Bay Curious

Sabrina McQueen grew up in Walnut Creek and would often see people driving around in purple limos. The locals call them "Purple People," and she's been wondering about them for decades. The group's official name is Lafayette Morehouse and they're one of the few 1960s-era intentional living communes that have survived the decades. Additional Reading:  This Bay Area Sex-Loving Commune Is Still Going Strong Reported by Jon Brooks. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Jen Chien, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Former Menlo Park resident Jim Timmons remembers the park around the Stanford Dish fondly. It has tons of wildlife and great views. But he wants to know more about the massive satellite dish in the middle of it. The 1960s-era parabolic antenna radio telescope was built to keep tabs on the Russian space program at the height of the Cold War. It's still used for research. Additional Reading No, the Stanford Dish Isn't Listening For Aliens, But It Was Designed to Spy on Russia Sign up for Bay Curious' monthly email newsletter Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Carly Severn, Jen Chien, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

If you see someone wearing a pair of pristine, gleaming white sneakers do you ever ask yourself: How do they keep their shoes so clean? We dig into sneaker culture with a couple of self-identified sneakerheads from John Henry High School in Richmond. And learn how internet influencers play a part. Additional Reading:  Colorways, Hypebeasts and Influencers: Bay Area Teens Talk Sneakerhead Culture More Youth Takeover Stories Reported by Arline Villagres and Victor Rodriguez. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Amanda Vigil, Emiliano Villa, Carly Severn, Jen Chien, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Millions of people are evicted each year, often because they can't pay rent. That causes a cascade of problems and makes it harder for many to get back on their feet. The KQED podcast Sold Out: Rethinking Housing In America has produced a special series on evictions in the Bay Area. Today we present an excerpt of their work that looks at the history, promise and drawbacks of the biggest rental assistance subsidy available to low-income people -- Section 8. Additional Reading:  For Many Tenants Section 8 Is A Broken Promise. Fixing It Could Help Keep More People Housed SOLD OUT Podcast Reported by Molly Solomon and Erin Baldassari. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Kelly, Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Jen Chien, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Listener Tadd Williams often sees the 16th Street Station from I-880. It's a huge, stately building in the Beaux-Arts style. It's looking a little rundown now, but it clearly was grand at one time. He wants to know about its past lives, and how was this spot important to West Oakland's Black community and the Civil Rights Movement. Additional Reading How Oakland's 16th Street Station Helped Build West Oakland and the Modern Civil Rights Movement Legacy of the Pullman Car Porters Thanks to the Newberry Library in Chicago for use of archival audio from the Pullman Railroad Company Records.

Bay Curious listener Rich Wipfler loves cars. So when he read that back in 1975 the museum that would become SFMOMA held a soapbox derby where local artists showed off wild, zany homemade creations careening downhill, he need to know more. We take you behind the scenes to meet the artists who starred in it. And, as luck would have it, the event is finally happening again -- April 10, 2022. Be there. Additional Reading:  Wacky, Homemade Cars Will Soon Roll Down the Hill in SF's McLaren Park Amanda Pope's documentary: The Incredible San Francisco Artists' Soapbox Derby Reported by Mary Franklin Harvin. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

When Victoria Eng did a web search for her Duboce Triangle avenue she learned something curious. “It popped up on a list as an intersection of a privately owned street nearby.” That got her wondering why San Francisco has private streets at all. “Who owns these streets and why would someone want to own one of these streets?” She asked. Today we dive into a private street primer, and revisit one of the city’s most notorious private street sagas. Additional Resources: Sign up for our monthly newsletter to hear about future events What Is A Private Street and Why Are There So Many in San Francisco? Reported by Vanessa Rancaño. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli, Brendan Willard and Ceil Muller. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Shellmounds are man-made mounds of earth and organic matter that were built up by humans over thousands of years. They were created by the people native to the San Francisco Bay Area. One archeologist estimated there were more than 425 shellmounds in the Bay Area at one point. Paul Gilbert wants to know what happened to them. Additional Reading There Were Once More Than 425 Shellmounds in the Bay Area. Where Did They Go? Who Were the First People to Live in the Bay Area? Court rules a 260-unit apartment complex can go up at 1900 Fourth St., a site the Ohlone consider sacred Reported by Laura Klivans. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

The Mission District is one of San Francisco’s most famed neighborhoods -- and one of its oldest. It’s lived a lot of lives, from the Yelamu native people to the Spanish missionaries, and then waves of European immigrants. So then how did it become the center for the Latino community? Bay Curious intern Sebastian Mino-Bucheli tells us the story. Additional reading  Latinos in La Misión: A Story of Resistance and Community Reported by Sebastian Miño-Buchli. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Eric Johnson has been trying to explore more areas of San Francisco. He discovered the Filbert Steps on Telegraph Hill one beautiful spring day and it got him wondering what it's like to live there. Are there special rules homeowners have to follow? We met up with some residents to find out, discovering a whole lot more about this tight-knit community along the way. Additional Reading:  How the Filbert Steps Came to Be an Oasis in San Francisco Where Did the Wild Parrots of San Francisco Come From? Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Jen Chien, Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Bay Curious listener Matt Leonard asked: "What's the deal with San Francisco's trash cans? Why are they so unwieldy and why does it seem like it's so hard to get them replaced?" The answer takes us into the belly of San Francisco's Mohammed Nuru corruption case. On the upside, we'll get to know the new trash can prototypes. Additional Reading: The Sordid Saga of San Francisco's Trash Cans (with prototype photos) San Francisco's Unfolding Web of Corruption: A Cartoon Interactive Vote in our March Public Voting Round Reported by Christopher J. Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli, Vanessa Rancaño and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

When California became a state in 1850, it entered the union as a state that would not allow slavery. That's the history most people know. But in reality, California did allow slavery and its early leaders sided with the South and the rights of enslavers through a litany of early laws. The effects of that racist foundation are still being felt by people of color in California today. Additional Reading:  California Celebrates Its History As a 'Free State.' But There Was Slavery Here KQED coverage of the Reparations Task Force work Stacey L. Smith discusses California's legacy of slavery on Forum Gold Chains: The Hidden History of Slavery in California (ACLU podcast) Reported by Otis Taylor and Lakshmi Sarah. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

You might consider the 1960 Winter Olympics in Lake Tahoe a quaint affair compared to what's going on in Beijing right now, but these games had an outsize impact on televised sports, snow sports along the West Coast, and subsequent Olympic Games. Yet that these Games were even held in Tahoe is a bit of a miracle. Additional Reading:  'The World Was Shocked': How the Winter Olympics Came to Tahoe in 1960 Reported by Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Editing help on this episode from Victoria Mauleon and Katrina Schwartz. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Located at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Derby streets in Berkeley, The Rainbow Sign was a Black-centered space that was open to all — as a performance venue, a political organizing nexus and a legendary cafe. It saw dozens of high-profile Black luminaries walk through its doors, including James Baldwin, Nina Simone, Maya Angelou and Shirley Chisholm. The Rainbow Sign opened its doors in 1971, but was forced to shut down just six years later. Despite its short existence, the venue left an indelible mark on many young people in the community, including Vice President Kamala Harris. Bay Curious is presenting this episode from The California Report Magazine, a KQED radio program and podcast. Subscribe to their podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for more stories from around California. Additional Reading: Remembering The Rainbow Sign: The Short But Powerful Reign of Berkeley's 1970s Black Cultural Center Archive material from The Rainbow Sign curated by students at UC Berkeley  Reported by Sa

If you're out for a walk along the Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline at low tide, you might see the bones of an old ship poking out of the mud. How did it get there and what kind of life did it have? Additional Reading: How Did a 184-Foot Long Shipwreck Wind Up Grounded in the Carquinez Strait Martinez Historical Society resources on the Forester National Maritime Museum archived materials on the Forester Reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

A lot of us are cleaning out our closets these days, getting rid of the stuff we don't wear and maybe even downsizing. But what do you do with all those old clothes? And, can stained or ripped clothes be recycled? We've got answers. Additional Reading: How to Responsibly Purge Your Closet in the Bay Area What Can You Do With Used Clothing Not Suitable for Donation? Reported by Sarah Craig. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Western monarch butterflies migrate to California to overwinter each year, traveling hundreds, even thousands of miles When they arrive, they need nectar flowers and milkweed to survive, but climate change, pesticide use and loss of habitat are threatening these magical creatures. A Bay Curious listener named Ellea wants to know what we can do to help support the Monarchs and other pollinators. One major learning from this episode: It's illegal to rear monarchs without a permit! Additional Reading How You Can Help Save the Monarch Butterfly and Other Pollinators Reported by Amanda Stupi. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Natalia Aldana, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Bay Curious newsletter reader Mike Robbins wrote to us saying he has thousands of dollars in toll violations and penalties. The number seemed so high we were incredulous. But, it turns out if you miss a few toll invoices, or don't pay them quickly enough, it's easy for a $6 or $7 toll fee to escalate into thousands of dollars of debt. We explain how and what's being done about it. Additional Reading Hit With Bridge Toll Debt? We Explain the Change That's Led to Skyrocketing Bills for Drivers 'High Pain, Low Gain': How Bridge Toll Penalties Pile Debt on Lower-Income Drivers Ways to Pay Your Toll, Invoice or Violation Reported by Dan Brekke. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

When trying to identify a San Francisco accent, sometimes people point to the "Mission Brogue." But San Franciscans have always had many ways of speaking. Naming just one the San Francisco accent says more about who has political power than how people speak. Additional Reading:  Why the Myth of the 'San Francisco Accent' Persists Uncovering the Real Story Behind the 'East Bay Mystery Walls' Tunnels Under San Francisco? Inside the Dark, Dangerous World of the Sewers Reported by Chloe Veltman. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

The Bay Area is full of World War II history, even if it isn't always obvious. Listener Lise Ciolino stumbled on some in her Sausalito neighborhood when she learned that during the war there was a huge shipyard there. She wants to know "how the Liberty Ships produced in Sausalito affected the outcome of World War II." Additional Reading How Black Shipyard Workers in Marin Helped Win World War II Rapping About the WWII Black Shipyard Workers in Marin "A Way Out of No Way" on Spotify Reported by Pendarvis Harshaw and Marisol Medina-Cadena. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Ceil Muller, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Suzie Racho, Carly Severn, Lina Blanco, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.