

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

Oct 8, 2020 • 16min
Proposition 19: Property Tax Transfers
Proposition 19 would allow adults 55+, people living with severe disabilities, and victims of natural disasters to transfer their property tax assessment to another home. It would also close the so-called "Lebowski" loophole ... requiring people who inherit property to pay market rate tax assessment if they do not make the home their primary residence.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/11841414
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Election Coverage: https://www.kqed.org/elections
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 7, 2020 • 11min
Proposition 18: Youth Voting
We're exploring the 12 statewide ballot propositions in our Prop Fest series. This episode tackles Prop 18, which would allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary and special elections, as long as they will be 18 by the general election and are otherwise eligible to vote.Additional Reading:
Episode transcript: https://www.kqed.org/news/11841211
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Voter Guide: http://kqed.org/voterguide
Reported by 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, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 6, 2020 • 11min
Proposition 17: Voting While on Parole
Proposition 17 asks Californians if people convicted of felonies should be allowed to vote while on parole. This would impact about 40,000 people in the state. This is part 4 in our 12-part Prop Fest series, which explores the statewide ballot propositions Californians are voting on this year.Additional Reading:
Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/33FygZD
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Election Coverage: https://www.kqed.org/elections
Reported by 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, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 5, 2020 • 15min
Proposition 16: Affirmative Action
We're exploring the 12 statewide ballot propositions in our Prop Fest series. This episode tackles Prop 16, which asks voters to overturn a ban on the use of affirmative action by public institutions. The ban was originally put in place by California voters in 1996.Additional Reading:
Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/3cPYkUU
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Election Coverage: https://www.kqed.org/electionsnews
Reported by Katie Orr. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 2, 2020 • 16min
Proposition 15: Commercial Property Tax
We're digging into the 12 statewide ballot propositions in our Prop Fest series. This episode tackles Prop 15, which would change how the state assesses taxes on commercial and industrial property to raise money for public schools.Additional Reading:
Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/3cLCvWw
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Election Coverage: https://www.kqed.org/elections
Reported by Scott Shafer. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Rob Speight. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Bianca Hernandez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Michelle Wiley.

Oct 1, 2020 • 13min
Proposition 14: Stem Cell Research Bond
This year Californians are voting on 12 statewide propositions that will have a big impact on criminal justice reform, taxes, and voting, among other things. Some of them are pretty complicated, so we've broken them down for you. We kick it off with Proposition 14 -- a bond to fund stem cell research.Additional Reading:
Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/2G50GU4
Prop Fest Homepage: https://www.kqed.org/propfest
KQED Voter Guide: http://kqed.org/voterguide
Reported by Danielle Venton. 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 Don Clyde.

Sep 24, 2020 • 16min
What Was the Bay Area Like During the Last Ice Age?

Sep 17, 2020 • 15min
How the North Bay Became 'Wine Country'
The area north of San Francisco has come to be known as "wine country," but listener Michael Viray wanted to know, how did it get that way? Bugs, taxes and war all played their part. We take you through 160 years of wine making history.Additional Reading:
The Birth of 'Wine Country' Is A Story of Bugs, Taxes and War
Climate Change Offers Up A New Wine List
Take Our Podcast Survey, Please!
Reported by Christopher Beale. 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 Don Clyde.

Sep 10, 2020 • 9min
Does the Golden Gate Bridge Howl?
Listener Ryan heard an eerie noise while crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on his motorcycle. He's not the only one -- the sound can be heard from miles away. What's going on?Additional Reading:
The Story Behind the Golden Gate Bridge's New Howl
Why the Golden Gate Bridge Is Now A Giant Orange Wheezing Kazoo
Engineers discuss the phenomenon on Reddit.
Reported by Rob Speight with support from Gabe Meline. 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 Don Clyde.

Sep 3, 2020 • 16min
Evacuation 101 And Why Wildfire Can't Defeat Those Redwoods
Recent fires in the Bay Area have a lot of us thinking about how to evacuate our homes, maybe for the first time. We answer all the basics about when you'll know it's time to go, what to bring, and where to go. And, we take some hope from the resilience of our redwood forests, even after tragic wildfires.Additional Reading:
What Big Basin's Redwoods Mean to You (and Why They'll Be OK)
Fire Evacuation: What Actually Happens? And How Can You Plan?
We Can Make Wildfires Less Horrific. Will We?
Reported by Carly Severn and Danielle Venton. 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 Don Clyde.


