The Bay

Last week, the oil giant Valero announced that it will “idle, restructure, or cease operations” at its Benicia refinery that employs more than 400 workers by April 2026. KQED’s Julie Small tells us how officials are reacting, and why many view this decision as a response to state and local regulations.Links: Oil Giant Valero Looks to Shutter Troubled Bay Area Refinery. It’s ‘a Big Surprise’ Bay Area Air District Hits Valero's Benicia Refinery With 'Historic' $82 Million Fine Benicia Moves Toward Tougher Oversight of Valero Refinery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Picture an all-electric home with smart appliances that talk to each other via WiFi to figure out when to pull power from the grid. That’s the idea behind something called ‘virtual power plant’ technology. While it’s not new, the technology’s advocates hope it will power many more homes in the coming years. KQED’s Laura Klivans takes us inside one such home in north Richmond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Saturday, San Francisco officially opened Sunset Dunes Park on the city’s west side. It replaces a 2-mile section of the Great Highway, 5 months after voters approved a citywide measure to permanently close it to motor vehicles. But many residents, still furious about the decision to close the road, haven’t given up. Some are even campaigning to recall their local supervisor. Links: Sunset Dunes: San Francisco's Controversial New Park Officially Opens SF Supervisor Faces a Recall Campaign Over Great Highway Closure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Self-driving Waymo robotaxis are now commonplace on the streets of San Francisco. Feelings about these autonomous vehicles vary — from excitement, to amusement, to outright hostility. Some have even gone so far as to vandalize the cars.In this episode from KQED’s Close All Tabs podcast, Morgan Sung speaks with Bloomberg journalist Ellen Huet and law professor Ryan Calo to explore the rise of Waymo vandalism, and its roots in our collective anxiety over AI.Links: Waymo’s Expansion Provokes Anxieties of AI Takeover – Ellen Huet, Bloomberg The next big robotaxi push is almost here — Harri Weber, Quartz  The Courts Can Handle the Deadly Uber Self-Driving Car Crash. But that doesn’t mean the law is ready for autonomous vehicles. — Ryan Calo, Slate Good Robot, Bad Robot: Dark and Creepy Sides of Robotics, Autonomous Vehicles, and AI — Jo Ann Oravec, Professor at the University of Wisconsin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration has revoked hundreds of student visas across the country, claiming many have participated in ‘pro-Hamas’ activism on college campuses. Now, two international students at California colleges are suing the federal government after their student visas were revoked and their records in a federal database were terminated, effectively stripping them of their ability to continue studying in the U.S. Links: California Students, Blindsided by Visa Cancellations, Sue Trump Administration What Should International Students on Visas and Green Cards Know Right Now? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on imports go into effect today, and businesses around the Bay Area are already feeling the impact. Some worry that the costs will trickle down to consumers and discourage businesses already struggling to afford operating in the Bay Area. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the A’s begin their first season in Sacramento, KQED found that some Coliseum workers promised financial assistance from the A’s ahead of the team’s transition out of Oakland haven’t gotten anything. Links:Some Oakland Coliseum Workers Say They Never Received Assistance From A’s Farewell Fund Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard Beal, director of recovery services at the Tenderloin Housing Clinic, shares his powerful personal journey of addiction and recovery in San Francisco. David Sjostedt, a staff writer for the San Francisco Standard, highlights the alarming statistics of overdose deaths among Black men, who face a staggering disparity in mortality rates. Together, they discuss the complex factors fueling this crisis, including generational trauma, community responses, and the importance of rebuilding trust between public health initiatives and Black communities.

Bianca Taylor, host and producer of KQED’s The Latest, dives into a self-defense class in San Francisco’s Transgender District tailored for queer and trans individuals. She explores the climate of fear created by recent political shifts and how this class fosters resilience and community. Bianca discusses essential self-defense skills like verbal de-escalation and situational awareness, all while highlighting the importance of safe spaces and support for marginalized groups. Ultimately, it’s a powerful look at empowerment amid rising threats.

A Marin County school board ignited controversy by questioning the concept of toxic masculinity, sparking significant community backlash. In San Jose, the search for a new site for the iconic flea market faces state law hurdles. Meanwhile, an exciting Eid festival is set to brighten the Tenderloin, showcasing local food and performances, which aims to promote community spirit and challenge stereotypes. Conversations also touch on the precarious state of public media funding amidst political pressures.