The Bay

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In Alameda, Sea Level Rise Is Happening on All Sides Apr 01, 2026

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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 the city, with its 360-degree waterfront, will need to use every tool available to protect itself.

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For This Bay Area Island City, Water Is Coming From All Sides

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Foster City Cyberattack, Jury Finds Meta and Google Negligent, and Can SF’s Small Clubs Survive? Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

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 Foster City, a rare verdict in a case about Meta and Google’s role in fueling a youth mental health crisis, and whether San Francisco’s small clubs can survive.

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‘It’s Inhumane’: After Sunnyvale Father’s Deportation, Family Trauma Lingers Mar 27, 2026

Show notes

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 says he was severely beaten and suffered a heart attack and stroke.

Last October, Ulises was deported to Mexico. Here in the Bay Area, his wife Aby and 4-year old daughter Emily are still reeling from the impacts of his deportation.

Links:

A Year After ICE Detained South Bay Immigrant, Family Trauma Lingers
Email us: thebay@kqed.org

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Why California Has the Nation’s Most Expensive Gas Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

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 with Iran is the main reason prices have increased, California has had more expensive gas for years, in part to policies that are meant to help the state reach its climate goals. Alejandro Lazo with CalMatters explains why gas is so expensive here.

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The Lowrider Community’s Long Fight to Ride Freely Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

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 decades-old ban on lowrider cruising. The state, widely understood as the birthplace of lowrider culture, has also historically been unfriendly to it. For decades, lowriding was blamed for traffic and alleged connections to gang violence. KQED’s Paloma Yaritza Abarca explains the years-long fight by community members to let their cars ride freely.

This episode originally aired Nov 3, 2023.

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Sexual Abuse Allegations Against César Chavez Rock California Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

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 1993, is honored and memorialized in public schools, street names, and buildings across California and the Bay Area. The news has sent shockwaves throughout the state, especially among Latino and labor organizers.

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AI Is Changing Tech Work. Here’s Why It Matters for the Rest of Us Mar 18, 2026

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Artificial intelligence has rapidly changed what tech workers in the Bay Area do every day. Whether you’re a software engineer or you work in sales, most employees at tech firms are expected to regularly use AI.

Rya Jetha with the San Francisco Standard explains how AI is affecting tech employees across the industry, and how these changes could be a sign of what’s to come for the rest of us.

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Your Kitchen Countertop Could Be Making Workers Sick Mar 16, 2026

Show notes

Engineered stone, or quartz, is a man-made material made with high concentrations of silica that is commonly used to make kitchen countertops in the U.S. And it’s making the workers who cut this material sick. And even though California has safety rules in place to reduce the risk to workers, some say it’s time to ban the use of engineered stone altogether.

This episode first aired on ⁠Dec. 15, 2025⁠.

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Alysa Liu’s Bay Area Homecoming Mar 13, 2026

Show notes

On Thursday, thousands of people gathered in Oakland to welcome home Olympic figure skater and gold medalist Alysa Liu, who won the women’s singles gold medal in the 2026 Winter Olympics last month. Liu, who was born in Richmond and grew up training in Oakland, is the first American woman to win gold in her sport since 2002.

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A Crowded Race for California Governor Mar 11, 2026

Show notes

With Gov. Gavin Newsom limited to two terms, California’s got a wide open governor’s race. Eight Democrats and two Republicans will be on the ballot in the June primary; from there, the top two finishers, regardless of party, will head to a runoff in November. KQED’s Guy Marzorati explains why this governor’s race is the most wide-open in decades.

Links:

California’s Governor’s Race Is Breaking an 80-Year Political Mold | KQED

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