The Bay

Clouds of crows have taken over downtown Sunnyvale like a scene out of The Birds. A combination of factors are leading them there, including the increase of outdoor dining due to the pandemic.Now, the city is trying to figure out how to get them out of the area without harming them. Residents have some strong opinions about it, too. But even if the city successfully drives them out of downtown, there’s no guarantee they’ll be gone for good.Guest: Dan Brekke, KQED editor and reporterThis episode was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.Links: A Murder of Crows is Bedeviling Sunnyvale, hosted by Alexis Madrigal and produced by Grace Won Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've all had to weigh the risks of leaving our homes during this pandemic that has lasted for nearly 2 years. For lots of people, the risk of getting severely ill from the coronavirus is currently very low, even amid the Omicron surge of the past few weeks.But for many disabled, immunocompromised, and medically vulnerable people, the stakes of getting COVID-19 are still very high. Many also feel that public discussions about the future of the virus are not taking their health into consideration. Guest: Lesley McClurg, KQED health reporterThis episode was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.Links:'Risk No Matter Where I Go': For Many Disabled People, a Future of Ever-Present COVID Is Daunting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trouble could be ahead for Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith. A civil grand jury has accused her office of 7 counts of misconduct related to corruption, and on Wednesday California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that his office is launching a civil rights investigation. It's the latest in a long backstory of officials and members of the public attempting to hold Sheriff Smith accountable, for accusations like corruption, bribery, and even jail abuse.Today, we’re sharing an episode from last summer, when local elected officials publicly called for investigations into the sheriff — and in some cases, called for her resignation.Guests: KQED reporters Adhiti Bandlamudi and Alex EmslieThis episode originally aired on Aug. 23, 2021. It was originally produced by Christopher Beale and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Devin Katayama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A self-driving car is not an uncommon sight in San Francisco. And it can feel like more and more of them are out there on the roads. But why?Today, an episode from our friends at Bay Curious about this, and whether we're headed towards a driverless future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. currently has an immigration court backlog that surpasses 1.5 million cases — and that includes many people who are seeking asylum from violence or persecution in their home countries.In northern California, asylum cases are typically heard at an immigration court in San Francisco’s Financial District. That’s where KQED immigration editor Tyche Hendricks met Pablo Lopez, a Nicaraguan man living in Walnut Creek as he awaits his opportunity to make his case before an immigration judge. But a recent attempt by the Biden Administration to speed up asylum claims is putting pressure on people like Pablo to find a lawyer ASAP, to better his chances of winning his claim.Guest: Tyche Hendricks, KQED immigration editorThis episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Christopher Beale, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.Links: 'I Hope a Lawyer Will Answer': Asylum Seekers Risk Deportation in Expedited Process A Simple Paperwork Error Can Get Asylum Seekers Deported. Rosa Díaz Got Lucky on a Lunch Break Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday, the San José City Council voted to study the possibility of giving noncitizens the right to vote in local elections. Community organizers in the city, where 40% of residents are foreign-born, have talked about the idea for years. They argue it’s time to enfranchise the city’s immigrants, regardless of their citizenship status. If successful, San Jose would join New York as one of the biggest cities to do this nationwide.Guest: Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí, community engagement reporter for KQEDThis episode was produced by Christopher Beale and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, students, teachers and staff returned to class after the winter holidays…and right in the middle of a record-high surge in confirmed COVID-19 cases across California.The result? Lots of classroom absences and disruptions, thanks to huge numbers of positive cases among students and educators alike. So, what happens next?Guest: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED education reporterThis episode was produced by Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and Christopher Beale, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Traxamillion, born Sultan Banks, was a producer from San Jose who helped define the Bay Area’s sound and propelled the Hyphy Movement to the national stage. If there’s a Bay Area hip-hop anthem you love, whether it’s Sideshow, Super Hyphy or San Francisco Anthem, Traxamillion had his fingerprints on it.Traxamillion died on Jan. 2 in Santa Clara from a rare form of cancer at the age of 42. So today, we remember his legacy on the hyphy movement, the Bay Area, and local artists.Guest: Nastia Voynovskaya, KQED Arts and Culture associate editorLinks: Remembering Traxamillion, Whose Beats Defined the Bay Area Sound by Nasta Voynovskaya, Gabe Meline, and Pendarvis Harshaw Super Hyphy with Traxamillion, Dad Bod Rap Pod This episode was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Christopher Beale, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Zoe Lofgren was in the U.S. Capitol a year ago when a mob of Trump supporters, white supremacists, and conspiracy theorists stormed the building to try and overturn the results of the presidential election. Now she’s one of 9 House members — and the only one from the Bay Area — charged with investigating what happened leading up to that day, and who was involved.On this episode, we share an interview between Rep. Lofgren and KQED’s Brian Watt. Guest: Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), representing California’s 19th Congressional District (San Jose, Morgan Hill, Gilroy)This episode was produced by Christopher Beale, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and Alan Montecillo. The original interview was made by Mary Franklin Harvin, Alex Gonzalez, Katie McMurran, and hosted by Brian Watt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long COVID test lines and empty shelves where the rapid at-home tests used to be — all signs of another post-holiday pandemic surge.It’s hard to know just how big of a testing deficit we’re in, but with the Omicron variant spreading and a huge spike in demand after the holidays, just how prepared were we for another testing surge?Guests: Kristen Hwang, CalMatters health reporter and Yolanda Oviedo, COVID-19 Response Coordinator at Canal Alliance in San RafaelThis episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Christopher Beale, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices