The Bay

Latest Episodes:

How the Bay Area Shaped Hip-Hop Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

Hip-hop is nearly 52 years old — and when it comes to talking about hip-hop history, it’s no secret that the Bay Area gets overlooked.

Today, we're revisiting an episode with KQED's Eric Arnold and Nastia Voynovskaya about exploring the history of hip-hop — and how our region has shaped it through the years.

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This episode first aired Aug 11, 2023.

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Berkeley Offered Cash to People Living in RVs. Did It Work? Jun 18, 2025

Show notes

After the city of Berkeley ordered the clearing of RV encampments on Second Street, the city began offering cash to people living in their RVs in addition to a room at a motel shelter. Most accepted the offer, and city leaders are hopeful that this approach can expand.

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Berkeley’s Strategy for RV Encampments Could Be a Model for California

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Suisun City Could Grow by 9 Times Its Current Size Jun 16, 2025

Show notes

Suisun City in Solano County will begin studying annexing land owned by California Forever, the billionaire-backed group that bought up thousands of acres of land with plans to build a brand new city from scratch in Solano County. KQED’s Adhiti Bandlamudi joins us to discuss the implications of this decision and why it has divided the local community.

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For Immigrant Youth, Local Soccer Leagues Are a Rare Safe Space Jun 13, 2025

Show notes

The Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown has left few safe spaces for immigrants. But in the East Bay, local soccer leagues have provided a rare sense of psychological safety for immigrant newcomers.

Links:

As Safe Spaces Shrink, Immigrant Youth Find Solace in 'The Beautiful Game'

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The UC Berkeley Students Who Want a Central American Studies Department Jun 13, 2025

Show notes

Since Donald Trump’s first term in office, a UC Berkeley student group called Central Americans for Empowerment (CAFE) has been pushing for a Central American Studies department. For them, it would help raise visibility of Central Americans whose specific stories often get lost in broader conversations about Latinos and immigration in the U.S.

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How RFK Jr.’s Message Took Root in a Small Marin Town Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

Fairfax is a small, predominantly white town of about 7,500 people, nestled up against the Mt. Tam watershed in Marin. Wellness and a distrust of authority have long been part of the town’s culture. But since the pandemic, it also became a place where supporters of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine message grew louder and louder.

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The Marin Town Where RFK Jr.’s Message Took Root

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Shelter or Arrest: A Controversial Plan for San José's Unhoused Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

This episode contains explicit language.

Next week, San Jose City Council will vote on a controversial plan that would threaten unhoused people with arrest if they refuse multiple offers of shelter. Mayor Matt Mahan says this approach could help open paths to treatment and increase support for more shelter construction. But Santa Clara County officials are skeptical.

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Martinez Refinery Fire in February Caused by Human Error Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

An independent investigation into a massive fire at the Martinez PBF Energy refinery found that human error, worker inexperience and lack of supervision were at the heart of the February fire that prompted shelter in place orders. Today, we revisit an episode about this initial fire that alarmed local residents.

Links:

Massive Martinez Refinery Fire in February Caused by Human Error, Investigation Finds

This episode first aired Feb. 7, 2025.

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SF’s Love-Hate Relationship With Coyotes Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

In the 1900s, San Francisco eradicated native coyotes from the city. But around 20 years ago, they returned and are now a part of daily life. For some residents, they’re a source of wonder, while others view them as a nuisance and a danger to pets and children.

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Are California’s AI Rules in Jeopardy? Plus, New Data on Oakland’s Non-Police Response, and the Bay Area’s Ruby Ibarra Wins NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest May 30, 2025

Show notes

On this month’s edition of The Bay’s news roundup, we talk about a proposed 10-year ban on state AI regulations that the House of Representatives passed as part of President Trump’s budget bill. Plus, Oakland’s MACRO program – a non-emergency alternative to police – releases new data, and the Bay Area’s very own Ruby Ibarra wins NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest.

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