Bay Curious

California has over 33 million acres of forest land, about a third of the state's total area, as well as other wild land areas. For decades we've done everything possible to suppress fires, but they just keep getting bigger and more destructive. And that's partly because of all our suppression efforts. KQED Science reporter Danielle Venton explains how different ecosystems are evolved to burn sometimes, much more often than they have of late.

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This story was reported by Danielle Venton. This episode of Bay Curious was made by Olivia Allen-Price, Annie Fruit, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, and Ana De Almeida Amaral. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan, and the whole KQED family.

Burying the dead in San Francisco has long been banned, but at the Presidio pet cemetery hundreds of dogs, cats, fish, iguanas, and turtles have been laid to rest. This week, Bay Curious Intern Ana De Almeida Amaral takes us to the Presidio to learn about the history of the pet cemetery and to ask "Can I bury my pet here?"

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Ana De Almeida Amaral. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, and Ana De Almeida Amaral. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan, and the whole KQED family.

One of San Francisco's purported “ghosts,” has a remarkable real-life story often left out of San Francisco's history books. Today we bring back an episode that first aired in 2018, about the remarkable, yet complicated life of Mary Ellen Pleasant.

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Reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Ana De Almeida Amaral and Christopher Beale. Additional support on this episode from Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Thanks also to Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED Family.

In 2014, Californians passed Prop 47, a criminal justice reform measure aimed at sending fewer low-level offenders for drug and theft crimes to prison. Now, Californians are being asked if they want to roll back some of those reforms, and increase the penalties. KQED Politics Correspondent and co-host of Political Breakdown Marisa Lagos takes us through the history, data and arguments of this prop.

This is the final episode in our 10-part Prop Fest series, examining the propositions on California's 2024 ballot. We'll be back to regular programming next week.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Marisa Lagos. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, and Ana De Almeida Amaral. The Bay is made by Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Jessica Kariisa. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan, and the whole KQED family.

As our Prop Fest series continues, KQED Health Correspondent Lesley McClurg joins us to explain Prop. 35, which aims to improve Medi-Cal access by making an existing tax on health insurance companies permanent and restricting the allocation of funds to certain Medi-Cal providers.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Lesley McClurg. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, and Ana De Almeida Amaral. The Bay is made by Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Jessica Kariisa. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan, and the whole KQED family.

Today, we take a closer look at Prop 34, which takes aim at how revenues earned through a federal drug pricing program are spent by a very specific number of providers. On the surface it seems like a healthcare prop, but underneath it all is a proxy war over rent control. Reporter Aaron Schrank, who has been covering Prop 34 for NPR member station KCRW in Los Angeles, helps us understand what’s at stake.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Aaron Schrank. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, and Ana De Almeida Amaral. The Bay is made by Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Jessica Kariisa. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan, and the whole KQED family.

For nearly 30 years, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act has limited how far local governments can take rent control policies. This year, Proposition 33 asks California voters if they'd like to remove those limits. While nothing happens overnight, if Prop 33 passes, it could open the door for cities to control rents on any type of housing – including single-family homes and newer apartments. KQED housing reporter Vanessa Rancaño joins us to explore the issues.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Vanessa Rancaño. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, and Ana De Almeida Amaral. The Bay is made by Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Jessica Kariisa. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan, and the whole KQED family.

As you know, California is already an expensive state to live in. When you add up rent, gas, and groceries, things get expensive real fast. Proposition 32 proposes one way to help Californians keep up with the rising cost of everyday life: By raising the state’s minimum wage to $18 an hour. But some worry, doing this will only make things even more expensive for everyone. KQED's Labor Correspondent Farida Jhabvala Romero takes us through it all.

Prop Fest is a collaboration from Bay Curious and The Bay podcasts, where we break down each of the 10 statewide propositions that will be on your November 2024 ballot.

Additional Reading:

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Farida Jhabvala Romero. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, and Ana De Almeida Amaral. The Bay is made by Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Jessica Kariisa. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan, and the whole KQED family.

In 1865, the U.S. ratified the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibited slavery and involuntary servitude — except as punishment for convicted crimes. That exception has allowed dozens of states, including California, to force incarcerated people to work in prisons, whether they want to or not. Proposition 6 would add an amendment to the California Constitution that would ban forced labor in prisons. KQED's arts and culture columnist Pendarvis Harshaw joins us to break it all down.

Prop Fest is a collaboration from Bay Curious and The Bay podcasts, where we break down each of the 10 statewide propositions that will be on your November 2024 ballot.

This episode has been updated to clarify the status of California's volunteer firefighter program.

Additional Reading:

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Pendarvis Harshaw. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, and Ana De Almeida Amaral. The Bay is made by Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Jessica Kariisa. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan, and the whole KQED family.

Bonds are a way for state and local governments raise money for projects—things like schools, infrastructure, or transportation. In part 4 of our Prop Fest series, a collaboration between Bay Curious and The Bay, we talk about Proposition 5. Prop 5 would lower the voting threshold to pass local bonds from two-thirds (66.67%) down to 55%—but only for bonds related to affordable housing and public infrastructure projects. It sounds pretty straightforward, but as we find out from reporter Adhiti Bandlamudi, it could have wider implications for taxpayers.

Editor's Note: This episode has been updated from a previous version to clarify ramifications of Proposition 13.

Additional Reading:

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Adhiti Bandlamudi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, and Ana De Almeida Amaral. The Bay is made by Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Jessica Kariisa. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan, and the whole KQED family.