Bay Curious
404 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsBay Curious is a show about your questions – and the adventures you find when you go looking for the answers. Join host Olivia Allen-Price to explore all aspects of the San Francisco Bay Area – from the debate over "Frisco", to the dinosaurs that once roamed California, to the causes of homelessness. Whether you lived here your whole life, or just arrived, Bay Curious will deepen your understanding of this place you call home.
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Episodes
The Sizzler: The California Origin Story Behind One of India’s Flashiest Dishes
June 23, 2022 10:00 - 15 minutesTake any popular dish – pizza, ice cream, hot dogs – and try to trace its origin story. Chances are, you’re going to go on a winding road with conflicting accounts of who actually invented the dish, or whether it was invented by one, single person at all. KQED’s Silicon Valley reporter Adhiti Bandlamudi recently ate a dish so mish-mashed with foods from different countries, that she found herself on a food origin story journey that led her across the world and then back to the Bay Area. Add...
How San Francisco and Ed Hardy Gave Rise to the Custom Tattoo
June 16, 2022 10:00 - 17 minutesSan Francisco has left a mark on American tattoo history. In today's episode, we learn about longtime Bay Area resident Ed Hardy's impact on the industry, and the evolution of tattooing in America. Share photos of your custom tattoo with us on Twitter using the hashtag #BayCurious or tweet them to @oallenprice. Additional Reading: Are You Inked? How a San Francisco Tattoo Artist Changed the Industry KQED Spark video on Ed Hardy Reported by Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Bay Curious is made by Oli...
Was Monterey Jack Cheese Created in Pacifica?
June 09, 2022 10:00 - 16 minutesMonterey Jack cheese get its name from the nearby city of Monterey, but the city of Pacifica alleges it should really be called Pacifica Jack. On this week's episode, we get into the origin story behind this basic pantry cheese. Additional Reading: Move Over Monterey? Pacifica Lays Claim to Iconic Jack Cheese Reported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jasmine ...
S.F.’s AIDS Memorial Grove is a Place Like No Other
June 03, 2022 10:00 - 15 minutesDawn Linhardt lives near Golden Gate Park and often wanders through the AIDS Memorial Grove at its eastern end. She finds it to be one of the most tranquil and secluded places in the park and wanted to know more about how it came to be. It's the story of a community finding new ways to come together and overcome loss. Additional Reading: Healing Through Nature at the National AIDS Memorial Grove A Very Curious Walking Tour of Golden Gate Park Reported by Amanda Stupi. Bay Curious is made...
Golden Gate Park's Windmills Were Essential, Then Abandoned for Decades.
June 01, 2022 10:00 - 16 minutesThe Murphy Windmill is one of the largest windmills outside of Holland. It, along with the smaller and older Dutch Windmill, once provided essential water for irrigating the park. Though they are no longer used, the park still spins them on special occasions. We take a tour inside! Additional Reading: Golden Gate Park's Windmills Were Essential, Then Abandoned for Decades Buy Tickets for our Japanese Tea Garden Walking Tour Take a DIY walking tour of Golden Gate Park with our guide Repor...
The Birth and Legacy of the Japanese Tea Garden
May 31, 2022 15:21 - 18 minutesThe Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park was originally built as a temporary exhibit for the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. But the public loved it so much that it became a permanent fixture of the park. It boasts a tasty claim to fame in the origins of the fortune cookie. Additional Reading: The Japanese Tea Garden: A Beloved S.F. Landmark With A Troubling Past Unwrapping the California Origins of the Fortune Cookie Join us for a walking tour of the Japanese Tea...
The Complicated Origins of S.F.'s Beloved Japanese Tea Garden
May 31, 2022 15:21 - 17 minutesThe Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park was originally built as a temporary exhibit for the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. But the public loved it so much that it became a permanent fixture of the park. It boasts a tasty claim to fame in the origins of the fortune cookie. Additional Reading: The Japanese Tea Garden: A Beloved S.F. Landmark With A Troubling Past Unwrapping the California Origins of the Fortune Cookie Join us for a walking tour of the Japanese Tea...
Meet The Bison Herd of Golden Gate Park
May 30, 2022 10:00 - 13 minutesBison once roamed the West, but settlers hunted them to the brink of extinction in the 19th century. A captive breeding program operated in Golden Gate Park helped the species rebound. Today’s bison aren’t used for breeding anymore, but they remain one of the park’s popular attractions. Additional Reading: What's With the Bison in Golden Gate Park? How Bison are Saving America's Lost Prairie Buy Tickets for our Japanese Tea Garden Walking Tour Take a DIY walking tour of Golden Gate Park w...
Golden Gate Park Was Once Miles and Miles of Sand Dunes
May 26, 2022 10:00 - 20 minutesBay Curious listener Will Kardas heard once that it was a magical combination of spit and manure that allowed early San Franciscans to tame the sand dunes that became Golden Gate Park. We've got the true story behind the myth and more on the early history of this urban gem. This is the first in a six-part series that explores the history behind some of our favorite features in the park. We kick off the series in our podcast feed on May 26, with new episodes appearing daily from May 30 to June...
This Bay Area Sex-Loving Commune Is Still Going Strong
May 12, 2022 10:00 - 19 minutesSabrina McQueen grew up in Walnut Creek and would often see people driving around in purple limos. The locals call them "Purple People," and she's been wondering about them for decades. The group's official name is Lafayette Morehouse and they're one of the few 1960s-era intentional living communes that have survived the decades. Additional Reading: This Bay Area Sex-Loving Commune Is Still Going Strong Reported by Jon Brooks. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Se...
Nope, The Stanford Dish Isn’t Listening For Aliens. It Was Built to Spy on Russia
May 05, 2022 10:00 - 16 minutesFormer Menlo Park resident Jim Timmons remembers the park around the Stanford Dish fondly. It has tons of wildlife and great views. But he wants to know more about the massive satellite dish in the middle of it. The 1960s-era parabolic antenna radio telescope was built to keep tabs on the Russian space program at the height of the Cold War. It's still used for research. Additional Reading No, the Stanford Dish Isn't Listening For Aliens, But It Was Designed to Spy on Russia Sign up for Bay...
Teens Take Us Inside Bay Area Sneaker Culture
April 28, 2022 10:00 - 15 minutesIf you see someone wearing a pair of pristine, gleaming white sneakers do you ever ask yourself: How do they keep their shoes so clean? We dig into sneaker culture with a couple of self-identified sneakerheads from John Henry High School in Richmond. And learn how internet influencers play a part. Additional Reading: Colorways, Hypebeasts and Influencers: Bay Area Teens Talk Sneakerhead Culture More Youth Takeover Stories Reported by Arline Villagres and Victor Rodriguez. Bay Curious is ...
For Many Tenants, Section 8 Is A Broken Promise. Can It Be Fixed?
April 21, 2022 10:00 - 25 minutesMillions of people are evicted each year, often because they can't pay rent. That causes a cascade of problems and makes it harder for many to get back on their feet. The KQED podcast Sold Out: Rethinking Housing In America has produced a special series on evictions in the Bay Area. Today we present an excerpt of their work that looks at the history, promise and drawbacks of the biggest rental assistance subsidy available to low-income people -- Section 8. Additional Reading: For Many Ten...
West Oakland's 16th Street Station Was Once A Community Anchor
April 14, 2022 10:00 - 21 minutesListener Tadd Williams often sees the 16th Street Station from I-880. It's a huge, stately building in the Beaux-Arts style. It's looking a little rundown now, but it clearly was grand at one time. He wants to know about its past lives, and wow was this spot important to West Oakland's Black community and the Civil Rights Movement. Additional Reading How Oakland's 16th Street Station Helped Build West Oakland and the Modern Civil Rights Movement Legacy of the Pullman Car Porters Thanks to...
Why You Might See Wacky Art Cars Rolling Downhill in McLaren Park
April 07, 2022 10:00 - 15 minutesBay Curious listener Rich Wipfler loves cars. So when he read that back in 1975 the museum that would become SFMOMA held a soapbox derby where local artists showed off wild, zany homemade creations careening downhill, he need to know more. We take you behind the scenes to meet the artists who starred in it. And, as luck would have it, the event is finally happening again -- April 10, 2022. Be there. Additional Reading: Wacky, Homemade Cars Will Soon Roll Down the Hill in SF's McLaren Park ...
What Makes a Street ‘Private’? And Why Does San Francisco Have So Many?
March 31, 2022 10:00 - 18 minutesWhen Victoria Eng did a web search for her Duboce Triangle avenue she learned something curious. “It popped up on a list as an intersection of a privately owned street nearby.” That got her wondering why San Francisco has private streets at all. “Who owns these streets and why would someone want to own one of these streets?” She asked. Today we dive into a private street primer, and revisit one of the city’s most notorious private street sagas. Additional Resources: Sign up for our monthly n...
What Happened to the Ohlone Shellmounds?
March 24, 2022 10:00 - 16 minutesShellmounds are man-made mounds of earth and organic matter that were built up by humans over thousands of years. They were created by the people native to the San Francisco Bay Area. One archeologist estimated there were more than 425 shellmounds in the Bay Area at one point. Paul Gilbert wants to know what happened to them. Additional Reading There Were Once More Than 425 Shellmounds in the Bay Area. Where Did They Go? Who Were the First People to Live in the Bay Area? Court rules a 260-...
Latinos in La Misión: A Story of Resistance and Community
March 17, 2022 10:00 - 20 minutesThe Mission District is one of San Francisco’s most famed neighborhoods -- and one of its oldest. It’s lived a lot of lives, from the Yelamu native people to the Spanish missionaries, and then waves of European immigrants. So then how did it become the center for the Latino community? Bay Curious intern Sebastian Mino-Bucheli tells us the story. Additional reading Latinos in La Misión: A Story of Resistance and Community Reported by Sebastian Miño-Buchli. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen...
What's It Like to Live on the Filbert Steps?
March 10, 2022 11:00 - 19 minutesEric Johnson has been trying to explore more areas of San Francisco. He discovered the Filbert Steps on Telegraph Hill one beautiful spring day and it got him wondering what it's like to live there. Are there special rules homeowners have to follow? We met up with some residents to find out, discovering a whole lot more about this tight-knit community along the way. Additional Reading: How the Filbert Steps Came to Be an Oasis in San Francisco Where Did the Wild Parrots of San Francisco Co...
The Sordid Saga of San Francisco’s Trash Cans
March 03, 2022 17:15 - 16 minutesBay Curious listener Matt Leonard asked: "What's the deal with San Francisco's trash cans? Why are they so unwieldy and why does it seem like it's so hard to get them replaced?" The answer takes us into the belly of San Francisco's Mohammed Nuru corruption case. On the upside, we'll get to know the new trash can prototypes. Additional Reading: The Sordid Saga of San Francisco's Trash Cans (with prototype photos) San Francisco's Unfolding Web of Corruption: A Cartoon Interactive Vote in our...
Despite What You Learned, California Had Slavery. What Now?
February 17, 2022 11:00 - 20 minutesWhen California became a state in 1850, it entered the union as a state that would not allow slavery. That's the history most people know. But in reality, California did allow slavery and its early leaders sided with the South and the rights of enslavers through a litany of early laws. The effects of that racist foundation are still being felt by people of color in California today. Additional Reading: California Celebrates Its History As a 'Free State.' But There Was Slavery Here KQED cov...
When the Winter Olympics Came to Lake Tahoe
February 10, 2022 11:00 - 19 minutesYou might consider the 1960 Winter Olympics in Lake Tahoe a quaint affair compared to what's going on in Beijing right now, but these games had an outsize impact on televised sports, snow sports along the West Coast, and subsequent Olympic Games. Yet that these Games were even held in Tahoe is a bit of a miracle. Additional Reading: 'The World Was Shocked': How the Winter Olympics Came to Tahoe in 1960 Reported by Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, S...
Bay Curious Presents: Berkeley's Rainbow Sign
February 03, 2022 11:00 - 16 minutesLocated at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Derby streets in Berkeley, The Rainbow Sign was a Black-centered space that was open to all — as a performance venue, a political organizing nexus and a legendary cafe. It saw dozens of high-profile Black luminaries walk through its doors, including James Baldwin, Nina Simone, Maya Angelou and Shirley Chisholm. The Rainbow Sign opened its doors in 1971, but was forced to shut down just six years later. Despite its short existence, the ve...
Shipwrecked! How a 120-Year-Old Ship Ended up in the Martinez Mud
January 27, 2022 11:00 - 19 minutesIf you're out for a walk along the Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline at low tide, you might see the bones of an old ship poking out of the mud. How did it get there and what kind of life did it have? Additional Reading: How Did a 184-Foot Long Shipwreck Wind Up Grounded in the Carquinez Strait Martinez Historical Society resources on the Forester National Maritime Museum archived materials on the Forester Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Sch...
How You Can Responsibly Recycle Old Clothes
January 20, 2022 11:00 - 16 minutesA lot of us are cleaning out our closets these days, getting rid of the stuff we don't wear and maybe even downsizing. But what do you do with all those old clothes? And, can stained or ripped clothes be recycled? We've got answers. Additional Reading: How to Responsibly Purge Your Closet in the Bay Area What Can You Do With Used Clothing Not Suitable for Donation? Reported by Sarah Craig. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Will...
How You Can Help Save the Monarch Butterfly And Other Pollinators
January 13, 2022 11:00 - 15 minutesWestern monarch butterflies migrate to California to overwinter each year, traveling hundreds, even thousands of miles When they arrive, they need nectar flowers and milkweed to survive, but climate change, pesticide use and loss of habitat are threatening these magical creatures. A Bay Curious listener named Ellea wants to know what we can do to help support the Monarchs and other pollinators. One major learning from this episode: It's illegal to rear monarchs without a permit! Additional Re...
$15,000 in Toll Penalties?! It Can Happen Faster Than You Think
January 06, 2022 11:00 - 16 minutesBay Curious newsletter reader Mike Robbins wrote to us saying he has thousands of dollars in toll violations and penalties. The number seemed so high we were incredulous. But, it turns out if you miss a few toll invoices, or don't pay them quickly enough, it's easy for a $6 or $7 toll fee to escalate into thousands of dollars of debt. We explain how and what's being done about it. Additional Reading Hit With Bridge Toll Debt? We Explain the Change That's Led to Skyrocketing Bills for Drivers...
Is There A San Francisco Accent?
December 16, 2021 11:00 - 16 minutesWhen trying to identify a San Francisco accent, sometimes people point to the "Mission Brogue." But San Franciscans have always had many ways of speaking. Naming just one the San Francisco accent says more about who has political power than how people speak. Additional Reading: Why the Myth of the 'San Francisco Accent' Persists Uncovering the Real Story Behind the 'East Bay Mystery Walls' Tunnels Under San Francisco? Inside the Dark, Dangerous World of the Sewers Reported by Chloe Veltm...
How Black Shipyard Workers in Marin Helped Win World War II
December 09, 2021 11:00 - 15 minutesThe Bay Area is full of World War II history, even if it isn't always obvious. Listener Lise Ciolino stumbled on some in her Sausalito neighborhood when she learned that during the war there was a huge shipyard there. She wants to know "how the Liberty Ships produced in Sausalito affected the outcome of World War II." Additional Reading How Black Shipyard Workers in Marin Helped Win World War II Rapping About the WWII Black Shipyard Workers in Marin "A Way Out of No Way" on Spotify Report...
Why So Many Driverless Cars in SF?
December 02, 2021 11:00 - 15 minutesLenore Kenny has noticed an uptick in autonomous vehicles on the streets of San Francisco in recent months. Specifically, she's seen a lot of white Jaguar SUVs with "Waymo" stamped on the sides. We dig into why there are more driverless cars on the road now and what they're doing. Additional Reading: You're Not Imagining It: There Are More Driverless Cars in SF Now Come play trivia with us on December 8, 2021. Reported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrin...
More Whales Are Washing Up Dead on Bay Area Beaches. Why?
November 18, 2021 11:00 - 14 minutesKindergartner Caleb Whan is fascinated by whales. He wants to know all about what they eat and where they live. We've got answers for him and for another Bay Curious question asker, Ellea, who wonders why more whales have been washing up dead on Bay Area beaches in recent years. Additional Reading: More Whales Are Washing Up Dead on Bay Area Beaches. Why? The Biggest Whales Can Eat the Equivalent of 80,000 Big Macs in One Day Sign up for Bay Curious Trivia December 8, 2021! Reported by Am...
Are S.F. Streets Really Named For Gold-Rush Era Sex Workers?
November 11, 2021 11:00 - 12 minutesBay Curious listener Ron Hewlett heard a rumor that several alleys in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood are named for Gold Rush era sex workers. He wondered if it was true. Plus, why does San Francisco stamp the names of streets into the sidewalks? There's a lot in a name, folks! Additional Reading: Were S.F. Streets Really Named After Gold Rush Era Sex Workers? Why Are Street Names Stamped Into S.F Sidewalks? Come play trivia with the Bay Curious team on Dec 8th, 2021! Reporte...
La Llorona, Legend and Protector, in the Streets of San Francisco
November 04, 2021 10:00 - 21 minutesIf you’ve grown up with the legend of La Llorona, you might be surprised to see how she’s depicted in a two-story mural at 24th and York Street in San Francisco’s Mission District. Instead of the ghost of a wailing woman, crying out for the very children she murdered, in this mural La Llorona is a protector of children, and she reflects the environmental struggles of women around the world. In today’s episode we delve into modern interpretations of La Llorona, and how she has revealed herself...
Listen If You Dare! Three Bay Area Ghost Stories
October 28, 2021 10:00 - 21 minutesWe recommend you listen to this episode on headphones. Join us around the campfire to hear three ghost stories, some of them decades old, and all of from right here in the Bay Area. Featuring Wes Leslie of The Haunt Ghost Tours, Tommy Netzband of Haunted Haight Walking Tour and the San Francisco Ghost Society and storyteller JP Frary. Additional Reading Ghost Stories and Macabre Tales to Binge This Halloween Chilling Histories of California Event at KQED Bay Curious Newsletter Sign-Up B...
Deep in the Santa Cruz Redwoods, Your Mind Will Play Tricks On You
October 21, 2021 10:00 - 13 minutesListener Clayton Schloss sent Bay Curious this question: "Why do so many people have bumper stickers on their cars from the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz? What is that place?" Reporter Amanda Font takes us on a journey to "the Spot," where perception appears to bend reality. Additional Reading/Listening: What's Behind One of California's Most Ubiquitous Bumper Stickers? The California Report Magazine Podcast Reported by Amanda Font. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz,...
Meet the Bay Bridge Troll and the Broadway Tunnel Dragon
October 14, 2021 10:00 - 16 minutesThis week on the show, we hear the tale of the Bay Bridge Trolls, who have been keeping the Bay Bridge safe since 1989. Plus, we get to know more about an oft-overlooked but very cool dragon sculpture on the Broadway Tunnel in San Francisco. It's a transit sculpture special! Photos and Additional Reading: The Tale of the Bay Bridge Troll Hiding In Plain Sight: The Dragon Sitting on Top of S.F's Broadway Tunnel Reported by Christopher Beale and Rae Alexandra. Bay Curious is made by Olivia A...
Why Are There So Many Graveyards in Colma?
October 07, 2021 10:00 - 16 minutesYou'll find millions of graves in Colma, but hardly any in San Francisco. This week on Bay Curious we dig into the history on how that came to be. Plus, we'll get to know more about some of the famous people buried in Colma. Additional Reading: Why Are There So Many Graves in Colma? And So Few in San Francisco? MAP: Where to Find Some of the Most Famous People Buried in Colma Reported by Jon Brooks and Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Seb...
Can Redwood City Really Boast “Climate Best By Government Test”?
September 30, 2021 10:00 - 16 minutesDrive around downtown Redwood City and you're sure to see the city slogan on a big arching signs: "Climate Best by Government Test." The slogan caught the attention of Lauren Tankeh of San Carlos, who wanted to know if it's true. “Does Redwood City actually have the best weather?” Today on the show we look at the history of the town slogan. Plus: We answer a question from another listener about the origins of Los Gatos. It's a Peninsula special! Additional Reading: Can Redwood City Really Boa...
There's a Castle in Pacifica?!
September 23, 2021 10:00 - 19 minutesWhen Krisi Riccardi was a girl, her father used to take her on leisurely Sunday drives down Highway 1. She'd enjoy the beautiful scenery until they hit Pacifica, where something odd always caught young Krisi’s attention — a stone castle perched high on the hill. Not exactly what you'd expect to find in a laid-back beach town. “As I got older we would walk up to this castle and walk around it. I’ve never been inside, but I looked over the wall. I’m now 68 and I always wondered what the history...
A Prison with Million Dollar Views? How San Quentin Came to Be
September 16, 2021 10:00 - 15 minutesTerese O'Malley commuted across the Richmond-San Rafael bridge for years, and always wondered about a landmark visible from the bridge: San Quentin State Prison. The maximum-security prison sits on a primo piece of waterfront property in Marin County that would likely sell for an unfathomable sum in today's market. "How did Marin end up with San Quentin prison?" she asked Bay Curious. And why hasn't it moved? Editor's Note: We finished production on this week’s story about San Quentin prison ...
State of Drought 6: Big Solutions
September 03, 2021 10:00 - 18 minutesWe’re looking at four big solutions California could tackle that would help us survive a megadrought. We're talking stuff like changes to our infrastructure and reprioritizing how we use water throughout the state. Additional Reading: 12 Important Things to Know About California's Drought One of the Most Important New Water Laws in 50 Years Explained Will California Drought Force Changes in Historic Water Rights? Reported by Ezra David Romero. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Ka...
State of Drought 5: Desalination, Water Recycling and More
September 02, 2021 10:00 - 14 minutesA lot of listeners, including Steve Held, want to know why Bay Area cities aren't investing more in desalination plants as a long term fix to our water problems. We’re a state with 840 miles of coastline. Most of our big population areas are near the ocean. Why don’t we have more desalination plants? In this episode, we'll also talk about wastewater recycling and water budgeting. Additional Reading: What Can Local Water Agencies Do to Boost Water Supply? (Transcript) Desalination's Future i...
State of Drought 4: Saving Water In Your Home
September 01, 2021 10:00 - 14 minutesEven though California’s population has grown since 2017, we’re using 16% less water. Good job everyone! We’ve already made some big strides in water conservation that are paying off. Today, we’re going to look at more ways individuals can conserve water at home. Additional Reading: Three Big Ways to Save Water at Home 12 Simple Ways to Conserve Water at Home During a California Drought Reported by Nina Sparling. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Kevin Stark, Ka...
State of Drought 3: Are We in a Megadrought?
August 31, 2021 10:00 - 13 minutesWe've been flirting with exceptional drought on and off in California for many years now. Bay Curious listener Nicholas Hardy is wondering if it's time to call it a megadrought. That got us wondering: what is a megadrought and are we in one? Additional Reading: Is California In A Megadrought? (Transcript) Megadrought Conditions Not Seen For 400+ Years Have Returned to the West, Scientists Say Reported by Amy Mayer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Kevin Stark, K...
State of Drought 2: Where Our Water Comes From
August 27, 2021 10:00 - 18 minutesFor most of us in the Bay Area, the journey our water takes to reach us is hidden from view. It travels long distances, sometimes more than a hundred miles! That can leave us disconnected from the source. We go about our days oblivious to how precarious our water resources might be. Today we’re going to answer what seems like a really simple question: where does our water come from? Because where your city gets its water has a lot to do with how you’re experiencing the drought right now. Add...
State of Drought 1: Facing Our Hotter, Drier Future
August 26, 2021 10:00 - 16 minutesCalifornia is in drought. Again. And the infrastructure used to sustain the state's 40 million residents — and $50 billion agriculture industry — hasn't kept up with new climate patterns. In Episode 1 of our State of Drought series we explore why some experts say changing our mindset about drought may be the hardest, and best, thing we can do to survive a hotter, drier future. Additional Reading: How Should We Be Thinking About A Hotter, Drier Future? (Transcript) A Delta In Distress Will ...
The Story Behind the Bay Area's Favorite Sandwich Bread
August 19, 2021 10:00 - 11 minutesDutch Crunch is a common find at Bay Area sandwich shops, but get 10 miles outside of the Bay and that option disappears. Jonathan Hillis and Lauren Alexander sent this question to the Bay Curious team: “Where does Dutch Crunch bread come from? How does everyone know about San Francisco sourdough, but not about the Bay Area’s best bread?” Reporter Amanda Font took on the task to bring us the goods. Additional Reading: Dutch Crunch: A Bay Area Favorite, But Not a Bay Area Original Reported b...
Your Guide to the Gavin Newsom Recall Election
August 12, 2021 10:00 - 17 minutesYou may have thought we were done with elections for a little while, but there's another big one coming up. On September 14th, Californians will vote on whether or not to recall Governor Gavin Newsom. Here's a primer with nitty-gritty voting details, some context for the campaign, and what you'll find on your ballot. Additional Reading: Your Guide to the Gavin Newsom Recall Election How to Make Sure Your Mail-In Ballot Isn't Rejected Please take the Bay Curious survey! Reported by Guy Mar...
In Daly City, Filipino Culture Runs Deep
August 05, 2021 10:00 - 19 minutesBay Curious listener Ricky Tjandra used to work helping international students find families to stay with in the Bay Area. In Daly City, he worked with many Filipino families, which got him wondering how the city became such a hub for Filipino Americans. Additional Reading In Daly City, the Bayanihan Spirit Is Alive and Well Little Manila: Filipinos in California's Heartland Little Manila Perseveres: How FilipinX Leaders in Stockton Are Organizing For the Next Generation Reported by Amand...
Daly City Is One of the Densest Cities in the Country. Why?
July 29, 2021 10:00 - 15 minutesDaly City is only eight square miles, but it's one of the densest cities in the US. There are a few factors behind this, but one of the most interesting is the design of the houses. But it's not all building hacks in this episode, there's a darker past to some of Daly City's housing too. Additional Reading: How Daly City Became One of the Most Densely Populated Cities in the Country Richard Rothstein on KQED's Forum discussing his book The Color of Law Little Boxes: The Legacy of Henry Doe...