The Bay

Latest Episodes:

Lots of New Public Art Is Coming to SF — Whether You Like It Or Not Oct 17, 2025

Show notes

San Franciscans can expect to see up to 100 new, large temporary art installations around the city over the next three years, thanks to a billionaire-backed foundation’s project known as the Big Art Loop. These pieces are also being set up much faster — and with less public oversight — than permanent public art pieces in San Francisco.

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Who Has a Say in the Flood of Public Art Coming to San Francisco?

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San José to Consider ICE Mask Ban Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

The city of San Jose is coming up with a plan to make it unlawful for federal immigration officers to conceal their identities while working in the city. The ban, along with California’s new “No Secret Police Act,” tees up a potential legal showdown with the Trump administration over its immigration enforcement operations.

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With Measure A, Santa Clara County Hopes to Keep Hospitals Afloat Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

Santa Clara County officials are worried about how big cuts to Medicaid under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act will hurt the area’s four county-run hospitals, which rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursements.

Now, voters are being asked to weigh in on Measure A, which would increase the county sales tax by 0.625% over 5 years to fill in roughly one-third of the county’s projected annual losses from federal cuts.

Links:

Measure A voter guide

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The Cal Lecturer Who Went on a 38-Day Hunger Strike for Gaza Oct 10, 2025

Show notes

For 38 days, UC Berkeley computer science lecturer Peyrin Kao taught classes while on a hunger strike for Palestine. He’s also one of more than 150 people whose names were sent by UC Berkeley to the Trump Administration for its investigation into alleged antisemitism — an investigation that critics say is meant to silence opposition to Israel’s invasion and siege of Gaza.

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Alameda County Child Care Providers Receive Much Needed Cash Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

After a yearslong holdup, Alameda County has started distributing funds from Measure C, a 2020 ballot measure that uses a half-cent sales tax to increase access to child care and preschool for the county’s youngest residents. Now, officials from other Bay Area counties are considering doing the same.

Links:

Alameda County Is Giving Cash to Child Care Providers. Other Bay Area Counties Are Envious

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How Trump’s $100,000 H1-B Visa Fee Is Causing Turmoil in Silicon Valley Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Last month, the Trump Administration announced a new $100,000 fee on H1-B visa applications. The news hit workers and employers in Silicon Valley especially hard as the tech industry relies heavily on H1-B visa holders. In this episode from our friends at Political Breakdown, Scott Schafer and Marisa Lagos sit down with Zeyi Yang, a senior writer at WIRED to discuss the fallout from the announcement and what this means for workers and employers going forward.

Links:

Winners and Losers in Trump’s $100,000 Visa Scheme

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The Bay Area Feels the Government Shutdown Oct 03, 2025

Show notes

The federal government closed late Tuesday night after Congress failed to pass a stopgap funding bill by the deadline. California’s roughly 187,000 federal workers have either been furloughed or are working without pay.

Links:

A Government Shutdown is Here. How Will the Bay Area Be Affected?

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The Rebirth of Mabuhay Gardens, SF’s Legendary Punk Venue Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

Mabuhay Gardens was a Filipino restaurant, nightclub, and music venue that was essential to San Francisco's punk scene before its closure in 1987. Now, a group of local investors and North Beach neighbors are working to bring it back.

You can find out about upcoming shows on the venue's Instagram page.

Links:

Legendary SF Punk Club Mabuhay Gardens Is on the Verge of Reopening

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UC Berkeley Gives Names to the Feds, Valero's Benicia Refinery Closing, and Robotaxis at the Airport Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

In this edition of The Bay’s news roundup, Ericka, Jessica, and KQED political correspondent Guy Marzorati discuss UC Berkeley’s decision to hand over more than 150 names to the Trump administration as part of a federal investigation into antisemitism. Plus, the Valero refinery in Benicia is on track to close, and Waymo's driverless cars could be en route to the San Francisco and San Jose airports soon.

Links:

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Why Girls’ Flag Football Could Be the Next Big Sport Sep 26, 2025

Show notes

Girls’ flag football is exploding in popularity at high schools across the Bay Area, especially since the sport was officially sanctioned by California in 2023. It coincides with the rise of professional women’s sports teams like the Golden State Valkyries and Bay FC, cementing the Bay’s status as a leader in women's sports.

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