The Bay

This episode contains mentions of suicide. Too often, psychosis isn’t treated until it’s too late. But studies from early psychosis clinics show that patients see a greater reduction of symptoms, like voices or delusions, and a greater improvement in functioning at school, at work and in their social lives, compared to people who get treatment as usual. But too often, private insurers don’t cover these treatments, leaving many families to navigate the byzantine system of insurance on their own. This episode of The California Report Magazine first aired on March 1, 2023.

Residents of Pajaro in Monterey County were finally allowed to return home Thursday after destructive flooding from last week’s storms. When the levee broke, causing the town to flood, it wasn’t a huge surprise; problems with that levee have been well-known for decades, but it wasn’t enough to address the problem fast enough. The Bay Area has hundreds of its own levees. And it turns out, we don’t really know how safe or vulnerable most of them are. Guest: Ezra David Romero, climate reporter for KQED Links The Bay Survey Fewer Than 10% of Levees in the Greater Bay Area Have a Federal Flood Risk Rating This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca. Jehlen Herdman is our intern. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host.  Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.

Silicon Valley Bank is best known for its relationships with the tech industry. But the bank also had billions out in loans to developers working on affordable housing projects in the Bay Area. Unlike larger banks, regional banks like SVB are more likely to fund local affordable housing projects. But now that the bank has collapsed, the future of these projects is precarious, and calls into question how these much-needed affordable housing projects are funded in the first place. Guest: Sydney Johnson, KQED reporter Links: MAP: Bay Area Affordable Housing Projects Impacted by Silicon Valley Bank's Collapse The Bay Survey This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca. Jehlen Herdman is our intern. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host.  Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.

California is in the middle of rolling out a plan to make preschool universal across the state. Also known as “transitional kindergarten,” it’s all part of an ambitious plan to make childcare more accessible, and close some big learning gaps between children from low and high income families. So far, the implementation has been mixed. But some districts have been providing transitional kindergarten already. The Alum Rock Union School District in East San Jose is one of them, and its program is attracting more and more interest from families. Today, we explain why.  Guest: Daisy Nguyen, Early Childhood Education and Care reporter for KQED Links: The Bay Survey Universal Preschool's Off to a Bumpy Start, but East San José Is Seeing Success. Here's Why

The U.S. ranks 55th in the world in maternal mortality rates. Those rates are even worse for Black women, whose maternal mortality rate is more than two times higher than any other racial or ethnic group. Patients and advocates cite lower access to quality care and racism in the medical system as main drivers of these outcomes.  A program in Alameda County is providing an answer to that problem. BElovedBIRTH Black Centering, operating through the Alameda Health System, is completely rethinking what birthing looks like for Black folks. The program provides group perinatal care by, for, and with Black people — and it’s leading to better outcomes for the families involved. Guest: Jyesha Wren, a midwife and co-founder and program coordinator of BElovedBIRTH Black Centering in Oakland Links: BElovedBIRTH Black Centering web page BElovedBIRTH’s Instagram Oakland programs are supporting Black postpartum women  This episode was produced by Jehlen Herdman, Maria Esquinca, Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

As residents across California continue to cope with heavy wind and rain, perhaps no community has been hit harder than Pajaro, where thousands of residents have evacuated after a levee broke late last Friday, flooding the town. An unincorporated community in Monterey County, Pajaro is home to mainly low-income Latino farmworkers who provide a large portion of California-grown produce. They've lost not only their homes and vehicles to flooding, but also their livelihoods as farms across the county are forced to shut down.  Guest: Katherine Monahan, KQED Reporter For information and referrals to disaster relief organizations, residents of evacuated areas can call 211. Links: Breached Levee Floods Pajaro River Valley, Engulfing Towns as Communities Are Evacuated Santa Cruz County Disaster Fund: supporting residents impacted by floods, wildfires, earthquakes, mudslides, debris flows, and other disasters in Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley To Donate directly to farmworkers and learn more about the reality of farmworkers in CA check out the Center for Farmworker Families DONATING ITEMS: Donations can be taken to the Raíces y Cariño center at 1205 Freedom Blvd in Watsonville. They are there each day this week until 5pm. Requested Items include: diapers, baby wipes, feminine pads, bath towels, warm blankets, new socks and underwear, bottled water, gently used clothing in good condition, and art and craft supplies for kids. If you bring food, it should be pre-packaged and non-perishable. The Bay Survey

San Francisco’s mobile opioid treatment clinics popped up as a way to address overcrowding at San Francisco General Hospital during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. These vans distribute methadone, a medication used to reduce withdrawal symptoms — while offering program patients snacks, water and canisters of naloxone, an overdose-reversal nasal spray.  In San Francisco alone, nearly 2,000 people have died of drug overdoses since 2020. And surprisingly, these temporary mobile clinics are drawing more patients than SF General's indoor treatment clinics. Now, the people who run it want to find a way to keep them around. Guest: Sydney Johnson, KQED reporter Links: SF's Mobile Clinics Made Opioid Treatment More Accessible During the Pandemic. But Will They Stay? The Bay Survey This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca. Jehlen Herdman is our intern. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.

A potential dynasty is building at Oakland Technical High School, where the girls’ basketball team is on its way to clutching its 3rd state championship in 5 years. Not only are the Lady Bulldogs skilled, but they’re hella fun to watch. The team boasts height, three point shooters, phenomenal defense — and swag. And their coaches have a message for their city with a chip on its shoulder over the loss of the Raiders and the Warriors t: come watch these girls play. Guest: Ariana Prohel, culture reporter for KQED Links: Ticket info for the Golden 1 Center LIVE STREAM: 2023 CIF Div. I Girls Basketball State Championship Santiago (Corona) vs. Oakland Tech The Bay Survey This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca. Jehlen Herdman is our intern. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host.  Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.

Two men who worked at an auto shop in Napa have been sentenced to federal prison for plotting to blow up the California Democratic Party headquarters in Sacramento in 2021. Ian Benjamin Rogers, of Napa, was sentenced to 9 years and 3 years of supervision after he is released. Jarrod Copeland, of Vallejo, was sentenced to 4 1/2 years. He also has 3 years of supervision after he is released.  Their case is part of a surge in violent extremist activity the FBI is investigating in Northern California and throughout the nation — and the Bay Area is not immune.  Guests: Julie Small and Alex Hall, KQED reporters This episode first published on May 18, 2022.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein is retiring after more than 30 years in Washington. Her retirement has gotten many people talking about her legacy and career in the U.S. Senate. But before that, Feinstein was a local official in her hometown of San Francisco. In 1969, she won a seat on the Board of Supervisors and eventually became Board President. In 1978, she became mayor after the shocking assassinations of Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. Feinstein would serve in that role until 1988. Guest: Scott Shafer, senior editor of KQED's California politics and government desk Episode transcript This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo, who also edited and guest hosted. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.

People just aren’t taking public transit like they used to. BART’s ridership is still less than 40% of what it was before March 2020. On top of that, the agency’s federal emergency funding is scheduled to run out in January 2025. Leaders of BART and other public transit agencies are now trying to bring back riders and find sources of funding as soon as possible. This will mean everything from new construction, increased policing, and asking for financial help from state lawmakers and voters. Will it work? Guest: Dan Brekke, KQED editor and reporter Episode transcript Links: The Bay Survey This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and guest hosted by Guy Marzorati.

If you’ve been to the City of Alameda, you’ve probably noticed its beautiful Victorian homes lining the shore of the San Francisco Bay. This has been by design. For decades the city has fought against building new housing, but last November, members of Alameda City council agreed that it was time for a change. They passed a plan to build over 6400 new housing units on the island, making Alameda the first Bay Area city to get its housing plan approved by the state. The state requires cities to come up with these new plans, called “housing elements,”every 8 years. Until recently, cities have ignored them. But now, more pressure is coming from voters, developers, and Gov. Gavin Newsom — and cities that don’t comply could face steep consequences.  Guest: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED housing producer/reporter  Links:  To Meet State Housing Goals, One Bay Area City Had to Overcome Its NIMBY Past The Bay Listener Survey!

In early February, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit southeastern Turkey and northern Syria. Here in California, we know the Big One is coming someday. In fact, the same kind of fault runs across our state. This makes it all the more important to be prepared. So today, we’re sharing an episode with former KQED science reporter Peter Arcuni, who narrated his experience creating an earthquake preparedness plan over the course of 4 days. Episode transcript This episode originally aired on October 18, 2019. This episode was originally produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Kyana Moghadam, Julie Caine, and Erika Aguilar.

Workers at nonprofits like the Felton Institute are on the front lines of our region’s biggest problems, like poverty, homelessness, and addiction. Employees say the work is meaningful yet grueling, with low pay and high turnover. For nearly 3 years now, a group of workers at Felton, one of the Bay’s oldest social service agencies, have been campaigning to unionize the organization’s nearly 500 employees. But the campaign is currently in limbo, as organizers encounter difficulties reaching their co-workers across 7 counties. The union, SEIU Local 21, has also accused managers at Felton of retaliating against workers trying to unionize, filing 10 unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board. Guest: Holly J. McDede, KQED producer/reporter  Links: Read: Inside the Long, Uphill Battle to Unionize Workers at One Large Bay Area Nonprofit The Bay Listener Survey! Read the transcript This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

For many members of the public, COVID-19 is in the rearview mirror. People are tired. Governments have dropped things like mask and vaccine mandates. And the virus isn’t as lethal as it once was. On the other hand, this virus is still very much a part of our lives, especially for people who are vulnerable, immunocompromised, or have long COVID. Now, California is going to end its COVID state of emergency at the end of month. We’ll dive into what that means. Guest: Carly Severn, KQED senior engagement editor Links: The Bay Survey California's COVID Emergency Ends Feb. 28. What Does That Actually Mean for You? California COVID Sick Pay Has Expired. But if You Work in San Francisco, You Still Have Options — Until Feb. 28 This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Jehlen Herdman, and guest hosted by Alan Montecillo, who also edited.

Originally from The Bronx, New York, Dave “Davey D” Cook was there when this thing we call hip-hop was in its nascent form, before it even had a name. When he arrived in the Bay Area in the early ’80s, one of his missions as a UC Berkeley student was to lend some insight to this burgeoning culture. So he put on a few events, one of which was The Day in Hip-Hop on Oct. 24, 1984. Rightnowish host Pendarvis Harshaw looks back on that day with Davey D, and traces how far hip hop has come since — in the Bay Area and beyond.   This episode of Rightnowish first published on Feb. 1, 2023. It’s part of That’s My Word, KQED’s year-long exploration of Bay Area hip-hop history, with new content dropping all throughout 2023.

Crisis pregnancy centers, or anti-abortion centers, are designed to look like community health clinics. But the vast majority of them don’t have a medical license, and all of them have an explicit goal: to persuade people to not have an abortion.  There are thousands of these centers all over the country. They advertise aggressively — especially in lower-income communities of color — and are in many cases located directly next to abortion clinics. And despite California’s reputation as a sanctuary state for abortion rights, there are more crisis pregnancy centers than abortion centers in our state. Guest: Emma Silvers, KQED digital editor/producer This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

In November 2020, then-San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin filed criminal charges against former SFPD officer Christopher Samayoa. In 2017, Samayoa, who had been on the force for just 4 days, shot and killed 42-year old Keita O’Neil through a police vehicle window.  But now, Boudin’s successor, Brooke Jenkins, has announced she plans to drop the charges, arguing that Boudin pursued the case for "political reasons and not in the interests of justice." Meanwhile, O’Neil’s aunt, April Green, says she told the DA “all that blood from killing and murders you're justifying from police are going to be on your head.” She has stated that she does not trust Jenkins to prosecute the officer who killed her nephew. Guest: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, KQED politics reporter Links: The Bay Survey Blaming Boudin, SF DA Brooke Jenkins Wants to Dismiss Historic Case Against SFPD Officer Who Killed Keita O'Neil This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca. Jehlen Herdman is our intern. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host.  Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.

Last spring, workers at Chevron’s Richmond refinery went on strike for 10 weeks, demanding higher pay, better health benefits, and safer working conditions. When the strike ended, union leaders say that Chevron initially encouraged managers and workers to put the strike behind them. But now, USW Local 5, the union representing Richmond refinery workers, alleges Chevron has fired at least 5 workers for their role in the strikes, a claim that Chevron denies. Guest: Ted Goldberg, KQED supervising senior editor for news Links: ‘Union Says Chevron Fired Several Richmond Refinery Workers Who Went on Strike,’ by Ted Goldberg, Feb. 5, 2023. The Bay Survey This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

The Here/There homeless encampment was familiar to anybody who drove between Oakland and Berkeley. The camp had its roots in the Bay Area’s Occupy movements in the early 2010s, and was founded in 2017 to highlight the problem of homelessness. It once had its own structure, rules, and a good relationship with the neighborhood. But over the last few years, the camp changed. Its founders passed away and people moved on. And last week, the city officially closed it down. Read the episode transcript Guest: Supriya Yelimeli, Berkeleyside housing and homelessness reporter Links: ‘South Berkeley Here There encampment closed after 6 years,’ by Supriya Yelimeli, Feb. 2, 2023. The Bay Survey Berkeley, 94700”: a deep historical dive into South Berkeley’s Here There community encampment This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Maria Esquinca. Jehlen Herdman is our intern. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host.  Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.