Bay Curious

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 Read a transcript of this episode 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

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 Read the transcript here Want more answers to your questions? Sign up for our monthly newsletter! 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 Read the transcript here Want more answers to your questions? Sign up for our monthly newsletter! 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 Read the transcript here Sign up for the Bay Curious newsletter for more answers to your questions Submit your question to Bay Curious! 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 Ke

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. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this episode included an inaccurate statement about Japanese allies. It has been corrected. We regret the error.