The Bay

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Could Plug-In Solar Take Off in California? Dec 29, 2025

Show notes

If you want solar power in your home, you usually need to be a homeowner with a good roof and a decent amount of cash to pay up front.

But some Bay Area residents are trying out plug-in solar, which can hang from an apartment balcony, out a window, or be tented in the backyard.

This episode originally aired on August 13, 2025.

Links:

Forget Rooftops — Bay Area Residents Are Plugging Solar Into the Wall

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Seeing the Tenderloin Through the Eyes of Neighborhood Kids Dec 26, 2025

Show notes

San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, often in the news for headlines associated with crime, homelessness and drug use, has the highest concentration of kids in all of San Francisco. So a reporter decided to give Tenderloin kids disposable cameras to see the neighborhood from their perspective.

This episode first aired on Sept. 24, 2025.

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A Very Santa Rosa Christmas at Snoopy’s Home Ice Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

In 1969, Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz and his first wife Joyce built Snoopy’s Home Ice in Santa Rosa. Since then, generations of locals — including KQED’s Gabe Meline — have made it a tradition to visit the skating rink, especially during the holidays.

This episode first aired on Dec. 18, 2024.

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Earthquake Swarms, License Plate Reader Cameras, and Clipper 2.0 Dec 19, 2025

Show notes

In the Bay’s final news roundup of 2025, Ericka, Alan and Jessica discuss the recent series of small earthquakes in San Ramon and Sonoma County, Oakland’s decision to expand its network of license plate reader cameras, and new upgrades to the Clipper card system.

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Decoding Your PG&E Bill Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

You’re not imagining it — your Pacific Gas & Electric bill really is going up. In fact, according to a KQED analysis, the average PG&E utility bill went up nearly 70% between 2020 and March 2025.

But it’s not just the cost: understanding what’s actually in your bill can be confusing. Today, KQED climate reporter Laura Klivans helps Ericka decode her PG&E bill.

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This Popular Kitchen Countertop Material Is Making Workers Sick Dec 15, 2025

Show notes

Engineered stone is a man-made material made with high concentrations of silica that is commonly used to make kitchen countertops in the U.S.

But doctors are seeing more and more workers in the countertop industry developing silicosis, an often deadly lung disease linked to inhaling toxic dust the material releases when powercut. 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.

Links:

California Doctors Urge Ban on Engineered Stone as Silicosis Cases Surge | KQED

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Ukraine’s Surprising Ties to Silicon Valley Dec 12, 2025

Show notes

The Ukraine-Russia war has been called the most technologically advanced war in history. In an episode from KQED’s Close All Tabs podcast, Bay Area journalist Erica Hellerstein visits Ukraine to learn about how the nation’s culture of tech innovation — and its surprising ties to Silicon Valley — are fueling the country’s resistance through an army of engineers, coders, hackers, and tinkerers.

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SF Passed a New Zoning Plan. How Will It Change the City? Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

San Francisco could see taller and more dense buildings in the city’s north and west side after the Board of Supervisors approved Mayor Daniel Lurie’s ‘Family Zoning’ plan last week.

Some believe it will lead to more housing and lower rents, while others worry that new construction will change their neighborhoods and lead to displacement. But how soon — and how much — could it really change the city?

Links:

San Francisco Supervisors Pass Rezoning Plan, Making Way for Taller, Denser Housing

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As Immigration Enforcement Escalates, How One South Bay Priest Is Pushing Back Dec 08, 2025

Show notes

Inside Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish — home to historic farmworker organizing in East San Jose — we sit down with Father Jon Pedigo, a Catholic priest in the South Bay, to talk about the role of faith and houses of worship under the Trump Administration, what he’s seen in his primarily Spanish-speaking communities, and why he's leaving the pulpit to become a full-time organizer.

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West Contra Costa Teachers and Staff Go On Strike Dec 05, 2025

Show notes

Nearly 3,000 teachers and staff from the West Contra Costa Unified School district went on strike Thursday morning after negotiations with the district broke down. It’s the latest in a series of labor disputes between educators and districts across California. Today, Jana Kadah, education reporter with Richmondside, talks to us from the field about why West Contra Costa educators walked off the job for the first time in the district’s history.

Links:

Richmondside: Is your family prepared for WCCUSD teachers strike? Here’s what to know

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