Piedmont in the East Bay is a bit of an oddity: a city less than 2 square miles large in the middle of Oakland — but not part of it. It’s now one of the wealthiest cities in the Bay Area, and some Oakland residents want to ‘Cancel Piedmont’ in order to confront the region’s inequality.

Today, we’re sharing a 2019 episode from our friends at Bay Curious about the city’s history. It’s a story about Piedmont, but it’s really a story that starts in Oakland.

Links:

• Why Is Piedmont a Separate City From Oakland? Bay Curious Explains

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The Bay Area’s full of subcultures and meetups for just about everyone. So as part of a new series from KQED Arts & Culture called “Finding Your People,” Arts and Culture Editor Nastia Voynovskaya takes us inside a craft night in Alameda that’s quickly become one of the hottest events in town.

Links:

• This Craft Night Might Be the Hottest Party in Alameda
• KQED Arts’ ‘Finding Your People’ Series

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Class is back in session at Oakland Unified School District schools this week, with one notable change: A strict phone-free policy. 

KQED’s Katie DeBenedetti explains how a statewide mandate has pushed districts across the Bay to pass their own policies banning or restricting phones, and how it's playing out in Oakland. 

Links:

• OUSD Cellphone Ban for Students Takes Effect on the First Day of the School Year
  

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State and local leaders are suing the federal government after alleging that Immigration and Customs Enforcement quietly broke ground on a proposal to build an ICE facility in Gilroy. Santa Clara County leaders and a number of other Bay Area cities, counties and community groups, have banded together to put a stop to the plan. At a recent press conference, members of San Jose’s Japanese American community also spoke out, drawing parallels to the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

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Outside Lands is upon us, and 75,000 people are expected to descend on Golden Gate Park each of the festival’s three days. That also means lots of trash. In this episode, SF Gate’s Melissa Cho walks us through how the festival is able to divert the majority of its waste from landfills.

This episode first aired on Aug. 15, 2025

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This episode contains mentions of suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988.

Starting August 14, San Francisco will remove peer specialists from its 911 response. These peer specialists, equipped with both training and personal experience with issues like homelessness and addiction, say the decision is a regressive step in the city’s approach to mental and behavioral health emergencies.

Links:

• These Peers Provided Alternative 911 Responders. San Francisco Is Removing Them
  

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Headed to the beach? Keep a watchful eye on the ocean for sneaker waves. They’re sudden, far-reaching waves that are notorious for catching beachgoers off-guard. Videos of Californians being swept away have gone viral, including a recent incident in Santa Cruz where a lifeguard saved a 10-year old from drowning.

KQED’s Sarah Wright explains what sneaker waves are, why they’re dangerous, and how to stay safe while still enjoying the ocean.

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What does it mean to live, work, and make decisions in a rapidly automated world?

Life, Automated, a new podcast distributed by KQED and made by our partners at the Ryan Institute for Complexity at Northwestern University, explores this urgent question. Listen every other Wednesday wherever you listen.

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As we ramp up production for August, we’ve been thinking about you – our listeners – a lot. 

And we’d love to chat. About what you like hearing, what you want to hear more of, and some ideas we have.

If you’re up for that, leave us a voicemail at 415-710-9223. Please leave us your name and a good number to call. Talk soon!

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I’m sure you’ll agree with us: Sometimes, it's good to take a break from the news. Every July, The Bay takes a break from making new episodes. We use this time to reset, rest, and brainstorm what we want to make for you.

We will resume our regular schedule on Monday Aug. 3. Say hello anytime [email protected]. We always love hearing from you. Thank you for listening and enjoying the show!

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In this June 2026 edition of the monthly news roundup, we discuss the Giants’ pride month controversy, the debate over a new data center coming to Pittsburg, and how high school students pushed for improvements to their local bus line in San Francisco.

Links:

• Pittsburg controversy over data center on old Delta View Golf Course
• This Bay Area suburb lost its main industry. Can it rebuild?
• In San Francisco, Students Become Transit Advocates to Fix ‘the City’s School Bus’
• Fans chew out SF Giants for team's 'weak' response to Pride Night saga

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