Bay Curious

Listener Michael Viray wrote in to Bay Curious asking to learn more about the origin story behind ethnic studies: “I’ve heard from one of my professors of ethnic studies at UC Davis that there was actually a revolution in the Bay Area for an ethnic studies field. Is this true? And how did it happen?” Today on Bay Curious, we’re revisiting the longest student strike in U.S. history. We'll learn about the five-month standoff between students and administrators at San Francisco State, that ultimately led to the first College of Ethnic Studies in the nation. Additional Reading: How the Longest Student Strike in U.S. History Created Ethnic Studies Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter Reported by Asal Ehsanipour. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco beat out Los Angeles, New York and Portland as the top vegan city in America. But with COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the food industry — will that title endure? In today's episode we explore what's made vegan eating so popular in the Bay Area, and then learn how businesses are coping during these challenging times. Additional Resources: Read: Vegan Food is Big in the Bay Area — But Will the Scene Survive COVID-19? Get the Bay Curious Activity Book Sign up for our newsletter! Reported by Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we learn how one enamored entrepreneur on a shoe-string budget gave birth to the Murphy bed in San Francisco. Then, we revisit one of our most-popular Bay Curious episodes of all time, about the Flintstone House in Hillsborough. The home's architect, who wasn't available for our original story, shares the backstory to his unique design. Additional Resources: Read - How A San Francisco Love Story Inspired the Invention of the Murphy Bed Read - What's That Thing Off 280? The Flintstone House Listen to our original Flintstone House story on Apple Podcasts Subscribe to the Bay Curious newsletter! Reported by Katrina Schwartz and Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Curious listener Scott has lived in the Bay Area his whole life. He's always wondered why the weather can be so different just a few miles apart. This week, we dig into Bay Area microclimates -- what are they, why do they exist, and do heat islands affect our weather. *This episode has been updated to fix an error in Andrew Oliphant's title. Additional Reading: Why Does The Bay Area Have So Many Microclimates? Why San Francisco Gets So Windy and Foggy In The Summer Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter! Reported by Daniel Potter. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Curious listeners Alex Kornblum, 8, and his dad, Heath Kornblum, were talking about their drinking water when they landed on this question: How long does it take for water to get from Hetch Hetchy to San Francisco? And how far does it travel? Resources mentioned in this episode: How Hetch Hetchy Valley’s natural beauty was sacrificed to quench SF’s thirst (SF Chronicle) Video: Hetch Hetchy: To Restore or Not (KQED) Hetch Hetchy the cat's Instagram page Sign up for the Bay Curious monthly newsletter Reported by Sarah Craig. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year, this question won a public voting round on BayCurious.org: "The Fillmore district used to be known as the Harlem of the West. What's the story behind what happened to the city's once vibrant Black community and culture?" In this episode we explore the rise of the Fillmore as a cultural center for jazz, and the "urban renewal" that ultimately changed the identity of the neighborhood, and forced out many of its residents. Additional Reading and Listening: Why San Francisco's Fillmore District Is No Longer the "Harlem of the West" Playlist: We made a Spotify playlist featuring artists who played at venues in the Fillmore Reported by Bianca Taylor. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Asal Ehsanipour and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Juneteenth celebrations in the Bay Area are some of the largest, and longest-running in California. We offer a quick primer on the history of Juneteenth locally, and explore the legacy of Rachel Townsend, an activist and organizer who kept the Juneteenth spirit alive in San Francisco for years. This episode features an excerpt from KQED's The Bay. Reporting by Asal Ehsanipour and Devin Katayama. Production by Katrina Schwartz, Olivia Allen-Price, Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Engineering by Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We look back at protests from the civil rights era — both nonviolent and violent — to understand how these actions lead to changes in public policy. This history gives us ideas about how the media coverage and public opinion polls of today could be early signs that public policy change will follow. Featuring longtime San Francisco resident Darrell Rogers and Omar Wasow, an assistant professor of politics at Princeton University. Additional Reading: What it Takes for Protests to Bring Change — Clues From History “Agenda Seeding: How 1960s Black Protests Moved Elites, Public Opinion and Voting.” (PDF) Reported and produced by Katrina Schwartz, Asal Ehsanipour and Olivia Allen-Price. Engineering by Rob Speight and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Nicole Barton, Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey and Vinnee Tong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we’re sharing an episode from Truth Be Told, made by our colleagues: Tonya Mosley, Isabeth Mendoza and Suzie Racho. They speak with Dr. Eddie Glaude, chair of Princeton's African American Studies Department, to parse out what's happening in America right now, and how to recenter on black joy and resilience. Truth Be Told helps to correct the age-old diversity problem in the field of advice columns, which leaves many people of color out of the conversation entirely. Each week, host Tonya Mosley chats with an expert “Wise One” to unpack a listener question, dilemma or experience about race and culture in America. Subscribe to Truth Be Told wherever you get your podcasts and share it with a friend. Apple Podcasts NPR One Overcast Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Visitors to Angel Island often learn about how the island was once an immigration processing and detention center where Chinese immigrants were made to wait for weeks or months in sordid conditions. Recently, a Bay Curious listener mused about another dark part of the island’s past: “I wonder about Angel Island and the history of Japanese internment camps.” Turns out the island served a specific role during World War II. Additional Resources: Bay Curious web story, featuring images of Kakuro and Angel Island More on Kakuro Shigenaga’s internment history, and profiles of other Japanese internees Department of Justice case files of “enemy aliens” during WWII Reported by Cecilia Lei. Special thanks to Mina Kim, Yo Ann Martinez and Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Asal Ehsanipour and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Curious listener Columbia Shafer was walking along Grand Ave in Oakland one day, when she noticed a new Zachary's pizza shop opening. "They were putting new paint on the doors and it said 100% employee owned," she says. "It seems like a really high percentage of pizza places [in the East Bay] were cooperatives and employee owned." She wants to know ... why pizza? In this episode we dive into local pizza co-op history. We'll also learn how these businesses work. Additional Resources Why Are So Many East Bay Pizza Shops Cooperatively Owned? Reported by Kyana Moghadam. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Asal Ehsanipour and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey and Vinnee Tong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There was a time when you couldn't go too long watching television without seeing a commercial for Rice-A-Roni. Many featured images of San Francisco, and ended with a catchy jingle — "Rice-A-Roni. The San Francisco Treat!" Bay Curious listener Kent Barnes has wondered if that advertising slogan is true. Was Rice-A-Roni actually created here in the Bay Area? Additional Resources Hear the full story on The Kitchen Sisters website Mrs. Captanian's Rice Pilaf Recipe on BayCurious.org Vote for which question you'd like to see us answer in our May voting round Original story produced by Nikki Silva and Davia Nelson of The Kitchen Sisters. Adapted for Bay Curious by Asal Ehsanipour. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Asal Ehsanipour, Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Michelle Wiley and Vinnee Tong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For KQED's annual Youth Takeover project, we hand the mic over to four Bay Area high school students who have been keeping audio diaries while under stay-at-home orders. Without the structure of school, their lives have been turned upside down and many of the high school traditions they've looked forward to for years — prom, yearbook signing, graduation — are cancelled. A longer version of this story will drop in July on KQED's MindShift podcast. Subscribe now so you don't miss it! Share your well-wishes with the Class of 2020 on KQED's Facebook and Twitter pages. Produced by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Asal Ehsanipour, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Don Clyde and Vinnee Tong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listener Russ Johnson asked how coronavirus is impacting undocumented Californians, and if leaders are working to help them. An estimated 2 million Californians are undocumented. Whether they're essential workers or have recently lost employment, none of them are eligible for federal aid right now. State and local governments, and non-profits are filling some of the void, but many are still left struggling. Resources mentioned in the show: Ask your COVID-19 questions in English, or in Spanish. Haga clic aquí para obtener información importante de KQED e historias en Español. Reporting by Farida Jhabvala Romero. This episode was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Devin Katayama, Alan Montecillo, Olivia Allen-Price and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey and Vinnee Tong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The coronavirus pandemic is affecting people in ways big and small. Some are very personal. What's it like to date an immunocompromised person right now? And, listener Marcus Adams wants to know if hair stylists are allowed to make home visits if they take safety precautions. We've got answers. Additional Reading: Getting Through Coronavirus Blues: Cute GIFs and Weird Haircuts Under Stay-at-Home Orders, Bay Area Takes Hair Maintenance Into Own Hands Dating While Immunocompromised Reported by Chloe Veltman and Asal Ehsanipour. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Kathleen Quillen, and Sasha Kohka. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we shelter-in-place, a lot of people on Twitter are sharing the strange dreams they're having. We look into why that might be. And, listener Anne-Marie Rochè wants to know: Are there any positives for the natural environment from humans staying home? Additional Reading: Feel Like COVID-19 Is Invading Your Dreams? You're Not Alone Has Sheltering-In-Place Been Good For the Environment? Bay Area Pollution Way Down, Air District Estimates Reported by Michelle Wiley and Kevin Stark. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Asal Ehsanipour, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey and Don Clyde. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are so many bay windows in San Francisco, Oakland, and other cities around the Bay Area it would be easy to assume they were invented here. But were they? Listener Ayran Michaels wants to know: Why are they so prominent here? Additional Reading: Did San Francisco Put the 'Bay' in Bay Windows? Victorian Home Walk Reported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey and Don Clyde. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks to Judith Milgram and Ryan Stauffer for their questions. We cover how to shop safely, bring groceries home, and order takeout during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Additional Reading: How to Safely Grocery Shop During Coronavirus Shelter In Place Coronavirus in the Bay Area: Your Questions Answered Follow Coronavirus Voicemails @coronavoicemail or call 415-316-1542 to record your story of how the pandemic is impacting your life. Reported by Carly Severn and Shannon Lin. Featuring work by audio producers Tina Antolini and Evan Roberts. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey and Don Clyde. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bay Curious listener Paul Irving wanted to know: "What's the story with the bison in Golden Gate Park?" The park celebrates its 150th birthday this week, so we are re-running this episode digging into the backstory of the herd of American bison who call it home. And there are five cute updates to this story. Additional Reading: What's With the Bison in Golden Gate Park? Golden Gate Park Welcomes Five Young Bison Ahead of 150th Anniversary Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey and Don Clyde. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listener Mark Isaak heard that the spot on the earth from which you can see the most land is the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. But that the summit of Mount Diablo comes in second. Turns out, this is a widely-circulated factoid that goes back centuries. Is it true? Additional Reading: Does Mount Diablo Have the Biggest View in the World? Your Coronavirus Questions, Answered Reported by Asal Ehsanipour. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey and Don Clyde. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been a week, y'all. We're bringing you some tips on how to care for yourself, an inspiring story about how one neighbor his helping another, and a tour through the creative world of digital gatherings. Sit back, take a breath and hang with us. Links relevant to this episode: Sheltering in Place: What You Need to Know How to File for Unemployment in California During the Coronavirus Pandemic Your Coronavirus Questions, Answered Berkeley Mutual Aid Art classes on Instagram Live with @wendymac One Salon SF Urban Adamah Alison Faith Levy’s Youtube The Feelings Parade Facebook Page Dance parties with @mkik808 Featuring KQED associate arts and culture editor, Nastia Voynovskaya. Produced by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Asal Ehsanipour, Jessica Placzek and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Rob Speight, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Vinnee Tong and Ethan Lindsey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the recommendations for taking public transit? Should I go to work? Should I cancel upcoming travel plans? How long does the virus last on a doorknob? Can it be transmitted in the air? Will we be quarantined? Find the latest answers to these questions and more in this constantly-changing story. Additional Reading: Public Health Orders and Recommendations for Each Bay Area County Bay Area Hospitals Gear Up for Potential Surge in Coronavirus Cases Coronavirus: Public Health Experts Want to 'Flatten the Curve.' Here's What That Means Featuring KQED reporter Michelle Wiley. Produced by Asal Ehsanipour, Olivia Allen-Price and Katie McMurran. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Asal Ehsanipour, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez and Ethan Lindsey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Question asker David Shayer has a lot of opinions... about billboards. He says the worst are electronic billboards that flash changing images at night. But in addition to an opinion, David has a question: "Why is Highway 101 plastered with billboards while Highway 280 doesn't have any billboards?" In this episode, reporter Christopher Egusa takes a roadtrip to find out more. Additional Reading: Green Foothills Bay Area, I Love You Reported by Christopher Egusa. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Asal Ehsanipour, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez and Ethan Lindsey Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood is bordered by some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city, yet it has a bad reputation. Tourists are told to avoid the area. You can often see drug dealing out in the open, and garbage on the streets. Today's question asker, Vy Nguyen, lives in the neighborhood and wants to know how the Tenderloin has stayed the same in a city where most low-incomes areas have gentrified. Additional Reading: Why Hasn't the Tenderloin Gentrified Like the Rest of San Francisco? By Randy Shaw: After a Tough 2019, Tenderloin Will Move Forward Reported by Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey and Don Clyde. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Question asker Lauren Fleming has noticed a lot of signs warning about coyote sightings in San Francisco parks. She wants to know how many coyotes live here, how they got here, and how they manage to live in an urban environment. In this episode, reporter Bianca Taylor meets a woman who has been observing the city's coyotes for thirteen years. Additional Reading: San Francisco's Coyotes are Back, and They are Thriving The "Coyote Lady's" website, CoyoteYipps.com Submit your love letter to the Bay Area Reported by Bianca Taylor. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Asal Ehsanipour, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week the Bay Curious team asked locals to help us make a collective love letter to the Bay Area. We talked to people whose families have been here for several generations, people who just arrived and some who recently left. We heard all kinds of reasons for why you love it. We present to you, your stories and our love letter. Credits Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Don Clyde, Carly Severn, Christopher Cox, Bianca Hernandez, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Nicole was growing up, her grandmother always told her: Don't live anywhere built on fill. Her uncle also had strong memories of watching the Marina burn after the 1989 earthquake — when parts of the ground liquefied, causing buildings to collapse and gas lines to break. Nicole wants to follow her grandmother's advice, but she needs to know a few things: "What neighborhoods and cities in the Bay Area are built on filled land? And what are those cities and neighborhoods doing to mitigate the risk of liquefaction?" Additional Reading Large Parts of the Bay Area Are Built on Fill. Why and Where? MAP: Where We "Created" Dry Land The Precarious Future of Treasure Island: Rising Seas and Sinking Land How Treasure Island Got Made and Why Credits Reported by Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Don Clyde, Carly Severn, Christopher Cox, Bianca Hernandez, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We get a lot of BART questions from our listeners, so this week we're answering a slew of them with long-time transit reporter Dan Brekke. How did they build the underwater tunnels for BART? In its nearly 50 years of existence, why has BART taken so long to extend into Santa Clara County? And only normally protruded into San Mateo County and never expanded into any of the North Bay counties? Why are there news kiosks in the BART station that are closed? Why doesn't BART let people run these news kiosks? What is the history? At the West Oakland BART Station there are ads right next to the third rail. How on earth do they change those out without getting electrocuted? Why does it seem like the escalators are constantly broken? Why does BART announce elevator status all the time? Our question askers this week were Briana, Brad Meyer, Jay Quigley, Mark, Dan and Eric. Additional Goodies Why are BART trains so loud? (Apple Podcasts) Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter The Bay: An Unspoken Guide to Riding BART (Apple Podcasts) Why are BART Escalators Nearly Always Broken? And How Did They Build Those Tunnels? Credits Produced by Jessica Placzek and Olivia Allen-Price. Featuring KQED's transit editor Dan Brekke. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Patricia Yollin, Carly Severn, Christopher Cox, Bianca Hernandez, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Holly Kernan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jerry Brown has been a dominant force in California politics for decades. He spent 16 years as governor of California, ran for Senate twice, ran for president three times, and spent eight years as Mayor of Oakland. In this episode, we explore how Brown's legacy in Oakland is playing out today with Devin Katayama of The Bay, and Guy Marzorati, producer of new podcast The Political Mind of Jerry Brown. You can subscribe to both in the same place you get Bay Curious. Produced by Devin Katayama, Marisol Medina-Cadena, Alan Montecillo, Jessica Placzek and Olivia Allen-Price. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong, Holly Kernan and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reporter Rachael Myrow and listener Debbie Torrey discover that what we've been told about this famous road is mostly bunk. This story first ran on the podcast in Nov. 2017. Additional Reading: Video: The true story of the 'royal' road El Camino Not-So-Real: The True Story of the 'Ancient Road' Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The crosswalks in San Francisco, and many other Bay Area towns, play a 'machine gun' sound when the 'walk' sign is illuminated for pedestrians. A Bay Curious listener recalls hearing chirping sounds in other areas. Why do ours sound the way they do? Plus, we get to know an architect who listens to buildings. Additional Reading: An Architect Who Listens To Buildings Reported by Olivia Allen-Price, Annika Cline and Sam Harnett. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listener Britt McEachern is a tour guide in San Francisco, and spends a lot of time walking around city streets. He's noticed grids of glass embedded in the sidewalk and wants to know what they are. Take a journey with reporter Jessica Placzek to learn the purpose and origins of these gems beneath your feet. Additional Reading: What Are Those Grids of Glass in the Sidewalk — And Why Are They Purple? Quiz: Test Your Bay Area Knowledge Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the second part of our series on Treasure Island. Listener Gary Pilgrim was taking a drive across the Bay Bridge with his new wife when they decided to stop at Treasure Island. After taking in the sweeping views, he wondered how this manmade island came to be in the first place, and what it's future holds. We're answering Gary's questions in a two-part series exploring the island's past and future. This week: What are the plans for Treasure Island? And does climate change threaten them? Additional Reading: Part I: How Treasure Island Got Made — and Why Part II: Rising Seas and Sinking Land: The Precarious Future of Treasure Island Reported by Kevin Stark. Edited by Kat Snow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listener Gary Pilgrim was taking a drive across the Bay Bridge with his new wife when they decided to stop at Treasure Island. After taking in the sweeping views, he wondered how this manmade island came to be in the first place, and what it's future holds. We're answering Gary's questions in a two-part series exploring the island's past and future. This week: How was Treasure Island made, and why? Additional Reading: How Treasure Island Got Made — and Why Reported by Kevin Stark. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Question asker José Muñoz wants to know more about the storied history of this place, which was a pivotal stop-off in Charlie Chaplin's career. Was Niles Hollywood before Hollywood was Hollywood? Additional Reading: This Tiny East Bay Town Was Once a Movie Making Hotspot Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Occupation of Alcatraz began on Nov. 20, 1969, when a group of Native American students, calling themselves the Indians of All Tribes, landed on Alcatraz Island. They wanted to return the land to native ownership, and felt they had a right to the land because of the Treaty of Fort Laramie, which said that land deserted by the federal government should be returned to the natives who once occupied it. Additional Reading: WATCH: The Occupation of Alcatraz Turns 50, But the Impact of the Movement Lives On A Look Back at the Occupation of Alcatraz, 50 Years Later Reported by Alice Woelfle. Produced by Ericka Cruz-Guevarra, Devin Katayama, Kyana Moghadam and Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Platt was checking out a flag display outside San Francisco's city hall when he noticed the flag from his home state, Texas, was among them. What gives? Plus, we take a quick dive into the history of San Francisco's oldest square — where the announcement of gold was made, and where the state's first public school house once stood. Reported by Annika Cline and Marisol Medina-Cadena. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Bay Curious listener Justin Hartung was growing up in Oakland, he remembers the Bay being blue. After moving to New York for college in the early 90s, and returning back to the East Bay a couple years ago, he noticed a big difference in the hue of the harbor. When did it get so green? Additional Reading: Feel Like the S.F. Bay Used to Be Bluer? You're Not Imagining It Reported by Amanda Font. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate the third birthday of the Bay Curious podcast we are answering listener questions about our favorite episodes, how we make the show, our theme music, the way we choose questions, and questions we wish we received. Also don't miss our birthday celebration on November 14th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Babe's Monte Carlo in San Francisco. Register at BayCurious.org/events. Additional reading/listening: Why Do Some Hate the Nickname ‘Frisco’? What Would It Take to Make Lake Merritt Swimmable? Bay Curious has been made possible by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Vinnee Tong, Ryan Levi, Suzie Racho, Julie Caine, Erika Kelly, Paul Lancour, Kelly O’Mara, Carly Severn, Katie McMurran, Rob Speight, Pat Yollin, Maggie Galloway, Holly Kernan, Ethan Lindsay, and Julia McEvoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco is 49 square miles, but contains more than 1,000 miles of sewer mains, running under every block. Take a trip with Bay Curious reporter Carly Severn into the depths of the city, and discover an otherworldly cave that has reached legendary status with some urban explorers. VIDEO: Take A Trip Into San Francisco's Sewer System Web story: Tunnels Under San Francisco? Inside the Dark, Dangerous World of the Sewers Reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Suzie Racho and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Patricia Yollin, Vinnee Tong and Ethan Lindsey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bay Area is defined by water. Not just by the bay itself, but by the Pacific Ocean and myriad rivers, reservoirs, lakes and ponds. Yet most of the bodies of water you drive past are devoid of people. No swimming. No splashing around. Not even on the hottest days. Why is that? Additional Reading (including a list of where you can swim): Why Can’t You Swim in Most Bay Area Lakes? Reported by Kelly O’Mara. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Oakland ice cream makers claim they invented the famous flavor — Fenton's Creamery and Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream. Either way, the depression-era creation changed the game for ice cream flavors in America. More food history episodes: Dutch Crunch Mai Tai Green Goddess Salad Dressing It's It Ice Cream Sandwiches Sourdough Irish Coffee Reported by Sasha Khokha, host of The California Report Magazine. Edited by Suzie Racho. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Julie Caine, Kyana Moghadam, Carly Severn, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Pat Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our first stop is the Bay Model in Sausalito, a roughly 1.5-acre model of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta system. We visit The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, which pays tribute to over 100 years of surfing in the area. Our last stop is at Musée Mécanique where we meet the owner of this vast coin-operated collection. Additional Reading: 12 Off-Beat Museums in the Bay Area To Visit This Fall Santa Cruz Museum Shines Light on the History of Surfing Reported by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Bianca Taylor and Maggie Galloway. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Patricia Yollin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lake Tahoe is the backyard playground for many in the Bay Area, so earlier this year we asked the Bay Curious audience what questions they had about this recreational hot spot. We collaborated with TahoeLand, a podcast from Capital Public Radio, to answer them! – Are there dead bodies at the bottom of the lake? – What’s the story behind Tahoe Tessie? – What does it mean to keep Tahoe blue? – Why is keeping Tahoe blue important? Find more reporting on how climate change is impacting Lake Tahoe by checking out the TahoeLand podcast. Web story: Do Preserved Bodies Dwell in Lake Tahoe’s Depths?! The Truth Behind Tahoe’s Myths Reporting by Ezra David Romero, Sally Schilling and Emily Zentner. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Robert Speight, Katie McMurran and Paul Lancour. Additional support from Julie Caine, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Pat Yollin. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question or sign up for our newsletter at BayCurious.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in the 1960s, San Francisco had really bad television reception. By many accounts, it was the worst of any city in America. Good reception required a clear line of sight from the broadcast tower to your TV antenna, and in hilly San Francisco this was a challenge. Broadcasters began the hunt for a location to build a very tall tower that could send a clear TV signal far and wide. A site was selected and plans were drawn up — but not without a bounty of controversy. Read the full web story: Sutro Tower: The Origins of an ‘Eyesore’ Video from Jessica’s trip to the top: A Trip to the Top of Sutro Tower This episode first aired on Jan. 5, 2017. It features question asker Craig Rubens. === Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Adam Grossberg and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Julie Caine, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and Patricia Yollin. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question, vote in a voting round or sign up for our newsletter at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re in Berkeley and wander far enough up Marin Avenue, there’s no doubt you’ll run into the Fountain at The Circle. The grand Beaux Arts fountain has become a symbol of the neighborhood and has inspired numerous paintings and drawings. It even has its own Berkeley Public Library card design. But this fountain also symbolizes a big moment in Berkeley’s history, and how one developer’s dream almost changed California history forever. Reported by Maggie Galloway. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Julie Caine, Suzie Racho, Patricia Yollin, Carly Severn and Bianca Hernandez. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question or sign up for our newsletter at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It might seem like everyone thinks their local airport is the worst of them all: the longest security lines, the worst food, the most delays. But we in the Bay Area have good reason to complain. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, in 2018 SFO was the third-most-delayed major airport in the U.S. in terms of arrivals, with about 26 percent of arriving flights delayed. And that’s not unique to last year. Since 2010, SFO has consistently ranked in the top four of the most delayed airports, some years dipping as low as 69 percent of flights arriving on-time. Also, what’s the deal with the ‘O’ in SFO? Read the full web story on airport codes here: Why the ‘O’ in San Francisco’s Airport Code, SFO? Read the full web story on delays here: Why SFO Is Notorious For Delays Reported by Maggie Galloway and Jessica Placzek Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Maggie Galloway, Robert Speight, Katie McMurran, Paul Lancour and Ryan Levi. Additional support from Julie Caine, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey, Pat Yollin and David Weir. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question or sign up for our newsletter at BayCurious.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a recent visit to San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House, KQED listener Michelle Morby didn’t like what she saw. In the middle of the champagne-sipping, pre-performance throng, she spotted someone wearing jeans and white sneakers. “That to me is completely offensive,” Morby said. Morby is someone who likes to dress up when she goes out. “If I got a ticket to the opera tonight, I would pull out a silk jumpsuit. I would wear it with the tallest platform sandals that I have. And I would do my makeup, and I would wear all my jewelry,” she said. Like beauty, fashion is very much in the eye of the beholder. So the fashion faux-pas prompted Morby to ask Bay Curious the question, “Why has the Bay Area become the Casual Capital of the World?” Read the full web version: How the Bay Area Came to be a Hub for Casual Style Reported by Chloe Veltman Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Maggie Galloway, Robert Speight, Katie McMurran, Paul Lancour and Ryan Levi. Additional support from Julie Caine, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey, Pat Yollin and David Weir. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question or sign up for our newsletter at BayCurious.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Joseph Morales, an electrician from Chicago, moved to Emeryville this past winter, he found himself wondering: What’s with all the palm trees in the Bay Area? Like Joseph, they didn’t originate here. But they’re all over the place. Not that Joseph minds. “They remind me of vacation,” he says, “having a good time with a cold drink and sitting under a palm tree.” Then again: “Northern California doesn’t really seem to be the ideal location for palm trees. I’m expecting hot weather and sun and beaches. And there’s just palm trees and mountains and cold water. So it just seemed weird.” Read the full web version: Why Are There So Many Palm Trees in the Bay Area? Reported by Daniel Potter Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Maggie Galloway, Robert Speight, Katie McMurran, Paul Lancour and Ryan Levi. Additional support from Julie Caine, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey, Pat Yollin and David Weir. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question or sign up for our newsletter at BayCurious.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever had your late night revels ended abruptly by the bartender announcing last call just before 2 a.m. here in the Bay Area? If this strikes a chord, you’re not alone. California’s 2 a.m. last call frustrates a lot of people. KQED listener Tara Downey even gets a little embarrassed by it when out-of-town friends visit. “I have friends that live in New York, and so when they come back here it’s a little bit of a shock to them,” she explained. “They’re kind of like ‘OK, where do we go next?’ And… there’s not really an answer for that. We go home.” Now she wants to know why last call is so early in San Francisco compared to other big cities. Read the full web version: Think Bay Area Nightlife Ends Early? That Could Be About to Change Reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Maggie Galloway, Robert Speight, Katie McMurran, Paul Lancour and Ryan Levi. Additional support from Julie Caine, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey, Pat Yollin and David Weir. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question or sign up for our newsletter at BayCurious.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices