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"slug": "san-francisco-ballots-spoiled",
"title": "SF Voters: Did Your Midterm Ballot Arrive Torn? Here’s What to Do",
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"headTitle": "SF Voters: Did Your Midterm Ballot Arrive Torn? Here’s What to Do | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Counties began sending \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">midterm election ballots\u003c/a> to every registered Bay Area voter this week — but some San Franciscans are \u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2026/10/san-francisco-ballot-torn-envelope/\">reporting \u003c/a>their ballots have arrived in envelopes that are torn or damaged.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-the-department-of-elections-provides-guidance-on-vote-by-mail-ballot-envelopes-for-the-november-3-2026-consolidated-general-election\">a public advisory\u003c/a>, posted Wednesday to the San Francisco Department of Elections website, the agency’s director John Arntz told voters that “tears in the outer mailing envelopes” wouldn’t affect their ability to use their ballots to vote in the Nov. 3 election, “as long as all four ballot cards and the ballot return envelope are intact.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, some voters in the city are reporting that the ballot cards inside their envelopes have also arrived damaged. One of them, KQED News reporter \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/sjohnson\">Sydney Johnson\u003c/a>, said she and her partner had received ballots that were torn on both the outer envelopes, and her internal return envelope was also ripped.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re concerned your San Francisco ballot materials have also been damaged, \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#what-to-do\">jump to what you should do now\u003c/a>.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happened to these ballots?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Arntz attributed the damage to issues at the United States Postal Service, “which indicated that the tears occurred as some envelopes moved through its processing equipment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, USPS spokesperson Kristina Uppal said that the damage to some San Francisco ballot envelopes was due to their “thickness,” meaning a “small number of envelopes may have experienced damage during machine processing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103502\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A damaged San Francisco midterm ballot that was delivered to KQED reporter Sydney Johnson this week. (Sydney Johnson/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Upon observing the issue, USPS switched to manual processing for the remaining vote-by-mail packets,” Arntz said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and remain fully committed to delivering every election mail piece safely and on time,” Uppal said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Election officials have sent out \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-the-department-of-elections-mails-vote-by-mail-ballots-to-locally-registered-voters-for-the-november-3-2026-consolidated-general-election\">more than 500,000 vote-by-mail ballots \u003c/a>to San Francisco voters, although it’s not yet clear just how many have been affected. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-to-do\">If you’re a San Francisco voter who’s worried about your ballot, here’s what to do\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">First, check your ballot envelope and the contents inside \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Arntz said that if you spot any tearing in your San Francisco ballot envelope, you should (carefully) open the envelope to check it contains the following:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>All four ballot cards\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A ballot return envelope\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>An insert with voting instructions\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095745\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter is given a sticker after dropping his ballot at City Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If all four ballot cards and the ballot return envelope are intact, voters can mark their ballots and return them using the ballot return envelope provided,” Arntz said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, Arntz has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kron4.com/news/politics/sf-voters-receive-damaged-ballot-envelopes-officials-offer-simple-explanation/\">described \u003c/a>the outer envelope as “just a package to give the ballot to people.” In other words, once your ballot has arrived, you don’t actually use that outer envelope again in any of the voting process — which is why its damage won’t stop you from voting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Was anything damaged inside? Get a new ballot\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the \u003cem>contents \u003c/em>of your ballot show any sign of damage, you can request a new ballot from the San Francisco Department of Elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>People across all Bay Area counties request new ballots all the time, often because they’ve made a mistake (or just spilled coffee on them), so there’s already a process to request yours. You can do that by:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Calling the SF Department of Elections at 415-558-6100\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Emailing them at \u003ca href=\"mailto:sfvote@sfgov.org\">sfvote@sfgov.org\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Logging into the SF Elections \u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.org/tools/portal/\">Voter Portal\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Going to the SF Department of Elections in person during opening hours (located in Room 48 at San Francisco City Hall, open Mon-Fri 8 a.m—5 p.m., closed weekends and on Oct. 12)\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can also take your damaged ballot to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/vote-in-person\">your assigned polling place\u003c/a> on Election Day, Nov. 3, and vote in person at any time until 8 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should I be worried about mail-in voting this election season?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The issues with some San Francisco ballots arrive on the heels of President Donald Trump’s multiple attacks on voting by mail this year — a system which he has claimed, without evidence, is rife with fraud. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Trump administration’s efforts to limit voting by mail include an \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/ensuring-citizenship-verification-and-integrity-in-federal-elections/\">executive order \u003c/a>attempting to give USPS the role of deciding who receives mail ballots, to a push for Congress to require photo identification at the polls.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And while these moves have failed so far, and are not in place this election season, USPS has also made some new changes to its mail collection process. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These changes have resulted in slower service that particularly affects voters in rural areas, who will have their mail picked up later — with big consequences for ballots, which must be postmarked by Election Day itself in order to be counted. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">Read more about these changes to USPS services.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the last two statewide elections, Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Attorney General Rob Bonta urged voters planning to use USPS to mail in their ballots \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-and-secretary-state-weber-sacramento-vote-early-june\">at least a week before Election Day\u003c/a>, to account for those USPS changes — and to get a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">hand-stamped postmark\u003c/a> from an employee inside a post office, if mailing their ballot on Election Day itself is their only option, rather than simply dropping it in a USPS collection box.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some election officials are steering voters away from using USPS entirely, including Sonoma County’s registrar of voters Evelyn Mendez, who told KQED that the county was “not really encouraging people to use the USPS to get their ballot here.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, Mendez said, voters should use secure county collection boxes, which are now open 24/7 through 8 p.m. on Election Day and bypass USPS entirely, making sure ballots reach the county’s election offices directly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">Read more about how to ensure your mail-in ballot is counted this election season.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ibloom\">\u003cem>Izzy Bloom\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Counties began sending \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">midterm election ballots\u003c/a> to every registered Bay Area voter this week — but some San Franciscans are \u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2026/10/san-francisco-ballot-torn-envelope/\">reporting \u003c/a>their ballots have arrived in envelopes that are torn or damaged.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-the-department-of-elections-provides-guidance-on-vote-by-mail-ballot-envelopes-for-the-november-3-2026-consolidated-general-election\">a public advisory\u003c/a>, posted Wednesday to the San Francisco Department of Elections website, the agency’s director John Arntz told voters that “tears in the outer mailing envelopes” wouldn’t affect their ability to use their ballots to vote in the Nov. 3 election, “as long as all four ballot cards and the ballot return envelope are intact.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-the-department-of-elections-provides-guidance-on-vote-by-mail-ballot-envelopes-for-the-november-3-2026-consolidated-general-election\">a public advisory\u003c/a>, posted Wednesday to the San Francisco Department of Elections website, the agency’s director John Arntz told voters that “tears in the outer mailing envelopes” wouldn’t affect their ability to use their ballots to vote in the Nov. 3 election, “as long as all four ballot cards and the ballot return envelope are intact.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>However, some voters in the city are reporting that the ballot cards inside their envelopes have also arrived damaged. One of them, KQED News reporter \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/sjohnson\">Sydney Johnson\u003c/a>, said she and her partner had received ballots that were torn on both the outer envelopes, and her internal return envelope was also ripped.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>However, some voters in the city are reporting that the ballot cards inside their envelopes have also arrived damaged. One of them, KQED News reporter \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/sjohnson\">Sydney Johnson\u003c/a>, said she and her partner had received ballots that were torn on both the outer envelopes, and her internal return envelope was also ripped.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re concerned your San Francisco ballot materials have also been damaged, \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#what-to-do\">jump to what you should do now\u003c/a>.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’re concerned your San Francisco ballot materials have also been damaged, \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#what-to-do\">jump to what you should do now\u003c/a>.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Arntz attributed the damage to issues at the United States Postal Service, “which indicated that the tears occurred as some envelopes moved through its processing equipment.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Arntz attributed the damage to issues at the United States Postal Service, “which indicated that the tears occurred as some envelopes moved through its processing equipment.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, USPS spokesperson Kristina Uppal said that the damage to some San Francisco ballot envelopes was due to their “thickness,” meaning a “small number of envelopes may have experienced damage during machine processing.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, USPS spokesperson Kristina Uppal said that the damage to some San Francisco ballot envelopes was due to their “thickness,” meaning a “small number of envelopes may have experienced damage during machine processing.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103502\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A damaged San Francisco midterm ballot that was delivered to KQED reporter Sydney Johnson this week.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Sydney Johnson/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103502\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A damaged San Francisco midterm ballot that was delivered to KQED reporter Sydney Johnson this week.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Sydney Johnson/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Upon observing the issue, USPS switched to manual processing for the remaining vote-by-mail packets,” Arntz said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Upon observing the issue, USPS switched to manual processing for the remaining vote-by-mail packets,” Arntz said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and remain fully committed to delivering every election mail piece safely and on time,” Uppal said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and remain fully committed to delivering every election mail piece safely and on time,” Uppal said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Election officials have sent out \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-the-department-of-elections-mails-vote-by-mail-ballots-to-locally-registered-voters-for-the-november-3-2026-consolidated-general-election\">more than 500,000 vote-by-mail ballots \u003c/a>to San Francisco voters, although it’s not yet clear just how many have been affected. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Election officials have sent out \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-the-department-of-elections-mails-vote-by-mail-ballots-to-locally-registered-voters-for-the-november-3-2026-consolidated-general-election\">more than 500,000 vote-by-mail ballots \u003c/a>to San Francisco voters, although it’s not yet clear just how many have been affected. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Arntz said that if you spot any tearing in your San Francisco ballot envelope, you should (carefully) open the envelope to check it contains the following:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095745\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter is given a sticker after dropping his ballot at City Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If all four ballot cards and the ballot return envelope are intact, voters can mark their ballots and return them using the ballot return envelope provided,” Arntz said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, Arntz has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kron4.com/news/politics/sf-voters-receive-damaged-ballot-envelopes-officials-offer-simple-explanation/\">described \u003c/a>the outer envelope as “just a package to give the ballot to people.” In other words, once your ballot has arrived, you don’t actually use that outer envelope again in any of the voting process — which is why its damage won’t stop you from voting.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, Arntz has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kron4.com/news/politics/sf-voters-receive-damaged-ballot-envelopes-officials-offer-simple-explanation/\">described \u003c/a>the outer envelope as “just a package to give the ballot to people.” In other words, once your ballot has arrived, you don’t actually use that outer envelope again in any of the voting process — which is why its damage won’t stop you from voting.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Was anything damaged inside? Get a new ballot"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If the \u003cem>contents \u003c/em>of your ballot show any sign of damage, you can request a new ballot from the San Francisco Department of Elections.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>People across all Bay Area counties request new ballots all the time, often because they’ve made a mistake (or just spilled coffee on them), so there’s already a process to request yours. You can do that by:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>People across all Bay Area counties request new ballots all the time, often because they’ve made a mistake (or just spilled coffee on them), so there’s already a process to request yours. You can do that by:\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can also take your damaged ballot to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/vote-in-person\">your assigned polling place\u003c/a> on Election Day, Nov. 3, and vote in person at any time until 8 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Should I be worried about mail-in voting this election season?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The issues with some San Francisco ballots arrive on the heels of President Donald Trump’s multiple attacks on voting by mail this year — a system which he has claimed, without evidence, is rife with fraud. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The issues with some San Francisco ballots arrive on the heels of President Donald Trump’s multiple attacks on voting by mail this year — a system which he has claimed, without evidence, is rife with fraud. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Trump administration’s efforts to limit voting by mail include an \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/ensuring-citizenship-verification-and-integrity-in-federal-elections/\">executive order \u003c/a>attempting to give USPS the role of deciding who receives mail ballots, to a push for Congress to require photo identification at the polls.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And while these moves have failed so far, and are not in place this election season, USPS has also made some new changes to its mail collection process. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These changes have resulted in slower service that particularly affects voters in rural areas, who will have their mail picked up later — with big consequences for ballots, which must be postmarked by Election Day itself in order to be counted. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">Read more about these changes to USPS services.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>These changes have resulted in slower service that particularly affects voters in rural areas, who will have their mail picked up later — with big consequences for ballots, which must be postmarked by Election Day itself in order to be counted. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">Read more about these changes to USPS services.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the last two statewide elections, Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Attorney General Rob Bonta urged voters planning to use USPS to mail in their ballots \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-and-secretary-state-weber-sacramento-vote-early-june\">at least a week before Election Day\u003c/a>, to account for those USPS changes — and to get a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">hand-stamped postmark\u003c/a> from an employee inside a post office, if mailing their ballot on Election Day itself is their only option, rather than simply dropping it in a USPS collection box.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the last two statewide elections, Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Attorney General Rob Bonta urged voters planning to use USPS to mail in their ballots \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-and-secretary-state-weber-sacramento-vote-early-june\">at least a week before Election Day\u003c/a>, to account for those USPS changes — and to get a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">hand-stamped postmark\u003c/a> from an employee inside a post office, if mailing their ballot on Election Day itself is their only option, rather than simply dropping it in a USPS collection box.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some election officials are steering voters away from using USPS entirely, including Sonoma County’s registrar of voters Evelyn Mendez, who told KQED that the county was “not really encouraging people to use the USPS to get their ballot here.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some election officials are steering voters away from using USPS entirely, including Sonoma County’s registrar of voters Evelyn Mendez, who told KQED that the county was “not really encouraging people to use the USPS to get their ballot here.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, Mendez said, voters should use secure county collection boxes, which are now open 24/7 through 8 p.m. on Election Day and bypass USPS entirely, making sure ballots reach the county’s election offices directly.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Instead, Mendez said, voters should use secure county collection boxes, which are now open 24/7 through 8 p.m. on Election Day and bypass USPS entirely, making sure ballots reach the county’s election offices directly.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">Read more about how to ensure your mail-in ballot is counted this election season.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ibloom\">\u003cem>Izzy Bloom\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "If you’re one of the San Francisco voters whose ballot arrived ripped, here’s how to know if it’s still usable — and when you need a new one.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Counties began sending \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">midterm election ballots\u003c/a> to every registered Bay Area voter this week — but some San Franciscans are \u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2026/10/san-francisco-ballot-torn-envelope/\">reporting \u003c/a>their ballots have arrived in envelopes that are torn or damaged.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-the-department-of-elections-provides-guidance-on-vote-by-mail-ballot-envelopes-for-the-november-3-2026-consolidated-general-election\">a public advisory\u003c/a>, posted Wednesday to the San Francisco Department of Elections website, the agency’s director John Arntz told voters that “tears in the outer mailing envelopes” wouldn’t affect their ability to use their ballots to vote in the Nov. 3 election, “as long as all four ballot cards and the ballot return envelope are intact.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, some voters in the city are reporting that the ballot cards inside their envelopes have also arrived damaged. One of them, KQED News reporter \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/sjohnson\">Sydney Johnson\u003c/a>, said she and her partner had received ballots that were torn on both the outer envelopes, and her internal return envelope was also ripped.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re concerned your San Francisco ballot materials have also been damaged, \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#what-to-do\">jump to what you should do now\u003c/a>.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happened to these ballots?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Arntz attributed the damage to issues at the United States Postal Service, “which indicated that the tears occurred as some envelopes moved through its processing equipment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, USPS spokesperson Kristina Uppal said that the damage to some San Francisco ballot envelopes was due to their “thickness,” meaning a “small number of envelopes may have experienced damage during machine processing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103502\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-SF-Ballot-Damaged-02-KQED-9e84a5a9-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A damaged San Francisco midterm ballot that was delivered to KQED reporter Sydney Johnson this week. (Sydney Johnson/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Upon observing the issue, USPS switched to manual processing for the remaining vote-by-mail packets,” Arntz said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and remain fully committed to delivering every election mail piece safely and on time,” Uppal said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Election officials have sent out \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-the-department-of-elections-mails-vote-by-mail-ballots-to-locally-registered-voters-for-the-november-3-2026-consolidated-general-election\">more than 500,000 vote-by-mail ballots \u003c/a>to San Francisco voters, although it’s not yet clear just how many have been affected. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-to-do\">If you’re a San Francisco voter who’s worried about your ballot, here’s what to do\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">First, check your ballot envelope and the contents inside \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Arntz said that if you spot any tearing in your San Francisco ballot envelope, you should (carefully) open the envelope to check it contains the following:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>All four ballot cards\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A ballot return envelope\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>An insert with voting instructions\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095745\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter is given a sticker after dropping his ballot at City Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If all four ballot cards and the ballot return envelope are intact, voters can mark their ballots and return them using the ballot return envelope provided,” Arntz said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, Arntz has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kron4.com/news/politics/sf-voters-receive-damaged-ballot-envelopes-officials-offer-simple-explanation/\">described \u003c/a>the outer envelope as “just a package to give the ballot to people.” In other words, once your ballot has arrived, you don’t actually use that outer envelope again in any of the voting process — which is why its damage won’t stop you from voting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Was anything damaged inside? Get a new ballot\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the \u003cem>contents \u003c/em>of your ballot show any sign of damage, you can request a new ballot from the San Francisco Department of Elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>People across all Bay Area counties request new ballots all the time, often because they’ve made a mistake (or just spilled coffee on them), so there’s already a process to request yours. You can do that by:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Calling the SF Department of Elections at 415-558-6100\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Emailing them at \u003ca href=\"mailto:sfvote@sfgov.org\">sfvote@sfgov.org\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Logging into the SF Elections \u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.org/tools/portal/\">Voter Portal\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Going to the SF Department of Elections in person during opening hours (located in Room 48 at San Francisco City Hall, open Mon-Fri 8 a.m—5 p.m., closed weekends and on Oct. 12)\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can also take your damaged ballot to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/vote-in-person\">your assigned polling place\u003c/a> on Election Day, Nov. 3, and vote in person at any time until 8 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should I be worried about mail-in voting this election season?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The issues with some San Francisco ballots arrive on the heels of President Donald Trump’s multiple attacks on voting by mail this year — a system which he has claimed, without evidence, is rife with fraud. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Trump administration’s efforts to limit voting by mail include an \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/ensuring-citizenship-verification-and-integrity-in-federal-elections/\">executive order \u003c/a>attempting to give USPS the role of deciding who receives mail ballots, to a push for Congress to require photo identification at the polls.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And while these moves have failed so far, and are not in place this election season, USPS has also made some new changes to its mail collection process. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These changes have resulted in slower service that particularly affects voters in rural areas, who will have their mail picked up later — with big consequences for ballots, which must be postmarked by Election Day itself in order to be counted. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">Read more about these changes to USPS services.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the last two statewide elections, Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Attorney General Rob Bonta urged voters planning to use USPS to mail in their ballots \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-and-secretary-state-weber-sacramento-vote-early-june\">at least a week before Election Day\u003c/a>, to account for those USPS changes — and to get a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">hand-stamped postmark\u003c/a> from an employee inside a post office, if mailing their ballot on Election Day itself is their only option, rather than simply dropping it in a USPS collection box.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some election officials are steering voters away from using USPS entirely, including Sonoma County’s registrar of voters Evelyn Mendez, who told KQED that the county was “not really encouraging people to use the USPS to get their ballot here.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, Mendez said, voters should use secure county collection boxes, which are now open 24/7 through 8 p.m. on Election Day and bypass USPS entirely, making sure ballots reach the county’s election offices directly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">Read more about how to ensure your mail-in ballot is counted this election season.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ibloom\">\u003cem>Izzy Bloom\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "California’s Largest Public Sector Union Set to Strike Later This Month",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s largest public sector union is set to strike later this month, in a conflict escalation aiming to pressure the Newsom administration to reach a contract deal soon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The announcement comes after a vote, open to the roughly 100,000 state employees the union represents, resulted Wednesday in overwhelming support for a walkout if negotiations keep stalling, according to Service Employees International Union Local 1000 representatives. Office workers, cooks, custodians, nurses and others statewide plan to go on strike on Oct. 21.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“State workers are prepared to hold the line and, if necessary, go on strike to say, there is no California without state workers keeping it running,” union President Anica Walls said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are demanding a fair contract that recognizes the work that we do, and that makes it possible for us to live in the communities that we work in,” said Walls, a disability evaluation analyst with the Department of Social Services since 2006.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/041826-I80Closure-JY-11-scaled-e1791490590125.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080557\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Caltrans worker adjusts construction cones as traffic comes to a slow on I-80 eastbound in San Francisco on April 18, 2026. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Union-represented employees at libraries, hospitals and agencies such as Caltrans, CalFire and the Department of Motor Vehicles have never walked out of their jobs before, though SEIU Local 1000 members first authorized a strike that was averted by a last-minute deal a decade ago.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This time, Walls argued that a work stoppage may be necessary because the administration has failed to bargain in good faith since earlier this year on worker priorities. The union has proposed a 20% across-the-board wage increase over three years, lower-cost healthcare benefits and more flexible telework requirements, bids that were summarily rejected.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There wasn’t a real negotiation,” she said, adding that the two parties remain far apart with no future bargaining dates on the calendar yet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The strike authorization vote comes as the California Public Employment Relations Board has appointed a mediator to help the administration and SEIU Local 1000 resolve their dispute. Last week, the agency determined the existence of an impasse after the union filed unfair labor practice charges against the administration in July.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, a spokesperson with the California Department of Human Resources said the state remains open to negotiation and is prepared to move into mediation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our focus is on reaching a fair and responsible agreement, and we continue to be available at the bargaining table,” said Angela Musallam, a spokesperson for CalHR.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest sticking points has been Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order requiring most employees to return to the office at least four days a week, which went into effect in July after a one-year delay. The mandate upended previous in-person work expectations adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SEIU Local 1000 and other unions pushed back, including by sponsoring \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1729\">a bill\u003c/a> that would have required state agencies to develop their own remote-work policies and provide detailed justification to employees when in-office work was required. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A state auditor’s report found that savings from broader telework could reach $225 million. The California legislature approved AB 1729, but Newsom vetoed the proposed legislation last month.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s largest public sector union is set to strike later this month, in a conflict escalation aiming to pressure the Newsom administration to reach a contract deal soon.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The announcement comes after a vote, open to the roughly 100,000 state employees the union represents, resulted Wednesday in overwhelming support for a walkout if negotiations keep stalling, according to Service Employees International Union Local 1000 representatives. Office workers, cooks, custodians, nurses and others statewide plan to go on strike on Oct. 21.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The announcement comes after a vote, open to the roughly 100,000 state employees the union represents, resulted Wednesday in overwhelming support for a walkout if negotiations keep stalling, according to Service Employees International Union Local 1000 representatives. Office workers, cooks, custodians, nurses and others statewide plan to go on strike on Oct. 21.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“State workers are prepared to hold the line and, if necessary, go on strike to say, there is no California without state workers keeping it running,” union President Anica Walls said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are demanding a fair contract that recognizes the work that we do, and that makes it possible for us to live in the communities that we work in,” said Walls, a disability evaluation analyst with the Department of Social Services since 2006.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We are demanding a fair contract that recognizes the work that we do, and that makes it possible for us to live in the communities that we work in,” said Walls, a disability evaluation analyst with the Department of Social Services since 2006.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/041826-I80Closure-JY-11-scaled-e1791490590125.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080557\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Caltrans worker adjusts construction cones as traffic comes to a slow on I-80 eastbound in San Francisco on April 18, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Union-represented employees at libraries, hospitals and agencies such as Caltrans, CalFire and the Department of Motor Vehicles have never walked out of their jobs before, though SEIU Local 1000 members first authorized a strike that was averted by a last-minute deal a decade ago.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This time, Walls argued that a work stoppage may be necessary because the administration has failed to bargain in good faith since earlier this year on worker priorities. The union has proposed a 20% across-the-board wage increase over three years, lower-cost healthcare benefits and more flexible telework requirements, bids that were summarily rejected.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There wasn’t a real negotiation,” she said, adding that the two parties remain far apart with no future bargaining dates on the calendar yet. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The strike authorization vote comes as the California Public Employment Relations Board has appointed a mediator to help the administration and SEIU Local 1000 resolve their dispute. Last week, the agency determined the existence of an impasse after the union filed unfair labor practice charges against the administration in July.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, a spokesperson with the California Department of Human Resources said the state remains open to negotiation and is prepared to move into mediation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our focus is on reaching a fair and responsible agreement, and we continue to be available at the bargaining table,” said Angela Musallam, a spokesperson for CalHR.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Our focus is on reaching a fair and responsible agreement, and we continue to be available at the bargaining table,” said Angela Musallam, a spokesperson for CalHR.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the biggest sticking points has been Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order requiring most employees to return to the office at least four days a week, which went into effect in July after a one-year delay. The mandate upended previous in-person work expectations adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SEIU Local 1000 and other unions pushed back, including by sponsoring \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1729\">a bill\u003c/a> that would have required state agencies to develop their own remote-work policies and provide detailed justification to employees when in-office work was required. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>SEIU Local 1000 and other unions pushed back, including by sponsoring \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1729\">a bill\u003c/a> that would have required state agencies to develop their own remote-work policies and provide detailed justification to employees when in-office work was required. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A state auditor’s report found that savings from broader telework could reach $225 million. The California legislature approved AB 1729, but Newsom vetoed the proposed legislation last month.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A state auditor’s report found that savings from broader telework could reach $225 million. The California legislature approved AB 1729, but Newsom vetoed the proposed legislation last month.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The union representing about 100,000 state employees says it remains far apart in contract talks with the Newsom administration on wage raises and telework requirements.",
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"title": "California’s Largest Public Sector Union Set to Strike Later This Month | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s largest public sector union is set to strike later this month, in a conflict escalation aiming to pressure the Newsom administration to reach a contract deal soon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The announcement comes after a vote, open to the roughly 100,000 state employees the union represents, resulted Wednesday in overwhelming support for a walkout if negotiations keep stalling, according to Service Employees International Union Local 1000 representatives. Office workers, cooks, custodians, nurses and others statewide plan to go on strike on Oct. 21.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“State workers are prepared to hold the line and, if necessary, go on strike to say, there is no California without state workers keeping it running,” union President Anica Walls said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are demanding a fair contract that recognizes the work that we do, and that makes it possible for us to live in the communities that we work in,” said Walls, a disability evaluation analyst with the Department of Social Services since 2006.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/041826-I80Closure-JY-11-scaled-e1791490590125.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080557\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Caltrans worker adjusts construction cones as traffic comes to a slow on I-80 eastbound in San Francisco on April 18, 2026. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Union-represented employees at libraries, hospitals and agencies such as Caltrans, CalFire and the Department of Motor Vehicles have never walked out of their jobs before, though SEIU Local 1000 members first authorized a strike that was averted by a last-minute deal a decade ago.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This time, Walls argued that a work stoppage may be necessary because the administration has failed to bargain in good faith since earlier this year on worker priorities. The union has proposed a 20% across-the-board wage increase over three years, lower-cost healthcare benefits and more flexible telework requirements, bids that were summarily rejected.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There wasn’t a real negotiation,” she said, adding that the two parties remain far apart with no future bargaining dates on the calendar yet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The strike authorization vote comes as the California Public Employment Relations Board has appointed a mediator to help the administration and SEIU Local 1000 resolve their dispute. Last week, the agency determined the existence of an impasse after the union filed unfair labor practice charges against the administration in July.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, a spokesperson with the California Department of Human Resources said the state remains open to negotiation and is prepared to move into mediation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our focus is on reaching a fair and responsible agreement, and we continue to be available at the bargaining table,” said Angela Musallam, a spokesperson for CalHR.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest sticking points has been Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order requiring most employees to return to the office at least four days a week, which went into effect in July after a one-year delay. The mandate upended previous in-person work expectations adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SEIU Local 1000 and other unions pushed back, including by sponsoring \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1729\">a bill\u003c/a> that would have required state agencies to develop their own remote-work policies and provide detailed justification to employees when in-office work was required. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A state auditor’s report found that savings from broader telework could reach $225 million. The California legislature approved AB 1729, but Newsom vetoed the proposed legislation last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "a-kelvin-wave-on-top-of-el-nino-what-bay-area-hikers-bikers-swimmers-and-campers-should-know-this-winter",
"title": "A Kelvin Wave on Top of El Niño? What Bay Area Hikers, Bikers, Swimmers and Campers Should Know This Winter",
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"headTitle": "A Kelvin Wave on Top of El Niño? What Bay Area Hikers, Bikers, Swimmers and Campers Should Know This Winter | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103307/cautiously-optimistic-the-latest-on-el-nino-and-tahoes-ski-season\">latest El Niño forecasts\u003c/a> show the Bay Area could be in for a particularly wet winter, affecting any late-season outdoor trips locals typically save for the region’s “second summer” in October. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But a new threat on the horizon, called a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002141/an-el-nino-driven-kelvin-wave-could-raise-bay-area-sea-levels-and-flooding-risk\">Kelvin wave\u003c/a>,” could also spoil plans for late-season hiking, biking and water sports. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First predicted to hit in mid- to late-October, this warm-water phenomenon could raise Bay Area sea levels by up to a foot. On top of already-high sea levels, potential wet weather and seasonal King Tides, coastal regions could be in for some pretty severe flooding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So if you’ve got a coastal campsite booked, maybe a long bike ride up to Marin planned, or a kayaking or swimming trip coming up this fall, be aware: Higher water levels are expected and might affect your plans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Read on for more information, broken down by activity:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#swimming\">Swimming and kayaking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#hiking\">Biking and hiking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#camping\">Camping\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"swimming\">Beware of debris and high shorelines while swimming and kayaking\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A main signal of this year’s expected “super El Niño” is particularly warm water in the Pacific Ocean. While that might sound ideal for swimmers, Sylvia Lacock, co-founder of Pacific Open Water Swim Co. and a master captain, said otherwise. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First, she said, her clients who actively seek out cold-water swimming to qualify or train for international competitions are having to push their scheduled swim dates back deeper toward winter. But more relevant to casual swimmers, she said, is that flooding due to higher tides and sea levels could engulf beaches and docks, making getting in the water to enjoy it difficult. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents Jill Sherman and her kids, Imogen and Zander Smith, kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Constant rain, constant storms, how it ends up impacting kite surfers, windsurfers and swimmers, is that with a higher tide, we lose beach,” she said. “So if you’re used to having a lot of beach to maybe go in and off of in Aquatic Park or at Crissy Field, you might find that that beach feels a lot smaller just because the water’s up a lot higher.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Galen Licht, CEO and co-owner of kayak rental company SeaTrek, said a group of high school students on a trip to Angel Island last week struggled with the already-high tides.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The beach was nearly gone, and [on] the walkway that we would normally take to get up to the campsite, they were walking in waist-deep water,” he said. “It kind of caught us off guard a little bit.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, Lacock said, areas around shorelines could also be flooded with debris, adding hazards to the water for swimmers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every single year we see this,” she said. “When we have storms that come through, now add a higher tide to it. Whether it’s piers or docks, that breaks off, and it ends up floating in the bay.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For boaters, these floating hazards are an added challenge, she said. Swimmers have to watch for broken pieces of piers and even kite surfers may have to worry about “items that may be just submerged under the surface of the water,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lacock said she’s particularly concerned about the area around \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/learn/historyculture/aquatic-park-pier.htm\">San Francisco’s Muni Pier\u003c/a>, which has been in disrepair since it closed in 2022 due to structural damage from an earthquake.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Licht, whose company operates kayak launches in Alameda and Sausalito, said he is “making sure things are extra tied down” and “preparing to be more flexible than ever this winter.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In general, Lacock said swimmers should avoid getting into the water immediately after a storm, especially the first big storm of the winter season. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You may want to not be in the water for the first 24 or 48 hours after that,” she said. “We like that tide cycle to kind of flush that water out.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hiking\">Watch for flooding on popular hiking and biking trails\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The compounding effects of higher sea levels, Kelvin waves, King Tides and whatever else this El Niño winter might bring won’t just affect people recreating \u003cem>in \u003c/em>the water. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dan Sauter, operations superintendent for Marin County Parks, said his agency is preparing for the potential “stacking” of higher tides onto its bayside parks and open space preserves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past few weeks, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.marincounty.gov/parkspreserves/parks/mill-valley-sausalito-pathway\">Mill Valley-Sausalito multi-use path\u003c/a> — a connecting route for bikers and hikers that routinely floods in winter — has already been submerged, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Typically, the path floods when tides are about 6 feet high, he said, but that number could go down if there are more factors in play.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1498\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-1536x1150.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re expecting the tides to impact it at a lower projected tide number,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In fact, the multi-use trail floods so often that there is currently an \u003ca href=\"https://www.onetam.org/our-work/bothin-marsh\">effort underway to redesign it\u003c/a>, said Rob LaPorte, a senior project manager with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy who has been working on improvements to the trail. He said rerouting the path isn’t particularly feasible given its location sandwiched between the bay and Highways 1 and 101.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re looking at significantly raising it by approximately 6.5 feet, 7 feet just to make it more storm-proof,” he said. “And then we’re also looking at ways to restore the natural processes at this marsh to help that ecosystem adapt to higher waters.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SeaTrek’s Licht said some customers even rent kayaks in Sausalito specifically to paddle through the flooded marsh. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s wild,” he said. “Literally our kayakers can paddle across the bike path — and they do.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12018233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1920x1279.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People walk along the Embarcadero during a high king tide in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also of concern in Marin County are the Miller Boat Launch in Tomales Bay, Black Point Boat Launch in San Pablo Bay and McNears Beach and McInnis Park in San Rafael.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sauter said Marin County Parks stations rangers around the multi-use trail and other parks to let people know about potential flooding or advise them when trails are closed. They’ve even started pre-making signs to put up advising hikers and bikers to prepare for flooding impacts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If a storm is significant, we may be closing regional parks or areas that are unsafe to visitors,” he said. “So we’re prepared to do that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>LaPorte said his main concern going into this potentially historic winter is that park infrastructure, designed to handle historical averages of rainfall, may not be up to the task.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“With this El Niño event and the potential for big storms that are associated with climate change — and then add on top of that the Kelvin wave — we’re just anticipating there being a lot more water that’s affecting trails throughout the parks,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sauter said hikers and bikers should simply stay home during a storm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s always a good idea to check your weather when you’re heading out and your tide logs,” he said. “There’s a good chunk of people that aren’t expecting to come across a multi-use path underwater on just a regular nice day. But it does happen out there.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a storm, clearing sediment and other debris off the path and other flooded areas also takes time, Sauter said, so be patient.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re all expecting the worst and hoping for the best and preparing for anything,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"camping\">Stay tuned for coastal campground closures\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’ve got fall camping plans, particularly if your site is on or near the bay or ocean, be sure to double-check your reservation is still on before you head out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter Ostroskie, spokesperson for California State Parks’ Bay Area district, said anyone with a camping reservation this winter should check the website of the park they’re going to before heading out. Some state parks also use social media to keep visitors informed, he said. And if you’re ever in doubt about safety or weather conditions at a park, you can always call the number of the park listed on its website for the most up-to-date information.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re happy to give you updates or let you know what’s going on and what are the conditions right now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066250\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flooding near the Highway 101 Sausalito/Mill Valley exit in Sausalito on Dec. 4, 2025, during a king tide event. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you are planning to camp during wet weather, make sure you have the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064291/winter-camping-reservations-where-to-go-campsites-near-san-francisco-bay-area\">proper gear and are prepared to leave in case of emergency\u003c/a>. Ostroskie said state parks staff are preparing for a wet winter by staging equipment and readying communications to handle potential flooding or other effects of rising sea levels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parks like Angel Island, China Camp, Tomales Bay, Mt. Tam and Candlestick are of particular concern, Ostroskie said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said he’s also worried about a park like Samuel P. Taylor State Park, whose Lagunitas Creek can rise dramatically during storms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The creek floods really high, so we actually close off the creekside campground,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Landslides, fallen trees and power lines are also typical stormy weather concerns for parks, Ostroskie said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For oceanside campgrounds, bad weather and consistent big waves can threaten infrastructure, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’ll probably take us a little bit longer to open up the season, especially when we hit spring and summer, just because we’ll be doing repairs and fixing things,” he said. “And sometimes that takes a little time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>First predicted to hit in mid- to late-October, this warm-water phenomenon could raise Bay Area sea levels by up to a foot. On top of already-high sea levels, potential wet weather and seasonal King Tides, coastal regions could be in for some pretty severe flooding. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>First predicted to hit in mid- to late-October, this warm-water phenomenon could raise Bay Area sea levels by up to a foot. On top of already-high sea levels, potential wet weather and seasonal King Tides, coastal regions could be in for some pretty severe flooding. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So if you’ve got a coastal campsite booked, maybe a long bike ride up to Marin planned, or a kayaking or swimming trip coming up this fall, be aware: Higher water levels are expected and might affect your plans. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>So if you’ve got a coastal campsite booked, maybe a long bike ride up to Marin planned, or a kayaking or swimming trip coming up this fall, be aware: Higher water levels are expected and might affect your plans. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Read on for more information, broken down by activity:\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#swimming\">Swimming and kayaking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#swimming\">Swimming and kayaking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#hiking\">Biking and hiking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#camping\">Camping\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"attrs": {
"text": "Beware of debris and high shorelines while swimming and kayaking",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"swimming\">Beware of debris and high shorelines while swimming and kayaking\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A main signal of this year’s expected “super El Niño” is particularly warm water in the Pacific Ocean. While that might sound ideal for swimmers, Sylvia Lacock, co-founder of Pacific Open Water Swim Co. and a master captain, said otherwise. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A main signal of this year’s expected “super El Niño” is particularly warm water in the Pacific Ocean. While that might sound ideal for swimmers, Sylvia Lacock, co-founder of Pacific Open Water Swim Co. and a master captain, said otherwise. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>First, she said, her clients who actively seek out cold-water swimming to qualify or train for international competitions are having to push their scheduled swim dates back deeper toward winter. But more relevant to casual swimmers, she said, is that flooding due to higher tides and sea levels could engulf beaches and docks, making getting in the water to enjoy it difficult. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>First, she said, her clients who actively seek out cold-water swimming to qualify or train for international competitions are having to push their scheduled swim dates back deeper toward winter. But more relevant to casual swimmers, she said, is that flooding due to higher tides and sea levels could engulf beaches and docks, making getting in the water to enjoy it difficult. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents Jill Sherman and her kids, Imogen and Zander Smith, kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103551\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents Jill Sherman and her kids, Imogen and Zander Smith, kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Constant rain, constant storms, how it ends up impacting kite surfers, windsurfers and swimmers, is that with a higher tide, we lose beach,” she said. “So if you’re used to having a lot of beach to maybe go in and off of in Aquatic Park or at Crissy Field, you might find that that beach feels a lot smaller just because the water’s up a lot higher.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Constant rain, constant storms, how it ends up impacting kite surfers, windsurfers and swimmers, is that with a higher tide, we lose beach,” she said. “So if you’re used to having a lot of beach to maybe go in and off of in Aquatic Park or at Crissy Field, you might find that that beach feels a lot smaller just because the water’s up a lot higher.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Galen Licht, CEO and co-owner of kayak rental company SeaTrek, said a group of high school students on a trip to Angel Island last week struggled with the already-high tides.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Galen Licht, CEO and co-owner of kayak rental company SeaTrek, said a group of high school students on a trip to Angel Island last week struggled with the already-high tides.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The beach was nearly gone, and [on] the walkway that we would normally take to get up to the campsite, they were walking in waist-deep water,” he said. “It kind of caught us off guard a little bit.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The beach was nearly gone, and [on] the walkway that we would normally take to get up to the campsite, they were walking in waist-deep water,” he said. “It kind of caught us off guard a little bit.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plus, Lacock said, areas around shorelines could also be flooded with debris, adding hazards to the water for swimmers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Plus, Lacock said, areas around shorelines could also be flooded with debris, adding hazards to the water for swimmers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Every single year we see this,” she said. “When we have storms that come through, now add a higher tide to it. Whether it’s piers or docks, that breaks off, and it ends up floating in the bay.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Every single year we see this,” she said. “When we have storms that come through, now add a higher tide to it. Whether it’s piers or docks, that breaks off, and it ends up floating in the bay.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For boaters, these floating hazards are an added challenge, she said. Swimmers have to watch for broken pieces of piers and even kite surfers may have to worry about “items that may be just submerged under the surface of the water,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For boaters, these floating hazards are an added challenge, she said. Swimmers have to watch for broken pieces of piers and even kite surfers may have to worry about “items that may be just submerged under the surface of the water,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lacock said she’s particularly concerned about the area around \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/learn/historyculture/aquatic-park-pier.htm\">San Francisco’s Muni Pier\u003c/a>, which has been in disrepair since it closed in 2022 due to structural damage from an earthquake.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lacock said she’s particularly concerned about the area around \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/learn/historyculture/aquatic-park-pier.htm\">San Francisco’s Muni Pier\u003c/a>, which has been in disrepair since it closed in 2022 due to structural damage from an earthquake.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Licht, whose company operates kayak launches in Alameda and Sausalito, said he is “making sure things are extra tied down” and “preparing to be more flexible than ever this winter.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Licht, whose company operates kayak launches in Alameda and Sausalito, said he is “making sure things are extra tied down” and “preparing to be more flexible than ever this winter.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In general, Lacock said swimmers should avoid getting into the water immediately after a storm, especially the first big storm of the winter season. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In general, Lacock said swimmers should avoid getting into the water immediately after a storm, especially the first big storm of the winter season. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You may want to not be in the water for the first 24 or 48 hours after that,” she said. “We like that tide cycle to kind of flush that water out.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You may want to not be in the water for the first 24 or 48 hours after that,” she said. “We like that tide cycle to kind of flush that water out.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Watch for flooding on popular hiking and biking trails",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hiking\">Watch for flooding on popular hiking and biking trails\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The compounding effects of higher sea levels, Kelvin waves, King Tides and whatever else this El Niño winter might bring won’t just affect people recreating \u003cem>in \u003c/em>the water. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The compounding effects of higher sea levels, Kelvin waves, King Tides and whatever else this El Niño winter might bring won’t just affect people recreating \u003cem>in \u003c/em>the water. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dan Sauter, operations superintendent for Marin County Parks, said his agency is preparing for the potential “stacking” of higher tides onto its bayside parks and open space preserves.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Dan Sauter, operations superintendent for Marin County Parks, said his agency is preparing for the potential “stacking” of higher tides onto its bayside parks and open space preserves.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Over the past few weeks, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.marincounty.gov/parkspreserves/parks/mill-valley-sausalito-pathway\">Mill Valley-Sausalito multi-use path\u003c/a> — a connecting route for bikers and hikers that routinely floods in winter — has already been submerged, he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Over the past few weeks, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.marincounty.gov/parkspreserves/parks/mill-valley-sausalito-pathway\">Mill Valley-Sausalito multi-use path\u003c/a> — a connecting route for bikers and hikers that routinely floods in winter — has already been submerged, he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Typically, the path floods when tides are about 6 feet high, he said, but that number could go down if there are more factors in play.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Typically, the path floods when tides are about 6 feet high, he said, but that number could go down if there are more factors in play.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-1536x1150.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103556\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re expecting the tides to impact it at a lower projected tide number,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In fact, the multi-use trail floods so often that there is currently an \u003ca href=\"https://www.onetam.org/our-work/bothin-marsh\">effort underway to redesign it\u003c/a>, said Rob LaPorte, a senior project manager with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy who has been working on improvements to the trail. He said rerouting the path isn’t particularly feasible given its location sandwiched between the bay and Highways 1 and 101.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In fact, the multi-use trail floods so often that there is currently an \u003ca href=\"https://www.onetam.org/our-work/bothin-marsh\">effort underway to redesign it\u003c/a>, said Rob LaPorte, a senior project manager with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy who has been working on improvements to the trail. He said rerouting the path isn’t particularly feasible given its location sandwiched between the bay and Highways 1 and 101.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re looking at significantly raising it by approximately 6.5 feet, 7 feet just to make it more storm-proof,” he said. “And then we’re also looking at ways to restore the natural processes at this marsh to help that ecosystem adapt to higher waters.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re looking at significantly raising it by approximately 6.5 feet, 7 feet just to make it more storm-proof,” he said. “And then we’re also looking at ways to restore the natural processes at this marsh to help that ecosystem adapt to higher waters.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SeaTrek’s Licht said some customers even rent kayaks in Sausalito specifically to paddle through the flooded marsh. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>SeaTrek’s Licht said some customers even rent kayaks in Sausalito specifically to paddle through the flooded marsh. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s wild,” he said. “Literally our kayakers can paddle across the bike path — and they do.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s wild,” he said. “Literally our kayakers can paddle across the bike path — and they do.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12018233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1920x1279.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People walk along the Embarcadero during a high king tide in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12018233\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People walk along the Embarcadero during a high king tide in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also of concern in Marin County are the Miller Boat Launch in Tomales Bay, Black Point Boat Launch in San Pablo Bay and McNears Beach and McInnis Park in San Rafael.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Also of concern in Marin County are the Miller Boat Launch in Tomales Bay, Black Point Boat Launch in San Pablo Bay and McNears Beach and McInnis Park in San Rafael.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sauter said Marin County Parks stations rangers around the multi-use trail and other parks to let people know about potential flooding or advise them when trails are closed. They’ve even started pre-making signs to put up advising hikers and bikers to prepare for flooding impacts. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sauter said Marin County Parks stations rangers around the multi-use trail and other parks to let people know about potential flooding or advise them when trails are closed. They’ve even started pre-making signs to put up advising hikers and bikers to prepare for flooding impacts. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If a storm is significant, we may be closing regional parks or areas that are unsafe to visitors,” he said. “So we’re prepared to do that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If a storm is significant, we may be closing regional parks or areas that are unsafe to visitors,” he said. “So we’re prepared to do that.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>LaPorte said his main concern going into this potentially historic winter is that park infrastructure, designed to handle historical averages of rainfall, may not be up to the task.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>LaPorte said his main concern going into this potentially historic winter is that park infrastructure, designed to handle historical averages of rainfall, may not be up to the task.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“With this El Niño event and the potential for big storms that are associated with climate change — and then add on top of that the Kelvin wave — we’re just anticipating there being a lot more water that’s affecting trails throughout the parks,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“With this El Niño event and the potential for big storms that are associated with climate change — and then add on top of that the Kelvin wave — we’re just anticipating there being a lot more water that’s affecting trails throughout the parks,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sauter said hikers and bikers should simply stay home during a storm.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sauter said hikers and bikers should simply stay home during a storm.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s always a good idea to check your weather when you’re heading out and your tide logs,” he said. “There’s a good chunk of people that aren’t expecting to come across a multi-use path underwater on just a regular nice day. But it does happen out there.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s always a good idea to check your weather when you’re heading out and your tide logs,” he said. “There’s a good chunk of people that aren’t expecting to come across a multi-use path underwater on just a regular nice day. But it does happen out there.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After a storm, clearing sediment and other debris off the path and other flooded areas also takes time, Sauter said, so be patient.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After a storm, clearing sediment and other debris off the path and other flooded areas also takes time, Sauter said, so be patient.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re all expecting the worst and hoping for the best and preparing for anything,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’re all expecting the worst and hoping for the best and preparing for anything,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Stay tuned for coastal campground closures",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"camping\">Stay tuned for coastal campground closures\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"camping\">Stay tuned for coastal campground closures\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’ve got fall camping plans, particularly if your site is on or near the bay or ocean, be sure to double-check your reservation is still on before you head out.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you’ve got fall camping plans, particularly if your site is on or near the bay or ocean, be sure to double-check your reservation is still on before you head out.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Peter Ostroskie, spokesperson for California State Parks’ Bay Area district, said anyone with a camping reservation this winter should check the website of the park they’re going to before heading out. Some state parks also use social media to keep visitors informed, he said. And if you’re ever in doubt about safety or weather conditions at a park, you can always call the number of the park listed on its website for the most up-to-date information.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Peter Ostroskie, spokesperson for California State Parks’ Bay Area district, said anyone with a camping reservation this winter should check the website of the park they’re going to before heading out. Some state parks also use social media to keep visitors informed, he said. And if you’re ever in doubt about safety or weather conditions at a park, you can always call the number of the park listed on its website for the most up-to-date information.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re happy to give you updates or let you know what’s going on and what are the conditions right now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’re happy to give you updates or let you know what’s going on and what are the conditions right now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066250\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flooding near the Highway 101 Sausalito/Mill Valley exit in Sausalito on Dec. 4, 2025, during a king tide event.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066250\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flooding near the Highway 101 Sausalito/Mill Valley exit in Sausalito on Dec. 4, 2025, during a king tide event.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you are planning to camp during wet weather, make sure you have the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064291/winter-camping-reservations-where-to-go-campsites-near-san-francisco-bay-area\">proper gear and are prepared to leave in case of emergency\u003c/a>. Ostroskie said state parks staff are preparing for a wet winter by staging equipment and readying communications to handle potential flooding or other effects of rising sea levels. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you are planning to camp during wet weather, make sure you have the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064291/winter-camping-reservations-where-to-go-campsites-near-san-francisco-bay-area\">proper gear and are prepared to leave in case of emergency\u003c/a>. Ostroskie said state parks staff are preparing for a wet winter by staging equipment and readying communications to handle potential flooding or other effects of rising sea levels. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Parks like Angel Island, China Camp, Tomales Bay, Mt. Tam and Candlestick are of particular concern, Ostroskie said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Parks like Angel Island, China Camp, Tomales Bay, Mt. Tam and Candlestick are of particular concern, Ostroskie said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said he’s also worried about a park like Samuel P. Taylor State Park, whose Lagunitas Creek can rise dramatically during storms.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>He said he’s also worried about a park like Samuel P. Taylor State Park, whose Lagunitas Creek can rise dramatically during storms.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The creek floods really high, so we actually close off the creekside campground,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The creek floods really high, so we actually close off the creekside campground,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Landslides, fallen trees and power lines are also typical stormy weather concerns for parks, Ostroskie said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Landslides, fallen trees and power lines are also typical stormy weather concerns for parks, Ostroskie said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For oceanside campgrounds, bad weather and consistent big waves can threaten infrastructure, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For oceanside campgrounds, bad weather and consistent big waves can threaten infrastructure, he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’ll probably take us a little bit longer to open up the season, especially when we hit spring and summer, just because we’ll be doing repairs and fixing things,” he said. “And sometimes that takes a little time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’ll probably take us a little bit longer to open up the season, especially when we hit spring and summer, just because we’ll be doing repairs and fixing things,” he said. “And sometimes that takes a little time.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Winter storms could close campgrounds, trails and threaten park infrastructure.",
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"title": "A Kelvin Wave on Top of El Niño? What Bay Area Hikers, Bikers, Swimmers and Campers Should Know This Winter | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103307/cautiously-optimistic-the-latest-on-el-nino-and-tahoes-ski-season\">latest El Niño forecasts\u003c/a> show the Bay Area could be in for a particularly wet winter, affecting any late-season outdoor trips locals typically save for the region’s “second summer” in October. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But a new threat on the horizon, called a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002141/an-el-nino-driven-kelvin-wave-could-raise-bay-area-sea-levels-and-flooding-risk\">Kelvin wave\u003c/a>,” could also spoil plans for late-season hiking, biking and water sports. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First predicted to hit in mid- to late-October, this warm-water phenomenon could raise Bay Area sea levels by up to a foot. On top of already-high sea levels, potential wet weather and seasonal King Tides, coastal regions could be in for some pretty severe flooding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So if you’ve got a coastal campsite booked, maybe a long bike ride up to Marin planned, or a kayaking or swimming trip coming up this fall, be aware: Higher water levels are expected and might affect your plans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Read on for more information, broken down by activity:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#swimming\">Swimming and kayaking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#hiking\">Biking and hiking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#camping\">Camping\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"swimming\">Beware of debris and high shorelines while swimming and kayaking\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A main signal of this year’s expected “super El Niño” is particularly warm water in the Pacific Ocean. While that might sound ideal for swimmers, Sylvia Lacock, co-founder of Pacific Open Water Swim Co. and a master captain, said otherwise. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First, she said, her clients who actively seek out cold-water swimming to qualify or train for international competitions are having to push their scheduled swim dates back deeper toward winter. But more relevant to casual swimmers, she said, is that flooding due to higher tides and sea levels could engulf beaches and docks, making getting in the water to enjoy it difficult. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents Jill Sherman and her kids, Imogen and Zander Smith, kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Constant rain, constant storms, how it ends up impacting kite surfers, windsurfers and swimmers, is that with a higher tide, we lose beach,” she said. “So if you’re used to having a lot of beach to maybe go in and off of in Aquatic Park or at Crissy Field, you might find that that beach feels a lot smaller just because the water’s up a lot higher.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Galen Licht, CEO and co-owner of kayak rental company SeaTrek, said a group of high school students on a trip to Angel Island last week struggled with the already-high tides.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The beach was nearly gone, and [on] the walkway that we would normally take to get up to the campsite, they were walking in waist-deep water,” he said. “It kind of caught us off guard a little bit.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, Lacock said, areas around shorelines could also be flooded with debris, adding hazards to the water for swimmers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every single year we see this,” she said. “When we have storms that come through, now add a higher tide to it. Whether it’s piers or docks, that breaks off, and it ends up floating in the bay.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For boaters, these floating hazards are an added challenge, she said. Swimmers have to watch for broken pieces of piers and even kite surfers may have to worry about “items that may be just submerged under the surface of the water,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lacock said she’s particularly concerned about the area around \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/learn/historyculture/aquatic-park-pier.htm\">San Francisco’s Muni Pier\u003c/a>, which has been in disrepair since it closed in 2022 due to structural damage from an earthquake.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Licht, whose company operates kayak launches in Alameda and Sausalito, said he is “making sure things are extra tied down” and “preparing to be more flexible than ever this winter.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In general, Lacock said swimmers should avoid getting into the water immediately after a storm, especially the first big storm of the winter season. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You may want to not be in the water for the first 24 or 48 hours after that,” she said. “We like that tide cycle to kind of flush that water out.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hiking\">Watch for flooding on popular hiking and biking trails\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The compounding effects of higher sea levels, Kelvin waves, King Tides and whatever else this El Niño winter might bring won’t just affect people recreating \u003cem>in \u003c/em>the water. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dan Sauter, operations superintendent for Marin County Parks, said his agency is preparing for the potential “stacking” of higher tides onto its bayside parks and open space preserves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past few weeks, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.marincounty.gov/parkspreserves/parks/mill-valley-sausalito-pathway\">Mill Valley-Sausalito multi-use path\u003c/a> — a connecting route for bikers and hikers that routinely floods in winter — has already been submerged, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Typically, the path floods when tides are about 6 feet high, he said, but that number could go down if there are more factors in play.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1498\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-1536x1150.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re expecting the tides to impact it at a lower projected tide number,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In fact, the multi-use trail floods so often that there is currently an \u003ca href=\"https://www.onetam.org/our-work/bothin-marsh\">effort underway to redesign it\u003c/a>, said Rob LaPorte, a senior project manager with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy who has been working on improvements to the trail. He said rerouting the path isn’t particularly feasible given its location sandwiched between the bay and Highways 1 and 101.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re looking at significantly raising it by approximately 6.5 feet, 7 feet just to make it more storm-proof,” he said. “And then we’re also looking at ways to restore the natural processes at this marsh to help that ecosystem adapt to higher waters.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SeaTrek’s Licht said some customers even rent kayaks in Sausalito specifically to paddle through the flooded marsh. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s wild,” he said. “Literally our kayakers can paddle across the bike path — and they do.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12018233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1920x1279.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People walk along the Embarcadero during a high king tide in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also of concern in Marin County are the Miller Boat Launch in Tomales Bay, Black Point Boat Launch in San Pablo Bay and McNears Beach and McInnis Park in San Rafael.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sauter said Marin County Parks stations rangers around the multi-use trail and other parks to let people know about potential flooding or advise them when trails are closed. They’ve even started pre-making signs to put up advising hikers and bikers to prepare for flooding impacts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If a storm is significant, we may be closing regional parks or areas that are unsafe to visitors,” he said. “So we’re prepared to do that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>LaPorte said his main concern going into this potentially historic winter is that park infrastructure, designed to handle historical averages of rainfall, may not be up to the task.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“With this El Niño event and the potential for big storms that are associated with climate change — and then add on top of that the Kelvin wave — we’re just anticipating there being a lot more water that’s affecting trails throughout the parks,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sauter said hikers and bikers should simply stay home during a storm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s always a good idea to check your weather when you’re heading out and your tide logs,” he said. “There’s a good chunk of people that aren’t expecting to come across a multi-use path underwater on just a regular nice day. But it does happen out there.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a storm, clearing sediment and other debris off the path and other flooded areas also takes time, Sauter said, so be patient.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re all expecting the worst and hoping for the best and preparing for anything,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"camping\">Stay tuned for coastal campground closures\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’ve got fall camping plans, particularly if your site is on or near the bay or ocean, be sure to double-check your reservation is still on before you head out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter Ostroskie, spokesperson for California State Parks’ Bay Area district, said anyone with a camping reservation this winter should check the website of the park they’re going to before heading out. Some state parks also use social media to keep visitors informed, he said. And if you’re ever in doubt about safety or weather conditions at a park, you can always call the number of the park listed on its website for the most up-to-date information.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re happy to give you updates or let you know what’s going on and what are the conditions right now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066250\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flooding near the Highway 101 Sausalito/Mill Valley exit in Sausalito on Dec. 4, 2025, during a king tide event. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you are planning to camp during wet weather, make sure you have the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064291/winter-camping-reservations-where-to-go-campsites-near-san-francisco-bay-area\">proper gear and are prepared to leave in case of emergency\u003c/a>. Ostroskie said state parks staff are preparing for a wet winter by staging equipment and readying communications to handle potential flooding or other effects of rising sea levels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parks like Angel Island, China Camp, Tomales Bay, Mt. Tam and Candlestick are of particular concern, Ostroskie said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said he’s also worried about a park like Samuel P. Taylor State Park, whose Lagunitas Creek can rise dramatically during storms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The creek floods really high, so we actually close off the creekside campground,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Landslides, fallen trees and power lines are also typical stormy weather concerns for parks, Ostroskie said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For oceanside campgrounds, bad weather and consistent big waves can threaten infrastructure, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’ll probably take us a little bit longer to open up the season, especially when we hit spring and summer, just because we’ll be doing repairs and fixing things,” he said. “And sometimes that takes a little time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "how-to-handle-group-conflict-without-tearing-people-apart",
"title": "How to Handle Group Conflict Without Tearing People Apart",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/insidelove\">\u003cem>Inside Love\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, our series exploring what it means to love through science and curious conversation.\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We are living in divisive times. People are sorting themselves into political and ideological camps. Disagreements within communities, friend groups and families can quickly become a stark choice: you’re either with us or against us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So how can groups fight without tearing each other apart? In her new book, “The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict,” facilitator Priya Parker explores how fighting with care can deepen the relationships we’re afraid of losing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We haven’t been taught to fight well,” Parker said. “We oscillate between avoidance and burning the house down.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parker offers another possibility: staying in the room and seeing a conflict through to its resolution. “Friends who fight and come through it are actually closer,” Parker said. “It is beautiful on the other side.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We talk to her about the strategies groups can employ when sparks fly. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guest: \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker,\u003c/strong> facilitator; strategic adviser; author, “The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict”\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Your original book, “The Art of Gathering,” famously brought people together for really unique parties. Did some of them just go really bad? Why are you turning towards fighting?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>There is so much conflict in gathering, and particularly in the planning of gatherings. “The Art of Fighting,” in a lot of ways, is my second book about connection. I am interested in connection. And so much of what I see is that we are more fragile as communities, in part because of our conflict aversion.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Was part of your motivation, beyond tense wedding planning, what we’re seeing between neighbors and inside town halls that are blowing up?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>I am a facilitator, and during the summer of 2020, I was invited into a number of group and organizational reckonings. If you remember that summer, it was the summer Black Lives Matter and the first summer after the pandemic hit, there were a lot of reckonings inside of organizations. As a facilitator, my peers and I were brought in, and because people were in virtual work, a lot of those reckonings were inside little squares on Zoom. My work had always been in person. Even if people are facing each other and having a conversation they’d otherwise rather not have, you can use your body, if they run out of the room, you could chase them. But all of a sudden in the Zoom, you’re just hitting a little red button and anyone can leave. So, it was a really complex time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As I was watching and as I was part of many of these reckonings, I noticed that we haven’t been taught to fight well. We oscillate between avoidance and burning the house down. And as I was in many Zooms, and these organizations would agree with me, we often don’t have either the skills or the actual infrastructure to know how to have a healthy group fight. So I wanted to write a book that began to ask not how do you yell at strangers on the internet, but actually, how do we fight with those we want to belong to.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Avoiding conflict is no better than burning the house down, as you put it. Talk about that because you learned that lesson from a young age.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>My parents both come from lineages — my mother is Indian, my father is white American — where when conflict arose, we kind of stuck our head in the sand, we’re ostriches. When my parents divorced when I was about nine years old, I and everyone around them was shocked because they never fought. And so I learned from a young age that there’s great loss also in avoidance and that human connection can be as threatened by unhealthy peace as it is by unhealthy conflict.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>And a fight can sometimes define what a group is about. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>In fact, fights actually form groups. You can’t become a group without a storm, without a fight. There are four phases of a group formation and the first is form and the second is called storm, which is when a group has to decide it is worth making this a thing. It’s almost like couples have the DTR that define the relationship. Are we dating? Are you my boyfriend? Are you my girlfriend? Are we poly? Are we monogamous? It turns out, groups have to go through a similar phase. What are we, what are we about, who’s in charge? And when we are unwilling or unable or unskilled to have these crucial conversations about who we are and what we are doing around here, our groups end up dissipating. They never actually form.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>We’re really living in a time of boundaries and canceling. Social media makes this a lot easier. We can ghost our way through conflict. Have we gotten a lot quicker to leave? And how can people move past those moments where you just want to step out?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>We sure have. It’s easier to bounce than to bother. This is also uniquely part of being alive in the modern era, which is that we tend to, for better or for worse, choose our groups. We choose our friends, we choose our workplace, we choose our institutions of worship. It’s never been easier to leave, in part because we have so much choice. In our great-grandmother’s village, you didn’t have a lot of choice. There were not a lot of places to go. Even in traditional communities, you run into each other at the grocery store or at the market. You can’t avoid each other for that long. Yet in modern life, in part because of an abundance of choice and in part because we can hide from each other through our screens and text messages, it’s never been easier to not face, and yet it is keeping us really lonely.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>It seems like we need to practice because I am also very conflict-avoidant. It sounds terrifying to get my sword ready. Right after the election, I had friends who went in very different directions. It surprised me a lot. There is still a lot of tension in this group of friends, and we never talk about politics, but it’s creating a lot of distance between us. So, if I wanted to get everyone together to have these hard conversations, what are some of the infrastructure or tools you mentioned in the book? How would I do it? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>The first thing, back up a little bit. Don’t start with a specific form in mind of what this group needs to be. First ask, what is the actual need of this group? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Friends, we’re friends. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>Do you need to talk about this difference? And if so, how? The idea of bringing them all together at the table and talking about politics, that will probably go badly. I would start first by asking yourself, what is the actual need here? What are these people to me? Not all conflict avoidance is from fear. Some of it is from wisdom. In “The Art of Fighting,” I actually have a group of girlfriends who’ve been friends for 30 years; it sounds like your group a little bit. During the pandemic, they hopped on these Zoom happy hours and they realized very quickly that they were very far apart from each other — politically, socially, even perceptions of the pandemic. It threw a number of them into an existential crisis. Are these my people? Is this still my group? And so part of what I worked on with them is to go through a set of questions to decide whether to face or not. And then what is it that you’re facing? Questions like, can I continue to engage meaningfully? Do I care enough about this group to take this on? Do I still have a longing for this group? Is this conflict touching on a core value of mine? Does the group need to reflect those values for me to be a part of it? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>My hope with “The Art of Fighting” is not that it gives us better answers, but that it gives us better questions. Ask yourself, what are these people to me? Is it important to me to be in relationship with people who have different viewpoints from me, or is this a red line? It’s first a set of questions for oneself and then beginning to ask, well, do I think by saying something we’re going to alter one another? And if you still have longing for these people, part of my advice to you would be to actually talk less, have fun together, remember why you’re friends, go have a blast. Sometimes a community actually needs to talk less. What they actually need is a soccer game.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>It sounds like I just need to go dancing with these people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>At some point, you may have to ask, is this the group that I thought it was? And maybe they become your fun group.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Just putting that title on it made my whole system align in a really good way. But let’s say there is a group conflict that really needs to be had, and I’m ready for it. We’ve defined it. What are some of the tools to use while you’re in that moment? How do you create a ritual or a space where a productive conversation can happen?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>I had a mentor called Randa Slim, and she would always say that 90% of the success of what happens in a room happens before anyone arrives. First, engage in a period of what I call the pre-conflict resolution. When I work with a team or an organization, and they’re getting ready to come together for some kind of facing, one of the questions we ask is, are we having the right conversation? Are we having the right fight? What do you think is happening here? What is the purpose of this organization? What is a conversation you’re always having that feels like it is never getting resolved? And just really listening. Sometimes it’s good to have people have some reflection time, whether in a workbook or with a trusted person, so that they can actually sort out their ideas and feel some of their emotions before coming into the higher-stakes room. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then, once you’re actually in the room to set up, let people understand how it’s going to go, how long it is. Where are we going to be hosting this? Something as simple as not having it in a glass room where other people can see. Don’t have it at a restaurant where other people can hear. Some of these are very practical. Get the table out of the room if possible, which is sort of counterintuitive. Tables often block connection. Then also spend time preparing your own body. Conflict is physical, deeply physical, just not often in the way we think. Not necessarily between people, but in ourselves. So also beginning to prepare ourselves to be able to go into the room and hold healthy heat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>What is the goal? At the end of the day, there’s probably still going to be differences. So, what are you trying to achieve in that space?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>There’s a facilitator named Sethu Nair. She told me, you’re trying to create a space where people can actually safely say what they need to say. Now, what does that mean? I have an example in the book where I look at one of the first formative fights between the founders of Burning Man. They had gathered together in Marian Goodell’s dining room. This was in 1998. They had experienced a crisis the summer before. Someone had died. And as Goodell described, it was Mad Max out there on the Playa. And they came together and had to ask, can we create infrastructure and hierarchy if we are trying to also create utopia? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley:\u003c/strong> That’s a good question. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker:\u003c/strong> And the conversation that they were having was, what do we pay ourselves? The values of the group up until that point was they were all equal, so they should all make the same amount of money. And they started comparing rents, and that revealed differences. One lived in a more expensive area, two others were roommates, one had a rent control apartment. Goodell was sitting there clutching this yellow legal pad, and one of the founders said, “Well, everyone should make $30,000.” And she exclaimed, “That’s irrational!” And then she took a deep breath, and she spoke the dangerous truth. She said, “We shouldn’t all get paid the same.” And someone shot back, “How could you value yourself more than us?” Ouch. If she was willing to say it and they were willing to hold it, it expanded their geography of possibility, but it also could have gotten her kicked out. And so part of the infrastructure of a group fight is to make it safe enough for someone to speak their dangerous truth. And their dangerous truth may be, “It really hurt my feelings that you didn’t invite me to your wedding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>You talk about how we shouldn’t stop for the most offended person in the room. And you have a great example of this in your book. Talk about what happened in that workshop with 80 progressive leaders.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>I was facilitating a workshop about community and gathering. I had just begun speaking. Everyone was in a circle. I was speaking about gathering and community. I was using the word tribe. And a person stepped forward and took a mic and said, “I take issue with your use of the word tribe. I’m indigenous. And you are appropriating the word tribe.” The room tenses up. I tense up. But I’m very practiced at this. I breathe. I put my feet on the ground. Again, I’m the facilitator. I have authority. I’m holding a mic. I’m in a position of privilege. I look at her, and I say, “Thank you. I will consider it. And I may not change how I’m speaking. Tribe is a sociological word. It’s a word that exists in many cultures. It’s a word that has existed in many contexts for thousands of years.” And then I looked, and everyone’s holding their breath. And I said, “Don’t let the room be defined by the most offended voice.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I was brought in to help them expand their geography. Years later, some of the members from that moment still bring it up. One of them said to me, “You helped us get unstuck so that we could have wider conversations and not stop if someone is offended.” And let me be clear, I didn’t think the woman shouldn’t have said what she said. I think she should say it. It’s really important. It’s a very good point. I want it on the table. We are a worse group if it’s not on the table. These are core fights. And so I tried to make her feel felt. I gave air to her offense, and I didn’t let the room be defined by it. And we widened the scope of possible conversation that day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>If we do this, if we can learn how to do this [fighting] better, do you have a bigger goal? Do you think we can get through this divisiveness in our country?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>Most people I know are in pain. Most people are lonely, even within their intimate partners. Every group fights. Every group I know, friend group, family group, has some mess inside. Part of the invitation is to first say this is a mess and learn to grow the relational longing to be in a mess with you, to grow our capacity for each other, to grow tolerance for each other, to grow joy with each other because the only way out is actually with one another. It is beautiful on the other side. Friends who fight and come through it are actually closer. It’s actually quite intimate to admit hurt. It’s quite intimate to call someone out with care and, in a way, to protect the group and figure out who we are and what we want to do around here. Once you get through it, you’re much more sturdy. You’re much more resilient. This isn’t a moment to keep walking away from each other. We’re going to be incredibly lonely and incredibly bored. It’s so beautiful to be with each other, but part of the art of fighting is to bring in warmth and humor and joy and not just have this serious, angry side over here and this fun, playful side over there. It’s actually all together. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of my favorite examples in the book is a church. A woman called me up saying her church is going through a reckoning like so many churches during the summer of 2020, in part because they hadn’t worshiped together. Their core function to come together every Sunday, to be together in communion was now on a live stream. She said, “We’ve been missing each other, both literally, but also liturgically.” They were tearing each other up about all sorts of stuff like Christianity and Black Lives Matter. And this was a majority white church. She said, “It feels exhausting trying to bring people together, to have these really hard conversations. Everyone’s exhausted.” And someone said, “What if instead we threw a parking lot party? We threw a party outside of the church. Dunk the deacon?” And someone else quickly Googled: how much does it cost to rent a dunk tank? And they were like, “It’s 250 bucks, should we do it?” As they were planning this kind of ridiculous party, they started feeling relaxed. They hosted this parking lot party, and they had the church band play cover songs, they had a dunk tank, they had cotton candy, and they basically just practiced being together again, which after the pandemic was a big deal. One of the women wrote to me later, and she said, “It was so beautiful.” And as people left that day, I kept hearing the phrase, “I didn’t realize how much we needed this.” What they did that day was they didn’t go for the wound. They didn’t go for the jugular. They watered the garden.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>May we all water more gardens and really get to the other side of this moment and beyond. Inside our friendships, obviously, but beyond for our country. Thank you so much, Priya. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>Thank you so much for having me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Priya Parker is a facilitator, as you heard, and strategic adviser. Her new book is “The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict.” Inside Love is a new production of KQED, and we’d love to hear your thoughts. Our email is InsideLove@KQED.org. Our engineer is Brendan Willard. Our producers are Susie Britton and Emiko Oda. I’m Lesley McClurg. Thank you so much for listening.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript was lightly edited for clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We are living in divisive times. People are sorting themselves into political and ideological camps. Disagreements within communities, friend groups and families can quickly become a stark choice: you’re either with us or against us.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So how can groups fight without tearing each other apart? In her new book, “The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict,” facilitator Priya Parker explores how fighting with care can deepen the relationships we’re afraid of losing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We haven’t been taught to fight well,” Parker said. “We oscillate between avoidance and burning the house down.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Parker offers another possibility: staying in the room and seeing a conflict through to its resolution. “Friends who fight and come through it are actually closer,” Parker said. “It is beautiful on the other side.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We talk to her about the strategies groups can employ when sparks fly. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Your original book, “The Art of Gathering,” famously brought people together for really unique parties. Did some of them just go really bad? Why are you turning towards fighting?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>There is so much conflict in gathering, and particularly in the planning of gatherings. “The Art of Fighting,” in a lot of ways, is my second book about connection. I am interested in connection. And so much of what I see is that we are more fragile as communities, in part because of our conflict aversion.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Was part of your motivation, beyond tense wedding planning, what we’re seeing between neighbors and inside town halls that are blowing up?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>I am a facilitator, and during the summer of 2020, I was invited into a number of group and organizational reckonings. If you remember that summer, it was the summer Black Lives Matter and the first summer after the pandemic hit, there were a lot of reckonings inside of organizations. As a facilitator, my peers and I were brought in, and because people were in virtual work, a lot of those reckonings were inside little squares on Zoom. My work had always been in person. Even if people are facing each other and having a conversation they’d otherwise rather not have, you can use your body, if they run out of the room, you could chase them. But all of a sudden in the Zoom, you’re just hitting a little red button and anyone can leave. So, it was a really complex time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As I was watching and as I was part of many of these reckonings, I noticed that we haven’t been taught to fight well. We oscillate between avoidance and burning the house down. And as I was in many Zooms, and these organizations would agree with me, we often don’t have either the skills or the actual infrastructure to know how to have a healthy group fight. So I wanted to write a book that began to ask not how do you yell at strangers on the internet, but actually, how do we fight with those we want to belong to.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As I was watching and as I was part of many of these reckonings, I noticed that we haven’t been taught to fight well. We oscillate between avoidance and burning the house down. And as I was in many Zooms, and these organizations would agree with me, we often don’t have either the skills or the actual infrastructure to know how to have a healthy group fight. So I wanted to write a book that began to ask not how do you yell at strangers on the internet, but actually, how do we fight with those we want to belong to.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Avoiding conflict is no better than burning the house down, as you put it. Talk about that because you learned that lesson from a young age.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>My parents both come from lineages — my mother is Indian, my father is white American — where when conflict arose, we kind of stuck our head in the sand, we’re ostriches. When my parents divorced when I was about nine years old, I and everyone around them was shocked because they never fought. And so I learned from a young age that there’s great loss also in avoidance and that human connection can be as threatened by unhealthy peace as it is by unhealthy conflict.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>And a fight can sometimes define what a group is about. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>In fact, fights actually form groups. You can’t become a group without a storm, without a fight. There are four phases of a group formation and the first is form and the second is called storm, which is when a group has to decide it is worth making this a thing. It’s almost like couples have the DTR that define the relationship. Are we dating? Are you my boyfriend? Are you my girlfriend? Are we poly? Are we monogamous? It turns out, groups have to go through a similar phase. What are we, what are we about, who’s in charge? And when we are unwilling or unable or unskilled to have these crucial conversations about who we are and what we are doing around here, our groups end up dissipating. They never actually form.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>We’re really living in a time of boundaries and canceling. Social media makes this a lot easier. We can ghost our way through conflict. Have we gotten a lot quicker to leave? And how can people move past those moments where you just want to step out?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>We sure have. It’s easier to bounce than to bother. This is also uniquely part of being alive in the modern era, which is that we tend to, for better or for worse, choose our groups. We choose our friends, we choose our workplace, we choose our institutions of worship. It’s never been easier to leave, in part because we have so much choice. In our great-grandmother’s village, you didn’t have a lot of choice. There were not a lot of places to go. Even in traditional communities, you run into each other at the grocery store or at the market. You can’t avoid each other for that long. Yet in modern life, in part because of an abundance of choice and in part because we can hide from each other through our screens and text messages, it’s never been easier to not face, and yet it is keeping us really lonely.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>We sure have. It’s easier to bounce than to bother. This is also uniquely part of being alive in the modern era, which is that we tend to, for better or for worse, choose our groups. We choose our friends, we choose our workplace, we choose our institutions of worship. It’s never been easier to leave, in part because we have so much choice. In our great-grandmother’s village, you didn’t have a lot of choice. There were not a lot of places to go. Even in traditional communities, you run into each other at the grocery store or at the market. You can’t avoid each other for that long. Yet in modern life, in part because of an abundance of choice and in part because we can hide from each other through our screens and text messages, it’s never been easier to not face, and yet it is keeping us really lonely.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>It seems like we need to practice because I am also very conflict-avoidant. It sounds terrifying to get my sword ready. Right after the election, I had friends who went in very different directions. It surprised me a lot. There is still a lot of tension in this group of friends, and we never talk about politics, but it’s creating a lot of distance between us. So, if I wanted to get everyone together to have these hard conversations, what are some of the infrastructure or tools you mentioned in the book? How would I do it? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>The first thing, back up a little bit. Don’t start with a specific form in mind of what this group needs to be. First ask, what is the actual need of this group? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>Do you need to talk about this difference? And if so, how? The idea of bringing them all together at the table and talking about politics, that will probably go badly. I would start first by asking yourself, what is the actual need here? What are these people to me? Not all conflict avoidance is from fear. Some of it is from wisdom. In “The Art of Fighting,” I actually have a group of girlfriends who’ve been friends for 30 years; it sounds like your group a little bit. During the pandemic, they hopped on these Zoom happy hours and they realized very quickly that they were very far apart from each other — politically, socially, even perceptions of the pandemic. It threw a number of them into an existential crisis. Are these my people? Is this still my group? And so part of what I worked on with them is to go through a set of questions to decide whether to face or not. And then what is it that you’re facing? Questions like, can I continue to engage meaningfully? Do I care enough about this group to take this on? Do I still have a longing for this group? Is this conflict touching on a core value of mine? Does the group need to reflect those values for me to be a part of it? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>Do you need to talk about this difference? And if so, how? The idea of bringing them all together at the table and talking about politics, that will probably go badly. I would start first by asking yourself, what is the actual need here? What are these people to me? Not all conflict avoidance is from fear. Some of it is from wisdom. In “The Art of Fighting,” I actually have a group of girlfriends who’ve been friends for 30 years; it sounds like your group a little bit. During the pandemic, they hopped on these Zoom happy hours and they realized very quickly that they were very far apart from each other — politically, socially, even perceptions of the pandemic. It threw a number of them into an existential crisis. Are these my people? Is this still my group? And so part of what I worked on with them is to go through a set of questions to decide whether to face or not. And then what is it that you’re facing? Questions like, can I continue to engage meaningfully? Do I care enough about this group to take this on? Do I still have a longing for this group? Is this conflict touching on a core value of mine? Does the group need to reflect those values for me to be a part of it? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>My hope with “The Art of Fighting” is not that it gives us better answers, but that it gives us better questions. Ask yourself, what are these people to me? Is it important to me to be in relationship with people who have different viewpoints from me, or is this a red line? It’s first a set of questions for oneself and then beginning to ask, well, do I think by saying something we’re going to alter one another? And if you still have longing for these people, part of my advice to you would be to actually talk less, have fun together, remember why you’re friends, go have a blast. Sometimes a community actually needs to talk less. What they actually need is a soccer game.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>My hope with “The Art of Fighting” is not that it gives us better answers, but that it gives us better questions. Ask yourself, what are these people to me? Is it important to me to be in relationship with people who have different viewpoints from me, or is this a red line? It’s first a set of questions for oneself and then beginning to ask, well, do I think by saying something we’re going to alter one another? And if you still have longing for these people, part of my advice to you would be to actually talk less, have fun together, remember why you’re friends, go have a blast. Sometimes a community actually needs to talk less. What they actually need is a soccer game.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>It sounds like I just need to go dancing with these people.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>It sounds like I just need to go dancing with these people.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>At some point, you may have to ask, is this the group that I thought it was? And maybe they become your fun group.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>At some point, you may have to ask, is this the group that I thought it was? And maybe they become your fun group.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Just putting that title on it made my whole system align in a really good way. But let’s say there is a group conflict that really needs to be had, and I’m ready for it. We’ve defined it. What are some of the tools to use while you’re in that moment? How do you create a ritual or a space where a productive conversation can happen?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Just putting that title on it made my whole system align in a really good way. But let’s say there is a group conflict that really needs to be had, and I’m ready for it. We’ve defined it. What are some of the tools to use while you’re in that moment? How do you create a ritual or a space where a productive conversation can happen?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>I had a mentor called Randa Slim, and she would always say that 90% of the success of what happens in a room happens before anyone arrives. First, engage in a period of what I call the pre-conflict resolution. When I work with a team or an organization, and they’re getting ready to come together for some kind of facing, one of the questions we ask is, are we having the right conversation? Are we having the right fight? What do you think is happening here? What is the purpose of this organization? What is a conversation you’re always having that feels like it is never getting resolved? And just really listening. Sometimes it’s good to have people have some reflection time, whether in a workbook or with a trusted person, so that they can actually sort out their ideas and feel some of their emotions before coming into the higher-stakes room. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>I had a mentor called Randa Slim, and she would always say that 90% of the success of what happens in a room happens before anyone arrives. First, engage in a period of what I call the pre-conflict resolution. When I work with a team or an organization, and they’re getting ready to come together for some kind of facing, one of the questions we ask is, are we having the right conversation? Are we having the right fight? What do you think is happening here? What is the purpose of this organization? What is a conversation you’re always having that feels like it is never getting resolved? And just really listening. Sometimes it’s good to have people have some reflection time, whether in a workbook or with a trusted person, so that they can actually sort out their ideas and feel some of their emotions before coming into the higher-stakes room. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Then, once you’re actually in the room to set up, let people understand how it’s going to go, how long it is. Where are we going to be hosting this? Something as simple as not having it in a glass room where other people can see. Don’t have it at a restaurant where other people can hear. Some of these are very practical. Get the table out of the room if possible, which is sort of counterintuitive. Tables often block connection. Then also spend time preparing your own body. Conflict is physical, deeply physical, just not often in the way we think. Not necessarily between people, but in ourselves. So also beginning to prepare ourselves to be able to go into the room and hold healthy heat.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Then, once you’re actually in the room to set up, let people understand how it’s going to go, how long it is. Where are we going to be hosting this? Something as simple as not having it in a glass room where other people can see. Don’t have it at a restaurant where other people can hear. Some of these are very practical. Get the table out of the room if possible, which is sort of counterintuitive. Tables often block connection. Then also spend time preparing your own body. Conflict is physical, deeply physical, just not often in the way we think. Not necessarily between people, but in ourselves. So also beginning to prepare ourselves to be able to go into the room and hold healthy heat.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>What is the goal? At the end of the day, there’s probably still going to be differences. So, what are you trying to achieve in that space?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>What is the goal? At the end of the day, there’s probably still going to be differences. So, what are you trying to achieve in that space?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>There’s a facilitator named Sethu Nair. She told me, you’re trying to create a space where people can actually safely say what they need to say. Now, what does that mean? I have an example in the book where I look at one of the first formative fights between the founders of Burning Man. They had gathered together in Marian Goodell’s dining room. This was in 1998. They had experienced a crisis the summer before. Someone had died. And as Goodell described, it was Mad Max out there on the Playa. And they came together and had to ask, can we create infrastructure and hierarchy if we are trying to also create utopia? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>There’s a facilitator named Sethu Nair. She told me, you’re trying to create a space where people can actually safely say what they need to say. Now, what does that mean? I have an example in the book where I look at one of the first formative fights between the founders of Burning Man. They had gathered together in Marian Goodell’s dining room. This was in 1998. They had experienced a crisis the summer before. Someone had died. And as Goodell described, it was Mad Max out there on the Playa. And they came together and had to ask, can we create infrastructure and hierarchy if we are trying to also create utopia? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley:\u003c/strong> That’s a good question. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley:\u003c/strong> That’s a good question. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker:\u003c/strong> And the conversation that they were having was, what do we pay ourselves? The values of the group up until that point was they were all equal, so they should all make the same amount of money. And they started comparing rents, and that revealed differences. One lived in a more expensive area, two others were roommates, one had a rent control apartment. Goodell was sitting there clutching this yellow legal pad, and one of the founders said, “Well, everyone should make $30,000.” And she exclaimed, “That’s irrational!” And then she took a deep breath, and she spoke the dangerous truth. She said, “We shouldn’t all get paid the same.” And someone shot back, “How could you value yourself more than us?” Ouch. If she was willing to say it and they were willing to hold it, it expanded their geography of possibility, but it also could have gotten her kicked out. And so part of the infrastructure of a group fight is to make it safe enough for someone to speak their dangerous truth. And their dangerous truth may be, “It really hurt my feelings that you didn’t invite me to your wedding.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker:\u003c/strong> And the conversation that they were having was, what do we pay ourselves? The values of the group up until that point was they were all equal, so they should all make the same amount of money. And they started comparing rents, and that revealed differences. One lived in a more expensive area, two others were roommates, one had a rent control apartment. Goodell was sitting there clutching this yellow legal pad, and one of the founders said, “Well, everyone should make $30,000.” And she exclaimed, “That’s irrational!” And then she took a deep breath, and she spoke the dangerous truth. She said, “We shouldn’t all get paid the same.” And someone shot back, “How could you value yourself more than us?” Ouch. If she was willing to say it and they were willing to hold it, it expanded their geography of possibility, but it also could have gotten her kicked out. And so part of the infrastructure of a group fight is to make it safe enough for someone to speak their dangerous truth. And their dangerous truth may be, “It really hurt my feelings that you didn’t invite me to your wedding.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>You talk about how we shouldn’t stop for the most offended person in the room. And you have a great example of this in your book. Talk about what happened in that workshop with 80 progressive leaders.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>You talk about how we shouldn’t stop for the most offended person in the room. And you have a great example of this in your book. Talk about what happened in that workshop with 80 progressive leaders.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>I was facilitating a workshop about community and gathering. I had just begun speaking. Everyone was in a circle. I was speaking about gathering and community. I was using the word tribe. And a person stepped forward and took a mic and said, “I take issue with your use of the word tribe. I’m indigenous. And you are appropriating the word tribe.” The room tenses up. I tense up. But I’m very practiced at this. I breathe. I put my feet on the ground. Again, I’m the facilitator. I have authority. I’m holding a mic. I’m in a position of privilege. I look at her, and I say, “Thank you. I will consider it. And I may not change how I’m speaking. Tribe is a sociological word. It’s a word that exists in many cultures. It’s a word that has existed in many contexts for thousands of years.” And then I looked, and everyone’s holding their breath. And I said, “Don’t let the room be defined by the most offended voice.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>I was facilitating a workshop about community and gathering. I had just begun speaking. Everyone was in a circle. I was speaking about gathering and community. I was using the word tribe. And a person stepped forward and took a mic and said, “I take issue with your use of the word tribe. I’m indigenous. And you are appropriating the word tribe.” The room tenses up. I tense up. But I’m very practiced at this. I breathe. I put my feet on the ground. Again, I’m the facilitator. I have authority. I’m holding a mic. I’m in a position of privilege. I look at her, and I say, “Thank you. I will consider it. And I may not change how I’m speaking. Tribe is a sociological word. It’s a word that exists in many cultures. It’s a word that has existed in many contexts for thousands of years.” And then I looked, and everyone’s holding their breath. And I said, “Don’t let the room be defined by the most offended voice.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I was brought in to help them expand their geography. Years later, some of the members from that moment still bring it up. One of them said to me, “You helped us get unstuck so that we could have wider conversations and not stop if someone is offended.” And let me be clear, I didn’t think the woman shouldn’t have said what she said. I think she should say it. It’s really important. It’s a very good point. I want it on the table. We are a worse group if it’s not on the table. These are core fights. And so I tried to make her feel felt. I gave air to her offense, and I didn’t let the room be defined by it. And we widened the scope of possible conversation that day.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I was brought in to help them expand their geography. Years later, some of the members from that moment still bring it up. One of them said to me, “You helped us get unstuck so that we could have wider conversations and not stop if someone is offended.” And let me be clear, I didn’t think the woman shouldn’t have said what she said. I think she should say it. It’s really important. It’s a very good point. I want it on the table. We are a worse group if it’s not on the table. These are core fights. And so I tried to make her feel felt. I gave air to her offense, and I didn’t let the room be defined by it. And we widened the scope of possible conversation that day.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>If we do this, if we can learn how to do this [fighting] better, do you have a bigger goal? Do you think we can get through this divisiveness in our country?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>If we do this, if we can learn how to do this [fighting] better, do you have a bigger goal? Do you think we can get through this divisiveness in our country?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>Most people I know are in pain. Most people are lonely, even within their intimate partners. Every group fights. Every group I know, friend group, family group, has some mess inside. Part of the invitation is to first say this is a mess and learn to grow the relational longing to be in a mess with you, to grow our capacity for each other, to grow tolerance for each other, to grow joy with each other because the only way out is actually with one another. It is beautiful on the other side. Friends who fight and come through it are actually closer. It’s actually quite intimate to admit hurt. It’s quite intimate to call someone out with care and, in a way, to protect the group and figure out who we are and what we want to do around here. Once you get through it, you’re much more sturdy. You’re much more resilient. This isn’t a moment to keep walking away from each other. We’re going to be incredibly lonely and incredibly bored. It’s so beautiful to be with each other, but part of the art of fighting is to bring in warmth and humor and joy and not just have this serious, angry side over here and this fun, playful side over there. It’s actually all together. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>Most people I know are in pain. Most people are lonely, even within their intimate partners. Every group fights. Every group I know, friend group, family group, has some mess inside. Part of the invitation is to first say this is a mess and learn to grow the relational longing to be in a mess with you, to grow our capacity for each other, to grow tolerance for each other, to grow joy with each other because the only way out is actually with one another. It is beautiful on the other side. Friends who fight and come through it are actually closer. It’s actually quite intimate to admit hurt. It’s quite intimate to call someone out with care and, in a way, to protect the group and figure out who we are and what we want to do around here. Once you get through it, you’re much more sturdy. You’re much more resilient. This isn’t a moment to keep walking away from each other. We’re going to be incredibly lonely and incredibly bored. It’s so beautiful to be with each other, but part of the art of fighting is to bring in warmth and humor and joy and not just have this serious, angry side over here and this fun, playful side over there. It’s actually all together. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of my favorite examples in the book is a church. A woman called me up saying her church is going through a reckoning like so many churches during the summer of 2020, in part because they hadn’t worshiped together. Their core function to come together every Sunday, to be together in communion was now on a live stream. She said, “We’ve been missing each other, both literally, but also liturgically.” They were tearing each other up about all sorts of stuff like Christianity and Black Lives Matter. And this was a majority white church. She said, “It feels exhausting trying to bring people together, to have these really hard conversations. Everyone’s exhausted.” And someone said, “What if instead we threw a parking lot party? We threw a party outside of the church. Dunk the deacon?” And someone else quickly Googled: how much does it cost to rent a dunk tank? And they were like, “It’s 250 bucks, should we do it?” As they were planning this kind of ridiculous party, they started feeling relaxed. They hosted this parking lot party, and they had the church band play cover songs, they had a dunk tank, they had cotton candy, and they basically just practiced being together again, which after the pandemic was a big deal. One of the women wrote to me later, and she said, “It was so beautiful.” And as people left that day, I kept hearing the phrase, “I didn’t realize how much we needed this.” What they did that day was they didn’t go for the wound. They didn’t go for the jugular. They watered the garden.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One of my favorite examples in the book is a church. A woman called me up saying her church is going through a reckoning like so many churches during the summer of 2020, in part because they hadn’t worshiped together. Their core function to come together every Sunday, to be together in communion was now on a live stream. She said, “We’ve been missing each other, both literally, but also liturgically.” They were tearing each other up about all sorts of stuff like Christianity and Black Lives Matter. And this was a majority white church. She said, “It feels exhausting trying to bring people together, to have these really hard conversations. Everyone’s exhausted.” And someone said, “What if instead we threw a parking lot party? We threw a party outside of the church. Dunk the deacon?” And someone else quickly Googled: how much does it cost to rent a dunk tank? And they were like, “It’s 250 bucks, should we do it?” As they were planning this kind of ridiculous party, they started feeling relaxed. They hosted this parking lot party, and they had the church band play cover songs, they had a dunk tank, they had cotton candy, and they basically just practiced being together again, which after the pandemic was a big deal. One of the women wrote to me later, and she said, “It was so beautiful.” And as people left that day, I kept hearing the phrase, “I didn’t realize how much we needed this.” What they did that day was they didn’t go for the wound. They didn’t go for the jugular. They watered the garden.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>May we all water more gardens and really get to the other side of this moment and beyond. Inside our friendships, obviously, but beyond for our country. Thank you so much, Priya. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>May we all water more gardens and really get to the other side of this moment and beyond. Inside our friendships, obviously, but beyond for our country. Thank you so much, Priya. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>Thank you so much for having me. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Priya Parker is a facilitator, as you heard, and strategic adviser. Her new book is “The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict.” Inside Love is a new production of KQED, and we’d love to hear your thoughts. Our email is InsideLove@KQED.org. Our engineer is Brendan Willard. Our producers are Susie Britton and Emiko Oda. I’m Lesley McClurg. Thank you so much for listening.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Priya Parker is a facilitator, as you heard, and strategic adviser. Her new book is “The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict.” Inside Love is a new production of KQED, and we’d love to hear your thoughts. Our email is InsideLove@KQED.org. Our engineer is Brendan Willard. Our producers are Susie Britton and Emiko Oda. I’m Lesley McClurg. Thank you so much for listening.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript was lightly edited for clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/insidelove\">\u003cem>Inside Love\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, our series exploring what it means to love through science and curious conversation.\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We are living in divisive times. People are sorting themselves into political and ideological camps. Disagreements within communities, friend groups and families can quickly become a stark choice: you’re either with us or against us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So how can groups fight without tearing each other apart? In her new book, “The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict,” facilitator Priya Parker explores how fighting with care can deepen the relationships we’re afraid of losing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We haven’t been taught to fight well,” Parker said. “We oscillate between avoidance and burning the house down.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parker offers another possibility: staying in the room and seeing a conflict through to its resolution. “Friends who fight and come through it are actually closer,” Parker said. “It is beautiful on the other side.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We talk to her about the strategies groups can employ when sparks fly. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guest: \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker,\u003c/strong> facilitator; strategic adviser; author, “The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict”\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Your original book, “The Art of Gathering,” famously brought people together for really unique parties. Did some of them just go really bad? Why are you turning towards fighting?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>There is so much conflict in gathering, and particularly in the planning of gatherings. “The Art of Fighting,” in a lot of ways, is my second book about connection. I am interested in connection. And so much of what I see is that we are more fragile as communities, in part because of our conflict aversion.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Was part of your motivation, beyond tense wedding planning, what we’re seeing between neighbors and inside town halls that are blowing up?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>I am a facilitator, and during the summer of 2020, I was invited into a number of group and organizational reckonings. If you remember that summer, it was the summer Black Lives Matter and the first summer after the pandemic hit, there were a lot of reckonings inside of organizations. As a facilitator, my peers and I were brought in, and because people were in virtual work, a lot of those reckonings were inside little squares on Zoom. My work had always been in person. Even if people are facing each other and having a conversation they’d otherwise rather not have, you can use your body, if they run out of the room, you could chase them. But all of a sudden in the Zoom, you’re just hitting a little red button and anyone can leave. So, it was a really complex time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As I was watching and as I was part of many of these reckonings, I noticed that we haven’t been taught to fight well. We oscillate between avoidance and burning the house down. And as I was in many Zooms, and these organizations would agree with me, we often don’t have either the skills or the actual infrastructure to know how to have a healthy group fight. So I wanted to write a book that began to ask not how do you yell at strangers on the internet, but actually, how do we fight with those we want to belong to.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Avoiding conflict is no better than burning the house down, as you put it. Talk about that because you learned that lesson from a young age.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>My parents both come from lineages — my mother is Indian, my father is white American — where when conflict arose, we kind of stuck our head in the sand, we’re ostriches. When my parents divorced when I was about nine years old, I and everyone around them was shocked because they never fought. And so I learned from a young age that there’s great loss also in avoidance and that human connection can be as threatened by unhealthy peace as it is by unhealthy conflict.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>And a fight can sometimes define what a group is about. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>In fact, fights actually form groups. You can’t become a group without a storm, without a fight. There are four phases of a group formation and the first is form and the second is called storm, which is when a group has to decide it is worth making this a thing. It’s almost like couples have the DTR that define the relationship. Are we dating? Are you my boyfriend? Are you my girlfriend? Are we poly? Are we monogamous? It turns out, groups have to go through a similar phase. What are we, what are we about, who’s in charge? And when we are unwilling or unable or unskilled to have these crucial conversations about who we are and what we are doing around here, our groups end up dissipating. They never actually form.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>We’re really living in a time of boundaries and canceling. Social media makes this a lot easier. We can ghost our way through conflict. Have we gotten a lot quicker to leave? And how can people move past those moments where you just want to step out?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>We sure have. It’s easier to bounce than to bother. This is also uniquely part of being alive in the modern era, which is that we tend to, for better or for worse, choose our groups. We choose our friends, we choose our workplace, we choose our institutions of worship. It’s never been easier to leave, in part because we have so much choice. In our great-grandmother’s village, you didn’t have a lot of choice. There were not a lot of places to go. Even in traditional communities, you run into each other at the grocery store or at the market. You can’t avoid each other for that long. Yet in modern life, in part because of an abundance of choice and in part because we can hide from each other through our screens and text messages, it’s never been easier to not face, and yet it is keeping us really lonely.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>It seems like we need to practice because I am also very conflict-avoidant. It sounds terrifying to get my sword ready. Right after the election, I had friends who went in very different directions. It surprised me a lot. There is still a lot of tension in this group of friends, and we never talk about politics, but it’s creating a lot of distance between us. So, if I wanted to get everyone together to have these hard conversations, what are some of the infrastructure or tools you mentioned in the book? How would I do it? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>The first thing, back up a little bit. Don’t start with a specific form in mind of what this group needs to be. First ask, what is the actual need of this group? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Friends, we’re friends. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>Do you need to talk about this difference? And if so, how? The idea of bringing them all together at the table and talking about politics, that will probably go badly. I would start first by asking yourself, what is the actual need here? What are these people to me? Not all conflict avoidance is from fear. Some of it is from wisdom. In “The Art of Fighting,” I actually have a group of girlfriends who’ve been friends for 30 years; it sounds like your group a little bit. During the pandemic, they hopped on these Zoom happy hours and they realized very quickly that they were very far apart from each other — politically, socially, even perceptions of the pandemic. It threw a number of them into an existential crisis. Are these my people? Is this still my group? And so part of what I worked on with them is to go through a set of questions to decide whether to face or not. And then what is it that you’re facing? Questions like, can I continue to engage meaningfully? Do I care enough about this group to take this on? Do I still have a longing for this group? Is this conflict touching on a core value of mine? Does the group need to reflect those values for me to be a part of it? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>My hope with “The Art of Fighting” is not that it gives us better answers, but that it gives us better questions. Ask yourself, what are these people to me? Is it important to me to be in relationship with people who have different viewpoints from me, or is this a red line? It’s first a set of questions for oneself and then beginning to ask, well, do I think by saying something we’re going to alter one another? And if you still have longing for these people, part of my advice to you would be to actually talk less, have fun together, remember why you’re friends, go have a blast. Sometimes a community actually needs to talk less. What they actually need is a soccer game.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>It sounds like I just need to go dancing with these people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>At some point, you may have to ask, is this the group that I thought it was? And maybe they become your fun group.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Just putting that title on it made my whole system align in a really good way. But let’s say there is a group conflict that really needs to be had, and I’m ready for it. We’ve defined it. What are some of the tools to use while you’re in that moment? How do you create a ritual or a space where a productive conversation can happen?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>I had a mentor called Randa Slim, and she would always say that 90% of the success of what happens in a room happens before anyone arrives. First, engage in a period of what I call the pre-conflict resolution. When I work with a team or an organization, and they’re getting ready to come together for some kind of facing, one of the questions we ask is, are we having the right conversation? Are we having the right fight? What do you think is happening here? What is the purpose of this organization? What is a conversation you’re always having that feels like it is never getting resolved? And just really listening. Sometimes it’s good to have people have some reflection time, whether in a workbook or with a trusted person, so that they can actually sort out their ideas and feel some of their emotions before coming into the higher-stakes room. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then, once you’re actually in the room to set up, let people understand how it’s going to go, how long it is. Where are we going to be hosting this? Something as simple as not having it in a glass room where other people can see. Don’t have it at a restaurant where other people can hear. Some of these are very practical. Get the table out of the room if possible, which is sort of counterintuitive. Tables often block connection. Then also spend time preparing your own body. Conflict is physical, deeply physical, just not often in the way we think. Not necessarily between people, but in ourselves. So also beginning to prepare ourselves to be able to go into the room and hold healthy heat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>What is the goal? At the end of the day, there’s probably still going to be differences. So, what are you trying to achieve in that space?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>There’s a facilitator named Sethu Nair. She told me, you’re trying to create a space where people can actually safely say what they need to say. Now, what does that mean? I have an example in the book where I look at one of the first formative fights between the founders of Burning Man. They had gathered together in Marian Goodell’s dining room. This was in 1998. They had experienced a crisis the summer before. Someone had died. And as Goodell described, it was Mad Max out there on the Playa. And they came together and had to ask, can we create infrastructure and hierarchy if we are trying to also create utopia? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley:\u003c/strong> That’s a good question. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker:\u003c/strong> And the conversation that they were having was, what do we pay ourselves? The values of the group up until that point was they were all equal, so they should all make the same amount of money. And they started comparing rents, and that revealed differences. One lived in a more expensive area, two others were roommates, one had a rent control apartment. Goodell was sitting there clutching this yellow legal pad, and one of the founders said, “Well, everyone should make $30,000.” And she exclaimed, “That’s irrational!” And then she took a deep breath, and she spoke the dangerous truth. She said, “We shouldn’t all get paid the same.” And someone shot back, “How could you value yourself more than us?” Ouch. If she was willing to say it and they were willing to hold it, it expanded their geography of possibility, but it also could have gotten her kicked out. And so part of the infrastructure of a group fight is to make it safe enough for someone to speak their dangerous truth. And their dangerous truth may be, “It really hurt my feelings that you didn’t invite me to your wedding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>You talk about how we shouldn’t stop for the most offended person in the room. And you have a great example of this in your book. Talk about what happened in that workshop with 80 progressive leaders.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>I was facilitating a workshop about community and gathering. I had just begun speaking. Everyone was in a circle. I was speaking about gathering and community. I was using the word tribe. And a person stepped forward and took a mic and said, “I take issue with your use of the word tribe. I’m indigenous. And you are appropriating the word tribe.” The room tenses up. I tense up. But I’m very practiced at this. I breathe. I put my feet on the ground. Again, I’m the facilitator. I have authority. I’m holding a mic. I’m in a position of privilege. I look at her, and I say, “Thank you. I will consider it. And I may not change how I’m speaking. Tribe is a sociological word. It’s a word that exists in many cultures. It’s a word that has existed in many contexts for thousands of years.” And then I looked, and everyone’s holding their breath. And I said, “Don’t let the room be defined by the most offended voice.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I was brought in to help them expand their geography. Years later, some of the members from that moment still bring it up. One of them said to me, “You helped us get unstuck so that we could have wider conversations and not stop if someone is offended.” And let me be clear, I didn’t think the woman shouldn’t have said what she said. I think she should say it. It’s really important. It’s a very good point. I want it on the table. We are a worse group if it’s not on the table. These are core fights. And so I tried to make her feel felt. I gave air to her offense, and I didn’t let the room be defined by it. And we widened the scope of possible conversation that day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>If we do this, if we can learn how to do this [fighting] better, do you have a bigger goal? Do you think we can get through this divisiveness in our country?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>Most people I know are in pain. Most people are lonely, even within their intimate partners. Every group fights. Every group I know, friend group, family group, has some mess inside. Part of the invitation is to first say this is a mess and learn to grow the relational longing to be in a mess with you, to grow our capacity for each other, to grow tolerance for each other, to grow joy with each other because the only way out is actually with one another. It is beautiful on the other side. Friends who fight and come through it are actually closer. It’s actually quite intimate to admit hurt. It’s quite intimate to call someone out with care and, in a way, to protect the group and figure out who we are and what we want to do around here. Once you get through it, you’re much more sturdy. You’re much more resilient. This isn’t a moment to keep walking away from each other. We’re going to be incredibly lonely and incredibly bored. It’s so beautiful to be with each other, but part of the art of fighting is to bring in warmth and humor and joy and not just have this serious, angry side over here and this fun, playful side over there. It’s actually all together. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of my favorite examples in the book is a church. A woman called me up saying her church is going through a reckoning like so many churches during the summer of 2020, in part because they hadn’t worshiped together. Their core function to come together every Sunday, to be together in communion was now on a live stream. She said, “We’ve been missing each other, both literally, but also liturgically.” They were tearing each other up about all sorts of stuff like Christianity and Black Lives Matter. And this was a majority white church. She said, “It feels exhausting trying to bring people together, to have these really hard conversations. Everyone’s exhausted.” And someone said, “What if instead we threw a parking lot party? We threw a party outside of the church. Dunk the deacon?” And someone else quickly Googled: how much does it cost to rent a dunk tank? And they were like, “It’s 250 bucks, should we do it?” As they were planning this kind of ridiculous party, they started feeling relaxed. They hosted this parking lot party, and they had the church band play cover songs, they had a dunk tank, they had cotton candy, and they basically just practiced being together again, which after the pandemic was a big deal. One of the women wrote to me later, and she said, “It was so beautiful.” And as people left that day, I kept hearing the phrase, “I didn’t realize how much we needed this.” What they did that day was they didn’t go for the wound. They didn’t go for the jugular. They watered the garden.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>May we all water more gardens and really get to the other side of this moment and beyond. Inside our friendships, obviously, but beyond for our country. Thank you so much, Priya. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Priya Parker: \u003c/strong>Thank you so much for having me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg: \u003c/strong>Priya Parker is a facilitator, as you heard, and strategic adviser. Her new book is “The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict.” Inside Love is a new production of KQED, and we’d love to hear your thoughts. Our email is InsideLove@KQED.org. Our engineer is Brendan Willard. Our producers are Susie Britton and Emiko Oda. I’m Lesley McClurg. Thank you so much for listening.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript was lightly edited for clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Santa Clara, California’s Capital of Data Centers, Weighs More Regulations",
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"headTitle": "Santa Clara, California’s Capital of Data Centers, Weighs More Regulations | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>As controversy over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099195/full-on-backlash-against-data-centers-occurring-as-san-jose-courts-them\">data centers\u003c/a> swells in communities around the Bay Area and the nation, Santa Clara leaders are pushing to beef up the city’s regulations and standards for future data center development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an hourslong and at times tense discussion that began Tuesday night and stretched to nearly 1 a.m. Wednesday, the Santa Clara City Council directed city staff to prioritize tightening air pollution and water use regulations for new data centers in the city as they take a more comprehensive look at all city policies related to data centers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The midsize Silicon Valley city of 130,000 people has quietly become the data center capital of California, in large part thanks to its own electric utility, Silicon Valley Power, which sells watts at much lower prices than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Blue trucks with 'pg and e' logo on them sit parked in a lot with the white and black blurry pattern of a fence in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-11943199\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E trucks sit inside a Mission District facility owned by the utility. (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Santa Clara has nearly 60 data centers currently, generating about $35 million in revenue for the city last year. The money, which comes from electricity payments and property and sales taxes, accounts for almost 10% of the city’s general fund, or nearly enough to cover the entire annual budget for its Parks & Recreation and Library departments combined, according to city staff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city already requires data centers built after December 2022 to use the equivalent of carbon-neutral power, through purchasing offsets, encourages the use of recycled water and asks developers to expand recycled water infrastructure during buildouts, city staff said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But some council members aren’t sure the city should continue permitting the structures, as they weighed out financial benefits against concerns over pollution from generators, water use, artificial intelligence and the need to expand the city’s maxed-out grid. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Karen Hardy, who is running for mayor, said after reading a staff report about the city’s current data center regulations, she feels the city has taken a “loosey-goosey” approach to handling development of the hulking facilities, and is proposing a temporary moratorium. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve been happy about data centers in the past, but now I am uncomfortable with some of the realities that we’ve looked at and some of realities we have uncovered by the questions we have asked,” Hardy said at the meeting. “We need to put the brakes on all of this until we have done the work and have something that we can present to our residents to make certain they understand that we are protecting their water and their air quality.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council’s discussion took place on the same night leaders of San Francisco and Oakland each approved temporary moratoriums against data centers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Suds Jain, citing a previously approved application for a data center in the city that would use only about two homes’ worth of water a year for backup cooling, said the city should set much more stringent water use requirements and put similar limits on the books fast, even if it means adopting them one at a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need to have these guardrails in place to protect our residents,” he said. “Why are we waiting so long?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City staff suggested the targets touted in that project’s environmental impact documents may not actually be achievable in the field, or by other data centers, which frustrated Jain. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But that’s their [Environmental Impact Report]. So if they violate the EIR, what do we do?” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Santa Clara is already in a holding pattern of sorts for data centers, as the city stopped accepting power hookup applications from data center developers in 2023 because Silicon Valley Power could not provide any more electricity to large users. The utility is in the midst of a $450 million power infrastructure upgrade, including receiving station changes and battery storage projects, which isn’t expected to be fully complete until 2030. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, the pause on powering up new data centers is not the same as a complete moratorium, city staff said. While the city’s power company will not accept new applications for data centers, a developer could still apply for and seek land use entitlements from the city to prepare for a future data center, staff told the council. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102826\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of CoreSite’s data centers in Santa Clara is seen on Stender Way Oct. 2, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are two previously approved data centers under construction currently, and eight more in the pipeline that were approved for power hookups before the 2023 cutoff, which are awaiting electricity from the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ratepayers have seen several increases in power rates, and Councilmember Kevin Park, also running for mayor, estimated costs have ballooned nearly 60% over the past several years, though City Manager Jōvan Grogan said the city still charges 58% less than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 54% of Santa Clara’s power is used by data centers, and about 95% of the power in the city is consumed by commercial and industrial customers overall, according to the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s be honest, the residents aren’t the reason why we need to build the new infrastructure,” Park said. “I don’t think the residents should be on the hook for any of that cost. If we’re going to put in requirements, the requirements should be data center developers; they pay their way,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Park broadly questioned the benefit of having more data centers in the city, and called the estimated $4 million in affordable housing funds the city has received from data center developers since 2019 “rookie numbers” that were the equivalent of “throwing bricks into the Grand Canyon.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said the question of whether the city should continue to pursue more data center development should be put to a vote of residents, and also backed the idea of a moratorium until more regulation is in place around generative AI.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s give the people a voice in this matter. Do we want more data centers?” he said. “We’re doing this for AI … We’re doing it for a technology that has no guardrails.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City staff is planning to bring back a wholesale look at data center regulations by summer or fall of next year, but the council asked that proposals for water and air regulations come back sooner.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an hourslong and at times tense discussion that began Tuesday night and stretched to nearly 1 a.m. Wednesday, the Santa Clara City Council directed city staff to prioritize tightening air pollution and water use regulations for new data centers in the city as they take a more comprehensive look at all city policies related to data centers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In an hourslong and at times tense discussion that began Tuesday night and stretched to nearly 1 a.m. Wednesday, the Santa Clara City Council directed city staff to prioritize tightening air pollution and water use regulations for new data centers in the city as they take a more comprehensive look at all city policies related to data centers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The midsize Silicon Valley city of 130,000 people has quietly become the data center capital of California, in large part thanks to its own electric utility, Silicon Valley Power, which sells watts at much lower prices than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The midsize Silicon Valley city of 130,000 people has quietly become the data center capital of California, in large part thanks to its own electric utility, Silicon Valley Power, which sells watts at much lower prices than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Blue trucks with 'pg and e' logo on them sit parked in a lot with the white and black blurry pattern of a fence in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-11943199\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E trucks sit inside a Mission District facility owned by the utility.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Santa Clara has nearly 60 data centers currently, generating about $35 million in revenue for the city last year. The money, which comes from electricity payments and property and sales taxes, accounts for almost 10% of the city’s general fund, or nearly enough to cover the entire annual budget for its Parks & Recreation and Library departments combined, according to city staff. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Santa Clara has nearly 60 data centers currently, generating about $35 million in revenue for the city last year. The money, which comes from electricity payments and property and sales taxes, accounts for almost 10% of the city’s general fund, or nearly enough to cover the entire annual budget for its Parks & Recreation and Library departments combined, according to city staff. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city already requires data centers built after December 2022 to use the equivalent of carbon-neutral power, through purchasing offsets, encourages the use of recycled water and asks developers to expand recycled water infrastructure during buildouts, city staff said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city already requires data centers built after December 2022 to use the equivalent of carbon-neutral power, through purchasing offsets, encourages the use of recycled water and asks developers to expand recycled water infrastructure during buildouts, city staff said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But some council members aren’t sure the city should continue permitting the structures, as they weighed out financial benefits against concerns over pollution from generators, water use, artificial intelligence and the need to expand the city’s maxed-out grid. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But some council members aren’t sure the city should continue permitting the structures, as they weighed out financial benefits against concerns over pollution from generators, water use, artificial intelligence and the need to expand the city’s maxed-out grid. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Councilmember Karen Hardy, who is running for mayor, said after reading a staff report about the city’s current data center regulations, she feels the city has taken a “loosey-goosey” approach to handling development of the hulking facilities, and is proposing a temporary moratorium. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Councilmember Karen Hardy, who is running for mayor, said after reading a staff report about the city’s current data center regulations, she feels the city has taken a “loosey-goosey” approach to handling development of the hulking facilities, and is proposing a temporary moratorium. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve been happy about data centers in the past, but now I am uncomfortable with some of the realities that we’ve looked at and some of realities we have uncovered by the questions we have asked,” Hardy said at the meeting. “We need to put the brakes on all of this until we have done the work and have something that we can present to our residents to make certain they understand that we are protecting their water and their air quality.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The council’s discussion took place on the same night leaders of San Francisco and Oakland each approved temporary moratoriums against data centers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Councilmember Suds Jain, citing a previously approved application for a data center in the city that would use only about two homes’ worth of water a year for backup cooling, said the city should set much more stringent water use requirements and put similar limits on the books fast, even if it means adopting them one at a time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Councilmember Suds Jain, citing a previously approved application for a data center in the city that would use only about two homes’ worth of water a year for backup cooling, said the city should set much more stringent water use requirements and put similar limits on the books fast, even if it means adopting them one at a time. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We need to have these guardrails in place to protect our residents,” he said. “Why are we waiting so long?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>City staff suggested the targets touted in that project’s environmental impact documents may not actually be achievable in the field, or by other data centers, which frustrated Jain. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>City staff suggested the targets touted in that project’s environmental impact documents may not actually be achievable in the field, or by other data centers, which frustrated Jain. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“But that’s their [Environmental Impact Report]. So if they violate the EIR, what do we do?” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“But that’s their [Environmental Impact Report]. So if they violate the EIR, what do we do?” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Santa Clara is already in a holding pattern of sorts for data centers, as the city stopped accepting power hookup applications from data center developers in 2023 because Silicon Valley Power could not provide any more electricity to large users. The utility is in the midst of a $450 million power infrastructure upgrade, including receiving station changes and battery storage projects, which isn’t expected to be fully complete until 2030. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Santa Clara is already in a holding pattern of sorts for data centers, as the city stopped accepting power hookup applications from data center developers in 2023 because Silicon Valley Power could not provide any more electricity to large users. The utility is in the midst of a $450 million power infrastructure upgrade, including receiving station changes and battery storage projects, which isn’t expected to be fully complete until 2030. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>However, the pause on powering up new data centers is not the same as a complete moratorium, city staff said. While the city’s power company will not accept new applications for data centers, a developer could still apply for and seek land use entitlements from the city to prepare for a future data center, staff told the council. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>However, the pause on powering up new data centers is not the same as a complete moratorium, city staff said. While the city’s power company will not accept new applications for data centers, a developer could still apply for and seek land use entitlements from the city to prepare for a future data center, staff told the council. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102826\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of CoreSite’s data centers in Santa Clara is seen on Stender Way Oct. 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102826\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of CoreSite’s data centers in Santa Clara is seen on Stender Way Oct. 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There are two previously approved data centers under construction currently, and eight more in the pipeline that were approved for power hookups before the 2023 cutoff, which are awaiting electricity from the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ratepayers have seen several increases in power rates, and Councilmember Kevin Park, also running for mayor, estimated costs have ballooned nearly 60% over the past several years, though City Manager Jōvan Grogan said the city still charges 58% less than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ratepayers have seen several increases in power rates, and Councilmember Kevin Park, also running for mayor, estimated costs have ballooned nearly 60% over the past several years, though City Manager Jōvan Grogan said the city still charges 58% less than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>About 54% of Santa Clara’s power is used by data centers, and about 95% of the power in the city is consumed by commercial and industrial customers overall, according to the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Let’s be honest, the residents aren’t the reason why we need to build the new infrastructure,” Park said. “I don’t think the residents should be on the hook for any of that cost. If we’re going to put in requirements, the requirements should be data center developers; they pay their way,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Let’s be honest, the residents aren’t the reason why we need to build the new infrastructure,” Park said. “I don’t think the residents should be on the hook for any of that cost. If we’re going to put in requirements, the requirements should be data center developers; they pay their way,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Park broadly questioned the benefit of having more data centers in the city, and called the estimated $4 million in affordable housing funds the city has received from data center developers since 2019 “rookie numbers” that were the equivalent of “throwing bricks into the Grand Canyon.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Park broadly questioned the benefit of having more data centers in the city, and called the estimated $4 million in affordable housing funds the city has received from data center developers since 2019 “rookie numbers” that were the equivalent of “throwing bricks into the Grand Canyon.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said the question of whether the city should continue to pursue more data center development should be put to a vote of residents, and also backed the idea of a moratorium until more regulation is in place around generative AI.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He said the question of whether the city should continue to pursue more data center development should be put to a vote of residents, and also backed the idea of a moratorium until more regulation is in place around generative AI.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Let’s give the people a voice in this matter. Do we want more data centers?” he said. “We’re doing this for AI … We’re doing it for a technology that has no guardrails.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Let’s give the people a voice in this matter. Do we want more data centers?” he said. “We’re doing this for AI … We’re doing it for a technology that has no guardrails.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>City staff is planning to bring back a wholesale look at data center regulations by summer or fall of next year, but the council asked that proposals for water and air regulations come back sooner.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Santa Clara’s City Council pushed for more stringent water and air pollution regulations for new data centers. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>As controversy over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099195/full-on-backlash-against-data-centers-occurring-as-san-jose-courts-them\">data centers\u003c/a> swells in communities around the Bay Area and the nation, Santa Clara leaders are pushing to beef up the city’s regulations and standards for future data center development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an hourslong and at times tense discussion that began Tuesday night and stretched to nearly 1 a.m. Wednesday, the Santa Clara City Council directed city staff to prioritize tightening air pollution and water use regulations for new data centers in the city as they take a more comprehensive look at all city policies related to data centers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The midsize Silicon Valley city of 130,000 people has quietly become the data center capital of California, in large part thanks to its own electric utility, Silicon Valley Power, which sells watts at much lower prices than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Blue trucks with 'pg and e' logo on them sit parked in a lot with the white and black blurry pattern of a fence in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-11943199\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E trucks sit inside a Mission District facility owned by the utility. (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Santa Clara has nearly 60 data centers currently, generating about $35 million in revenue for the city last year. The money, which comes from electricity payments and property and sales taxes, accounts for almost 10% of the city’s general fund, or nearly enough to cover the entire annual budget for its Parks & Recreation and Library departments combined, according to city staff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city already requires data centers built after December 2022 to use the equivalent of carbon-neutral power, through purchasing offsets, encourages the use of recycled water and asks developers to expand recycled water infrastructure during buildouts, city staff said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But some council members aren’t sure the city should continue permitting the structures, as they weighed out financial benefits against concerns over pollution from generators, water use, artificial intelligence and the need to expand the city’s maxed-out grid. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Karen Hardy, who is running for mayor, said after reading a staff report about the city’s current data center regulations, she feels the city has taken a “loosey-goosey” approach to handling development of the hulking facilities, and is proposing a temporary moratorium. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve been happy about data centers in the past, but now I am uncomfortable with some of the realities that we’ve looked at and some of realities we have uncovered by the questions we have asked,” Hardy said at the meeting. “We need to put the brakes on all of this until we have done the work and have something that we can present to our residents to make certain they understand that we are protecting their water and their air quality.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council’s discussion took place on the same night leaders of San Francisco and Oakland each approved temporary moratoriums against data centers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Suds Jain, citing a previously approved application for a data center in the city that would use only about two homes’ worth of water a year for backup cooling, said the city should set much more stringent water use requirements and put similar limits on the books fast, even if it means adopting them one at a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need to have these guardrails in place to protect our residents,” he said. “Why are we waiting so long?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City staff suggested the targets touted in that project’s environmental impact documents may not actually be achievable in the field, or by other data centers, which frustrated Jain. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But that’s their [Environmental Impact Report]. So if they violate the EIR, what do we do?” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Santa Clara is already in a holding pattern of sorts for data centers, as the city stopped accepting power hookup applications from data center developers in 2023 because Silicon Valley Power could not provide any more electricity to large users. The utility is in the midst of a $450 million power infrastructure upgrade, including receiving station changes and battery storage projects, which isn’t expected to be fully complete until 2030. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, the pause on powering up new data centers is not the same as a complete moratorium, city staff said. While the city’s power company will not accept new applications for data centers, a developer could still apply for and seek land use entitlements from the city to prepare for a future data center, staff told the council. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102826\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261002-DATACENTERFILE-JG-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of CoreSite’s data centers in Santa Clara is seen on Stender Way Oct. 2, 2026. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are two previously approved data centers under construction currently, and eight more in the pipeline that were approved for power hookups before the 2023 cutoff, which are awaiting electricity from the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ratepayers have seen several increases in power rates, and Councilmember Kevin Park, also running for mayor, estimated costs have ballooned nearly 60% over the past several years, though City Manager Jōvan Grogan said the city still charges 58% less than PG&E. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 54% of Santa Clara’s power is used by data centers, and about 95% of the power in the city is consumed by commercial and industrial customers overall, according to the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s be honest, the residents aren’t the reason why we need to build the new infrastructure,” Park said. “I don’t think the residents should be on the hook for any of that cost. If we’re going to put in requirements, the requirements should be data center developers; they pay their way,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Park broadly questioned the benefit of having more data centers in the city, and called the estimated $4 million in affordable housing funds the city has received from data center developers since 2019 “rookie numbers” that were the equivalent of “throwing bricks into the Grand Canyon.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said the question of whether the city should continue to pursue more data center development should be put to a vote of residents, and also backed the idea of a moratorium until more regulation is in place around generative AI.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s give the people a voice in this matter. Do we want more data centers?” he said. “We’re doing this for AI … We’re doing it for a technology that has no guardrails.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City staff is planning to bring back a wholesale look at data center regulations by summer or fall of next year, but the council asked that proposals for water and air regulations come back sooner.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "half-moon-bay-pumpkin-festival-traffic-tips-2026",
"title": "Everyone Wants to See the Half Moon Bay Pumpkins. Here’s How to Visit Without Getting Stuck in Traffic",
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"headTitle": "Everyone Wants to See the Half Moon Bay Pumpkins. Here’s How to Visit Without Getting Stuck in Traffic | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The annual Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival is legendary for its record-breaking giant pumpkins, coma-inducing fall treats … and its \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRX4PIvZJA/?hl=en\">infuriating traffic jams\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you’re one of those people who’ve vowed to never brave the festival again after spending hours in your car waiting to get over Highway 92 — or if you have yet to experience the event entirely out of \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1g3lece/half_moon_bay_pumpkin_festival_travel_tips/\">fear of that hourslong wait in traffic\u003c/a> — we’ve got you covered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">This year’s Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a> on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18 is bound to be a big one. Event spokesperson Ronan Fowler told KQED that this year’s growers are sure to give \u003ca href=\"https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/heaviest-pumpkin\">the world’s current record-holding pumpkin\u003c/a> a run for its money.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have been talking to some of the growers, and we know we have a very, very large pumpkin coming this year,” Fowler said. “We don’t know how big — and I think the grower doesn’t know how big it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But “if he gets really good weather from here on to the event, it potentially could break the world record,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Former San Francisco Giants star Sergio Romo will also be presiding over the Saturday festivities as the event’s Grand Marshal. So if all that — plus the seemingly never-ending booths of art to peruse on both days — is enough to entice you to make your way to the coast for the weekend, let us help you out with some top tips for avoiding traffic getting to the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, and for making the most of your fall celebration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#traffic\">How to (maybe) beat the Half Moon Bay traffic this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plan your trip around the events you care about\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fowler’s No. 1 piece of advice, especially for first-time festivalgoers, is to plan their Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival trip around the specific \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/schedule.html\">activities and events\u003c/a> they hope to attend — rather than showing up and hoping for the best. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s true: There is a huge range of options, from the Monday weigh-off to the Saturday parade and costume contest. Some of Fowler’s personal highlights include taking photos with the enormous award-winning pumpkins and participating in the costume contest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s also the Sunday half-marathon. “A great way to cap off a run is to head over to the festival and relax and have some pumpkin beer or a wine and just kind of hang out,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103389\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival. (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In particular, he said, don’t sleep on the music. All weekend long, local bands will take to the \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/music.html\">festival’s three stages\u003c/a>, in addition to street performances all throughout the area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fowler said organizers do try to spread out the events so not everyone comes at once — or have events, like the pie-eating contest, on multiple days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My recommendation is: get into the fun of it,” he said. “Dress up, take your time, and don’t feel like you need to rush or see everything. Try not to overthink things and just do a little bit of exploring.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"traffic\">Consider skipping the Saturday\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The good news, said Fowler: Traffic to and from the festival has been improving since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRX4PIvZJA/?hl=en\">chaotic 2024 festival.\u003c/a> And last year, “there was never a real big backup near the heart of downtown,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But if traffic remains your biggest concern, Fowler suggested visiting the festival on Sunday rather than Saturday, because there \u003cem>should \u003c/em>be fewer people — meaning traffic could be lighter. (That’s not 100% guaranteed, of course.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you’re kind of looking for more of a laid-back experience and just want to experience it without all the excitement on Saturday, Sunday is really the way to go,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Or, if the giant pumpkins are the main attraction for you, swing by what he called the “intimate and relaxed” \u003ca href=\"https://hmbweighoff.com/\">weigh-off \u003c/a>on Monday, Oct. 12, which should have far fewer crowds than the weekend celebrations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get there \u003cem>early \u003c/em>early … \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Regardless of which day you choose, consider arriving as early as you can manage to beat the worst of the traffic in, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yes, that could mean getting to Half Moon Bay as early as 6 a.m., but it also means you’re arriving in time for \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/food-drink/pancake-breakfast.html\">the pancake breakfast\u003c/a> at 7 a.m.. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And while the vendors technically aren’t scheduled to open until 9 a.m., Fowler said they often open early, so you can be among the first to browse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… and don’t leave at the same time as everyone else\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As for when to leave, Fowler strongly suggested sticking around the Coastside through dinner time — meaning, do not try to leave right around 5 p.m. like everyone else.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Just grabbing a meal at a local restaurant is kind of the hidden secret,” he said. Main Street favorites among locals include classic Italian spots Pasta Moon and It’s Italia, or there’s brewpub fare at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Take an unexpected route home for less traffic …\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This tip, Fowler said, he usually keeps as close to the vest as possible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you live in the South Bay — or even on much of the Peninsula — heading south instead of north on Highway 1 to leave the festival may actually save you time, or at least the headache of sitting in traffic over Highway 92.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1281\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103388\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-1536x984.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter Hazel’s giant mosaic pumpkin sculpture for the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, route toward Highway 84 and La Honda. You’ll not only be driving against traffic, but you’ll get to enjoy stunning ocean views and the beauty of the South Coast’s redwood forest. You can even stop in some of the picturesque towns along the way, like San Gregorio and Woodside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even if your navigation app said it will take longer, it may simply be more enjoyable, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can even make a road trip out of it and go all the way to Santa Cruz,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… or forego the car ride entirely\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you don’t want to bother with driving at all, the festival is transit-accessible \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/public-transit.html\">via SamTrans\u003c/a>. While the buses may get delayed (after all, they wait in the same traffic as the cars do), Fowler said they typically utilize different event routes to minimize the impact of the festival on their services.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another idea to avoid traffic entirely is to bike to the festival. Not only is there \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/bicycle-parking.html\">dedicated bike parking\u003c/a> at the festival, many of the local hotels also offer bikes to borrow or rent — which may be the most efficient option if you’re willing to stay overnight for the festival.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Staying in town really kind of makes things less stressful,” Fowler said. “You can have one or two beers and not have to worry about driving, and you can just take your time.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival: Know before you go\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Besides contending with the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival traffic, here are a few more tips from the organizers themselves:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A quiet area for diaper changing and nursing will be available at the Community United Methodist Church on Miramontes and Johnston streets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bring cash for parking (and potentially for vendors).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Try to snag the first spot you see, even if it means you’ll have to walk a ways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wear sunscreen and lots of layers — Half Moon Bay can get very foggy and cold.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pets are not allowed (service animals are OK).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Free water is available at the corner of Kelly Avenue and Purissima Street, so bring an empty bottle.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you’re one of those people who’ve vowed to never brave the festival again after spending hours in your car waiting to get over Highway 92 — or if you have yet to experience the event entirely out of \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1g3lece/half_moon_bay_pumpkin_festival_travel_tips/\">fear of that hourslong wait in traffic\u003c/a> — we’ve got you covered. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">This year’s Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a> on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18 is bound to be a big one. Event spokesperson Ronan Fowler told KQED that this year’s growers are sure to give \u003ca href=\"https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/heaviest-pumpkin\">the world’s current record-holding pumpkin\u003c/a> a run for its money.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">This year’s Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a> on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18 is bound to be a big one. Event spokesperson Ronan Fowler told KQED that this year’s growers are sure to give \u003ca href=\"https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/heaviest-pumpkin\">the world’s current record-holding pumpkin\u003c/a> a run for its money.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have been talking to some of the growers, and we know we have a very, very large pumpkin coming this year,” Fowler said. “We don’t know how big — and I think the grower doesn’t know how big it is.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We have been talking to some of the growers, and we know we have a very, very large pumpkin coming this year,” Fowler said. “We don’t know how big — and I think the grower doesn’t know how big it is.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But “if he gets really good weather from here on to the event, it potentially could break the world record,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Former San Francisco Giants star Sergio Romo will also be presiding over the Saturday festivities as the event’s Grand Marshal. So if all that — plus the seemingly never-ending booths of art to peruse on both days — is enough to entice you to make your way to the coast for the weekend, let us help you out with some top tips for avoiding traffic getting to the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, and for making the most of your fall celebration.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Former San Francisco Giants star Sergio Romo will also be presiding over the Saturday festivities as the event’s Grand Marshal. So if all that — plus the seemingly never-ending booths of art to peruse on both days — is enough to entice you to make your way to the coast for the weekend, let us help you out with some top tips for avoiding traffic getting to the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, and for making the most of your fall celebration.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#traffic\">How to (maybe) beat the Half Moon Bay traffic this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#traffic\">How to (maybe) beat the Half Moon Bay traffic this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fowler’s No. 1 piece of advice, especially for first-time festivalgoers, is to plan their Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival trip around the specific \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/schedule.html\">activities and events\u003c/a> they hope to attend — rather than showing up and hoping for the best. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fowler’s No. 1 piece of advice, especially for first-time festivalgoers, is to plan their Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival trip around the specific \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/schedule.html\">activities and events\u003c/a> they hope to attend — rather than showing up and hoping for the best. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s true: There is a huge range of options, from the Monday weigh-off to the Saturday parade and costume contest. Some of Fowler’s personal highlights include taking photos with the enormous award-winning pumpkins and participating in the costume contest.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s true: There is a huge range of options, from the Monday weigh-off to the Saturday parade and costume contest. Some of Fowler’s personal highlights include taking photos with the enormous award-winning pumpkins and participating in the costume contest.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s also the Sunday half-marathon. “A great way to cap off a run is to head over to the festival and relax and have some pumpkin beer or a wine and just kind of hang out,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There’s also the Sunday half-marathon. “A great way to cap off a run is to head over to the festival and relax and have some pumpkin beer or a wine and just kind of hang out,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103389\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In particular, he said, don’t sleep on the music. All weekend long, local bands will take to the \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/music.html\">festival’s three stages\u003c/a>, in addition to street performances all throughout the area.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In particular, he said, don’t sleep on the music. All weekend long, local bands will take to the \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/music.html\">festival’s three stages\u003c/a>, in addition to street performances all throughout the area.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fowler said organizers do try to spread out the events so not everyone comes at once — or have events, like the pie-eating contest, on multiple days.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My recommendation is: get into the fun of it,” he said. “Dress up, take your time, and don’t feel like you need to rush or see everything. Try not to overthink things and just do a little bit of exploring.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“My recommendation is: get into the fun of it,” he said. “Dress up, take your time, and don’t feel like you need to rush or see everything. Try not to overthink things and just do a little bit of exploring.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The good news, said Fowler: Traffic to and from the festival has been improving since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRX4PIvZJA/?hl=en\">chaotic 2024 festival.\u003c/a> And last year, “there was never a real big backup near the heart of downtown,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But if traffic remains your biggest concern, Fowler suggested visiting the festival on Sunday rather than Saturday, because there \u003cem>should \u003c/em>be fewer people — meaning traffic could be lighter. (That’s not 100% guaranteed, of course.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But if traffic remains your biggest concern, Fowler suggested visiting the festival on Sunday rather than Saturday, because there \u003cem>should \u003c/em>be fewer people — meaning traffic could be lighter. (That’s not 100% guaranteed, of course.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If you’re kind of looking for more of a laid-back experience and just want to experience it without all the excitement on Saturday, Sunday is really the way to go,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Or, if the giant pumpkins are the main attraction for you, swing by what he called the “intimate and relaxed” \u003ca href=\"https://hmbweighoff.com/\">weigh-off \u003c/a>on Monday, Oct. 12, which should have far fewer crowds than the weekend celebrations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Or, if the giant pumpkins are the main attraction for you, swing by what he called the “intimate and relaxed” \u003ca href=\"https://hmbweighoff.com/\">weigh-off \u003c/a>on Monday, Oct. 12, which should have far fewer crowds than the weekend celebrations.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Get there early early … ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get there \u003cem>early \u003c/em>early … \u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Regardless of which day you choose, consider arriving as early as you can manage to beat the worst of the traffic in, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Regardless of which day you choose, consider arriving as early as you can manage to beat the worst of the traffic in, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yes, that could mean getting to Half Moon Bay as early as 6 a.m., but it also means you’re arriving in time for \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/food-drink/pancake-breakfast.html\">the pancake breakfast\u003c/a> at 7 a.m.. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yes, that could mean getting to Half Moon Bay as early as 6 a.m., but it also means you’re arriving in time for \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/food-drink/pancake-breakfast.html\">the pancake breakfast\u003c/a> at 7 a.m.. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And while the vendors technically aren’t scheduled to open until 9 a.m., Fowler said they often open early, so you can be among the first to browse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And while the vendors technically aren’t scheduled to open until 9 a.m., Fowler said they often open early, so you can be among the first to browse.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "… and don’t leave at the same time as everyone else",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… and don’t leave at the same time as everyone else\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… and don’t leave at the same time as everyone else\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As for when to leave, Fowler strongly suggested sticking around the Coastside through dinner time — meaning, do not try to leave right around 5 p.m. like everyone else.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As for when to leave, Fowler strongly suggested sticking around the Coastside through dinner time — meaning, do not try to leave right around 5 p.m. like everyone else.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Just grabbing a meal at a local restaurant is kind of the hidden secret,” he said. Main Street favorites among locals include classic Italian spots Pasta Moon and It’s Italia, or there’s brewpub fare at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Just grabbing a meal at a local restaurant is kind of the hidden secret,” he said. Main Street favorites among locals include classic Italian spots Pasta Moon and It’s Italia, or there’s brewpub fare at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Take an unexpected route home for less traffic …",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This tip, Fowler said, he usually keeps as close to the vest as possible.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you live in the South Bay — or even on much of the Peninsula — heading south instead of north on Highway 1 to leave the festival may actually save you time, or at least the headache of sitting in traffic over Highway 92.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you live in the South Bay — or even on much of the Peninsula — heading south instead of north on Highway 1 to leave the festival may actually save you time, or at least the headache of sitting in traffic over Highway 92.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103388\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-1536x984.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter Hazel’s giant mosaic pumpkin sculpture for the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.\u003cbr>\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103388\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter Hazel’s giant mosaic pumpkin sculpture for the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.\u003cbr>\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, route toward Highway 84 and La Honda. You’ll not only be driving against traffic, but you’ll get to enjoy stunning ocean views and the beauty of the South Coast’s redwood forest. You can even stop in some of the picturesque towns along the way, like San Gregorio and Woodside. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Instead, route toward Highway 84 and La Honda. You’ll not only be driving against traffic, but you’ll get to enjoy stunning ocean views and the beauty of the South Coast’s redwood forest. You can even stop in some of the picturesque towns along the way, like San Gregorio and Woodside. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even if your navigation app said it will take longer, it may simply be more enjoyable, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You can even make a road trip out of it and go all the way to Santa Cruz,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… or forego the car ride entirely\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you don’t want to bother with driving at all, the festival is transit-accessible \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/public-transit.html\">via SamTrans\u003c/a>. While the buses may get delayed (after all, they wait in the same traffic as the cars do), Fowler said they typically utilize different event routes to minimize the impact of the festival on their services.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you don’t want to bother with driving at all, the festival is transit-accessible \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/public-transit.html\">via SamTrans\u003c/a>. While the buses may get delayed (after all, they wait in the same traffic as the cars do), Fowler said they typically utilize different event routes to minimize the impact of the festival on their services.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another idea to avoid traffic entirely is to bike to the festival. Not only is there \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/bicycle-parking.html\">dedicated bike parking\u003c/a> at the festival, many of the local hotels also offer bikes to borrow or rent — which may be the most efficient option if you’re willing to stay overnight for the festival.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Another idea to avoid traffic entirely is to bike to the festival. Not only is there \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/bicycle-parking.html\">dedicated bike parking\u003c/a> at the festival, many of the local hotels also offer bikes to borrow or rent — which may be the most efficient option if you’re willing to stay overnight for the festival.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Staying in town really kind of makes things less stressful,” Fowler said. “You can have one or two beers and not have to worry about driving, and you can just take your time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival is incredibly popular every year — but we have insider tips on how to beat the traffic and crowds this October. ",
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"title": "Everyone Wants to See the Half Moon Bay Pumpkins. Here’s How to Visit Without Getting Stuck in Traffic | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The annual Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival is legendary for its record-breaking giant pumpkins, coma-inducing fall treats … and its \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRX4PIvZJA/?hl=en\">infuriating traffic jams\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you’re one of those people who’ve vowed to never brave the festival again after spending hours in your car waiting to get over Highway 92 — or if you have yet to experience the event entirely out of \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1g3lece/half_moon_bay_pumpkin_festival_travel_tips/\">fear of that hourslong wait in traffic\u003c/a> — we’ve got you covered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">This year’s Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a> on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18 is bound to be a big one. Event spokesperson Ronan Fowler told KQED that this year’s growers are sure to give \u003ca href=\"https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/heaviest-pumpkin\">the world’s current record-holding pumpkin\u003c/a> a run for its money.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have been talking to some of the growers, and we know we have a very, very large pumpkin coming this year,” Fowler said. “We don’t know how big — and I think the grower doesn’t know how big it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But “if he gets really good weather from here on to the event, it potentially could break the world record,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Former San Francisco Giants star Sergio Romo will also be presiding over the Saturday festivities as the event’s Grand Marshal. So if all that — plus the seemingly never-ending booths of art to peruse on both days — is enough to entice you to make your way to the coast for the weekend, let us help you out with some top tips for avoiding traffic getting to the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, and for making the most of your fall celebration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#traffic\">How to (maybe) beat the Half Moon Bay traffic this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plan your trip around the events you care about\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fowler’s No. 1 piece of advice, especially for first-time festivalgoers, is to plan their Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival trip around the specific \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/schedule.html\">activities and events\u003c/a> they hope to attend — rather than showing up and hoping for the best. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s true: There is a huge range of options, from the Monday weigh-off to the Saturday parade and costume contest. Some of Fowler’s personal highlights include taking photos with the enormous award-winning pumpkins and participating in the costume contest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s also the Sunday half-marathon. “A great way to cap off a run is to head over to the festival and relax and have some pumpkin beer or a wine and just kind of hang out,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103389\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival. (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In particular, he said, don’t sleep on the music. All weekend long, local bands will take to the \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/music.html\">festival’s three stages\u003c/a>, in addition to street performances all throughout the area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fowler said organizers do try to spread out the events so not everyone comes at once — or have events, like the pie-eating contest, on multiple days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My recommendation is: get into the fun of it,” he said. “Dress up, take your time, and don’t feel like you need to rush or see everything. Try not to overthink things and just do a little bit of exploring.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"traffic\">Consider skipping the Saturday\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The good news, said Fowler: Traffic to and from the festival has been improving since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRX4PIvZJA/?hl=en\">chaotic 2024 festival.\u003c/a> And last year, “there was never a real big backup near the heart of downtown,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But if traffic remains your biggest concern, Fowler suggested visiting the festival on Sunday rather than Saturday, because there \u003cem>should \u003c/em>be fewer people — meaning traffic could be lighter. (That’s not 100% guaranteed, of course.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you’re kind of looking for more of a laid-back experience and just want to experience it without all the excitement on Saturday, Sunday is really the way to go,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Or, if the giant pumpkins are the main attraction for you, swing by what he called the “intimate and relaxed” \u003ca href=\"https://hmbweighoff.com/\">weigh-off \u003c/a>on Monday, Oct. 12, which should have far fewer crowds than the weekend celebrations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get there \u003cem>early \u003c/em>early … \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Regardless of which day you choose, consider arriving as early as you can manage to beat the worst of the traffic in, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yes, that could mean getting to Half Moon Bay as early as 6 a.m., but it also means you’re arriving in time for \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/food-drink/pancake-breakfast.html\">the pancake breakfast\u003c/a> at 7 a.m.. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And while the vendors technically aren’t scheduled to open until 9 a.m., Fowler said they often open early, so you can be among the first to browse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… and don’t leave at the same time as everyone else\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As for when to leave, Fowler strongly suggested sticking around the Coastside through dinner time — meaning, do not try to leave right around 5 p.m. like everyone else.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Just grabbing a meal at a local restaurant is kind of the hidden secret,” he said. Main Street favorites among locals include classic Italian spots Pasta Moon and It’s Italia, or there’s brewpub fare at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Take an unexpected route home for less traffic …\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This tip, Fowler said, he usually keeps as close to the vest as possible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you live in the South Bay — or even on much of the Peninsula — heading south instead of north on Highway 1 to leave the festival may actually save you time, or at least the headache of sitting in traffic over Highway 92.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1281\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103388\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-1536x984.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter Hazel’s giant mosaic pumpkin sculpture for the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, route toward Highway 84 and La Honda. You’ll not only be driving against traffic, but you’ll get to enjoy stunning ocean views and the beauty of the South Coast’s redwood forest. You can even stop in some of the picturesque towns along the way, like San Gregorio and Woodside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even if your navigation app said it will take longer, it may simply be more enjoyable, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can even make a road trip out of it and go all the way to Santa Cruz,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… or forego the car ride entirely\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you don’t want to bother with driving at all, the festival is transit-accessible \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/public-transit.html\">via SamTrans\u003c/a>. While the buses may get delayed (after all, they wait in the same traffic as the cars do), Fowler said they typically utilize different event routes to minimize the impact of the festival on their services.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another idea to avoid traffic entirely is to bike to the festival. Not only is there \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/bicycle-parking.html\">dedicated bike parking\u003c/a> at the festival, many of the local hotels also offer bikes to borrow or rent — which may be the most efficient option if you’re willing to stay overnight for the festival.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Staying in town really kind of makes things less stressful,” Fowler said. “You can have one or two beers and not have to worry about driving, and you can just take your time.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival: Know before you go\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Besides contending with the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival traffic, here are a few more tips from the organizers themselves:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A quiet area for diaper changing and nursing will be available at the Community United Methodist Church on Miramontes and Johnston streets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bring cash for parking (and potentially for vendors).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Try to snag the first spot you see, even if it means you’ll have to walk a ways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wear sunscreen and lots of layers — Half Moon Bay can get very foggy and cold.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pets are not allowed (service animals are OK).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Free water is available at the corner of Kelly Avenue and Purissima Street, so bring an empty bottle.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "all-aboard-the-valkyries-bandwagon",
"title": "All aboard the Valkyries bandwagon",
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"headTitle": "All aboard the Valkyries bandwagon | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>This piece was featured first on Oct 8 for One Good Thing, a weekly newsletter brought to you by Alexis Madrigal about his take on Bay Area art, culture & nature. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/onegoodthing\">Subscribe today\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Valkyries had been up the whole game, every minute. But after building two large leads, the Las Vegas Aces had come all the way back. With less than two minutes left in the game, they took the lead. For a few seconds, the crowd was quiet. Up on the Jumbotron, worried fans could hardly dance. Everyone in Ballhalla, the not-joking nickname for the Valkyries’ home floor, could feel the win slipping away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, our first hero appeared: she held a sign that read, “Ballhalla believes!” And as she pointed at the words, exhorting us all, the Chase Center jolted back awake. You know what? We \u003cem>did\u003c/em> believe. The crowd built back to a roar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the ensuing possession, the ball found our star, Gabby Williams, and she hit from midrange to tie it up. The Valkyries got a quick defensive stop and point guard Veronica Burton dribbled at the top of arc as the Valkyries settled into their offense. \u003cem>This\u003c/em> was it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton beat her defender, jittered into the paint and… headed right back out. She looked spooked, and maybe for good reason; she’d hadn’t hit a shot all night. She passed the ball to Williams and set up high above the three-point line.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the shot clock winding down, Williams generated a little space with a couple dribbles and sent a pass back to Burton, who was just beyond the reach of Aces star A’Ja Wilson. This time, there was no hesitation. She shot from 28 feet out, the ball arcing up into the air, a slow-motion moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here we all were—me, my daughter who hadn’t cared about basketball until this Valkyries team caught her imagination, and thousands of other fans. We were all dressed in violet and taking part in the most beautiful fan culture I’ve ever seen. It’s every good thing about sports minus the drunk guys who add a seam of possible violence to too many sporting events.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there’s an added element of meaning, too: all these fans, across the gender spectrum, are rooting for these women, our team. My daughter will never know a world where whole stadiums full of people don’t cheer on women for their skill and toughness. She will always know that women can be the main characters not just for other women, but for everyone. She has seen it with her own eyes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That ball, though. It was still floating up there, closer to the rim now, but if Burton missed, the odds would turn in the Aces favor. You don’t always get to be the hero who made the shot. Sometimes you miss.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then: SPLASH. It! Went! In! It would take a while to sort out the free throws, but we all knew Burton won the game. We were hugging and jumping. That shot!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My daughter’s face was flushed. She could not help but cry out, “My heart is beating so fast!” Then, she took my hand and pressed it to her, so I could feel that little heart thumping, pushing blood to her whole self.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier, at a fan tailgate over on Mississippi run by the Valkyries Votaries fan group, she had dutifully tended a circle of candles featuring our players (and Coach Nakase!). If the wind blew one out, she relit it as lavender-clad fans came by to eat hot dogs and purple rice crispy treats (“Moms gonna mom,” one of the organizers told me, laughing). They’d laid down a strip of glittering purple carpet as a sidewalk catwalk. It was all so happy and fun. We ran into friends. We talked excitedly about going to the finals maybe. But seriously, it was the candle ritual that clinched the game for us. You do believe this, too, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My dad and I went to hundreds of sporting events while I was growing up. So much of last night was familiar. The agony, the ecstasy, the long walk back to the car, the whoops and mutual recognitions. We called my parents on the ride home and sent them our celebratory video. They had watched the game, too, knowing we were there, and they’ve clearly caught the bug. Valkyries love spreads easily and the bandwagon has infinite seats. (Tho the Chase Center doesn’t, so if you get a line on tickets for the next game, hit me up!)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got home late and the poor kid still had homework. For a minute in the car ride home, wrung out by all the emotions, tears squirted from her eyes just thinking about adjectives and her project on Honduras. How was she gonna get everything done and get enough sleep? But we calmly drew up a plan of everything that needed doing, and when we walked in the door, she executed flawlessly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second the light went off in her room, she was asleep, and I just knew the realm of her dreams had expanded.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 130px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/alexis-madrigal-signature.png\" alt=\"Alexis Madrigal signature\" width=\"170\" height=\"94\" />\u003cbr />\nAlexis Madrigal, Co-Host, \u003cem>Forum\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/one-good-thing-divider-tipline.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"241\" />\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Valkyries Starter Pack\u003c/h2>\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://wnbaroughnotes.substack.com/\">Maya Goldberg-Safir’s newsletter\u003c/a> is what you need to catch up on the WNBA and women’s basketball history\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>You might want \u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.kalw.org/bounce-The-Rise-of-Women's-Professional-Sports\">KALW’s podcast \u003cem>Bounce\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, too\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Link up with the \u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/valkyriesvotaries/\">Valkyries Votaries\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Find \u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thepeopleswatchparty/\">the People’s Watch Party\u003c/a> for the next game\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>And you do need one event link, so here it is: \u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://luma.com/x395v82q\">Motherhood and interspecies solidarity\u003c/a>!\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/one-good-thing-divider-picks.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"315\" />\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: center;\">My Picks\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ogt-2026-10-08-valksfandom-5a647f74.jpg\" alt=\"Golden State Valkyries Push into the Playoffs, Ready to ‘Put Their V’s Up’\" width=\"255\" />\u003cstrong>VALKYRIES\u003c/strong>\u003cbr />\n\u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915496/golden-state-valkyries-push-into-the-playoffs-ready-to-put-their-vs-up\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Golden State Valkyries Push into the Playoffs, Ready to ‘Put Their V’s Up’\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\nOur Forum playoff preview of the team!\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv style=\"clear: both;\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ogt-2026-10-08-dagger-f29581cd.jpg\" alt=\"The Valkyries Make It Easy to Be a Women’s Sports Fan\" width=\"255\" />\u003cstrong>VALKYRIES\u003c/strong>\u003cbr />\n\u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13993412/valkyries-fandom-womens-sports-wnba-playoffs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Valkyries Make It Easy to Be a Women’s Sports Fan\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\nIt’s true!\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv style=\"clear: both;\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ogt-2026-10-08-monarchs-238369c9.jpg\" alt=\"‘Long Live the Monarchs’: Giving Sacramento’s WNBA Team Their Due\" width=\"255\" />\u003cstrong>VALKYRIES\u003c/strong>\u003cbr />\n\u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989177/monarchs-sacramento-wnba-team-history\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">‘Long Live the Monarchs’: Giving Sacramento’s WNBA Team Their Due\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\nTime to start learning the local lore!\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv style=\"clear: both;\">\u003c/div>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>This piece was featured first on Oct 8 for One Good Thing, a weekly newsletter brought to you by Alexis Madrigal about his take on Bay Area art, culture & nature. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/onegoodthing\">Subscribe today\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Valkyries had been up the whole game, every minute. But after building two large leads, the Las Vegas Aces had come all the way back. With less than two minutes left in the game, they took the lead. For a few seconds, the crowd was quiet. Up on the Jumbotron, worried fans could hardly dance. Everyone in Ballhalla, the not-joking nickname for the Valkyries’ home floor, could feel the win slipping away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, our first hero appeared: she held a sign that read, “Ballhalla believes!” And as she pointed at the words, exhorting us all, the Chase Center jolted back awake. You know what? We \u003cem>did\u003c/em> believe. The crowd built back to a roar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the ensuing possession, the ball found our star, Gabby Williams, and she hit from midrange to tie it up. The Valkyries got a quick defensive stop and point guard Veronica Burton dribbled at the top of arc as the Valkyries settled into their offense. \u003cem>This\u003c/em> was it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton beat her defender, jittered into the paint and… headed right back out. She looked spooked, and maybe for good reason; she’d hadn’t hit a shot all night. She passed the ball to Williams and set up high above the three-point line.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the shot clock winding down, Williams generated a little space with a couple dribbles and sent a pass back to Burton, who was just beyond the reach of Aces star A’Ja Wilson. This time, there was no hesitation. She shot from 28 feet out, the ball arcing up into the air, a slow-motion moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here we all were—me, my daughter who hadn’t cared about basketball until this Valkyries team caught her imagination, and thousands of other fans. We were all dressed in violet and taking part in the most beautiful fan culture I’ve ever seen. It’s every good thing about sports minus the drunk guys who add a seam of possible violence to too many sporting events.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there’s an added element of meaning, too: all these fans, across the gender spectrum, are rooting for these women, our team. My daughter will never know a world where whole stadiums full of people don’t cheer on women for their skill and toughness. She will always know that women can be the main characters not just for other women, but for everyone. She has seen it with her own eyes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That ball, though. It was still floating up there, closer to the rim now, but if Burton missed, the odds would turn in the Aces favor. You don’t always get to be the hero who made the shot. Sometimes you miss.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then: SPLASH. It! Went! In! It would take a while to sort out the free throws, but we all knew Burton won the game. We were hugging and jumping. That shot!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My daughter’s face was flushed. She could not help but cry out, “My heart is beating so fast!” Then, she took my hand and pressed it to her, so I could feel that little heart thumping, pushing blood to her whole self.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier, at a fan tailgate over on Mississippi run by the Valkyries Votaries fan group, she had dutifully tended a circle of candles featuring our players (and Coach Nakase!). If the wind blew one out, she relit it as lavender-clad fans came by to eat hot dogs and purple rice crispy treats (“Moms gonna mom,” one of the organizers told me, laughing). They’d laid down a strip of glittering purple carpet as a sidewalk catwalk. It was all so happy and fun. We ran into friends. We talked excitedly about going to the finals maybe. But seriously, it was the candle ritual that clinched the game for us. You do believe this, too, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My dad and I went to hundreds of sporting events while I was growing up. So much of last night was familiar. The agony, the ecstasy, the long walk back to the car, the whoops and mutual recognitions. We called my parents on the ride home and sent them our celebratory video. They had watched the game, too, knowing we were there, and they’ve clearly caught the bug. Valkyries love spreads easily and the bandwagon has infinite seats. (Tho the Chase Center doesn’t, so if you get a line on tickets for the next game, hit me up!)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got home late and the poor kid still had homework. For a minute in the car ride home, wrung out by all the emotions, tears squirted from her eyes just thinking about adjectives and her project on Honduras. How was she gonna get everything done and get enough sleep? But we calmly drew up a plan of everything that needed doing, and when we walked in the door, she executed flawlessly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second the light went off in her room, she was asleep, and I just knew the realm of her dreams had expanded.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 130px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/alexis-madrigal-signature.png\" alt=\"Alexis Madrigal signature\" width=\"170\" height=\"94\" />\u003cbr />\nAlexis Madrigal, Co-Host, \u003cem>Forum\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/one-good-thing-divider-tipline.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"241\" />\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Valkyries Starter Pack\u003c/h2>\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://wnbaroughnotes.substack.com/\">Maya Goldberg-Safir’s newsletter\u003c/a> is what you need to catch up on the WNBA and women’s basketball history\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>You might want \u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.kalw.org/bounce-The-Rise-of-Women's-Professional-Sports\">KALW’s podcast \u003cem>Bounce\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, too\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Link up with the \u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/valkyriesvotaries/\">Valkyries Votaries\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Find \u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thepeopleswatchparty/\">the People’s Watch Party\u003c/a> for the next game\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>And you do need one event link, so here it is: \u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://luma.com/x395v82q\">Motherhood and interspecies solidarity\u003c/a>!\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/one-good-thing-divider-picks.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"315\" />\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"text-align: center;\">My Picks\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ogt-2026-10-08-valksfandom-5a647f74.jpg\" alt=\"Golden State Valkyries Push into the Playoffs, Ready to ‘Put Their V’s Up’\" width=\"255\" />\u003cstrong>VALKYRIES\u003c/strong>\u003cbr />\n\u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915496/golden-state-valkyries-push-into-the-playoffs-ready-to-put-their-vs-up\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Golden State Valkyries Push into the Playoffs, Ready to ‘Put Their V’s Up’\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\nOur Forum playoff preview of the team!\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv style=\"clear: both;\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ogt-2026-10-08-dagger-f29581cd.jpg\" alt=\"The Valkyries Make It Easy to Be a Women’s Sports Fan\" width=\"255\" />\u003cstrong>VALKYRIES\u003c/strong>\u003cbr />\n\u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13993412/valkyries-fandom-womens-sports-wnba-playoffs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Valkyries Make It Easy to Be a Women’s Sports Fan\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\nIt’s true!\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv style=\"clear: both;\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ogt-2026-10-08-monarchs-238369c9.jpg\" alt=\"‘Long Live the Monarchs’: Giving Sacramento’s WNBA Team Their Due\" width=\"255\" />\u003cstrong>VALKYRIES\u003c/strong>\u003cbr />\n\u003ca style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989177/monarchs-sacramento-wnba-team-history\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">‘Long Live the Monarchs’: Giving Sacramento’s WNBA Team Their Due\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\nTime to start learning the local lore!\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv style=\"clear: both;\">\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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},
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"id": "city-arts",
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"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
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"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
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"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
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}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
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"order": 1
},
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"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"order": 9
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
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"meta": {
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"source": "WNYC"
},
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
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},
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"id": "fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"hidden-brain": {
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
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"source": "NPR"
},
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"how-i-built-this": {
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"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
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"order": 15
},
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},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
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},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"meta": {
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
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"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
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"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
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"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
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