The Bay

Latest Episodes:

Oakland Swears in Mayor Sheng Thao Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

On Monday, Oakland will swear in Sheng Thao as the city’s new mayor and now one of the most prominent Hmong-American politicians in the country. Last November, she narrowly won the election against fellow-council member Loren Taylor by fewer than 700 votes and is getting ready to lead one of the largest cities in the Bay Area.

In a recent episode of Political Breakdown, hosts Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer spoke with Thao about her journey to the mayor’s seat and how her experiences as a daughter of Laotian refugees, a single mother and a person who experienced homelessness will shape her approach to the job.

This episode of the Political Breakdown podcast first aired on Dec. 29, 2022.

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Storms Pummel the Bay Area With More to Come Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

Storms caused by back-to-back atmospheric rivers pummeled the Bay Area this week;, prompting evacuation orders, heavy flooding on roads and in rivers, and bringing down power for 100 thousand PG&E customers Thursday.

More atmospheric rivers are expected this weekend.

Guest: Ezra David Romero, climate reporter for KQED

Links:

How to Prepare for This Week's Atmospheric River Storm: Sandbags, Emergency Kits and More

This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and AdhitiBandlamudi. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.

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Matt Mahan Begins His First Year As San Jose’s New Mayor Jan 04, 2023

Show notes

The new mayor of the Bay Area’s biggest city started his new job this week, and he has to work fast. Matt Mahan’s first job is to address a winter storm hitting San Jose, which could bring floods and heavy rains.

What can we expect from Mahan in his first year in office? And what roadblocks could he face in accomplishing the goals he ran on?

Guest: Guy Marzorati, Producer and Reporter for KQED’s Politics and Government Desk

This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Adhiti Bandlamudi. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host.

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.

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The Bay’s Favorite Episodes of 2022 Dec 16, 2022

Show notes

It’s our last episode of the year! Today, host Ericka Cruz Guevarra, producer Maria Esquinca, and senior editor Alan Montecillo unpack 2022 and share their favorite episodes. We’ll have new episodes for you starting Jan. 4, 2023!

Links:

The Bay Survey (it takes just 8 minutes!)
Alan’s favorite: ‘It’s an Unimaginable Amount of Fish,’ Sep. 2, 2022.
Ericka’s favorite: An Audio Love Letter to Traxamillion, an Architect of the Hyphy Movement, Jan. 10, 2022.
Maria’s Favorite: He Designed a Garden at UC Santa Cruz From Death Row. Now Students Want Him Free, Jun. 17, 2022.

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Is Vallejo Rushing Its Police Oversight Commission? Dec 14, 2022

Show notes

It’s been a bad few months for people in Vallejo who are fighting for police accountability. The police chief who promised reforms abruptly stepped down. A police union president who allegedly threatened a journalist has been reinstated. And the city recently revealed that it “inadvertently” destroyed records of 5 police shootings.

Now the city is trying to move forward with a model for police oversight, which many have wanted for a long time. But members of the public are pushing back, arguing that the proposed commission has no real power and that the process is being rushed before the holiday season and newly-elected city councilors begin their terms in the new year.

Guest: John Glidden, Vallejo Sun reporter

Links:

'Vallejo City Council to vote on police oversight after tweaks,' by John Glidden, Dec. 13, 2022.
Survey: Help Make The Bay Even Better!

This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

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tbh: The Problem With The 'Clean Girl Aesthetic' Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

Teenagers like Elise Muchowski aspired to the “Clean Girl Aesthetic,” a trend that blew up on TikTok and that prioritizes looking clean and effortless, with videos of skincare, makeup routines, and a minimalist wardrobe.

Today, we're sharing an episode of the tbh podcast from KALW. In it, teenagers unpack what's behind the clean girl aesthetic, why it's harmful, and what role social media plays in their lives right now.

Links:

tbh: The Dirty Truth About the Clean Girl Aesthetic

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When the Tenderloin's Addiction Crisis Goes Viral Dec 09, 2022

Show notes

San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood has a reputation for drug addiction, poverty, and homelessness — all big problems that have not been solved by city and state leaders. But the neighborhood’s image is also shaped by disturbing pictures and videos of people taking drugs outside that go viral on social media.

These images, which circulate around the world, can evoke anger, fear, and frustration. They also shape opinion about what should be done and galvanize support for harsher, tougher crackdowns on drug dealing and drug use.

Some believe that sharing these photos on social media is necessary to document this ongoing problem. Others say they only show one side of drug addiction, and leave those photographed without agency in how their stories are used.

Guest: Holly J. McDede, KQED reporter/producer

This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

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Links:

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

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Will Casual Carpool Ever Come Back? Dec 07, 2022

Show notes

Before the pandemic, there were a few ways to endure the traffic into downtown San Francisco. One very Bay Area method was the casual carpool, a completely organic system of riding with strangers to get across the bridge faster and for cheap. But after March 2020, those long lines at casual carpool stops vanished — and they haven’t come back.

Guest: Nico Savidge, senior City Hall reporter for Berkeleyside

This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

Read the transcript

Links:

'Casual Carpool was a Bay Area tradition before COVID. Can it make a comeback?' by Nico Savidge, Nov. 20, 2022.
Survey: Help Make The Bay Even Better!

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.

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A Frantic Job Hunt for H-1B Visa Holders in Tech Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

Silicon Valley companies rely on thousands of H-1B visa holders who have come to the Bay Area from all over the world. H-1B visas grant temporary status to work and live in the U.S. But in the wake of mass layoffs in the tech industry, visa holders have 60 days to find a new job or face the threat of deportation.

Guest: Rachael Myrow, KQED Silicon Valley senior editor

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In the Bay, Hundreds Are Coming Out to Support Chinese Protesters Dec 02, 2022

Show notes

Even in the Bay Area, it’s a big risk for Chinese residents to protest against the Chinese Communist Party. Many fear retaliation against themselves and their loved ones in China.

But over the past week, hundreds of people have attended candlelight vigils in multiple cities, including San Jose and San Francisco. These protests have been held to support people in China and to remember the 10 people who died in an apartment fire in China’s Xinjiang province. The public outrage from these deaths — which many believe were caused by China’s strict COVID lockdowns — sparked protests across the nation.

Today, we hear from a Chinese university student in the Bay Area who attended a vigil in San Jose.

This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.

Read the transcript

Links:

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