The Bay

After running on a promise to unite Oakland, former U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee has defeated former city councilmember Loren Taylor in a tight race for mayor. Lee will complete the term of former Mayor Sheng Thao, who was recalled in November. Today, The Oaklandside’s Eli Wolfe joins us to discuss what to expect from Mayor-Elect Barbara Lee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, the oil giant Valero announced that it will “idle, restructure, or cease operations” at its Benicia refinery that employs more than 400 workers by April 2026. KQED’s Julie Small tells us how officials are reacting, and why many view this decision as a response to state and local regulations. Links: Oil Giant Valero Looks to Shutter Troubled Bay Area Refinery. It’s ‘a Big Surprise’ Bay A...

Picture an all-electric home with smart appliances that talk to each other via WiFi to figure out when to pull power from the grid. That’s the idea behind something called ‘virtual power plant’ technology. While it’s not new, the technology’s advocates hope it will power many more homes in the coming years. KQED’s Laura Klivans takes us inside one such home in north Richmond. Learn more about your...

On Saturday, San Francisco officially opened Sunset Dunes Park on the city’s west side. It replaces a 2-mile section of the Great Highway, 5 months after voters approved a citywide measure to permanently close it to motor vehicles. But many residents, still furious about the decision to close the road, haven’t given up. Some are even campaigning to recall their local supervisor.  Links: Sunset Dun...

Self-driving Waymo robotaxis are now commonplace on the streets of San Francisco. Feelings about these autonomous vehicles vary — from excitement, to amusement, to outright hostility. Some have even gone so far as to vandalize the cars. In this episode from KQED’s Close All Tabs podcast, Morgan Sung speaks with Bloomberg journalist Ellen Huet and law professor Ryan Calo to explore the rise of Waym...

The Trump administration has revoked hundreds of student visas across the country, claiming many have participated in ‘pro-Hamas’ activism on college campuses. Now, two international students at California colleges are suing the federal government after their student visas were revoked and their records in a federal database were terminated, effectively stripping them of their ability to continue...

President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on imports go into effect today, and businesses around the Bay Area are already feeling the impact. Some worry that the costs will trickle down to consumers and discourage businesses already struggling to afford operating in the Bay Area. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the A’s begin their first season in Sacramento, KQED found that some Coliseum workers promised financial assistance from the A’s ahead of the team’s transition out of Oakland haven’t gotten anything.  Links: Some Oakland Coliseum Workers Say They Never Received Assistance From A’s Farewell Fund Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In San Francisco, Black men born between 1951 and 1970 accounted for 12% of overdose deaths between January 2020 and October 2024, despite representing less than 1% of the city's population. The disparity in San Francisco is greater than any other major city.  Today, we hear from Richard Beal, director of recovery services at the Tenderloin Housing Clinic, about his personal story of addiction and...

President Donald Trump’s executive orders and rhetoric have created a climate of fear in queer and transgender communities, including here in the Bay Area. KQED’s Bianca Taylor reports on a self-defense class in San Francisco’s Transgender District that teaches people skills to protect themselves while also building community. Links: Amid Rising Threats, Transgender Community Builds Bonds at This...

In this month’s edition of The Bay’s monthly news roundup, Alan, Jessica, and Ericka talk about what happened when a Marin County school board member questioned the term “toxic masculinity,” delays in finding a new site for San Jose’s iconic flea market, and an Eid festival coming to San Francisco’s Tenderloin. Plus, we discuss threats to public media funding. Links: Watch: NPR, PBS Heads Answer L...

This month, San Francisco rolled out speed cameras at dozens of locations throughout the city. After seeing one of SF's deadliest years on the road, advocates hope the cameras will make walking and driving in San Francisco safer.  This episode first ran on Jan 15, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time for Oakland voters to pick a new mayor. Voting is underway in Oakland’s special election until April 15. Once a mayor is picked, they’ll have to hit the ground running in order to balance the city’s budget and address voters’ concerns about public safety and homelessness.  Links: Oakland Special Election: Candidate Guide and How to Vote Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

Day laborers, or jornaleros, can often be found standing at specific street corners, where they are hired on the spot for inexpensive manual labor. Most are Latino migrants and can be found all over the Bay Area. Berkeleyside’s Ximena Natera joins us to talk about how jornaleros in Berkeley are dealing with increased fears of deportation, and where these workers are finding support in difficult ti...

On Christmas Eve, 58-year-old James Oakley was crushed to death during a Vallejo city-run trash cleanup, sparking shock and outrage among homeless residents and advocates. Three months after his death, the city of Vallejo has put a temporary pause on encampment sweeps. Links: Report: Unhoused Man Seen Alive Before Being Crushed During Vallejo Cleanup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...

Voters in San José’s downtown, north side, Guadalupe-Washington, and Japantown neighborhoods are already casting ballots to fill an empty city council seat left open by former Councilmember Omar Torres, who resigned in November and faces child sex abuse charges. The future of downtown San José — and possibly Mayor Matt Mahan’s agenda — hangs in the balance. Links: San José District 3 Special Elect...

There's a competitive karaoke league in the East Bay that's about more than just singing. Every Monday at KaraOakland, teams perform songs on specific themes. Then, participants used ranked choice voting to pick the best performances — like Oakland voters will in the city's special election next month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate 1000 episodes of the podcast, The Bay team took a little field trip. We reflect on the show, and listen to voicemails from listeners and colleagues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Monday, more than 1,500 Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority bus drivers, light rail operators and other employees went on strike for the first time in the agency’s history after more than six months of failed negotiations over wages and other issues. Links: VTA Sues to End Historic South Bay Transit Workers' Strike Send us a voice memo for our 1000th episode to thebay@kqed.org, or leave...

The Trump administration has laid off more than a thousand National Park Service employees in the past few weeks as part of its broader efforts to reduce the federal workforce. KQED’s Sarah Mohamad talks about how these layoffs are affecting workers — and how your next visit to a national park might be a little different.  Links: What You Should Know About Visiting National Parks Right Now Learn m...

We’re celebrating 1000 episodes of The Bay with a very special episode and we want to hear from you! Tell us what you love about the show. Leave us a voicemail at 415-710-9223, or send a voice memo to thebay@kqed.org. Tell us your name, your city, and how long you’ve been listening to The Bay.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An investigation by CalMatters found that homeless shelters are dangerous, chaotic, and ineffective at getting people into permanent housing. The lead reporter behind the investigation, Lauren Hepler, spoke with KQED’s Political Breakdown about what’s gone wrong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wonder where the internet stops and IRL begins? Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor. From internet trends to AI slop to the politics of memes, Close All Tabs covers it all. How will AI change our jobs and lives? Is the government watching what I post? Is there life beyond TikTok? Host Morgan Sung pulls from experts,...

Bay Area public schools are struggling, especially in Oakland and San Francisco. Both districts are among only a handful across California with negative budgets, and as a result recently voted to approve preliminary layoff notices for teachers, counselors, and other staff. This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo, Mel Velasquez, Jessica Kariisa, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Links: How O...

San José leaders have announced a new and controversial plan as part of their efforts to end street homelessness. ‘Homeward Bound’ will offer to send unhoused residents to family or friends who are willing to take them in. Mayor Matt Mahan says it’s an additional tool to get people off the streets, while some homelessness advocates say it’s an ineffective and inhumane approach. This episode was pr...