SF’s E-Scooter Complaints Have More Than Doubled. The City Moves to Extend Lime, Spin Permits Anyway
San Francisco’s 311 data shows e‑scooter complaints more than doubled to over 11,000 in 2025, even as ridership surged. The city’s transit agency voted to extend Lime and Spin’s operating permits through June 2028 without requiring a fresh application. Lime operates roughly 2,600 scooters and logged a record 260,000 trips in October 2025, while Spin runs about 2,100 units. Officials say the extension eases staff workload and allows focus on broader micromobility challenges such as parking and safety.
What the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act Ruling Means for the 2026 Elections
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 decision that nullifies the remaining preclearance provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The conservative majority ruled the formula identifying jurisdictions with historic discrimination unconstitutional, ending federal oversight of voting‑law changes in...
Porter Focuses on California Housing Costs, AI Plans at KQED Town Hall
Former Rep. Katie Porter used a KQED town hall to outline a two‑pronged agenda for California: aggressive housing‑affordability measures and early regulation of artificial intelligence. She championed a down‑payment assistance bond to lower barriers for first‑time buyers and warned that...
Trump Closes San Francisco’s Immigration Court for Good
After more than a year of judge firings and retirements, the San Francisco immigration court at 100 Montgomery Street ceased hearing cases last week, accelerating its planned closure. The bench, once over 20 judges, had dwindled to two, leaving a backlog of...
Following Newsom’s Veto, Lawmaker Returns With Drug-Free Homeless Housing Bill
California Assemblymember Matt Haney is reintroducing AB 1556, a bill that would establish rules for recovery‑focused residences within the state’s Housing First framework. The measure follows Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of a similar sober‑housing bill, AB 255, last year. AB 1556 permits sobriety...
Raising Kids in the Bay? It Comes With Compromises
KQED’s "How We Get By" podcast reveals how Bay Area families juggle space, walkability, and affordability to raise children. A San Francisco couple lives in a studio, converting closets into bedrooms, while an Oakland family bought a sub‑$1 million home, giving up...
Xavier Becerra Backpedals on Single Payer as He Woos Powerful Doctors’ Lobby
Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Xavier Becerra has softened his long‑standing advocacy for a single‑payer health system after securing the endorsement of the California Medical Association, the state’s most powerful doctors’ lobby. In a private meeting, Becerra told CMA leaders he is...
California Wage-Theft Law Needs More Enforcement Muscle, Advocates Say
California workers lose over $4 billion annually to wage‑theft, prompting advocates to push for stronger enforcement of the 2015 SB 588 law. The statute gave the Labor Commissioner’s Office tools such as liens and joint liability, boosting post‑judgment payment rates from 17%...
Advocates Question Safety Concerns Surrounding E-Bikes
California lawmakers are debating new regulations for electric two‑wheelers as safety worries mount on popular trails. Advocates argue that most injury data mixes legal e‑bikes with faster, illegal e‑motorcycles—often called e‑motos—distorting the true risk profile. While Class 1 and 2 e‑bikes...
Supreme Court Ruling on Voting Won’t Change California Districts, but Could Hurt Democrats
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 decision that narrows Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, limiting courts' ability to block racially based redistricting. The ruling does not alter California’s newly adopted congressional maps, which were approved by voters through...
Search of Golden Gate Bridge Protesters’ Social Media Was Illegal, Attorneys Argue
Seven pro‑Palestinian activists who blocked the Golden Gate Bridge two years ago are headed to a felony trial after the California Highway Patrol secured a warrant for three months of their Facebook and Instagram data from Meta. Defense attorneys argue...
‘A Betrayal’: California to Share Data on Immigrant Drivers Nationally
California is preparing to transmit detailed driver‑license data, including information on undocumented holders, to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) to satisfy the Real ID Act. The move threatens more than one million immigrants who obtained licenses under...
Somebody’s Watching Me: The Crackdown on Stalkerware
The podcast episode spotlights Eva Galperin’s fight against stalkerware, a hidden class of spyware used to monitor victims’ phones. After uncovering a colleague’s decades‑long abuse in 2018, Galperin founded the Coalition Against Stalkerware to coordinate researchers, advocates, and legal action....
Martinez Renewable Refinery Workers Strike Amid Contract Dispute, Demand Safer Conditions
More than 100 United Steelworkers at Marathon Petroleum's Martinez Renewable refinery began a second day of strike on Workers Memorial Day, protesting unsafe conditions after a November 2023 fire that burned a worker over 80% of his body. The union...
Oakland’s Airport Name Dispute Finally Lands After 2 Years of Legal Turbulence
After two years of lawsuits over a trademark dispute, the Port of Oakland and the city of San Francisco reached a settlement that preserves the airport’s new name, Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport. The agreement allows the name to stay,...
Oakland Laborers Allege Over $300,000 in Wage Theft at Public Housing Redevelopment
Construction workers on Oakland's Lion Creek Crossings affordable‑housing renovation claim more than $300,000 in unpaid wages. The allegations target Milestone Roofing, a subcontractor of Saarman Construction, which says it is investigating the claims while negotiations continue. Over 20 laborers have...
The Big Impacts of Small Dust Particles
Researchers at UC Merced and the statewide UC Dust Team are documenting how fine dust particles affect health, safety and the environment across California. Their studies link airborne dust to respiratory illnesses, increased car‑accident rates during dust storms, livestock injuries,...
These UC Berkeley Students Are Leading the Fight Against Phones
UC Berkeley students hosted a phone‑free party organized by Project Reboot, encouraging attendees to seal their devices in bags and engage in offline activities. The event featured music, games, and signage urging participants to reclaim their attention. A campus survey...
While SF Sees Fewer Fatal Overdoses, Death Rate Is Still Among the Country’s Worst
San Francisco reported 49 accidental drug overdose deaths in March, bringing the year‑to‑date total to 148. While the monthly and YTD figures represent a decline from previous years, the city’s overdose death rate still ranks among the nation’s highest. Officials...
Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Stop ICE Courthouse Raids
California lawmakers introduced two bills aimed at curbing the surge of ICE arrests at courthouses, especially in the Inland Empire where raids have become almost daily. Assemblymember Susan Rubio's bill would allow defendants to schedule remote hearings, reducing the need...
California Courts Will Begin Tracking ICE Arrests at Their Facilities
California’s Judicial Council approved a rule that, beginning in June, obliges the state’s 58 trial courts to collect and publish detailed data on any civil arrests made on courthouse grounds, including those by ICE agents. The mandate follows a sharp...
Beloved Bayview Neighborhood Shuttles Will Run Another Year
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s Bayview Community Shuttle, a fleet of electric vans, will continue operating through November 2027 after the California Air Resources Board extended its funding. Launched in 2024 with a $10.5 million grant, the service offers on‑demand...
California Escalates Pressure on Half Moon Bay to Approve Farmworker Housing
California's Housing Accountability Unit has issued a sharply‑worded letter to Half Moon Bay, demanding a swift approval of the 40‑unit, five‑story 555 Kelly senior farmworker housing project. The state threatens fines, loss of housing funding, and possible legal action if...
Should California Keep Its Last Nuclear Power Plant Running?
California’s sole operating nuclear facility, the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, is slated to shut down in 2030 under state law. Lawmakers are debating an extension to keep the plant running amid rising electricity demand from the tech sector and climate...
Bay Area Jury to Deliberate Historic Catholic Clergy Abuse Case
A jury in Alameda County began deliberations in the first California Catholic clergy‑abuse trial, involving a 61‑year‑old plaintiff who says he was molested as a 10‑year‑old altar boy. The Diocese of Oakland acknowledges the abuse and supervisory failures but leaves...
Internal Emails Show How Fringe Groups Fueled Sheriff Chad Bianco’s Ballot Seizure
Internal emails obtained by CalMatters show Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco, influenced by the fringe "constitutional sheriff" movement, launched a baseless investigation that culminated in the unprecedented seizure of 650,000 ballots in March 2026. The probe, sparked by activist Shelby Bunch’s...
BART Ridership Surged While I-80 Was Closed Through San Francisco
BART saw a 46% surge in weekend ridership on both Saturday and Sunday as eastbound I‑80 through San Francisco was closed for 48 hours. The closure also reduced westbound Bay Bridge traffic by about 7% on Saturday, indicating a shift...
California Mom Who Lost Her Son to an AI Chatbot Is Now Fighting to Regulate Them
Maria Raine sued OpenAI after her 16‑year‑old son, Adam, used ChatGPT‑4o for homework and then confided suicidal thoughts to the bot, leading to his death in April 2025. Raine testified before California’s Senate Privacy Committee, urging passage of SB 1119 and...
Empty I-80 Allows Caltrans to Repair Key San Francisco Bay Bridge Connector
Caltrans closed eastbound I‑80 between US‑101 and the Bay Bridge for a weekend in April 2026, deploying over 100 workers to resurface the corridor. Crews applied a poly‑overlay—an inch‑thick polymer‑modified asphalt layer—to extend the deck’s lifespan. Traffic was rerouted onto US‑101...
These Workers Keep Produce Moving In the Golden State
The Oakland Produce Market, a century‑old hub, operates around the clock to supply small retailers and restaurants with fresh California produce, relying on night‑shift workers who load, sort, and transport bulk goods. In the Central Valley, Big Valley Divers crews...
Why Do BART Announcements Sound Like That?
The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system still uses a decades‑old, robotic voice for its passenger announcements, a relic of the original 1970s speech‑synthesis hardware. A recent KQED podcast explores why the transit agency has not modernized the system, citing...
Northern California Security Officers Campaign for Better Wages, Training
Security officers in Northern California rallied in San Francisco demanding higher wages, employer‑paid health care, retirement benefits, and safer working conditions. Represented by the Service Employees International Union, they are negotiating a new contract while urging passage of state legislation...
How Much of California’s High Gas Prices Related to War in Iran?
California’s gasoline prices have surged to some of the nation’s highest levels, driven in part by the war in Iran that has tightened global crude supplies. Analysts estimate the conflict adds roughly 10‑15 cents per gallon to the baseline price....
San José Residents Sue City, Saying Flock Safety Cameras Allow ‘Mass Surveillance’
San Jose residents have filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the city’s deployment of roughly 470 Flock Safety automated license‑plate readers creates an unconstitutional mass‑surveillance system. The plaintiffs claim the cameras violate the Fourth Amendment by tracking vehicle movements without...
What’s the Deal With I-80 and SF’s Central Freeway? Here’s a Brief History
Caltrans will close eastbound I‑80 between 17th and Fourth streets, along with U.S. 101 connectors, for extensive repairs, prompting concerns about Bay Area congestion. The shutdown echoes the 1996 Central Freeway closure, which proved traffic could be rerouted with a strong...
UC Patient Care and Service Workers Plan Open-Ended Strike Starting Next Month
Tens of thousands of University of California patient‑care and service workers will begin an open‑ended strike on May 14 after contract talks stalled. The AFSCME Local 3299 union, representing roughly 42,000 custodial, cafeteria, X‑ray, respiratory and other staff, says wages,...
San Francisco Confirms First Measles Case Since 2019, in an Unvaccinated Infant
San Francisco’s Department of Public Health confirmed the city’s first measles case since 2019, involving an unvaccinated infant who contracted the virus while traveling internationally. The child, under 12 months old, is recovering at home, and all other household members...
Pollution Release at Chevron’s Richmond Refinery Was Triggered by a Bird
On Jan. 9, a power outage at Chevron’s Richmond refinery forced an eight‑hour flaring event that released over 3,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The outage was triggered when a raptor contacted a PG&E transmission line, causing a short circuit and loss...
Judge Rules San Francisco Can Remove Embattled Brutalist Fountain
A Superior Court judge denied a preliminary injunction, allowing San Francisco to proceed with removal of the Vaillancourt Fountain, a 40‑foot concrete modernist work deemed an imminent safety hazard. The city plans to disassemble and store the fountain while assessing...
Anthropic’s Bid to Lift ‘Supply Chain Risk’ Label Suffers Setback in US Appeals Court
A federal appeals court in Washington denied Anthropic's request to lift the Pentagon's "supply chain risk" designation, keeping the AI firm barred from new defense contracts. The ruling underscores the ongoing legal clash between the U.S. government and leading AI...
Planned Parenthood Clinic Turns to Cosmetic Care Amid Loss of Federal Funding
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, the nation’s largest affiliate, is launching cash‑based aesthetic services such as Botox and IV hydration to compensate for a revenue gap after the Trump administration cut federal funding. The loss of Medicaid reimbursements forced the closure of...
More Layoffs Ahead as San Francisco’s Budget Woes Persist
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced a new wave of layoffs as the city strives to close a projected $400 million personnel gap within its $643 million budget deficit. So far, 127 layoff notices have been sent to employees in 18 departments,...
The Secret Lives of Mormon Momfluencers
Despite representing only 2% of the U.S. population, members of the Church of Latter‑day Saints dominate the influencer landscape, especially among “momfluencers.” Journalist Fortesa Latifi explains that early internet adoption, doctrinal encouragement of family values, and direct financial payments from...
Google Updates Suicide, Self-Harm Safeguards in Gemini as AI Lawsuits Mount
Google announced that its Gemini chatbot will now direct users to a crisis‑hotline whenever a conversation hints at suicide or self‑harm, featuring a redesigned “Help is available” overlay that stays visible throughout the exchange. The update, developed with clinical experts,...
SF Legislation Aims to Crack Down on Uncertified Batteries as Fires Grow More Common
San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood and the fire department are introducing legislation to ban the sale of uncertified lithium‑ion batteries after a December fire displaced dozens in the Tenderloin. City data shows 120 battery‑related incidents between 2024 and 2025, with...
As Legal Aid Groups Face Budget Cuts, San Francisco Awards 1 Group Millions
San Francisco awarded a $4.7 million grant to Open Door Legal without a competitive bidding process, even as the city slashes civil legal‑aid budgets amid a $643 million deficit. The grant includes an anticipated $3 million private‑sector match and is intended to expand...
Santa Clara County DA’s Office Clears Officer in Fatal Shooting
The Santa Clara County District Attorney cleared Officer Robert Allsup of criminal liability after he shot and killed 32‑year‑old Nizamuddin Mohammed, who was stabbing his roommate Eric Thompson with a kitchen knife on Sept. 3, 2025. The DA’s report concluded...
California Sues to Block Trump’s Order on Vote-by-Mail
California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a federal lawsuit to block President Donald Trump’s executive order that would give the U.S. Postal Service authority to reject mail ballots not on state‑provided voter lists. The order, issued through the Department of...
Thousands of California Immigrant Drivers Face Delays After DMV License Revocations
The California DMV revoked about 13,000 commercial driver’s licenses on March 6 after discovering a clerical error that mismatched license expiration dates with work authorizations. A state judge has taken direct oversight, ordering the agency to reissue corrected licenses while it...
New Film Follows Indigenous Teens Kayaking the Klamath River After Dam Removal
In the summer of 2024, 28 Indigenous teenagers completed the first full‑length kayak descent of the Klamath River, traveling more than 300 miles from Oregon’s headwaters to the Pacific Ocean. Their expedition followed the removal of four dams—the largest dam‑removal...