Votes are still being counted, but the races for all 7 statewide propositions have been called. Californians approved Prop. 1 (abortion rights), Prop. 28 (arts education funding), and Prop. 31 (ban flavored tobacco), and shot down Props. 26 and 27 (sports betting), Prop. 29 (dialysis regulations), and Prop. 30 (green infrastructure). Today, we’ll break down these results. Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED politics and government reporter/producer Links: KQED Election Results page This episode was produ...
Nov 11, 2022•24 min
The last day to vote in the 2022 election has come and gone. Californians overwhelmingly approved an amendment to enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution, and both Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sen. Alex Padilla have been reelected. But it’ll be a minute before we know the full results. Today, we hear from voters, and then take you inside the KQED newsroom on Tuesday night. Read the transcript Links: KQED Election Results page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Nov 09, 2022•29 min
In the past few years, a handful of California cities have explored allowing noncitizens to vote in various local elections. The most famous example has been San Francisco, which passed a measure allowing noncitizen parents of public school students to vote for school board. This momentum to expand the vote has stalled as of late, thanks to lawsuits brought forward by a conservative group based in Southern California. Nevertheless, Oakland voters are about to weigh in on Measure S, which would a...
Nov 07, 2022•20 min
Oakland voters will decide on a new mayor this month. It’s a packed race; 10 candidates are vying for the seat, including 4 current and former members of Oakland City Council. The issue taking center stage in this election? Public safety. Guest: Maria Fernanda Bernal, KQED reporter Links: Playlist: The Bay x Bay Curious’ Prop Fest KQED’s Voter Guide Correction: the original version of this episode stated that it is too late to register to vote. Voters can still register in person at a voting cen...
Nov 04, 2022•23 min
On Tuesday, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced charges against David DePape, the 42-year-old man accused of breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood before attacking her husband, Paul Pelosi, with a hammer. Speaker Pelosi was in Washington D.C. at the time. Rep. Jackie Speier, a survivor of violence herself, says preventing something like this from happening again will require a “wholesale change” in how business is don...
Nov 02, 2022•17 min
The roots of Día de los Muertos celebrations in San Francisco can be traced back to 1972, when a collective of Chicano artists formed the first day of the dead show not only in California but the entire West Coast. The collective opened up their own gallery; Galeria La Raza. Inspired by a film that showcased the massive day of the dead altars in Oaxaca, Mexico, Rene Yañez and Ralph Maradiaga set up their own altar outside Galeria la Raza, laying down the foundation for a much larger celebration ...
Oct 31, 2022•27 min
In the Bay’s most populous county, Laurie Smith has served as sheriff since 1998. But in this election, amid a wave of scandals and an ongoing corruption trial, she will not be on the ballot. Now, two men are running to take over the office. Kevin Jansen, a retired sheriff’s captain, says he knows the department well enough to make changes that will restore public trust. Bob Jonsen, the former Palo Alto police chief, says his perspective from outside the department will lead to real reforms. Who...
Oct 28, 2022•26 min
21 states have attempted to limit, ban, or criminalize access to medical care for transgender and nonbinary youth. California is going in the opposite direction. In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law that ensures transgender kids from out-of-state can safely access hormones or puberty blocker. The law also shields families from child abuse investigations or from being prosecuted for seeking gender affirming care. It’s the first law of its kind in the nation. Guest: Lesley McClurg, KQED he...
Oct 26, 2022•23 min
On Sunday afternoon, incumbent Governor Gavin Newsom debated his Republican challenger, State Senator Brian Dahle. This was their first and only debate, which was held at KQED's headquarters in San Francisco. The conversation was moderated by KQED's Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer. Links: 'Newsom, Dahle Spar Over Abortion, Gas Tax and Crime in California Governor Debate,' by Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Oct. 23, 2022. KQED Voter Guide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 24, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Back in June, San Francisco voters recalled Chesa Boudin from the office of District Attorney. In his place, Mayor London Breed appointed Brooke Jenkins, who once worked in Boudin’s office and became a paid spokesperson in the recall effort. Now, as many San Francisco residents worry about public safety, voters will weigh in about the city’s chief prosecutor once again in the November election. And the results could tell us what kind of law enforcement approach people want. Guest: Joe Fitzgerald...
Oct 21, 2022•27 min
Benicia is home to an oil refinery operated by Valero, which employs hundreds of people and contributes tax revenue totaling an estimated 20% of the city’s general budget. The company has also played a very active role in local elections. Valero’s political action committee spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2018 and 2020. Now, with this year's city council race underway — and residents frustrated over recent controversies at the refinery — Valero’s role in Benicia looms large once again....
Oct 19, 2022•24 min
This November, San Jose residents will make a big decision about the future of the nation’s 10th largest city. The San Jose’s mayor’s race is between two candidates: Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez and San Jose City Councilmember Matt Mahan. Whoever becomes mayor will be responsible for big issues like homelessness, affordable housing, policing, and the future of the city’s downtown. Today, we’re sharing a mayoral forum hosted by KQED in partnership with Univision, where Chavez and Ma...
Oct 17, 2022•1 hr 1 min
Unless you work on cars for a living, you probably weren’t very familiar with catalytic converters until the last few years, when reported thefts of this particular car part started to skyrocket. It’s part of the exhaust system and contains valuable metals. These thefts have set car owners back thousands of dollars, and some people lose access to their car for months while it’s getting fixed. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two laws last month in an attempt to address the problem, but whether or not it...
Oct 14, 2022•23 min
After protests erupted in Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22 year old Kurdish Iranian woman who died in police custody after being arrested for not wearing a proper hijab, the Iranian government responded with police crackdowns and internet blockages. California is home to one of the largest populations of Iranians outside of Iran. And for many, including here in the Bay Area, protesting and sharing on social media is a critical tool for keeping momentum of this moment alive. Guest: Ida Mo...
Oct 12, 2022•18 min
Several Bay Area cities, including Oakland, are dealing with increased levels of gun violence. In Oakland, the city has hit triple-digit homicides for the third straight year. This has reversed years of positive progress, which was happening in part because of violence intervention work in communities — work that was disrupted during the pandemic. Communities are trying to do what they can to stop violence before it happens. One important piece of the puzzle? Investing in culture, and in events ...
Oct 10, 2022•20 min
In 2020, California lawmakers passed SB 793, which banned the retail sale of flavored tobacco products that can be smoked, vaped, or eaten statewide. But shortly after that, tobacco companies worked to put Prop. 31 on the ballot, taking the issue directly to the voters. It asks California voters whether to uphold that 2020 ban, or do away with it. Guest: Lesley McClurg, KQED health correspondent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 07, 2022•17 min
We need to spend a lot of money on green infrastructure if we want to lower emissions and adapt to the climate crisis. Supporters of Proposition 30 say this measure would help the state do just that — by raising the state income tax by 1.75% on Californians who make more than $2 million a year. That money would be guaranteed for 3 things: electric car debates, electric car charging, and wildfire suppression. The political coalitions on this one are super confusing: The ‘Yes” side includes enviro...
Oct 05, 2022•18 min
Launched for a third time by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, Prop. 29 would add new rules on dialysis clinics. If approved, dialysis clinics would be required to have a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant on site during all treatment hours, among other requirements. Opponents say Prop. 29 imposes unnecessary requirements and would cause clinics to shut down. Guest: Kevin Stark, KQED science senior editor Your support makes KQED podcasts...
Oct 03, 2022•17 min
Studies show that arts and music education benefit students, reducing things like depression and truancy. However, when budgets are slashed, they’re the first programs to go. The problem is exacerbated in low-income schools, which already face under-staffed and low budgeted music and arts programs, argues former Los Angeles Unified School School District Superintendent, Austin Beutner, who launched Prop. 28. Prop. 28 would increase the amount of funding allocated for music and arts education in ...
Sep 30, 2022•18 min
There’s a pair of dueling ballot measures in California that would affect whether we have legalized sports betting in the state, and what form it should take. It’s a super expensive campaign. Prop 27 is already the most expensive ballot measure in state history. And that’s because big money is on the line. On this episode of Prop Fest, Bay Curious host Olivia Allen-Price talks to KQED’s Guy Marzorati about Propositions 26 and 27. Episode Transcript Voting season is coming up. Check out KQED’s Vo...
Sep 28, 2022•21 min
For the next 2 weeks, we’re teaming up with our friends at Bay Curious to bring you Prop Fest, where we’ll break down the 7 statewide ballot propositions in the November election. First up: Proposition 1. It was added to the ballot by the state legislature after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Prop 1 would amend the state constitution to include reproductive freedom, which includes the right to an abortion and to accept or refuse contraception, as a fundamental right. Guest: April...
Sep 26, 2022•22 min
The Not One More Girl campaign launched in 2020 after a survey of Bay Area youth found that women and girls feared for their safety when using public transportation. Spearheaded by youth, the campaign outlined ways to make BART safer. More than a year since we first aired this episode, the BART board amended its code of conduct to explicitly prohibit sexual harassment. Guests: Haleema Bharoocha, senior advocacy manager at Alliance for Girls and Santana Tapia, with the #NotOneMoreGirl campaign an...
Sep 23, 2022•19 min
At its peak, an estimated 500 people lived in tents, vehicles, and camper vans at an encampment near San Jose’s airport. The city has tried to clear it for years, under pressure from the Federal Aviation Administration. Now, it's almost done. San Jose also promised to find housing and fix the vehicles of the people who were moved out of the encampment. But just a fraction have been moved into housing, and only 14 vehicles have been fixed. In the meantime, most people have had to salvage what bel...
Sep 21, 2022•20 min
Communities of color in California are the most affected by violent crime. But historically, they haven't had a seat at the table when it comes to defining what survivors of violent crime want and need. Now that's starting to change. Advocacy groups, led by Black women, say that the state needs to reform and rethink the way victim support in California works. Guest: Marisa Lagos, politics and government correspondent for KQED and co-host of the Political Breakdown Podcast Read the transcript Thi...
Sep 19, 2022•24 min
Maria Esquinca is the newest producer for The Bay, taking over after Ericka Cruz Guevarra left the position to become the host of the show. In this episode we get to know Maria a little bit more. We talk about her hometown of El Paso, Texas (a border town nestled next to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico) burritos, poetry, and finding home in the Bay Area. KQED reporter Carlos Cabrera-Lomeli also takes us on a brief tour of the Mission, a neighborhood in the Bay Area that reminds Maria of home. G...
Sep 16, 2022•25 min
The Bay Area experienced record-setting heat last week, with temperatures reaching up to 115 degrees in some parts, threatening to overload the state’s power grid. It won’t be the last. Climate change makes it even more likely that these heat waves will be more frequent and severe. So today, we talk about takeaways from the historic heat wave, and how we just barely avoided rolling blackouts this time around. Guest: Dan Brekke, KQED editor and reporter Read the transcript Your support makes KQED...
Sep 14, 2022•19 min
In California, less than 1% of farmland is Black-owned, according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture. One such farm is in Sebastopol in Sonoma County. EARTHseed farm is Sonoma County’s first Afro-Indigenous permaculture farm. It’s a place for Black and brown people to reconnect with indigenous land stewardship and to build community, at a time when the effects of climate change are challenging us to change our relationship to the earth. Guest: Ariana Proehl, KQED culture reporter Links: An Exampl...
Sep 12, 2022•20 min
Naatak is one of the largest Indian American theater companies in the country. Started in 1995 out of a dorm room at UC Berkeley, Naatak is staging its 100th production this month. In that time, an estimated 1,000 people have participated in Naatak’s productions — all volunteers, many of whom have day jobs in the tech industry. It’s become an important part of the Indian American community in Silicon Valley, by and for people who do this in their free time. Guest: Rachael Myrow, KQED Silicon Val...
Sep 09, 2022•21 min
Sonoma County is trying to set a trend for other cities in banning the construction of new gas stations. In 2021, Petaluma became the first city in the whole country to do so. Now nearly half of the county has followed suit, including Santa Rosa. For the residents who’ve pushed this forward, these bans are a small but important step to fighting climate change, in a county that has experienced some of the worst wildfires in the state. Guest: Paulina Pineda, Santa Rosa Press Democrat city hall rep...
Sep 07, 2022•18 min
You’ve probably seen pictures or even smelled them by now. This past week, thousands upon thousands of dead fish have washed up on shorelines all over the Bay Area. And there are way more beneath the surface. So, what's behind this? And is this a one-off, or a sign that we need to do something to prevent it from happening again? Guest: Jon Rosenfield, senior scientist with SF Baykeeper This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and hosted by Alan Montecillo. Links: Dea...
Sep 02, 2022•23 min
