian Bulwa with details. Plus: Reporter Mallory Moench talks about staff shortages at San Francisco General Hospital and 911 dispatch as COVID surges. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 16, 202219 min

The Unseen Overdose Crisis: Inside San Francisco’s SROs

San Francisco has made efforts to address its drug overdose crisis, but the city has largely overlooked one area: its own supportive housing system. A disproportionate number of people are dying of drug overdoses inside city-funded single room occupancy buildings, or SROs. Chronicle reporters Joaquin Palomino and Trisha Thadani join host Cecilia Lei to discuss their latest investigation and how the city has neglected to protect its most vulnerable residents. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchron...

Dec 15, 202229 min

How Slow is S.F.'s Building Permit Approval Process?

San Francisco has a bad reputation when it comes to building housing: It takes a staggeringly long time. That's not good in a city in the midst of a housing crisis, struggling to meet state-mandated quotes for building. Chronicle reporters Dustin Gardiner and Susie Neilson join host Cecilia Lei to discuss just how long it takes to get a permit, why it's gotten this bad, and the larger costs of the city's flawed system. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad ch...

Dec 14, 202217 min

Striking UC Academics Get a Lift From Traditional Unions

Blue-collar labor is supporting the researchers, scholars and graduate workers who have walked out at the University of California. Reporter Ryan Kost tells host Dominic Fracassa that the teamsters, electricians and hotel workers showing solidarity with what used to be considered "ivory tower" types are signaling a shift in what it means to be “working class.” | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 13, 202213 min

A New Variant on a COVID Winter Surge

Along with ugly sweaters and vows not to discuss politics, COVID is again poised to be a major theme of the holidays. In the Bay Area, a surge of the virus has begun, thanks to a range of factors including the spread of new immune-evasive omicron subvariants. What does the winter have in store? Chronicle reporters Aidin Vaziri and Claire Hao join host Demian Bulwa to discuss what listeners need to know right now about booster vaccines, treatments, the strain on hospitals and the (very slim) poss...

Dec 12, 202217 min

One Man's Long Road Back From Fentanyl

Ben Campofreda turned from prescribed oxycodone to heroin and then fentanyl to treat chronic back pain. Unlike more than 500 people who have died from accidental overdoses in San Francisco this year, he fought his way to sobriety. Columnist and Total SF co-host Heather Knight talks to Cecilia Lei about his remarkable story, and we hear from Ben himself, who says the city has to do more for people trying to navigate its system of aid. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more a...

Dec 09, 202224 min

The Story Behind Those Killer Robots

All of a sudden in recent weeks, everyone in San Francisco was talking about killer robots. What happened? Chronicle reporter J.D. Morris joins host Demian Bulwa to talk about why San Francisco police sought approval to use robots to kill suspects in extreme circumstances — and why the Board of Supervisors flip-flopped amid backlash. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 08, 202217 min

The Case for a 4-Day Work Week

The pandemic has upended the traditional work week and some Bay Area employers are experimenting with a switch to a 32-hour work week. Critics say that the model would be costly and stunt job growth but Chronicle reporter Carolyn Said joins host Cecilia Lei to share results that say otherwise. Also: CommonFuture's VP of People Operations, Joann Lee Wagner, talks about why the four-day work week is about equity. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. V...

Dec 07, 202219 min

Why Did San Francisco's Tenderloin Center Shut Down?

Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency a year ago to quickly open the Tenderloin Center as a response to San Francisco's drug overdose crisis. It provided treatment options, meals and a space for safe drug consumption. After less than a year of operations, the controversial center shut down. Chronicle reporter Mallory Moench joins host Cecilia Lei to discuss why, and to talk about how the city plans to address its drug epidemic now. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Lea...

Dec 06, 202217 min

New Year, New Laws: Here's 14 Californians Should Know

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed nearly 1,000 bills into law in 2022, the most productive law-making year since the start of the pandemic. Chronicle reporters Sophia Bollag and Dustin Gardiner join host Cecilia Lei to discuss a handful that you should know about, from big issues like gun safety and abortion to smaller ones like jaywalking and selling fur. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 05, 202220 min

Ex-GOP Rep.: McCarthy "Drunk on His Own Bathwater"

Denver Riggleman, who worked for the Jan. 6 committee after losing his reelection bid in 2020, has written a book on that work called "The Breach." He talks to host Joe Garofoli about what's next for the investigation, how Republicans aren't likely to abandon Trump, and what motivates the likely next speaker of the House. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 02, 202222 min

Children's Deaths Raise Questions About John Muir Health's Pediatric Care

A partnership between Stanford and John Muir Health has promised convenient and quality pediatric care for families in the East Bay, but the deaths of four children are raising questions about the hospital's capabilities. Chronicle reporters Matthias Gafni and Cynthia Dizikes join host Cecilia Lei to discuss their follow-up investigation into John Muir Health and the care provided in the hospital's pediatric intensive care unit. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod See also: The Apr...

Dec 01, 202233 min

How Oakland Mayor-elect Sheng Thao Plans to Lead the City

The 37-year-old progressive will be the first Hmong American to lead a major U.S. city. How does she plan to tackle its biggest issues? Chronicle reporter Sarah Ravani joins host Cecilia Lei to talk about what Thao plans to do in her first months as mayor to address Oakland's pressing problems around public safety, homelessness and economic uncertainty. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 30, 202217 min

Twitter Layoffs and the Immigration Fallout

With Silicon Valley tech heavyweights like Twitter and Meta cutting jobs, thousands of people are looking for work. But for immigrants on H-1B visas, the consequence of not finding something quickly can be life-changing. Chronicle reporter Carolyn Said tells host Demian Bulwa about her recent conversations with these laid-off workers — and whether anything can or should be done to change things. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

Nov 29, 202216 min

Knocking Down Mental Health Taboos in Sports

Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka and Klay Thompson are some of the pro athletes who have opened up about their issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic has both created mental health challenges and spotlighted the opportunity to discuss them in a new way. Chronicle sportswriters Marisa Ingemi and Connor Letourneau join host Cecilia Lei to talk about the changing attitudes — from the NBA to youth sports, crowd behavior to injury treatment — and why that matters for everyone. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchr...

Nov 28, 202223 min

Fixing Our City: Lessons From Portugal Decriminalizing Drugs

We're sharing this episode of the Fixing Our City podcast from The Chronicle's SFNext Project in which host Laura Wenus talks to Dr. João Goulão, Portugal's drug policy coordinator, about that country's decision to decriminalize drug possession in response to an opioid epidemic similar to the one San Francisco is struggling with. That was in 2001. Today, Portugal has dramatically reduced the number of overdose deaths, HIV infections associated with drug use, and problematic heroin use. Fifth &am...

Nov 23, 202229 min

Best of 5M: Oakland Skaters Fight For the Right to Roll

The COVID pandemic caused a roller skating boom. Now, skaters in West Oakland are fighting for a rink of their own. Producer Caron Creighton reports on the efforts of the skating group Panther Skate, the history of Black roller skating and why the sport is deeply personal for the community. Fifth & Mission returns with new episodes Monday. | UnlimitedChronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 22, 202217 min

COVID, RSV and the Flu: Tips for a Healthy Holiday

This might be the most normal holiday season in recent years, except for the "tripledemic." That collision of COVID-19, the flu and RSV — a troubling respiratory virus affecting young children — is worrying health experts. UCSF's Dr. Peter Chin-Hong joins Cecilia Lei to discuss what makes this season challenging and how to stay safe, as well as his reflections on nearly three years of the coronavirus pandemic. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...

Nov 21, 202219 min

Life After Pelosi for House Democrats

Now that the two-time speaker has announced that she's stepping down from leadership, who will succeed her, and can they lead as successfully as she did? It's All Political on Fifth & Mission host Joe Garofoli joins Cecilia Lei to talk about the next two years, and then Joe chats with John Lawrence, Pelosi’s former chief of staff and the author of the book “Arc of Power, Inside Nancy Pelosi’s Speakership, 2005-2010,” about her leadership style. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/p...

Nov 18, 202224 min

What Another Trump Run Means for California

The former president on the ballot for a second presidential term is bad news for California Republicans — not to mention all the people he’s maligned with his racist, sexist, homophobic rhetoric. Reporters Shira Stein and Dustin Gardiner join host Joe Garofoli to talk about the Former Guy's new White House run. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 17, 202221 min

How UC Academic Workers Became Labor Organizers

Amid a groundswell of labor actions in recent years, University of California academic workers have organized the largest strike in the history of U.S. higher education. Chronicle reporter Nanette Asimov joins host Cecilia Lei to discuss what they're demanding, and Ken Jacobs, the director of UC Berkeley's Labor Center, explains why organized labor is making a comeback. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 16, 202222 min
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