The Bay

The Caldor Fire continues to burn, and tens of thousands of people have evacuated areas around Lake Tahoe, including the 22,000 residents of the city of South Lake Tahoe. The fire is threatening homes, livelihoods, and a place that so many in California know and love.

Guest: Ezra David Romero, climate reporter for KQED

Episode transcript here: https://bit.ly/3mQugiP

This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Christopher Beale, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

Listen and subscribe to the TahoeLand podcast from Capital Public Radio here.

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In early August, 8 Bay Area counties reinstated mask mandates in indoor public spaces due to the spread of the Delta variant. Solano County was the only one that didn't.

Last week, the city of Benicia broke with the county by approving its own indoor mask mandate.

Today, we speak with the city's mayor about this decision, and what it says about differences within Solano County.

Guest: Steve Young, Mayor of Benicia

Transcript here: https://bit.ly/38oe6VJ

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It’s time to say goodbye to our host. Devin Katayama is leaving The Bay to become KQED’s first Editor of Talent and Development, where he'll help support interns and on-call staff develop their careers.

To commemorate his three and a half years on the show, The Bay team took a field trip to a couple of Devin's treasured spots in the Bay Area to reflect on his time on the show, and what's next for him.

Transcript here: https://bit.ly/3gErxFl

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When California voters look at their ballots for the Sept. 14 recall election, they will see 46 candidates who are running to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom. If a majority of voters mark “Yes” on the recall, Newsom will be removed from office, and 1 of these 46 people will become the state’s next leader.

Today, we’ll meet the top 6 candidates: Larry Elder, Kevin Faulconer, John Cox, Kevin Kiley, Caitlyn Jenner, and Kevin Paffrath.

Guest: Katie Orr, reporter with KQED’s Politics and Government Desk. 

To learn more about the recall election and the candidates mentioned in this episode click here. 

Transcript here: https://bit.ly/3DeJy6T

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In Santa Clara County, there are a series of controversies surrounding Sheriff Laurie Smith. They range from abuse in jails, to bribery — to even potential allegations of corruption and political influence.

Now some South Bay leaders are saying enough is enough. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo wants Smith to resign, and county supervisors want her office investigated. 

Guests: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED Silicon Valley reporter, and Alex Emslie, KQED criminal justice editor

Read the episode transcript here.

Follow The Bay to hear more local Bay Area stories like this one. New episodes are released Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 3 a.m.

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Several wildfires are burning in Northern California — again. Fire is now a regular part of our lives, and we need to address it with the nuance and complexity it deserves. 

But in order to do that, we need to rethink how we talk about and report on fire in the first place. Today, KQED Science reporter Danielle Venton shares what she’s learned in 6 years of wildfire reporting — and what needs to change.

More Resources:

Read the episode transcript here.

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The Bay Area is home to some of the largest Afghan communities in the U.S. And now, as the Taliban have taken over control of Afghanistan, refugee resettlement organizations here like Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay say the pace of people seeking refuge is "like nothing we've seen in recent years."

Guest: Fouzia Azizi, Director of Refugee Services for Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay

You can find opportunities to donate or help JFCS here.

Read the episode transcript here.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recall election is coming. Ballots have been mailed out and the last day to vote in Sept. 14.

Feeling unprepared? Here’s a primer with nitty-gritty voting details, some context for the campaign, and what you’ll find on your ballot from our friends at Bay Curious.

Transcript here: https://bit.ly/3sdB4I2

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For the vast majority of families, this fall means a return to in-person school. But some have opted to stick with remote learning because of concerns over COVID-19. And in many cases — including in Oakland — the rollout of virtual learning this time around has been rocky.

Guest: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED education reporter

Transcript here: https://bit.ly/3sgb8vn

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Bay Area teachers have been preparing to teach in-person again. There’s so much to get ready for — whether it’s taking steps to keep people safe from COVID-19, or figuring out how to navigate student group projects. But above all, these two Bay Area teachers are excited to return to what was lost: connecting in person with their students.

Guests: Andreanna Yanez-Vierra, 1st grade teacher at Hoover Elementary School in Burlingame; Ralph Bedwell, English teacher at Pinole Valley High 

Transcript here: https://bit.ly/3fRDmHO

Follow The Bay to hear more local Bay Area stories like this one. New episodes are released Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 3 a.m. Find The Bay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, NPR One or via Alexa. 

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