Podcast
The Bay
Hosted by KQED · EN
Bay Area-raised host Ericka Cruz Guevarra talks with local journalists about what’s happening in the greatest region in the country. It’s the context and analysis you need to make sense of the news, with help from the people who know it best. New episodes drop Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings.
50episodes
Episodes
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California’s Primary Results So Far
5d ago00:23:30Tap to summarizeThere are still many ballots left to count, but from the governor’s race to local tax measures and the race to replace Nancy Pelosi in the House of Representatives, we sit down with KQED’s politics and government correspondent Guy Marzorati about the results of the primary so far. Links: KQED: California Primary Election Results Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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A Teacher Was Fired for Sexually Harassing Students. Why Did California Let Him Continue Teaching?
1w ago00:31:49Tap to summarizeJason Agan was a popular teacher at Angelo Rodriguez High School in Fairfield. But for years, students whispered about his behavior. He touched some of them in public in ways that made them uncomfortable, they said, including hugging students and massaging their shoulders. In late 2019, after multiple written complaints and an administrative hearing, the school district fired Agan. But he never lost his teaching license, and went on to teach at two more schools in California. Holly McDede, who reported this story for KQED and ProPublica, explains how a pattern of delays and a lack of transparency has allowed educators to continue teaching after school districts reported them to the state. Links: He Was Fired for Sexually Harassing Students. California Allowed Him to Keep Teaching Anyway | KQED California Teacher Previously Fired for Sexual Harassment Is No Longer in the Classroom After New Complaints | KQED KQED and ProPublica will continue reporting on how California handles cases of alleged teacher misconduct. We need your help to get the full picture, and we want to hear from you. You can share your experience with the state’s disciplinary process online at propublica.org/kqed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Three Recent Graduates Share Their Thoughts on AI
1w ago00:21:51Tap to summarizeThis graduation season has felt different. Commencement speakers across the country are getting booed for promoting AI in their speeches – and the videos have gone viral. Recent college graduates were in school when ChatGPT first launched in late 2022, and many are worried about how AI will affect their future job prospects and society at large. Today, we hear from three recent graduates in the Bay Area about their thoughts on AI, how it affected their education, and how they feel about their futures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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SF's Congressional Race, Local Tax Ballot Measures, and Richmond’s Mayoral Election
2w ago00:24:14Tap to summarizeIn this edition of The Bay’s monthly news roundup, Alan Montecillo is joined by KQED political correspondent Guy Marzorati and KQED reporter Sydney Johnson ahead of California’s primary election on Tuesday, June 2. They preview the race to replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco, Measures A and E in San Jose and Oakland, and the mayoral election in the city of Richmond. Links: 2026 Primary Voter Guide: California and Bay Area Elections | KQED After Pelosi, Young SF Voters Want Change. 2 Progressives Are Competing to Offer It | KQED LISTEN: San Francisco’s Congressional Debate The Measure E parcel tax fight is hot — and pricey Will Richmond’s next mayor be a progressive, a moderate or a staunch conservative? Richmond mayoral candidates take stances on green jobs, safety and life beyond Chevron Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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These Protesters Could Go to Prison for Blocking the Golden Gate Bridge
2w ago00:21:03Tap to summarizeOn April 15, 2024, dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the Golden Gate Bridge, in an attempt to pressure the U.S. government into ending military aid for Israel’s bombing and invasion of Gaza. Now, seven of those protesters are on trial facing felony charges in San Francisco. If convicted, they could face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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The Berkeley Physicist Whose Invention Changed Surfing Forever
2w ago00:23:00Tap to summarizeThe wetsuit changed surfing forever, making it possible for surfers to wade in the frigid waters of the Bay and allow the scene to thrive. In this episode of Bay Curious, we learn about the Ocean Beach surfers and the UC Berkeley physicist who had a part to play in the wetsuit’s invention. Links: The Wetsuit Changed Surfing — We’ve Got a Berkeley Physicist to Thank for It Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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At SF Carnaval This Weekend, Freedom and Resistance Take Center Stage
3w ago00:15:45Tap to summarizeThis 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 of the Latin American diaspora. Links: Carnaval San Francisco 2026: From Parade Route to Parking, What to Know This Weekend Carnaval San Francisco Turns Music, Memory and Resistance Into Celebration Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Benicia Wants to Be a Model for Life After an Oil Refinery. Can It?
3w ago00:23:23Tap to summarizeValero’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 can be a leading example for how cities transition away from the fossil fuel industry. But with tight city budgets and a global fuel crisis looming, that’s much easier said than done. Links: California’s Fuel Fears Threaten Benicia’s ‘Just Transition’ to Green Economy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Homelessness is Down in SF, But Not For Families
3w ago00:19:39Tap to summarizeSan 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 homelessness has gone up 15%. Recent changes have allowed families to stay longer in shelters, but securing affordable housing remains a challenge. In this episode, we meet one family caught up in the city’s shelter system as they wait for more permanent housing. This episode originally aired Aug 4, 2025 Links: Fewer People Are Sleeping on San Francisco Streets. But Family Homelessness Is Up SF Families Win Shelter Extension Rights, Still Face Long Waits for Housing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Community Childcare Centers on Shaky Ground After Transitional Kindergarten Expansion
4w ago00:22:08Tap to summarizeCommunity-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 — worsening the shortage of licensed child care spaces for children younger than 4 years old. Links: As Transitional Kindergarten Grows, Hundreds of Child Care Centers Close Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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