Bay Curious

Beth Touchette has lived in Marin County for a long time, and has often seen seen cattle grazing in Point Reyes National Seashore. It's an unusual sight, one not common in National Parks around the United States. She asked Bay Curious: "How did we end up allowing cattle in a national park?" Beth’s question won a voting round on BayCurious.org, and is at the heart of a battle that’s been heating up between environmental groups, ranchers and the National Park Service for years. Additional Reading: Cattle Ranching Has Existed in Point Reyes for a Century. Conservationists Want to Return to a Time Without It. Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter Follow Olivia on Instagram Transcript of this episode Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from

For our final episode of the year, Olivia Allen-Price and Katrina Schwartz answer the questions we get most often about the show: How do you choose which questions to answer? How long does it take to make an episode? What's your favorite episode of all time? And more! Join us for a behind-the-scenes chat about the making of the show, plus we'll share some big news about something exciting coming in 2023! Links, in order of being mentioned on the show: How the Filbert Steps Came to Be an Oasis in San Francisco How Did a 184-Foot Shipwreck Wind Up Grounded in the Carquinez Strait? The Sordid Saga of San Francisco's Trash Cans Are You Inked? How a San Francisco Tattoo Artist Changed the Industry Sign up for the monthly Bay Curious Newsletter Feel Like the SF Bay Used to Be Bluer? You're Not Imagining It You Used to Be Able to Call POP-CORN and Get the Time. What Happened to That? Inside Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's Life in San Francisco Endless Winter: A Fresh Look at the Donner Party Saga The Bay A

Over the years, many Bay Curious listeners have wondered about how the iconic Transamerica Pyramid came to be. So, in the year of its 50th birthday we bring you the story of a building that was once deemed "architectural butchery," but is now beloved by many. Additional Reading:  The Transamerica Pyramid at 50: From 'Architectural Butchery' to Icon San Francisco Chronicle archival photos of the Transamerica Pyramid Sign up for our newsletter! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

A group of Black ministers convinced a local Richmond developer to build homes that would be available to all Americans, including Black Americans, in the early 1950s long before the Fair Housing Act. We trace the history of that activism and the fate of the community over the decades. Additional Reading: Homes for All: Richmond's 1950s Attempt at Integrated Housing To Place Our Deeds: The African American Community in Richmond, California, 1910-1963 An Exploration of Our History: The Story of North Richmond Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter Read the transcript here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Ariana Proehl. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

UC Berkeley graduate student Ziad Shafi was surprised when he arrived in the Bay Area and saw that BART trains only have one route through San Francisco. He'd taken metro trains in Prague, Stockholm and Washington, D.C., where the route maps are shaped like spiderwebs — allowing riders to get in striking distance of anywhere in the city. But BART looks more like a tree. He asked: "Why do four of the five BART lines go all the way from West Oakland to Daly City together?" KQED transit editor Dan Brekke gives us some BART history and offers an outlook for what's next for public transit in the Bay Area. Additional Reading: Podcast Episode: You're Really Really Curious About BART (Apple Podcasts) Podcast Episode: Why Are BART Trains So Loud? (Apple Podcasts) Olivia's Instagram Sign up for the monthly Bay Curious newsletter Read the transcript here. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Dan Brekke. Bay Curiou

The Bay Area has a vibrant and eclectic music scene, but when Jessica Kariisa moved here last year she couldn’t find many places playing the African dance hits she loves. But African music is her passion, so Jessica went on a mission to find it. You'll definitely want to turn the volume up for this episode! Additional Reading: Finding Musical Gems in the Bay Area’s African Club Scene A longer version of this story first appeared on Afropop Worldwide Read the transcript here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Jessica Kariisa. It was edited by Victoria Mauleon. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Oakland resident Paul Beach cares a lot about recycling. So, he was troubled to hear rumors that all his carefully sorted recyclables might be going into the landfill. He wants to know, how much of our recycling is actually getting recycled? Turns out, when it comes to plastic, not a lot. Additional Reading:  'You Can't Recycle Your Way Out': California's Plastic Problem and What We Can Do About It California's Plastic Problem Prop Fest playlist Listen to a transcript of this episode Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Monica Lam. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldaña, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Can spirits really speak to us from beyond death? That's what science editor and skeptic Jon Brooks has been wondering for 27 years, since he and a friend had an experience with a Ouija board that they just can't explain. After losing his mother, Jon decides to dust off the same board he used in 1995 and try to recreate the original experience with as much scientific rigor as one can manage while attempting to contact the dead. Additional Reading: Did I Actually Contact a Dead Person? A Science Editor In Search of His Mother’s Ghost  You can read a transcript of the episode here This story was reported by Jon Brooks. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu.

There’s no question that today, the nine-county Bay Area votes solidly blue. But it hasn’t always been this way. One of the most conservative Republican candidates ever picked, Barry Goldwater, was nominated right here in 1964. So, how did the Bay Area become a bastion of blue? Additional Reading: When and Why the Bay Area Became So Liberal Political Breakdown Podcast Prop Fest Series KQED's 2022 Voter Guide Read a transcript of this episode Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Scott Shafer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Scott has lived all over the Bay Area and he still can't get over how different the weather can be from one place to another. He wants to know why the Bay Area has so many microclimates and where they are. And, as a bonus, we ask people in the know if the heat island affect is at play in Bay Area cities. Additional Reading: Why Does the Bay Area Have So Many Microclimates? Why San Francisco Is So Windy and Foggy in the Summer Find a transcript of the episode here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Daniel Potter. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 31 is a referendum on a law California legislators passed in 2020 that would ban the sale of favored tobacco products in retail outlets. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide Find a transcript of the episode here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Leslie McClurg. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 30 is a climate measure meant to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions and fight air pollution. It would do that by taxing people who earn more than $2 million per year and using the revenue for electric vehicle rebates, charging infrastructure and wildfire prevention and suppression programs. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide Read a transcript of this episode here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Kevin Stark. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 29 would require onsite licensed medical professional at kidney dialysis clinics and establishes other state requirements. Proponents say it's aimed at improving care. Opponents say it's an unnecessary and expensive regulation. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide You can find a transcript of this episode here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Kevin Stark. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Christopher Beale, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 28 would guarantee a set amount of funding from the general fund goes to arts education. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide Find a transcript of this episode here Sacramento Bee interview with Austin Beutner Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Julia McEvoy. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Christiopher Beale, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. We're tackling Propositions 26 and 27 in one episode because they overlap in some ways. Propositions 26 and 27 will affect the way sports betting, and some other forms of gambling, are handled in the state of California. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide Get a transcript of the episode here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 1 would solidify abortion and reproductive rights into the state constitution. If you thought abortion was already protected in California, you’re not wrong. But today we’ll learn why the California lawmakers who placed this on our ballot want to take things a step further, and we’ll dig into the details that have opponents concerned. Additional Reading: KQED Voter Guide Read episode transcript here Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by April Dembosky. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and

Bay Curious listener Katie Talda recently visited San Francisco's only indoor skating rink, the Church of 8 Wheels. The novelty of skating inside an old Catholic church left her wondering how the building went from house of worship to roller disco. We dig into a bit of San Francisco's skating history, and meet the man behind the Church of 8 Wheels, who's known by many as the 'Godfather of Skate.' Additional Reading: Wanna Try Roller Skating in San Francisco? Better Head to Church Read the transcript here Want more answers to your questions? Sign up for our monthly newsletter! This story was reported by Amanda Font. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

This week we remember two amusement parks that have etched themselves into the imaginations of generations of Bay Area residents: Idora Park in Oakland and San Francisco's Playland at the Beach. Additional Reading: Idora Park and Playland-at-the-Beach: Bay Area Amusement Parks of a Bygone Era Read the transcript here Want more answers to your questions? Sign up for our monthly newsletter! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Bay Curious listener Julia Thollaug is a teacher in the coastal town of Montera. She stumbled on the remnants of a little town called Purissima, just south of Half Moon Bay, and wondered what happened to its residents. It's a ghost town now, but what went on there when it was thriving, and why did it die out? Additional Reading: Purissima: The Ghost Town Hidden Near Half Moon Bay Read the transcript here Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter for more answers to your questions Submit your question to Bay Curious! If you love Bay Curious, consider donating to KQED podcasts for more great content! This story was reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Bay Curious listener Isabel Guajardo has long wondered what the Bay Area would have looked and felt like before European colonization. Specifically, she's curious to know what animals would have thrived here and what happened to them. It's a story of how attitudes about wildlife and land management practices profoundly influenced habitats. Additional Reading: Wolves, Bears and Jaguars: The Lost Animals of the Bay Area A State of Change: Forgotten Landscapes of California by Laura Cunningham As Big Basin Finally Reopens, Indigenous Stewardship Key Among Plans for Park's Rebirth Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by donating to KQED! This story was reported by Amy Mayer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.