

Bay Curious
KQED
Bay Curious is a show about your questions – and the adventures you find when you go looking for the answers. Join host Olivia Allen-Price to explore all aspects of the San Francisco Bay Area – from the debate over "Frisco", to the dinosaurs that once roamed California, to the causes of homelessness. Whether you lived here your whole life, or just arrived, Bay Curious will deepen your understanding of this place you call home.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 5, 2020 • 12min
How Ballots Get Counted in California
Are ballots counted by machines or humans? How sure are we there was no meddling with votes along the way? When do they stop counting ballots? What happens to ballots after they're counted? We explore these questions and more with KQED's Guy Marzorati.Additional Reading:When to Expect Election Results in the Bay AreaFeaturing KQED politics reporter Guy Marzorati. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 29, 2020 • 26min
Part II: The Aftermath and Legacy of the Donner Party Saga
What happened to the Donner Party survivors after they escaped the snowy Sierra? In this episode we explore how this notorious disaster struck deep at the heart of everything California held dear — and came to represent everything it wanted to forget.This is part two in our two-part series. Part one recounts the Donner Party Saga in full -- the version you haven’t heard before. Find it now in the Bay Curious podcast feed.Additional Reading:
Part II: Surviving the Donner Party -- California, Gold and Lifelong Secrets
Part I Endless Winter: A Fresh Look At The Donner Party Saga
Reported by Carly Severn. Featuring the voices of: Lina Blanco, Gabe Meline and Dan Brekke. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 29, 2020 • 33min
Part I: The Donner Party Story You Haven’t Heard Before
You probably know the broad strokes of the Donner Party Saga: In 1846, a group of migrants traveling to California got stuck in a surprise October snow storm. After exhausting all their resources, they turn to cannibalism to survive. It's a grisly tale ... but the way it's often told is incomplete. We’ll delve into the details many leave behind.This is part one in a two-part series. Part two follows the Donner Party survivors after they escaped the mountains, and explores the fallout for the entire state of California. Find it now in the Bay Curious podcast feed.Additional Reading:
Part I Endless Winter: A Fresh Look At The Donner Party Saga
Part II: Surviving the Donner Party -- California, Gold and Lifelong Secrets
Reported by Carly Severn. Featuring the voices of: Lina Blanco, Gabe Meline and Mike Hanlon. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 22, 2020 • 13min
How The Official California Voter Guide Gets Made
Colin Nichols gets the official California voter guide in the mail like folks in 11 million other households. It got him wondering, who puts it together? And why does one guy -- Gary Wesley -- write so many of the arguments? This question won our February voting round.Additional Reading:
11 Million Households, 10 Languages -- That's Right, It's the Official Calif. Voter Guide: https://www.kqed.org/news/11842131
Bay Curious Prop Fest: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED's Voter Guide: https://www.kqed.org/voterguide
Reported by Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong, Michelle Wiley and Don Clyde.

Oct 16, 2020 • 16min
Proposition 25: Cash Bail
Proposition 25 would eliminate the use of cash bail in California, replacing it with a threat assessment system using algorithms and judicial discretion. This episode is part of our Bay Curious Prop Fest series, which explores the 12 propositions on California's ballot. The series runs from Oct. 1-16, with new episodes dropping every weekday.Additional Reading:
Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11842445
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Election Coverage: https://www.kqed.org/elections
Reported by Marisa Lagos. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 15, 2020 • 16min
Proposition 24: Consumer Privacy
Proposition 24 would expand California's privacy laws, including the creation of a new state agency to regulate how companies collect and use consumer data. This episode is part of our Bay Curious Prop Fest series, which explores the 12 propositions on California's ballot. The series runs from Oct. 1-16, with new episodes dropping every weekday.Additional Reading:
Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11842350
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Election Coverage: https://www.kqed.org/elections
Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 14, 2020 • 17min
Proposition 23: Dialysis Physicians
We're exploring the 12 statewide ballot propositions in our Prop Fest series. This episode takes a closer look at Prop 23, which would require dialysis clinics to have a physician on-site during all hours patients are receiving treatment. Additional Reading:
Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11842100
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Voter Guide: http://kqed.org/voterguide
Reported by April Dembosky. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 13, 2020 • 14min
Proposition 22: App-Based Drivers
Proposition 22 asks Californians if they want to define app-based transportation and delivery drivers as independent contractors, instead of as employees, as state law currently requires. This episode is part of our Bay Curious Prop Fest series, which explores the 12 propositions on California's ballot. The series runs from Oct. 1-16, with new episodes dropping every weekday.Additional Reading:
Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11842012
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Election Coverage: https://www.kqed.org/elections
Reported by Sam Harnett. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 12, 2020 • 15min
Proposition 21: Rent Control
Proposition 21 asks voters if local governments should be allowed to enact rent control measures. It would replace the Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act, a state law pass in 1995 that limited what local governments could do. This is part of the Bay Curious Prop Fest series, covering the 12 statewide propositions on the Nov 2020 ballot.This episode has been updated.Additional Reading:
Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11841779
Bay Curious Episode on Rent Control: https://bit.ly/33ICNuc
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Voter Guide: http://kqed.org/voterguide
Reported by Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Katie McMurran and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 9, 2020 • 17min
Proposition 20: Criminal Sentencing and Parole
We're exploring the 12 statewide ballot propositions in our Prop Fest series. This episode takes a closer look at Prop 20, which aims to roll back some criminal justice reforms made over the past decade.Additional Reading:
Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11841579
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Voter Guide: http://kqed.org/voterguide
Reported by Marisa Lagos. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Katie McMurran, Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.


