The Bay

At SF Carnaval This Weekend, Freedom and Resistance Take Center Stage

This weekend, SF Carnaval is expected to draw an estimated 500,000 people to San Francisco's Mission District. The celebration, which takes place May 23-24, celebrates the music, dance, and culture …

May 22, 2026 · 15m

Afrita

Benicia Wants to Be a Model for Life After an Oil Refinery. Can It?

Valero’s Benicia refinery employed hundreds of people and contributed millions in taxes to the local government for decades. Now, with the refinery on its way out, local leaders hope Benicia …

May 20, 2026 · 23m

Afrita

Homelessness is Down in SF, But Not For Families

San Francisco has seen a 22% decrease in people sleeping on the streets, according to preliminary data from this year’s Point In Time count. But the number of families experiencing …

May 18, 2026 · 19m

Afrita

Community Childcare Centers on Shaky Ground After Transitional Kindergarten Expansion

Community-based preschools across the state have struggled to compete with California’s free, universal transitional-kindergarten program, where enrollment grew to 213,000 students this year. Now, hundreds of preschools have shuttered — …

May 15, 2026 · 22m

Afrita

The Workers Who Make SFO Go 'Round Want Higher Wages

Workers at San Francisco International Airport who clean planes, handle baggage, and push wheelchairs told city supervisors at a recent hearing that they’re sleeping in their cars and surviving on …

May 13, 2026 · 20m

Afrita

PG&E Bills Are Going Up. Here’s Why

According to a KQED analysis, the average Pacific Gas & Electric utility bill went up nearly 70% between 2020 and March 2025. But understanding what you’re actually paying for can …

May 11, 2026 · 16m

Afrita

Can the Valkyries Take It to the Next Level?

The Golden State Valkyries’ first season was a huge success. The team sold out every home game and became the first WNBA team ever to make the playoffs in their …

May 08, 2026 · 17m

Afrita

Inside Elon Musk and Sam Altman's Battle Over OpenAI

Jurors and journalists are getting a peek into the world of OpenAI and its founding as two of the richest, most powerful men in tech duke it out in an …

May 06, 2026 · 20m

Afrita

Raising Kids in the Bay? It Comes With Compromises

Raising kids is expensive, and doing so in the Bay comes with compromises. Whether it’s with space, commutes, or affordability, having a kid here means something’s gotta give. KQED reporter …

May 04, 2026 · 23m

Afrita

The Civic Joy Fund Promises to Help ‘Revitalize’ SF. Some Artists Want No Part in It

Since 2023, a private initiative called the Civic Joy Fund has financially supported hundreds of arts and culture events in San Francisco. But a growing group of artists are calling …

May 01, 2026 · 21m

Afrita

Oakland Makes It Easier to Sweep Encampments, California Billionaire Tax, and SF Library Weddings

In this month’s edition of The Bay’s news roundup, Ericka, Alan, and KQED outdoors reporter Sarah Wright discuss Oakland’s new policy that will make it easier to sweep homeless encampments …

Apr 29, 2026 · 22m

Afrita

Inside California’s Last Nuclear Power Plant

Nuclear power has always been hotly debated. 9% of California’s power comes from the last operating nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, in San Luis Obispo County. But after initial plans …

Apr 27, 2026 · 22m

Afrita

Medi-Cal Cuts Are Coming. Contra Costa County Is Bracing for Impact

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump last year, will cut an estimated $900 billion to $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next decade. Between funding …

Apr 24, 2026 · 19m

Afrita

The Governor’s Race Changes Shape — Again

It’s been one week since Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his run for governor after ⁠multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct⁠. Before that, he was starting to consolidate support from …

Apr 22, 2026 · 18m

Afrita

One Way to Keep Teachers in the Bay? House Them

Some school districts are now providing workforce housing, as they find themselves with vacant properties and employees who say they can’t afford to stay in the Bay Area. Today, we …

Apr 20, 2026 · 22m

Afrita

Why Do BART Announcements Sound So Ancient?

You know the sound: a robotic, ancient-sounding voice as you wait for BART: 6-car Blue line train for OAK Airport in 15 minutes. In America's tech capital, why do BART …

Apr 17, 2026 · 15m

Afrita

The Rise and Fall of Eric Swalwell

This episode contains descriptions of sexual assault. Until last week, former Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from Dublin, was a leading candidate for governor. But on Friday, a former staffer …

Apr 15, 2026 · 22m

Afrita

Career or Kids? Child Care Costs Force Parents to Choose

Rising child care prices leave many Bay Area parents with little choice but to turn down career opportunities, cut back hours, or even quit. As part of KQED’s new series …

Apr 13, 2026 · 17m

Afrita

Your Stories About Making Friends

We asked you to share your experiences with making friends in the Bay Area. Today, we hear from you — and follow one listener as she tries to meet new …

Apr 10, 2026 · 30m

Afrita

An East San José Teacher Reckons With Cesar Chavez’s Legacy

Victoria Duran grew up in East San José, and remembers celebrating her community's ties to labor activist and United Farm Workers co-founder Cesar Chavez. His legacy looms large on the …

Apr 08, 2026 · 18m

Afrita

Who Will Replace Nancy Pelosi? Hear 3 of the Candidates Debate

Last Tuesday, the three leading Democratic candidates for San Francisco’s U.S. House seat, San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, former political advisor and software engineer Saikat Chakrabarti, and California State Senator …

Apr 06, 2026 · 58m

Afrita

San José Unified Plans to Close 5 Schools

Last week, the San José Unified Board of Education voted 3-2 to close 5 elementary schools and relocate another. District leaders, citing declining enrollment, say that these closures will make …

Apr 03, 2026 · 18m

Afrita

In Alameda, Sea Level Rise Is Happening on All Sides

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 …

Apr 01, 2026 · 20m

Afrita

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

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 …

Mar 30, 2026 · 24m

Afrita

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

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 …

Mar 27, 2026 · 26m

Afrita

Why California Has the Nation’s Most Expensive Gas

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. …

Mar 25, 2026 · 17m

Afrita

The Lowrider Community’s Long Fight to Ride Freely

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 …

Mar 23, 2026 · 18m

Afrita

Sexual Abuse Allegations Against César Chavez Rock California

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 …

Mar 20, 2026 · 16m

Afrita

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

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 …

Mar 18, 2026 · 18m

Afrita

Your Kitchen Countertop Could Be Making Workers Sick

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 …

Mar 16, 2026 · 22m

Afrita

Alysa Liu’s Bay Area Homecoming

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 …

Mar 13, 2026 · 17m

Afrita

A Crowded Race for California Governor

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 …

Mar 11, 2026 · 19m

Afrita

How Oakland Is Fixing One of Its Most Dangerous Roads

West Oakland’s 18th Street is one of the city’s most dangerous for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers, with wide lanes, hidden stop signs, and virtually nonexistent crosswalks in a residential area. …

Mar 09, 2026 · 18m

Afrita

All Aboard the 67, SF's Most Delayed Bus

The 67 is Muni’s most delayed bus line, snaking through the hills along Alemany Boulevard and Bernal Heights, ending at the 24th and Mission BART station. However unreliable it can …

Mar 06, 2026 · 17m

Afrita

Iranian Americans React to US-Israel War on Iran

Many Iranian Americans across California are still in disbelief after the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes in Iran over the weekend. On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike killed Supreme Leader …

Mar 04, 2026 · 15m

Afrita

SF Immigration Court’s Death by a Thousand Cuts

San Francisco’s immigration courts are being hollowed out by the Trump Administration, with plans to close one of the courts downtown by the end of the year. Mission Local’s Clara-Sophia …

Mar 02, 2026 · 15m

Afrita

Rising SF Rents, a Progressive Rep in CA’s MAGA Corner, and Waymo’s Remote Workers

In this month’s edition of The Bay’s monthly news roundup we discuss the effect of the booming AI industry on San Francisco’s rental market, Rep. Jared Huffman’s visit to his …

Feb 27, 2026 · 21m

Afrita

Tahoe Avalanche Is the Deadliest in Modern California History

Search and rescue crews have recovered all 9 bodies of those killed in last Tuesday’s avalanche in Tahoe, which is now the deadliest in California’s modern history. Four of the …

Feb 25, 2026 · 16m

Afrita

The Pay Phone That Lets San Franciscans ‘Call a Republican'

For several weeks, a red pay phone sat outside a tattoo parlor in San Francisco’s Mission District — with a sign reading ‘Call a Republican.’ If you picked it up, …

Feb 23, 2026 · 21m

Afrita

Why Are There So Many Crows in the Bay Area?

If you’ve noticed more crows in the night sky this winter, you’re not imagining it. The Bay Area crow population has been on a steady rise since about 1975 — …

Feb 20, 2026 · 19m

Afrita

Kaiser Strike Enters Its Fourth Week

Nearly 31,000 health care workers with the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals have been on strike for the last four weeks. Nurses, physicians assistants, pharmacists and …

Feb 18, 2026 · 20m

Afrita

Why Silicon Valley Got Cozy With the Military

Silicon Valley once resisted cooperating with the U.S. military. Google, Meta and OpenAI even had policies banning the use of AI in weapons. Those days now feel like a bygone …

Feb 16, 2026 · 22m

Afrita

Making New Friends Here: Easy or Hard?

We're working on an episode about making friends in the Bay Area. And we want your help. What's it been like for you to make friends here? How'd you do …

Feb 14, 2026 · 1m

Afrita

Keeping Venezuelan Culture Alive Through Dance

The Venezuelan diaspora in the Bay Area is relatively small. Of the estimated 770,000 Venezuelan natives living in the United States in 2024, only about 23,000 — or 3% — …

Feb 13, 2026 · 16m

Afrita

SF Public School Teachers Go On Strike

On Monday, teachers at San Francisco Unified School District went on strike for the first time since 1979. The district and the United Educators of San Francisco (UESF) remain apart …

Feb 11, 2026 · 19m

Afrita