Bay Curious

Bay Curious listener Erin Al Gwaiz wanted to know more about the time that famous Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera spent in San Francisco. In this episode, reporter Marisol Medina-Cadena immerses us in their world — exploring who they were, how they spent their time here, and ultimately how their legacy still resonates today.

Additional Reading:

Inside Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's Life in San Francisco

Book: Frida in America: The Creative Awakening of a Great Artist

Reported by Marisol Medina-Cadena. Frida Kahlo voice acting by Maria Pena. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Katie McMurran and Paul Lancour. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey and Vinnee Tong.

We've got food on the mind this week, so are bringing back one of our all-time favorite episodes! Dig into the science behind San Francisco sourdough, and get to know the bacteria that shares our name: Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis.

Additional Reading:

What Makes San Francisco Sourdough Unique?

Reported by Julia Scott. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey and Vinnee Tong.

August Vollmer was Berkeley's first police chief and is credited with pioneering many common aspects of policing used today. Listener Blake Schmidt wanted to know, is Berkeley responsible for the tactics and attitudes police are often criticized for?

Additional Reading:

 How a Berkeley Police Chief Gave Rise to the Modern Force

"The Imperial Origins of American Policing: Militarization and Imperial Feedback in the Early 20th Century" by Julian Go

The Invention of the Police by Jill Lepore

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Chris Hoff. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

For more than a century California has relied on incarcerated firefighters to help combat devastating wildfires. Bay Curious listener Brittany Powers wanted to know how much these firefighters are paid, and why it's so hard for them to find similar employment when they get out of jail. Brittany's question won our September voting round.

Additional Reading

What's Next For Incarcerated Firefighters in California?

Inmates Saved Homes in the Kincade Fire. They'll Face An Uphill Battle Getting Firefighting Jobs After Release

Shortage of Inmate Firefighters Hampers Response in Bay Area

Reported by Kevin Stark. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Rob Speight and Chris Hoff. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Are ballots counted by machines or humans? How sure are we there was no meddling with votes along the way? When do they stop counting ballots? What happens to ballots after they're counted? We explore these questions and more with KQED's Guy Marzorati.

Additional Reading:

When to Expect Election Results in the Bay Area

Featuring KQED politics reporter Guy Marzorati. 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.

What happened to the Donner Party survivors after they escaped the snowy Sierra? In this episode we explore how this notorious disaster struck deep at the heart of everything California held dear — and came to represent everything it wanted to forget.

This is part two in our two-part series. Part one recounts the Donner Party Saga in full -- the version you haven’t heard before. Find it now in the Bay Curious podcast feed.

Additional Reading:

Part II: Surviving the Donner Party -- California, Gold and Lifelong Secrets

Part I Endless Winter: A Fresh Look At The Donner Party Saga

Reported by Carly Severn. Featuring the voices of: Lina Blanco, Gabe Meline and Dan Brekke. 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.

You probably know the broad strokes of the Donner Party Saga: In 1846, a group of migrants traveling to California got stuck in a surprise October snow storm. After exhausting all their resources, they turn to cannibalism to survive. It's a grisly tale ... but the way it's often told is incomplete. We’ll delve into the details many leave behind.

This is part one in a two-part series. Part two follows the Donner Party survivors after they escaped the mountains, and explores the fallout for the entire state of California. Find it now in the Bay Curious podcast feed.

Additional Reading:

Part I Endless Winter: A Fresh Look At The Donner Party Saga

Part II: Surviving the Donner Party -- California, Gold and Lifelong Secrets

Reported by Carly Severn. Featuring the voices of: Lina Blanco, Gabe Meline and Mike Hanlon. 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.

Colin Nichols gets the official California voter guide in the mail like folks in 11 million other households. It got him wondering, who puts it together? And why does one guy -- Gary Wesley -- write so many of the arguments? This question won our February voting round.

Additional Reading:

 11 Million Households, 10 Languages -- That's Right, It's the Official Calif. Voter Guide: https://www.kqed.org/news/11842131

Bay Curious Prop Fest: https://www.kqed.org/propfest

KQED's Voter Guide: https://www.kqed.org/voterguide

Reported by Chloe Veltman. 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, Vinnee Tong, Michelle Wiley and Don Clyde.

Proposition 25 would eliminate the use of cash bail in California, replacing it with a threat assessment system using algorithms and judicial discretion. This episode is part of our Bay Curious Prop Fest series, which explores the 12 propositions on California's ballot. The series runs from Oct. 1-16, with new episodes dropping every weekday.

Additional Reading:

Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11842445

Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest

KQED Election Coverage: https://www.kqed.org/elections

Reported by Marisa Lagos. 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, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Proposition 24 would expand California's privacy laws, including the creation of a new state agency to regulate how companies collect and use consumer data. This episode is part of our Bay Curious Prop Fest series, which explores the 12 propositions on California's ballot. The series runs from Oct. 1-16, with new episodes dropping every weekday.

Additional Reading:

Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11842350

Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest

KQED Election Coverage: https://www.kqed.org/elections

Reported by Rachael Myrow. 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, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.