Bay Area-raised host Ericka Cruz Guevarra talks with local journalists about what’s happening in the greatest region in the country. It’s the context and analysis you need to make sense of the news, with help from the people who know it best. New episodes drop Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings.
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Nov 13, 2026 · 16:07
Big back to back storms are set to hit the Bay Area this weekend. In other words, the ‘Super El Niño’ we’ve been hearing about is here. To understand what’s behind the weather…
Nov 11, 2026 · 21:50
You might not know it, but there’s a grand mansion hiding under the Bay Bridge, and it has deep ties to Yerba Buena’s naval history. For Veteran’s Day, we are bringing back a…
Nov 9, 2026 · 18:25
For most adults, the election buzz is long over. But for teenagers in a few East Bay cities, the life-long thrill of voting has just begun. In Albany, 16 and 17 year olds voted…
Nov 6, 2026 · 15:33
This week, thousands of Golden State Valkyries fans came together along San Francisco’s waterfront to celebrate the team’s championship victory. The win comes just two seasons…
Nov 4, 2026 · 16:39
This year’s midterm elections are consequential for Bay Area residents. From the governor’s race to statewide propositions and local measures, we give you a snapshot of election…
Nov 2, 2026 · 26:33
The Trump administration has been ramping up efforts to find voter fraud in California. Claims of voter fraud can have real-world consequences for communities. Today, Stanford…
Oct 30, 2026 · 19:28
In this edition of The Bay’s monthly news roundup, we discuss Marin County’s Measure P, a parcel tax to increase access to childcare, and why school board races might actually be…
Oct 28, 2026 · 23:12
For decades, Nancy Pelosi has represented San Francisco in Congress. Now she’s retiring, making way for a truly competitive race for California’s 11th Congressional District.…
Oct 26, 2026 · 21:09
After hollowing out during the pandemic, San Francisco’s office vacancy rate is hovering at around 30%. Pair that volume of empty space with an escalating housing crisis, and…
Oct 23, 2026 · 21:54
As the Golden State Valkyries prepare for Game 4 of the WNBA finals Saturday, KALW’s BOUNCE introduces us to the team’s star player, Gabby Williams. From her roots in Oakland to…
Oct 21, 2026 · 19:29
The federal corruption trial against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao kicked off this month. Thao and her three codefendants — Andre Jones, David Doung, and Andy Doung — are…
Oct 19, 2026 · 19:13
The vast majority of commercial kitchens in California — some 85% — rely on gas to power their appliances. But scientists say that will have to change if the state hopes to reach…
Oct 16, 2026 · 23:28
In September, prescribed burns on Angel Island sent smoke and at-times dangerous air quality to residents around the Bay Area. While Air District officials want to improve…
Oct 14, 2026 · 21:38
Just last month, San Mateo County announced that they’d bought an apartment building to house teachers and school staff. It is just one recent example of local school districts…
Oct 12, 2026 · 17:58
What do martial artists, mime performers, and a farmers market have in common? They all received millions of dollars from the state budget this past summer. The money was…
Oct 9, 2026 · 17:06
The California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, requires state and local agencies to consider the environmental impact of public and private projects. Prop 45 would change…
Oct 8, 2026 · 15:44
There are about 2,000 community clinics providing health care in California, serving low-income and underinsured patients and funded partially by our tax dollars. But one…
Oct 7, 2026 · 19:07
Right now in California, if citizens put a tax measure on the ballot for local government services, it requires a simple majority — 50% plus 1 — to pass. Prop 43 would raise that…
Oct 6, 2026 · 16:14
Prop 42 is another ballot measure designed to compete with Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax. If passed, California would ban new taxes on financial assets like retirement…
Oct 6, 2026 · 15:19
As happens so often in California, there are initiatives on your ballot that are competing with other initiatives on your ballot. Prop 41, which would require audits of new…
Oct 5, 2026 · 25:07
Proposition 40 is a one-time 5% wealth tax on California's billionaires. If passed, 90% of the revenue would go to healthcare, while the other 10% would help fund public…
Oct 2, 2026 · 15:13
In California, you have to show identification when you register to vote, but not when you cast your ballot. Prop 39, which is supported by California Republicans and opposed by…
Oct 2, 2026 · 20:29
Immunotherapy is individualized treatment designed to harness a patients’ immune system to fight disease. Vaccines are considered part of immunology, but it also includes more…
Oct 1, 2026 · 15:42
It's pretty standard to pay a 20% down payment in order to buy a house. But in California, where the median price of a single-family home is $980,000, that's a tall order for…
Sep 30, 2026 · 15:58
In 2021, California voters were asked whether or not to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom from office. But there was also a second question on the ballot: Who should replace the governor…
Sep 30, 2026 · 13:16
If you want to get elected in this state, it's no secret that you'll need to raise money — in some cases, a lot of money. This could put candidates who don't come from wealthy…
Sep 29, 2026 · 16:35
California has a progressive income tax system: the more you make, the more you pay in taxes. For years, voters have approved certain tax rates for high-income earners.…
Sep 29, 2026 · 20:36
In 2014, Gov. Jerry Brown persuaded voters to strengthen California's Rainy Day Fund — a pot of money set aside to help the state save when times are good, while paying down its…
Sep 28, 2026 · 16:09
For the next 2 weeks, we and our friends with Bay Curious are bringing you Prop Fest, your deep-dive audio guide voting smart on the 14(!) statewide ballot measures in this…
Sep 25, 2026 · 24:23
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…
Sep 23, 2026 · 40:11
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…
Sep 21, 2026 · 24:27
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…
Sep 18, 2026 · 20:28
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…
Sep 16, 2026 · 19:59
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…
Sep 14, 2026 · 16:19
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…
Sep 11, 2026 · 17:08
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.…
Sep 9, 2026 · 19:41
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…
Sep 4, 2026 · 23:15
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…
Sep 2, 2026 · 16:20
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,…
Aug 31, 2026 · 23:31
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…
Aug 28, 2026 · 16:44
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…
Aug 27, 2026 · 0:36
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…
Aug 26, 2026 · 21:34
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…
Aug 24, 2026 · 35:49
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…
Aug 21, 2026 · 19:46
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…
Aug 19, 2026 · 18:23
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.…
Aug 17, 2026 · 14:57
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…
Aug 14, 2026 · 16:24
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…
Aug 12, 2026 · 16:33
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…
Aug 10, 2026 · 20:18
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…
Aug 7, 2026 · 15:43
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…
Aug 5, 2026 · 23:19
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…
Aug 3, 2026 · 23:40
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…
Jul 28, 2026 · 2:54
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…
Jul 21, 2026 · 1:00
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…
Jul 1, 2026 · 2:01
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,…
Jun 29, 2026 · 25:06
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…
Jun 26, 2026 · 15:59
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
Jun 24, 2026 · 22:11
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…
Jun 22, 2026 · 27:17
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…
Jun 19, 2026 · 24:45
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…
Jun 17, 2026 · 18:22
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…
Jun 15, 2026 · 19:17
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…
Jun 12, 2026 · 20:08
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…
Jun 10, 2026 · 18:38
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…
Jun 8, 2026 · 17:26
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,…
Jun 5, 2026 · 23:30
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…
Jun 3, 2026 · 31:49
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…
Jun 1, 2026 · 21:51
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…
May 29, 2026 · 24:14
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…
May 27, 2026 · 21:03
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…
May 25, 2026 · 23:00
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…
May 22, 2026 · 15:45
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,…
May 20, 2026 · 23:23
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…
May 18, 2026 · 19:39
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…
May 15, 2026 · 22:08
Community-based preschools across the state have struggled to compete with California’s free, universal transitional-kindergarten program, where enrollment grew to 213,000…
May 13, 2026 · 20:17
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…
May 11, 2026 · 16:06
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…
May 8, 2026 · 17:11
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.…
May 6, 2026 · 20:46
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.…
May 4, 2026 · 23:37
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.…
May 1, 2026 · 21:03
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…
Apr 29, 2026 · 22:49
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…
Apr 27, 2026 · 22:46
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…
Apr 24, 2026 · 19:48
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…
Apr 22, 2026 · 18:12
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…
Apr 20, 2026 · 22:12
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,…
Apr 17, 2026 · 15:04
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…
Apr 15, 2026 · 22:27
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…
Apr 13, 2026 · 17:42
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…
Apr 10, 2026 · 30:18
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…
Apr 8, 2026 · 18:17
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…
Apr 6, 2026 · 58:29
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…
Apr 3, 2026 · 18:46
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…
Apr 1, 2026 · 20:10
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…
Mar 30, 2026 · 24:32
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…
Mar 27, 2026 · 26:42
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…
Mar 25, 2026 · 17:30
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…
Mar 23, 2026 · 18:36
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…
Mar 20, 2026 · 16:35
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…
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