The Keller Fire, which ignited last Friday in the Oakland Hills, has been contained after burning 15 acres. It temporarily displaced more than 500 residents and damaged two homes. 

33 years ago — almost to the day — a much larger and more catastrophic fire burned through the Oakland Hills, killing 25 people and destroying thousands of buildings. It’s a stark reminder of what can happen when wildfires spread in an urban area. 

This episode originally aired on Oct. 20, 2021. 

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A new superintendent is taking the helm of the embattled San Francisco Unified School District as it faces a December deadline to close a $113 million budget deficit. That’s after a series of crises, including a botched process around school closures, led to the resignation of Superintendent Matt Wayne over the weekend.

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In Sonoma County, no ballot measure has gotten more attention than Measure J.

Put on the ballot by animal rights groups, Measure J would ban “Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations” in the county. It would be the first law of its kind in the nation. 

Supporters say this ban on so-called factory farms is an issue of animal welfare and environmental protection, while opponents see it as an existential threat to the farming economy.

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Night markets have exploded in popularity over the past few years in the Bay Area. Many local downtowns and shopping districts have invested in night markets as a way to regain the foot traffic of the pre-pandemic years. 

In this episode, we go to the Story Road Night Market in San Jose’s Little Saigon neighborhood to eat some delicious food and talk about whether night markets are here to stay.

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Voters in Alameda County and the city of Oakland could recall District Attorney Pamela Price and Mayor Sheng Thao in November. 

Price and Thao are progressives who some residents blame for issues like crime, homelessness, and drug use. Opponents say the recalls are undemocratic and unfairly target two women of color who took office less than 2 years ago.

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Online campaigning has changed dramatically since the early days of dial-up modems. In a new miniseries from KQED called Close All Tabs, internet culture journalist Morgan Sung takes us on a trip down digital memory lane to understand how internet culture is influencing this year’s election. 

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Deep East Oakland used to be a thriving community with movie theaters and bowling alleys. But the crack cocaine epidemic and decades of disinvestment hit the community hard. Now, a $100 million philanthropic investment is coming to this part of Oakland, and people from the community will decide how to use it. 

Reporter Olivia Cruz Mayeda joins us to talk about ‘Deep Down,’ a new series on KQED Arts and Culture that explores the hopes and dreams of Deep East Oakland residents as they look towards this new investment.

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Some Bay Area cities like Oakland and San Francisco use a system known as ranked choice voting in the November election. Ranked choice voting is also used in Alaska and Maine and dozens of other American cities.

Today, KQED Political Breakdown host Scott Shafer speaks with Lisa Bryant, professor of political science at California State University, Fresno, about how ranked choice voting works.

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One year ago, Hamas killed more than 1,200 people in an attack on Israel and took at least 250 hostages. In response, Israel’s bombardment and invasion of Gaza has killed more than 41,500 Palestinians and displaced millions. 

This conflict has sparked huge reactions all over the world, especially here in California. Today, we hear from four local residents about how it has affected them over the past year.

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10 years ago, Californians passed Prop. 47, which reclassified certain petty theft and drug possession crimes as misdemeanors instead of felonies. At the time, it was part of an effort to reduce prison overcrowding and promote alternatives to incarceration.

Supporters of Prop. 36 say that it's time to roll back parts of that ballot measure in order to address drug crimes and retail theft. Opponents fear that it will take money away from rehabilitation services and revive the War on Drugs.

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. Check out KQED’s Voter Guide for more information on state and local races.

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