The Bay

Less than six weeks after our KQED colleagues from On Our Watch published an episode that revealed new information about the police killing of Oscar Grant, California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta announced he was opening an external investigation into the 12-year old case, which he says remains unsolved. KQED's Sukey Lewis spoke with Bonta to discuss systemic issues in California policing, and how he wants them to be addressed. She also covers some upcoming police reforms that could lead to more accountability and transparency.Listen and subscribe to On Our Watch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2020, hundreds of workers at Foster Farms plants in California tested positive for COVID-19. 16 people have died and at least 20 others have been hospitalized.A KQED investigation found that as Foster Farms' Central Valley plants stayed open, and essential workers got sick, or even died, the company didn’t always give a complete picture of the problem to health officials, state regulators and their own employees.KQED’s Alex Hall has been following the story since the start, and in this episode of The California Report Magazine, she shares the findings of her reporting — from tense conversations with Foster Farms, to the families of the workers who died from the coronavirus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past few days, the Chevron refinery in Richmond has been intermittently sending flames and toxic fumes into the air, and people living in the area have complained of a strong gas smell. Meanwhile, the public still has not received details about the cause behind another incident at the same refinery more than 8 months ago: a pipeline leak on Feb. 9 that sent 750 gallons of fuel into the San Francisco Bay.Guest: Ted Goldberg, supervising senior editor for news and newscasts at KQEDMore Resources:8 Months After Chevron Oil Refinery Spill, Few Details Surface About Cause This episode originally aired on February 24, 2021 and was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Kate Wolffe, Shaylyn Martos, and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Devin Katayama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the pandemic, the meal kit delivery company HelloFresh has made record profits. But some employees at HelloFresh factory kitchens like the one in Richmond say they’re not sharing in those gains, and that they feel invisible and underappreciated.Instead, they say they’re being asked to work harder and faster as more white-collar employees working remotely use the service. Now, they want to form what would be the first union in the meal kit industry.Guest: Sam Harnett, KQED tech reporterThis episode was produced by Alan Montecillo and Kate Wolffe, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re getting an unusual amount of rain this week, with the potential for strong storms during the weekend. And after a summer of drought and wildfires, the rain’s just got us feeling some type of way.So this all begs the question: Could this rain actually put a dent in this year’s fire season or our drought?Guest: Dan Brekke, KQED editor and reporterThis episode was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Kate Wolffe, and hosted by Alan Montecillo.More Resources: Sign up for Bay Area emergency alerts in your county. National Weather Service, San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey‘ 'Jersey Rain,’ by Robert Pinsky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Oct. 19, 1991, a fire started to burn and spread in the Oakland Hills. By the time it was done, an estimated 25 people were killed and thousands of homes were destroyed.30 years later, a warmer climate and drier conditions mean that another wildfire could break out in or near the city of Oakland. So, are we more prepared this time?Guest: Brian Krans, contributing reporter for The OaklandsideListen: Remembering the 1991 Oakland-Berkeley FirestormThis episode was produced by Kate Wolffe and Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and hosted by Alan Montecillo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly a decade ago, Vallejo launched an experiment: what if citizens played a more active role in deciding how to spend public money?It's a process called 'participatory budgeting', and Vallejo is the first city in the nation to try this citywide. Now, more local governments in California are considering this approach, too.Today, we're sharing an episode of California State of Mind, a podcast from Capital Public Radio and CalMatters. Hosts Nicole Nixon and Nigel Duara explore this topic with CapRadio's News and Features Editor Pauline Bartolone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California’s Reparations Task Force has a huge challenge before them: to study and recommend reparation proposals for Black Californians and descendants of enslaved people.The task force wrapped up a series of meetings this week ranging from housing discrimination, to environmental racism to educational inequities. But this formal public process is also a time for people to share their personal emotions and experiences — and tell the state what reparations would mean to them.View past meetings and see more about upcoming meetings of the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African AmericansGuest: Lakshmi Sarah, KQED digital producer and reporterThis episode was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Kate Wolffe, and hosted by Alan Montecillo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2020, homicides in the Bay Area increased by about 25%, according to a Guardian analysis of census and state data. Many of those deaths involved guns. The majority of people killed were Black and Latino, and some of the largest increases took place in Oakland, Vallejo, and Stockton.We don't yet know all of the reasons why this increase occurred, but many local practitioners of gun violence prevention point to factors like economic hardship, and the closures of important community spaces during the pandemic.Guest: Abené Clayton, lead reporter of The Guardian’s ‘Guns & Lies in America’ seriesRead Abené's full piece in The GuardianThis episode was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Kate Wolffe, and hosted by Alan Montecillo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Caldor Fire came very close to burning thousands of homes and businesses in South Lake Tahoe. But in the end, while the wildfire has done a lot of damage, the city was largely spared.That’s no accident. South Lake Tahoe was protected from the Caldor Fire thanks to the hard work of firefighters, some favorable wind shifts, and years of forest preparation. Guest: Danielle Venton, KQED climate reporterThis episode was produced by Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Adhiti Bandlamudi, and hosted by Alan Montecillo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices