California Sun Podcast

Joe Mathews, a long-time California journalist, thinks that the state has a big problem, and the problem's name is Los Angeles. Mathews argues that Los Angeles County, home to 25% of the state's population, undermines the state and holds back its prosperity.

Matthew Shilvock, the general director of the San Francisco Opera, talks about the reemergence of the 1,000-person opera company and how its shutdown during the pandemic could be the catalyst for a younger, more digital, and more experimental future.

Molly Knight is a long-time sports writer and is a senior staff writer for The Athletic. Her beat covers Los Angeles sports and most notably, the L.A. Dodgers. The author of "The Best Team Money Can Buy", an inside-the-clubhouse look at two tumultuous years of the Dodgers, shares a bit of her life behind the scenes covering one of the premier franchises in sports.

Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, the new editor-in-chief of the San Francisco Chronicle, was the managing editor for digital at the Washington Post. He lays out his vision for bringing the Chronicle fully into the digital era and enhancing its local focus. He sees his job as taking on a fixer-upper with good bones and a great history, but one that needs a lot more than just a coat of paint.

Michael Tubbs was elected to the Stockton City Council at age 22, having just graduated from Stanford. He was elected as the city's first African American Mayor at 27. He sought to reshape the most diverse city in America, creating a pilot program for universal basic income. It was seen as a success, yet he lost his bid for reelection. Tubbs shared his personal and political story with the California Sun Podcast.

Tess Taylor, in her books of award-winning poetry, captures the fragility, fear, and fault lines of California, and examines Dorothea Lange’s enduring influence on our unsteady times.

Bradley Tusk, bicoastal venture capitalist and political strategist, talks about the political and economic reasons why companies are leaving California. While individuals may be leaving our cities for greener pastures or wide-open spaces, the companies have a very different agenda — one that sits at the nexus of politics, technology, and money.

Jill Tucker has been covering education in California and in San Francisco for the San Francisco Chronicle for 22 years. Not until lately however, has she seen school debates grow so intense and board meetings stretch so long. In this week's podcast, she talks about what's going on, why now, and who's responsible.

Shane Bauer is a Bay Area journalist and author. His recent reporting for The New Yorker examines the violent excesses of the Vallejo police department. What he found and shares with us is a cautionary tale for police departments everywhere.

Roman Mars, the Bay Area author of the book and podcast series 99% Invisible, is a unique guide to the hidden worlds of design and architecture around us. He sees beauty in the built world — things that we visually appreciate, but often neglect, even while they are right under our noses.

Upon the occasion of the publication of a new collection of works by Joan Didion, "Let me Tell You What I Mean," I share a conversation I had with her in 2016 about California, its history, and its many crises. Because of her deep and broad vision, it’s as relevant today as on the day we spoke.

Casey Newton, a long-time Bay Area-based tech journalist, and the author of the Platformer newsletter looks at our social media platforms and how they have become the foundation of political speech. He discusses the role they should play in our democracy and if they really have become too powerful.

Hank Sims, the editor of Lost Coast Outpost, extols the virtues of Humboldt County and explains how his online newspaper has defied the odds faced by most local and regional newspapers.

Kathryn Olmsted, a historian, author, and former chair of the history department at UC Davis talks about California's long history of farm labor union organizing and how that history affects the efforts at Google, Uber, and other Silicon Valley companies.

The San Franciso Chronicle columnist Heather Knight keeps her finger on the pulse of City Hall. Her twice-weekly stories have exposed issues around education, political corruption, homelessness, and public accountability, with attention to how they impact the lives of everyday people.

Tracy L Chandler is a photographic artist based in Los Angeles. She talks about her work, which explores fringe communities and addresses themes of seeing and being seen. She examines photography and images as a way to engage the world.

Daniel Lurie, the founder of Tipping Point Community, and Sam Cobbs, its CEO, discuss the grant-making organization's efforts to fight poverty in the Bay Area by putting private dollars to work for the public good.

What were you doing at 25? Assembly member-elect Alex Lee, a Democrat from San Jose, is thinking about what he’ll do on his first day in the Assembly. The youngest state legislature in nearly a century, he embraces a progressive agenda and thinks 16 might be reasonable voting age.

Gary Kamiya, a San Francisco columnist and bestselling author, and Paul Madonna, an award-winning artist, talk about their new illustrated book "Spirits of San Francisco: Voyages Through the Unknown City," a love letter to the hidden places that capture the soul and heart of the city.

Carolyn Said and Kathleen Pender, both San Francisco Chronicle journalists, look at the real world impacts of Proposition 22, which classifies app-based drivers as as independent contractors, and Proposition 19, which would alter property taxes.   Said noted the vast financial return that Uber and Lyft have already gained on their record campaign spending.   Pender called Proposition 19 the most complicated measure we’ve ever had to vote on.