Bay Curious

Proposition 1 on the 2026 California ballot authorizes the state to take out an $11.25 billion bond to fund an array of affordable housing programs, including the construction and preservation of affordable housing and the CalVet program, which helps veterans become homeowners. Additional Resources: Read the transcript for this episode Catch up on all of Prop Fest 2026 Sign up for our newsletter Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Adhiti Bandlamudi. Prop Fest is a collaboration between Bay Curious and The Bay. It’s made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck and Pauline Bartalone. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nancy Pelosi, the trailblazing San Francisco politician and first woman Speaker of the U.S. House, reflects on her unlikely entry into politics. Her rise unfolds through coalition-building, a bruising congressional race, and the AIDS crisis, including efforts to bring the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Washington and pass the Ryan White Care Act. Featuring voices from across her remarkable career.

Carly Severn, KQED audience news editor, and Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle culture critic, dive into the Bay Area’s creepiest screen stories. They discuss fog-shrouded coastlines in The Fog, Santa Cruz vampires in The Lost Boys, Scream’s North Bay controversy, pandemic unease in Contagion, and sinister local landmarks in Burnt Offerings, Pacific Heights, Zodiac, and more.

Gabriela Glueck, a reporter covering California communities, history and culture, uncovers the Chinese and Japanese flower growers who once cultivated vast fields beneath today’s Silicon Valley. The story follows leased farms, family nurseries, cooperative networks and the corsage boom. It also explores how imports and soaring real estate prices erased this vibrant agricultural world, and efforts to preserve its memory.

Danielle Levine, a lighthouse keeper and hospitality operator, and Ray Colvin, a keeper and commercial boat captain, tour East Brother Light Station, a Victorian beacon turned island B&B. Explore its dangerous waters, Fresnel lens, grueling historic routines, near-demolition, romantic guest rooms, hearty meals, and thunderous foghorn. It’s a secluded slice of Bay Area history with an uncertain pier and a remarkable second life.

Mary Newsom, a Bay Area walker who noticed wildlife return to park golf courses during the pandemic. Sarah Wright, KQED outdoors reporter who dug into the history and economics of public golf. They explore the Scottish and municipal roots of courses. They talk about access, racial integration in the sport, park finances, and how municipal courses introduce newcomers to golf.

Morgan Sung, tech journalist who reports on surveillance and hosts Close All Tabs, walks through why Flock’s license plate readers sparked fierce local debate. She explains what the cameras record, how that data is shared and misused, and security flaws that make the system vulnerable. She also covers patterns of policing, community backlash, and the political fallout surrounding Flock contracts.

John Sherman, longtime Bay Area climber and bouldering pioneer. Ravi Bhoraskar, curious new climber whose find sparked the story. Francesca Fenzi, reporter who investigated the shiny Beaver Street wall. They explore the glossy slickenside rock, on-site climbing and permit questions, top-rope outdoor setup, and Bay Area bouldering history and innovations like pads and the V grading system.

Christopher Beale, a reporter who researched and narrated this story, walks through San Francisco’s worn green trash cans and the long, twisty effort to replace them. He covers corruption linked to the original contract, city strategies to prevent vandalism, and the local prototyping and selection of a new tamper-resistant design. The segment ends with the rollout plans for thousands of new cans.

Gary Reed, Manager of Vessel Traffic Services in San Francisco, explains how anchorages and VTS coordinate ship movements. Katrina Schwartz, editor and producer, reports on maritime operations and the story behind Anchorage 9. They discuss the VTS system born from a 1971 spill, how designated anchor buckets work, the role of bar pilots, dredging of channels, and seafarer welfare while ships wait.