Bay Curious: Recent Episodes

KQED

Bay Curious is a show about your questions – and the adventures you find when you go looking for the answers. Join host Olivia Allen-Price to explore all aspects of the San Francisco Bay Area – from the debate over "Frisco", to the dinosaurs that once roamed California, to the causes of homelessness. Whether you lived here your whole life, or just arrived, Bay Curious will deepen your understanding of this place you call home.

The Claremont Hotel in Oakland was once the biggest hotel on the West Coast. With it’s castle-like architecture and primo views, it’s been a stomping grounds for celebrities and dignitaries since it opened in 1915. But in the years before and after Prohibition, the hotel lacked an amenity that might surprise you. It didn’t have a bar. Speculation has long flown around about why — and this week on Bay Curious we talk to the experts to set the record straight. Additional Reading:

A ‘No Booze Zone’ Around UC Berkeley? It’s Real — and Why the Claremont Hotel Was Dry for Decades

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This story was reported by Katherine Monahan. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

The San Mateo-Hayward Bridge is the longest bridge in California. But the one you drive across today is not the original bridge — that one was built in 1929. Reporter Rachael Myrow looks into the history of the first bridge to cross the San Francisco Bay, and what happened to it. Additional Reading:

The First San Mateo-Hayward Bridge was a Big Deal in 1929

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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 Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Attila Pelit and Holly Kernan.

At 3841 18th Street in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood sits a light blue Victorian, not unlike the countless other homes of that style in the city. Except this one is a major tourist destination—if you're French, that is. What makes this particular Blue House so special? We turn to NPR Culture Correspondent Chloe Veltman (who is half French herself) for the the very musical answer to this question. Additional Reading:

The San Francisco Landmark You’ve Never Heard Of … Unless You’re French

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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 Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Attila Pelit and Holly Kernan.

If you were walking down San Francisco’s Fillmore Street in the 1950s, chances are you might run into Billie Holiday stepping out of a restaurant. Or Ella Fitzgerald trying on hats. Or Thelonious Monk smoking a cigarette. In this episode, originally aired in 2020, reporter Bianca Taylor explores 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:

How ‘Urban Renewal’ Decimated the Fillmore District, and Took Jazz With It

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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 Bianca Taylor. This episode was produced by Katrina Schwartz and Asal Ehsanipour. Audio engineering was by Rob Speight and Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, and Holly Kernan.

California is aiming to be powered 100% by clean energy by 2045, but there’s still a long way to go. With 840 miles of coastline, could California turn to the ocean as a potential source of power? Reporter Holly J. McDede explores past and present attempts to harness the power of waves, and whether this technology may finally be about to crest. Additional Reading:

California Needs Renewable Energy. Could We Harness the Power of the Ocean?

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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 Holly J. McDede. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Attila Pelit and Holly Kernan.

If you're like most people, by now you've been inundated by buzz about the new movie, "Oppenheimer," which chronicles the life of the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb. When he was selected for the Manhattan Project, Oppenheimer was a professor at UC Berkeley. Science reporter Lesley McClurg looked into his time at Berkeley, and how he and the school itself helped to make the devices that ended WWII. Additional Reading:

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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 Brendan Willard. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Attila Pelit, and Holly Kernan.

Our question asker noticed the Bay Area has many professional men's teams but not a single women's or non-binary professional team. What gives? Smaller cities are able to pull it off, why can't we? In this episode we dive into the history of elite women's sports in the region. We'll learn about some professional teams from yesteryear, plus new efforts underway to make a women's team succeed here. Additional Links:

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by making a donation. This story was reported by Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

The office vacancy rate in downtown San Francisco is hovering around 30%. Meanwhile, thousands of people are living without shelter on city streets. Bay Curious listener Judith Gottlieb wonders if those empty offices can be converted into housing for people experiencing homelessness. In this episode of Bay Curious, we'll break down what it takes to turn an office into a home, and explore another option for housing people that is gaining more traction. Additional Reading:

Could Empty Offices in San Francisco be Converted to Homes?

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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 Pauline Bartolone. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

The martini is iconic. Not just because of James Bond, but the glass it’s served in, those neon signs in front of old school bars … it even has its own emoji. It was also created in the Bay Area, though where, specifically, is up for debate. As part of a collaboration with The California Report Magazine, reporter Bianca Taylor shakes up this story about the martini's origins for the series Golden State Plate. Additional Reading:

Golden State Plate: The Story of the Martini, Straight Up, With a Twist

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Join our Curious Cocktails event and learn to mix Bay Area-invented drinks

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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 Bianca Taylor. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

One of the first instances of rap lyrics being used during a criminal trial goes back to the early 90s, and the trial of legendary rapper Mac Dre. Dre is best known as one of the pioneers of 'hyphy' music, which helped put Bay Area hip-hop on the map. There’s a lot of lore around what happened during Mac Dre’s trial, so as part of That’s My Word, KQED’s yearlong project on Bay Area hip-hop history, reporter Jessica Kariisa set out to discover what really happened. Additional Reading:

Did Mac Dre Really Go to Prison Because of His Lyrics?

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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 Jessica Kariisa. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

People travel from all over the world to see California's beautiful redwood forests. But some of these spectacularly tall and long lived trees aren't doing as well as they once were, particularly the ones in urban settings. Reporter Dana Cronin explores what makes these magnificent giants so unique, and why they're facing growing challenges. Additional Reading:

The Bay Area's Famous Redwood Trees Are Struggling

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This story was reported by Dana Cronin. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

In May, Bay Curious published the book, "Bay Curious: Exploring the Hidden True Stories of the San Francisco Bay Area." It brings a fresh eye to some of our most popular podcast episodes, and covers brand-new, never-before-heard stories researched for the book. Host Olivia Allen-Price spoke to Alexis Madrigal on KQED Forum about how Bay Curious got its start, what’s in the new book and, perhaps most fun of all, we played trivia with call-in guests on the show. We had so much fun taping this segment that we really wanted to share it with you. So this week on Bay Curious, we're running a condensed version of that KQED Forum program.

Additional Links:

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Podcast: Olivia on East Bay Yesterday

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font and Christopher Beale. Special thanks to the entire KQED Forum team for this episode. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

The Iron Horse Regional Trail runs more than 30 miles through the San Ramon Valley. But many folks who walk or ride their bikes along this paved path may not know it used to be a railroad line. This week, reporter Amy Mayer rides the rails through locomotive history in the San Ramon Valley to learn how the trains may have shaped the surrounding cities. Additional Reading:

This 30-Mile East Bay Trail has Roots on the Railroad

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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 Amy Mayer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

This week we've got a two-question lightning round for you. First, reporter Pauline Bartolone investigates whether the growing popularity of zero emission vehicles is making a noticeable difference in Bay Area air quality. Then, video producer Anna Vignet looks into the history of a bridge with a strikingly similar appearance to the Golden Gate Bridge... in Portugal. Additional Reading:

Are Zero-Emission Vehicles Making a Dent in California's Air Pollution?

What's With the Golden Gate Bridge Lookalike in Lisbon?

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Check out our new Bay Curious book

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts These stories was reported by Pauline Bartolone and Anna Vignet. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, Brendan Willard and Jim Bennett. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

A group of Black ministers convinced a local Richmond developer to build homes that would be available to all Americans, including Black Americans, in the early 1950s long before the Fair Housing Act. We trace the history of that activism and the fate of the community over the decades.

Additional Reading:

Homes for All: Richmond's 1950s Attempt at Integrated Housing

To Place Our Deeds: The African American Community in Richmond, California, 1910-1963

An Exploration of Our History: The Story of North Richmond

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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 Ariana Proehl. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

UC Berkeley graduate student Ziad Shafi was surprised when he arrived in the Bay Area and saw that BART trains only have one route through San Francisco. He'd taken metro trains in Prague, Stockholm and Washington, D.C., where the route maps are shaped like spiderwebs — allowing riders to get in striking distance of anywhere in the city. But BART looks more like a tree. He asked: "Why do four of the five BART lines go all the way from West Oakland to Daly City together?" KQED transit editor Dan Brekke gives us some BART history and offers an outlook for what's next for public transit in the Bay Area. Additional Reading:

Podcast Episode: You're Really Really Curious About BART (Apple Podcasts)

Podcast Episode: Why Are BART Trains So Loud? (Apple Podcasts)

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Read the transcript here. Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Dan Brekke. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

The Bay Area has a vibrant and eclectic music scene, but when Jessica Kariisa moved here last year she couldn’t find many places playing the African dance hits she loves. But African music is her passion, so Jessica went on a mission to find it. You'll definitely want to turn the volume up for this episode! Additional Reading:

Finding Musical Gems in the Bay Area’s African Club Scene

A longer version of this story first appeared on Afropop Worldwide

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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 Jessica Kariisa. It was edited by Victoria Mauleon. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Oakland resident Paul Beach cares a lot about recycling. So, he was troubled to hear rumors that all his carefully sorted recyclables might be going into the landfill. He wants to know, how much of our recycling is actually getting recycled? Turns out, when it comes to plastic, not a lot. Additional Reading:

'You Can't Recycle Your Way Out': California's Plastic Problem and What We Can Do About It

California's Plastic Problem

Prop Fest playlist

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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 Monica Lam. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldaña, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Can spirits really speak to us from beyond death? That's what science editor and skeptic Jon Brooks has been wondering for 27 years, since he and a friend had an experience with a Ouija board that they just can't explain. After losing his mother, Jon decides to dust off the same board he used in 1995 and try to recreate the original experience with as much scientific rigor as one can manage while attempting to contact the dead. Additional Reading:

Did I Actually Contact a Dead Person? A Science Editor In Search of His Mother’s Ghost

You can read a transcript of the episode here

This story was reported by Jon Brooks. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu.

There’s no question that today, the nine-county Bay Area votes solidly blue. But it hasn’t always been this way. One of the most conservative Republican candidates ever picked, Barry Goldwater, was nominated right here in 1964. So, how did the Bay Area become a bastion of blue?

Additional Reading:

When and Why the Bay Area Became So Liberal

Political Breakdown Podcast

Prop Fest Series

KQED's 2022 Voter Guide

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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 Scott Shafer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Scott has lived all over the Bay Area and he still can't get over how different the weather can be from one place to another. He wants to know why the Bay Area has so many microclimates and where they are. And, as a bonus, we ask people in the know if the heat island affect is at play in Bay Area cities.

Additional Reading:

Why Does the Bay Area Have So Many Microclimates?

Why San Francisco Is So Windy and Foggy in the Summer

Find a transcript of the episode here

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

This story was reported by Daniel Potter. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 31 is a referendum on a law California legislators passed in 2020 that would ban the sale of favored tobacco products in retail outlets.

Additional Reading:

KQED Voter Guide

Find a transcript of the episode here

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

This story was reported by Leslie McClurg. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 30 is a climate measure meant to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions and fight air pollution. It would do that by taxing people who earn more than $2 million per year and using the revenue for electric vehicle rebates, charging infrastructure and wildfire prevention and suppression programs.

Additional Reading:

KQED Voter Guide

Read a transcript of this episode here

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

This story was reported by Kevin Stark. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 29 would require onsite licensed medical professional at kidney dialysis clinics and establishes other state requirements. Proponents say it's aimed at improving care. Opponents say it's an unnecessary and expensive regulation.

Additional Reading:

KQED Voter Guide

You can find a transcript of this episode here

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

This story was reported by Kevin Stark. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Christopher Beale, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 28 would guarantee a set amount of funding from the general fund goes to arts education.

Additional Reading:

KQED Voter Guide

Find a transcript of this episode here

Sacramento Bee interview with Austin Beutner

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Julia McEvoy. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Christiopher Beale, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. We're tackling Propositions 26 and 27 in one episode because they overlap in some ways. Propositions 26 and 27 will affect the way sports betting, and some other forms of gambling, are handled in the state of California.

Additional Reading:

KQED Voter Guide

Get a transcript of the episode here

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

This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Prop Fest 2022 breaks down all the statewide propositions on your ballot. Proposition 1 would solidify abortion and reproductive rights into the state constitution. If you thought abortion was already protected in California, you’re not wrong. But today we’ll learn why the California lawmakers who placed this on our ballot want to take things a step further, and we’ll dig into the details that have opponents concerned.

Additional Reading:

KQED Voter Guide

Read episode transcript here

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

This story was reported by April Dembosky. Prop Fest is made by the Bay Curious team, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard, in collaboration with The Bay team, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, and Maria Esquinca. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Bay Curious listener Katie Talda recently visited San Francisco's only indoor skating rink, the Church of 8 Wheels. The novelty of skating inside an old Catholic church left her wondering how the building went from house of worship to roller disco. We dig into a bit of San Francisco's skating history, and meet the man behind the Church of 8 Wheels, who's known by many as the 'Godfather of Skate.'

Additional Reading:

Wanna Try Roller Skating in San Francisco? Better Head to Church

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This story was reported by Amanda Font. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

This week we remember two amusement parks that have etched themselves into the imaginations of generations of Bay Area residents: Idora Park in Oakland and San Francisco's Playland at the Beach.

Additional Reading:

Idora Park and Playland-at-the-Beach: Bay Area Amusement Parks of a Bygone Era

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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 Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Bay Curious listener Julia Thollaug is a teacher in the coastal town of Montera. She stumbled on the remnants of a little town called Purissima, just south of Half Moon Bay, and wondered what happened to its residents. It's a ghost town now, but what went on there when it was thriving, and why did it die out?

Additional Reading:

Purissima: The Ghost Town Hidden Near Half Moon Bay

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If you love Bay Curious, consider donating to KQED podcasts for more great content! This story was reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Bay Curious listener Isabel Guajardo has long wondered what the Bay Area would have looked and felt like before European colonization. Specifically, she's curious to know what animals would have thrived here and what happened to them. It's a story of how attitudes about wildlife and land management practices profoundly influenced habitats.

Additional Reading:

Wolves, Bears and Jaguars: The Lost Animals of the Bay Area

A State of Change: Forgotten Landscapes of California by Laura Cunningham

As Big Basin Finally Reopens, Indigenous Stewardship Key Among Plans for Park's Rebirth

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by donating to KQED!

This story was reported by Amy Mayer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

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, which originally aired in December, 2020, 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, and Brendan Willard. Our social video intern is Darren Tu.

Russell City used to be a thriving community in the 1940s and 50s. But in the 1960s Alameda County and the city of Hayward used eminent domain to seize the land, evict the residents and build an industrial park. We hear stories from former Russell City residents about what it used to be like there.

Additional Reading:

Remembering Russell City: A Thriving East Bay Town Razed by Racist Government

Decades After 'Cultural Genocide,' Residents of a Bulldozed Community Get Apology from Hayward

Join us at KQED HQ for a live event featuring music and storytelling from Russell City!

Reported by Spencer Whitney and Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

If you do a lot of walking or hiking in Bay Area, there's a reasonable chance you've stumbled upon a labyrinth—a large, winding, self contained path lined with stones or bricks. Bay Curious listener, Kate, noticed there seemed to be a lot of them in the Bay Area, and wanted to know if there's any connection between them and why there are so many out here. This week, Amanda Font takes us on a journey into the labyrinth. Additional Reading: Why Are There So Many Labyrinths in the Bay Area?

Reported by Amanda Font. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and Holly Kernan.

Listener Nick Loey often drives between the Bay Area and Southern California. He's long wondered about the giant paintings that dot many Central Valley highways depicting scenes of farming and Americana. We talk to the artist who made them famous and get reaction from people living and working in agricultural communities about the art.

Additional Reading:

Is There A Story Behind Those Giant Paintings Off Central Valley Highways? Yes, and It's Fraught

Center for Farmworker Families

United Farm Workers Foundation

Join us in August for Bay Curious Trivia! We've got two dates: August 23 and 24.

Reported by Cesar Saldaña. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Darren Tu, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan.

Twenty-seven miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Farallon Islands jut out of the Pacific. On the clearest of days, the grouping of 20 islets is visible from shore. We dive into the history of these islands — from their earliest human visitors, to the people who have called them home over the decades. Then, we take a trip to the islands with reporter Izzy Bloom to learn about the animals that are thriving in this wildlife refuge. This episode answers a question from Bay Curious listener Ali Moghaddam. Learn more:

In Search of Whales (and Other Creatures) at the Mysterious Farallon Islands

Bay Curious: The Gold Rush Delicacy That Started a War—Eggs

Video: The Farallon Islands - "California's Galapagos"

Reported by Olivia Allen-Price and Izzy Bloom. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Darren Tu and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan.

Bay Curious listener Ken Katz noticed that many of San Francisco's current hospitals used to have names affiliated with ethnic groups, like the French hospital or the German hospital. We wondered why that trend existed and when it changed.

Additional Reading:

Why Were Many SF Hospitals Once Affiliated With Ethnic Groups?

Cast your vote in the next voting round

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, April Dembosky, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan.

Sharp Park in Pacifica was the site of a prison camp during World War II, where residents deemed "highly dangerous" were sent. It's lesser-known than the larger Northern California camps, like Tanforan or Tule Lake. In this episode, we learn what is known about this camp, and get to know some of the people who passed through its gates. Additional Reading:

Pacifica’s WWII Prison Camp Has Been Largely Erased, But It Was There

The Little-Known History of Japanese Internment on Angel Island

Reported by Adhiti Bandlamudi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan.

Take any popular dish – pizza, ice cream, hot dogs – and try to trace its origin story. Chances are, you’re going to go on a winding road with conflicting accounts of who actually invented the dish, or whether it was invented by one, single person at all. KQED’s Silicon Valley reporter Adhiti Bandlamudi recently ate a dish so mish-mashed with foods from different countries, that she found herself on a food origin story journey that led her across the world and then back to the Bay Area. Additional Reading: The Sizzler: The California Origin Story Behind One of India’s Flashiest Dishes

Reported by Adhiti Bandlamudi. Special thanks to Victoria Mauleon, Sasha Khokha and Suzie Racho for their work on this story. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan.

San Francisco has left a mark on American tattoo history. In today's episode, we learn about longtime Bay Area resident Ed Hardy's impact on the industry, and the evolution of tattooing in America. Share photos of your custom tattoo with us on Twitter using the hashtag #BayCurious or tweet them to @oallenprice. Additional Reading:

Are You Inked? How a San Francisco Tattoo Artist Changed the Industry

KQED Spark video on Ed Hardy

Reported by Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli, Chris Hoff and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan.

Monterey Jack cheese get its name from the nearby city of Monterey, but the city of Pacifica alleges it should really be called Pacifica Jack. On this week's episode, we get into the origin story behind this basic pantry cheese. Additional Reading: Move Over Monterey? Pacifica Lays Claim to Iconic Jack Cheese

Reported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Ethan Lindsey and Vinnee Tong.

Dawn Linhardt lives near Golden Gate Park and often wanders through the AIDS Memorial Grove at its eastern end. She finds it to be one of the most tranquil and secluded places in the park and wanted to know more about how it came to be. It's the story of a community finding new ways to come together and overcome loss.

Additional Reading:

Healing Through Nature at the National AIDS Memorial Grove

A Very Curious Walking Tour of Golden Gate Park

Reported by Amanda Stupi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

These days, the Golden Gate Park Polo Field in San Francisco is probably best known as the home to music festivals like Outside Lands. But for nearly 3 decades, polo matches were a regular sight on the field. Additional Reading:

Does Anyone Play Polo at the Golden Gate Park Polo Field Anymore?

Buy Tickets for our Japanese Tea Garden Walking Tour

Reported by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Thanks also to Sarah Rose Leonard, Lance Gardner, Kyana Moghadam, Amanda Font and Rebecca Kao for their help on this series.

The Murphy Windmill is one of the largest windmills outside of Holland. It, along with the smaller and older Dutch Windmill, once provided essential water for irrigating the park. Though they are no longer used, the park still spins them on special occasions. We take a tour inside! Additional Reading:

Golden Gate Park's Windmills Were Essential, Then Abandoned for Decades

Buy Tickets for our Japanese Tea Garden Walking Tour

Take a DIY walking tour of Golden Gate Park with our guide

Reported by Suzie Racho. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Thanks also to Sarah Rose Leonard, Lance Gardner, Kyana Moghadam, Amanda Font and Rebecca Kao for their help on this series.

The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park was originally built as a temporary exhibit for the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. But the public loved it so much that it became a permanent fixture of the park. It boasts a tasty claim to fame in the origins of the fortune cookie. Additional Reading:

The Japanese Tea Garden: A Beloved S.F. Landmark With A Troubling Past

Unwrapping the California Origins of the Fortune Cookie

Join us for a walking tour of the Japanese Tea Garden with Sango Tajima

Take our DIY "Very Curious Golden Gate Park Walking Tour"

Reported by Olivia Allen-Price and Suzie Racho. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Amanda Font, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Bison once roamed the West, but settlers hunted them to the brink of extinction in the 19th century. A captive breeding program operated in Golden Gate Park helped the species rebound. Today’s bison aren’t used for breeding anymore, but they remain one of the park’s popular attractions. Additional Reading:

What's With the Bison in Golden Gate Park?

How Bison are Saving America's Lost Prairie

Buy Tickets for our Japanese Tea Garden Walking Tour

Take a DIY walking tour of Golden Gate Park with our guide

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Thanks also to Sarah Rose Leonard, Lance Gardner, Kyana Moghadam, Amanda Font and Rebecca Kao for their help on this series.

Bay Curious listener Will Kardas heard once that it was a magical combination of spit and manure that allowed early San Franciscans to tame the sand dunes that became Golden Gate Park. We've got the true story behind the myth and more on the early history of this urban gem. This is the first in a six-part series that explores the history behind some of our favorite features in the park. We kick off the series in our podcast feed on May 26, with new episodes appearing daily from May 30 to June 3.

Additional Reading:

Golden Gate Park Was Once Miles and Miles of Sand Dunes

Buy Tickets for our Japanese Tea Garden Walking Tour

Reported by Katrina Schwartz and Olivia Allen-Price. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Carly Severn, Amanda Font, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Sabrina McQueen grew up in Walnut Creek and would often see people driving around in purple limos. The locals call them "Purple People," and she's been wondering about them for decades. The group's official name is Lafayette Morehouse and they're one of the few 1960s-era intentional living communes that have survived the decades.

Additional Reading: This Bay Area Sex-Loving Commune Is Still Going Strong

Reported by Jon Brooks. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Jen Chien, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Former Menlo Park resident Jim Timmons remembers the park around the Stanford Dish fondly. It has tons of wildlife and great views. But he wants to know more about the massive satellite dish in the middle of it. The 1960s-era parabolic antenna radio telescope was built to keep tabs on the Russian space program at the height of the Cold War. It's still used for research.

Additional Reading

No, the Stanford Dish Isn't Listening For Aliens, But It Was Designed to Spy on Russia

Sign up for Bay Curious' monthly email newsletter

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Carly Severn, Jen Chien, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

If you see someone wearing a pair of pristine, gleaming white sneakers do you ever ask yourself: How do they keep their shoes so clean? We dig into sneaker culture with a couple of self-identified sneakerheads from John Henry High School in Richmond. And learn how internet influencers play a part.

Additional Reading:

Colorways, Hypebeasts and Influencers: Bay Area Teens Talk Sneakerhead Culture

More Youth Takeover Stories

Reported by Arline Villagres and Victor Rodriguez. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Amanda Vigil, Emiliano Villa, Carly Severn, Jen Chien, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Millions of people are evicted each year, often because they can't pay rent. That causes a cascade of problems and makes it harder for many to get back on their feet. The KQED podcast Sold Out: Rethinking Housing In America has produced a special series on evictions in the Bay Area. Today we present an excerpt of their work that looks at the history, promise and drawbacks of the biggest rental assistance subsidy available to low-income people -- Section 8.

Additional Reading:

For Many Tenants Section 8 Is A Broken Promise. Fixing It Could Help Keep More People Housed

SOLD OUT Podcast

Reported by Molly Solomon and Erin Baldassari. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Kelly, Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Jen Chien, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Listener Tadd Williams often sees the 16th Street Station from I-880. It's a huge, stately building in the Beaux-Arts style. It's looking a little rundown now, but it clearly was grand at one time. He wants to know about its past lives, and wow was this spot important to West Oakland's Black community and the Civil Rights Movement.

Additional Reading

How Oakland's 16th Street Station Helped Build West Oakland and the Modern Civil Rights Movement

Legacy of the Pullman Car Porters

Thanks to the Newberry Library in Chicago for use of archival audio from the Pullman Railroad Company Records.

Bay Curious listener Rich Wipfler loves cars. So when he read that back in 1975 the museum that would become SFMOMA held a soapbox derby where local artists showed off wild, zany homemade creations careening downhill, he need to know more. We take you behind the scenes to meet the artists who starred in it. And, as luck would have it, the event is finally happening again -- April 10, 2022. Be there.

Additional Reading:

Wacky, Homemade Cars Will Soon Roll Down the Hill in SF's McLaren Park

Amanda Pope's documentary: The Incredible San Francisco Artists' Soapbox Derby

Reported by Mary Franklin Harvin. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

When Victoria Eng did a web search for her Duboce Triangle avenue she learned something curious. “It popped up on a list as an intersection of a privately owned street nearby.” That got her wondering why San Francisco has private streets at all. “Who owns these streets and why would someone want to own one of these streets?” She asked. Today we dive into a private street primer, and revisit one of the city’s most notorious private street sagas. Additional Resources:

Sign up for our monthly newsletter to hear about future events

What Is A Private Street and Why Are There So Many in San Francisco?

Reported by Vanessa Rancaño. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli, Brendan Willard and Ceil Muller. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Shellmounds are man-made mounds of earth and organic matter that were built up by humans over thousands of years. They were created by the people native to the San Francisco Bay Area. One archeologist estimated there were more than 425 shellmounds in the Bay Area at one point. Paul Gilbert wants to know what happened to them. Additional Reading

There Were Once More Than 425 Shellmounds in the Bay Area. Where Did They Go?

Who Were the First People to Live in the Bay Area?

Court rules a 260-unit apartment complex can go up at 1900 Fourth St., a site the Ohlone consider sacred

Reported by Laura Klivans. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

The Mission District is one of San Francisco’s most famed neighborhoods -- and one of its oldest. It’s lived a lot of lives, from the Yelamu native people to the Spanish missionaries, and then waves of European immigrants. So then how did it become the center for the Latino community? Bay Curious intern Sebastian Mino-Bucheli tells us the story. Additional reading Latinos in La Misión: A Story of Resistance and Community

Reported by Sebastian Miño-Buchli. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Eric Johnson has been trying to explore more areas of San Francisco. He discovered the Filbert Steps on Telegraph Hill one beautiful spring day and it got him wondering what it's like to live there. Are there special rules homeowners have to follow? We met up with some residents to find out, discovering a whole lot more about this tight-knit community along the way. Additional Reading:

How the Filbert Steps Came to Be an Oasis in San Francisco

Where Did the Wild Parrots of San Francisco Come From?

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Jen Chien, Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Bay Curious listener Matt Leonard asked: "What's the deal with San Francisco's trash cans? Why are they so unwieldy and why does it seem like it's so hard to get them replaced?" The answer takes us into the belly of San Francisco's Mohammed Nuru corruption case. On the upside, we'll get to know the new trash can prototypes. Additional Reading:

The Sordid Saga of San Francisco's Trash Cans (with prototype photos)

San Francisco's Unfolding Web of Corruption: A Cartoon Interactive

Vote in our March Public Voting Round

Reported by Christopher J. Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli, Vanessa Rancaño and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

When California became a state in 1850, it entered the union as a state that would not allow slavery. That's the history most people know. But in reality, California did allow slavery and its early leaders sided with the South and the rights of enslavers through a litany of early laws. The effects of that racist foundation are still being felt by people of color in California today. Additional Reading:

California Celebrates Its History As a 'Free State.' But There Was Slavery Here

KQED coverage of the Reparations Task Force work

Stacey L. Smith discusses California's legacy of slavery on Forum

Gold Chains: The Hidden History of Slavery in California (ACLU podcast)

Reported by Otis Taylor and Lakshmi Sarah. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

You might consider the 1960 Winter Olympics in Lake Tahoe a quaint affair compared to what's going on in Beijing right now, but these games had an outsize impact on televised sports, snow sports along the West Coast, and subsequent Olympic Games. Yet that these Games were even held in Tahoe is a bit of a miracle. Additional Reading: 'The World Was Shocked': How the Winter Olympics Came to Tahoe in 1960

Reported by Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Editing help on this episode from Victoria Mauleon and Katrina Schwartz. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Located at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Derby streets in Berkeley, The Rainbow Sign was a Black-centered space that was open to all — as a performance venue, a political organizing nexus and a legendary cafe. It saw dozens of high-profile Black luminaries walk through its doors, including James Baldwin, Nina Simone, Maya Angelou and Shirley Chisholm. The Rainbow Sign opened its doors in 1971, but was forced to shut down just six years later. Despite its short existence, the venue left an indelible mark on many young people in the community, including Vice President Kamala Harris. Bay Curious is presenting this episode from The California Report Magazine, a KQED radio program and podcast. Subscribe to their podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for more stories from around California. Additional Reading:

Remembering The Rainbow Sign: The Short But Powerful Reign of Berkeley's 1970s Black Cultural Center

Archive material from The Rainbow Sign curated by students at UC Berkeley

Reported by Sasha Khokha and Marisa Lagos. The California Report Magazine is made by Victoria Mauleon, Sasha Khokha, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Toven-Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

If you're out for a walk along the Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline at low tide, you might see the bones of an old ship poking out of the mud. How did it get there and what kind of life did it have? Additional Reading:

How Did a 184-Foot Long Shipwreck Wind Up Grounded in the Carquinez Strait

Martinez Historical Society resources on the Forester

National Maritime Museum archived materials on the Forester

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

A lot of us are cleaning out our closets these days, getting rid of the stuff we don't wear and maybe even downsizing. But what do you do with all those old clothes? And, can stained or ripped clothes be recycled? We've got answers.

Additional Reading:

How to Responsibly Purge Your Closet in the Bay Area

What Can You Do With Used Clothing Not Suitable for Donation?

Reported by Sarah Craig. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Western monarch butterflies migrate to California to overwinter each year, traveling hundreds, even thousands of miles When they arrive, they need nectar flowers and milkweed to survive, but climate change, pesticide use and loss of habitat are threatening these magical creatures. A Bay Curious listener named Ellea wants to know what we can do to help support the Monarchs and other pollinators. One major learning from this episode: It's illegal to rear monarchs without a permit! Additional Reading How You Can Help Save the Monarch Butterfly and Other Pollinators

Reported by Amanda Stupi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Bay Curious newsletter reader Mike Robbins wrote to us saying he has thousands of dollars in toll violations and penalties. The number seemed so high we were incredulous. But, it turns out if you miss a few toll invoices, or don't pay them quickly enough, it's easy for a $6 or $7 toll fee to escalate into thousands of dollars of debt. We explain how and what's being done about it. Additional Reading

Hit With Bridge Toll Debt? We Explain the Change That's Led to Skyrocketing Bills for Drivers

'High Pain, Low Gain': How Bridge Toll Penalties Pile Debt on Lower-Income Drivers

Ways to Pay Your Toll, Invoice or Violation

Reported by Dan Brekke. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

When trying to identify a San Francisco accent, sometimes people point to the "Mission Brogue." But San Franciscans have always had many ways of speaking. Naming just one the San Francisco accent says more about who has political power than how people speak. Additional Reading:

Why the Myth of the 'San Francisco Accent' Persists

Uncovering the Real Story Behind the 'East Bay Mystery Walls'

Tunnels Under San Francisco? Inside the Dark, Dangerous World of the Sewers

Reported by Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

The Bay Area is full of World War II history, even if it isn't always obvious. Listener Lise Ciolino stumbled on some in her Sausalito neighborhood when she learned that during the war there was a huge shipyard there. She wants to know "how the Liberty Ships produced in Sausalito affected the outcome of World War II." Additional Reading

How Black Shipyard Workers in Marin Helped Win World War II

Rapping About the WWII Black Shipyard Workers in Marin

"A Way Out of No Way" on Spotify

Reported by Pendarvis Harshaw and Marisol Medina-Cadena. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Ceil Muller, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Lenore Kenny has noticed an uptick in autonomous vehicles on the streets of San Francisco in recent months. Specifically, she's seen a lot of white Jaguar SUVs with "Waymo" stamped on the sides. We dig into why there are more driverless cars on the road now and what they're doing. Additional Reading:

You're Not Imagining It: There Are More Driverless Cars in SF Now

Come play trivia with us on December 8, 2021.

Reported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Kindergartner Caleb Whan is fascinated by whales. He wants to know all about what they eat and where they live. We've got answers for him and for another Bay Curious question asker, Ellea, who wonders why more whales have been washing up dead on Bay Area beaches in recent years. Additional Reading:

More Whales Are Washing Up Dead on Bay Area Beaches. Why?

The Biggest Whales Can Eat the Equivalent of 80,000 Big Macs in One Day

Sign up for Bay Curious Trivia December 8, 2021!

Reported by Amy Mayer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Christopher Cox, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Bay Curious listener Ron Hewlett heard a rumor that several alleys in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood are named for Gold Rush era sex workers. He wondered if it was true. Plus, why does San Francisco stamp the names of streets into the sidewalks? There's a lot in a name, folks! Additional Reading:

Were S.F. Streets Really Named After Gold Rush Era Sex Workers?

Why Are Street Names Stamped Into S.F Sidewalks?

Come play trivia with the Bay Curious team on Dec 8th, 2021!

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

If you’ve grown up with the legend of La Llorona, you might be surprised to see how she’s depicted in a two-story mural at 24th and York Street in San Francisco’s Mission District. Instead of the ghost of a wailing woman, crying out for the very children she murdered, in this mural La Llorona is a protector of children, and she reflects the environmental struggles of women around the world. In today’s episode we delve into modern interpretations of La Llorona, and how she has revealed herself as a feminist icon. Additional Reading: Learn more about Juana Alicia's "La Llorona's Sacred Waters" on her website

Reported by Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Edited by Carly Severn and Olivia Allen-Price. Special thanks to Lina Blanco, Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí, Erika Aguilar and Gabriella Frenes. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

We recommend you listen to this episode on headphones. Join us around the campfire to hear three ghost stories, some of them decades old, and all of from right here in the Bay Area. Featuring Wes Leslie of The Haunt Ghost Tours, Tommy Netzband of Haunted Haight Walking Tour and the San Francisco Ghost Society and storyteller JP Frary. Additional Reading

Ghost Stories and Macabre Tales to Binge This Halloween

Chilling Histories of California Event at KQED

Bay Curious Newsletter Sign-Up

Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Toven-Lindsey, Vinnee Tong, Don Clyde and Jenny Pritchett.

Listener Clayton Schloss sent Bay Curious this question: "Why do so many people have bumper stickers on their cars from the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz? What is that place?" Reporter Amanda Font takes us on a journey to "the Spot," where perception appears to bend reality. Additional Reading/Listening:

What's Behind One of California's Most Ubiquitous Bumper Stickers?

The California Report Magazine Podcast

Reported by Amanda Font. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Help on this episode from Suzie Racho, Victoria Mauleon, Sasha Khokha. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

This week on the show, we hear the tale of the Bay Bridge Trolls, who have been keeping the Bay Bridge safe since 1989. Plus, we get to know more about an oft-overlooked but very cool dragon sculpture on the Broadway Tunnel in San Francisco. It's a transit sculpture special! Photos and Additional Reading:

The Tale of the Bay Bridge Troll

Hiding In Plain Sight: The Dragon Sitting on Top of S.F's Broadway Tunnel

Reported by Christopher Beale and Rae Alexandra. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

You'll find millions of graves in Colma, but hardly any in San Francisco. This week on Bay Curious we dig into the history on how that came to be. Plus, we'll get to know more about some of the famous people buried in Colma. Additional Reading:

Why Are There So Many Graves in Colma? And So Few in San Francisco?

MAP: Where to Find Some of the Most Famous People Buried in Colma

Reported by Jon Brooks and Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Drive around downtown Redwood City and you're sure to see the city slogan on a big arching signs: "Climate Best by Government Test." The slogan caught the attention of Lauren Tankeh of San Carlos, who wanted to know if it's true. “Does Redwood City actually have the best weather?” Today on the show we look at the history of the town slogan. Plus: We answer a question from another listener about the origins of Los Gatos. It's a Peninsula special! Additional Reading: Can Redwood City Really Boast "Climate Best By Government Test”? Yes and No...

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Isabeth Mendoza, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Christopher Cox, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

When Krisi Riccardi was a girl, her father used to take her on leisurely Sunday drives down Highway 1. She'd enjoy the beautiful scenery until they hit Pacifica, where something odd always caught young Krisi’s attention — a stone castle perched high on the hill. Not exactly what you'd expect to find in a laid-back beach town. “As I got older we would walk up to this castle and walk around it. I’ve never been inside, but I looked over the wall. I’m now 68 and I always wondered what the history was of this castle,” Krisi said. She isn’t the only one curious about this place. Her question won a Bay Curious voting round. Today, Katrina Schwartz takes us inside the castle to explore why it was built, and the many lives this place has lived. Additional Reading:

Rum Running, Ghosts and Speakeasies: The Many Lives of Pacifica’s Castle

Sam Mazza Foundation website

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Isabeth Mendoza, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Terese O'Malley commuted across the Richmond-San Rafael bridge for years, and always wondered about a landmark visible from the bridge: San Quentin State Prison. The maximum-security prison sits on a primo piece of waterfront property in Marin County that would likely sell for an unfathomable sum in today's market. "How did Marin end up with San Quentin prison?" she asked Bay Curious. And why hasn't it moved? Editor's Note: We finished production on this week’s story about San Quentin prison in February 2020, just before Coronavirus took hold. In the months that followed, a few cases at the prison grew to more than 2,200. Ultimately two-thirds of people at San Quentin got infected, and 29 people died. It was one of the deadliest outbreaks in the nation’s prison system. Things have mostly turned the corner now that the majority inside are vaccinated, but questions remain about how things were handled. Long term effects from the outbreak are still being felt. In addition to our episode, we encourage you to listen to The Bay's episode from April about life at San Quentin today. Additional Resources:

The Lasting Impact of COVID-19 in San Quentin State Prison (The Bay podcast episode)

Court Hearing Examines Whether San Quentin’s Deadly COVID-19 Outbreak Could Have Been Prevented

Reported by Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Isabeth Mendoza, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Christopher Cox, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

We’re looking at four big solutions California could tackle that would help us survive a megadrought. We're talking stuff like changes to our infrastructure and reprioritizing how we use water throughout the state. Additional Reading:

12 Important Things to Know About California's Drought

One of the Most Important New Water Laws in 50 Years Explained

Will California Drought Force Changes in Historic Water Rights?

Reported by Ezra David Romero. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Buchelli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kevin Stark, Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

A lot of listeners, including Steve Held, want to know why Bay Area cities aren't investing more in desalination plants as a long term fix to our water problems. We’re a state with 840 miles of coastline. Most of our big population areas are near the ocean. Why don’t we have more desalination plants? In this episode, we'll also talk about wastewater recycling and water budgeting. Additional Reading:

What Can Local Water Agencies Do to Boost Water Supply? (Transcript)

Desalination's Future in California Is Clouded by Cost and Controversy

KQED's Desalination archive

Water Recycling Comes of Age in Silicon Valley

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kevin Stark, Bianca Taylor, Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Isabeth Mendoza, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Even though California’s population has grown since 2017, we’re using 16% less water. Good job everyone! We’ve already made some big strides in water conservation that are paying off. Today, we’re going to look at more ways individuals can conserve water at home. Additional Reading:

Three Big Ways to Save Water at Home

12 Simple Ways to Conserve Water at Home During a California Drought

Reported by Nina Sparling. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Kevin Stark, Katie McMurran and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Isabeth Mendoza, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

We've been flirting with exceptional drought on and off in California for many years now. Bay Curious listener Nicholas Hardy is wondering if it's time to call it a megadrought. That got us wondering: what is a megadrought and are we in one? Additional Reading:

Is California In A Megadrought? (Transcript)

Megadrought Conditions Not Seen For 400+ Years Have Returned to the West, Scientists Say

Reported by Amy Mayer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Kevin Stark, Katie McMurran and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Isabeth Mendoza, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

For most of us in the Bay Area, the journey our water takes to reach us is hidden from view. It travels long distances, sometimes more than a hundred miles! That can leave us disconnected from the source. We go about our days oblivious to how precarious our water resources might be. Today we’re going to answer what seems like a really simple question: where does our water come from? Because where your city gets its water has a lot to do with how you’re experiencing the drought right now. Additional Reading

Bay Area: Do You Know Where Your Water Comes From?

Russian River Drought: Sonoma and Mendocino Residents Save the Little Water They Have

San Jose Relies On Water From the Sierra Nevada. Climate Change Is Challenging That System

Gripped By Drought, Marin Considers Desalination, Water Pipeline Over the Richmond Bridge

Reported by Ezra David Romero. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Buchelli, and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kevin Stark, Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Prichett.

California is in drought. Again. And the infrastructure used to sustain the state's 40 million residents — and $50 billion agriculture industry — hasn't kept up with new climate patterns. In Episode 1 of our State of Drought series we explore why some experts say changing our mindset about drought may be the hardest, and best, thing we can do to survive a hotter, drier future. Additional Reading:

How Should We Be Thinking About A Hotter, Drier Future? (Transcript)

A Delta In Distress

Will California Drought Force Change to Historic Water Rights?

Dutch Crunch is a common find at Bay Area sandwich shops, but get 10 miles outside of the Bay and that option disappears. Jonathan Hillis and Lauren Alexander sent this question to the Bay Curious team: “Where does Dutch Crunch bread come from? How does everyone know about San Francisco sourdough, but not about the Bay Area’s best bread?” Reporter Amanda Font took on the task to bring us the goods. Additional Reading: Dutch Crunch: A Bay Area Favorite, But Not a Bay Area Original

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

You may have thought we were done with elections for a little while, but there's another big one coming up. On September 14th, Californians will vote on whether or not to recall Governor Gavin Newsom. Here's a primer with nitty-gritty voting details, some context for the campaign, and what you'll find on your ballot. Additional Reading:

Your Guide to the Gavin Newsom Recall Election

How to Make Sure Your Mail-In Ballot Isn't Rejected

Please take the Bay Curious survey!

Reported by Guy Marzorati. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Bay Curious listener Ricky Tjandra used to work helping international students find families to stay with in the Bay Area. In Daly City, he worked with many Filipino families, which got him wondering how the city became such a hub for Filipino Americans. Additional Reading

In Daly City, the Bayanihan Spirit Is Alive and Well

Little Manila: Filipinos in California's Heartland

Little Manila Perseveres: How FilipinX Leaders in Stockton Are Organizing For the Next Generation

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

Daly City is only eight square miles, but it's one of the densest cities in the US. There are a few factors behind this, but one of the most interesting is the design of the houses. But it's not all building hacks in this episode, there's a darker past to some of Daly City's housing too. Additional Reading:

How Daly City Became One of the Most Densely Populated Cities in the Country

Richard Rothstein on KQED's Forum discussing his book The Color of Law

Little Boxes: The Legacy of Henry Doelger by Robert Keil

Reported by Amanda Stupi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho, Brendan Willard, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Chris Hoff. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Lena Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

Little Boxes: The Legacy of Henry Doelger

When it comes to cultural exports of the Bay Area, Hyphy is in a league of its own. The subgenre of hip hop has an up-tempo, hyperactive beat that makes you want to dance. In the early 2000s, artists like E-40 and Too $hort had audiences around the world loving this distinctly Bay Area sound. But where did that sound come from? And what was Hyphy culture like more broadly? Today we bring you an episode from KQED's Rightnowish, hosted by Pendarvis Harshaw. He speaks with music producer Trackademicks. Subscribe to Rightnowish for more on Bay Area arts and culture. Reported by Pendarvis Harshaw. Produced by Marisol Medina-Cadena. Edited by Jessica Placzek and Vanessa Rancano. Engineering by Ceil Muller and Brendan Willard. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

Bay Curious listener Héctor Pérez has long wondered about the first people to call the Bay Area home. He wants to know what life was like for them and what happened to them. Additional Reading:

Who Were the First People to Live in the Bay Area?

The Bay Area During the Ice Age (Think Saber-Tooth Cats and Mammoths)

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

This summer is shaping up to be really dry. Water officials around the Bay Area are asking people to conserve and wildfires are already burning throughout the state. The Bay Curious team is cooking up some episodes about the situation and we want to hear from you. Enter your question in the blue box at the top of baycurious.org or leave us a voicemail at 415-553-3334. Thanks! The Bay Curious Team

This week, we take on a question from the sixth graders at East Oakland's Life Academy of Health and Bioscience. Many of them live near Interstate 880. They've seen lots of big rigs on I-880 but none on nearby I-580, which runs parallel but closer to the hills. They want to know why. Additional Reading:

Trucks are Banned on Oakland’s I-580. These Sixth Graders Wondered Why

Asthma Rates Higher in California's Historically Redlined Communities, New Study Finds

Reported by Laura Klivans. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kevin Stark, Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Isa Mendoza, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

It’s arts appreciation week on Bay Curious! We take on questions about the tension between the creative freedom in the Bay vs commercial acclaim in the theater world, dig into the musical legacy of Mills College and find out what happened to Beach Blanket Babylon's outarageous costumes since the musical closed. Additional Reading:

Is the Bay Area Known For Its Theater Scene? Depends on Who You Ask

You've Heard Experimental Sounds From Mills College (Even If You Don't Realize It)

Preserving the Legacy of 'Beach Blanket Babylon' One Hat at a Time

Here's Why the Bay Area's Theater Scene is Amazing Right Now (Bold Italic)

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

Most Bay Area residents know about the long established Chinatowns in San Francisco and Oakland, but did you know that San Jose used to have a Chinatown? In fact, it’s had FIVE throughout its history. Why isn’t there a Chinatown in San Jose today? Additional Reading:

San Jose Had 5 Chinatowns. Why Did They Vanish

The Fairmont Hotel Was Built on the Arson-Ravaged Ruins of San Jose's Chinatown

Reported by Adhiti Bandlamudi. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Isa Mendoza, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

As soon as the Bay Bridge was completed in 1936, people wanted a second bridge. Even back then, traffic was terrible. Did you know the great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed a bridge to cross the San Francisco Bay? This week, why Wright's vision for that second bridge never materialized. Additional Reading:

The Beautiful Bay Bridge Frank Lloyd Wright Never Got to Build

Another Bay Bridge? 70 Years of Absurd, Crazy and Downright Dumb Span Plans

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Isa Mendoza, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

If you head to Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve above Oakland, you might wonder the same thing as Bay Curious listener Bourke MacDonald: How did a volcano form here and why did it go extinct?Today on the show, we’re going hiking to learn more about this Bay Area geological wonder. Additional Reading:

What! There Was A Volcano in the East Bay Hills?

Video: Geology Tour with Steve Edwards at Sibley

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez.

Bay Curious listener David Mattea grew up in foggy Daly City. He remembers his family driving down the Peninsula to get some sun at a man-made beach on the Stanford campus. He wants to know what happened to it? Well, Searsville Lake is no longer open to the public, but rumors about the place are plentiful, including one about Leland Stanford flooding a town to create it, Additional Reading:

The Real History Behind The Myths and Mysteries of Stanford's Searsville Lake

Why Can't You Swim In Most Bay Area Lakes?

Vote for what we should cover next!

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez.

During the Gold Rush, people flocked to the San Francisco Bay Area to make their fortunes. A few entrepreneurial folks realized seabird eggs could provide protein to the hungry miners. Matthew Tuckner heard there was even a war fought over eggs on the Farallon Islands and wanted to know more.

Additional Reading:

The Gold Rush Delicacy That Started A War: Eggs

The Kitchen Sisters Present podcast

When California Went to War Over Eggs (Smithsonian Magazine)

Originally reported by Nikki Silva and Davia Nelson for The Kitchen Sisters Present. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

Bay Curious listener Jaimie Cohen wants to know: "Why are there restaurants that serve Chinese food, doughnuts and burgers all in one location? And why are there so many of them in the Bay Area?" We found that it's a uniquely Californian combination with an unexpected history. Additional Reading:

Why Donuts + Chinese Food = A Very Californian Combination

'The Donut King' official trailer (Premiering on KQED May 24th)

Reported by Asal Ehsanipour. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Brendan Willard, Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Marnette Federis.

Bay Curious listener Chris Johanson wants to know whether the Nike Missile site in the Marin Headlands ever housed nuclear weapons. It's true. Veterans say the Cold War missile batteries that ringed the Bay Area housed warheads that more than equaled the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs combined. Additional Reading:

Marin Was Once Armed With Nuclear Missiles, Luckily They Were Never Deployed

Reported by Craig Miller. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

Many people in our community are experiencing homelessness -- about 35,000 throughout the Bay Area at last count. Matthew Schmitz was shocked by how wealth and poverty exist side by side when he moved to the Mission District of San Francisco. He wanted to know how homelessness here compares to other places around the world. *This audio has been updated to correct an error. A previous version misstated the number of NYC public school children experiencing homelessness. We regret the error. Additional Reading

From New York to Helsinki: What the Bay Area Can Learn When Addressing Homelessness

Sold Out podcast: Rethinking Housing in America

One Way to Get People Off the Streets: Buy Hotels

Reported by Erin Baldassari and Molly Solomon. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho, Katie McMurran and Erika Kelly. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

How did a cutting edge railroad become crumbling tunnels to nowhere? This week, the story of the Mountain Route, a long lost rail line that once cut through the Santa Cruz Mountains. In it's heyday, the line provided an easy way for Bay Area residents to get to the beaches of Santa Cruz. Additional Reading:

The Story Behind Those Old Train Tunnels in the Santa Cruz Mountains

The Island Ghost Town in the Middle of San Francisco Bay

Help us decide what to cover next by casting your vote!

Reported by Peter Arcuni. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

We’re answering your questions in a Bay Curious lightning round. We tackle changes you’ve noticed this past year on our bridges, on the water, and in how we consume. Additional Reading:

End of an Era: No More Toll Takers on Bay Area Bridges

It's Not Just You, There Are More Cargo Ships in the Bay Than Usual

How the Bay Area Is Using Water, Power and Landfill Space During the Pandemic

San Francisco Bay Is Filled With Boats, But What Do They Do?

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Isabeth Mendoza, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

For years, Bay Curious listeners Julia Thollaug and Phil Montalvo have wondered the same thing: "What's the deal with the cross on Mount Davidson?" This week, how a 103-foot tall concrete cross ended up on the city's highest peak. It's a story that goes back almost 100 years. Additional Reading:

Why There's A Cross on San Francisco's Highest Peak

Sign up for our newsletter where we answer even more of our questions.

Reported by Suzie Racho. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Brian Watt, Nina Thorsen, Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

Bay Curious listeners Peter Caravalho and Sarah Caravalho Khan live in Cupertino. While wandering around their neighborhood they wondered where the street name "Hoo Hoo Way" came from. Turns out, it's a long story. Additional Reading:

This Lumberjack Frat Once Had the Coolest Clubhouse in S.F.

Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter!

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

We asked you to send us reflections on how your life has changed in the year since Bay Area leaders first issued a shelter-in-place order —the emotional beginning of the pandemic year for many of us. Amidst the hard stuff, you're finding bright spots and hope moving forward. Additional Reading:

The Year of COVID: Your Stories of the Pandemic

'In the Heart of the Pandemic': COVID-19 Deaths Loom Large in East San Jose

Get more answers to your question in our monthly newsletter. Sign up here.

In this episode we answer your questions about Bay Area highways. Herb Masters has noticed what looks like a ghost freeway where 280 and 380 intersect on the Penninsula. He wants to know what's going on there. And Daniel Huertas has noticed more garbage on Bay Area roads recently. He's wondering, why? Additional Reading:

Is That a Ghost Freeway on the Peninsula? And Are Our Highways Filthier Than Ever?

Why Aren't Any Billboards on 280?

Sign up for our newsletter where we answer even more of our questions.

Reported by Dan Brekke. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

The Bay Area is known for great oysters, but the ones grown locally are mostly from up in Marin County. San Francisco Bay used to have a thriving population of native oysters and Bay Curious listener Joseph Fletcher wants to know if they'll ever make a comeback. Additional Reading:

The Bay Waters Once Teemed With Oysters. What Happened?

The Wild Oyster Project

Reported by Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

The question is a simple but alarming one: If the Lake Chabot dam cracked open in a big earthquake, what kind of flooding should the communities below expect? This week's question asker, Hollyann Vickers Keng, has a vested interest in the answer -- she lives there! Additional Reading:

A Potential Flood Threat Is Hidden in the East Bay Hills — Chabot Dam

Oroville Crisis: Sheriff Called Emergency 'Ugly, Sh**ty Mess'

Send us your COVID story by recording yourself on your smartphone and emailing baycurious@kqed.org or leave us a voice message at 415-553-3334.

Reported by Dan Brekke. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

Our question-asker, Sara Russell, grew up hearing stories from her mother about how Irish Coffee was invented in San Francisco. Now, she wants to know if that story is totally accurate. Additional Reading:

The True History of Irish Coffee and Its San Francisco Origins

Send us your COVID stories! Record yourself on your smartphone and email: baycurious@kqed.org

Or, leave us a voicemail: 415-553-3334

Reported by Oliva Allen-Price and Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, and Vinnee Tong. Special thanks this week to voice actors Brian Watt, Paul Lancour and John Dunleavy.

A year into the coronavirus pandemic there's hope on the horizon. It's too soon to know the lasting impacts on the Bay Area, but we asked experts in mental health, transportation and education to try and predict what we might expect in our day-to-day lives as we slowly emerge from this crisis. Additional Reading:

How Will A Year of Pandemic Learning Impact Bay Area Schools Long Term?

As Battle Over Reopening San Francisco Schools Turns Ugly, Equity Emerges as Fault Line

It Was Hard Already, Then It Got Worse: Resources For Coping Right Now

We want to hear YOUR story for an upcoming episode: How has your life changed under COVID-19?

Record yourself on your phone and send it to us: baycurious@kqed.org

Or leave us a voicemail at 415-553-3334

Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong, and Don Clyde.

California is the most expensive state to build affordable housing in part because the costs to build are high. Some builders are turning to modular, prefabricated housing as a way to speed up production and rethink the way we've traditionally built in the Bay Area. Additional Reading:

The Bay Area Has a Housing Crisis (Obviously.) Could Prefab Be the Answer?

5 Reasons It's So Expensive To Build Housing In California

Take KQED's podcast survey!

Reported by Molly Solomon and Erin Baldassari. Edited by Erika Kelly. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho, Rob Speight and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

The coronavirus vaccine rollout in California has felt chaotic, in part because the state has changed course several times. Many Bay Area residents are wondering when and how they can get vaccinated. And what do all the changes mean for getting the most vulnerable people vaccinated? Additional Reading:

California Debates Speed Versus Equity in Vaccine Distribution Plan

Where Can I Get A COVID-19 Vaccine In The Bay Area? Your Questions Answered

KQED.org/podcastsurvey

Reported by April Dembosky. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Don Clyde.

On this week's episode, Olivia says goodbye (temporarily!) as she gets ready to welcome a new baby to the Bay! But don't fret, Bay Curious producer Katrina Schwartz will be hosting the show while Olivia's away. We'll learn all about Katrina's roots in San Francisco and the thing that made the city finally feel like home. Additional Reading:

Bay Curious Podcast Listeners: We've Got Some Changes For You

What's The Story Behind The Wrecked Car On Mount Tamalpais? (video)

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

Want to know what time it is? These days, it's as easy as looking at your phone. But before the digital age, Bay Area residents could dial POP-CORN or 767-2676 to hear a woman's recorded voice giving the time. Bay Curious unpacks the human history of this now obsolete telephone service. Additional Reading: You Used To Be Able to Call POP-CORN And Get the Time. What Happened To That?

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

In just two-and-a-half years the utility’s equipment started more than fifteen-hundred fires, a Wall Street Journal investigation found. Some of those were small, but others were deadly, like the 2018 Camp Fire, which burned the town of Paradise to the ground and killed 85 people. The Camp Fire caused about $16.5 billion in damages. Additional Reading:

KQED coverage on PG&E

'Deflect, Delay, Defer': Decade of PG&E Wildfire Safety Pushback Preceded Disasters

Why Doesn't PG&E Bury the Power Lines to Prevent Wildfires?

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

Listener Ben Kaiser loves watching films shot and set in San Francisco, and is looking for some recommendations. This episode features Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle culture critic, and host of the Total SF podcast; and Carly Severn, KQED's resident movie obsessive and senior engagement editor. Additional Reading and Listening:

Share your favorite Bay Area movies in our Facebook discussion

QUIZ: How Many of These Bay Area Movie Locations Can You Spot?

Subscribe to the Total SF podcast: Apple Podcasts, Spotify

Listen to The Cooler podcast archive: Apple Podcasts, Spotify

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

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.

We're exploring the 12 statewide ballot propositions in our Prop Fest series. This episode takes a closer look at Prop 23, which would require dialysis clinics to have a physician on-site during all hours patients are receiving treatment. Additional Reading:

Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11842100

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

KQED Voter Guide: http://kqed.org/voterguide

Reported by April Dembosky. 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 22 asks Californians if they want to define app-based transportation and delivery drivers as independent contractors, instead of as employees, as state law currently requires. 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/11842012

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

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

Reported by Sam Harnett. 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 21 asks voters if local governments should be allowed to enact rent control measures. It would replace the Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act, a state law pass in 1995 that limited what local governments could do. This is part of the Bay Curious Prop Fest series, covering the 12 statewide propositions on the Nov 2020 ballot. This episode has been updated. Additional Reading:

Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11841779

Bay Curious Episode on Rent Control: https://bit.ly/33ICNuc

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

KQED Voter Guide: http://kqed.org/voterguide

Reported by Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez. 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.

We're exploring the 12 statewide ballot propositions in our Prop Fest series. This episode takes a closer look at Prop 20, which aims to roll back some criminal justice reforms made over the past decade. Additional Reading:

Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11841579

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

KQED Voter Guide: http://kqed.org/voterguide

Reported by Marisa Lagos. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Katie McMurran, Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Proposition 19 would allow adults 55+, people living with severe disabilities, and victims of natural disasters to transfer their property tax assessment to another home. It would also close the so-called "Lebowski" loophole ... requiring people who inherit property to pay market rate tax assessment if they do not make the home their primary residence. 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/11841414

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

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

Reported by Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez. 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.

We're exploring the 12 statewide ballot propositions in our Prop Fest series. This episode tackles Prop 18, which would allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary and special elections, as long as they will be 18 by the general election and are otherwise eligible to vote. Additional Reading:

Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11841211

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

KQED Voter Guide: http://kqed.org/voterguide

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

Proposition 17 asks Californians if people convicted of felonies should be allowed to vote while on parole. This would impact about 40,000 people in the state. This is part 4 in our 12-part Prop Fest series, which explores the statewide ballot propositions Californians are voting on this year. Additional Reading:

Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/33FygZD

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

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

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

We're exploring the 12 statewide ballot propositions in our Prop Fest series. This episode tackles Prop 16, which asks voters to overturn a ban on the use of affirmative action by public institutions. The ban was originally put in place by California voters in 1996. Additional Reading:

Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/3cPYkUU

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

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

Reported by Katie Orr. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

We're digging into the 12 statewide ballot propositions in our Prop Fest series. This episode tackles Prop 15, which would change how the state assesses taxes on commercial and industrial property to raise money for public schools. Additional Reading:

Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/3cLCvWw

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

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

Reported by Scott Shafer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

This year Californians are voting on 12 statewide propositions that will have a big impact on criminal justice reform, taxes, and voting, among other things. Some of them are pretty complicated, so we've broken them down for you. We kick it off with Proposition 14 -- a bond to fund stem cell research. Additional Reading:

Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/2G50GU4

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

KQED Voter Guide: http://kqed.org/voterguide

Reported by Danielle Venton. 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.

The area north of San Francisco has come to be known as "wine country," but listener Michael Viray wanted to know, how did it get that way? Bugs, taxes and war all played their part. We take you through 160 years of wine making history. Additional Reading:

The Birth of 'Wine Country' Is A Story of Bugs, Taxes and War

Climate Change Offers Up A New Wine List

Take Our Podcast Survey, Please!

Reported by Christopher Beale. 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.

Listener Ryan heard an eerie noise while crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on his motorcycle. He's not the only one -- the sound can be heard from miles away. What's going on? Additional Reading:

The Story Behind the Golden Gate Bridge's New Howl

Why the Golden Gate Bridge Is Now A Giant Orange Wheezing Kazoo

Engineers discuss the phenomenon on Reddit.

Reported by Rob Speight with support from Gabe Meline. 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.

Recent fires in the Bay Area have a lot of us thinking about how to evacuate our homes, maybe for the first time. We answer all the basics about when you'll know it's time to go, what to bring, and where to go. And, we take some hope from the resilience of our redwood forests, even after tragic wildfires. Additional Reading:

What Big Basin's Redwoods Mean to You (and Why They'll Be OK)

Fire Evacuation: What Actually Happens? And How Can You Plan?

We Can Make Wildfires Less Horrific. Will We?

Reported by Carly Severn and Danielle Venton. 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.

The lagoon in front of San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts has been home to swans since its was built in 1915. Bay Curious listener Mishi Nova loves the spot and the swans. She wondered how the swans survive the night and escape the coyotes. Additional Reading:

The Swans at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts Have Attitude

Check out what different birds sound like on the Audubon website

A Very Curious Activity book

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.

Now there’s no question that today the nine-county Bay Area is solidly blue, but it hasn’t always been this way. Bay Curious listener Marcus wants to know: When and why did the Bay Area become overwhelmingly liberal? The answer depends on who you ask. Additional Reading:

When and Why Did the Bay Area Become So Liberal?

Political Breakdown podcast

KQED's 2020 Election Coverage

Reported by Scott Shafer. 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.

On a tucked-away beach in Richmond, Calif., shards of broken pottery outnumber sand or rocks. It’s an odd feeling, like you’ve stumbled on some kind of archaeological site right next to the Costco. Locals affectionately call this place TEPCO beach, after the Technical Porcelain and Chinaware Company that used to operate in nearby El Cerrito. Bay Curious listener Jo Ann Yada wants to know the story behind the beach, and how so much broken pottery wound up here. Additional Reading:

The Unassuming East Bay Beach Strewn With Ceramic Treasures

TEPCO: The Defunct Ceramics Factory That Still Dishes Out Nostalgia

Subscribe to The California Reporter Magazine Podcast on Apple Podcasts

Sign up for our monthly Bay Curious newsletter

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. 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 Asal Ehsanipour.

The state of California has indecent exposure laws, making it illegal if someone is naked with the intent of being sexual (like masturbating in public), or intentionally offensive (like flashing someone). If you’re just hanging out naked minding your own business, California leaves that up to local governments. Today on the show, we're bring back an episode that first ran in 2017 ... that traces the fascinating history of being naked in San Francisco. Additional Reading:

The History of Nudity in San Francisco Uncovered

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Reported by Jessica Placzek. 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.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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.

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

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

Last year, Bay Curious received the question: “How do I make friends?” We tried reaching out to the question asker, but they never responded. However, surveys show many Americans often feel lonely, and a lot of those lonely people also feel socially isolated. Last episode we found tips for finding potential friends. This week we talk about how to make friend crushes closer, Aristotle’s ideas about friendship and the potential role of government in addressing social isolation. For a few tips on how to make friends closer check out the web post: Frustrated by Shallow Friendships? Here’s How to Deepen Them

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.

There isn’t a clear path on how to make close friends. Some people find making friends even harder than dating. They say with romantic relationships there’s at least some semblance of steps: You ask a person out, you go out again, maybe you keep going on dates, maybe one person isn’t feeling it and the relationship ends, or perhaps both people are feeling it, you talk and then make your relationship “official”. Last year, Bay Curious received the question: “How do I make friends?” We tried reaching out to the question asker, but they never responded. Surveys show many Americans often feel lonely, and a lot of those lonely people also feel socially isolated. To help our question asker, we’re going to start off with tips for finding potential friends, then next week we’ll talk about how to make them closer. Read the full web version: How To Find New Friends Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Robert Speight, Katie McMurran, Maggie Galloway and Paul Lancour. 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.

Rayan Rafay was prepared to be blown away by Bay Area seafood when he moved here in 2016. After growing up on the East Coast, he had been amazed by the seafood he encountered when he moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. “It’s just this like magical wonderland of seafood,” he said. “Chefs just did things with seafood on the West Coast that I’d never even imagined in my lemon butter world of fish.” But when he got here, he was surprised not to see the local catch on many restaurant menus. So he asked Bay Curious: With the Pacific Ocean right there, why isn’t local seafood a bigger deal in the Bay Area? This week on Bay Curious, we explore the economics of seafood and the cultural changes need for it to get a star place on our dinner plates. Read the full web version: Why Isn’t Local Seafood a Bigger Deal in the Bay Area? == Reported by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, 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. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

While the Bay Area is known for its sourdough, it’s often Dutch Crunch that really gets the attention of newcomers. The tasty bread is especially prevalent at local sandwich shops. Where did it come from? How is it made? In this episode of Bay Curious, reporter Amanda Font bakes us an answer. Find the web story, including images of the baking process: Why Does Dutch Crunch Seem to be the Best Kept Local Food Secret? == If you’re still craving carbs, check out this Bay Curious episode: What Makes San Francisco Sourdough Unique? == Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Robert Speight, 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. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Spring cleaning, Marie Kondo-ing, whatever you want to call it — there is a massive purge of clothing coming out of people’s closets right now. Thrift stores across the country have reported unprecedented surges in their clothing donations. Bay Curious listener Ellen wants to know: What can you do with used clothing? What if it’s not suitable for donation sites? Can you recycle the material in the Bay Area? In this episode of Bay Curious, we sort a pile of clothes with a sustainable clothing expert, learn about a new business model and take a trip to a Goodwill sorting facility. Read the full web story: How to Responsibly Purge Your Closet in the Bay Area Reported by Sarah Craig. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, 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. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

You might think the iconic rum cocktail was born in Hawaii. We set off to discover its true roots.

This week we answer three listener questions: What happens to whale carcasses that wash ashore? Why is gas so expensive in the Bay Area? What is 'earthquake weather' and is it real?

Follow one man through his morning routine to get a taste of what's helpful and harmful for commuters who are blind.

Veterans say the Cold War missile batteries that ringed the Bay Area packed nuclear warheads with a punch that more than equaled the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs combined.

There are a lot of crows in the Bay Area, but maybe that's not such a bad thing.

The turkeys we see today are descendants of birds captured near the Rio Grande in Texas that were brought to California. Learn more about our wild turkeys and hear the story of a turkey that broke into prison.

As San Francisco's population exploded in the 1850s, speculators looked to cash in by delivering fresh drinking water to the new boomtown.

Many of the classic buildings were condemned and padlocked in the 1970s before an architect undertook a massive project to restore them.

Read our web story: Meet Charley Parkhurst: The Gold Rush’s Fearless, Gender Non-Conforming Stagecoach Driver Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran, Rob Speight, Suzie Racho, Paul Lancour and Ryan Levi. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and David Weir. 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.

People have been living for free anchored in Richardson Bay for decades, but living on the water in Marin County goes all the way back to the state's early days.

If you’ve driven north on 101 through Mountain View, you really can’t miss Moffett Field. Seeing the giant open airfield is one thing — but what really grabs the eye is the larger-than-life birdcage-looking structure known as Hangar One. This week on the show, we learn why the airfield was built, what majestic airship that was once house there, and what’s going on at Moffett Field now. Read the web story: That Giant Structure Off 101 Once Housed a Flying Aircraft Carrier Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Robert Speight, 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. We’d also love your questions about Lake Tahoe at baycurious.org/tahoe. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Piedmont is surrounded on all sides but the city of Oakland, yet has remained an independent city since it incorporated in the the late 1800s. We take a closer look at the wild circumstances that lead Piedmont to form, and discuss some of the tensions that exist between Oakland and Piedmont residents today.

We answer three listener questions: Where do kids live in the Bay Area? Why does Palo Alto have two downtowns? And what's with the 'weeping women' statues at the Palace of Fine Arts?

If you’ve ever driven northbound on Interstate 280 through Hillsborough, you’ve surely seen The Flintstone House from the highway. A cluster of orange and purple tubular domes, the home is reminiscent of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon. The house has always had it’s fans and detractors, but recent renovations have sparked controversy, and prompted the city of Hillsborough to sue the homeowner and declare the home a “public nuisance.” The renovations include the addition of several large sculptures in the back yard: three 15-foot dinosaurs, a giraffe and a mammoth. There’s also the more benign infrastructure improvements, like a retaining wall, steps and a parking strip. In this episode of Bay Curious, we revisit our 2017 story that includes a tour of the home (web version: What’s That Thing Off 280? The Flintstone House) and we get an update on the controversy. Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Katie McMurran, Paul Lancour and Ryan Levi. Additional support from Julie Caine, Suzie Racho, Ethan Lindsey and David Weir. 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.

The barrel of free red delicious apples have been a mainstay of the iconic San Francisco music venue.

The San Francisco Bay is full of boats, but do you know what most of them actually do?

This mysterious (and super-strong) cocktail cost $25 — and drove 19th century San Francisco wild. Why? It was probably the secret ingredient, that could get you jail time if you used it today.

On the way up to the observation deck, visitors pass five stories of prehistoric bones. Are dinosaurs among them?

When you think about America’s biggest cities, many have a recognizable accent. Does San Francisco have one? And no, saying 'hella' doesn't count.

The Mile Rocks Lighthouse used to stand more than 80 feet tall guiding ships through some of the most treacherous waters in San Francisco Bay. But that was before it was automated and decapitated.

How do Bay Area traffic reporters do their jobs? From flying high in the 1950s to the tech-powered tools of today.

In California over 18 billion beverage containers were recycled in 2017. Meet some of the people who recycled them and what their scraps are worth.

For our last episode of the year, we get the answers to three of your questions: What's with the stars in Brisbane? Why does Millbrae BART station smell like chocolate? And is Red Rock Island for sale?

Cioppino's San Francisco origins are undisputed. But the origin of its name? That's another story.

The event's roots go back to 1994, when a counterculture group called the Cacophony Society hosted "Cheap Suit Santas."

Thousands of bikes are stolen in San Francisco every year. What are police doing about it? And how does this crime operation work?

Reported by Daniel Potter. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi, Katie McMurran. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Suzie Racho and David Weir. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

Early on, housing lots in San Francisco were subdivided into plots as little as 25 feet wide -- just enough room for a parlor and a staircase.

Reported by Sarah Craig. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Katie McMurran and David Weir. 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.

Frisco is the nickname we love to hate. How did this once widely-used name fall out of favor?

Reported by Vinnee Tong. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour and Ryan Levi. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Katie McMurran, Suzie Racho and David Weir. 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.

These mounds were used by Ohlone as burial sites for their ancestors, to help navigate bay waters and as a gathering place.

Reported by Laura Klivans. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Katie McMurran and David Weir. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

There are two origin stories for the much-beloved martini, and both place its birth in the Bay Area.

The answer stretches back to 1820, when California was still a part of Spain.

Reported by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Katie McMurran and David Weir. 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, or use the hashtag #BayCurious.

One of San Francisco's purported “ghosts,” has a remarkable real-life story often left out of San Francisco's history books.

Reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Katie McMurran and David Weir. 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.

California's iconic Green Goddess Dressing may be herbal and delicious — but its name has a not-so-savory history.

Reported by Sasha Khokha. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julia McEvoy, Ethan Lindsey, Erika Kelly, Julie Caine, David Weir, Amanda Font, Carly Severn and Katie McMurran. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

As John Carlos and Tommie Smith stood on the medal stand, raising their fists in a black power salute, the San Jose State students were praying they didn't get shot.

Proposition 10 aims to overturn the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing act, which limits rent control throughout the state.

Produced by Jessica Placzek. Featuring KQED's Guy Marzorati. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Katie McMurran and David Weir. 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.

Wonky and easy to overlook, these health-related propositions could have a big impact on Californians and the rest of the country.

Produced by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Katie McMurran and David Weir. 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.

Propositions 5 would expand the ability of older Californians to take advantage of property tax breaks put into place 40 years ago by Proposition 13.

Produced by Jessica Placzek, Erika Aguliar, and Olivia Allen-Price. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Katie McMurran and David Weir. 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.

Should California go full-time daylight saving time? Take animals out of cages? Pass a water bond? For Bay Curious Prop Week, we explore the three science-related propositions.

For more from Prop Week, visit BayCurious.org or check out other episodes in our feed!

Produced by Ryan Levi and Olivia Allen-Price. Featuring KQED's Danielle Venton and Lesley McClurg. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Katie McMurran and David Weir. 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.

If Proposition 6 is approved, it would repeal SB 1, the gas tax and vehicle fee increase passed by state lawmakers last year.

Featuring KQED reporters Katie Orr and Dan Brekke. Produced by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Katie McMurran and David Weir. 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.

Every Tuesday at noon, San Francisco tests the Outdoor Warning System. A siren and announcement ring out for 15 seconds. The system got its start in the 1940s.

Reported by Julie Caine. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Chris Hoff, Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Katie McMurran and David Weir. 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.

Three San Francisco school board members are calling for an end to the current student assignment system.

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey and David Weir. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

San Francisco's complicated school lottery system offers opportunity that isn't always realized.

Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Dozens of fire hydrants around the town of Belmont have one-of-a-kind paint jobs that date back to the early 1970s.

Reported by Suzie Racho. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Ethan Lindsey, Erika Kelly and Katie McMurran. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

If all the nine Bay Area counties merged, would that result in a more cohesive approach to the regional housing crisis?

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julia McEvoy, Ethan Lindsey, Erika Kelly, Julie Caine, David Weir, Amanda Font, Carly Severn and Katie McMurran. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

Where the boundaries of this region are will vary according to who you ask and what you're looking to define.

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julia McEvoy, Ethan Lindsey, Erika Kelly, Julie Caine, David Weir, Amanda Font, Carly Severn and Katie McMurran. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

For more than a century, stone walls scattered through the East Bay hills have proven a puzzle.

Some have called yarn bombing a feminist response to graffiti. Meet the sisters behind one of San Francisco's most prominent displays.

Reported by Suzie Racho. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Carly Severn, David Weir, Katie McMurran and Howard Gelman. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

How the state Supreme Court cleared the way for psychics in California, and how regulation works.

Reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Julia McEvoy, Ethan Lindsey and Howard Gelman. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

Why does it seem like a lot of start-up execs play ultimate frisbee and use that to network with VCs?

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julia McEvoy, Erika Kelly, Ethan Lindsey and Howard Gelman. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

If you're coming to San Francisco in the summer, bring a jacket! We take a closer look at what causes the wind and fog to descend upon parts of our region each summer. Plus, a few bonus questions about famed Twitter account, @KarlTheFog.

People have a lot of feelings about lane splitting, but they don’t always have all the information.

Reported by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julia McEvoy, Ethan Lindsey, Howard Gelman. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

Take a journey with the Bay Area's drinking water -- from mountain to tap.

Reported by Sarah Craig. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julia McEvoy, Ethan Lindsey, Howard Gelman. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

A small street inadvertently becomes ground zero for so-called "Hobbit Hunters," but is there truth in the legends?

Reported by Chloe Veltman and Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi, Suzie Racho, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Rent control is in at least 15 California cities, but even in those cities there are many limits on what can be rent controlled. A proposition on the November ballot may get rid of those limits, but should it?

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, Amanda Font, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

California was named after a fictional island for black Amazon-like warrior women, ruled by Queen Calafia. What about Bay Area names?

Reported by Jessica Placzek and Dan Brekke. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Amanda Font and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

A tiny hidden cemetery reveals the brutal realities of saving shipwrecked sailors in the 19th century.

Reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Victoria Mauleon, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, Amanda Font, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Is the Quetzalcoatl sculpture in San Jose the best tribute to the city's Mexican heritage? It's a matter of debate.

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, Amanda Font, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

It's a dog show! We answer how many dogs could fit on a Muni train ... and other pressing canine questions.

Reported by Lisa Pickoff-White and Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, Amanda Font, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Sideshows have a bad reputation, but they also have a long tradition, East Oakland roots and deep ties to the hyphy movement.

Reported by Sandhya Dirks. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

The prettiest pennies are made in San Francisco. Take a trip inside the S.F. Mint.

Reported by Amanda Font. Editing by Jessica Placzek and Julia McEvoy. Hosted by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Tenderloin residents wanted to preserve its affordability. But will they be forced out as improvements come to the neighborhood?

Reported by Kelly O'Mara. Edited By Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, Amanda Font, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

We go back in time to the days when polo was king at Golden Gate Park.

Reported by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, Amanda Font and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

It all began with a treasure map to secret weed plants abandoned somewhere in Point Reyes.

Reported by Olivia Allen-Price and Emmanuel Hapsis. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, Amanda Font, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Traffic is worse in the Bay Area. Are Lyft and Uber making it worse? Or could they be our salvation?

Reported by Eli Wirtschafter. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Bay Curious travels down the Peninsula and back in time to discover the history of oil drilling in San Mateo County.

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Ryan Levi, Erika Kelly and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Learn why our coastline is called the Red Triangle and how you can minimize the risk of an encounter with a great white shark.

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, Amanda Font, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Why are the Warriors the only team with a state nickname in their name? And how did we end up with the San Jose Sharks?

Reported by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

There are thousands of gnomes nailed into the base of Oakland utility poles. Meet the man who painted them there and learn why he did it.

Countless people who have stolen items from this deserted town have come to regret it.

Reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Almost 140 years after his death, the beloved eccentric is still celebrated and revered in San Francisco. So who was he?

Reported by Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

Ask us a question at BayCurious.org.

Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Anonymous artists once created sculptures made from driftwood and trash at the Emeryville Mudflats.

Reported by Jessica Placzek and Maddie Gobbo. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Erika Kelly, Ryan Levi and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

Ask us a question at BayCurious.org.

Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

San Francisco saw more than 30,000 car break ins last year - three times that of 2010. We tag along with police as they try and catch one of these thieves, and learn about what the city is doing to curb the epidemic.

Reported by Sarah Craig. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Julia McEvoy, Suzie Racho and Ryan Levi. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

Ask us a question at BayCurious.org.

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The city was right up there with places like New York, Los Angeles and even Las Vegas. Market Street alone had hundreds of signs lighting up the night.

Reported by Serginho Roosblad. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Depending who you ask, eucalyptus trees are either an icon in California or a fire-prone scourge.

Reported by Daniel Potter. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, David Weir, Craig Miller, Ryan Levi and Amanda Font. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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What would the San Francisco Bay look like if Frank Lloyd Wright got to build the bridge he proposed in 1949?

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour and Ryan Levi. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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There are California and Japanese connections to the fortune cookie, going back more than a century.

This sign in front of the tire shop was built in 1958, and it has displayed nothing but quotes ever since.

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Ryan Levi, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, and Julia McEvoy. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Between 1949 and 1974, when the developer died, his group built roughly 11,000 homes in California, mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Reported by Jessica Placzek, Eli Wirtschafter and Ryan Levi. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Ryan Levi, Erika Kelly and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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In the South Bay's colorful salt ponds, a decades-old industry continues to crystalize.

Reporter by Lauren Sommer with KQED Science. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly, Julia McEvoy and Katie McMurran.

How economics and cultural acceptance are changing queer communities across the Bay Area.

Reported by Ryan Levi. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Erika Kelly, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Jessica Placzek and David Weir. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Rumor has it California's golden poppy has some special protections. Is it true?

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Erika Kelly and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

The hulls of several dozen ships can be found below ground in the middle of San Francisco.

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Legend has it the Irish coffee was brought to the U.S. by the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco.

Reported by Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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It started as a quest to make Bay Area highways more beautiful. Plus, three other bonus questions!

Reported by Jessica Placzek and Olivia Allen-Price. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

This week the Bay Curious podcast is celebrating our one-year anniversary with a lightning round of questions and answers! Is it true that George Lucas was inspired to create the AT-AT because of the cranes at the Port of Oakland? No. Sadly, this is not true. George Lucas told the San Francisco Chronicle’s Peter Hartlaub, “That’s a myth. That is definitely a myth.” Hartlaub also followed up with Phil Tippett, the stop-motion animator who oversaw production of the AT-AT sequence. Tippett allows for a small chance that somewhere in the process someone looked at the cranes, but added that the original vehicles actually looked nothing like container cranes, and more like garbage trucks. Sidenote on Phil Tippett: He was credited as “Dinosaur Supervisor” at the end of “Jurassic Park” and has been the topic of several popular internet memes. Poor guy has spent years now explaining what the “supervision” element of his job actually was. Question submitted by Bay Curious listener Matteen Mokalla.

How did the Tenderloin get its name? In the mid-1800s the Tenderloin was a great spot to spend a night out on the town, but by the late 1800s, crime had crept into the neighborhood. It was around this time that people began calling the area the Tenderloin. So how did it get the name? Was it a reference to the “tender loins” of prostitutes who did business there? Or maybe something to do with the shape of the neighborhood? No. According to the Tenderloin Museum, the name came from a New York City police captain named Alexander Williams who supposedly called vice-heavy areas the “tenderloin”, in reference to all the bribes he would get for turning a blind eye to illegal activities. Williams was quoted as saying, “I’ve had nothing but chuck steak for a long time, and now I’m going to get a little of the tenderloin.” He hoped to buy nicer meat with his bribe money. Question submitted by Bay Curious listener Kevin Beach.

Is it true that the original voice of Popeye died in a San Jose trailer park? Yes. The gruff voice of William Costello was the original voice of Popeye the Sailor Man. But the show’s producers wanted a softer voice for Popeye, and Costello was becoming difficult to work with. One day, while the show was in the middle of production, Costello asked for a vacation and he was fired. After that, Costello had a long career as a musician. According to his obituary, Costello worked with Ginger Rogers and Bing Crosby and went on to play in over 100 orchestras. In the late 1950s, he retired to manage a trailer park in San Jose. He remained manager until he died in 1971 at the age of 73. Question submitted by Bay Curious listener Peter Caravalho.

Why Are There Rainbows on the Tunnel Between S.F. and Marin? We answered this question in a separate post. Check it out!

Legend has it, El Camino Real is an ancient road that connects the Spanish missions. But is it true?

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Reported by Jon Brooks. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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What does containment mean? How are wildfires named? What happens after your house burns?

Reported by Lindsey Hoshaw, Jessica Placzek, Sukey Lewis and Olivia Allen-Price. Technical director is Paul Lancour. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Many songs in this episode were by Petaluma artist Gio Benedetti, and proceeds from their sale will benefit wildfire survivors. Find and buy his music here: https://giobenedetti.bandcamp.com/

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Spend some time walking around San Francisco, and you'll probably notice the large, brick circles decorating the pavement at some intersections. What are they for?

Reported by Sarah Craig. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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How an S.F. drag artist founded one of the biggest and most bejeweled charities dedicated to LGBTQ causes.

Reported by Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Bay Curious listener Marcy Ballard wrote to us wanting to know more about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team — a segregated, Japanese-American unit that fought for the U.S. during the Second World War. She’s pretty sure they must have some remarkable stories to tell. After all, these were men considered to be enemy aliens by the government because of their Japanese heritage. Offensive Anti-Japanese propaganda was circling everywhere. Many were forced to live in internment camps, surrounded by barbed wire and patrolled by armed guards. And yet, they volunteered to fight for America. Soon after, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was created. Its Japanese-American members proved themselves to be valiant soldiers. They took control of strategically important towns in France, and aided in the liberation of Rome. They broke stalwart German defenses, and discovered and freed prisoners of the Dachau concentration camp. They were regularly sent to the front lines to fight in some of the war’s bloodiest battles. Some have said they were chosen to fight in these battles because their superiors considered them expendable. But few have questioned their heroism. By the end of the war, the team had earned over 18,000 awards, including 21 Medals of Honor and over 9,000 Purple Hearts — making the 442nd the most decorated military unit of its size in U.S. history. Learn more about the 442nd and hear stories from two members in this week’s Bay Curious episode, which you can play at the top of this article.

Picture a set of binoculars — only a pair the size of a low-rise building. That’s the shape of BART’s Transbay Tube — the dual-bore, 3.8-mile passageway that connects the West Oakland Station to San Francisco’s Embarcadero Station. Every weekday during peak commute hours, more than 60,000 BART riders cruise through the tube. What most don’t know is that they’re in a trench on the floor of San Francisco Bay. Bay Curious listener Jennifer Schulz rides through the tube a lot and can’t help but to think: What if there was an earthquake? How safe is the Transbay Tube? Would it crack? Would bay water flood into my jam-packed BART car? Could I be trapped? Since 2005, BART has been undergoing a major earthquake retrofit. The final phase is expected to begin next year, finishing up some time in 2023. The cost? So far, $1.3 billion. KQED’s Tena Rubio spoke with Tom Horton, BART’s earthquake safety manager. Is the Transbay Tube safe during an earthquake? What I can say is that it’s safer than most other places people are going to be in their working day. I mean, some of the buildings downtown are obviously built to very modern standards and can survive a large earthquake. But most of the buildings in the Bay Area probably would be collapsing in the size earthquake we’re talking about. Walk us through what happens if there is an earthquake. First, we reduce the speed of the train down to 27 mph, which gives an operator plenty of time to see what’s in front of him, and see if there’s any cracking or anything of that nature. But our goal is to not stop in the Transbay Tube. If for some reason folks have to exit the train, we have protocols in place to do that. What would happen? Would it leak? The tube does get leaks every now and then, as all tunnels do. And BART actually has an active program to plug those leaks when they happen. During the earthquake we expect that the earthquake forces will cause the liner to crack and then you’ll get leakage. Now the tunnel doesn’t collapse. The tunnels are plenty strong enough to stay up. But if you get too much leakage, it fills with water and that’s what we’re trying to prevent. So if it did crack, can it fill with water and flood? We have a pumping system. Part of the retrofit is to increase the size of that pumping system so you can at least slow down the rate of fill. The idea is that you can slow it down enough so that people can get out well before the tube floods. So it sounds like you’d almost want to be in the tube? That it’s safer than other areas? Unless it’s a very, very large earthquake you’d probably want to be in the tube. Now we talked about the flooding problem. So if you’re in an earthquake that large it would be problematic, but then so is everywhere else in the Bay Area. So it’s kind of a wash, if you will. To hear more from Tom Horton and the safety of the Transbay Tube, listen to the full episode of Bay Curious at the top of this article. A Response Plan, Ready and Waiting All that talk about earthquakes got us thinking — what if something catastrophic did happen in the Bay Area? After the big one, it’s not going to be easy for anyone to get around. So what will happen to people who really need medical care? Reporter Eli Wirtschafter learned about one unusual tool San Francisco has to address that problem: old Muni buses that have been turned into giant ambulances. The idea was first used on New Year’s Eve 2010, when big celebrations were planned at the Embarcadero. To provide extra medical support, the San Francisco Fire Department borrowed a 40-foot Muni bus and turned it into a makeshift mobile clinic, treating people who might have partied a little too hard. From that time on, the idea of having a bus-sized ambulance “just stayed with us,

For years Martin Kunz has been looking down the hill from his office at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, out over the water, at one of the longest piers in California — the Berkeley Pier. “I see this every day from my office when I have lunch, and I was curious what the history behind this is,” he said. He submitted a question to Bay Curious, so off we went to find the answer. Lately, the Berkeley Pier has primarily been used as a fishing pier, but decades ago it had a very different purpose. Berkeley’s Population Boom Back in the early 20th century, Berkeley was growing fast. Its population went from 13,214 residents in 1900 to 56,036 in 1920. Thousands of refugees from San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake found homes in Berkeley, the University of California experienced rapid expansion and an electric train system connected Berkeley to other Bay Area cities, such as Oakland. Berkeley was establishing itself as an urban center, yet many of its residents still worked jobs in San Francisco. To get there, workers commuted by train to Oakland and then by boat to San Francisco — an inconvenient journey that makes today’s commute look like a cakewalk. So, in 1926, the Golden Gate Ferry Co. began building a pier that would bring auto ferries to Berkeley. When the construction was finished, the dock was 3½ miles long, making it one of the longest piers in the state. Why so long? Parts of San Francisco Bay are very shallow. Underneath the pier, the water is between 7 and 9 feet deep. The pier needed to reach parts of the bay where the water was deep enough for a ferry to travel. “A longer dock also meant that the ferry company saved a lot of money. In other words, you had to drive all the way out to the end of the pier and use your gas instead of them using gas for the ferry,” says Chuck Wollenberg, professor of history at Berkeley City College. Ferry service began at the pier in 1929. The three boats were named Golden Bear, Golden Poppy and Golden Shore. Car Talk The 1920s saw tremendous growth in the number of Americans driving personal automobiles. Ford’s assembly line made cars more affordable, and it wasn’t long before cars surpassed trains in popularity. After all, this was a time when Republicans claimed that Republican prosperity had brought “a chicken in every pot. And a car in every backyard.” As more cars hit the road, more cars relied on the ferries at the Berkeley Pier, and lines could be long. Whenever Stanford played football against Cal at UC Berkeley, lines would stretch beyond the 3½ miles of pier. “The mother of all traffic jams in the Bay Area occurred at the end of the Labor Day weekend,” says Wollenberg. “There was a four-hour wait. When people tried to cut in, people would take out revolvers and threaten people.” But the same thing that created demand for the ferries also brought about the dock’s demise. With the rising popularity of cars, California legislators decided to create a bridge between Alameda County and San Francisco. The same year the ferries started running, engineers began laying plans for the Bay Bridge. The Bay Bridge opened on Nov. 12, 1936. Former President Herbert Hoover watched as California Gov. Frank Merriam cut the ceremonial chain opening the bridge . The Golden Gate Ferry Co. would last only two more years, eventually calling it quits and giving the pier to the city of Berkeley. In total, the Berkeley auto ferries had run less than 10 years. After the Bridge Berkeley officials used state and city funds to convert the pier into a recreation area. It opened in spring 1938 and in the first year attracted 50,000 people. The Berkeley Recreation Department charged an admission fee of 10 cents for pedestrians and 25 cents for automobiles. Fishing became a popular pastime on the pier and kids were encouraged to learn.

There's one "no parking" sign in San Francisco that you can bend the rules on ... if the conditions are right.

Reported by Penny Nelson. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Penny Nelson, Suzie Racho and Katie McMurran. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Whether at Baker Beach or Bay to Breakers, it’s not unusual to see public nudity in San Francisco. What are the current laws on the matter, and how did the city become known for bodies in the buff?

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Our managing editor is Ethan Lindsey. Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Reported by Craig Miller. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Suzie Racho and Penny Nelson. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Oakland is home to the fifth-busiest container port in the country and all around it, containers are stacked sky high like colorful, life-size Lego bricks. Listener Ajith Kumar asked Bay Curious: “Why are there millions of containers in West Oakland? How much trade is happening via those containers every month?” Bay Curious gets the answer. Credits: Jessica Placzek, Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy.

A Bay Curious listener who hikes a lot wonders: Should he be scared of mountain lions? We find out for him.

Reported by Vinnee Tong. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Penny Nelson, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Two years ago, a big steel and concrete median barrier went in on the Golden Gate Bridge, and two yellow machines appeared that move it several times a day. Bridge commuters have some questions.

Reported by Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Julia McEvoy, Penny Nelson and Suzie Racho. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Drawbridge was a popular bird hunting destination decades. What happened?

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Suzie Racho. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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If you attended sixth grade anywhere in or near San Jose, there’s a high likelihood you've been to see the largest collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities on public display anywhere west of the Mississippi. I'm talking about the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum.

Credits: Rachael Myrow, Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Julia McEvoy.

Why the "O" in SFO? And why is one of Chicago's airports coded ORD? And IAD for Dulles?

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Since Bay Curious first answered your questions on homelessness in 2017, the cost of living has continued to rise in the Bay Area and with it, the number of people living without a home. In the nine county Bay Area, just over 34,000 people are experiencing homelessness, according to point-in-time counts conducted in January by most counties In at least five of the nine counties, the recent count revealed an increase in the number of homeless people from the last time the count was done in 2017. In this episode, we explore four common questions about homelessness with Audrey Cooper, editor in chief of The San Francisco Chronicle and Kevin Fagan, a reporter with The San Francisco Chronicle who has covered homelessness for more than two decades. More resources:

89 answers to your questions from The San Francisco Chronicle
One Day, One City, No Relief: 24 hours inside San Francisco’s Homeless Crisis
Homelessness in SF is Complex. Here Are Answers to the Most Common Questions

== Produced by

What causes homelessness? What's the best way to help people you see on the street? And what other cities have had success in solving homelessness?

Reported by Jessica Placzek, Olivia Allen-Price and Vinnee Tong. Production help from Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Our question-asker saw a tsunami hit San Francisco in the movie San Andreas, and wonders: would it really be like?

Reported by Johanna Varner and Olivia Allen-Price. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Vinnee Tong, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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The answer is satisfyingly full of toothy prehistoric beasts.

Reported by Daniel Potter. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson and Jessica Placzek. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Ask around in the more historic parts of San Francisco and you’ll find a good number of the homes were built in 1906. Or so people have been told.

Reported by Penny Nelson. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

California became the first state to ban single-use plastic bags in November. A middle-schooler from Sacramento wants to know if the ban actually helps the environment.

Some people are using bots to get campsites at state and national parks. Is it legal? Is it fair?

Credits: Jessica Placzek, Olivia Allen-Price, Paul Lancour, Vinnee Tong, Julia McEvoy

San Franciscans have been having a love-affair with this ice cream treat since 1928.

Reported by Alyssa Kapnik Samuel and Seth Samuel. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Penny Nelson, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Our managing editor is Ethan Lindsey. Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

It used to take hours or days to change the lights at city hall lights. Now it's done with a few clicks.

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Reported by Julia Scott. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Jessica Placzek, Penny Nelson and Julia McEvoy.

Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Reported by Olivia Allen-Price and Adam Grossberg. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson, Ethan Lindsey and Julia McEvoy. Our Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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They look like a work of abstract art, but these colorful dots on Bay Area streets have a big purpose.

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Penny Nelson, Jessica Placzek, Julia McEvoy, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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It’s been a wet winter across Northern California this year, and that means a bounty of mushrooms. Get ready for a lesson in fungi from KQED Science reporter Lesley McClurg.

Reported by Lesley McClurg. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Jessica Placzek and Julia McEvoy. Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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It would take a lot of money, work and imagination to turn Lake Merritt into a swimmable body of water.

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Our Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Take a tour inside this unique Peninsula home that architects find whimsical. Would you live there?

Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Jessica Placzek, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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This year's rainy winter has left San Francisco Bay Area roads riddled with potholes. Why? And will Caltrans fix them?

Reported by Penny Nelson. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Jessica Placzek and Julia McEvoy. Our Vice President for News is Holly Kernan. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Not long after people started using it, others started hating it. They said only out-of-towners used it.

Reported by Vinnee Tong. Produced and edited by Paul Lancour, Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Vinnee Tong and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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A Cupertino couple wondered where the street name "Hoo Hoo Way" came from. Turns out, it's a long story.

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Bay Curious is Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Julia McEvoy, Suzie Racho, Holly Kernan, David Weir and Ethan Lindsey. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Marin County is the whitest county in the Bay Area -- but why? Reporter Ericka Cruz-Guevarra takes us through some pivotal moments in Marin history that contributed to its demographics today.

Reported by Ericka Cruz-Guevarra. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Putting a number on displacement is a tall order, but we do have an idea about who is leaving Oakland.

Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Bay Curious listener Kristin Seitz was looking at a map of San Jose when she noticed an awful lot of holes. The city's territory isn't one undivided shape, but rather resembles a piece of Swiss cheese. Seitz wondered: Why are there so many unincorporated "urban islands" in the San Jose area?

Reported by Ericka Cruz-Guevarra. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Owners of historic buildings might be able to sell the air space above their building, allowing developers elsewhere to build higher.

Listener Jenny Wread has noticed the Bay Area's smog on her commute. And she's hearing more Spare the Air alerts. How is the air quality doing in the Bay Area as the population grows?

Reported by Matt Beagle. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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Take a trip around the San Francisco Bay and get to know our local foghorns -- where they are, how they work, who turns them on.

Reported by Laura Klivans. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Jessica Placzek, Paul Lancour, Ryan Levi and Suzie Racho. Additional support from Julie Caine, Julia McEvoy, Ethan Lindsey and Howard Gelman. Holly Kernan is Vice President for News. 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.

If you live in the Bay Area, a foggy day can be a good excuse for some guilt-free time indoors. If you live near the water, days like that bring something else: foghorns.

Reported by Laura Klivans. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Suzie Racho, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

In the 1960s, San Francisco was in the midst of a sexual revolution. Officials across the Bay in Oakland wanted none of it.

Reported by Adizah Eghan. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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When Sutro Tower was first proposed, nearly everybody hated it. How did it get built?

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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The Big Apple, Sin City, the Big Easy -- all famous nicknames for American cities. But have you heard of Man Jose? This week we explore if San Jose should be called Man Jose.

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org.

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f you’ve walked past Adobe’s corporate headquarters in downtown San Jose, you may have spotted them: four big orange LED lights that look like flat-head screws, turning in apparently random patterns. This week’s Bay Curious question comes from listener Geoff Morgan, who wanted to know: What do the turning wheels on the top of the Adobe building mean? To start with, it helps to know Adobe makes computer software for people who work with words, pictures and sound. “At the core of our DNA, really, is art and technology,” says Siri Lackovic, the company’s senior brand strategist. That’s why you’ll find clever art installations all over their office towers. Siri is one of the two people on the planet who know the whole story behind the glowing orange orbs Geoff noticed. The other person, of course, is the guy who came up with the concept, New York artist Ben Rubin. “The hope is that someone would look up and say: ‘What is that?’ ” Ben says. “What is that thing trying to say, you know? What is its message?” The name of this installation is San Jose Semaphore. “Semaphore, by definition, is really a form of visual communication,” Siri explains. Way back when, the only way to communicate surreptitiously over a short distance — say, from land to a ship — would be to rely on flag bearers. “They would hold up the flag, and depending on the position of the flag, would let them know if it was safe to come in, or better to stay put,” she says. This resonates with Geoff, the KQED listener who asked the question. “I actually was in the Navy, and so I remember people communicating with flags, and it was always interesting to me because it looked very official, but a lot of times, they were talking about the latest baseball scores from ship to ship and things like that,” he says. In case you didn’t serve in the Navy, here’s an amusing set of dramas executed in semaphore by Monty Python. So, the short story on San Jose Semaphore is that it’s an art installation. The long story stretches back to artist Ben Rubin’s childhood in Boston during the 1970s. Back then, he owned a Heathkit shortwave radio. Sometimes, when he turned it on, he’d hear the strangest things. “These sort of clicks and beeps and mechanized announcements,” Ben says. “Who could not listen to an encrypted message and not wonder what it says, you know?” As NPR reported in a 2000 feature for the “Lost and Found Sound” series, these were numbers stations, shortwave radio broadcasts that historians believe transmitted messages to spies stationed around the world, starting in World War I. To the average listener, the letters, numbers and songs broadcast on the stations sound random. But if you have the key to decode the gobbledygook — it’s a message. Ben was fascinated by these numbers stations. So when it came time for college, he got a bachelor’s degree in computer science and semiotics, the study of signs and symbols. After graduation, he starting making art inspired by his studies. Now he makes media installations using technology, sound, images and physical structures — like the piece on the top of Adobe’s building in San Jose. Silicon Valley Loves A Challenge Each of these orange discs can assume four positions: horizontal, left-leaning diagonal, vertical, right-leaning diagonal. Four positions, plus four discs, means there are 256 possible combinations. Every 7.2 seconds, those wheels turn to a new configuration of sort of positions. Then they rest. “When they’re in that resting position,

We've all seen the signs warning us of eyes in the sky looking for speeders. A Bay Curious listener wanted to find out if someone really was up there ready to hand out tickets.

Reported by Kelly Dunleavy O'Mara. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Take a trip to Recology's Recycle Central, where San Francisco's waste is sorted and sent off for processing. Join the Bay Curious team as they test your trash I.Q.

Reported by Lindsey Hoshaw. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

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After patients were released from mental hospitals, there wasn't always a place for them to go. On this week's episode, we explore if deinstitutionalization was a factor in the Bay Area's homeless crisis.

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller. Ask us a question at BayCurious.org.

Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

The busy streets of San Francisco seems like the last place you'd find wild parrots. And yet, there they are. How'd they get here?

Reported by Jessica Placzek. Produced and edited by Olivia Allen-Price, Vinnee Tong, Paul Lancour and Julia McEvoy. Theme music by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

Ask us a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice.

Long associated with the Bay Area, the word 'hella' has gained widespread use. But how was the word born?

Long associated with the Bay Area, the word 'hella' has gained widespread use. But how was the word born?

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Sometimes the noise on BART is so loud you can hardly think. Why such a racket? And could it possibly damage your hearing? Sam Harnett and Eli Wirtschafter help host Olivia Allen-Price get to the bottom of this weeks questions, which comes from listener Eric Bauer.

Ask a question at BayCurious.org. Follow Olivia Allen-Price on Twitter @oallenprice

Ships from the Gold-Rush era are hidden deep underground throughout the city. How did they get so far from the shoreline?

Bay Curious gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what we work on. And you join us on the journey to find the answer.

Ask a question at BayCurious.org.