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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/steve-hilton\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a>, California’s Republican candidate for governor, put daylight between himself and President Donald Trump this week in an attempt to thread the needle to appeal to the state’s anti-Trump voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an interview with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098167/steve-hilton-supports-mail-in-voting-remains-confident-in-californias-election-security\">KQED’s Political Breakdown podcast\u003c/a> released Thursday, Hilton refused to explicitly drag the president, but he decisively distanced himself from Trump’s election denialism and some of the president’s most unpopular views.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve never been an ideologue; I’ve never been tribal,” Hilton, a British-born former Fox News commentator, told host Marisa Lagos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Although Trump’s endorsement \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">boosted Hilton\u003c/a> in June’s primary election, the Republican candidate has since been trying to make the difficult case to voters in the blue state that they can support his campaign despite the president. In July, Hilton took out full-page newspaper ads and began running a video campaign telling voters that November’s election “isn’t about who you hate in Washington.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098220\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steve Hilton, candidate for California governor, speaks with KQED political reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at KQED studios in San Francisco on Sept. 2, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton gave the starkest rebuke to questions of election safety in this week’s interview, rejecting concerns that the November election would not move forward in a free and fair manner. Trump, on the other hand, appears to be laying the groundwork to raise doubts, following his repeated refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/07/16/nx-s1-5896448/trump-election-address\">July address\u003c/a>, Trump claimed without evidence that the country’s voting system is vulnerable to being “rigged and stolen,” and urged Congress to pass the \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/saveamerica/\">SAVE America Act\u003c/a>, which would tighten identification requirements and end most mail-in voting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Trump suggested that “the only reason” Democrats wouldn’t support the legislation is because “you want to cheat because your policies are so bad, and your candidates are so pathetic that you can’t get away or can’t get elected any other way.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton said he plans to accept the results of his race.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is the system,” Hilton said. “It’s our job, if we want to win, to get more votes than the other guy using this system. … Let’s make sure we are playing by the same rules, instead of just sulking and saying we don’t like it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton also objected to Trump’s campaign to restrict mail-in voting, days after \u003ca href=\"https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-08-31_final_letter-disclosure.pdf\">a whistleblower who is a federal official\u003c/a> raised concerns that the U.S. Postal Service plans to release a “sloppy and rushed” online voter information system that could jeopardize the voting method used by one-third of Americans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t agree with that,” Hilton said of efforts to disrupt mail-in voting. “It’s clearly popular, so many people use it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Postal Service said in a statement Tuesday that it has been \u003ca href=\"https://about.usps.com/newsroom/statements/090126-statement-on-development-of-us-federal-ballot-mail-portal.htm\">developing a system\u003c/a> to comply with Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/ensuring-citizenship-verification-and-integrity-in-federal-elections/\">March executive order\u003c/a> requiring states and the Department of Homeland Security to create approved voter lists and send mail-in ballots only to people on those lists. A federal judge temporarily halted order, but the Trump administration on Thursday again \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-mail-voting-executive-order-lawsuit-63899f738d28d161b629054a314f161a\">appealed to the Supreme Court\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton, who admitted that he used to dislike mail-in and early voting, said he’d come around to its benefits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s actually helpful to campaigns,” Hilton told KQED. “We need to encourage as many people to vote as possible.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He also took a measured stance on data centers, as many Republicans try to separate themselves from the rapid, and unpopular, expansion unabashedly backed by Trump.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton dodged the idea that California will see a significant number of these centers crop up, saying “the real problem is no one wants to build anything” in the state. But, he said, they shouldn’t be close to residential neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1339\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12076801\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">It is often said that the bear on the modern California state flag is based on “Monarch,” one of the last grizzly bears to live in the state. But researchers now believe it was based on the drawing of another bear, Samson. (Joseph Sohm/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The most important point and the most legitimate criticism is where our data center is so close to a residential neighborhood, it’s directly affecting people who live there in a day-to-day way,” he said. “We can’t have that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Trump said \u003ca href=\"https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117190477440173795\">on social media\u003c/a> that data centers would face opposition only from communities that “want to end up being backwards and poor.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Hilton has suggested a “California DOGE” to cut state spending throughout his campaign, he criticized the Department of Governmental Efficiency set up in the early days of this Trump administration, calling the Elon Musk-led initiative to eliminate fraud and abuse “a bit of a bull in a China shop.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In terms of the stated goal of saving money and making the government more efficient, I think there’s no question that that hasn’t [happened],” Hilton told KQED. “Certainly it’s not apparent to people.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Hilton said as governor he’d focus on cutting $25 billion from California’s budget to eliminate state income tax on residents’ first $150,000 in annual earnings. He didn’t elaborate on where that funding could come from. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton also remains aligned with the president on a number of culture-war issues — calling \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4uu8rL-DXk\">in campaign ads\u003c/a> for Californians to “stop the insanity” of providing “free health care for illegal immigrants” and supporting “boys in girls’ sports.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve had 16 years of one party running everything, and the results are just obviously disappointing,” Hilton told KQED. “Clearly there’s a case for change.”\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/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098220\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steve Hilton, candidate for California governor, speaks with KQED political reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at KQED studios in San Francisco on Sept. 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hilton gave the starkest rebuke to questions of election safety in this week’s interview, rejecting concerns that the November election would not move forward in a free and fair manner. Trump, on the other hand, appears to be laying the groundwork to raise doubts, following his repeated refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/07/16/nx-s1-5896448/trump-election-address\">July address\u003c/a>, Trump claimed without evidence that the country’s voting system is vulnerable to being “rigged and stolen,” and urged Congress to pass the \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/saveamerica/\">SAVE America Act\u003c/a>, which would tighten identification requirements and end most mail-in voting. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Trump suggested that “the only reason” Democrats wouldn’t support the legislation is because “you want to cheat because your policies are so bad, and your candidates are so pathetic that you can’t get away or can’t get elected any other way.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Trump suggested that “the only reason” Democrats wouldn’t support the legislation is because “you want to cheat because your policies are so bad, and your candidates are so pathetic that you can’t get away or can’t get elected any other way.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hilton said he plans to accept the results of his race.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is the system,” Hilton said. “It’s our job, if we want to win, to get more votes than the other guy using this system. … Let’s make sure we are playing by the same rules, instead of just sulking and saying we don’t like it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hilton also objected to Trump’s campaign to restrict mail-in voting, days after \u003ca href=\"https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-08-31_final_letter-disclosure.pdf\">a whistleblower who is a federal official\u003c/a> raised concerns that the U.S. Postal Service plans to release a “sloppy and rushed” online voter information system that could jeopardize the voting method used by one-third of Americans. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I don’t agree with that,” Hilton said of efforts to disrupt mail-in voting. “It’s clearly popular, so many people use it.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Postal Service said in a statement Tuesday that it has been \u003ca href=\"https://about.usps.com/newsroom/statements/090126-statement-on-development-of-us-federal-ballot-mail-portal.htm\">developing a system\u003c/a> to comply with Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/ensuring-citizenship-verification-and-integrity-in-federal-elections/\">March executive order\u003c/a> requiring states and the Department of Homeland Security to create approved voter lists and send mail-in ballots only to people on those lists. A federal judge temporarily halted order, but the Trump administration on Thursday again \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-mail-voting-executive-order-lawsuit-63899f738d28d161b629054a314f161a\">appealed to the Supreme Court\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hilton, who admitted that he used to dislike mail-in and early voting, said he’d come around to its benefits.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s actually helpful to campaigns,” Hilton told KQED. “We need to encourage as many people to vote as possible.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He also took a measured stance on data centers, as many Republicans try to separate themselves from the rapid, and unpopular, expansion unabashedly backed by Trump.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hilton dodged the idea that California will see a significant number of these centers crop up, saying “the real problem is no one wants to build anything” in the state. But, he said, they shouldn’t be close to residential neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Hilton dodged the idea that California will see a significant number of these centers crop up, saying “the real problem is no one wants to build anything” in the state. But, he said, they shouldn’t be close to residential neighborhoods.\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/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12076801\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">It is often said that the bear on the modern California state flag is based on “Monarch,” one of the last grizzly bears to live in the state. But researchers now believe it was based on the drawing of another bear, Samson.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Sohm/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/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12076801\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">It is often said that the bear on the modern California state flag is based on “Monarch,” one of the last grizzly bears to live in the state. But researchers now believe it was based on the drawing of another bear, Samson.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Sohm/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The most important point and the most legitimate criticism is where our data center is so close to a residential neighborhood, it’s directly affecting people who live there in a day-to-day way,” he said. “We can’t have that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Trump said \u003ca href=\"https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117190477440173795\">on social media\u003c/a> that data centers would face opposition only from communities that “want to end up being backwards and poor.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Trump said \u003ca href=\"https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117190477440173795\">on social media\u003c/a> that data centers would face opposition only from communities that “want to end up being backwards and poor.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Hilton has suggested a “California DOGE” to cut state spending throughout his campaign, he criticized the Department of Governmental Efficiency set up in the early days of this Trump administration, calling the Elon Musk-led initiative to eliminate fraud and abuse “a bit of a bull in a China shop.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While Hilton has suggested a “California DOGE” to cut state spending throughout his campaign, he criticized the Department of Governmental Efficiency set up in the early days of this Trump administration, calling the Elon Musk-led initiative to eliminate fraud and abuse “a bit of a bull in a China shop.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In terms of the stated goal of saving money and making the government more efficient, I think there’s no question that that hasn’t [happened],” Hilton told KQED. “Certainly it’s not apparent to people.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“In terms of the stated goal of saving money and making the government more efficient, I think there’s no question that that hasn’t [happened],” Hilton told KQED. “Certainly it’s not apparent to people.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, Hilton said as governor he’d focus on cutting $25 billion from California’s budget to eliminate state income tax on residents’ first $150,000 in annual earnings. He didn’t elaborate on where that funding could come from. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Still, Hilton said as governor he’d focus on cutting $25 billion from California’s budget to eliminate state income tax on residents’ first $150,000 in annual earnings. He didn’t elaborate on where that funding could come from. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hilton also remains aligned with the president on a number of culture-war issues — calling \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4uu8rL-DXk\">in campaign ads\u003c/a> for Californians to “stop the insanity” of providing “free health care for illegal immigrants” and supporting “boys in girls’ sports.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve had 16 years of one party running everything, and the results are just obviously disappointing,” Hilton told KQED. “Clearly there’s a case for change.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "In an interview with KQED’s Political Breakdown, California’s GOP candidate for governor rejected the president's election denialism and showed support for mail-in voting.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/steve-hilton\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a>, California’s Republican candidate for governor, put daylight between himself and President Donald Trump this week in an attempt to thread the needle to appeal to the state’s anti-Trump voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an interview with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098167/steve-hilton-supports-mail-in-voting-remains-confident-in-californias-election-security\">KQED’s Political Breakdown podcast\u003c/a> released Thursday, Hilton refused to explicitly drag the president, but he decisively distanced himself from Trump’s election denialism and some of the president’s most unpopular views.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve never been an ideologue; I’ve never been tribal,” Hilton, a British-born former Fox News commentator, told host Marisa Lagos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Although Trump’s endorsement \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">boosted Hilton\u003c/a> in June’s primary election, the Republican candidate has since been trying to make the difficult case to voters in the blue state that they can support his campaign despite the president. In July, Hilton took out full-page newspaper ads and began running a video campaign telling voters that November’s election “isn’t about who you hate in Washington.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098220\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steve Hilton, candidate for California governor, speaks with KQED political reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at KQED studios in San Francisco on Sept. 2, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton gave the starkest rebuke to questions of election safety in this week’s interview, rejecting concerns that the November election would not move forward in a free and fair manner. Trump, on the other hand, appears to be laying the groundwork to raise doubts, following his repeated refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/07/16/nx-s1-5896448/trump-election-address\">July address\u003c/a>, Trump claimed without evidence that the country’s voting system is vulnerable to being “rigged and stolen,” and urged Congress to pass the \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/saveamerica/\">SAVE America Act\u003c/a>, which would tighten identification requirements and end most mail-in voting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Trump suggested that “the only reason” Democrats wouldn’t support the legislation is because “you want to cheat because your policies are so bad, and your candidates are so pathetic that you can’t get away or can’t get elected any other way.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton said he plans to accept the results of his race.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is the system,” Hilton said. “It’s our job, if we want to win, to get more votes than the other guy using this system. … Let’s make sure we are playing by the same rules, instead of just sulking and saying we don’t like it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton also objected to Trump’s campaign to restrict mail-in voting, days after \u003ca href=\"https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-08-31_final_letter-disclosure.pdf\">a whistleblower who is a federal official\u003c/a> raised concerns that the U.S. Postal Service plans to release a “sloppy and rushed” online voter information system that could jeopardize the voting method used by one-third of Americans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t agree with that,” Hilton said of efforts to disrupt mail-in voting. “It’s clearly popular, so many people use it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Postal Service said in a statement Tuesday that it has been \u003ca href=\"https://about.usps.com/newsroom/statements/090126-statement-on-development-of-us-federal-ballot-mail-portal.htm\">developing a system\u003c/a> to comply with Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/ensuring-citizenship-verification-and-integrity-in-federal-elections/\">March executive order\u003c/a> requiring states and the Department of Homeland Security to create approved voter lists and send mail-in ballots only to people on those lists. A federal judge temporarily halted order, but the Trump administration on Thursday again \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-mail-voting-executive-order-lawsuit-63899f738d28d161b629054a314f161a\">appealed to the Supreme Court\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton, who admitted that he used to dislike mail-in and early voting, said he’d come around to its benefits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s actually helpful to campaigns,” Hilton told KQED. “We need to encourage as many people to vote as possible.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He also took a measured stance on data centers, as many Republicans try to separate themselves from the rapid, and unpopular, expansion unabashedly backed by Trump.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton dodged the idea that California will see a significant number of these centers crop up, saying “the real problem is no one wants to build anything” in the state. But, he said, they shouldn’t be close to residential neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1339\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12076801\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">It is often said that the bear on the modern California state flag is based on “Monarch,” one of the last grizzly bears to live in the state. But researchers now believe it was based on the drawing of another bear, Samson. (Joseph Sohm/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The most important point and the most legitimate criticism is where our data center is so close to a residential neighborhood, it’s directly affecting people who live there in a day-to-day way,” he said. “We can’t have that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Trump said \u003ca href=\"https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117190477440173795\">on social media\u003c/a> that data centers would face opposition only from communities that “want to end up being backwards and poor.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Hilton has suggested a “California DOGE” to cut state spending throughout his campaign, he criticized the Department of Governmental Efficiency set up in the early days of this Trump administration, calling the Elon Musk-led initiative to eliminate fraud and abuse “a bit of a bull in a China shop.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In terms of the stated goal of saving money and making the government more efficient, I think there’s no question that that hasn’t [happened],” Hilton told KQED. “Certainly it’s not apparent to people.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Hilton said as governor he’d focus on cutting $25 billion from California’s budget to eliminate state income tax on residents’ first $150,000 in annual earnings. He didn’t elaborate on where that funding could come from. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hilton also remains aligned with the president on a number of culture-war issues — calling \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4uu8rL-DXk\">in campaign ads\u003c/a> for Californians to “stop the insanity” of providing “free health care for illegal immigrants” and supporting “boys in girls’ sports.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve had 16 years of one party running everything, and the results are just obviously disappointing,” Hilton told KQED. “Clearly there’s a case for change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "a-trip-to-the-remote-island-lighthouse-in-the-middle-of-san-francisco-bay",
"title": "A Trip to the Remote Island Lighthouse in the Middle of San Francisco Bay",
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"headTitle": "A Trip to the Remote Island Lighthouse in the Middle of San Francisco Bay | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A few years ago, a friend sent me the link for a job listing that seemed like an absolute dream. The opening was for a resident innkeeper at a bed and breakfast on an island in the middle of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a>. Even better, the B&B was housed in a 152-year-old working Victorian lighthouse! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>From my cramped desk, I fantasized about a simpler life, spent outside in one of the most gorgeous settings I could imagine. And living rent-free while earning a salary! But reality came crashing down when I read the job required a boat operator’s license and high-quality culinary experience — both of which I lacked. Alas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the fantasy of East Brother Light Station stayed with me. So I was delighted when a Bay Curious listener named Kathleen Taylor wrote in, looking to learn more about the place. \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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066562\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The inn at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat, and the inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“We were taking the ferry from Vallejo to a Giants game and passed by what looked like a small island with an East Coast-style lighthouse on it,” she recalled. It captured her imagination, too, and she got to wondering: “What’s the history? Did somebody live on that island previously? Just how far back do we have documentation of what went on on that island?”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>So we headed to the island together to get some answers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#history-east-brother\">History of East Brother Light Station \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#early-lightkeepers\">What life was like for early lighthouse keepers\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#bed-and-breakfast\">How it was converted to a bed and breakfast\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#visiting-today\">Visiting East Brother Light Station today\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"history-east-brother\">History of East Brother Light Station\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the decades after gold was first found in California in 1848, mining activity in the Sierra ramped up. Getting supplies from San Francisco up into the mountains often meant floating things up the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. To get there, boats had to skirt around Point San Pablo, the thumb sticking out from Richmond, California. This part of the bay can be especially tough for mariners.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The topography under the water is pretty interesting,” said Rae Colvin, one of the resident innkeepers at East Brother Light Station. “There’s a 160-foot-deep chasm right off the island. But most of the [water] off to the side averages about 15 feet deep.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ships passing through this channel were constantly at risk of running aground even in good weather. Add in some dense fog, and it’s pretty precarious. So in the early 1870s, it was decided a lighthouse and fog horn were needed. Initially, the Lighthouse Board hoped to put the light station on the mainland, but landowners fought back. They delayed things so profoundly that eventually an alternative site was chosen — East Brother Island. \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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066561\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Inn keeper Danielle La Vigne pilots a boat from Point San Pablo Harbor to East Brother Light Station in Richmond, California, on Dec. 8, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>It was small, less than an acre in size, but it was land the U.S. government already owned. Construction began in 1873.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The exterior of the light station features gingerbread trim, scrollwork and a generous second-floor porch. Not the standard-issue government building we’ve come to expect today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The six-room Victorian light station was intended to house three lightkeepers, and two of them could have families. Downstairs was a bedroom and parlor for the principal keeper. Upstairs was a smaller bedroom and parlor for the assistant keeper. There was also a third bedroom for the most junior keeper. Things were cozy, to say the least.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stacked on top of the living quarters was also the tower that housed the light. When the light station began operating on March 1, 1874, the light’s flame was powered by lard oil and featured a fourth-order \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresnel_lens\">Fresnel lens\u003c/a>. The lens rotated on a clockwork mechanism. On a clear night, this beam, which appeared to flash every 30 seconds because of the design of the lens, could be seen from about 15 miles away. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"early-lightkeepers\">What life was like for early lightkeepers\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Despite the romantic portrayal of lighthouse keeping in novels, poems and art, the job was monotonous, and the Lighthouse Board knew it. Pay was modest and much of the work boring,” Frank Perry wrote in his book, \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/East-Brother-History-Island-Station/dp/0578211750\">\u003cem>East Brother: History of an Island Light Station\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Much of what we know about life on the island comes from Perry’s book, which was compiled using primary sources.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1874, the primary keeper earned $800 a year — the equivalent to about a $24,000 salary today. The assistants earned even less. Their primary responsibility was keeping the light running from sunset to sunrise every night and keeping the fog signal sounding during inclement weather.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nightly routine would begin at sunset. Lightkeepers would fill the lamp with lard oil, light the wick, and slowly bring the flame up to the optimal size of about 1 and 13/16 inches. If they did this too quickly, the glass chimney inside the rotating Fresnel lens could crack from the change in temperature. That alone was a 30-minute job. Then the keepers had to sit in the watch room all night, tending to the needs of the light.\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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historic photos hang on the wall at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. One lighthouse keeper, John Stenmark, brought his wife and children to live on the island. They had many friends in the community and would host large gatherings on the island. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“Because of the timing on that clockwork mechanism and how quickly the wicks would burn down, you gotta check it every half hour,” said Danielle La Vigne, one of the resident innkeepers at East Brother Light Station. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The innkeepers also had to wipe the glass panes of the lantern room with dry towels to keep moisture away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On foggy nights, the keepers’ jobs were doubly hard. They had to run the fog signal, too, which sits in another building on the island.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The whistle was sometimes more important in aiding mariners than the light,” wrote Perry. “In dense fog or heavy rain, East Brother’s powerful light was virtually useless. The 10-inch whistle, on the other hand, could often be heard from 10 or 12 miles away.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It took about 45 minutes to build up enough steam in the boiler for the fog whistle to work. So in the meantime, one of the keepers went outside and struck a large bell every 15 seconds until the whistle could be sounded. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Beyond the core responsibilities, keepers kept up with a long list of chores: cooking, cleaning, maintenance and repairs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12066564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066564\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The foghorn machinery at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. The 19th-century lighthouse complex includes a restored fog signal that once warned ships navigating San Pablo Bay. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12066563\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066563\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-17-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-17-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-17-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The foghorn machinery at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When they needed food to supplement the dry rations that got delivered once a year or so, they had to leave the island for the nearest town. At the time, that was San Quentin, about 2 1/2 miles away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I have a 200 horsepower motorboat to get back and forth to our little harbor,” said La Vigne. “They had to row.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A daily log was kept by the primary keeper, accounting for the day’s weather and work. Most entries are not more than a sentence, but they do give us a glimpse at the day-to-day life on East Brother. A string of entries in 1882 mention an assistant keeper named Mr. Page, who was a bit of a screw-up.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cblockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 14, 1882 – Wind S.W., strong. Mr. Page left for San Quentin A.M., capsized off the buoy near the West Brother at 12:15 p.m. Capt. Windsor hailed the Steamer Reform passing up at the time and sent her to his relief. The Reform picked him up ¼ of a mile N.N.E. of the Light House and landed him and the boat at the dock at 1:15 p.m. Oars, rudder, mail and all the marketing – consisting of mutton, cabbages, peas, etc., etc., lost, also milk and can.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>\u003cbr>Dec. 14, 1882 – Wind N.E. Foggy from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. Mr. Page went to San Quentin for mail, returned as usual, drunk.\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Feb. 8 1883 – Wind N.E. Light, clear. Mr. Page went for mail and stores, drunk, no mail.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Feb. 10, 1883, a new assistant, Mr. Tippett, is mentioned, and Mr. Page is never spoken of again. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Stenmark era\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though some keepers were men living on their own, passing through East Brother for only a few years, families lived here, too. John Stenmark moved here in 1894 with his wife and 3-month-old daughter, Annie, and they stayed for 20 years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They set up a vegetable garden and raised pigs, goats, rabbits and chickens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Prior to the birth of each of his two sons [Mr. Stenmark] rowed all the way to San Quentin and back to fetch the doctor,” wrote Perry.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When the kids grew older, the government paid for a teacher to live on the island for a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On April 18, 1906, Stenmark wrote about one of the most infamous days in local history in the logbook.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cblockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A heavy earthquake this morning at 5:15 a.m. Lenses of the light broken and glassware broke, and everything of glass broke. \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Doors open of themselves and the whole island rocking. All the lenses broke.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the next two days, the Stenmarks watched from their quiet island as the fire that followed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12068602/san-franciscos-historic-relief-cottages-built-after-the-1906-earthquake-are-hidden-in-plain-sight\">earthquake consumed San Francisco\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The end of lighthouse keepers\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the decades, technological improvements came regularly to East Brother Light Station, most often to the fuel source used to power the light.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“The original used lard oil lamps, and then they switched to mineral oil, and then they used kerosene,” Colvin 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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066565\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view from the inn at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One big change came in 1934 when electricity arrived on the island via an underwater cable that connected it to shore. A lightkeeper was no longer needed to keep a flame burning all night — greatly reducing their daily chore load. The steam-powered fog signal was replaced with a diaphonic horn that can still be operated today and is one of only eight like it in the world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To save on salaries, the U.S. Coast Guard automated everything and pulled the last resident personnel from the island in 1969. They planned to demolish all the buildings and put the light on a steel tower. But residents living in Point Richmond had other plans. They had grown attached to the charming lighthouse off their shoreline and were ready to fight for it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"bed-and-breakfast\">How it was converted to a bed and breakfast\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the first things [local residents] did was write a National Register nomination for it, which was successful,” said Tom Butt, founder and president of East Brother Light Station Inc., the nonprofit that operates the bed and breakfast. He’s also the former mayor of Richmond and a longtime city council member. “That didn’t save it, but it made it harder for the Coast Guard to tear it down because it invoked the Historic Preservation Act of 1966.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group then tried to find a local organization to take on rehabilitating the site, because by that point it was more than a decade behind on maintenance and needed serious work. They focused on organizations like the National Park Service and East Bay Regional Park District, but no one was interested.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think everybody looked at it and [thought] it was just too much,” said Butt. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He went to the island in 1978. “Looking back now,” he said, “I was a lot younger and not near as smart as I am now, and I was intrigued by it and said, ‘you know, we can do this.’”\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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-68-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066569\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-68-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-68-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-68-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Marin Room, which faces Mount Tamalpais, at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat, and the inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12066567\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-54-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066567\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-54-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-54-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-54-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lighthouse shower curtain hangs in a bathroom at the inn on East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12066571\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-76-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066571\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-76-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-76-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-76-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A room at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat. The inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He and others formed a nonprofit and started leasing the site from the Coast Guard. They spent a year rehabilitating everything, mostly with volunteer work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“All the buildings at that point were covered with asbestos shingles,” Butt said. “All of the ornamental railings had long since been taken off. We were lucky we had original plans from the National Archives, so we were able to replicate all that trim and put that back on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Volunteers did electrical work, plumbing, plastering and painting. It was a ton of work, but they managed to get it all done in about a year. The nonprofit began running the site as a bed and breakfast in 1980 to provide a stream of revenue to keep up with the maintenance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though most of the operational costs and maintenance for the B&B are now covered by the nightly fee guests pay, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-east-brother-lighthouse-replace-the-pier?cp_src=d\">a major fundraising effort\u003c/a> is underway to replace the dock and gangway on the east side of the island. It must be replaced, or access to the island could be threatened. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"visiting-today\">Visiting East Brother Light Station today\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nonprofit B&B is open four nights a week for overnight guests, and it’s recommended you \u003ca href=\"https://ebls.org/?_gl=1%2A1oq51ai%2A_ga%2AMjkzMDI3NzY5LjE3ODYxMzI2MjI.%2A_ga_J5B5MW125P%2AczE3ODc4NzI0MjUkbzckZzEkdDE3ODc4NzI0NDMkajQyJGwwJGgw\">book one of the five rooms well in advance\u003c/a>. Rates range from $525 to $575 per night. During summer months, there is once-monthly day-use access for $45, which includes the boat ride to and from the island.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the beginning of the overnight stays, guests are taken by boat from Point San Pablo Marina by innkeepers Colvin and La Vigne. Once on the island, hors d’oeuvre and champagne are served, Colvin gives a history talk, and then comes a four-course dinner with wine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We try to focus as much as we can on keeping things local,” La Vigne said. “We collaborate with the little goat farm that’s in the harbor, and we tend to plan the meals around what is being harvested now, what’s in season.”\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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066568\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Innkeepers Rachel (Rae) Colvin (left) and Danielle La Vigne at East Brother Light Station in Richmond on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat, and the inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>They also try to make meals part of the historical experience, using ingredients the keepers would have received as part of their rations — like potatoes, rice and salted pork.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have recipes from the Lighthouse Keeper’s Manual from 1891 that had recipes for how to stretch your rations. Last night we served for the first course a corn chowder that is from that original Lighthouse Keeper’s handbook,” La Vigne said. “Although their recipe was incredibly bland, and I spruced it up a lot.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So, historically inspired … but for a modern palate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Guests sleep in rooms neatly decorated with antiques. Most rooms are named after the view you see from the room, so there’s West Brother (the neighboring island), Marin Room, San Francisco Room. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A more modest room is out in the fog signal building — a popular choice for returning guests looking for a different experience, Colvin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most of the clientele are couples looking for a romantic getaway, but the house is also regularly rented out entirely by groups for birthdays, anniversaries or themed experiences.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We had two murder mystery dinner parties in the past month,” La Vigne said. “Both parties dressed up. They were in character the whole time. It was 1920 the whole time they were here.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the morning, before guests depart, they offer a demonstration of the fog signal — I can attest, it’s loud!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>[baycuriousquestion]\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>sound design of the sea: waves, gulls\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>There’s something dreamy about lighthouses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their striking architecture, rising high above our human scale.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their symbolism. A literal light in the darkness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In me, lighthouses stir something nostalgic. A time before GPS and radar — when navigation was done with charts and stars.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today, many lighthouses across the United States have become tourism attractions, like Cape Hatteras in North Carolina and the St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But there’s a lighthouse near San Francisco that offers an experience like none other. Not just a quick trip to the top, but an opportunity to live like a lighthouse keeper of yore!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>East Brother Light Station looks like it could have been plucked from a child’s storybook. It’s a charming three-story wooden house, painted a creamy yellow with white gingerbread trim. At the top, stands a tower, where the brilliant light beckons through the fog.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kathleen got to wondering a lot of things about this lighthouse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor: \u003c/strong>What’s the history? Did somebody live on that island previously? Just how far back do we have documentation of, you know, what went on on that Island?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So today we’re on a mission for answers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Step one! We have to get to the lighthouse. At a marina north of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, Kathleen and I make our way toward a small boat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There we meet Danielle La Vigne and Rae Colvin — the two keepers currently living on the island.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Oh, you guys can hop on board. Our insurance company does ask that you wear those.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Life vests are on, and we are off. Danielle and Rae have been living at the East Brother Light Station for about a year and half. But the helm of a boat is a familiar place for them.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price in scene:\u003c/strong> Did you know how to drive a boat, or is this a recent skill you’ve had to acquire? ‘Cause you’ve, you guys have been on the job for…\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>I’ve been a commercial captain for almost 20 years. This is the smallest boat that I’ve ever operated professionally. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>As we’re making our way out of the marina, Rae spots a seal.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>A lot of seals live out by the island. … we have a bunch of birds and the harbor seals and sometimes a sea lion.\u003cem>\u003cs>\u003cbr>\u003c/s>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Danielle and Rae are the only two full-time \u003cem>human\u003c/em> residents of East Brother Light Station. But they’re far from alone out there. Because keeping the light running is not their main focus. Instead it’s catering to the weekly overnight guests who join them at the Light Station. Because these days East Brother is a one-of-a-kind bed and breakfast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price in scene: \u003c/strong>Oh, we just snuck around the bend, and I am seeing the light station probably 400 feet away or so.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I can’t see it from up on the water, but down beneath our boat lies the answer to one of Kathleen’s questions. Why is this lighthouse \u003cem>here\u003c/em>, some 15 miles from the open ocean?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music begins\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In the decades after gold was first found in California in 1848, mining activity in the Sierra really ramped up. Getting supplies from San Francisco up into the mountains often meant taking a boat — floating things up the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ships had to skirt around Point San Pablo — where our little boat just departed from. Rae Colvin explains.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>And they put a lighthouse out here because the topography under the water is pretty interesting. There’s a 160-foot-deep chasm right off the island. But most of the open ocean off to the side that you can see averages out to about 15 feet deep. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ships passing through this channel were constantly at risk of running aground even in good weather. Add in some dense fog and it’s pretty precarious.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So in the early 1870s, it was decided a lighthouse and foghorn were needed. Initially, they hoped to put the light station on the mainland, but quickly ran into issues…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>The people who owned the land on the East Bay there didn’t want to sell to the government to let them build a lighthouse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>After years of trying and failing to get the landowners to relent, the government changed course. Just offshore was \u003cem>East Brother Island\u003c/em> — a speck of land really, smaller than an acre — but it was enough. And better yet, it was land the U.S. government already owned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music starts\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Workers blasted sandstone from the top of the island to create a level plot. A foundation went in, walls went up, and in less than a year the six-room Victorian light station was complete. The design is quite striking…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>There’s a lot of ornamental woodwork on it, and it’s three stories.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But it’s not exactly unique. Lighthouses with a similar design were built all over the West Coast. This is the oldest one still standing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music ends\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Fade up on sound of boat slowing down and approaching dock. Ambi of arriving sounds.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The wind picks up as our little boat approaches the island and sidles up to the dock. Once we’re off, Danielle and Rae work to get the boat lifted out of the water.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>If we left it in the water, it would just get thrashed against the dock all day long, and this dock already needs help so.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>This one’s been here since I think the 1960s, and, you know, it’s seen better days.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The dock may need work, but as we make our way up some stairs and onto the property, a tidy semicircle of three buildings emerges. The main light station to the west, a small cottage to the north, and a fog signal building to the east. All fit on about three-quarters of an acre. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The buildings surround a low white dome covering something beneath the pavement. Danielle explains…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>We need to collect rainwater to survive out here, this whole courtyard is set up to direct all of the rain flow down into the cistern.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Across the courtyard we head into the main house, where today most of the overnight bed-and-breakfast guests stay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>So of course we have to do the shameless product placement. As you enter the house, the first room you see is the gift shop.\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>OK, so, the gift shop is not original to the light station, but the mugs they sell are popular with B&B guests. Couples often come out for romantic getaways. Kathleen and I learn learn groups stay here for birding weekends or murder-mystery parties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> How often do you get groups that rent the whole island? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Two, yeah, two to three times a month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The house has seen some changes over its 152-year life, but it’s not hard to imagine what it once was. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most often three lighthouse keepers, and sometimes their families, shared the home. There’d be a primary keeper, aka the boss, living downstairs. And then the first assistant upstairs, along with a junior keeper, someone just learning the ropes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They all lived, ate and slept beneath the tower that housed the light. Staying close because it needed constant attention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> This is the parlor, which is the comfy hangout spot for the guests. Originally this would have been the junior keeper’s parlor. And the bedroom right over here, the Marin room, would have been the junior keeper’s bedroom. So it was kind of like a little apartment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Today, B&B guests stay in bedrooms with cozy beds, decorated with beautiful antiques. Historical maps and pictures of boats hang on the walls. And each room gets a name, based on what is visible outside the window.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> So this is the San Francisco room, and it’s my personal favorite room. \u003cs>I\u003c/s>t has an arched ceiling, and it looks out to San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We make our way to the main attraction: the tower … which is made up of three tiny rooms stacked on top of each other. We start at the base.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>So this is kind of the prep room where they’d get everything ready, but every half hour they had to go up there and trim the wick and refill the oil.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Next we head up to the Watch room.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> It’s a tightly winding staircase like you would expect in a Victorian mansion.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>We’re now 40 feet up. So you’ve got a pretty good view. If it’s stormy out, if it seems like it’s there’s a danger of a ship not seeing the light or whatever, that’s where you’re watching from so that you can signal those people if you need to.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Finally, we head to the pinnacle. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> Up here is more winding stairs up into the actual lighthouse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I will say, the view from this room is spectacular. The light itself, a little bit of a letdown. Today a 4 inch LED sits in the space.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> So the original light, it was a Fresnel lens with a little lantern torch in the middle. And originally that torch on this station was powered by lard oil.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>A fourth-order Fresnel lens! Imagine a magnificent orb of glass, made up of neat rows of prisms, standing several feet tall. They were designed to concentrate the light of a single flame so intensely it could be seen for about 15 miles.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On March 1, 1874, as sunset approached, three lighthouse keepers climbed up into this very tower, and lit the oil lamp for the very first time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The lighthouse has been operating, in some fashion or another, ever since.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>[Music moment]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>When we return, we explore what life was like living and working at East Brother. And it might not be like you expect! Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you enjoy stories like this one, consider becoming a financial supporter of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music begins\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It’s easy to get enamored by the apparent simplicity of life on an island in the middle of the Bay. I know I imagine myself reading in a hammock. Our question asker, Kathleen, loves that cell reception out on East Brother is limited.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> It is great to decompress and turn your phone off, and we don’t have a lot of opportunities to do that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And sure, that is the experience you will get here today as a guest at the B&B. But working here is hard, as Danielle can attest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>The work is never-ending. Because it’s just the two of us … So we’re the phones and the emails and the booking. There’s some degree of maintenance work that is pretty much always happening. The house needs to be deep cleaned every week between guests.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Working here has always been hard. Historian Frank Perry makes clear that his book, \u003cem>East Brother: History of an Island Light Station.\u003c/em> Here’s an excerpt…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>BOOK VO: \u003c/strong>Despite the romantic portrayal of lighthouse keeping in novels, poems and art, the job was monotonous, and the Lighthouse Board knew it. Pay was modest and much of the work boring. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The nightly routine would begin at sunset. Innkeepers would fill the lamp with lard oil, light the wick, and bring the flame slowly up to the optimal size, just shy of 2 inches. If they did this too quickly, the glass chimney inside the rotating Fresnel lens could crack from the change in temperature. That alone was a 30-minute job. Then the keepers had to sit in the watch room all night, tending to its various needs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle \u003cstrong>La Vigne\u003c/strong>: \u003c/strong>And because of the timing on that clockwork mechanism and how quickly the wicks would burn down, you gotta check it every half hour.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>On a clear night, the tiny flame, refracted through that powerful lens, could be seen from parts of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a foggy night, things got more complicated. Keepers had to run the fog signal across the courtyard too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Book VO: \u003c/strong>The whistle was sometimes more important in aiding mariners than the light. In dense fog or heavy rain, East Brother’s powerful light was virtually useless. The 10-inch whistle, on the other hand, could often be heard from 10 or 12 miles away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It took about 45 minutes to build up enough steam in the boiler for the fog whistle to work. So in the meantime, one of the keepers went outside and struck a large bell until the whistle could be sounded. Danielle gave us a demonstration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Danielle whacking the bell\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What a job.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Bell ambi\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Book VO: \u003c/strong>Since the whistle might be put in operation night or day, off-duty keepers had to learn to sleep in spite of the noise. Some keepers apparently got quite good at this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Keepers were also quite busy with chores. Cooking, cleaning, maintenance, repairs. When they needed food to supplement the rations that got delivered once a year or so, they had to leave the island for the nearest town, which at the time was San Quentin.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> So in order to get anything, they had to go to San Quentin. And I have a 200 horsepower motorboat to get back and forth to our little harbor. They had to row.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> So how far would the trip have been from here to San Quentin? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Two and a half miles.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Light Keepers also kept daily logbooks with short entries about the day’s work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Feb. 14 1883 – Wind S.W. Squally, strong. Employed all day cleaning engine room and lens in lantern.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>…but sometimes you get a glimpse of more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music start\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>There was an assistant keeper who got put down in the logbook as a drunken screw-up. He’s one of my favorites.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Joseph Page was his name. And let’s just say the head keeper at the time was not a fan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Dec. 14, 1882 – Mr. Page went to San Quentin for mail, returned as usual, drunk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>July 14, 1882 – Mr. Page left for San Quentin. Capsized off the buoy at 12:15 p.m. … \u003cem>The Reform\u003c/em> picked him up ¼ mile NNE of light house. Oars, rudder, mail and all the marketing – consisting of mutton, cabbages, peas, lost. Also milk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music end\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Over the decades, technological improvements came regularly to East Brother Light Station … most often to the fuel source used to power the light.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>The originals used lard oil lamps, and then they switched to mineral oil, and then they used kerosene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>One big change came in 1934 when the lens was electrified – via an underwater cable that connected the island to shore. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A light keeper was no longer needed to keep a flame burning all night – greatly reducing their daily chore load – and probably greatly improving their quality of life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But it was also the first step toward automation – and eliminating the need for lighthouse keepers altogether.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eventually that came, of course, in 1969. To save on salaries, the U.S. Coast Guard automated everything and pulled the last resident keeper from the island. They planned to demolish the light station, and all the buildings on the island, and put the light on a steel tower.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music end\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But locals living nearby in Point Richmond had other plans. They had grown attached to the charming lighthouse out in the bay, and vowed to save it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>One of the first things they did was write a national register nomination for it, which was successful.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Tom Butt is the president of East Brother Light Station Inc., the nonprofit that operates the bed and breakfast. He’s also the former mayor of Richmond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>East Brother Light Station made it onto the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt:\u003c/strong> That didn’t save it, but it made it harder for the Coast Guard to tear it down.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The local group then tried to find a local organization to take on restoring the site — by that point it was more than a decade behind on maintenance and needed serious work. They focused on groups like the National Parks Service and East Bay Regional Park District. But no one bit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt:\u003c/strong> I think everybody looked at it, and they just it was it it it was just too much.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Tom went out to the island in 1978.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>Looking back now, I was a lot younger and not near as smart as I am now, and I was intrigued by it and said, you know, we can do this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>He and others formed a nonprofit and started leasing the site from the Coast Guard. They spent a year rehabbing everything, mostly with volunteer work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>New concrete around the cistern.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt:\u003c/strong> We had to do electrical work, we had to do plumbing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All the ornamental railings had been taken off, so they made new ones using the original plans they found in the National Archives.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>Repainted everything on the inside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>There was asbestos to remove.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>It was a lot of work. And you know … it took a year, but we got it done. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>When the work was complete around 1980, the nonprofit began running the site as a bed and breakfast to provide a stream of revenue to keep up on the maintenance. And … well … because it’s fun!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the beginning of the stay, guests get a boat ride out with innkeepers Danielle and Rae, just like we did at the beginning of the story. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>We do charcuterie and champagne…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>A history tour with Rae.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>And then dinner is a four-course dinner with wine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>A fantastic sunset, if the weather cooperates…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>And then in the morning it’s a full breakfast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Just before heading back to shore, guests get a special demonstration that we also get to see on our tour…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>So the gasoline starter engine here is what actually starts the diesel … And this one starts with a ripped cord. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In the fog signal building, Rae shows us the multistep process it takes to blow the foghorn like they did in the 1930s. The small room is packed with old mechanical equipment, some more than 100 years old. It smells like… old military? Is that a smell?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s a couple diesel engines, a few air compressors … and they’re all kept running today as a museum piece … because the diaphonic horn is one of only eight like it still functioning in the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>The horn sounds cool in here, but it’s really cool out there.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>After 12 minutes of warming up, we head outside for the grand finale of our tour.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Foghorn blows loudly\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price in scene: \u003c/strong>You jumped.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz in scene: \u003c/strong>Well I didn’t know it was coming. I know you’re kinda counting 15, but you’re like…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Despite being ready, it still startled us all. Absolutely thrilling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I checked in with our question asker Kathleen, to see what she made of our tour today…\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor: \u003c/strong>I think that a lot of times we see us in something we see something that interests us and we do a quick Google search and we think that we’ve kind of learned all we there is to know, but it isn’t until you actually take that boat ride, get out on the island to realize that it is just such a unique experience and really such a hidden secret in the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>East Brother Light Station is such a special place. An improbable compromise carved into stone. A beacon of safety. The sound of warning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For decades, keepers traded modern comfort for cold, salt air. They measured their lives in lonely night shifts spent tending a 2-inch flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Today this light station offers something softer – a chance to step off the boat, leave the modern world behind and sleep inside a piece of living history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We hinted at it in this story, but the pier platform where boats dock at East Brother is in need of repair. The nonprofit is working to raise $750,000 to replace it, along with the gangway. Access to the island could be threatened if it’s not repaired. We’ll link to their fundraising page in the show notes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Big thanks to historian and author Frank Perry, whose book about East Brother Light Station provided much of the historical information in this episode. And to Kathleen Taylor, our question asker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We just launched a new voting round at \u003ca href=\"http://baycurious.org\">BayCurious.org\u003c/a>, so that means we need your help picking a question to answer in an upcoming episode. Here are your options!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 1:\u003c/strong> Why does this area have so many community colleges and won’t demographics result in fewer students and some needing to eventually close? How does the ratio of colleges to population compare with other states?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 2:\u003c/strong> Why did rogue botanists plant Venus flytraps in the Albion Pygmy Forest in Mendocino in the 1960s?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 3: \u003c/strong>I would love to hear about Sally Stanford, the renowned madam turned mayor. I recall my parents having many colorful conversations about her and her “Damn Bird” when we were living in Sausalito.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Vote anytime this month at \u003ca href=\"http://baycurious.org\">BayCurious.org\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is produced by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen-Price.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We get extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a wonderful week!\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>From my cramped desk, I fantasized about a simpler life, spent outside in one of the most gorgeous settings I could imagine. And living rent-free while earning a salary! But reality came crashing down when I read the job required a boat operator’s license and high-quality culinary experience — both of which I lacked. Alas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the fantasy of East Brother Light Station stayed with me. So I was delighted when a Bay Curious listener named Kathleen Taylor wrote in, looking to learn more about the place. \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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066562\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-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\">The inn at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat, and the inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters.\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 aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066562\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The inn at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat, and the inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We were taking the ferry from Vallejo to a Giants game and passed by what looked like a small island with an East Coast-style lighthouse on it,” she recalled. It captured her imagination, too, and she got to wondering: “What’s the history? Did somebody live on that island previously? Just how far back do we have documentation of what went on on that island?”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>So we headed to the island together to get some answers.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We were taking the ferry from Vallejo to a Giants game and passed by what looked like a small island with an East Coast-style lighthouse on it,” she recalled. It captured her imagination, too, and she got to wondering: “What’s the history? Did somebody live on that island previously? Just how far back do we have documentation of what went on on that island?”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>So we headed to the island together to get some answers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#history-east-brother\">History of East Brother Light Station \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#history-east-brother\">History of East Brother Light Station \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#early-lightkeepers\">What life was like for early lighthouse keepers\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#early-lightkeepers\">What life was like for early lighthouse keepers\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#bed-and-breakfast\">How it was converted to a bed and breakfast\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#bed-and-breakfast\">How it was converted to a bed and breakfast\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#visiting-today\">Visiting East Brother Light Station today\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"history-east-brother\">History of East Brother Light Station\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the decades after gold was first found in California in 1848, mining activity in the Sierra ramped up. Getting supplies from San Francisco up into the mountains often meant floating things up the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. To get there, boats had to skirt around Point San Pablo, the thumb sticking out from Richmond, California. This part of the bay can be especially tough for mariners.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the decades after gold was first found in California in 1848, mining activity in the Sierra ramped up. Getting supplies from San Francisco up into the mountains often meant floating things up the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. To get there, boats had to skirt around Point San Pablo, the thumb sticking out from Richmond, California. This part of the bay can be especially tough for mariners.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The topography under the water is pretty interesting,” said Rae Colvin, one of the resident innkeepers at East Brother Light Station. “There’s a 160-foot-deep chasm right off the island. But most of the [water] off to the side averages about 15 feet deep.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The topography under the water is pretty interesting,” said Rae Colvin, one of the resident innkeepers at East Brother Light Station. “There’s a 160-foot-deep chasm right off the island. But most of the [water] off to the side averages about 15 feet deep.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ships passing through this channel were constantly at risk of running aground even in good weather. Add in some dense fog, and it’s pretty precarious. So in the early 1870s, it was decided a lighthouse and fog horn were needed. Initially, the Lighthouse Board hoped to put the light station on the mainland, but landowners fought back. They delayed things so profoundly that eventually an alternative site was chosen — East Brother Island. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ships passing through this channel were constantly at risk of running aground even in good weather. Add in some dense fog, and it’s pretty precarious. So in the early 1870s, it was decided a lighthouse and fog horn were needed. Initially, the Lighthouse Board hoped to put the light station on the mainland, but landowners fought back. They delayed things so profoundly that eventually an alternative site was chosen — East Brother Island. \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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066561\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-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\">Inn keeper Danielle La Vigne pilots a boat from Point San Pablo Harbor to East Brother Light Station in Richmond, California, on Dec. 8, 2025.\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 aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066561\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Inn keeper Danielle La Vigne pilots a boat from Point San Pablo Harbor to East Brother Light Station in Richmond, California, on Dec. 8, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It was small, less than an acre in size, but it was land the U.S. government already owned. Construction began in 1873.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It was small, less than an acre in size, but it was land the U.S. government already owned. Construction began in 1873.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The exterior of the light station features gingerbread trim, scrollwork and a generous second-floor porch. Not the standard-issue government building we’ve come to expect today. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The six-room Victorian light station was intended to house three lightkeepers, and two of them could have families. Downstairs was a bedroom and parlor for the principal keeper. Upstairs was a smaller bedroom and parlor for the assistant keeper. There was also a third bedroom for the most junior keeper. Things were cozy, to say the least.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The six-room Victorian light station was intended to house three lightkeepers, and two of them could have families. Downstairs was a bedroom and parlor for the principal keeper. Upstairs was a smaller bedroom and parlor for the assistant keeper. There was also a third bedroom for the most junior keeper. Things were cozy, to say the least.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Stacked on top of the living quarters was also the tower that housed the light. When the light station began operating on March 1, 1874, the light’s flame was powered by lard oil and featured a fourth-order \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresnel_lens\">Fresnel lens\u003c/a>. The lens rotated on a clockwork mechanism. On a clear night, this beam, which appeared to flash every 30 seconds because of the design of the lens, could be seen from about 15 miles away. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Stacked on top of the living quarters was also the tower that housed the light. When the light station began operating on March 1, 1874, the light’s flame was powered by lard oil and featured a fourth-order \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresnel_lens\">Fresnel lens\u003c/a>. The lens rotated on a clockwork mechanism. On a clear night, this beam, which appeared to flash every 30 seconds because of the design of the lens, could be seen from about 15 miles away. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Despite the romantic portrayal of lighthouse keeping in novels, poems and art, the job was monotonous, and the Lighthouse Board knew it. Pay was modest and much of the work boring,” Frank Perry wrote in his book, \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/East-Brother-History-Island-Station/dp/0578211750\">\u003cem>East Brother: History of an Island Light Station\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Much of what we know about life on the island comes from Perry’s book, which was compiled using primary sources.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Despite the romantic portrayal of lighthouse keeping in novels, poems and art, the job was monotonous, and the Lighthouse Board knew it. Pay was modest and much of the work boring,” Frank Perry wrote in his book, \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/East-Brother-History-Island-Station/dp/0578211750\">\u003cem>East Brother: History of an Island Light Station\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Much of what we know about life on the island comes from Perry’s book, which was compiled using primary sources.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 1874, the primary keeper earned $800 a year — the equivalent to about a $24,000 salary today. The assistants earned even less. Their primary responsibility was keeping the light running from sunset to sunrise every night and keeping the fog signal sounding during inclement weather.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 1874, the primary keeper earned $800 a year — the equivalent to about a $24,000 salary today. The assistants earned even less. Their primary responsibility was keeping the light running from sunset to sunrise every night and keeping the fog signal sounding during inclement weather.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The nightly routine would begin at sunset. Lightkeepers would fill the lamp with lard oil, light the wick, and slowly bring the flame up to the optimal size of about 1 and 13/16 inches. If they did this too quickly, the glass chimney inside the rotating Fresnel lens could crack from the change in temperature. That alone was a 30-minute job. Then the keepers had to sit in the watch room all night, tending to the needs of the light.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The nightly routine would begin at sunset. Lightkeepers would fill the lamp with lard oil, light the wick, and slowly bring the flame up to the optimal size of about 1 and 13/16 inches. If they did this too quickly, the glass chimney inside the rotating Fresnel lens could crack from the change in temperature. That alone was a 30-minute job. Then the keepers had to sit in the watch room all night, tending to the needs of the light.\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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-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\">Historic photos hang on the wall at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. One lighthouse keeper, John Stenmark, brought his wife and children to live on the island. They had many friends in the community and would host large gatherings on the island.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Because of the timing on that clockwork mechanism and how quickly the wicks would burn down, you gotta check it every half hour,” said Danielle La Vigne, one of the resident innkeepers at East Brother Light Station. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Because of the timing on that clockwork mechanism and how quickly the wicks would burn down, you gotta check it every half hour,” said Danielle La Vigne, one of the resident innkeepers at East Brother Light Station. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The innkeepers also had to wipe the glass panes of the lantern room with dry towels to keep moisture away.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On foggy nights, the keepers’ jobs were doubly hard. They had to run the fog signal, too, which sits in another building on the island.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The whistle was sometimes more important in aiding mariners than the light,” wrote Perry. “In dense fog or heavy rain, East Brother’s powerful light was virtually useless. The 10-inch whistle, on the other hand, could often be heard from 10 or 12 miles away.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The whistle was sometimes more important in aiding mariners than the light,” wrote Perry. “In dense fog or heavy rain, East Brother’s powerful light was virtually useless. The 10-inch whistle, on the other hand, could often be heard from 10 or 12 miles away.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It took about 45 minutes to build up enough steam in the boiler for the fog whistle to work. So in the meantime, one of the keepers went outside and struck a large bell every 15 seconds until the whistle could be sounded. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066563\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The foghorn machinery at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066563\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The foghorn machinery at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When they needed food to supplement the dry rations that got delivered once a year or so, they had to leave the island for the nearest town. At the time, that was San Quentin, about 2 1/2 miles away.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When they needed food to supplement the dry rations that got delivered once a year or so, they had to leave the island for the nearest town. At the time, that was San Quentin, about 2 1/2 miles away.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I have a 200 horsepower motorboat to get back and forth to our little harbor,” said La Vigne. “They had to row.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A daily log was kept by the primary keeper, accounting for the day’s weather and work. Most entries are not more than a sentence, but they do give us a glimpse at the day-to-day life on East Brother. A string of entries in 1882 mention an assistant keeper named Mr. Page, who was a bit of a screw-up.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 14, 1882 – Wind S.W., strong. Mr. Page left for San Quentin A.M., capsized off the buoy near the West Brother at 12:15 p.m. Capt. Windsor hailed the Steamer Reform passing up at the time and sent her to his relief. The Reform picked him up ¼ of a mile N.N.E. of the Light House and landed him and the boat at the dock at 1:15 p.m. Oars, rudder, mail and all the marketing – consisting of mutton, cabbages, peas, etc., etc., lost, also milk and can.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>\u003cbr>Dec. 14, 1882 – Wind N.E. Foggy from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. Mr. Page went to San Quentin for mail, returned as usual, drunk.\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Feb. 8 1883 – Wind N.E. Light, clear. Mr. Page went for mail and stores, drunk, no mail.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 14, 1882 – Wind S.W., strong. Mr. Page left for San Quentin A.M., capsized off the buoy near the West Brother at 12:15 p.m. Capt. Windsor hailed the Steamer Reform passing up at the time and sent her to his relief. The Reform picked him up ¼ of a mile N.N.E. of the Light House and landed him and the boat at the dock at 1:15 p.m. Oars, rudder, mail and all the marketing – consisting of mutton, cabbages, peas, etc., etc., lost, also milk and can.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>\u003cbr>Dec. 14, 1882 – Wind N.E. Foggy from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. Mr. Page went to San Quentin for mail, returned as usual, drunk.\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Feb. 8 1883 – Wind N.E. Light, clear. Mr. Page went for mail and stores, drunk, no mail.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Feb. 10, 1883, a new assistant, Mr. Tippett, is mentioned, and Mr. Page is never spoken of again. \u003c/p>\n",
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"attrs": {
"text": "The Stenmark era",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Stenmark era\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Though some keepers were men living on their own, passing through East Brother for only a few years, families lived here, too. John Stenmark moved here in 1894 with his wife and 3-month-old daughter, Annie, and they stayed for 20 years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Though some keepers were men living on their own, passing through East Brother for only a few years, families lived here, too. John Stenmark moved here in 1894 with his wife and 3-month-old daughter, Annie, and they stayed for 20 years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They set up a vegetable garden and raised pigs, goats, rabbits and chickens.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Prior to the birth of each of his two sons [Mr. Stenmark] rowed all the way to San Quentin and back to fetch the doctor,” wrote Perry.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Prior to the birth of each of his two sons [Mr. Stenmark] rowed all the way to San Quentin and back to fetch the doctor,” wrote Perry.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When the kids grew older, the government paid for a teacher to live on the island for a time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On April 18, 1906, Stenmark wrote about one of the most infamous days in local history in the logbook.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A heavy earthquake this morning at 5:15 a.m. Lenses of the light broken and glassware broke, and everything of glass broke. \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Doors open of themselves and the whole island rocking. All the lenses broke.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A heavy earthquake this morning at 5:15 a.m. Lenses of the light broken and glassware broke, and everything of glass broke. \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Doors open of themselves and the whole island rocking. All the lenses broke.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Over the next two days, the Stenmarks watched from their quiet island as the fire that followed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12068602/san-franciscos-historic-relief-cottages-built-after-the-1906-earthquake-are-hidden-in-plain-sight\">earthquake consumed San Francisco\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Over the next two days, the Stenmarks watched from their quiet island as the fire that followed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12068602/san-franciscos-historic-relief-cottages-built-after-the-1906-earthquake-are-hidden-in-plain-sight\">earthquake consumed San Francisco\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "The end of lighthouse keepers",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Over the decades, technological improvements came regularly to East Brother Light Station, most often to the fuel source used to power the light.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“The original used lard oil lamps, and then they switched to mineral oil, and then they used kerosene,” Colvin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Over the decades, technological improvements came regularly to East Brother Light Station, most often to the fuel source used to power the light.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“The original used lard oil lamps, and then they switched to mineral oil, and then they used kerosene,” Colvin said. \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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066565\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-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\">A view from the inn at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. \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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066565\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view from the inn at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One big change came in 1934 when electricity arrived on the island via an underwater cable that connected it to shore. A lightkeeper was no longer needed to keep a flame burning all night — greatly reducing their daily chore load. The steam-powered fog signal was replaced with a diaphonic horn that can still be operated today and is one of only eight like it in the world. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To save on salaries, the U.S. Coast Guard automated everything and pulled the last resident personnel from the island in 1969. They planned to demolish all the buildings and put the light on a steel tower. But residents living in Point Richmond had other plans. They had grown attached to the charming lighthouse off their shoreline and were ready to fight for it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To save on salaries, the U.S. Coast Guard automated everything and pulled the last resident personnel from the island in 1969. They planned to demolish all the buildings and put the light on a steel tower. But residents living in Point Richmond had other plans. They had grown attached to the charming lighthouse off their shoreline and were ready to fight for it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“One of the first things [local residents] did was write a National Register nomination for it, which was successful,” said Tom Butt, founder and president of East Brother Light Station Inc., the nonprofit that operates the bed and breakfast. He’s also the former mayor of Richmond and a longtime city council member. “That didn’t save it, but it made it harder for the Coast Guard to tear it down because it invoked the Historic Preservation Act of 1966.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The group then tried to find a local organization to take on rehabilitating the site, because by that point it was more than a decade behind on maintenance and needed serious work. They focused on organizations like the National Park Service and East Bay Regional Park District, but no one was interested.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He went to the island in 1978. “Looking back now,” he said, “I was a lot younger and not near as smart as I am now, and I was intrigued by it and said, ‘you know, we can do this.’”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He and others formed a nonprofit and started leasing the site from the Coast Guard. They spent a year rehabilitating everything, mostly with volunteer work.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“All the buildings at that point were covered with asbestos shingles,” Butt said. “All of the ornamental railings had long since been taken off. We were lucky we had original plans from the National Archives, so we were able to replicate all that trim and put that back on.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“All the buildings at that point were covered with asbestos shingles,” Butt said. “All of the ornamental railings had long since been taken off. We were lucky we had original plans from the National Archives, so we were able to replicate all that trim and put that back on.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Volunteers did electrical work, plumbing, plastering and painting. It was a ton of work, but they managed to get it all done in about a year. The nonprofit began running the site as a bed and breakfast in 1980 to provide a stream of revenue to keep up with the maintenance.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Volunteers did electrical work, plumbing, plastering and painting. It was a ton of work, but they managed to get it all done in about a year. The nonprofit began running the site as a bed and breakfast in 1980 to provide a stream of revenue to keep up with the maintenance.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Though most of the operational costs and maintenance for the B&B are now covered by the nightly fee guests pay, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-east-brother-lighthouse-replace-the-pier?cp_src=d\">a major fundraising effort\u003c/a> is underway to replace the dock and gangway on the east side of the island. It must be replaced, or access to the island could be threatened. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Though most of the operational costs and maintenance for the B&B are now covered by the nightly fee guests pay, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-east-brother-lighthouse-replace-the-pier?cp_src=d\">a major fundraising effort\u003c/a> is underway to replace the dock and gangway on the east side of the island. It must be replaced, or access to the island could be threatened. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Visiting East Brother Light Station today",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The nonprofit B&B is open four nights a week for overnight guests, and it’s recommended you \u003ca href=\"https://ebls.org/?_gl=1%2A1oq51ai%2A_ga%2AMjkzMDI3NzY5LjE3ODYxMzI2MjI.%2A_ga_J5B5MW125P%2AczE3ODc4NzI0MjUkbzckZzEkdDE3ODc4NzI0NDMkajQyJGwwJGgw\">book one of the five rooms well in advance\u003c/a>. Rates range from $525 to $575 per night. During summer months, there is once-monthly day-use access for $45, which includes the boat ride to and from the island.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The nonprofit B&B is open four nights a week for overnight guests, and it’s recommended you \u003ca href=\"https://ebls.org/?_gl=1%2A1oq51ai%2A_ga%2AMjkzMDI3NzY5LjE3ODYxMzI2MjI.%2A_ga_J5B5MW125P%2AczE3ODc4NzI0MjUkbzckZzEkdDE3ODc4NzI0NDMkajQyJGwwJGgw\">book one of the five rooms well in advance\u003c/a>. Rates range from $525 to $575 per night. During summer months, there is once-monthly day-use access for $45, which includes the boat ride to and from the island.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the beginning of the overnight stays, guests are taken by boat from Point San Pablo Marina by innkeepers Colvin and La Vigne. Once on the island, hors d’oeuvre and champagne are served, Colvin gives a history talk, and then comes a four-course dinner with wine.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At the beginning of the overnight stays, guests are taken by boat from Point San Pablo Marina by innkeepers Colvin and La Vigne. Once on the island, hors d’oeuvre and champagne are served, Colvin gives a history talk, and then comes a four-course dinner with wine.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We try to focus as much as we can on keeping things local,” La Vigne said. “We collaborate with the little goat farm that’s in the harbor, and we tend to plan the meals around what is being harvested now, what’s in season.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We try to focus as much as we can on keeping things local,” La Vigne said. “We collaborate with the little goat farm that’s in the harbor, and we tend to plan the meals around what is being harvested now, what’s in season.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066568\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-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\">Innkeepers Rachel (Rae) Colvin (left) and Danielle La Vigne at East Brother Light Station in Richmond on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat, and the inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters.\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 aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066568\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Innkeepers Rachel (Rae) Colvin (left) and Danielle La Vigne at East Brother Light Station in Richmond on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat, and the inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They also try to make meals part of the historical experience, using ingredients the keepers would have received as part of their rations — like potatoes, rice and salted pork.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They also try to make meals part of the historical experience, using ingredients the keepers would have received as part of their rations — like potatoes, rice and salted pork.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have recipes from the Lighthouse Keeper’s Manual from 1891 that had recipes for how to stretch your rations. Last night we served for the first course a corn chowder that is from that original Lighthouse Keeper’s handbook,” La Vigne said. “Although their recipe was incredibly bland, and I spruced it up a lot.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We have recipes from the Lighthouse Keeper’s Manual from 1891 that had recipes for how to stretch your rations. Last night we served for the first course a corn chowder that is from that original Lighthouse Keeper’s handbook,” La Vigne said. “Although their recipe was incredibly bland, and I spruced it up a lot.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So, historically inspired … but for a modern palate. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>So, historically inspired … but for a modern palate. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Guests sleep in rooms neatly decorated with antiques. Most rooms are named after the view you see from the room, so there’s West Brother (the neighboring island), Marin Room, San Francisco Room. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Guests sleep in rooms neatly decorated with antiques. Most rooms are named after the view you see from the room, so there’s West Brother (the neighboring island), Marin Room, San Francisco Room. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A more modest room is out in the fog signal building — a popular choice for returning guests looking for a different experience, Colvin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A more modest room is out in the fog signal building — a popular choice for returning guests looking for a different experience, Colvin said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Most of the clientele are couples looking for a romantic getaway, but the house is also regularly rented out entirely by groups for birthdays, anniversaries or themed experiences.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We had two murder mystery dinner parties in the past month,” La Vigne said. “Both parties dressed up. They were in character the whole time. It was 1920 the whole time they were here.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We had two murder mystery dinner parties in the past month,” La Vigne said. “Both parties dressed up. They were in character the whole time. It was 1920 the whole time they were here.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the morning, before guests depart, they offer a demonstration of the fog signal — I can attest, it’s loud!\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>sound design of the sea: waves, gulls\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>sound design of the sea: waves, gulls\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>There’s something dreamy about lighthouses.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>There’s something dreamy about lighthouses.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Their striking architecture, rising high above our human scale.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Their striking architecture, rising high above our human scale.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Their symbolism. A literal light in the darkness.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Their symbolism. A literal light in the darkness.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In me, lighthouses stir something nostalgic. A time before GPS and radar — when navigation was done with charts and stars.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In me, lighthouses stir something nostalgic. A time before GPS and radar — when navigation was done with charts and stars.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Today, many lighthouses across the United States have become tourism attractions, like Cape Hatteras in North Carolina and the St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Today, many lighthouses across the United States have become tourism attractions, like Cape Hatteras in North Carolina and the St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But there’s a lighthouse near San Francisco that offers an experience like none other. Not just a quick trip to the top, but an opportunity to live like a lighthouse keeper of yore!\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But there’s a lighthouse near San Francisco that offers an experience like none other. Not just a quick trip to the top, but an opportunity to live like a lighthouse keeper of yore!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>East Brother Light Station looks like it could have been plucked from a child’s storybook. It’s a charming three-story wooden house, painted a creamy yellow with white gingerbread trim. At the top, stands a tower, where the brilliant light beckons through the fog.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>East Brother Light Station looks like it could have been plucked from a child’s storybook. It’s a charming three-story wooden house, painted a creamy yellow with white gingerbread trim. At the top, stands a tower, where the brilliant light beckons through the fog.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kathleen got to wondering a lot of things about this lighthouse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kathleen got to wondering a lot of things about this lighthouse.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor: \u003c/strong>What’s the history? Did somebody live on that island previously? Just how far back do we have documentation of, you know, what went on on that Island?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor: \u003c/strong>What’s the history? Did somebody live on that island previously? Just how far back do we have documentation of, you know, what went on on that Island?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So today we’re on a mission for answers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So today we’re on a mission for answers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Step one! We have to get to the lighthouse. At a marina north of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, Kathleen and I make our way toward a small boat.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Step one! We have to get to the lighthouse. At a marina north of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, Kathleen and I make our way toward a small boat.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There we meet Danielle La Vigne and Rae Colvin — the two keepers currently living on the island.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There we meet Danielle La Vigne and Rae Colvin — the two keepers currently living on the island.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Oh, you guys can hop on board. Our insurance company does ask that you wear those.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Oh, you guys can hop on board. Our insurance company does ask that you wear those.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Life vests are on, and we are off. Danielle and Rae have been living at the East Brother Light Station for about a year and half. But the helm of a boat is a familiar place for them.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price in scene:\u003c/strong> Did you know how to drive a boat, or is this a recent skill you’ve had to acquire? ‘Cause you’ve, you guys have been on the job for…\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>I’ve been a commercial captain for almost 20 years. This is the smallest boat that I’ve ever operated professionally. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Life vests are on, and we are off. Danielle and Rae have been living at the East Brother Light Station for about a year and half. But the helm of a boat is a familiar place for them.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price in scene:\u003c/strong> Did you know how to drive a boat, or is this a recent skill you’ve had to acquire? ‘Cause you’ve, you guys have been on the job for…\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>I’ve been a commercial captain for almost 20 years. This is the smallest boat that I’ve ever operated professionally. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>As we’re making our way out of the marina, Rae spots a seal.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>A lot of seals live out by the island. … we have a bunch of birds and the harbor seals and sometimes a sea lion.\u003cem>\u003cs>\u003cbr>\u003c/s>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Danielle and Rae are the only two full-time \u003cem>human\u003c/em> residents of East Brother Light Station. But they’re far from alone out there. Because keeping the light running is not their main focus. Instead it’s catering to the weekly overnight guests who join them at the Light Station. Because these days East Brother is a one-of-a-kind bed and breakfast. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>As we’re making our way out of the marina, Rae spots a seal.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>A lot of seals live out by the island. … we have a bunch of birds and the harbor seals and sometimes a sea lion.\u003cem>\u003cs>\u003cbr>\u003c/s>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Danielle and Rae are the only two full-time \u003cem>human\u003c/em> residents of East Brother Light Station. But they’re far from alone out there. Because keeping the light running is not their main focus. Instead it’s catering to the weekly overnight guests who join them at the Light Station. Because these days East Brother is a one-of-a-kind bed and breakfast. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price in scene: \u003c/strong>Oh, we just snuck around the bend, and I am seeing the light station probably 400 feet away or so.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I can’t see it from up on the water, but down beneath our boat lies the answer to one of Kathleen’s questions. Why is this lighthouse \u003cem>here\u003c/em>, some 15 miles from the open ocean?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price in scene: \u003c/strong>Oh, we just snuck around the bend, and I am seeing the light station probably 400 feet away or so.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I can’t see it from up on the water, but down beneath our boat lies the answer to one of Kathleen’s questions. Why is this lighthouse \u003cem>here\u003c/em>, some 15 miles from the open ocean?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music begins\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music begins\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In the decades after gold was first found in California in 1848, mining activity in the Sierra really ramped up. Getting supplies from San Francisco up into the mountains often meant taking a boat — floating things up the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In the decades after gold was first found in California in 1848, mining activity in the Sierra really ramped up. Getting supplies from San Francisco up into the mountains often meant taking a boat — floating things up the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ships had to skirt around Point San Pablo — where our little boat just departed from. Rae Colvin explains.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>And they put a lighthouse out here because the topography under the water is pretty interesting. There’s a 160-foot-deep chasm right off the island. But most of the open ocean off to the side that you can see averages out to about 15 feet deep. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>And they put a lighthouse out here because the topography under the water is pretty interesting. There’s a 160-foot-deep chasm right off the island. But most of the open ocean off to the side that you can see averages out to about 15 feet deep. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ships passing through this channel were constantly at risk of running aground even in good weather. Add in some dense fog and it’s pretty precarious.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ships passing through this channel were constantly at risk of running aground even in good weather. Add in some dense fog and it’s pretty precarious.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So in the early 1870s, it was decided a lighthouse and foghorn were needed. Initially, they hoped to put the light station on the mainland, but quickly ran into issues…\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>So in the early 1870s, it was decided a lighthouse and foghorn were needed. Initially, they hoped to put the light station on the mainland, but quickly ran into issues…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>The people who owned the land on the East Bay there didn’t want to sell to the government to let them build a lighthouse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>The people who owned the land on the East Bay there didn’t want to sell to the government to let them build a lighthouse.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>After years of trying and failing to get the landowners to relent, the government changed course. Just offshore was \u003cem>East Brother Island\u003c/em> — a speck of land really, smaller than an acre — but it was enough. And better yet, it was land the U.S. government already owned. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>After years of trying and failing to get the landowners to relent, the government changed course. Just offshore was \u003cem>East Brother Island\u003c/em> — a speck of land really, smaller than an acre — but it was enough. And better yet, it was land the U.S. government already owned. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music starts\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music starts\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Workers blasted sandstone from the top of the island to create a level plot. A foundation went in, walls went up, and in less than a year the six-room Victorian light station was complete. The design is quite striking…\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Workers blasted sandstone from the top of the island to create a level plot. A foundation went in, walls went up, and in less than a year the six-room Victorian light station was complete. The design is quite striking…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>There’s a lot of ornamental woodwork on it, and it’s three stories.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>There’s a lot of ornamental woodwork on it, and it’s three stories.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But it’s not exactly unique. Lighthouses with a similar design were built all over the West Coast. This is the oldest one still standing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But it’s not exactly unique. Lighthouses with a similar design were built all over the West Coast. This is the oldest one still standing.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music ends\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music ends\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Fade up on sound of boat slowing down and approaching dock. Ambi of arriving sounds.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Fade up on sound of boat slowing down and approaching dock. Ambi of arriving sounds.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The wind picks up as our little boat approaches the island and sidles up to the dock. Once we’re off, Danielle and Rae work to get the boat lifted out of the water.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The wind picks up as our little boat approaches the island and sidles up to the dock. Once we’re off, Danielle and Rae work to get the boat lifted out of the water.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>If we left it in the water, it would just get thrashed against the dock all day long, and this dock already needs help so.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>If we left it in the water, it would just get thrashed against the dock all day long, and this dock already needs help so.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>This one’s been here since I think the 1960s, and, you know, it’s seen better days.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>This one’s been here since I think the 1960s, and, you know, it’s seen better days.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The dock may need work, but as we make our way up some stairs and onto the property, a tidy semicircle of three buildings emerges. The main light station to the west, a small cottage to the north, and a fog signal building to the east. All fit on about three-quarters of an acre. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The dock may need work, but as we make our way up some stairs and onto the property, a tidy semicircle of three buildings emerges. The main light station to the west, a small cottage to the north, and a fog signal building to the east. All fit on about three-quarters of an acre. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The buildings surround a low white dome covering something beneath the pavement. Danielle explains…\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The buildings surround a low white dome covering something beneath the pavement. Danielle explains…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>We need to collect rainwater to survive out here, this whole courtyard is set up to direct all of the rain flow down into the cistern.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>We need to collect rainwater to survive out here, this whole courtyard is set up to direct all of the rain flow down into the cistern.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Across the courtyard we head into the main house, where today most of the overnight bed-and-breakfast guests stay.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Across the courtyard we head into the main house, where today most of the overnight bed-and-breakfast guests stay.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>So of course we have to do the shameless product placement. As you enter the house, the first room you see is the gift shop.\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>OK, so, the gift shop is not original to the light station, but the mugs they sell are popular with B&B guests. Couples often come out for romantic getaways. Kathleen and I learn learn groups stay here for birding weekends or murder-mystery parties.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>So of course we have to do the shameless product placement. As you enter the house, the first room you see is the gift shop.\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>OK, so, the gift shop is not original to the light station, but the mugs they sell are popular with B&B guests. Couples often come out for romantic getaways. Kathleen and I learn learn groups stay here for birding weekends or murder-mystery parties.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> How often do you get groups that rent the whole island? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> How often do you get groups that rent the whole island? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Two, yeah, two to three times a month. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Two, yeah, two to three times a month. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The house has seen some changes over its 152-year life, but it’s not hard to imagine what it once was. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The house has seen some changes over its 152-year life, but it’s not hard to imagine what it once was. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Most often three lighthouse keepers, and sometimes their families, shared the home. There’d be a primary keeper, aka the boss, living downstairs. And then the first assistant upstairs, along with a junior keeper, someone just learning the ropes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Most often three lighthouse keepers, and sometimes their families, shared the home. There’d be a primary keeper, aka the boss, living downstairs. And then the first assistant upstairs, along with a junior keeper, someone just learning the ropes.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They all lived, ate and slept beneath the tower that housed the light. Staying close because it needed constant attention. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They all lived, ate and slept beneath the tower that housed the light. Staying close because it needed constant attention. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> This is the parlor, which is the comfy hangout spot for the guests. Originally this would have been the junior keeper’s parlor. And the bedroom right over here, the Marin room, would have been the junior keeper’s bedroom. So it was kind of like a little apartment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> This is the parlor, which is the comfy hangout spot for the guests. Originally this would have been the junior keeper’s parlor. And the bedroom right over here, the Marin room, would have been the junior keeper’s bedroom. So it was kind of like a little apartment.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Today, B&B guests stay in bedrooms with cozy beds, decorated with beautiful antiques. Historical maps and pictures of boats hang on the walls. And each room gets a name, based on what is visible outside the window.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Today, B&B guests stay in bedrooms with cozy beds, decorated with beautiful antiques. Historical maps and pictures of boats hang on the walls. And each room gets a name, based on what is visible outside the window.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> So this is the San Francisco room, and it’s my personal favorite room. \u003cs>I\u003c/s>t has an arched ceiling, and it looks out to San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> So this is the San Francisco room, and it’s my personal favorite room. \u003cs>I\u003c/s>t has an arched ceiling, and it looks out to San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We make our way to the main attraction: the tower … which is made up of three tiny rooms stacked on top of each other. We start at the base.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We make our way to the main attraction: the tower … which is made up of three tiny rooms stacked on top of each other. We start at the base.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>So this is kind of the prep room where they’d get everything ready, but every half hour they had to go up there and trim the wick and refill the oil.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Next we head up to the Watch room.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>So this is kind of the prep room where they’d get everything ready, but every half hour they had to go up there and trim the wick and refill the oil.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Next we head up to the Watch room.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> It’s a tightly winding staircase like you would expect in a Victorian mansion.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> It’s a tightly winding staircase like you would expect in a Victorian mansion.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>We’re now 40 feet up. So you’ve got a pretty good view. If it’s stormy out, if it seems like it’s there’s a danger of a ship not seeing the light or whatever, that’s where you’re watching from so that you can signal those people if you need to.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>We’re now 40 feet up. So you’ve got a pretty good view. If it’s stormy out, if it seems like it’s there’s a danger of a ship not seeing the light or whatever, that’s where you’re watching from so that you can signal those people if you need to.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Finally, we head to the pinnacle. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Finally, we head to the pinnacle. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> Up here is more winding stairs up into the actual lighthouse. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> Up here is more winding stairs up into the actual lighthouse. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I will say, the view from this room is spectacular. The light itself, a little bit of a letdown. Today a 4 inch LED sits in the space.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I will say, the view from this room is spectacular. The light itself, a little bit of a letdown. Today a 4 inch LED sits in the space.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> So the original light, it was a Fresnel lens with a little lantern torch in the middle. And originally that torch on this station was powered by lard oil.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> So the original light, it was a Fresnel lens with a little lantern torch in the middle. And originally that torch on this station was powered by lard oil.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>A fourth-order Fresnel lens! Imagine a magnificent orb of glass, made up of neat rows of prisms, standing several feet tall. They were designed to concentrate the light of a single flame so intensely it could be seen for about 15 miles.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>A fourth-order Fresnel lens! Imagine a magnificent orb of glass, made up of neat rows of prisms, standing several feet tall. They were designed to concentrate the light of a single flame so intensely it could be seen for about 15 miles.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On March 1, 1874, as sunset approached, three lighthouse keepers climbed up into this very tower, and lit the oil lamp for the very first time. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>On March 1, 1874, as sunset approached, three lighthouse keepers climbed up into this very tower, and lit the oil lamp for the very first time. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The lighthouse has been operating, in some fashion or another, ever since.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>[Music moment]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The lighthouse has been operating, in some fashion or another, ever since.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>[Music moment]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>When we return, we explore what life was like living and working at East Brother. And it might not be like you expect! Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>When we return, we explore what life was like living and working at East Brother. And it might not be like you expect! Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you enjoy stories like this one, consider becoming a financial supporter of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you enjoy stories like this one, consider becoming a financial supporter of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music begins\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music begins\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It’s easy to get enamored by the apparent simplicity of life on an island in the middle of the Bay. I know I imagine myself reading in a hammock. Our question asker, Kathleen, loves that cell reception out on East Brother is limited.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> It is great to decompress and turn your phone off, and we don’t have a lot of opportunities to do that.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> It is great to decompress and turn your phone off, and we don’t have a lot of opportunities to do that.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And sure, that is the experience you will get here today as a guest at the B&B. But working here is hard, as Danielle can attest.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And sure, that is the experience you will get here today as a guest at the B&B. But working here is hard, as Danielle can attest.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>The work is never-ending. Because it’s just the two of us … So we’re the phones and the emails and the booking. There’s some degree of maintenance work that is pretty much always happening. The house needs to be deep cleaned every week between guests.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>The work is never-ending. Because it’s just the two of us … So we’re the phones and the emails and the booking. There’s some degree of maintenance work that is pretty much always happening. The house needs to be deep cleaned every week between guests.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Working here has always been hard. Historian Frank Perry makes clear that his book, \u003cem>East Brother: History of an Island Light Station.\u003c/em> Here’s an excerpt…\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Working here has always been hard. Historian Frank Perry makes clear that his book, \u003cem>East Brother: History of an Island Light Station.\u003c/em> Here’s an excerpt…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>BOOK VO: \u003c/strong>Despite the romantic portrayal of lighthouse keeping in novels, poems and art, the job was monotonous, and the Lighthouse Board knew it. Pay was modest and much of the work boring. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>BOOK VO: \u003c/strong>Despite the romantic portrayal of lighthouse keeping in novels, poems and art, the job was monotonous, and the Lighthouse Board knew it. Pay was modest and much of the work boring. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The nightly routine would begin at sunset. Innkeepers would fill the lamp with lard oil, light the wick, and bring the flame slowly up to the optimal size, just shy of 2 inches. If they did this too quickly, the glass chimney inside the rotating Fresnel lens could crack from the change in temperature. That alone was a 30-minute job. Then the keepers had to sit in the watch room all night, tending to its various needs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The nightly routine would begin at sunset. Innkeepers would fill the lamp with lard oil, light the wick, and bring the flame slowly up to the optimal size, just shy of 2 inches. If they did this too quickly, the glass chimney inside the rotating Fresnel lens could crack from the change in temperature. That alone was a 30-minute job. Then the keepers had to sit in the watch room all night, tending to its various needs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle \u003cstrong>La Vigne\u003c/strong>: \u003c/strong>And because of the timing on that clockwork mechanism and how quickly the wicks would burn down, you gotta check it every half hour.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle \u003cstrong>La Vigne\u003c/strong>: \u003c/strong>And because of the timing on that clockwork mechanism and how quickly the wicks would burn down, you gotta check it every half hour.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>On a clear night, the tiny flame, refracted through that powerful lens, could be seen from parts of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>On a clear night, the tiny flame, refracted through that powerful lens, could be seen from parts of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On a foggy night, things got more complicated. Keepers had to run the fog signal across the courtyard too. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On a foggy night, things got more complicated. Keepers had to run the fog signal across the courtyard too. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Book VO: \u003c/strong>The whistle was sometimes more important in aiding mariners than the light. In dense fog or heavy rain, East Brother’s powerful light was virtually useless. The 10-inch whistle, on the other hand, could often be heard from 10 or 12 miles away.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Book VO: \u003c/strong>The whistle was sometimes more important in aiding mariners than the light. In dense fog or heavy rain, East Brother’s powerful light was virtually useless. The 10-inch whistle, on the other hand, could often be heard from 10 or 12 miles away.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It took about 45 minutes to build up enough steam in the boiler for the fog whistle to work. So in the meantime, one of the keepers went outside and struck a large bell until the whistle could be sounded. Danielle gave us a demonstration.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It took about 45 minutes to build up enough steam in the boiler for the fog whistle to work. So in the meantime, one of the keepers went outside and struck a large bell until the whistle could be sounded. Danielle gave us a demonstration.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Danielle whacking the bell\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Danielle whacking the bell\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What a job.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What a job.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Bell ambi\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Bell ambi\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Book VO: \u003c/strong>Since the whistle might be put in operation night or day, off-duty keepers had to learn to sleep in spite of the noise. Some keepers apparently got quite good at this.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Book VO: \u003c/strong>Since the whistle might be put in operation night or day, off-duty keepers had to learn to sleep in spite of the noise. Some keepers apparently got quite good at this.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Keepers were also quite busy with chores. Cooking, cleaning, maintenance, repairs. When they needed food to supplement the rations that got delivered once a year or so, they had to leave the island for the nearest town, which at the time was San Quentin.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Keepers were also quite busy with chores. Cooking, cleaning, maintenance, repairs. When they needed food to supplement the rations that got delivered once a year or so, they had to leave the island for the nearest town, which at the time was San Quentin.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> So in order to get anything, they had to go to San Quentin. And I have a 200 horsepower motorboat to get back and forth to our little harbor. They had to row.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> So in order to get anything, they had to go to San Quentin. And I have a 200 horsepower motorboat to get back and forth to our little harbor. They had to row.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> So how far would the trip have been from here to San Quentin? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> So how far would the trip have been from here to San Quentin? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Two and a half miles.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Two and a half miles.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Light Keepers also kept daily logbooks with short entries about the day’s work.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Light Keepers also kept daily logbooks with short entries about the day’s work.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Feb. 14 1883 – Wind S.W. Squally, strong. Employed all day cleaning engine room and lens in lantern.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Feb. 14 1883 – Wind S.W. Squally, strong. Employed all day cleaning engine room and lens in lantern.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>…but sometimes you get a glimpse of more. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>…but sometimes you get a glimpse of more. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music start\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music start\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>There was an assistant keeper who got put down in the logbook as a drunken screw-up. He’s one of my favorites.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>There was an assistant keeper who got put down in the logbook as a drunken screw-up. He’s one of my favorites.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Joseph Page was his name. And let’s just say the head keeper at the time was not a fan.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Joseph Page was his name. And let’s just say the head keeper at the time was not a fan.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Dec. 14, 1882 – Mr. Page went to San Quentin for mail, returned as usual, drunk.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Dec. 14, 1882 – Mr. Page went to San Quentin for mail, returned as usual, drunk.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>July 14, 1882 – Mr. Page left for San Quentin. Capsized off the buoy at 12:15 p.m. … \u003cem>The Reform\u003c/em> picked him up ¼ mile NNE of light house. Oars, rudder, mail and all the marketing – consisting of mutton, cabbages, peas, lost. Also milk.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>July 14, 1882 – Mr. Page left for San Quentin. Capsized off the buoy at 12:15 p.m. … \u003cem>The Reform\u003c/em> picked him up ¼ mile NNE of light house. Oars, rudder, mail and all the marketing – consisting of mutton, cabbages, peas, lost. Also milk.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music end\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Over the decades, technological improvements came regularly to East Brother Light Station … most often to the fuel source used to power the light.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music end\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Over the decades, technological improvements came regularly to East Brother Light Station … most often to the fuel source used to power the light.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>The originals used lard oil lamps, and then they switched to mineral oil, and then they used kerosene.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>The originals used lard oil lamps, and then they switched to mineral oil, and then they used kerosene.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>One big change came in 1934 when the lens was electrified – via an underwater cable that connected the island to shore. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>One big change came in 1934 when the lens was electrified – via an underwater cable that connected the island to shore. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A light keeper was no longer needed to keep a flame burning all night – greatly reducing their daily chore load – and probably greatly improving their quality of life. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A light keeper was no longer needed to keep a flame burning all night – greatly reducing their daily chore load – and probably greatly improving their quality of life. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But it was also the first step toward automation – and eliminating the need for lighthouse keepers altogether.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But it was also the first step toward automation – and eliminating the need for lighthouse keepers altogether.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Eventually that came, of course, in 1969. To save on salaries, the U.S. Coast Guard automated everything and pulled the last resident keeper from the island. They planned to demolish the light station, and all the buildings on the island, and put the light on a steel tower.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Eventually that came, of course, in 1969. To save on salaries, the U.S. Coast Guard automated everything and pulled the last resident keeper from the island. They planned to demolish the light station, and all the buildings on the island, and put the light on a steel tower.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music end\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music end\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But locals living nearby in Point Richmond had other plans. They had grown attached to the charming lighthouse out in the bay, and vowed to save it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But locals living nearby in Point Richmond had other plans. They had grown attached to the charming lighthouse out in the bay, and vowed to save it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>One of the first things they did was write a national register nomination for it, which was successful.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Tom Butt is the president of East Brother Light Station Inc., the nonprofit that operates the bed and breakfast. He’s also the former mayor of Richmond.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>One of the first things they did was write a national register nomination for it, which was successful.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Tom Butt is the president of East Brother Light Station Inc., the nonprofit that operates the bed and breakfast. He’s also the former mayor of Richmond.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>East Brother Light Station made it onto the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>East Brother Light Station made it onto the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt:\u003c/strong> That didn’t save it, but it made it harder for the Coast Guard to tear it down.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt:\u003c/strong> That didn’t save it, but it made it harder for the Coast Guard to tear it down.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The local group then tried to find a local organization to take on restoring the site — by that point it was more than a decade behind on maintenance and needed serious work. They focused on groups like the National Parks Service and East Bay Regional Park District. But no one bit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The local group then tried to find a local organization to take on restoring the site — by that point it was more than a decade behind on maintenance and needed serious work. They focused on groups like the National Parks Service and East Bay Regional Park District. But no one bit.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt:\u003c/strong> I think everybody looked at it, and they just it was it it it was just too much.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt:\u003c/strong> I think everybody looked at it, and they just it was it it it was just too much.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Tom went out to the island in 1978.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Tom went out to the island in 1978.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>Looking back now, I was a lot younger and not near as smart as I am now, and I was intrigued by it and said, you know, we can do this.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>Looking back now, I was a lot younger and not near as smart as I am now, and I was intrigued by it and said, you know, we can do this.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>He and others formed a nonprofit and started leasing the site from the Coast Guard. They spent a year rehabbing everything, mostly with volunteer work.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>He and others formed a nonprofit and started leasing the site from the Coast Guard. They spent a year rehabbing everything, mostly with volunteer work.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>New concrete around the cistern.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>New concrete around the cistern.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt:\u003c/strong> We had to do electrical work, we had to do plumbing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>When the work was complete around 1980, the nonprofit began running the site as a bed and breakfast to provide a stream of revenue to keep up on the maintenance. And … well … because it’s fun!\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the beginning of the stay, guests get a boat ride out with innkeepers Danielle and Rae, just like we did at the beginning of the story. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>And then dinner is a four-course dinner with wine.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>A fantastic sunset, if the weather cooperates…\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Just before heading back to shore, guests get a special demonstration that we also get to see on our tour…\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>So the gasoline starter engine here is what actually starts the diesel … And this one starts with a ripped cord. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In the fog signal building, Rae shows us the multistep process it takes to blow the foghorn like they did in the 1930s. The small room is packed with old mechanical equipment, some more than 100 years old. It smells like… old military? Is that a smell?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s a couple diesel engines, a few air compressors … and they’re all kept running today as a museum piece … because the diaphonic horn is one of only eight like it still functioning in the world.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There’s a couple diesel engines, a few air compressors … and they’re all kept running today as a museum piece … because the diaphonic horn is one of only eight like it still functioning in the world.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>The horn sounds cool in here, but it’s really cool out there.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>After 12 minutes of warming up, we head outside for the grand finale of our tour.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Foghorn blows loudly\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price in scene: \u003c/strong>You jumped.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz in scene: \u003c/strong>Well I didn’t know it was coming. I know you’re kinda counting 15, but you’re like…\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I checked in with our question asker Kathleen, to see what she made of our tour today…\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor: \u003c/strong>I think that a lot of times we see us in something we see something that interests us and we do a quick Google search and we think that we’ve kind of learned all we there is to know, but it isn’t until you actually take that boat ride, get out on the island to realize that it is just such a unique experience and really such a hidden secret in the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>East Brother Light Station is such a special place. An improbable compromise carved into stone. A beacon of safety. The sound of warning. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>East Brother Light Station is such a special place. An improbable compromise carved into stone. A beacon of safety. The sound of warning. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For decades, keepers traded modern comfort for cold, salt air. They measured their lives in lonely night shifts spent tending a 2-inch flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Today this light station offers something softer – a chance to step off the boat, leave the modern world behind and sleep inside a piece of living history.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For decades, keepers traded modern comfort for cold, salt air. They measured their lives in lonely night shifts spent tending a 2-inch flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Today this light station offers something softer – a chance to step off the boat, leave the modern world behind and sleep inside a piece of living history.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We hinted at it in this story, but the pier platform where boats dock at East Brother is in need of repair. The nonprofit is working to raise $750,000 to replace it, along with the gangway. Access to the island could be threatened if it’s not repaired. We’ll link to their fundraising page in the show notes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>We hinted at it in this story, but the pier platform where boats dock at East Brother is in need of repair. The nonprofit is working to raise $750,000 to replace it, along with the gangway. Access to the island could be threatened if it’s not repaired. We’ll link to their fundraising page in the show notes.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Big thanks to historian and author Frank Perry, whose book about East Brother Light Station provided much of the historical information in this episode. And to Kathleen Taylor, our question asker.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We just launched a new voting round at \u003ca href=\"http://baycurious.org\">BayCurious.org\u003c/a>, so that means we need your help picking a question to answer in an upcoming episode. Here are your options!\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 1:\u003c/strong> Why does this area have so many community colleges and won’t demographics result in fewer students and some needing to eventually close? How does the ratio of colleges to population compare with other states?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 1:\u003c/strong> Why does this area have so many community colleges and won’t demographics result in fewer students and some needing to eventually close? How does the ratio of colleges to population compare with other states?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 2:\u003c/strong> Why did rogue botanists plant Venus flytraps in the Albion Pygmy Forest in Mendocino in the 1960s?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 2:\u003c/strong> Why did rogue botanists plant Venus flytraps in the Albion Pygmy Forest in Mendocino in the 1960s?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 3: \u003c/strong>I would love to hear about Sally Stanford, the renowned madam turned mayor. I recall my parents having many colorful conversations about her and her “Damn Bird” when we were living in Sausalito.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 3: \u003c/strong>I would love to hear about Sally Stanford, the renowned madam turned mayor. I recall my parents having many colorful conversations about her and her “Damn Bird” when we were living in Sausalito.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Vote anytime this month at \u003ca href=\"http://baycurious.org\">BayCurious.org\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is produced by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen-Price.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We get extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on team KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a wonderful week!\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "East Brother Light Station is a gold-rush era relic that was almost torn down. Spending the night there can feel like time traveling.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A few years ago, a friend sent me the link for a job listing that seemed like an absolute dream. The opening was for a resident innkeeper at a bed and breakfast on an island in the middle of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a>. Even better, the B&B was housed in a 152-year-old working Victorian lighthouse! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>From my cramped desk, I fantasized about a simpler life, spent outside in one of the most gorgeous settings I could imagine. And living rent-free while earning a salary! But reality came crashing down when I read the job required a boat operator’s license and high-quality culinary experience — both of which I lacked. Alas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the fantasy of East Brother Light Station stayed with me. So I was delighted when a Bay Curious listener named Kathleen Taylor wrote in, looking to learn more about the place. \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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066562\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-15-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The inn at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat, and the inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“We were taking the ferry from Vallejo to a Giants game and passed by what looked like a small island with an East Coast-style lighthouse on it,” she recalled. It captured her imagination, too, and she got to wondering: “What’s the history? Did somebody live on that island previously? Just how far back do we have documentation of what went on on that island?”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>So we headed to the island together to get some answers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#history-east-brother\">History of East Brother Light Station \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#early-lightkeepers\">What life was like for early lighthouse keepers\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#bed-and-breakfast\">How it was converted to a bed and breakfast\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#visiting-today\">Visiting East Brother Light Station today\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"history-east-brother\">History of East Brother Light Station\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the decades after gold was first found in California in 1848, mining activity in the Sierra ramped up. Getting supplies from San Francisco up into the mountains often meant floating things up the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. To get there, boats had to skirt around Point San Pablo, the thumb sticking out from Richmond, California. This part of the bay can be especially tough for mariners.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The topography under the water is pretty interesting,” said Rae Colvin, one of the resident innkeepers at East Brother Light Station. “There’s a 160-foot-deep chasm right off the island. But most of the [water] off to the side averages about 15 feet deep.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ships passing through this channel were constantly at risk of running aground even in good weather. Add in some dense fog, and it’s pretty precarious. So in the early 1870s, it was decided a lighthouse and fog horn were needed. Initially, the Lighthouse Board hoped to put the light station on the mainland, but landowners fought back. They delayed things so profoundly that eventually an alternative site was chosen — East Brother Island. \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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066561\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-05-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Inn keeper Danielle La Vigne pilots a boat from Point San Pablo Harbor to East Brother Light Station in Richmond, California, on Dec. 8, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>It was small, less than an acre in size, but it was land the U.S. government already owned. Construction began in 1873.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The exterior of the light station features gingerbread trim, scrollwork and a generous second-floor porch. Not the standard-issue government building we’ve come to expect today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The six-room Victorian light station was intended to house three lightkeepers, and two of them could have families. Downstairs was a bedroom and parlor for the principal keeper. Upstairs was a smaller bedroom and parlor for the assistant keeper. There was also a third bedroom for the most junior keeper. Things were cozy, to say the least.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stacked on top of the living quarters was also the tower that housed the light. When the light station began operating on March 1, 1874, the light’s flame was powered by lard oil and featured a fourth-order \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresnel_lens\">Fresnel lens\u003c/a>. The lens rotated on a clockwork mechanism. On a clear night, this beam, which appeared to flash every 30 seconds because of the design of the lens, could be seen from about 15 miles away. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"early-lightkeepers\">What life was like for early lightkeepers\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Despite the romantic portrayal of lighthouse keeping in novels, poems and art, the job was monotonous, and the Lighthouse Board knew it. Pay was modest and much of the work boring,” Frank Perry wrote in his book, \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/East-Brother-History-Island-Station/dp/0578211750\">\u003cem>East Brother: History of an Island Light Station\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Much of what we know about life on the island comes from Perry’s book, which was compiled using primary sources.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1874, the primary keeper earned $800 a year — the equivalent to about a $24,000 salary today. The assistants earned even less. Their primary responsibility was keeping the light running from sunset to sunrise every night and keeping the fog signal sounding during inclement weather.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nightly routine would begin at sunset. Lightkeepers would fill the lamp with lard oil, light the wick, and slowly bring the flame up to the optimal size of about 1 and 13/16 inches. If they did this too quickly, the glass chimney inside the rotating Fresnel lens could crack from the change in temperature. That alone was a 30-minute job. Then the keepers had to sit in the watch room all night, tending to the needs of the light.\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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-69-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historic photos hang on the wall at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. One lighthouse keeper, John Stenmark, brought his wife and children to live on the island. They had many friends in the community and would host large gatherings on the island. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“Because of the timing on that clockwork mechanism and how quickly the wicks would burn down, you gotta check it every half hour,” said Danielle La Vigne, one of the resident innkeepers at East Brother Light Station. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The innkeepers also had to wipe the glass panes of the lantern room with dry towels to keep moisture away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On foggy nights, the keepers’ jobs were doubly hard. They had to run the fog signal, too, which sits in another building on the island.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The whistle was sometimes more important in aiding mariners than the light,” wrote Perry. “In dense fog or heavy rain, East Brother’s powerful light was virtually useless. The 10-inch whistle, on the other hand, could often be heard from 10 or 12 miles away.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It took about 45 minutes to build up enough steam in the boiler for the fog whistle to work. So in the meantime, one of the keepers went outside and struck a large bell every 15 seconds until the whistle could be sounded. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Beyond the core responsibilities, keepers kept up with a long list of chores: cooking, cleaning, maintenance and repairs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12066564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066564\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The foghorn machinery at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. The 19th-century lighthouse complex includes a restored fog signal that once warned ships navigating San Pablo Bay. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12066563\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066563\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-17-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-17-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-17-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The foghorn machinery at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When they needed food to supplement the dry rations that got delivered once a year or so, they had to leave the island for the nearest town. At the time, that was San Quentin, about 2 1/2 miles away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I have a 200 horsepower motorboat to get back and forth to our little harbor,” said La Vigne. “They had to row.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A daily log was kept by the primary keeper, accounting for the day’s weather and work. Most entries are not more than a sentence, but they do give us a glimpse at the day-to-day life on East Brother. A string of entries in 1882 mention an assistant keeper named Mr. Page, who was a bit of a screw-up.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cblockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 14, 1882 – Wind S.W., strong. Mr. Page left for San Quentin A.M., capsized off the buoy near the West Brother at 12:15 p.m. Capt. Windsor hailed the Steamer Reform passing up at the time and sent her to his relief. The Reform picked him up ¼ of a mile N.N.E. of the Light House and landed him and the boat at the dock at 1:15 p.m. Oars, rudder, mail and all the marketing – consisting of mutton, cabbages, peas, etc., etc., lost, also milk and can.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>\u003cbr>Dec. 14, 1882 – Wind N.E. Foggy from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. Mr. Page went to San Quentin for mail, returned as usual, drunk.\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Feb. 8 1883 – Wind N.E. Light, clear. Mr. Page went for mail and stores, drunk, no mail.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Feb. 10, 1883, a new assistant, Mr. Tippett, is mentioned, and Mr. Page is never spoken of again. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Stenmark era\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though some keepers were men living on their own, passing through East Brother for only a few years, families lived here, too. John Stenmark moved here in 1894 with his wife and 3-month-old daughter, Annie, and they stayed for 20 years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They set up a vegetable garden and raised pigs, goats, rabbits and chickens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Prior to the birth of each of his two sons [Mr. Stenmark] rowed all the way to San Quentin and back to fetch the doctor,” wrote Perry.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When the kids grew older, the government paid for a teacher to live on the island for a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On April 18, 1906, Stenmark wrote about one of the most infamous days in local history in the logbook.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cblockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A heavy earthquake this morning at 5:15 a.m. Lenses of the light broken and glassware broke, and everything of glass broke. \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Doors open of themselves and the whole island rocking. All the lenses broke.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the next two days, the Stenmarks watched from their quiet island as the fire that followed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12068602/san-franciscos-historic-relief-cottages-built-after-the-1906-earthquake-are-hidden-in-plain-sight\">earthquake consumed San Francisco\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The end of lighthouse keepers\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the decades, technological improvements came regularly to East Brother Light Station, most often to the fuel source used to power the light.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“The original used lard oil lamps, and then they switched to mineral oil, and then they used kerosene,” Colvin 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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066565\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-40-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view from the inn at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One big change came in 1934 when electricity arrived on the island via an underwater cable that connected it to shore. A lightkeeper was no longer needed to keep a flame burning all night — greatly reducing their daily chore load. The steam-powered fog signal was replaced with a diaphonic horn that can still be operated today and is one of only eight like it in the world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To save on salaries, the U.S. Coast Guard automated everything and pulled the last resident personnel from the island in 1969. They planned to demolish all the buildings and put the light on a steel tower. But residents living in Point Richmond had other plans. They had grown attached to the charming lighthouse off their shoreline and were ready to fight for it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"bed-and-breakfast\">How it was converted to a bed and breakfast\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the first things [local residents] did was write a National Register nomination for it, which was successful,” said Tom Butt, founder and president of East Brother Light Station Inc., the nonprofit that operates the bed and breakfast. He’s also the former mayor of Richmond and a longtime city council member. “That didn’t save it, but it made it harder for the Coast Guard to tear it down because it invoked the Historic Preservation Act of 1966.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group then tried to find a local organization to take on rehabilitating the site, because by that point it was more than a decade behind on maintenance and needed serious work. They focused on organizations like the National Park Service and East Bay Regional Park District, but no one was interested.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think everybody looked at it and [thought] it was just too much,” said Butt. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He went to the island in 1978. “Looking back now,” he said, “I was a lot younger and not near as smart as I am now, and I was intrigued by it and said, ‘you know, we can do this.’”\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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-68-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066569\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-68-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-68-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-68-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Marin Room, which faces Mount Tamalpais, at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat, and the inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12066567\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-54-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066567\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-54-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-54-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-54-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lighthouse shower curtain hangs in a bathroom at the inn on East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12066571\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-76-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066571\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-76-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-76-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-76-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A room at East Brother Light Station, an island just off the Richmond shoreline, on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat. The inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He and others formed a nonprofit and started leasing the site from the Coast Guard. They spent a year rehabilitating everything, mostly with volunteer work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“All the buildings at that point were covered with asbestos shingles,” Butt said. “All of the ornamental railings had long since been taken off. We were lucky we had original plans from the National Archives, so we were able to replicate all that trim and put that back on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Volunteers did electrical work, plumbing, plastering and painting. It was a ton of work, but they managed to get it all done in about a year. The nonprofit began running the site as a bed and breakfast in 1980 to provide a stream of revenue to keep up with the maintenance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though most of the operational costs and maintenance for the B&B are now covered by the nightly fee guests pay, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-east-brother-lighthouse-replace-the-pier?cp_src=d\">a major fundraising effort\u003c/a> is underway to replace the dock and gangway on the east side of the island. It must be replaced, or access to the island could be threatened. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"visiting-today\">Visiting East Brother Light Station today\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nonprofit B&B is open four nights a week for overnight guests, and it’s recommended you \u003ca href=\"https://ebls.org/?_gl=1%2A1oq51ai%2A_ga%2AMjkzMDI3NzY5LjE3ODYxMzI2MjI.%2A_ga_J5B5MW125P%2AczE3ODc4NzI0MjUkbzckZzEkdDE3ODc4NzI0NDMkajQyJGwwJGgw\">book one of the five rooms well in advance\u003c/a>. Rates range from $525 to $575 per night. During summer months, there is once-monthly day-use access for $45, which includes the boat ride to and from the island.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the beginning of the overnight stays, guests are taken by boat from Point San Pablo Marina by innkeepers Colvin and La Vigne. Once on the island, hors d’oeuvre and champagne are served, Colvin gives a history talk, and then comes a four-course dinner with wine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We try to focus as much as we can on keeping things local,” La Vigne said. “We collaborate with the little goat farm that’s in the harbor, and we tend to plan the meals around what is being harvested now, what’s in season.”\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/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066568\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251208-EASTBROTHER-64-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Innkeepers Rachel (Rae) Colvin (left) and Danielle La Vigne at East Brother Light Station in Richmond on Dec. 8, 2025. The historic lighthouse sits on a small, rocky outcrop in San Pablo Bay and is accessible only by boat, and the inn provides overnight stays in the restored 19th-century keeper’s quarters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>They also try to make meals part of the historical experience, using ingredients the keepers would have received as part of their rations — like potatoes, rice and salted pork.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have recipes from the Lighthouse Keeper’s Manual from 1891 that had recipes for how to stretch your rations. Last night we served for the first course a corn chowder that is from that original Lighthouse Keeper’s handbook,” La Vigne said. “Although their recipe was incredibly bland, and I spruced it up a lot.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So, historically inspired … but for a modern palate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Guests sleep in rooms neatly decorated with antiques. Most rooms are named after the view you see from the room, so there’s West Brother (the neighboring island), Marin Room, San Francisco Room. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A more modest room is out in the fog signal building — a popular choice for returning guests looking for a different experience, Colvin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most of the clientele are couples looking for a romantic getaway, but the house is also regularly rented out entirely by groups for birthdays, anniversaries or themed experiences.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We had two murder mystery dinner parties in the past month,” La Vigne said. “Both parties dressed up. They were in character the whole time. It was 1920 the whole time they were here.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the morning, before guests depart, they offer a demonstration of the fog signal — I can attest, it’s loud!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>sound design of the sea: waves, gulls\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>There’s something dreamy about lighthouses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their striking architecture, rising high above our human scale.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their symbolism. A literal light in the darkness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In me, lighthouses stir something nostalgic. A time before GPS and radar — when navigation was done with charts and stars.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today, many lighthouses across the United States have become tourism attractions, like Cape Hatteras in North Carolina and the St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But there’s a lighthouse near San Francisco that offers an experience like none other. Not just a quick trip to the top, but an opportunity to live like a lighthouse keeper of yore!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>East Brother Light Station looks like it could have been plucked from a child’s storybook. It’s a charming three-story wooden house, painted a creamy yellow with white gingerbread trim. At the top, stands a tower, where the brilliant light beckons through the fog.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kathleen got to wondering a lot of things about this lighthouse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor: \u003c/strong>What’s the history? Did somebody live on that island previously? Just how far back do we have documentation of, you know, what went on on that Island?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So today we’re on a mission for answers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Step one! We have to get to the lighthouse. At a marina north of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, Kathleen and I make our way toward a small boat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There we meet Danielle La Vigne and Rae Colvin — the two keepers currently living on the island.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Oh, you guys can hop on board. Our insurance company does ask that you wear those.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Life vests are on, and we are off. Danielle and Rae have been living at the East Brother Light Station for about a year and half. But the helm of a boat is a familiar place for them.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price in scene:\u003c/strong> Did you know how to drive a boat, or is this a recent skill you’ve had to acquire? ‘Cause you’ve, you guys have been on the job for…\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>I’ve been a commercial captain for almost 20 years. This is the smallest boat that I’ve ever operated professionally. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>As we’re making our way out of the marina, Rae spots a seal.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>A lot of seals live out by the island. … we have a bunch of birds and the harbor seals and sometimes a sea lion.\u003cem>\u003cs>\u003cbr>\u003c/s>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Danielle and Rae are the only two full-time \u003cem>human\u003c/em> residents of East Brother Light Station. But they’re far from alone out there. Because keeping the light running is not their main focus. Instead it’s catering to the weekly overnight guests who join them at the Light Station. Because these days East Brother is a one-of-a-kind bed and breakfast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price in scene: \u003c/strong>Oh, we just snuck around the bend, and I am seeing the light station probably 400 feet away or so.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I can’t see it from up on the water, but down beneath our boat lies the answer to one of Kathleen’s questions. Why is this lighthouse \u003cem>here\u003c/em>, some 15 miles from the open ocean?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music begins\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In the decades after gold was first found in California in 1848, mining activity in the Sierra really ramped up. Getting supplies from San Francisco up into the mountains often meant taking a boat — floating things up the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ships had to skirt around Point San Pablo — where our little boat just departed from. Rae Colvin explains.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>And they put a lighthouse out here because the topography under the water is pretty interesting. There’s a 160-foot-deep chasm right off the island. But most of the open ocean off to the side that you can see averages out to about 15 feet deep. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ships passing through this channel were constantly at risk of running aground even in good weather. Add in some dense fog and it’s pretty precarious.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So in the early 1870s, it was decided a lighthouse and foghorn were needed. Initially, they hoped to put the light station on the mainland, but quickly ran into issues…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>The people who owned the land on the East Bay there didn’t want to sell to the government to let them build a lighthouse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>After years of trying and failing to get the landowners to relent, the government changed course. Just offshore was \u003cem>East Brother Island\u003c/em> — a speck of land really, smaller than an acre — but it was enough. And better yet, it was land the U.S. government already owned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music starts\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Workers blasted sandstone from the top of the island to create a level plot. A foundation went in, walls went up, and in less than a year the six-room Victorian light station was complete. The design is quite striking…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>There’s a lot of ornamental woodwork on it, and it’s three stories.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But it’s not exactly unique. Lighthouses with a similar design were built all over the West Coast. This is the oldest one still standing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music ends\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Fade up on sound of boat slowing down and approaching dock. Ambi of arriving sounds.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The wind picks up as our little boat approaches the island and sidles up to the dock. Once we’re off, Danielle and Rae work to get the boat lifted out of the water.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>If we left it in the water, it would just get thrashed against the dock all day long, and this dock already needs help so.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>This one’s been here since I think the 1960s, and, you know, it’s seen better days.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The dock may need work, but as we make our way up some stairs and onto the property, a tidy semicircle of three buildings emerges. The main light station to the west, a small cottage to the north, and a fog signal building to the east. All fit on about three-quarters of an acre. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The buildings surround a low white dome covering something beneath the pavement. Danielle explains…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>We need to collect rainwater to survive out here, this whole courtyard is set up to direct all of the rain flow down into the cistern.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Across the courtyard we head into the main house, where today most of the overnight bed-and-breakfast guests stay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>So of course we have to do the shameless product placement. As you enter the house, the first room you see is the gift shop.\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>OK, so, the gift shop is not original to the light station, but the mugs they sell are popular with B&B guests. Couples often come out for romantic getaways. Kathleen and I learn learn groups stay here for birding weekends or murder-mystery parties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> How often do you get groups that rent the whole island? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Two, yeah, two to three times a month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The house has seen some changes over its 152-year life, but it’s not hard to imagine what it once was. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most often three lighthouse keepers, and sometimes their families, shared the home. There’d be a primary keeper, aka the boss, living downstairs. And then the first assistant upstairs, along with a junior keeper, someone just learning the ropes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They all lived, ate and slept beneath the tower that housed the light. Staying close because it needed constant attention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> This is the parlor, which is the comfy hangout spot for the guests. Originally this would have been the junior keeper’s parlor. And the bedroom right over here, the Marin room, would have been the junior keeper’s bedroom. So it was kind of like a little apartment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Today, B&B guests stay in bedrooms with cozy beds, decorated with beautiful antiques. Historical maps and pictures of boats hang on the walls. And each room gets a name, based on what is visible outside the window.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> So this is the San Francisco room, and it’s my personal favorite room. \u003cs>I\u003c/s>t has an arched ceiling, and it looks out to San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We make our way to the main attraction: the tower … which is made up of three tiny rooms stacked on top of each other. We start at the base.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>So this is kind of the prep room where they’d get everything ready, but every half hour they had to go up there and trim the wick and refill the oil.\u003cem>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Next we head up to the Watch room.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> It’s a tightly winding staircase like you would expect in a Victorian mansion.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>We’re now 40 feet up. So you’ve got a pretty good view. If it’s stormy out, if it seems like it’s there’s a danger of a ship not seeing the light or whatever, that’s where you’re watching from so that you can signal those people if you need to.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Finally, we head to the pinnacle. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> Up here is more winding stairs up into the actual lighthouse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I will say, the view from this room is spectacular. The light itself, a little bit of a letdown. Today a 4 inch LED sits in the space.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin:\u003c/strong> So the original light, it was a Fresnel lens with a little lantern torch in the middle. And originally that torch on this station was powered by lard oil.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>A fourth-order Fresnel lens! Imagine a magnificent orb of glass, made up of neat rows of prisms, standing several feet tall. They were designed to concentrate the light of a single flame so intensely it could be seen for about 15 miles.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On March 1, 1874, as sunset approached, three lighthouse keepers climbed up into this very tower, and lit the oil lamp for the very first time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The lighthouse has been operating, in some fashion or another, ever since.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>[Music moment]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>When we return, we explore what life was like living and working at East Brother. And it might not be like you expect! Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you enjoy stories like this one, consider becoming a financial supporter of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music begins\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It’s easy to get enamored by the apparent simplicity of life on an island in the middle of the Bay. I know I imagine myself reading in a hammock. Our question asker, Kathleen, loves that cell reception out on East Brother is limited.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> It is great to decompress and turn your phone off, and we don’t have a lot of opportunities to do that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And sure, that is the experience you will get here today as a guest at the B&B. But working here is hard, as Danielle can attest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne: \u003c/strong>The work is never-ending. Because it’s just the two of us … So we’re the phones and the emails and the booking. There’s some degree of maintenance work that is pretty much always happening. The house needs to be deep cleaned every week between guests.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Working here has always been hard. Historian Frank Perry makes clear that his book, \u003cem>East Brother: History of an Island Light Station.\u003c/em> Here’s an excerpt…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>BOOK VO: \u003c/strong>Despite the romantic portrayal of lighthouse keeping in novels, poems and art, the job was monotonous, and the Lighthouse Board knew it. Pay was modest and much of the work boring. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The nightly routine would begin at sunset. Innkeepers would fill the lamp with lard oil, light the wick, and bring the flame slowly up to the optimal size, just shy of 2 inches. If they did this too quickly, the glass chimney inside the rotating Fresnel lens could crack from the change in temperature. That alone was a 30-minute job. Then the keepers had to sit in the watch room all night, tending to its various needs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle \u003cstrong>La Vigne\u003c/strong>: \u003c/strong>And because of the timing on that clockwork mechanism and how quickly the wicks would burn down, you gotta check it every half hour.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>On a clear night, the tiny flame, refracted through that powerful lens, could be seen from parts of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a foggy night, things got more complicated. Keepers had to run the fog signal across the courtyard too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Book VO: \u003c/strong>The whistle was sometimes more important in aiding mariners than the light. In dense fog or heavy rain, East Brother’s powerful light was virtually useless. The 10-inch whistle, on the other hand, could often be heard from 10 or 12 miles away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It took about 45 minutes to build up enough steam in the boiler for the fog whistle to work. So in the meantime, one of the keepers went outside and struck a large bell until the whistle could be sounded. Danielle gave us a demonstration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Danielle whacking the bell\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What a job.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Bell ambi\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Book VO: \u003c/strong>Since the whistle might be put in operation night or day, off-duty keepers had to learn to sleep in spite of the noise. Some keepers apparently got quite good at this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Keepers were also quite busy with chores. Cooking, cleaning, maintenance, repairs. When they needed food to supplement the rations that got delivered once a year or so, they had to leave the island for the nearest town, which at the time was San Quentin.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> So in order to get anything, they had to go to San Quentin. And I have a 200 horsepower motorboat to get back and forth to our little harbor. They had to row.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor:\u003c/strong> So how far would the trip have been from here to San Quentin? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Danielle La Vigne:\u003c/strong> Two and a half miles.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Light Keepers also kept daily logbooks with short entries about the day’s work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Feb. 14 1883 – Wind S.W. Squally, strong. Employed all day cleaning engine room and lens in lantern.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>…but sometimes you get a glimpse of more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music start\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>There was an assistant keeper who got put down in the logbook as a drunken screw-up. He’s one of my favorites.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Joseph Page was his name. And let’s just say the head keeper at the time was not a fan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Dec. 14, 1882 – Mr. Page went to San Quentin for mail, returned as usual, drunk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>July 14, 1882 – Mr. Page left for San Quentin. Capsized off the buoy at 12:15 p.m. … \u003cem>The Reform\u003c/em> picked him up ¼ mile NNE of light house. Oars, rudder, mail and all the marketing – consisting of mutton, cabbages, peas, lost. Also milk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music end\u003cbr>\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Over the decades, technological improvements came regularly to East Brother Light Station … most often to the fuel source used to power the light.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>The originals used lard oil lamps, and then they switched to mineral oil, and then they used kerosene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>One big change came in 1934 when the lens was electrified – via an underwater cable that connected the island to shore. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A light keeper was no longer needed to keep a flame burning all night – greatly reducing their daily chore load – and probably greatly improving their quality of life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But it was also the first step toward automation – and eliminating the need for lighthouse keepers altogether.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eventually that came, of course, in 1969. To save on salaries, the U.S. Coast Guard automated everything and pulled the last resident keeper from the island. They planned to demolish the light station, and all the buildings on the island, and put the light on a steel tower.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music end\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But locals living nearby in Point Richmond had other plans. They had grown attached to the charming lighthouse out in the bay, and vowed to save it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>One of the first things they did was write a national register nomination for it, which was successful.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Tom Butt is the president of East Brother Light Station Inc., the nonprofit that operates the bed and breakfast. He’s also the former mayor of Richmond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>East Brother Light Station made it onto the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt:\u003c/strong> That didn’t save it, but it made it harder for the Coast Guard to tear it down.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>The local group then tried to find a local organization to take on restoring the site — by that point it was more than a decade behind on maintenance and needed serious work. They focused on groups like the National Parks Service and East Bay Regional Park District. But no one bit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt:\u003c/strong> I think everybody looked at it, and they just it was it it it was just too much.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Tom went out to the island in 1978.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>Looking back now, I was a lot younger and not near as smart as I am now, and I was intrigued by it and said, you know, we can do this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>He and others formed a nonprofit and started leasing the site from the Coast Guard. They spent a year rehabbing everything, mostly with volunteer work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>New concrete around the cistern.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt:\u003c/strong> We had to do electrical work, we had to do plumbing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All the ornamental railings had been taken off, so they made new ones using the original plans they found in the National Archives.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>Repainted everything on the inside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>There was asbestos to remove.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tom Butt: \u003c/strong>It was a lot of work. And you know … it took a year, but we got it done. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>When the work was complete around 1980, the nonprofit began running the site as a bed and breakfast to provide a stream of revenue to keep up on the maintenance. And … well … because it’s fun!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the beginning of the stay, guests get a boat ride out with innkeepers Danielle and Rae, just like we did at the beginning of the story. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>We do charcuterie and champagne…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>A history tour with Rae.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>And then dinner is a four-course dinner with wine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>A fantastic sunset, if the weather cooperates…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>And then in the morning it’s a full breakfast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Just before heading back to shore, guests get a special demonstration that we also get to see on our tour…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>So the gasoline starter engine here is what actually starts the diesel … And this one starts with a ripped cord. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In the fog signal building, Rae shows us the multistep process it takes to blow the foghorn like they did in the 1930s. The small room is packed with old mechanical equipment, some more than 100 years old. It smells like… old military? Is that a smell?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s a couple diesel engines, a few air compressors … and they’re all kept running today as a museum piece … because the diaphonic horn is one of only eight like it still functioning in the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rae Colvin: \u003c/strong>The horn sounds cool in here, but it’s really cool out there.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>After 12 minutes of warming up, we head outside for the grand finale of our tour.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Foghorn blows loudly\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price in scene: \u003c/strong>You jumped.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz in scene: \u003c/strong>Well I didn’t know it was coming. I know you’re kinda counting 15, but you’re like…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Despite being ready, it still startled us all. Absolutely thrilling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I checked in with our question asker Kathleen, to see what she made of our tour today…\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor: \u003c/strong>I think that a lot of times we see us in something we see something that interests us and we do a quick Google search and we think that we’ve kind of learned all we there is to know, but it isn’t until you actually take that boat ride, get out on the island to realize that it is just such a unique experience and really such a hidden secret in the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>East Brother Light Station is such a special place. An improbable compromise carved into stone. A beacon of safety. The sound of warning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For decades, keepers traded modern comfort for cold, salt air. They measured their lives in lonely night shifts spent tending a 2-inch flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Today this light station offers something softer – a chance to step off the boat, leave the modern world behind and sleep inside a piece of living history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We hinted at it in this story, but the pier platform where boats dock at East Brother is in need of repair. The nonprofit is working to raise $750,000 to replace it, along with the gangway. Access to the island could be threatened if it’s not repaired. We’ll link to their fundraising page in the show notes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Big thanks to historian and author Frank Perry, whose book about East Brother Light Station provided much of the historical information in this episode. And to Kathleen Taylor, our question asker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We just launched a new voting round at \u003ca href=\"http://baycurious.org\">BayCurious.org\u003c/a>, so that means we need your help picking a question to answer in an upcoming episode. Here are your options!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 1:\u003c/strong> Why does this area have so many community colleges and won’t demographics result in fewer students and some needing to eventually close? How does the ratio of colleges to population compare with other states?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 2:\u003c/strong> Why did rogue botanists plant Venus flytraps in the Albion Pygmy Forest in Mendocino in the 1960s?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Question 3: \u003c/strong>I would love to hear about Sally Stanford, the renowned madam turned mayor. I recall my parents having many colorful conversations about her and her “Damn Bird” when we were living in Sausalito.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Vote anytime this month at \u003ca href=\"http://baycurious.org\">BayCurious.org\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kathleen Taylor: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is produced by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen-Price.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We get extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a wonderful week!\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>"
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"slug": "yosemite-is-not-for-sale-california-officials-oppose-land-swap-deal",
"title": "‘Yosemite Is Not for Sale’: California Officials Oppose Land-Swap Deal",
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"headTitle": "‘Yosemite Is Not for Sale’: California Officials Oppose Land-Swap Deal | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A group of California lawmakers called on federal officials to halt and reject \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097316/trump-administration-reportedly-considers-development-of-private-road-in-yosemite\">a proposed land exchange\u003c/a> in Yosemite National Park that would allow a private developer to take control of a strip of land in the park for an access road to the park’s main attractions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L2Dvbwl_sEEu_lf3TiVOTtok7kmVOm2U/view\">letter\u003c/a> to Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Wednesday was signed by a bipartisan group of 61 state legislators led by Assemblymember Greg Wallis, a Republican who represents Riverside and San Bernardino counties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Republicans and Democrats from both houses of the Legislature are standing together because some things are bigger than politics,” Wallis said in a statement. “Yosemite is not a subdivision. It is not a bargaining chip. And it is not for sale. Secretary Burgum and the administration should put an end to this proposal.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12048542\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Interior Secretary Doug Burgum (center) visited the Tunnel Tops in San Francisco in 2025 after he and then-Attorney General Pam Bondi toured Alcatraz ahead of their announcement to reopen the former federal prison. (Katie DeBenedetti/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group argued that the proposed land exchange is counter to the mission of the National Park Service and the founding of Yosemite in 1864, which set aside the start of the park for public use and protection for the first time in the history of the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What is being proposed now runs directly against that founding principle, more than a century and a half later,” the letter states. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It continues later: “Our national parks belong equally to every American. They are not the Department’s to trade away, and they are not for sale.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The proposal was \u003ca href=\"https://www.notus.org/agencies/trump-administration-yosemite-private-developer-deal\">first reported\u003c/a> by news outlet NOTUS, which published a story last week alleging that members of the Trump administration were meeting with representatives of Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a private equity group that owns an 83-acre parcel next to the park. In an email to KQED, Kingsbarn’s lawyer Lanny J. Davis confirmed the group is pursuing the land exchange to build a new access road from its property to the park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Previous owners have pushed for the same deal since the early 2000s and \u003ca href=\"https://earthjustice.org/press/2012/new-roads-into-yosemite-valley-rejected-by-federal-court\">failed\u003c/a> in court.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park), who signed on to the letter, called the proposal “indefensible,” and said he’s looking at state laws to ensure a similar proposal could never slip through.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If the Trump administration can’t defend this publicly in broad daylight, then they shouldn’t be doing it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Marin) told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915115/trump-administration-allow-private-development-in-yosemite\">KQED’s Forum on Wednesday\u003c/a> that he’s worried there isn’t enough opposition among his Republican colleagues in Congress to stop the Trump administration’s efforts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I have not seen a single Republican colleague willing to stand up to Donald Trump when he decides that he’s just going to do something,” Huffman said. “So that is my concern, that he just plows ahead with this — even if it has dubious legal authority, or even if it’s an open violation of the law. He’s doing stuff like that anyway. And in this Congress, there’s no one here to stop him.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson), whose district includes parts of Yosemite, said she will “keep pressing the Department [of the Interior] for a clear answer that this exchange will not proceed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since the news of the deal broke late last week, it has sparked condemnation from a number of Democratic state leaders, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/alexpadilla4ca/posts/yosemite-is-not-for-sale-smidurl-share/1614990713322959/\">Sens. Alex Padilla\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/SenAdamSchiff/status/2093448467758690464\">Adam Schiff\u003c/a>, as well as \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/AGRobBonta/status/2093447502632796326\">Attorney General Rob Bonta\u003c/a> and Bonta’s predecessor, \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/becerraforgovernor/posts/yosemite-is-not-for-saleit-is-unacceptable-that-the-trump-administration-is-repo/1625938552231560/\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095034/becerra-easily-leading-california-governors-race-defined-by-partisan-split-poll-shows\">leads the race\u003c/a> for California governor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1335\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12060933\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People demonstrate during a protest against federal employee layoffs at Yosemite National Park, California, on March 1, 2025. (Laure Andrillon/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The secretive backroom land-exchange scheme has gotten everyone’s attention,” said Neal Desai, senior Pacific regional director of the National Parks Conservation Association. “I can’t recall another issue — and I’ve been working in the conservation space for over a couple of decades — where the response has been this sharp and so one-sided that this is a terrible idea that should not happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The backlash comes at a turbulent time for National Park Service employees, who have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060911/new-trump-layoffs-could-put-hundreds-more-national-park-service-employees-on-the-chopping-block\">faced layoffs,\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066741/a-morale-bomb-national-park-workers-face-wage-cuts-and-dubiously-legal-review-system\">staffing cuts\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055659/national-park-service-california-yosemite-muir-woods-trump-executive-order\">fear of retaliation\u003c/a> for speaking up against Trump administration policies since the start of the second Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some former employees have also raised concerns about a potential reorganization of the National Park Service, according to a separate \u003ca href=\"https://protectnps.org/2026/09/02/former-national-park-superintendents-warn-interior-secretary-national-parks-are-in-crisis/\">letter\u003c/a> sent to Burgum’s office Wednesday. According to an email seen by KQED, park superintendents have been asked to attend in-person regional meetings in September — with no clear agenda beyond discussing “agency priorities, our FY 2026 outlook, and other matters important to the work ahead.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The letter to Burgam, signed by 20 retired parks superintendents warns: “An ill-advised and hastily planned reorganization could dismantle that structure, putting our parks — and those who visit them — at great risk.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062223\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-KQED.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tour guide William Fontana points visitors to climbers on El Capitan during a tour of the Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Oct. 28, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Emily Thompson, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, which organized the letter, said the email about regional meetings “raises some alarm bells.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The Park Service is already operating from a difficult place, from a place of crisis,” she said. “And any additional cuts, any movements or actions that would further jeopardize the capacity of the folks that are left, that’s concerning. It’s worrying, and it’ll have a devastating impact on the Park Service.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the letter’s signatories is Don Neubacher, retired Yosemite superintendent, who has been a vocal advocate for parks amid the Trump administration’s changes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thompson said she’s worried parks leaders will be stretched even further than they already are, and local decision-making over parks could be in jeopardy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Morale is low,” Thompson said. “It’s a hard time to be a federal employee. Anything that … contributes to this culture of fear, it’s just not acceptable.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Republicans and Democrats from both houses of the Legislature are standing together because some things are bigger than politics,” Wallis said in a statement. “Yosemite is not a subdivision. It is not a bargaining chip. And it is not for sale. Secretary Burgum and the administration should put an end to this proposal.”\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/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12048542\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Interior Secretary Doug Burgum (center) visited the Tunnel Tops in San Francisco in 2025 after he and then-Attorney General Pam Bondi toured Alcatraz ahead of their announcement to reopen the former federal prison.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Katie DeBenedetti/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The group argued that the proposed land exchange is counter to the mission of the National Park Service and the founding of Yosemite in 1864, which set aside the start of the park for public use and protection for the first time in the history of the federal government.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The group argued that the proposed land exchange is counter to the mission of the National Park Service and the founding of Yosemite in 1864, which set aside the start of the park for public use and protection for the first time in the history of the federal government.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What is being proposed now runs directly against that founding principle, more than a century and a half later,” the letter states. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It continues later: “Our national parks belong equally to every American. They are not the Department’s to trade away, and they are not for sale.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It continues later: “Our national parks belong equally to every American. They are not the Department’s to trade away, and they are not for sale.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The proposal was \u003ca href=\"https://www.notus.org/agencies/trump-administration-yosemite-private-developer-deal\">first reported\u003c/a> by news outlet NOTUS, which published a story last week alleging that members of the Trump administration were meeting with representatives of Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a private equity group that owns an 83-acre parcel next to the park. In an email to KQED, Kingsbarn’s lawyer Lanny J. Davis confirmed the group is pursuing the land exchange to build a new access road from its property to the park.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The proposal was \u003ca href=\"https://www.notus.org/agencies/trump-administration-yosemite-private-developer-deal\">first reported\u003c/a> by news outlet NOTUS, which published a story last week alleging that members of the Trump administration were meeting with representatives of Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a private equity group that owns an 83-acre parcel next to the park. In an email to KQED, Kingsbarn’s lawyer Lanny J. Davis confirmed the group is pursuing the land exchange to build a new access road from its property to the park.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Previous owners have pushed for the same deal since the early 2000s and \u003ca href=\"https://earthjustice.org/press/2012/new-roads-into-yosemite-valley-rejected-by-federal-court\">failed\u003c/a> in court.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park), who signed on to the letter, called the proposal “indefensible,” and said he’s looking at state laws to ensure a similar proposal could never slip through.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If the Trump administration can’t defend this publicly in broad daylight, then they shouldn’t be doing it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Marin) told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915115/trump-administration-allow-private-development-in-yosemite\">KQED’s Forum on Wednesday\u003c/a> that he’s worried there isn’t enough opposition among his Republican colleagues in Congress to stop the Trump administration’s efforts. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Marin) told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915115/trump-administration-allow-private-development-in-yosemite\">KQED’s Forum on Wednesday\u003c/a> that he’s worried there isn’t enough opposition among his Republican colleagues in Congress to stop the Trump administration’s efforts. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I have not seen a single Republican colleague willing to stand up to Donald Trump when he decides that he’s just going to do something,” Huffman said. “So that is my concern, that he just plows ahead with this — even if it has dubious legal authority, or even if it’s an open violation of the law. He’s doing stuff like that anyway. And in this Congress, there’s no one here to stop him.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson), whose district includes parts of Yosemite, said she will “keep pressing the Department [of the Interior] for a clear answer that this exchange will not proceed.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since the news of the deal broke late last week, it has sparked condemnation from a number of Democratic state leaders, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/alexpadilla4ca/posts/yosemite-is-not-for-sale-smidurl-share/1614990713322959/\">Sens. Alex Padilla\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/SenAdamSchiff/status/2093448467758690464\">Adam Schiff\u003c/a>, as well as \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/AGRobBonta/status/2093447502632796326\">Attorney General Rob Bonta\u003c/a> and Bonta’s predecessor, \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/becerraforgovernor/posts/yosemite-is-not-for-saleit-is-unacceptable-that-the-trump-administration-is-repo/1625938552231560/\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095034/becerra-easily-leading-california-governors-race-defined-by-partisan-split-poll-shows\">leads the race\u003c/a> for California governor.\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/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12060933\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People demonstrate during a protest against federal employee layoffs at Yosemite National Park, California, on March 1, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Laure Andrillon/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The secretive backroom land-exchange scheme has gotten everyone’s attention,” said Neal Desai, senior Pacific regional director of the National Parks Conservation Association. “I can’t recall another issue — and I’ve been working in the conservation space for over a couple of decades — where the response has been this sharp and so one-sided that this is a terrible idea that should not happen.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The backlash comes at a turbulent time for National Park Service employees, who have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060911/new-trump-layoffs-could-put-hundreds-more-national-park-service-employees-on-the-chopping-block\">faced layoffs,\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066741/a-morale-bomb-national-park-workers-face-wage-cuts-and-dubiously-legal-review-system\">staffing cuts\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055659/national-park-service-california-yosemite-muir-woods-trump-executive-order\">fear of retaliation\u003c/a> for speaking up against Trump administration policies since the start of the second Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The backlash comes at a turbulent time for National Park Service employees, who have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060911/new-trump-layoffs-could-put-hundreds-more-national-park-service-employees-on-the-chopping-block\">faced layoffs,\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066741/a-morale-bomb-national-park-workers-face-wage-cuts-and-dubiously-legal-review-system\">staffing cuts\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055659/national-park-service-california-yosemite-muir-woods-trump-executive-order\">fear of retaliation\u003c/a> for speaking up against Trump administration policies since the start of the second Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some former employees have also raised concerns about a potential reorganization of the National Park Service, according to a separate \u003ca href=\"https://protectnps.org/2026/09/02/former-national-park-superintendents-warn-interior-secretary-national-parks-are-in-crisis/\">letter\u003c/a> sent to Burgum’s office Wednesday. According to an email seen by KQED, park superintendents have been asked to attend in-person regional meetings in September — with no clear agenda beyond discussing “agency priorities, our FY 2026 outlook, and other matters important to the work ahead.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some former employees have also raised concerns about a potential reorganization of the National Park Service, according to a separate \u003ca href=\"https://protectnps.org/2026/09/02/former-national-park-superintendents-warn-interior-secretary-national-parks-are-in-crisis/\">letter\u003c/a> sent to Burgum’s office Wednesday. According to an email seen by KQED, park superintendents have been asked to attend in-person regional meetings in September — with no clear agenda beyond discussing “agency priorities, our FY 2026 outlook, and other matters important to the work ahead.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The letter to Burgam, signed by 20 retired parks superintendents warns: “An ill-advised and hastily planned reorganization could dismantle that structure, putting our parks — and those who visit them — at great risk.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The letter to Burgam, signed by 20 retired parks superintendents warns: “An ill-advised and hastily planned reorganization could dismantle that structure, putting our parks — and those who visit them — at great risk.”\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/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062223\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-KQED.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-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\">Tour guide William Fontana points visitors to climbers on El Capitan during a tour of the Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Oct. 28, 2025. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Emily Thompson, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, which organized the letter, said the email about regional meetings “raises some alarm bells.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The Park Service is already operating from a difficult place, from a place of crisis,” she said. “And any additional cuts, any movements or actions that would further jeopardize the capacity of the folks that are left, that’s concerning. It’s worrying, and it’ll have a devastating impact on the Park Service.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The Park Service is already operating from a difficult place, from a place of crisis,” she said. “And any additional cuts, any movements or actions that would further jeopardize the capacity of the folks that are left, that’s concerning. It’s worrying, and it’ll have a devastating impact on the Park Service.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Among the letter’s signatories is Don Neubacher, retired Yosemite superintendent, who has been a vocal advocate for parks amid the Trump administration’s changes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thompson said she’s worried parks leaders will be stretched even further than they already are, and local decision-making over parks could be in jeopardy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Morale is low,” Thompson said. “It’s a hard time to be a federal employee. Anything that … contributes to this culture of fear, it’s just not acceptable.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"title": "‘Yosemite Is Not for Sale’: California Officials Oppose Land-Swap Deal | KQED",
"description": "Backlash against a proposed deal to develop a private road into Yosemite has intensified as National Park Service employees grapple with an uncertain future.",
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"headline": "‘Yosemite Is Not for Sale’: California Officials Oppose Land-Swap Deal",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A group of California lawmakers called on federal officials to halt and reject \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097316/trump-administration-reportedly-considers-development-of-private-road-in-yosemite\">a proposed land exchange\u003c/a> in Yosemite National Park that would allow a private developer to take control of a strip of land in the park for an access road to the park’s main attractions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L2Dvbwl_sEEu_lf3TiVOTtok7kmVOm2U/view\">letter\u003c/a> to Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Wednesday was signed by a bipartisan group of 61 state legislators led by Assemblymember Greg Wallis, a Republican who represents Riverside and San Bernardino counties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Republicans and Democrats from both houses of the Legislature are standing together because some things are bigger than politics,” Wallis said in a statement. “Yosemite is not a subdivision. It is not a bargaining chip. And it is not for sale. Secretary Burgum and the administration should put an end to this proposal.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12048542\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/BurgumSFVisit1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Interior Secretary Doug Burgum (center) visited the Tunnel Tops in San Francisco in 2025 after he and then-Attorney General Pam Bondi toured Alcatraz ahead of their announcement to reopen the former federal prison. (Katie DeBenedetti/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group argued that the proposed land exchange is counter to the mission of the National Park Service and the founding of Yosemite in 1864, which set aside the start of the park for public use and protection for the first time in the history of the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What is being proposed now runs directly against that founding principle, more than a century and a half later,” the letter states. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It continues later: “Our national parks belong equally to every American. They are not the Department’s to trade away, and they are not for sale.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The proposal was \u003ca href=\"https://www.notus.org/agencies/trump-administration-yosemite-private-developer-deal\">first reported\u003c/a> by news outlet NOTUS, which published a story last week alleging that members of the Trump administration were meeting with representatives of Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a private equity group that owns an 83-acre parcel next to the park. In an email to KQED, Kingsbarn’s lawyer Lanny J. Davis confirmed the group is pursuing the land exchange to build a new access road from its property to the park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Previous owners have pushed for the same deal since the early 2000s and \u003ca href=\"https://earthjustice.org/press/2012/new-roads-into-yosemite-valley-rejected-by-federal-court\">failed\u003c/a> in court.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park), who signed on to the letter, called the proposal “indefensible,” and said he’s looking at state laws to ensure a similar proposal could never slip through.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If the Trump administration can’t defend this publicly in broad daylight, then they shouldn’t be doing it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Marin) told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915115/trump-administration-allow-private-development-in-yosemite\">KQED’s Forum on Wednesday\u003c/a> that he’s worried there isn’t enough opposition among his Republican colleagues in Congress to stop the Trump administration’s efforts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I have not seen a single Republican colleague willing to stand up to Donald Trump when he decides that he’s just going to do something,” Huffman said. “So that is my concern, that he just plows ahead with this — even if it has dubious legal authority, or even if it’s an open violation of the law. He’s doing stuff like that anyway. And in this Congress, there’s no one here to stop him.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson), whose district includes parts of Yosemite, said she will “keep pressing the Department [of the Interior] for a clear answer that this exchange will not proceed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since the news of the deal broke late last week, it has sparked condemnation from a number of Democratic state leaders, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/alexpadilla4ca/posts/yosemite-is-not-for-sale-smidurl-share/1614990713322959/\">Sens. Alex Padilla\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/SenAdamSchiff/status/2093448467758690464\">Adam Schiff\u003c/a>, as well as \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/AGRobBonta/status/2093447502632796326\">Attorney General Rob Bonta\u003c/a> and Bonta’s predecessor, \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/becerraforgovernor/posts/yosemite-is-not-for-saleit-is-unacceptable-that-the-trump-administration-is-repo/1625938552231560/\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095034/becerra-easily-leading-california-governors-race-defined-by-partisan-split-poll-shows\">leads the race\u003c/a> for California governor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1335\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12060933\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/NationalParkServiceGetty-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People demonstrate during a protest against federal employee layoffs at Yosemite National Park, California, on March 1, 2025. (Laure Andrillon/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The secretive backroom land-exchange scheme has gotten everyone’s attention,” said Neal Desai, senior Pacific regional director of the National Parks Conservation Association. “I can’t recall another issue — and I’ve been working in the conservation space for over a couple of decades — where the response has been this sharp and so one-sided that this is a terrible idea that should not happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The backlash comes at a turbulent time for National Park Service employees, who have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060911/new-trump-layoffs-could-put-hundreds-more-national-park-service-employees-on-the-chopping-block\">faced layoffs,\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12066741/a-morale-bomb-national-park-workers-face-wage-cuts-and-dubiously-legal-review-system\">staffing cuts\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055659/national-park-service-california-yosemite-muir-woods-trump-executive-order\">fear of retaliation\u003c/a> for speaking up against Trump administration policies since the start of the second Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some former employees have also raised concerns about a potential reorganization of the National Park Service, according to a separate \u003ca href=\"https://protectnps.org/2026/09/02/former-national-park-superintendents-warn-interior-secretary-national-parks-are-in-crisis/\">letter\u003c/a> sent to Burgum’s office Wednesday. According to an email seen by KQED, park superintendents have been asked to attend in-person regional meetings in September — with no clear agenda beyond discussing “agency priorities, our FY 2026 outlook, and other matters important to the work ahead.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The letter to Burgam, signed by 20 retired parks superintendents warns: “An ill-advised and hastily planned reorganization could dismantle that structure, putting our parks — and those who visit them — at great risk.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062223\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-KQED.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251028-YOSEMITESHUTDOWN-93-BL_QED-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tour guide William Fontana points visitors to climbers on El Capitan during a tour of the Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Oct. 28, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Emily Thompson, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, which organized the letter, said the email about regional meetings “raises some alarm bells.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The Park Service is already operating from a difficult place, from a place of crisis,” she said. “And any additional cuts, any movements or actions that would further jeopardize the capacity of the folks that are left, that’s concerning. It’s worrying, and it’ll have a devastating impact on the Park Service.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the letter’s signatories is Don Neubacher, retired Yosemite superintendent, who has been a vocal advocate for parks amid the Trump administration’s changes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thompson said she’s worried parks leaders will be stretched even further than they already are, and local decision-making over parks could be in jeopardy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Morale is low,” Thompson said. “It’s a hard time to be a federal employee. Anything that … contributes to this culture of fear, it’s just not acceptable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "why-sick-sea-lions-are-washing-up-on-california-beaches-right-now",
"title": "Why Sick Sea Lions Are Washing Up on California Beaches Right Now",
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"headTitle": "Why Sick Sea Lions Are Washing Up on California Beaches Right Now | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1914632/algae-poisoned-sea-lions-inundate-marine-mammal-center\">sea lions\u003c/a> are in trouble. A toxic algal bloom has caused a rash of poisonings, leaving the mammals confused, lethargic and, in some cases, dead along the California coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dozens of sea lions have been sickened by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1931779/scientists-uncover-genetic-basis-for-toxic-algal-blooms\">domoic acid\u003c/a> poisoning, caused by a toxin in algae that can cause seizures and even heart failure. Signs of exposure in sea lions include lethargy, disorientation, tremors, twitching and seizures. The animals ingest the naturally occurring neurotoxin by eating fish or shellfish. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/\">The Marine Mammal Center\u003c/a> in Sausalito said it has treated more than 100 sea lions — above the yearly average of 75 to 90 — with the majority of these cases occurring since the start of July. Officials with the center worry that already higher-than-normal sea surface temperatures and additional warming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">the climate pattern El Niño\u003c/a> could exponentially increase the number of infected mammals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098090\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Two California sea lions suffering from domoic acid toxicosis are admitted to The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California. Domoic acid is produced during certain harmful algal bloom events and accumulates in small fish, like sardines and anchovies. These small fish are a major food source for marine mammals like sea lions, which is how they can become poisoned by this toxin. (Courtesy of Giancarlo Rulli/The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Giancarlo Rulli, spokesperson for the center, said dispatchers are receiving up to 600 calls a day reporting sick sea lions. Over the past week, the center rescued around 30 sea lions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen a major flare-up in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties,” Rulli said. “This is highly emotional, and it can be very disturbing to see an animal that’s not in control of itself out on the beach.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Additional rescues have taken place in San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma counties. The center has also treated a handful of northern fur seals. Treating a single mammal can require up to six trained responders and may involve repeated doses of antiseizure medication. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098095\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098095\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lethargic California sea lion with domoic acid toxicosis is transported by The Marine Mammal Center’s Morro Bay response team to be treated at the Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California. (Courtesy of Giancarlo Rulli/The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" data-id=\"12098094\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098094\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At the Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California, the veterinary team shows a side-by-side comparison of two California sea lion brains. The left brain shows a normal California sea lion brain section. The right brain depicts a California sea lion brain that has been affected by domoic acid exposure, where there is a noticeably shrunken hippocampus in the center of the brain section. (Courtesy of The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s brutal on the animals,” Rulli said. “We are seeing animals die out on the beaches. There are a fair amount of carcasses out there. We’re seeing animals pass away in transport being brought back to the hospital.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rulli said the cases are a sign that the toxin has worked its way through the food chain in “a short-term burst,” but said the center is also seeing chronic cases where sea lions have “brain lesions and permanent heart damage.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Along the northern California coast, marine algal blooms are primarily caused by natural factors such as ocean upwelling of nutrient-rich water and warm ocean temperatures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Polluted runoff from agriculture and other human activities also feed blooms, a factor projected to become more frequent and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/harmful-algal-blooms/about/harmful-algal-blooms-contributing-factors-and-impacts.html\">severe\u003c/a> due to human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The toxin appears in both cold and warm water, and Rulli said the resulting illness has evolved since it was first diagnosed in sea lions in 1998. It was more of a seasonal disease, and now mammals show signs of year-round exposure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It can thrive both in cold water conditions during La Niña years with strong marine upwelling and strong offshore winds, as well as during more heated environments like this current heat wave in El Niño that’s forming in the Pacific,” Rulli said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A massive heatwave, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1123047/the-blob-is-back-what-warm-ocean-mass-means-for-weather-wildlife\">known as The Blob,\u003c/a> wreaked havoc on the California coastline from 2013 to 2016, and an El Niño followed. Rulli said that during that time there was a “record number” of sea lions poisoned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s really no clear indication of whether what’s forming in the Pacific is a one-year blip or maybe more sustained, as we saw a decade-plus ago,” Rulli said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Beachgoers who see an affected mammal should not crowd or touch the animal, and should call The Marine Mammal Center’s hotline, 415-289-7325 or 415-289-SEAL.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/\">The Marine Mammal Center\u003c/a> in Sausalito said it has treated more than 100 sea lions — above the yearly average of 75 to 90 — with the majority of these cases occurring since the start of July. Officials with the center worry that already higher-than-normal sea surface temperatures and additional warming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">the climate pattern El Niño\u003c/a> could exponentially increase the number of infected mammals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/\">The Marine Mammal Center\u003c/a> in Sausalito said it has treated more than 100 sea lions — above the yearly average of 75 to 90 — with the majority of these cases occurring since the start of July. Officials with the center worry that already higher-than-normal sea surface temperatures and additional warming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">the climate pattern El Niño\u003c/a> could exponentially increase the number of infected mammals. \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/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098090\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Two California sea lions suffering from domoic acid toxicosis are admitted to The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California. Domoic acid is produced during certain harmful algal bloom events and accumulates in small fish, like sardines and anchovies. These small fish are a major food source for marine mammals like sea lions, which is how they can become poisoned by this toxin.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Giancarlo Rulli/The Marine Mammal Center)\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/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098090\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Two California sea lions suffering from domoic acid toxicosis are admitted to The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California. Domoic acid is produced during certain harmful algal bloom events and accumulates in small fish, like sardines and anchovies. These small fish are a major food source for marine mammals like sea lions, which is how they can become poisoned by this toxin.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Giancarlo Rulli/The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Giancarlo Rulli, spokesperson for the center, said dispatchers are receiving up to 600 calls a day reporting sick sea lions. Over the past week, the center rescued around 30 sea lions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Giancarlo Rulli, spokesperson for the center, said dispatchers are receiving up to 600 calls a day reporting sick sea lions. Over the past week, the center rescued around 30 sea lions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen a major flare-up in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties,” Rulli said. “This is highly emotional, and it can be very disturbing to see an animal that’s not in control of itself out on the beach.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Additional rescues have taken place in San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma counties. The center has also treated a handful of northern fur seals. Treating a single mammal can require up to six trained responders and may involve repeated doses of antiseizure medication. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098095\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lethargic California sea lion with domoic acid toxicosis is transported by The Marine Mammal Center’s Morro Bay response team to be treated at the Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098094\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At the Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California, the veterinary team shows a side-by-side comparison of two California sea lion brains. The left brain shows a normal California sea lion brain section. The right brain depicts a California sea lion brain that has been affected by domoic acid exposure, where there is a noticeably shrunken hippocampus in the center of the brain section.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s brutal on the animals,” Rulli said. “We are seeing animals die out on the beaches. There are a fair amount of carcasses out there. We’re seeing animals pass away in transport being brought back to the hospital.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s brutal on the animals,” Rulli said. “We are seeing animals die out on the beaches. There are a fair amount of carcasses out there. We’re seeing animals pass away in transport being brought back to the hospital.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rulli said the cases are a sign that the toxin has worked its way through the food chain in “a short-term burst,” but said the center is also seeing chronic cases where sea lions have “brain lesions and permanent heart damage.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Rulli said the cases are a sign that the toxin has worked its way through the food chain in “a short-term burst,” but said the center is also seeing chronic cases where sea lions have “brain lesions and permanent heart damage.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Along the northern California coast, marine algal blooms are primarily caused by natural factors such as ocean upwelling of nutrient-rich water and warm ocean temperatures. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Polluted runoff from agriculture and other human activities also feed blooms, a factor projected to become more frequent and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/harmful-algal-blooms/about/harmful-algal-blooms-contributing-factors-and-impacts.html\">severe\u003c/a> due to human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The toxin appears in both cold and warm water, and Rulli said the resulting illness has evolved since it was first diagnosed in sea lions in 1998. It was more of a seasonal disease, and now mammals show signs of year-round exposure. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The toxin appears in both cold and warm water, and Rulli said the resulting illness has evolved since it was first diagnosed in sea lions in 1998. It was more of a seasonal disease, and now mammals show signs of year-round exposure. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It can thrive both in cold water conditions during La Niña years with strong marine upwelling and strong offshore winds, as well as during more heated environments like this current heat wave in El Niño that’s forming in the Pacific,” Rulli said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It can thrive both in cold water conditions during La Niña years with strong marine upwelling and strong offshore winds, as well as during more heated environments like this current heat wave in El Niño that’s forming in the Pacific,” Rulli said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A massive heatwave, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1123047/the-blob-is-back-what-warm-ocean-mass-means-for-weather-wildlife\">known as The Blob,\u003c/a> wreaked havoc on the California coastline from 2013 to 2016, and an El Niño followed. Rulli said that during that time there was a “record number” of sea lions poisoned.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A massive heatwave, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1123047/the-blob-is-back-what-warm-ocean-mass-means-for-weather-wildlife\">known as The Blob,\u003c/a> wreaked havoc on the California coastline from 2013 to 2016, and an El Niño followed. Rulli said that during that time there was a “record number” of sea lions poisoned.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s really no clear indication of whether what’s forming in the Pacific is a one-year blip or maybe more sustained, as we saw a decade-plus ago,” Rulli said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There’s really no clear indication of whether what’s forming in the Pacific is a one-year blip or maybe more sustained, as we saw a decade-plus ago,” Rulli said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Beachgoers who see an affected mammal should not crowd or touch the animal, and should call The Marine Mammal Center’s hotline, 415-289-7325 or 415-289-SEAL.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Beachgoers who see an affected mammal should not crowd or touch the animal, and should call The Marine Mammal Center’s hotline, 415-289-7325 or 415-289-SEAL.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "A toxic algal bloom is causing a crisis for coastal mammals. El Niño could make it worse. \n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1914632/algae-poisoned-sea-lions-inundate-marine-mammal-center\">sea lions\u003c/a> are in trouble. A toxic algal bloom has caused a rash of poisonings, leaving the mammals confused, lethargic and, in some cases, dead along the California coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dozens of sea lions have been sickened by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1931779/scientists-uncover-genetic-basis-for-toxic-algal-blooms\">domoic acid\u003c/a> poisoning, caused by a toxin in algae that can cause seizures and even heart failure. Signs of exposure in sea lions include lethargy, disorientation, tremors, twitching and seizures. The animals ingest the naturally occurring neurotoxin by eating fish or shellfish. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/\">The Marine Mammal Center\u003c/a> in Sausalito said it has treated more than 100 sea lions — above the yearly average of 75 to 90 — with the majority of these cases occurring since the start of July. Officials with the center worry that already higher-than-normal sea surface temperatures and additional warming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">the climate pattern El Niño\u003c/a> could exponentially increase the number of infected mammals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098090\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Two California sea lions suffering from domoic acid toxicosis are admitted to The Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California. Domoic acid is produced during certain harmful algal bloom events and accumulates in small fish, like sardines and anchovies. These small fish are a major food source for marine mammals like sea lions, which is how they can become poisoned by this toxin. (Courtesy of Giancarlo Rulli/The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Giancarlo Rulli, spokesperson for the center, said dispatchers are receiving up to 600 calls a day reporting sick sea lions. Over the past week, the center rescued around 30 sea lions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen a major flare-up in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties,” Rulli said. “This is highly emotional, and it can be very disturbing to see an animal that’s not in control of itself out on the beach.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Additional rescues have taken place in San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma counties. The center has also treated a handful of northern fur seals. Treating a single mammal can require up to six trained responders and may involve repeated doses of antiseizure medication. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098095\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098095\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lethargic California sea lion with domoic acid toxicosis is transported by The Marine Mammal Center’s Morro Bay response team to be treated at the Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California. (Courtesy of Giancarlo Rulli/The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" data-id=\"12098094\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098094\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/SeaLionsPoisoned-KQED_4-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At the Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito, California, the veterinary team shows a side-by-side comparison of two California sea lion brains. The left brain shows a normal California sea lion brain section. The right brain depicts a California sea lion brain that has been affected by domoic acid exposure, where there is a noticeably shrunken hippocampus in the center of the brain section. (Courtesy of The Marine Mammal Center)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s brutal on the animals,” Rulli said. “We are seeing animals die out on the beaches. There are a fair amount of carcasses out there. We’re seeing animals pass away in transport being brought back to the hospital.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rulli said the cases are a sign that the toxin has worked its way through the food chain in “a short-term burst,” but said the center is also seeing chronic cases where sea lions have “brain lesions and permanent heart damage.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Along the northern California coast, marine algal blooms are primarily caused by natural factors such as ocean upwelling of nutrient-rich water and warm ocean temperatures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Polluted runoff from agriculture and other human activities also feed blooms, a factor projected to become more frequent and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/harmful-algal-blooms/about/harmful-algal-blooms-contributing-factors-and-impacts.html\">severe\u003c/a> due to human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The toxin appears in both cold and warm water, and Rulli said the resulting illness has evolved since it was first diagnosed in sea lions in 1998. It was more of a seasonal disease, and now mammals show signs of year-round exposure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It can thrive both in cold water conditions during La Niña years with strong marine upwelling and strong offshore winds, as well as during more heated environments like this current heat wave in El Niño that’s forming in the Pacific,” Rulli said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A massive heatwave, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1123047/the-blob-is-back-what-warm-ocean-mass-means-for-weather-wildlife\">known as The Blob,\u003c/a> wreaked havoc on the California coastline from 2013 to 2016, and an El Niño followed. Rulli said that during that time there was a “record number” of sea lions poisoned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s really no clear indication of whether what’s forming in the Pacific is a one-year blip or maybe more sustained, as we saw a decade-plus ago,” Rulli said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Beachgoers who see an affected mammal should not crowd or touch the animal, and should call The Marine Mammal Center’s hotline, 415-289-7325 or 415-289-SEAL.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "after-2-canoeists-found-dead-in-tomales-bay-local-guides-advise-caution",
"title": "Pacifica Planning Commissioner Among 2 Canoeing Victims in Tomales Bay",
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"headTitle": "Pacifica Planning Commissioner Among 2 Canoeing Victims in Tomales Bay | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Authorities have identified 36-year-old Casey Flynn Melia of San Francisco, and 37-year-old Alexander Ferguson of Pacifica as the pair of people who died while canoeing in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tomales-bay\">Tomales Bay\u003c/a> over the weekend. Ferguson was a member of the Pacifica Planning Commission, serving since October 2020.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Marin County Fire Department said Melia and Ferguson launched canoes from their campsite at White Gulch Beach just before midnight to see \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1983841/where-to-see-bioluminescence-bay-area-kayak-tours\">bioluminescence\u003c/a>, a blue glow emitted by plankton that draws visitors to the bay at night.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When they didn’t return by the next morning, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office said, their camping party alerted emergency services.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First responders located the two canoeists in the water. According to the county fire department, both people were pronounced dead before their bodies were recovered. Melia was found near Hog Island, the sheriff’s office said. It did not specify where Ferguson’s body was located.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both of them were wearing life jackets, authorities said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pacifica City Manager Sean Charpentier called Ferguson “active, compassionate and thoughtful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Alex played a leadership role in the City’s planning policies that will have a lasting positive impact on Pacifica for many years to come,” he wrote in an email to KQED. “His passing is a great loss to the Pacifica community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bay deaths ‘traumatic’ for guiding community\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>John Granatir and Pamalah MacNeily, co-owners of guiding company Blue Waters Kayak Adventures, said a group of their guides, alongside other guiding companies, was at Miller Boat Launch on Sunday morning when they encountered the camping party returning from their trip. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The campers, the couple said, asked the group of guides if they had seen their missing friends, but they had not. That’s when a guide from Point Reyes Adventure Co., Dallas Smith, urged the campers to alert authorities that they were missing, Granatir and MacNeily recounted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It just breaks our hearts when this stuff happens in our bay,” MacNeily said. “It makes us sad for them, their families and the boating community. It’s traumatic for us.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Guides say bay is ‘dynamic,’ and not canoe-friendly\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to Granatir and MacNeily, Tomales Bay is not a particularly canoe-friendly body of water, so guiding companies like theirs don’t bring them out there. According to Granatir, the past four fatalities on Tomales Bay were all people in canoes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We do not like canoes on Tomales Bay,” MacNeily said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In general, the pair said, due to its strong winds, currents and waves, paddling on Tomales Bay requires a sturdy boat — and typical recreational kayaks or inflatable kayaks just won’t cut it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12086604\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kayakers at an event as part of California State Parks Week in 2024. (Courtesy of California State Parks Week)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For their tours, Granatir said, their company uses a closed-deck kayak because they are the most stable and has a low client-to-guide ratio, to make sure they can get people out of the water quickly if they do flip over.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Galen Licht, CEO of SeaTrek, which also runs guided trips on the bay, said people often assume incorrectly that Tomales Bay is more protected than other waters in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Tomales Bay is a very dynamic environment,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>His group, too, is extremely cautious when guiding trips on the bay, and said they prioritize redundancy in their systems — like extra paddles, lights, communications systems and navigation — to keep their guides and clients safe. And they will simply cancel trips in unsafe weather, especially due to high winds, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Any time there’s a forecast over 20 knots, without a doubt, we will just cancel the trip,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Granatir said the bay’s waves, which can get very high, aren’t usually visible from shore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It takes a skilled person to recover a canoe midwater in Tomales Bay,” Granatir said. “You have to be trained for that, and people usually aren’t aware of that fact.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, the water is paralyzingly cold: “You have about five minutes to effect a meaningful recovery action before your limbs start losing the ability to save yourself,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And at night, all of these factors are exacerbated, Licht said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The conditions out there on the bay can change fast and at times, the visibility can go down to just a few feet when the fog comes in — and then the only way to navigate is by compass,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Granatir and MacNeily said they were surprised to hear of the incident, given that there wasn’t much wind late in the night. The moon was nearly full and out all night — a bright moon, they said, makes seeing bioluminescence more difficult. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, their company had insisted that any renters get off the water by 1 p.m., but data from \u003ca href=\"https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/ca/marshall/KDVO/date/2026-8-30\">Weather Underground\u003c/a> shows the wind had died down by the evening and around midnight was almost nonexistent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There wasn’t much wind that night,” MacNeily said. “That’s the thing that’s really curious.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to know and bring if you’re going out on Tomales Bay at night\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The area of Tomales Bay is one of the most dangerous waterways imaginable on the coastlines,” Licht said. “If you’re coming out, you need to do your homework.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>MacNeily said that in the past few years, the bay has become “a circus” of visitors heading out in unsafe boats, drinking, and with very little water safety experience and equipment. She said she often gets calls from people asking about water conditions who don’t have the proper equipment, and “I will advise against it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s far too many people who are just thinking that this is a Disneyland ride,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1350\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big.jpg\" alt=\"A woman in a red long sleeved shirt and blue life vest sits in the fron tof a kayak paddling towards a cliff in the distance.\" class=\"wp-image-11903623\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big.jpg 1800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Olivia Allen-Price kayaking in Tomales Bay. (Sam Price/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The guides’ main pieces of advice are:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Know your own abilities (and your limits)\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Know the technical limits of your watercraft\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Monitor the weather\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Always wear a life jacket\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Never go alone or on just one boat\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Wear a wetsuit in case you fall in the water\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Bring lots of lights for nighttime navigation\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Bring a backup communications device, like a radio \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Bring backup navigation, especially a compass\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Be aware that a full moon, while providing light, can sometimes be so bright on water that it becomes difficult to see and navigate\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Be ready for thick fog\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’d rather play it safe, you can take a boating course from companies like \u003ca href=\"https://www.seatrek.com/classes/\">SeaTrek\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://bluewaterskayaking.com/classes/\">Blue Waters Kayaking\u003c/a>. Or, join their regular guided trips on the bay for peace of mind.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Granatir, who was a commercial boat captain and has around 50 years of experience running boats, said that moving in a group can save your life.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Kayaking, it’s generally viewed as a sort of an individual sport, which it is,” he said. “But safety in the water is largely a function of other people out there who can help you if things go wrong.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the guide who urged the campers to call 9\u003c/em>11.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Authorities have identified 36-year-old Casey Flynn Melia of San Francisco, and 37-year-old Alexander Ferguson of Pacifica as the pair of people who died while canoeing in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tomales-bay\">Tomales Bay\u003c/a> over the weekend. Ferguson was a member of the Pacifica Planning Commission, serving since October 2020.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Marin County Fire Department said Melia and Ferguson launched canoes from their campsite at White Gulch Beach just before midnight to see \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1983841/where-to-see-bioluminescence-bay-area-kayak-tours\">bioluminescence\u003c/a>, a blue glow emitted by plankton that draws visitors to the bay at night.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When they didn’t return by the next morning, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office said, their camping party alerted emergency services.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>First responders located the two canoeists in the water. According to the county fire department, both people were pronounced dead before their bodies were recovered. Melia was found near Hog Island, the sheriff’s office said. It did not specify where Ferguson’s body was located.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>First responders located the two canoeists in the water. According to the county fire department, both people were pronounced dead before their bodies were recovered. Melia was found near Hog Island, the sheriff’s office said. It did not specify where Ferguson’s body was located.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Pacifica City Manager Sean Charpentier called Ferguson “active, compassionate and thoughtful.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Alex played a leadership role in the City’s planning policies that will have a lasting positive impact on Pacifica for many years to come,” he wrote in an email to KQED. “His passing is a great loss to the Pacifica community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Alex played a leadership role in the City’s planning policies that will have a lasting positive impact on Pacifica for many years to come,” he wrote in an email to KQED. “His passing is a great loss to the Pacifica community.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>John Granatir and Pamalah MacNeily, co-owners of guiding company Blue Waters Kayak Adventures, said a group of their guides, alongside other guiding companies, was at Miller Boat Launch on Sunday morning when they encountered the camping party returning from their trip. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>John Granatir and Pamalah MacNeily, co-owners of guiding company Blue Waters Kayak Adventures, said a group of their guides, alongside other guiding companies, was at Miller Boat Launch on Sunday morning when they encountered the camping party returning from their trip. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The campers, the couple said, asked the group of guides if they had seen their missing friends, but they had not. That’s when a guide from Point Reyes Adventure Co., Dallas Smith, urged the campers to alert authorities that they were missing, Granatir and MacNeily recounted. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The campers, the couple said, asked the group of guides if they had seen their missing friends, but they had not. That’s when a guide from Point Reyes Adventure Co., Dallas Smith, urged the campers to alert authorities that they were missing, Granatir and MacNeily recounted. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It just breaks our hearts when this stuff happens in our bay,” MacNeily said. “It makes us sad for them, their families and the boating community. It’s traumatic for us.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It just breaks our hearts when this stuff happens in our bay,” MacNeily said. “It makes us sad for them, their families and the boating community. It’s traumatic for us.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to Granatir and MacNeily, Tomales Bay is not a particularly canoe-friendly body of water, so guiding companies like theirs don’t bring them out there. According to Granatir, the past four fatalities on Tomales Bay were all people in canoes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to Granatir and MacNeily, Tomales Bay is not a particularly canoe-friendly body of water, so guiding companies like theirs don’t bring them out there. According to Granatir, the past four fatalities on Tomales Bay were all people in canoes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We do not like canoes on Tomales Bay,” MacNeily said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In general, the pair said, due to its strong winds, currents and waves, paddling on Tomales Bay requires a sturdy boat — and typical recreational kayaks or inflatable kayaks just won’t cut it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In general, the pair said, due to its strong winds, currents and waves, paddling on Tomales Bay requires a sturdy boat — and typical recreational kayaks or inflatable kayaks just won’t cut it.\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/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12086604\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kayakers at an event as part of California State Parks Week in 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of California State Parks Week)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For their tours, Granatir said, their company uses a closed-deck kayak because they are the most stable and has a low client-to-guide ratio, to make sure they can get people out of the water quickly if they do flip over.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Galen Licht, CEO of SeaTrek, which also runs guided trips on the bay, said people often assume incorrectly that Tomales Bay is more protected than other waters in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Tomales Bay is a very dynamic environment,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>His group, too, is extremely cautious when guiding trips on the bay, and said they prioritize redundancy in their systems — like extra paddles, lights, communications systems and navigation — to keep their guides and clients safe. And they will simply cancel trips in unsafe weather, especially due to high winds, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>His group, too, is extremely cautious when guiding trips on the bay, and said they prioritize redundancy in their systems — like extra paddles, lights, communications systems and navigation — to keep their guides and clients safe. And they will simply cancel trips in unsafe weather, especially due to high winds, he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Any time there’s a forecast over 20 knots, without a doubt, we will just cancel the trip,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Granatir said the bay’s waves, which can get very high, aren’t usually visible from shore.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It takes a skilled person to recover a canoe midwater in Tomales Bay,” Granatir said. “You have to be trained for that, and people usually aren’t aware of that fact.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It takes a skilled person to recover a canoe midwater in Tomales Bay,” Granatir said. “You have to be trained for that, and people usually aren’t aware of that fact.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plus, the water is paralyzingly cold: “You have about five minutes to effect a meaningful recovery action before your limbs start losing the ability to save yourself,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And at night, all of these factors are exacerbated, Licht said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The conditions out there on the bay can change fast and at times, the visibility can go down to just a few feet when the fog comes in — and then the only way to navigate is by compass,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, Granatir and MacNeily said they were surprised to hear of the incident, given that there wasn’t much wind late in the night. The moon was nearly full and out all night — a bright moon, they said, makes seeing bioluminescence more difficult. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Still, Granatir and MacNeily said they were surprised to hear of the incident, given that there wasn’t much wind late in the night. The moon was nearly full and out all night — a bright moon, they said, makes seeing bioluminescence more difficult. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Saturday, their company had insisted that any renters get off the water by 1 p.m., but data from \u003ca href=\"https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/ca/marshall/KDVO/date/2026-8-30\">Weather Underground\u003c/a> shows the wind had died down by the evening and around midnight was almost nonexistent.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Saturday, their company had insisted that any renters get off the water by 1 p.m., but data from \u003ca href=\"https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/ca/marshall/KDVO/date/2026-8-30\">Weather Underground\u003c/a> shows the wind had died down by the evening and around midnight was almost nonexistent.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There wasn’t much wind that night,” MacNeily said. “That’s the thing that’s really curious.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "What to know and bring if you’re going out on Tomales Bay at night",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The area of Tomales Bay is one of the most dangerous waterways imaginable on the coastlines,” Licht said. “If you’re coming out, you need to do your homework.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The area of Tomales Bay is one of the most dangerous waterways imaginable on the coastlines,” Licht said. “If you’re coming out, you need to do your homework.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>MacNeily said that in the past few years, the bay has become “a circus” of visitors heading out in unsafe boats, drinking, and with very little water safety experience and equipment. She said she often gets calls from people asking about water conditions who don’t have the proper equipment, and “I will advise against it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>MacNeily said that in the past few years, the bay has become “a circus” of visitors heading out in unsafe boats, drinking, and with very little water safety experience and equipment. She said she often gets calls from people asking about water conditions who don’t have the proper equipment, and “I will advise against it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s far too many people who are just thinking that this is a Disneyland ride,” she said.\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/10/2022/02/tomales_big.jpg\" alt=\"A woman in a red long sleeved shirt and blue life vest sits in the fron tof a kayak paddling towards a cliff in the distance.\" class=\"wp-image-11903623\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Olivia Allen-Price kayaking in Tomales Bay.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Sam Price/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Be aware that a full moon, while providing light, can sometimes be so bright on water that it becomes difficult to see and navigate\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’d rather play it safe, you can take a boating course from companies like \u003ca href=\"https://www.seatrek.com/classes/\">SeaTrek\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://bluewaterskayaking.com/classes/\">Blue Waters Kayaking\u003c/a>. Or, join their regular guided trips on the bay for peace of mind.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’d rather play it safe, you can take a boating course from companies like \u003ca href=\"https://www.seatrek.com/classes/\">SeaTrek\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://bluewaterskayaking.com/classes/\">Blue Waters Kayaking\u003c/a>. Or, join their regular guided trips on the bay for peace of mind.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Granatir, who was a commercial boat captain and has around 50 years of experience running boats, said that moving in a group can save your life.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Kayaking, it’s generally viewed as a sort of an individual sport, which it is,” he said. “But safety in the water is largely a function of other people out there who can help you if things go wrong.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the guide who urged the campers to call 9\u003c/em>11.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Local tour businesses advise caution when paddling at night on the bay.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Authorities have identified 36-year-old Casey Flynn Melia of San Francisco, and 37-year-old Alexander Ferguson of Pacifica as the pair of people who died while canoeing in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/tomales-bay\">Tomales Bay\u003c/a> over the weekend. Ferguson was a member of the Pacifica Planning Commission, serving since October 2020.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Marin County Fire Department said Melia and Ferguson launched canoes from their campsite at White Gulch Beach just before midnight to see \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1983841/where-to-see-bioluminescence-bay-area-kayak-tours\">bioluminescence\u003c/a>, a blue glow emitted by plankton that draws visitors to the bay at night.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When they didn’t return by the next morning, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office said, their camping party alerted emergency services.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First responders located the two canoeists in the water. According to the county fire department, both people were pronounced dead before their bodies were recovered. Melia was found near Hog Island, the sheriff’s office said. It did not specify where Ferguson’s body was located.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both of them were wearing life jackets, authorities said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pacifica City Manager Sean Charpentier called Ferguson “active, compassionate and thoughtful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Alex played a leadership role in the City’s planning policies that will have a lasting positive impact on Pacifica for many years to come,” he wrote in an email to KQED. “His passing is a great loss to the Pacifica community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bay deaths ‘traumatic’ for guiding community\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>John Granatir and Pamalah MacNeily, co-owners of guiding company Blue Waters Kayak Adventures, said a group of their guides, alongside other guiding companies, was at Miller Boat Launch on Sunday morning when they encountered the camping party returning from their trip. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The campers, the couple said, asked the group of guides if they had seen their missing friends, but they had not. That’s when a guide from Point Reyes Adventure Co., Dallas Smith, urged the campers to alert authorities that they were missing, Granatir and MacNeily recounted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It just breaks our hearts when this stuff happens in our bay,” MacNeily said. “It makes us sad for them, their families and the boating community. It’s traumatic for us.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Guides say bay is ‘dynamic,’ and not canoe-friendly\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to Granatir and MacNeily, Tomales Bay is not a particularly canoe-friendly body of water, so guiding companies like theirs don’t bring them out there. According to Granatir, the past four fatalities on Tomales Bay were all people in canoes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We do not like canoes on Tomales Bay,” MacNeily said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In general, the pair said, due to its strong winds, currents and waves, paddling on Tomales Bay requires a sturdy boat — and typical recreational kayaks or inflatable kayaks just won’t cut it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12086604\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Kayak-photo-for-body-of-lede-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kayakers at an event as part of California State Parks Week in 2024. (Courtesy of California State Parks Week)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For their tours, Granatir said, their company uses a closed-deck kayak because they are the most stable and has a low client-to-guide ratio, to make sure they can get people out of the water quickly if they do flip over.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Galen Licht, CEO of SeaTrek, which also runs guided trips on the bay, said people often assume incorrectly that Tomales Bay is more protected than other waters in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Tomales Bay is a very dynamic environment,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>His group, too, is extremely cautious when guiding trips on the bay, and said they prioritize redundancy in their systems — like extra paddles, lights, communications systems and navigation — to keep their guides and clients safe. And they will simply cancel trips in unsafe weather, especially due to high winds, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Any time there’s a forecast over 20 knots, without a doubt, we will just cancel the trip,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Granatir said the bay’s waves, which can get very high, aren’t usually visible from shore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It takes a skilled person to recover a canoe midwater in Tomales Bay,” Granatir said. “You have to be trained for that, and people usually aren’t aware of that fact.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, the water is paralyzingly cold: “You have about five minutes to effect a meaningful recovery action before your limbs start losing the ability to save yourself,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And at night, all of these factors are exacerbated, Licht said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The conditions out there on the bay can change fast and at times, the visibility can go down to just a few feet when the fog comes in — and then the only way to navigate is by compass,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Granatir and MacNeily said they were surprised to hear of the incident, given that there wasn’t much wind late in the night. The moon was nearly full and out all night — a bright moon, they said, makes seeing bioluminescence more difficult. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, their company had insisted that any renters get off the water by 1 p.m., but data from \u003ca href=\"https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/ca/marshall/KDVO/date/2026-8-30\">Weather Underground\u003c/a> shows the wind had died down by the evening and around midnight was almost nonexistent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There wasn’t much wind that night,” MacNeily said. “That’s the thing that’s really curious.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to know and bring if you’re going out on Tomales Bay at night\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The area of Tomales Bay is one of the most dangerous waterways imaginable on the coastlines,” Licht said. “If you’re coming out, you need to do your homework.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>MacNeily said that in the past few years, the bay has become “a circus” of visitors heading out in unsafe boats, drinking, and with very little water safety experience and equipment. She said she often gets calls from people asking about water conditions who don’t have the proper equipment, and “I will advise against it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s far too many people who are just thinking that this is a Disneyland ride,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1350\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big.jpg\" alt=\"A woman in a red long sleeved shirt and blue life vest sits in the fron tof a kayak paddling towards a cliff in the distance.\" class=\"wp-image-11903623\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big.jpg 1800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/02/tomales_big-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Olivia Allen-Price kayaking in Tomales Bay. (Sam Price/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The guides’ main pieces of advice are:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Know your own abilities (and your limits)\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Know the technical limits of your watercraft\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Monitor the weather\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Always wear a life jacket\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Never go alone or on just one boat\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Wear a wetsuit in case you fall in the water\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Bring lots of lights for nighttime navigation\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Bring a backup communications device, like a radio \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Bring backup navigation, especially a compass\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Be aware that a full moon, while providing light, can sometimes be so bright on water that it becomes difficult to see and navigate\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Be ready for thick fog\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’d rather play it safe, you can take a boating course from companies like \u003ca href=\"https://www.seatrek.com/classes/\">SeaTrek\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://bluewaterskayaking.com/classes/\">Blue Waters Kayaking\u003c/a>. Or, join their regular guided trips on the bay for peace of mind.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Granatir, who was a commercial boat captain and has around 50 years of experience running boats, said that moving in a group can save your life.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Kayaking, it’s generally viewed as a sort of an individual sport, which it is,” he said. “But safety in the water is largely a function of other people out there who can help you if things go wrong.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the guide who urged the campers to call 9\u003c/em>11.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "el-nino-snow-weather-forecast-sierra-nevada-tahoe-california-ski-pass-winter-2026-2027",
"title": "El Niño Forecast Is ‘Off the Charts.’ What Could This Mean for Ski Season?",
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"headTitle": "El Niño Forecast Is ‘Off the Charts.’ What Could This Mean for Ski Season? | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>With ski season right around the corner, all eyes are on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">this year’s “super” El Niño\u003c/a> forecast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And meteorologist Alan Smith, who makes North America predictions for the ski-oriented weather service OpenSnow, has \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/news/post/2026-2027-winter-forecast-preview\">called\u003c/a> the readings he’s seeing “off the charts.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After last year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077367/tahoe-ski-resorts-closing-dates-2026-heavenly-palisades-homewood-closed-weather-snow-forecast-storms\">dismal ski season\u003c/a>, hope is building among skiers and snowboarders that the weather patterns typically associated with El Niño – like increased snowfall – could bless the Sierra Nevada with an abundance of storms and snow this year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To find out what the forecast could actually spell for winter in California, Smith agreed to answer a few of our most pressing questions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1275\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12074166\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654-1536x989.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Los Angeles Times reporter Jack Dolan skis down a backcounty slope near Mammoth Rock in Mammoth Lakes, California, while exploring the growing trend of backcountry skiing on Feb. 12, 2025. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Read on to find out:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#snow-forecast\">How should I understand this current winter forecast?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#winter-snow\">How does El Niño affect snow in the mountains?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ski-plans\">Should I already be making my ski plans based on this?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a ‘super El Niño’?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/dyk/el-nino\">El Niño\u003c/a> is a climate pattern that brings unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says fishermen off the coast of South America were the first to recognize it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Historical data from El Niño seasons show that, as a result of these higher sea surface temperatures, storm systems can bring above-average precipitation to parts of the United States. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year, Smith said, his predictions for ocean temperatures are “in record territory,” which could result in a wet winter for the West Coast – hence the “super” characterization. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1224\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino.jpg\" alt=\"A downed tree in Oakland after last weekend's El Niño-fueled storms.\" class=\"wp-image-10898113\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-400x255.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-800x510.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-1180x752.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-960x612.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A downed tree in Oakland, California, after El Niño-fueled storms. (Andrea Kissack/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To be clear: Meteorologists can’t predict exactly when or how much it might snow in the Sierra — or anywhere else, for that matter. And OpenSnow’s Sierra Nevada forecaster Bryan Allegretto said it’s too soon for him to be predicting what weather might shake out in the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What Smith and others \u003cem>can \u003c/em>predict are sea surface temperatures, which can heavily influence the amount and timing of precipitation across the globe. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smith said he will typically make multiple updates to the forecast throughout the end of summer and into autumn. But this year, he said, the signals are so strong that “I’m not sure that we’re going to change much.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re so confident that this is going to be a very strong and potentially record-setting El Niño,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"snow-forecast\">What does this mean for the Sierra snow forecast?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“With a stronger El Niño, it tends to tip the odds in favor of above-average snowfall in the Sierra,” Smith said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He did offer caution, however.\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/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2253947921-scaled-e1769466571155.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12071091\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Professional skier Molly Armanino lands Dan’s Cliff at Kirkwood Ski Resort in Kirkwood, California, on Jan. 3, 2026. (Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be, like, a massive 2023-style winter,” Smith said, referring to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11984385/californias-2023-snow-deluge-was-a-freak-event-study-says\">2023-24 ski season that dumped heavy snowfall\u003c/a> on the region, erasing a two-decades-long megadrought.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But it just tips the odds more toward it being above, at least, the average levels, more so than it does a below-average season,” he explained.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How is this El Niño forecast calculated?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smith explained that his forecasts are made based on measurements from past seasons with “similar attributes to this one.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So he looks at factors like sea surface temperature to understand what might be coming. In this case, the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.weather.gov/mhx/ensowhat\">ENSO\u003c/a>” – the El Niño-Southern Oscillation – is a particularly powerful climate phenomena in which sea surface temperatures can directly affect precipitation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037679\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1536x1018.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An automated National Weather Service weather station collects data on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Montara, California, on April 5, 2016. (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s El Niño is concentrated in the eastern area of the Pacific Ocean, Smith said, and it’s expected to peak early in the winter. “Which is, kind of, a classic strong-to-super El Niño timing,” he noted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smith said he also analyzes winds in the tropics, and he’s seeing conditions that could favor low-pressure patterns along the West Coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Historical records, he said, are making the case for a strong El Niño, but “even the seasonal models are pretty wet in their projections for California in the Sierra this year, so that gave us a little extra confidence.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"winter-snow\">Will this winter’s snow be good to ski on?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s not all good news for winter-sports enthusiasts. Smith said that stronger El Niño winters like this one “tend to run a little warmer overall in terms of temperature.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t mean it’s going to be as warm as what we saw last winter, which was abnormally warm for pretty much the entire West,” he said. “But it does mean that, when we look at the winter as a whole, we tend to see a little bit of an above-average trend.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That means the winter could bring some particularly heavy, wet snow, like the famed “\u003ca href=\"https://asomammoth.com/what-is-sierra-cement/\">Sierra Cement\u003c/a>” that isn’t everyone’s favorite to ski on because of its heavy nature.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Likewise there could be storms where only higher elevations get snow, while lower-elevation mountains are pummeled by rain. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So it’s not necessarily a great signal for lots of cold, powdery storms,” he said. “I certainly think we will see a mix this winter.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As for when to expect a dumping, Smith said his readings for the Sierra Nevada range are currently showing the “strongest signal from January to March.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ski-plans\">Should I be making my ski plans now?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re wondering whether to buy a ski pass this year, the super El Niño forecast \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/dyk/el-nino\">is undoubtedly already bringing a lot of hype\u003c/a> to ski resort marketing this season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Smith cautioned: “Don’t get too emotionally attached to these outlooks.” \u003cbr>\u003cbr>His reasoning? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1284\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12074160\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259-1536x996.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Veteran guide Howie Schwartz, left, leads Los Angeles Times reporter Jack Dolan, right, into the popular backcountry near the Mill City site to explore the growing trend of backcountry skiing on Feb. 12, 2025, in Mammoth Lakes, California. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s always some uncertainty in forecasting, and there’s bound to be some ebb and flow when it comes to the actual weather, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, it’s way too soon to be targeting particular dates on when the actual rain or snow will fall, he added.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It can fluctuate a lot within the season,” Smith said. “We can look at the season as a whole and make a prediction if it’s going to be above or below average, but it’s not going to tell you a whole lot if you’re trying to narrow down a specific week or day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you have a ski trip planned in January, it doesn’t mean it’s, like, a slam dunk,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With ski season right around the corner, all eyes are on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">this year’s “super” El Niño\u003c/a> forecast. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>With ski season right around the corner, all eyes are on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">this year’s “super” El Niño\u003c/a> forecast. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And meteorologist Alan Smith, who makes North America predictions for the ski-oriented weather service OpenSnow, has \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/news/post/2026-2027-winter-forecast-preview\">called\u003c/a> the readings he’s seeing “off the charts.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And meteorologist Alan Smith, who makes North America predictions for the ski-oriented weather service OpenSnow, has \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/news/post/2026-2027-winter-forecast-preview\">called\u003c/a> the readings he’s seeing “off the charts.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After last year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077367/tahoe-ski-resorts-closing-dates-2026-heavenly-palisades-homewood-closed-weather-snow-forecast-storms\">dismal ski season\u003c/a>, hope is building among skiers and snowboarders that the weather patterns typically associated with El Niño – like increased snowfall – could bless the Sierra Nevada with an abundance of storms and snow this year.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>After last year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077367/tahoe-ski-resorts-closing-dates-2026-heavenly-palisades-homewood-closed-weather-snow-forecast-storms\">dismal ski season\u003c/a>, hope is building among skiers and snowboarders that the weather patterns typically associated with El Niño – like increased snowfall – could bless the Sierra Nevada with an abundance of storms and snow this year.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To find out what the forecast could actually spell for winter in California, Smith agreed to answer a few of our most pressing questions. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>To find out what the forecast could actually spell for winter in California, Smith agreed to answer a few of our most pressing questions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12074166\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654-1536x989.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Los Angeles Times reporter Jack Dolan skis down a backcounty slope near Mammoth Rock in Mammoth Lakes, California, while exploring the growing trend of backcountry skiing on Feb. 12, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\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/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12074166\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Los Angeles Times reporter Jack Dolan skis down a backcounty slope near Mammoth Rock in Mammoth Lakes, California, while exploring the growing trend of backcountry skiing on Feb. 12, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Read on to find out:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Read on to find out:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"How should I understand this current winter forecast?",
"How does El Niño affect snow in the mountains?",
"Should I already be making my ski plans based on this?"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n\n\n\u003c/ul>\n",
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"\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#snow-forecast\">How should I understand this current winter forecast?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#snow-forecast\">How should I understand this current winter forecast?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#winter-snow\">How does El Niño affect snow in the mountains?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#winter-snow\">How does El Niño affect snow in the mountains?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ski-plans\">Should I already be making my ski plans based on this?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ski-plans\">Should I already be making my ski plans based on this?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "What is a ‘super El Niño’?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a ‘super El Niño’?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a ‘super El Niño’?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/dyk/el-nino\">El Niño\u003c/a> is a climate pattern that brings unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says fishermen off the coast of South America were the first to recognize it.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/dyk/el-nino\">El Niño\u003c/a> is a climate pattern that brings unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says fishermen off the coast of South America were the first to recognize it.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Historical data from El Niño seasons show that, as a result of these higher sea surface temperatures, storm systems can bring above-average precipitation to parts of the United States. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Historical data from El Niño seasons show that, as a result of these higher sea surface temperatures, storm systems can bring above-average precipitation to parts of the United States. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year, Smith said, his predictions for ocean temperatures are “in record territory,” which could result in a wet winter for the West Coast – hence the “super” characterization. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This year, Smith said, his predictions for ocean temperatures are “in record territory,” which could result in a wet winter for the West Coast – hence the “super” characterization. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"attrs": {
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"alt": "A downed tree in Oakland after last weekend's El Niño-fueled storms.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-400x255.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-800x510.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-1180x752.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-960x612.jpg 960w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino.jpg\" alt=\"A downed tree in Oakland after last weekend's El Niño-fueled storms.\" class=\"wp-image-10898113\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-400x255.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-800x510.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-1180x752.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-960x612.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A downed tree in Oakland, California, after El Niño-fueled storms.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Andrea Kissack/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/10/2016/03/ElNino.jpg\" alt=\"A downed tree in Oakland after last weekend's El Niño-fueled storms.\" class=\"wp-image-10898113\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A downed tree in Oakland, California, after El Niño-fueled storms.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Andrea Kissack/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To be clear: Meteorologists can’t predict exactly when or how much it might snow in the Sierra — or anywhere else, for that matter. And OpenSnow’s Sierra Nevada forecaster Bryan Allegretto said it’s too soon for him to be predicting what weather might shake out in the region.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>To be clear: Meteorologists can’t predict exactly when or how much it might snow in the Sierra — or anywhere else, for that matter. And OpenSnow’s Sierra Nevada forecaster Bryan Allegretto said it’s too soon for him to be predicting what weather might shake out in the region.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What Smith and others \u003cem>can \u003c/em>predict are sea surface temperatures, which can heavily influence the amount and timing of precipitation across the globe. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>What Smith and others \u003cem>can \u003c/em>predict are sea surface temperatures, which can heavily influence the amount and timing of precipitation across the globe. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Smith said he will typically make multiple updates to the forecast throughout the end of summer and into autumn. But this year, he said, the signals are so strong that “I’m not sure that we’re going to change much.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Smith said he will typically make multiple updates to the forecast throughout the end of summer and into autumn. But this year, he said, the signals are so strong that “I’m not sure that we’re going to change much.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re so confident that this is going to be a very strong and potentially record-setting El Niño,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’re so confident that this is going to be a very strong and potentially record-setting El Niño,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "What does this mean for the Sierra snow forecast?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"snow-forecast\">What does this mean for the Sierra snow forecast?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"snow-forecast\">What does this mean for the Sierra snow forecast?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“With a stronger El Niño, it tends to tip the odds in favor of above-average snowfall in the Sierra,” Smith said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“With a stronger El Niño, it tends to tip the odds in favor of above-average snowfall in the Sierra,” Smith said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He did offer caution, however.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He did offer caution, however.\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/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2253947921-scaled-e1769466571155.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12071091\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Professional skier Molly Armanino lands Dan’s Cliff at Kirkwood Ski Resort in Kirkwood, California, on Jan. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\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/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2253947921-scaled-e1769466571155.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12071091\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Professional skier Molly Armanino lands Dan’s Cliff at Kirkwood Ski Resort in Kirkwood, California, on Jan. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be, like, a massive 2023-style winter,” Smith said, referring to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11984385/californias-2023-snow-deluge-was-a-freak-event-study-says\">2023-24 ski season that dumped heavy snowfall\u003c/a> on the region, erasing a two-decades-long megadrought.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be, like, a massive 2023-style winter,” Smith said, referring to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11984385/californias-2023-snow-deluge-was-a-freak-event-study-says\">2023-24 ski season that dumped heavy snowfall\u003c/a> on the region, erasing a two-decades-long megadrought.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“But it just tips the odds more toward it being above, at least, the average levels, more so than it does a below-average season,” he explained.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“But it just tips the odds more toward it being above, at least, the average levels, more so than it does a below-average season,” he explained.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "How is this El Niño forecast calculated?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How is this El Niño forecast calculated?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How is this El Niño forecast calculated?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Smith explained that his forecasts are made based on measurements from past seasons with “similar attributes to this one.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Smith explained that his forecasts are made based on measurements from past seasons with “similar attributes to this one.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So he looks at factors like sea surface temperature to understand what might be coming. In this case, the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.weather.gov/mhx/ensowhat\">ENSO\u003c/a>” – the El Niño-Southern Oscillation – is a particularly powerful climate phenomena in which sea surface temperatures can directly affect precipitation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>So he looks at factors like sea surface temperature to understand what might be coming. In this case, the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.weather.gov/mhx/ensowhat\">ENSO\u003c/a>” – the El Niño-Southern Oscillation – is a particularly powerful climate phenomena in which sea surface temperatures can directly affect precipitation. \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/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037679\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1536x1018.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An automated National Weather Service weather station collects data on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Montara, California, on April 5, 2016. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle 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/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037679\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An automated National Weather Service weather station collects data on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Montara, California, on April 5, 2016. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year’s El Niño is concentrated in the eastern area of the Pacific Ocean, Smith said, and it’s expected to peak early in the winter. “Which is, kind of, a classic strong-to-super El Niño timing,” he noted.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This year’s El Niño is concentrated in the eastern area of the Pacific Ocean, Smith said, and it’s expected to peak early in the winter. “Which is, kind of, a classic strong-to-super El Niño timing,” he noted.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Smith said he also analyzes winds in the tropics, and he’s seeing conditions that could favor low-pressure patterns along the West Coast.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Smith said he also analyzes winds in the tropics, and he’s seeing conditions that could favor low-pressure patterns along the West Coast.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Historical records, he said, are making the case for a strong El Niño, but “even the seasonal models are pretty wet in their projections for California in the Sierra this year, so that gave us a little extra confidence.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Historical records, he said, are making the case for a strong El Niño, but “even the seasonal models are pretty wet in their projections for California in the Sierra this year, so that gave us a little extra confidence.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Will this winter’s snow be good to ski on?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"winter-snow\">Will this winter’s snow be good to ski on?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s not all good news for winter-sports enthusiasts. Smith said that stronger El Niño winters like this one “tend to run a little warmer overall in terms of temperature.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s not all good news for winter-sports enthusiasts. Smith said that stronger El Niño winters like this one “tend to run a little warmer overall in terms of temperature.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t mean it’s going to be as warm as what we saw last winter, which was abnormally warm for pretty much the entire West,” he said. “But it does mean that, when we look at the winter as a whole, we tend to see a little bit of an above-average trend.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t mean it’s going to be as warm as what we saw last winter, which was abnormally warm for pretty much the entire West,” he said. “But it does mean that, when we look at the winter as a whole, we tend to see a little bit of an above-average trend.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That means the winter could bring some particularly heavy, wet snow, like the famed “\u003ca href=\"https://asomammoth.com/what-is-sierra-cement/\">Sierra Cement\u003c/a>” that isn’t everyone’s favorite to ski on because of its heavy nature.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That means the winter could bring some particularly heavy, wet snow, like the famed “\u003ca href=\"https://asomammoth.com/what-is-sierra-cement/\">Sierra Cement\u003c/a>” that isn’t everyone’s favorite to ski on because of its heavy nature.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Likewise there could be storms where only higher elevations get snow, while lower-elevation mountains are pummeled by rain. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Likewise there could be storms where only higher elevations get snow, while lower-elevation mountains are pummeled by rain. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“So it’s not necessarily a great signal for lots of cold, powdery storms,” he said. “I certainly think we will see a mix this winter.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“So it’s not necessarily a great signal for lots of cold, powdery storms,” he said. “I certainly think we will see a mix this winter.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As for when to expect a dumping, Smith said his readings for the Sierra Nevada range are currently showing the “strongest signal from January to March.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As for when to expect a dumping, Smith said his readings for the Sierra Nevada range are currently showing the “strongest signal from January to March.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Should I be making my ski plans now?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ski-plans\">Should I be making my ski plans now?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ski-plans\">Should I be making my ski plans now?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re wondering whether to buy a ski pass this year, the super El Niño forecast \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/dyk/el-nino\">is undoubtedly already bringing a lot of hype\u003c/a> to ski resort marketing this season.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you’re wondering whether to buy a ski pass this year, the super El Niño forecast \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/dyk/el-nino\">is undoubtedly already bringing a lot of hype\u003c/a> to ski resort marketing this season.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, Smith cautioned: “Don’t get too emotionally attached to these outlooks.” \u003cbr>\u003cbr>His reasoning? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Still, Smith cautioned: “Don’t get too emotionally attached to these outlooks.” \u003cbr>\u003cbr>His reasoning? \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/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12074160\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259-1536x996.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Veteran guide Howie Schwartz, left, leads Los Angeles Times reporter Jack Dolan, right, into the popular backcountry near the Mill City site to explore the growing trend of backcountry skiing on Feb. 12, 2025, in Mammoth Lakes, California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times 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/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12074160\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Veteran guide Howie Schwartz, left, leads Los Angeles Times reporter Jack Dolan, right, into the popular backcountry near the Mill City site to explore the growing trend of backcountry skiing on Feb. 12, 2025, in Mammoth Lakes, California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s always some uncertainty in forecasting, and there’s bound to be some ebb and flow when it comes to the actual weather, he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There’s always some uncertainty in forecasting, and there’s bound to be some ebb and flow when it comes to the actual weather, he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plus, it’s way too soon to be targeting particular dates on when the actual rain or snow will fall, he added.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It can fluctuate a lot within the season,” Smith said. “We can look at the season as a whole and make a prediction if it’s going to be above or below average, but it’s not going to tell you a whole lot if you’re trying to narrow down a specific week or day.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It can fluctuate a lot within the season,” Smith said. “We can look at the season as a whole and make a prediction if it’s going to be above or below average, but it’s not going to tell you a whole lot if you’re trying to narrow down a specific week or day.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If you have a ski trip planned in January, it doesn’t mean it’s, like, a slam dunk,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If you have a ski trip planned in January, it doesn’t mean it’s, like, a slam dunk,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>With ski season right around the corner, all eyes are on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">this year’s “super” El Niño\u003c/a> forecast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And meteorologist Alan Smith, who makes North America predictions for the ski-oriented weather service OpenSnow, has \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/news/post/2026-2027-winter-forecast-preview\">called\u003c/a> the readings he’s seeing “off the charts.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After last year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077367/tahoe-ski-resorts-closing-dates-2026-heavenly-palisades-homewood-closed-weather-snow-forecast-storms\">dismal ski season\u003c/a>, hope is building among skiers and snowboarders that the weather patterns typically associated with El Niño – like increased snowfall – could bless the Sierra Nevada with an abundance of storms and snow this year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To find out what the forecast could actually spell for winter in California, Smith agreed to answer a few of our most pressing questions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1275\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12074166\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235654-1536x989.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Los Angeles Times reporter Jack Dolan skis down a backcounty slope near Mammoth Rock in Mammoth Lakes, California, while exploring the growing trend of backcountry skiing on Feb. 12, 2025. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Read on to find out:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#snow-forecast\">How should I understand this current winter forecast?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#winter-snow\">How does El Niño affect snow in the mountains?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ski-plans\">Should I already be making my ski plans based on this?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a ‘super El Niño’?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/dyk/el-nino\">El Niño\u003c/a> is a climate pattern that brings unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says fishermen off the coast of South America were the first to recognize it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Historical data from El Niño seasons show that, as a result of these higher sea surface temperatures, storm systems can bring above-average precipitation to parts of the United States. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year, Smith said, his predictions for ocean temperatures are “in record territory,” which could result in a wet winter for the West Coast – hence the “super” characterization. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1224\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino.jpg\" alt=\"A downed tree in Oakland after last weekend's El Niño-fueled storms.\" class=\"wp-image-10898113\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-400x255.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-800x510.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-1180x752.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/ElNino-960x612.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A downed tree in Oakland, California, after El Niño-fueled storms. (Andrea Kissack/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To be clear: Meteorologists can’t predict exactly when or how much it might snow in the Sierra — or anywhere else, for that matter. And OpenSnow’s Sierra Nevada forecaster Bryan Allegretto said it’s too soon for him to be predicting what weather might shake out in the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What Smith and others \u003cem>can \u003c/em>predict are sea surface temperatures, which can heavily influence the amount and timing of precipitation across the globe. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smith said he will typically make multiple updates to the forecast throughout the end of summer and into autumn. But this year, he said, the signals are so strong that “I’m not sure that we’re going to change much.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re so confident that this is going to be a very strong and potentially record-setting El Niño,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"snow-forecast\">What does this mean for the Sierra snow forecast?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“With a stronger El Niño, it tends to tip the odds in favor of above-average snowfall in the Sierra,” Smith said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He did offer caution, however.\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/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2253947921-scaled-e1769466571155.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12071091\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Professional skier Molly Armanino lands Dan’s Cliff at Kirkwood Ski Resort in Kirkwood, California, on Jan. 3, 2026. (Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be, like, a massive 2023-style winter,” Smith said, referring to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11984385/californias-2023-snow-deluge-was-a-freak-event-study-says\">2023-24 ski season that dumped heavy snowfall\u003c/a> on the region, erasing a two-decades-long megadrought.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But it just tips the odds more toward it being above, at least, the average levels, more so than it does a below-average season,” he explained.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How is this El Niño forecast calculated?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smith explained that his forecasts are made based on measurements from past seasons with “similar attributes to this one.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So he looks at factors like sea surface temperature to understand what might be coming. In this case, the “\u003ca href=\"https://www.weather.gov/mhx/ensowhat\">ENSO\u003c/a>” – the El Niño-Southern Oscillation – is a particularly powerful climate phenomena in which sea surface temperatures can directly affect precipitation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037679\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1536x1018.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An automated National Weather Service weather station collects data on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Montara, California, on April 5, 2016. (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s El Niño is concentrated in the eastern area of the Pacific Ocean, Smith said, and it’s expected to peak early in the winter. “Which is, kind of, a classic strong-to-super El Niño timing,” he noted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smith said he also analyzes winds in the tropics, and he’s seeing conditions that could favor low-pressure patterns along the West Coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Historical records, he said, are making the case for a strong El Niño, but “even the seasonal models are pretty wet in their projections for California in the Sierra this year, so that gave us a little extra confidence.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"winter-snow\">Will this winter’s snow be good to ski on?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s not all good news for winter-sports enthusiasts. Smith said that stronger El Niño winters like this one “tend to run a little warmer overall in terms of temperature.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t mean it’s going to be as warm as what we saw last winter, which was abnormally warm for pretty much the entire West,” he said. “But it does mean that, when we look at the winter as a whole, we tend to see a little bit of an above-average trend.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That means the winter could bring some particularly heavy, wet snow, like the famed “\u003ca href=\"https://asomammoth.com/what-is-sierra-cement/\">Sierra Cement\u003c/a>” that isn’t everyone’s favorite to ski on because of its heavy nature.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Likewise there could be storms where only higher elevations get snow, while lower-elevation mountains are pummeled by rain. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So it’s not necessarily a great signal for lots of cold, powdery storms,” he said. “I certainly think we will see a mix this winter.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As for when to expect a dumping, Smith said his readings for the Sierra Nevada range are currently showing the “strongest signal from January to March.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ski-plans\">Should I be making my ski plans now?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re wondering whether to buy a ski pass this year, the super El Niño forecast \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/dyk/el-nino\">is undoubtedly already bringing a lot of hype\u003c/a> to ski resort marketing this season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Smith cautioned: “Don’t get too emotionally attached to these outlooks.” \u003cbr>\u003cbr>His reasoning? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1284\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12074160\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/GettyImages-2206235259-1536x996.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Veteran guide Howie Schwartz, left, leads Los Angeles Times reporter Jack Dolan, right, into the popular backcountry near the Mill City site to explore the growing trend of backcountry skiing on Feb. 12, 2025, in Mammoth Lakes, California. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s always some uncertainty in forecasting, and there’s bound to be some ebb and flow when it comes to the actual weather, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, it’s way too soon to be targeting particular dates on when the actual rain or snow will fall, he added.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It can fluctuate a lot within the season,” Smith said. “We can look at the season as a whole and make a prediction if it’s going to be above or below average, but it’s not going to tell you a whole lot if you’re trying to narrow down a specific week or day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you have a ski trip planned in January, it doesn’t mean it’s, like, a slam dunk,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know",
"title": "A Super El Niño in the Bay Area: What You Need to Know",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is getting ready for a ‘Super El Niño’ this winter. This natural weather pattern, — made worse by human-caused climate change — could bring flooding, mudslides, power outages and road closures. KQED Climate reporter Ezra David Romero explains how we might feel the impact of El Niño in our day to day lives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">Guide: El Niño Could Bring a Wet, Wild Winter. How Can You — and Your Home — Be Ready?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-megaphone wp-block-embed-megaphone\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC8572061849\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Episode transcript\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Scientists have been warning about a super El Niño this year, which will bring wetter than normal weather to the Bay Area. But what is an El Niño?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero:\u003c/strong> Yeah, that’s like the million-dollar question, right? I mean, this is a big scary thing that we see all these headlines about.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>El Nino weather events have been happening for thousands of years. It’s when tropical winds shift in the Pacific, warming ocean water. And when the ocean warms, it could reshape weather systems, bringing stormy weather to California and disrupting marine life.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Warm water, the ocean, affects how weather happens all around the whole world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Today, what this year’s El Niño will mean for the Bay and how to stay prepared.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>You know, officials say that there’s a 69% chance this El Nino could exceed the strength of any El Nino dating back to 1950, that’s when records began.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Ezra David Romero is a climate reporter for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>El Nino’s are a natural climate phenomenon. They happen in the ocean, you know, this communication between land and sea. You know, studies indicate that human-caused climate change is creating a warmer, more moisture-related atmosphere, right, like up in the air. And that can, like, intensify the power and rainfall capacity of these modern El Nino events.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>So, we’re going to have a lot more warmer water along our coast, and broad strokes, how could that then impact us in the Bay Area? What kind of impacts may people feel in their everyday lives?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>What this could look like is like your street flooding if you live near the bay. If you live in San Francisco, if you lived in a place where there’s like poor drainage, if there’s a big rainstorm, your street could flood. Water could come from underneath your house into your place. That could also mean like if you’re like on highway 101 and it’s so wet, a mudslide could come in front of you in front your car. Could mean if you are a fisher or a person banking on these crabs or the species to be there and they’re not because of the warm water, like you know, your livelihood at stake. It also could mean like downed trees and things like that in communities, you know, it could mean power outages, but the list goes on and on. So I think that’s why like everyone should prepare for the worst. Like if it means you have a go bag with water and batteries and extra flashlights and some canned food, you know, in your home, there’s just like so many impacts that could be happening.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>And timeline-wise, when can we expect this El Nino to hit us here in the Bay Area the hardest?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Basically, this fall and winter, there are already effects in the ocean happening now down in Southern California. Like I talked to a scientist this week, he said the ocean water temperatures are already in the mid 70 degrees, ours are around mid 50s. So as we get deeper and deeper into fall and winter, that’s when we could see these effects of El Nino.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I want to talk about how this might affect us here in the Bay Area. I’m thinking about a place that you’ve reported on quite a bit, San Rafael, which is also a place in the bay area that has flooded a lot already without El Nino. And it’s also a place. That’s now bracing for what is to come, right?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Exactly. San Rafael is this community up in Marin County. There’s a creek that runs from San Francisco Bay called San Rafael Creek through the town. And that creek is kind of massive. It is built up on all the sides with homes and businesses. This is a place that flooded almost every year during king tides. King tides are one of the highest tides of the year that correlate with the moon. This past January, the King Tide happened that like with these back to back storms. And so the water was extra high and it flooded parts of neighborhoods and businesses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We flooded from the back wall all the way to the bathrooms to here and the karate school dojo went about three to four inches under water.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I met a guy named Derek Bentley back in January. He runs a karate studio right next to a marina of this creek and his business flooded from the inside out and through the front door.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>So the mats started filling with water and then they started kind of bubbling a little bit because all the foam in there started getting big and then we had another flood that happens underneath the mats.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>He’s super nervous that what could happen this winter could be worse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>And like a lot of coastal cities, I mean, here in the Bay Area, I have to imagine a lot preparation is going on. So what is San Rafael doing to prepare?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I talked to Kate Hagemann about this, she’s the Climate Adaptation Resilience Planner with the City of San Rafael.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Our main options are just to do what we can to get people and critical equipment out of harm’s way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They’re working with the community. They want to create messaging so when flooding happens, they can put messaging out like, no, avoid this area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We have to focus, especially as bad weather approaches, on just making sure people have a plan and somewhere to go.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They’re also working with groups like Caltrans and Highway Patrol and things like that because there are Highway 101 cuts through the town, that’s an area that could flood too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We met with owners and operators of critical facilities like PG&E, water, sewer, fire, these areas are at risk. If this happens, then what?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>There are so many cities on our coast here in the Bay Area, I mean what else are cities doing to prepare and how can you prepare for something like this?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I think cities across the Bay Area are thinking about this, you know, all at the same time. Places like Pacifica are thinking of the wave action that erodes the hills there, and what they do and how they message that. Places, like San Francisco, right, where we have this, like, huge downtown and this seawall that protects it that already floods in certain spots, they’re thinking about how they stop traffic, how they message to people. Do they put in pumps that can pump that water out? Because some of this water could go into like critical infrastructure, like the Muni tunnel. Cities like Alameda, you know, that are an island, they have water from all sides. And during these events where you have flooding from the side and from below, because it’s so saturated, they’re thinking about like similar things, like where they pump the water and also what kind of messaging, but also like what can homeowners do if like your basement’s full of water and you pump it out. So I think they’re encouraging people to come up with plans as well.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Ezra David Romero right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you on the bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. Listener donations are the lifeblood of what we do here at KQED. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back. I mean, Ezra, it sounds like there’s this short-term preparation that’s sort of happening, but what about long-term?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>The Bay Area is thinking about this. You know, there was a bill passed a few years ago that mandates every coastal city and Bay Area city and county come up with like a sea level rise plan. And so all these cities around the Bay are like in some status of this. Places like Alameda, San Rafael, Suisin City, Oakland. The city of San Francisco has come up with a plan with the Army Corps of Engineers to re-engineer the entire seawall. And that’s a very active seawall within that seawall, it’s like BART infrastructure, Muni, you know, electrical lines.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brad Benson\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>You know, in some of these areas, we have very important assets for the functioning of the cities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> I talked with Brad Benson about this. He’s the Waterfront Resilience Program Director for the Port of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brad Benson\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>One of the goals of the Downtown Coastal Resilience Project is to defend that area from future flooding. So we don’t have a super storm sandy kind of event that floods our underground uni system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They have a plan to do that, but they have to convince Congress to fund a big portion of it, because it’s going to cost billions of dollars to do.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>And I want to go back, as read to Derek Bentley, who owns the karate studio in San Rafael. How is he preparing?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>He has this like, elaborate plan, sort of like, if the floods happen, he wants to get down there pretty immediately and like, put all these expensive mats he just bought like, up high so they don’t flood. He’s also working with the neighboring businesses, it’s like a long strip mo-\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>If I stop the water, you know it’s going to the next business. So they have to be ready. And you know, it’ll go to the next business\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They want to have this plan together, you know, so they can all make it in San Rafael. Because I mean, they’re like literally across the street, like from his front window, you can see boats rise up and down in this marina. And so like the threat is like right in front of them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>But my fear is just, we’re now getting to the point where you won’t be able to do anything. Like I can put tarps down, I can wrap them, I can send bags down, but my fear is that we’ll lose this place because it’ll just be too much water.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>What about us as individual people? What might we do to prepare for this El Nino?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Yeah, I talked to a lot of experts about this and they, you know, basically say like preparation is like the number one thing you can do. Like have a list of things that you need to take with you on your refrigerator. Think about this now, like meet your neighbors if you don’t know them, get their phone numbers, especially live in an area that floods, you know, clear drains. If you have a roof, make sure it’s not leaking. You know, if you have like a creek or like a something like that in your backyard, make sure you clear it out. So like if there is a big rainstorm, you know, it doesn’t get clogged in your home floods. It’s like. Talk to your neighbors, make a plan, and do that now.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Why is it going to be important to see how this El Nino affects the Bay Area this winter?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero \u003c/strong>Well, I think what happens this year is sort of like this like window into the future. What could happen with sea level rise? Like state scientists project that we could have like one to three and a half feet by mid-century and even way more by the end of the century. What we’re going to see, depending on what happens to see or is sort like what could be like everyday flooding or everyday high tide levels in the next 20 to 70 years. Like I think this is an opportune moment to like witness our responses and what, what, what we do with it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Ezra thank you so much as always.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>That was Ezra David Romero, a climate reporter for KQED. I’m gonna leave you a link to Ezra’s guide on how to prepare for El Nino in our show notes. This conversation with Ezra was cut down and edited by Pauline Bartolone. Gabriela Glueck is our producer. She scored this episode and added all the tape, music courtesy of Audio Network and APM. If you want to get in touch with us here at The Bay, feel free to send us an email. We’re at thebay.kqed.org. Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco Northern California Local. And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevvara. Thanks so much for listening. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Scientists have been warning about a super El Niño this year, which will bring wetter than normal weather to the Bay Area. But what is an El Niño?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Scientists have been warning about a super El Niño this year, which will bring wetter than normal weather to the Bay Area. But what is an El Niño?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero:\u003c/strong> Yeah, that’s like the million-dollar question, right? I mean, this is a big scary thing that we see all these headlines about.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero:\u003c/strong> Yeah, that’s like the million-dollar question, right? I mean, this is a big scary thing that we see all these headlines about.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>El Nino weather events have been happening for thousands of years. It’s when tropical winds shift in the Pacific, warming ocean water. And when the ocean warms, it could reshape weather systems, bringing stormy weather to California and disrupting marine life.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>El Nino weather events have been happening for thousands of years. It’s when tropical winds shift in the Pacific, warming ocean water. And when the ocean warms, it could reshape weather systems, bringing stormy weather to California and disrupting marine life.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Warm water, the ocean, affects how weather happens all around the whole world.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Warm water, the ocean, affects how weather happens all around the whole world.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Today, what this year’s El Niño will mean for the Bay and how to stay prepared.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Today, what this year’s El Niño will mean for the Bay and how to stay prepared.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>You know, officials say that there’s a 69% chance this El Nino could exceed the strength of any El Nino dating back to 1950, that’s when records began.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>You know, officials say that there’s a 69% chance this El Nino could exceed the strength of any El Nino dating back to 1950, that’s when records began.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Ezra David Romero is a climate reporter for KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>El Nino’s are a natural climate phenomenon. They happen in the ocean, you know, this communication between land and sea. You know, studies indicate that human-caused climate change is creating a warmer, more moisture-related atmosphere, right, like up in the air. And that can, like, intensify the power and rainfall capacity of these modern El Nino events.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>El Nino’s are a natural climate phenomenon. They happen in the ocean, you know, this communication between land and sea. You know, studies indicate that human-caused climate change is creating a warmer, more moisture-related atmosphere, right, like up in the air. And that can, like, intensify the power and rainfall capacity of these modern El Nino events.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>So, we’re going to have a lot more warmer water along our coast, and broad strokes, how could that then impact us in the Bay Area? What kind of impacts may people feel in their everyday lives?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>So, we’re going to have a lot more warmer water along our coast, and broad strokes, how could that then impact us in the Bay Area? What kind of impacts may people feel in their everyday lives?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>What this could look like is like your street flooding if you live near the bay. If you live in San Francisco, if you lived in a place where there’s like poor drainage, if there’s a big rainstorm, your street could flood. Water could come from underneath your house into your place. That could also mean like if you’re like on highway 101 and it’s so wet, a mudslide could come in front of you in front your car. Could mean if you are a fisher or a person banking on these crabs or the species to be there and they’re not because of the warm water, like you know, your livelihood at stake. It also could mean like downed trees and things like that in communities, you know, it could mean power outages, but the list goes on and on. So I think that’s why like everyone should prepare for the worst. Like if it means you have a go bag with water and batteries and extra flashlights and some canned food, you know, in your home, there’s just like so many impacts that could be happening.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>What this could look like is like your street flooding if you live near the bay. If you live in San Francisco, if you lived in a place where there’s like poor drainage, if there’s a big rainstorm, your street could flood. Water could come from underneath your house into your place. That could also mean like if you’re like on highway 101 and it’s so wet, a mudslide could come in front of you in front your car. Could mean if you are a fisher or a person banking on these crabs or the species to be there and they’re not because of the warm water, like you know, your livelihood at stake. It also could mean like downed trees and things like that in communities, you know, it could mean power outages, but the list goes on and on. So I think that’s why like everyone should prepare for the worst. Like if it means you have a go bag with water and batteries and extra flashlights and some canned food, you know, in your home, there’s just like so many impacts that could be happening.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>And timeline-wise, when can we expect this El Nino to hit us here in the Bay Area the hardest?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Basically, this fall and winter, there are already effects in the ocean happening now down in Southern California. Like I talked to a scientist this week, he said the ocean water temperatures are already in the mid 70 degrees, ours are around mid 50s. So as we get deeper and deeper into fall and winter, that’s when we could see these effects of El Nino.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Basically, this fall and winter, there are already effects in the ocean happening now down in Southern California. Like I talked to a scientist this week, he said the ocean water temperatures are already in the mid 70 degrees, ours are around mid 50s. So as we get deeper and deeper into fall and winter, that’s when we could see these effects of El Nino.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I want to talk about how this might affect us here in the Bay Area. I’m thinking about a place that you’ve reported on quite a bit, San Rafael, which is also a place in the bay area that has flooded a lot already without El Nino. And it’s also a place. That’s now bracing for what is to come, right?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I want to talk about how this might affect us here in the Bay Area. I’m thinking about a place that you’ve reported on quite a bit, San Rafael, which is also a place in the bay area that has flooded a lot already without El Nino. And it’s also a place. That’s now bracing for what is to come, right?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Exactly. San Rafael is this community up in Marin County. There’s a creek that runs from San Francisco Bay called San Rafael Creek through the town. And that creek is kind of massive. It is built up on all the sides with homes and businesses. This is a place that flooded almost every year during king tides. King tides are one of the highest tides of the year that correlate with the moon. This past January, the King Tide happened that like with these back to back storms. And so the water was extra high and it flooded parts of neighborhoods and businesses.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Exactly. San Rafael is this community up in Marin County. There’s a creek that runs from San Francisco Bay called San Rafael Creek through the town. And that creek is kind of massive. It is built up on all the sides with homes and businesses. This is a place that flooded almost every year during king tides. King tides are one of the highest tides of the year that correlate with the moon. This past January, the King Tide happened that like with these back to back storms. And so the water was extra high and it flooded parts of neighborhoods and businesses.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We flooded from the back wall all the way to the bathrooms to here and the karate school dojo went about three to four inches under water.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We flooded from the back wall all the way to the bathrooms to here and the karate school dojo went about three to four inches under water.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I met a guy named Derek Bentley back in January. He runs a karate studio right next to a marina of this creek and his business flooded from the inside out and through the front door.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I met a guy named Derek Bentley back in January. He runs a karate studio right next to a marina of this creek and his business flooded from the inside out and through the front door.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>So the mats started filling with water and then they started kind of bubbling a little bit because all the foam in there started getting big and then we had another flood that happens underneath the mats.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>So the mats started filling with water and then they started kind of bubbling a little bit because all the foam in there started getting big and then we had another flood that happens underneath the mats.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>He’s super nervous that what could happen this winter could be worse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>He’s super nervous that what could happen this winter could be worse.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>And like a lot of coastal cities, I mean, here in the Bay Area, I have to imagine a lot preparation is going on. So what is San Rafael doing to prepare?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>And like a lot of coastal cities, I mean, here in the Bay Area, I have to imagine a lot preparation is going on. So what is San Rafael doing to prepare?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I talked to Kate Hagemann about this, she’s the Climate Adaptation Resilience Planner with the City of San Rafael.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Our main options are just to do what we can to get people and critical equipment out of harm’s way.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Our main options are just to do what we can to get people and critical equipment out of harm’s way.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They’re working with the community. They want to create messaging so when flooding happens, they can put messaging out like, no, avoid this area.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We have to focus, especially as bad weather approaches, on just making sure people have a plan and somewhere to go.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We have to focus, especially as bad weather approaches, on just making sure people have a plan and somewhere to go.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They’re also working with groups like Caltrans and Highway Patrol and things like that because there are Highway 101 cuts through the town, that’s an area that could flood too.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We met with owners and operators of critical facilities like PG&E, water, sewer, fire, these areas are at risk. If this happens, then what?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We met with owners and operators of critical facilities like PG&E, water, sewer, fire, these areas are at risk. If this happens, then what?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>There are so many cities on our coast here in the Bay Area, I mean what else are cities doing to prepare and how can you prepare for something like this?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I think cities across the Bay Area are thinking about this, you know, all at the same time. Places like Pacifica are thinking of the wave action that erodes the hills there, and what they do and how they message that. Places, like San Francisco, right, where we have this, like, huge downtown and this seawall that protects it that already floods in certain spots, they’re thinking about how they stop traffic, how they message to people. Do they put in pumps that can pump that water out? Because some of this water could go into like critical infrastructure, like the Muni tunnel. Cities like Alameda, you know, that are an island, they have water from all sides. And during these events where you have flooding from the side and from below, because it’s so saturated, they’re thinking about like similar things, like where they pump the water and also what kind of messaging, but also like what can homeowners do if like your basement’s full of water and you pump it out. So I think they’re encouraging people to come up with plans as well.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I think cities across the Bay Area are thinking about this, you know, all at the same time. Places like Pacifica are thinking of the wave action that erodes the hills there, and what they do and how they message that. Places, like San Francisco, right, where we have this, like, huge downtown and this seawall that protects it that already floods in certain spots, they’re thinking about how they stop traffic, how they message to people. Do they put in pumps that can pump that water out? Because some of this water could go into like critical infrastructure, like the Muni tunnel. Cities like Alameda, you know, that are an island, they have water from all sides. And during these events where you have flooding from the side and from below, because it’s so saturated, they’re thinking about like similar things, like where they pump the water and also what kind of messaging, but also like what can homeowners do if like your basement’s full of water and you pump it out. So I think they’re encouraging people to come up with plans as well.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Ezra David Romero right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you on the bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. Listener donations are the lifeblood of what we do here at KQED. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back. I mean, Ezra, it sounds like there’s this short-term preparation that’s sort of happening, but what about long-term?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Ezra David Romero right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you on the bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. Listener donations are the lifeblood of what we do here at KQED. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back. I mean, Ezra, it sounds like there’s this short-term preparation that’s sort of happening, but what about long-term?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>The Bay Area is thinking about this. You know, there was a bill passed a few years ago that mandates every coastal city and Bay Area city and county come up with like a sea level rise plan. And so all these cities around the Bay are like in some status of this. Places like Alameda, San Rafael, Suisin City, Oakland. The city of San Francisco has come up with a plan with the Army Corps of Engineers to re-engineer the entire seawall. And that’s a very active seawall within that seawall, it’s like BART infrastructure, Muni, you know, electrical lines.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>The Bay Area is thinking about this. You know, there was a bill passed a few years ago that mandates every coastal city and Bay Area city and county come up with like a sea level rise plan. And so all these cities around the Bay are like in some status of this. Places like Alameda, San Rafael, Suisin City, Oakland. The city of San Francisco has come up with a plan with the Army Corps of Engineers to re-engineer the entire seawall. And that’s a very active seawall within that seawall, it’s like BART infrastructure, Muni, you know, electrical lines.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brad Benson\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>You know, in some of these areas, we have very important assets for the functioning of the cities.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> I talked with Brad Benson about this. He’s the Waterfront Resilience Program Director for the Port of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brad Benson\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>One of the goals of the Downtown Coastal Resilience Project is to defend that area from future flooding. So we don’t have a super storm sandy kind of event that floods our underground uni system.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They have a plan to do that, but they have to convince Congress to fund a big portion of it, because it’s going to cost billions of dollars to do.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>And I want to go back, as read to Derek Bentley, who owns the karate studio in San Rafael. How is he preparing?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>He has this like, elaborate plan, sort of like, if the floods happen, he wants to get down there pretty immediately and like, put all these expensive mats he just bought like, up high so they don’t flood. He’s also working with the neighboring businesses, it’s like a long strip mo-\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>If I stop the water, you know it’s going to the next business. So they have to be ready. And you know, it’ll go to the next business\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>If I stop the water, you know it’s going to the next business. So they have to be ready. And you know, it’ll go to the next business\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They want to have this plan together, you know, so they can all make it in San Rafael. Because I mean, they’re like literally across the street, like from his front window, you can see boats rise up and down in this marina. And so like the threat is like right in front of them.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They want to have this plan together, you know, so they can all make it in San Rafael. Because I mean, they’re like literally across the street, like from his front window, you can see boats rise up and down in this marina. And so like the threat is like right in front of them.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>But my fear is just, we’re now getting to the point where you won’t be able to do anything. Like I can put tarps down, I can wrap them, I can send bags down, but my fear is that we’ll lose this place because it’ll just be too much water.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>But my fear is just, we’re now getting to the point where you won’t be able to do anything. Like I can put tarps down, I can wrap them, I can send bags down, but my fear is that we’ll lose this place because it’ll just be too much water.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>What about us as individual people? What might we do to prepare for this El Nino?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>What about us as individual people? What might we do to prepare for this El Nino?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Yeah, I talked to a lot of experts about this and they, you know, basically say like preparation is like the number one thing you can do. Like have a list of things that you need to take with you on your refrigerator. Think about this now, like meet your neighbors if you don’t know them, get their phone numbers, especially live in an area that floods, you know, clear drains. If you have a roof, make sure it’s not leaking. You know, if you have like a creek or like a something like that in your backyard, make sure you clear it out. So like if there is a big rainstorm, you know, it doesn’t get clogged in your home floods. It’s like. Talk to your neighbors, make a plan, and do that now.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Yeah, I talked to a lot of experts about this and they, you know, basically say like preparation is like the number one thing you can do. Like have a list of things that you need to take with you on your refrigerator. Think about this now, like meet your neighbors if you don’t know them, get their phone numbers, especially live in an area that floods, you know, clear drains. If you have a roof, make sure it’s not leaking. You know, if you have like a creek or like a something like that in your backyard, make sure you clear it out. So like if there is a big rainstorm, you know, it doesn’t get clogged in your home floods. It’s like. Talk to your neighbors, make a plan, and do that now.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Why is it going to be important to see how this El Nino affects the Bay Area this winter?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero \u003c/strong>Well, I think what happens this year is sort of like this like window into the future. What could happen with sea level rise? Like state scientists project that we could have like one to three and a half feet by mid-century and even way more by the end of the century. What we’re going to see, depending on what happens to see or is sort like what could be like everyday flooding or everyday high tide levels in the next 20 to 70 years. Like I think this is an opportune moment to like witness our responses and what, what, what we do with it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero \u003c/strong>Well, I think what happens this year is sort of like this like window into the future. What could happen with sea level rise? Like state scientists project that we could have like one to three and a half feet by mid-century and even way more by the end of the century. What we’re going to see, depending on what happens to see or is sort like what could be like everyday flooding or everyday high tide levels in the next 20 to 70 years. Like I think this is an opportune moment to like witness our responses and what, what, what we do with it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Ezra thank you so much as always.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Ezra thank you so much as always.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>That was Ezra David Romero, a climate reporter for KQED. I’m gonna leave you a link to Ezra’s guide on how to prepare for El Nino in our show notes. This conversation with Ezra was cut down and edited by Pauline Bartolone. Gabriela Glueck is our producer. She scored this episode and added all the tape, music courtesy of Audio Network and APM. If you want to get in touch with us here at The Bay, feel free to send us an email. We’re at thebay.kqed.org. Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco Northern California Local. And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevvara. Thanks so much for listening. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>That was Ezra David Romero, a climate reporter for KQED. I’m gonna leave you a link to Ezra’s guide on how to prepare for El Nino in our show notes. This conversation with Ezra was cut down and edited by Pauline Bartolone. Gabriela Glueck is our producer. She scored this episode and added all the tape, music courtesy of Audio Network and APM. If you want to get in touch with us here at The Bay, feel free to send us an email. We’re at thebay.kqed.org. Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco Northern California Local. And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevvara. Thanks so much for listening. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is getting ready for a ‘Super El Niño’ this winter. This natural weather pattern, — made worse by human-caused climate change — could bring flooding, mudslides, power outages and road closures. KQED Climate reporter Ezra David Romero explains how we might feel the impact of El Niño in our day to day lives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">Guide: El Niño Could Bring a Wet, Wild Winter. How Can You — and Your Home — Be Ready?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-megaphone wp-block-embed-megaphone\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC8572061849\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Episode transcript\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Scientists have been warning about a super El Niño this year, which will bring wetter than normal weather to the Bay Area. But what is an El Niño?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero:\u003c/strong> Yeah, that’s like the million-dollar question, right? I mean, this is a big scary thing that we see all these headlines about.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>El Nino weather events have been happening for thousands of years. It’s when tropical winds shift in the Pacific, warming ocean water. And when the ocean warms, it could reshape weather systems, bringing stormy weather to California and disrupting marine life.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Warm water, the ocean, affects how weather happens all around the whole world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Today, what this year’s El Niño will mean for the Bay and how to stay prepared.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>You know, officials say that there’s a 69% chance this El Nino could exceed the strength of any El Nino dating back to 1950, that’s when records began.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Ezra David Romero is a climate reporter for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>El Nino’s are a natural climate phenomenon. They happen in the ocean, you know, this communication between land and sea. You know, studies indicate that human-caused climate change is creating a warmer, more moisture-related atmosphere, right, like up in the air. And that can, like, intensify the power and rainfall capacity of these modern El Nino events.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>So, we’re going to have a lot more warmer water along our coast, and broad strokes, how could that then impact us in the Bay Area? What kind of impacts may people feel in their everyday lives?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>What this could look like is like your street flooding if you live near the bay. If you live in San Francisco, if you lived in a place where there’s like poor drainage, if there’s a big rainstorm, your street could flood. Water could come from underneath your house into your place. That could also mean like if you’re like on highway 101 and it’s so wet, a mudslide could come in front of you in front your car. Could mean if you are a fisher or a person banking on these crabs or the species to be there and they’re not because of the warm water, like you know, your livelihood at stake. It also could mean like downed trees and things like that in communities, you know, it could mean power outages, but the list goes on and on. So I think that’s why like everyone should prepare for the worst. Like if it means you have a go bag with water and batteries and extra flashlights and some canned food, you know, in your home, there’s just like so many impacts that could be happening.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>And timeline-wise, when can we expect this El Nino to hit us here in the Bay Area the hardest?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Basically, this fall and winter, there are already effects in the ocean happening now down in Southern California. Like I talked to a scientist this week, he said the ocean water temperatures are already in the mid 70 degrees, ours are around mid 50s. So as we get deeper and deeper into fall and winter, that’s when we could see these effects of El Nino.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I want to talk about how this might affect us here in the Bay Area. I’m thinking about a place that you’ve reported on quite a bit, San Rafael, which is also a place in the bay area that has flooded a lot already without El Nino. And it’s also a place. That’s now bracing for what is to come, right?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Exactly. San Rafael is this community up in Marin County. There’s a creek that runs from San Francisco Bay called San Rafael Creek through the town. And that creek is kind of massive. It is built up on all the sides with homes and businesses. This is a place that flooded almost every year during king tides. King tides are one of the highest tides of the year that correlate with the moon. This past January, the King Tide happened that like with these back to back storms. And so the water was extra high and it flooded parts of neighborhoods and businesses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We flooded from the back wall all the way to the bathrooms to here and the karate school dojo went about three to four inches under water.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I met a guy named Derek Bentley back in January. He runs a karate studio right next to a marina of this creek and his business flooded from the inside out and through the front door.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>So the mats started filling with water and then they started kind of bubbling a little bit because all the foam in there started getting big and then we had another flood that happens underneath the mats.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>He’s super nervous that what could happen this winter could be worse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>And like a lot of coastal cities, I mean, here in the Bay Area, I have to imagine a lot preparation is going on. So what is San Rafael doing to prepare?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I talked to Kate Hagemann about this, she’s the Climate Adaptation Resilience Planner with the City of San Rafael.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Our main options are just to do what we can to get people and critical equipment out of harm’s way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They’re working with the community. They want to create messaging so when flooding happens, they can put messaging out like, no, avoid this area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We have to focus, especially as bad weather approaches, on just making sure people have a plan and somewhere to go.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They’re also working with groups like Caltrans and Highway Patrol and things like that because there are Highway 101 cuts through the town, that’s an area that could flood too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kate Hagemann\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We met with owners and operators of critical facilities like PG&E, water, sewer, fire, these areas are at risk. If this happens, then what?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>There are so many cities on our coast here in the Bay Area, I mean what else are cities doing to prepare and how can you prepare for something like this?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>I think cities across the Bay Area are thinking about this, you know, all at the same time. Places like Pacifica are thinking of the wave action that erodes the hills there, and what they do and how they message that. Places, like San Francisco, right, where we have this, like, huge downtown and this seawall that protects it that already floods in certain spots, they’re thinking about how they stop traffic, how they message to people. Do they put in pumps that can pump that water out? Because some of this water could go into like critical infrastructure, like the Muni tunnel. Cities like Alameda, you know, that are an island, they have water from all sides. And during these events where you have flooding from the side and from below, because it’s so saturated, they’re thinking about like similar things, like where they pump the water and also what kind of messaging, but also like what can homeowners do if like your basement’s full of water and you pump it out. So I think they’re encouraging people to come up with plans as well.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Ezra David Romero right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the local deep dives that we bring you on the bay, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. Listener donations are the lifeblood of what we do here at KQED. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back. I mean, Ezra, it sounds like there’s this short-term preparation that’s sort of happening, but what about long-term?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>The Bay Area is thinking about this. You know, there was a bill passed a few years ago that mandates every coastal city and Bay Area city and county come up with like a sea level rise plan. And so all these cities around the Bay are like in some status of this. Places like Alameda, San Rafael, Suisin City, Oakland. The city of San Francisco has come up with a plan with the Army Corps of Engineers to re-engineer the entire seawall. And that’s a very active seawall within that seawall, it’s like BART infrastructure, Muni, you know, electrical lines.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brad Benson\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>You know, in some of these areas, we have very important assets for the functioning of the cities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> I talked with Brad Benson about this. He’s the Waterfront Resilience Program Director for the Port of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brad Benson\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>One of the goals of the Downtown Coastal Resilience Project is to defend that area from future flooding. So we don’t have a super storm sandy kind of event that floods our underground uni system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They have a plan to do that, but they have to convince Congress to fund a big portion of it, because it’s going to cost billions of dollars to do.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>And I want to go back, as read to Derek Bentley, who owns the karate studio in San Rafael. How is he preparing?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>He has this like, elaborate plan, sort of like, if the floods happen, he wants to get down there pretty immediately and like, put all these expensive mats he just bought like, up high so they don’t flood. He’s also working with the neighboring businesses, it’s like a long strip mo-\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>If I stop the water, you know it’s going to the next business. So they have to be ready. And you know, it’ll go to the next business\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>They want to have this plan together, you know, so they can all make it in San Rafael. Because I mean, they’re like literally across the street, like from his front window, you can see boats rise up and down in this marina. And so like the threat is like right in front of them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Derek Bentley\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>But my fear is just, we’re now getting to the point where you won’t be able to do anything. Like I can put tarps down, I can wrap them, I can send bags down, but my fear is that we’ll lose this place because it’ll just be too much water.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>What about us as individual people? What might we do to prepare for this El Nino?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Yeah, I talked to a lot of experts about this and they, you know, basically say like preparation is like the number one thing you can do. Like have a list of things that you need to take with you on your refrigerator. Think about this now, like meet your neighbors if you don’t know them, get their phone numbers, especially live in an area that floods, you know, clear drains. If you have a roof, make sure it’s not leaking. You know, if you have like a creek or like a something like that in your backyard, make sure you clear it out. So like if there is a big rainstorm, you know, it doesn’t get clogged in your home floods. It’s like. Talk to your neighbors, make a plan, and do that now.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Why is it going to be important to see how this El Nino affects the Bay Area this winter?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero \u003c/strong>Well, I think what happens this year is sort of like this like window into the future. What could happen with sea level rise? Like state scientists project that we could have like one to three and a half feet by mid-century and even way more by the end of the century. What we’re going to see, depending on what happens to see or is sort like what could be like everyday flooding or everyday high tide levels in the next 20 to 70 years. Like I think this is an opportune moment to like witness our responses and what, what, what we do with it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Ezra thank you so much as always.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ezra David Romero\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> \u003c/strong>That was Ezra David Romero, a climate reporter for KQED. I’m gonna leave you a link to Ezra’s guide on how to prepare for El Nino in our show notes. This conversation with Ezra was cut down and edited by Pauline Bartolone. Gabriela Glueck is our producer. She scored this episode and added all the tape, music courtesy of Audio Network and APM. If you want to get in touch with us here at The Bay, feel free to send us an email. We’re at thebay.kqed.org. Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco Northern California Local. And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevvara. Thanks so much for listening. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097357/newsom-lawmakers-reach-last-minute-deal-on-wildfire-fallout\">last-minute legislative deal\u003c/a> to change California’s rules governing the fallout of damaging \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfires\u003c/a> sparked by utility equipment fell apart Tuesday, after the state Assembly ended its regular session without a vote on the plan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915096/who-should-pay-when-utilities-companies-start-a-fire\">agreement announced\u003c/a> on Saturday between Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> and legislative leaders sought to speed up payments for fire victims, limited compensation for power company executives after utility-caused fires, and prevented insurance companies from selling their right to sue utilities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After months of negotiations that pitted California utilities against insurance companies, supporters heralded the deal as a first step toward better aiding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again\">wildfire survivors\u003c/a> and shielding utilities from expensive legal settlements that have contributed to rising electric bills. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the leaders of PG&E and the parent company of SoCal Edison said the deal did not go far enough to ease the financial risks they face when their equipment starts a damaging blaze. Under California law, utilities are liable for damage caused by their equipment, regardless of whether they are found to have acted negligently. \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/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on May 14, 2026, in Sacramento. (Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stocks for PG&E and Edison International tumbled after the compromise was announced over the weekend, and Newsom — who had initially pushed for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097383/newsoms-wildfire-gamble-and-two-voting-court-cases\">shifting more liability away from utilities\u003c/a> — publicly criticized the deal he had struck. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The reforms in this bill, while important, did not address the underlying structural problems driving this crisis, as the initial market reaction this week demonstrates,” the governor said in a statement Tuesday after the bill’s failure. “Simply put, this measure did not meet the gravity of this moment. The only solution is to return to fix the entire problem, not part of it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom’s office did not respond to a question about whether the governor would call a special session to continue work on the issue this fall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Legislature convened on Tuesday morning, a day after the regular legislative session was scheduled to end, to cast a vote on a few remaining bills.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But moments before the Assembly ended its session, Speaker Robert Rivas announced that the chamber would not be holding a vote on the wildfire agreement, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB492\">Senate Bill 492\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We made this decision that we’re going to go back to work this fall,” Rivas said. “We’re not going to stop until we have done everything possible for those who have lost everything.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rivas’ announcement marked a surprising twist on a topic central to Newsom’s legacy as governor, as his final term ends in January. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Weeks after Newsom took office in 2019, PG&E declared bankruptcy in the face of tens of billions of dollars in liabilities from the deadly Camp Fire in Northern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the years since, wildfire liabilities have shaken the state’s insurance and electricity markets. Home insurers have raised premiums and exited the state completely in the face of massive losses, while utility spending on settlements and wildfire prevention has driven up California’s electricity rates to the second highest in the nation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wildfire liability costs now account for roughly 5% of Californians’ average monthly electricity bill, according to the California Public Utilities Commission, while wildfire mitigation — such as burying power lines and trimming trees — makes up about 15%. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom proposed a major shift in wildfire risk from utilities to home insurers. His initial plan would have banned insurance companies from filing lawsuits against utilities, known as subrogation claims, to recover the payments they had made to wildfire victims. It would also have placed limits on claims of noneconomic damages and the amounts that local governments can recoup from utilities for destroyed infrastructure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"After the heavy toll of the Los Angeles fires, California regulators are moving ahead with rules to limit or clear vegetation within five feet of homes, a zone where flammable materials pose a\" class=\"wp-image-12068944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-2000x1333.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a home during a powerful windstorm on Jan. 8, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images North America)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But those changes met resistance from a formidable coalition of insurance companies, attorneys and wildfire-victim groups who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again\">criticized the governor’s push\u003c/a> as a bailout of the utilities that would discourage the power giants from prioritizing fire safety. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deal announced in SB 492 would have restricted insurance companies only from selling their right to file such claims to private-equity firms. The bill would have also established a fast-pay system for fire victims, prevented utility executives from receiving bonuses after a utility-caused fire, authorized the creation of a statewide plan to reduce fire risk and capped the attorney fees in insurance subrogation cases to 10% of the final settlement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The survivor-advocacy group Every Fire Survivor’s Network took a neutral position on the legislation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This bill was a balanced and meaningful first step with the understanding that we would continue working on the larger structural issues next year,” said Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, the bill’s author. “I am disappointed we could not deliver these reforms today, but I will not stop working on behalf of wildfire survivors.”\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/10/2020/05/Camp-Fire-Aftermath.jpg\" alt=\"A man looks over his burned home, destroyed by the Camp Fire in Nov. 2018 in Paradise. The deadline for 70,000 survivors of numerous fires to vote on a multi-billion-dollar settlement deal with PG&E was May 15.\" class=\"wp-image-11820077\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/Camp-Fire-Aftermath.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/Camp-Fire-Aftermath-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/Camp-Fire-Aftermath-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/Camp-Fire-Aftermath-1020x680.jpg 1020w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A man looks over his burned home, destroyed by the Camp Fire in November 2018, in Paradise, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Democrats in the Legislature rebuffed Newsom’s proposed changes to limit utilities’ liability, PG&E’s share price dropped from over $18 on Friday to just above $13 on Monday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A large segment of the entities that used to own California utilities — pension funds, kind of boring investors that need safe, reliable investments — were like, ‘We’re out of here, this is too much,’ and they sold their stock, and the stock fell as a result,” said Michael Wara, director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The people that buy stock in that context are bargain shoppers looking for ways to make a lot of money fast — that’s called a hedge fund,” Wara added. “The thing we should worry about as Californians … is that the shareholders of the companies, the new shareholders, are going to do things to California to try to make a lot of money after they bought the stock cheap yesterday.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The conversation on where to place liability for destructive wildfires is not over, Wara said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Do we want to solve this problem ahead of time … or do we want to solve it in the context of the next utility bankruptcy?” Wara asked. “That is not a better place to solve this problem, but it may be where we have to solve it because the politics are so hard.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097357/newsom-lawmakers-reach-last-minute-deal-on-wildfire-fallout\">last-minute legislative deal\u003c/a> to change California’s rules governing the fallout of damaging \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfires\u003c/a> sparked by utility equipment fell apart Tuesday, after the state Assembly ended its regular session without a vote on the plan. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097357/newsom-lawmakers-reach-last-minute-deal-on-wildfire-fallout\">last-minute legislative deal\u003c/a> to change California’s rules governing the fallout of damaging \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfires\u003c/a> sparked by utility equipment fell apart Tuesday, after the state Assembly ended its regular session without a vote on the plan. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915096/who-should-pay-when-utilities-companies-start-a-fire\">agreement announced\u003c/a> on Saturday between Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> and legislative leaders sought to speed up payments for fire victims, limited compensation for power company executives after utility-caused fires, and prevented insurance companies from selling their right to sue utilities. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915096/who-should-pay-when-utilities-companies-start-a-fire\">agreement announced\u003c/a> on Saturday between Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> and legislative leaders sought to speed up payments for fire victims, limited compensation for power company executives after utility-caused fires, and prevented insurance companies from selling their right to sue utilities. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After months of negotiations that pitted California utilities against insurance companies, supporters heralded the deal as a first step toward better aiding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again\">wildfire survivors\u003c/a> and shielding utilities from expensive legal settlements that have contributed to rising electric bills. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After months of negotiations that pitted California utilities against insurance companies, supporters heralded the deal as a first step toward better aiding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again\">wildfire survivors\u003c/a> and shielding utilities from expensive legal settlements that have contributed to rising electric bills. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the leaders of PG&E and the parent company of SoCal Edison said the deal did not go far enough to ease the financial risks they face when their equipment starts a damaging blaze. Under California law, utilities are liable for damage caused by their equipment, regardless of whether they are found to have acted negligently. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the leaders of PG&E and the parent company of SoCal Edison said the deal did not go far enough to ease the financial risks they face when their equipment starts a damaging blaze. Under California law, utilities are liable for damage caused by their equipment, regardless of whether they are found to have acted negligently. \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/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on May 14, 2026, in Sacramento.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jeff Chiu/AP)\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/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on May 14, 2026, in Sacramento.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Stocks for PG&E and Edison International tumbled after the compromise was announced over the weekend, and Newsom — who had initially pushed for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097383/newsoms-wildfire-gamble-and-two-voting-court-cases\">shifting more liability away from utilities\u003c/a> — publicly criticized the deal he had struck. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Stocks for PG&E and Edison International tumbled after the compromise was announced over the weekend, and Newsom — who had initially pushed for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097383/newsoms-wildfire-gamble-and-two-voting-court-cases\">shifting more liability away from utilities\u003c/a> — publicly criticized the deal he had struck. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The reforms in this bill, while important, did not address the underlying structural problems driving this crisis, as the initial market reaction this week demonstrates,” the governor said in a statement Tuesday after the bill’s failure. “Simply put, this measure did not meet the gravity of this moment. The only solution is to return to fix the entire problem, not part of it.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The reforms in this bill, while important, did not address the underlying structural problems driving this crisis, as the initial market reaction this week demonstrates,” the governor said in a statement Tuesday after the bill’s failure. “Simply put, this measure did not meet the gravity of this moment. The only solution is to return to fix the entire problem, not part of it.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Newsom’s office did not respond to a question about whether the governor would call a special session to continue work on the issue this fall. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Newsom’s office did not respond to a question about whether the governor would call a special session to continue work on the issue this fall. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Legislature convened on Tuesday morning, a day after the regular legislative session was scheduled to end, to cast a vote on a few remaining bills.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Legislature convened on Tuesday morning, a day after the regular legislative session was scheduled to end, to cast a vote on a few remaining bills.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But moments before the Assembly ended its session, Speaker Robert Rivas announced that the chamber would not be holding a vote on the wildfire agreement, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB492\">Senate Bill 492\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But moments before the Assembly ended its session, Speaker Robert Rivas announced that the chamber would not be holding a vote on the wildfire agreement, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB492\">Senate Bill 492\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We made this decision that we’re going to go back to work this fall,” Rivas said. “We’re not going to stop until we have done everything possible for those who have lost everything.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We made this decision that we’re going to go back to work this fall,” Rivas said. “We’re not going to stop until we have done everything possible for those who have lost everything.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rivas’ announcement marked a surprising twist on a topic central to Newsom’s legacy as governor, as his final term ends in January. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Weeks after Newsom took office in 2019, PG&E declared bankruptcy in the face of tens of billions of dollars in liabilities from the deadly Camp Fire in Northern California. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Weeks after Newsom took office in 2019, PG&E declared bankruptcy in the face of tens of billions of dollars in liabilities from the deadly Camp Fire in Northern California. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the years since, wildfire liabilities have shaken the state’s insurance and electricity markets. Home insurers have raised premiums and exited the state completely in the face of massive losses, while utility spending on settlements and wildfire prevention has driven up California’s electricity rates to the second highest in the nation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the years since, wildfire liabilities have shaken the state’s insurance and electricity markets. Home insurers have raised premiums and exited the state completely in the face of massive losses, while utility spending on settlements and wildfire prevention has driven up California’s electricity rates to the second highest in the nation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wildfire liability costs now account for roughly 5% of Californians’ average monthly electricity bill, according to the California Public Utilities Commission, while wildfire mitigation — such as burying power lines and trimming trees — makes up about 15%. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Wildfire liability costs now account for roughly 5% of Californians’ average monthly electricity bill, according to the California Public Utilities Commission, while wildfire mitigation — such as burying power lines and trimming trees — makes up about 15%. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Newsom proposed a major shift in wildfire risk from utilities to home insurers. His initial plan would have banned insurance companies from filing lawsuits against utilities, known as subrogation claims, to recover the payments they had made to wildfire victims. It would also have placed limits on claims of noneconomic damages and the amounts that local governments can recoup from utilities for destroyed infrastructure. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Newsom proposed a major shift in wildfire risk from utilities to home insurers. His initial plan would have banned insurance companies from filing lawsuits against utilities, known as subrogation claims, to recover the payments they had made to wildfire victims. It would also have placed limits on claims of noneconomic damages and the amounts that local governments can recoup from utilities for destroyed infrastructure. \u003c/p>\n"
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"alt": "After the heavy toll of the Los Angeles fires, California regulators are moving ahead with rules to limit or clear vegetation within five feet of homes, a zone where flammable materials pose a",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"After the heavy toll of the Los Angeles fires, California regulators are moving ahead with rules to limit or clear vegetation within five feet of homes, a zone where flammable materials pose a\" class=\"wp-image-12068944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-2000x1333.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a home during a powerful windstorm on Jan. 8, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Apu Gomes/Getty Images North America)\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/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"After the heavy toll of the Los Angeles fires, California regulators are moving ahead with rules to limit or clear vegetation within five feet of homes, a zone where flammable materials pose a\" class=\"wp-image-12068944\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a home during a powerful windstorm on Jan. 8, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Apu Gomes/Getty Images North America)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But those changes met resistance from a formidable coalition of insurance companies, attorneys and wildfire-victim groups who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again\">criticized the governor’s push\u003c/a> as a bailout of the utilities that would discourage the power giants from prioritizing fire safety. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The deal announced in SB 492 would have restricted insurance companies only from selling their right to file such claims to private-equity firms. The bill would have also established a fast-pay system for fire victims, prevented utility executives from receiving bonuses after a utility-caused fire, authorized the creation of a statewide plan to reduce fire risk and capped the attorney fees in insurance subrogation cases to 10% of the final settlement.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The deal announced in SB 492 would have restricted insurance companies only from selling their right to file such claims to private-equity firms. The bill would have also established a fast-pay system for fire victims, prevented utility executives from receiving bonuses after a utility-caused fire, authorized the creation of a statewide plan to reduce fire risk and capped the attorney fees in insurance subrogation cases to 10% of the final settlement.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The survivor-advocacy group Every Fire Survivor’s Network took a neutral position on the legislation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This bill was a balanced and meaningful first step with the understanding that we would continue working on the larger structural issues next year,” said Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, the bill’s author. “I am disappointed we could not deliver these reforms today, but I will not stop working on behalf of wildfire survivors.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This bill was a balanced and meaningful first step with the understanding that we would continue working on the larger structural issues next year,” said Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, the bill’s author. “I am disappointed we could not deliver these reforms today, but I will not stop working on behalf of wildfire survivors.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As Democrats in the Legislature rebuffed Newsom’s proposed changes to limit utilities’ liability, PG&E’s share price dropped from over $18 on Friday to just above $13 on Monday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A large segment of the entities that used to own California utilities — pension funds, kind of boring investors that need safe, reliable investments — were like, ‘We’re out of here, this is too much,’ and they sold their stock, and the stock fell as a result,” said Michael Wara, director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The people that buy stock in that context are bargain shoppers looking for ways to make a lot of money fast — that’s called a hedge fund,” Wara added. “The thing we should worry about as Californians … is that the shareholders of the companies, the new shareholders, are going to do things to California to try to make a lot of money after they bought the stock cheap yesterday.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The conversation on where to place liability for destructive wildfires is not over, Wara said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Do we want to solve this problem ahead of time … or do we want to solve it in the context of the next utility bankruptcy?” Wara asked. “That is not a better place to solve this problem, but it may be where we have to solve it because the politics are so hard.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Do we want to solve this problem ahead of time … or do we want to solve it in the context of the next utility bankruptcy?” Wara asked. “That is not a better place to solve this problem, but it may be where we have to solve it because the politics are so hard.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized the deal he reached just days ago with legislative leaders, which utilities said did not go far enough to ease their financial risks. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097357/newsom-lawmakers-reach-last-minute-deal-on-wildfire-fallout\">last-minute legislative deal\u003c/a> to change California’s rules governing the fallout of damaging \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfires\u003c/a> sparked by utility equipment fell apart Tuesday, after the state Assembly ended its regular session without a vote on the plan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915096/who-should-pay-when-utilities-companies-start-a-fire\">agreement announced\u003c/a> on Saturday between Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> and legislative leaders sought to speed up payments for fire victims, limited compensation for power company executives after utility-caused fires, and prevented insurance companies from selling their right to sue utilities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After months of negotiations that pitted California utilities against insurance companies, supporters heralded the deal as a first step toward better aiding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again\">wildfire survivors\u003c/a> and shielding utilities from expensive legal settlements that have contributed to rising electric bills. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the leaders of PG&E and the parent company of SoCal Edison said the deal did not go far enough to ease the financial risks they face when their equipment starts a damaging blaze. Under California law, utilities are liable for damage caused by their equipment, regardless of whether they are found to have acted negligently. \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/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on May 14, 2026, in Sacramento. (Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stocks for PG&E and Edison International tumbled after the compromise was announced over the weekend, and Newsom — who had initially pushed for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097383/newsoms-wildfire-gamble-and-two-voting-court-cases\">shifting more liability away from utilities\u003c/a> — publicly criticized the deal he had struck. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The reforms in this bill, while important, did not address the underlying structural problems driving this crisis, as the initial market reaction this week demonstrates,” the governor said in a statement Tuesday after the bill’s failure. “Simply put, this measure did not meet the gravity of this moment. The only solution is to return to fix the entire problem, not part of it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom’s office did not respond to a question about whether the governor would call a special session to continue work on the issue this fall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Legislature convened on Tuesday morning, a day after the regular legislative session was scheduled to end, to cast a vote on a few remaining bills.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But moments before the Assembly ended its session, Speaker Robert Rivas announced that the chamber would not be holding a vote on the wildfire agreement, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB492\">Senate Bill 492\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We made this decision that we’re going to go back to work this fall,” Rivas said. “We’re not going to stop until we have done everything possible for those who have lost everything.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rivas’ announcement marked a surprising twist on a topic central to Newsom’s legacy as governor, as his final term ends in January. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Weeks after Newsom took office in 2019, PG&E declared bankruptcy in the face of tens of billions of dollars in liabilities from the deadly Camp Fire in Northern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the years since, wildfire liabilities have shaken the state’s insurance and electricity markets. Home insurers have raised premiums and exited the state completely in the face of massive losses, while utility spending on settlements and wildfire prevention has driven up California’s electricity rates to the second highest in the nation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wildfire liability costs now account for roughly 5% of Californians’ average monthly electricity bill, according to the California Public Utilities Commission, while wildfire mitigation — such as burying power lines and trimming trees — makes up about 15%. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom proposed a major shift in wildfire risk from utilities to home insurers. His initial plan would have banned insurance companies from filing lawsuits against utilities, known as subrogation claims, to recover the payments they had made to wildfire victims. It would also have placed limits on claims of noneconomic damages and the amounts that local governments can recoup from utilities for destroyed infrastructure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"After the heavy toll of the Los Angeles fires, California regulators are moving ahead with rules to limit or clear vegetation within five feet of homes, a zone where flammable materials pose a\" class=\"wp-image-12068944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-2000x1333.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/gettyimages-2192342554-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a home during a powerful windstorm on Jan. 8, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images North America)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But those changes met resistance from a formidable coalition of insurance companies, attorneys and wildfire-victim groups who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again\">criticized the governor’s push\u003c/a> as a bailout of the utilities that would discourage the power giants from prioritizing fire safety. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deal announced in SB 492 would have restricted insurance companies only from selling their right to file such claims to private-equity firms. The bill would have also established a fast-pay system for fire victims, prevented utility executives from receiving bonuses after a utility-caused fire, authorized the creation of a statewide plan to reduce fire risk and capped the attorney fees in insurance subrogation cases to 10% of the final settlement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The survivor-advocacy group Every Fire Survivor’s Network took a neutral position on the legislation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This bill was a balanced and meaningful first step with the understanding that we would continue working on the larger structural issues next year,” said Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, the bill’s author. “I am disappointed we could not deliver these reforms today, but I will not stop working on behalf of wildfire survivors.”\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/10/2020/05/Camp-Fire-Aftermath.jpg\" alt=\"A man looks over his burned home, destroyed by the Camp Fire in Nov. 2018 in Paradise. The deadline for 70,000 survivors of numerous fires to vote on a multi-billion-dollar settlement deal with PG&E was May 15.\" class=\"wp-image-11820077\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/Camp-Fire-Aftermath.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/Camp-Fire-Aftermath-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/Camp-Fire-Aftermath-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/05/Camp-Fire-Aftermath-1020x680.jpg 1020w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A man looks over his burned home, destroyed by the Camp Fire in November 2018, in Paradise, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Democrats in the Legislature rebuffed Newsom’s proposed changes to limit utilities’ liability, PG&E’s share price dropped from over $18 on Friday to just above $13 on Monday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A large segment of the entities that used to own California utilities — pension funds, kind of boring investors that need safe, reliable investments — were like, ‘We’re out of here, this is too much,’ and they sold their stock, and the stock fell as a result,” said Michael Wara, director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The people that buy stock in that context are bargain shoppers looking for ways to make a lot of money fast — that’s called a hedge fund,” Wara added. “The thing we should worry about as Californians … is that the shareholders of the companies, the new shareholders, are going to do things to California to try to make a lot of money after they bought the stock cheap yesterday.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The conversation on where to place liability for destructive wildfires is not over, Wara said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Do we want to solve this problem ahead of time … or do we want to solve it in the context of the next utility bankruptcy?” Wara asked. “That is not a better place to solve this problem, but it may be where we have to solve it because the politics are so hard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-to-buy-defunct-horse-track-and-turn-it-into-the-bay-areas-newest-public-park",
"title": "California to Buy Defunct Horse Track and Turn It Into the Bay Area’s Newest Public Park",
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"headTitle": "California to Buy Defunct Horse Track and Turn It Into the Bay Area’s Newest Public Park | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Keeping up with your California representatives felt impossible before. Now you can watch them like a hawk: \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/my-legislator/\">\u003cem>Sign up for My Legislator\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, your weekly, personalized report that tracks what your state representatives say and do.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> lawmakers will spend up to $125 million in state funds to help buy and turn Golden Gate Fields, the 161-acre former horse racing track along the East Bay shoreline, into a public park — a priority of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The funding will come from \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/11/california-election-news-proposition-4-environment/\">Proposition 4\u003c/a>, the voter-approved $10 billion bond for climate projects such as drinking water, wildfire prevention and land conservation, despite concerns from environmental advocates and lawmakers that diverting the money would drain limited resources from those other priorities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Golden Gate Fields, owned by Canadian company The Stronach Group, closed in 2024 after an 83-year run as \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2024-06-09/golden-gate-fields-closes-california-racing-struggles\">interest in horse racing dwindled\u003c/a>. In March, Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit advocating for park access, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tpl.org/media-room/trust-for-public-land-secures-option-on-former-golden-gate-fields-site-launching-effort-in-partnership-with-east-bay-regional-park-district-to-transform-161-acre-waterfront-into-future-east\">announced its intention\u003c/a> to raise $175 million to buy the land, transfer the deed to the East Bay Regional Park District and transform it into a publicly accessible waterfront park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan drew support from local officials and state lawmakers representing the area, who deemed it a valuable opportunity to restore the coastline, expand access to public amenities and revitalize surrounding disadvantaged communities.\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/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078408\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track along the Berkeley shoreline, on April 1, 2026. The track closed in 2024, and the Trust for Public Land is working to turn the site into a public park. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The track sits west of Interstate 80 in Berkeley with public beaches behind it; the city is on the opposite side of the highway. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a major victory for our region,” said Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/jesse-arreguin-156369\">Jesse Arreguín\u003c/a>, a Berkeley Democrat, in March. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two months later, while presenting his \u003ca href=\"https://ebudget.ca.gov/2026-27/pdf/Revised/BudgetSummary/NaturalResourcesandEnvironment.pdf\">May budget plan\u003c/a>, Newsom proposed that the state foot most of the bill. The park district pledged $20 million and the nonprofit is expected to raise $30 million to make up the rest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This acquisition is a once-in-a-century opportunity to repurpose a former horse racing track into an iconic shoreline park and recreational hub, which will restore nature and expand open space and Bayshore access for millions of Bay Area residents,” Newsom’s May budget proposal reads.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom’s proposal is now included in \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab113\">Assembly Bill/Senate Bill 113\u003c/a>, which lawmakers are poised to adopt by Tuesday. Under the legislation, if the nonprofit and the park district raise more than $50 million by the end of the year, the state could pay less than $125 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/eloise-gomez-reyes-165418\">Eloise Gomez-Reyes\u003c/a>, a San Bernardino Democrat who chairs the Senate budget subcommittee on resources, said she’s concerned the sizable investment would delay other funding priorities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The problem is, $125 million out of Prop. 4 is a lot of money,” she told CalMatters earlier this month. “Trying to find the best way to take care of the needs of Californians is not always the easiest thing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Annie Burke, executive director of conservationist coalition TOGETHER Bay Area, \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyside.org/2026/06/05/golden-gate-fields-gavin-newsom-berkeley-prop-4\">told lawmakers\u003c/a> earlier this year that the “transformative” investment could “take funding away from the competitive grant-making program that those funds were originally allocated to.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s critical that we invest in smaller projects which are capably led by Native American Tribes, Native-led organizations, community-based organizations, and many others,” she wrote in a letter to lawmakers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> lawmakers will spend up to $125 million in state funds to help buy and turn Golden Gate Fields, the 161-acre former horse racing track along the East Bay shoreline, into a public park — a priority of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The funding will come from \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/11/california-election-news-proposition-4-environment/\">Proposition 4\u003c/a>, the voter-approved $10 billion bond for climate projects such as drinking water, wildfire prevention and land conservation, despite concerns from environmental advocates and lawmakers that diverting the money would drain limited resources from those other priorities. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Golden Gate Fields, owned by Canadian company The Stronach Group, closed in 2024 after an 83-year run as \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2024-06-09/golden-gate-fields-closes-california-racing-struggles\">interest in horse racing dwindled\u003c/a>. In March, Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit advocating for park access, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tpl.org/media-room/trust-for-public-land-secures-option-on-former-golden-gate-fields-site-launching-effort-in-partnership-with-east-bay-regional-park-district-to-transform-161-acre-waterfront-into-future-east\">announced its intention\u003c/a> to raise $175 million to buy the land, transfer the deed to the East Bay Regional Park District and transform it into a publicly accessible waterfront park. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Golden Gate Fields, owned by Canadian company The Stronach Group, closed in 2024 after an 83-year run as \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2024-06-09/golden-gate-fields-closes-california-racing-struggles\">interest in horse racing dwindled\u003c/a>. In March, Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit advocating for park access, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tpl.org/media-room/trust-for-public-land-secures-option-on-former-golden-gate-fields-site-launching-effort-in-partnership-with-east-bay-regional-park-district-to-transform-161-acre-waterfront-into-future-east\">announced its intention\u003c/a> to raise $175 million to buy the land, transfer the deed to the East Bay Regional Park District and transform it into a publicly accessible waterfront park. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The plan drew support from local officials and state lawmakers representing the area, who deemed it a valuable opportunity to restore the coastline, expand access to public amenities and revitalize surrounding disadvantaged communities.\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/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078408\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-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\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track along the Berkeley shoreline, on April 1, 2026. The track closed in 2024, and the Trust for Public Land is working to turn the site into a public park.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The track sits west of Interstate 80 in Berkeley with public beaches behind it; the city is on the opposite side of the highway. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is a major victory for our region,” said Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/jesse-arreguin-156369\">Jesse Arreguín\u003c/a>, a Berkeley Democrat, in March. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is a major victory for our region,” said Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/jesse-arreguin-156369\">Jesse Arreguín\u003c/a>, a Berkeley Democrat, in March. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Two months later, while presenting his \u003ca href=\"https://ebudget.ca.gov/2026-27/pdf/Revised/BudgetSummary/NaturalResourcesandEnvironment.pdf\">May budget plan\u003c/a>, Newsom proposed that the state foot most of the bill. The park district pledged $20 million and the nonprofit is expected to raise $30 million to make up the rest. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This acquisition is a once-in-a-century opportunity to repurpose a former horse racing track into an iconic shoreline park and recreational hub, which will restore nature and expand open space and Bayshore access for millions of Bay Area residents,” Newsom’s May budget proposal reads.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Newsom’s proposal is now included in \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab113\">Assembly Bill/Senate Bill 113\u003c/a>, which lawmakers are poised to adopt by Tuesday. Under the legislation, if the nonprofit and the park district raise more than $50 million by the end of the year, the state could pay less than $125 million. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/eloise-gomez-reyes-165418\">Eloise Gomez-Reyes\u003c/a>, a San Bernardino Democrat who chairs the Senate budget subcommittee on resources, said she’s concerned the sizable investment would delay other funding priorities. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The problem is, $125 million out of Prop. 4 is a lot of money,” she told CalMatters earlier this month. “Trying to find the best way to take care of the needs of Californians is not always the easiest thing.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The problem is, $125 million out of Prop. 4 is a lot of money,” she told CalMatters earlier this month. “Trying to find the best way to take care of the needs of Californians is not always the easiest thing.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Annie Burke, executive director of conservationist coalition TOGETHER Bay Area, \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyside.org/2026/06/05/golden-gate-fields-gavin-newsom-berkeley-prop-4\">told lawmakers\u003c/a> earlier this year that the “transformative” investment could “take funding away from the competitive grant-making program that those funds were originally allocated to.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s critical that we invest in smaller projects which are capably led by Native American Tribes, Native-led organizations, community-based organizations, and many others,” she wrote in a letter to lawmakers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "California lawmakers struck a deal to divert $125 million in climate funding to buy the former Golden Gate Fields track and turn it into a park. Gov. Gavin Newsom supports the project.\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Keeping up with your California representatives felt impossible before. Now you can watch them like a hawk: \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/my-legislator/\">\u003cem>Sign up for My Legislator\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, your weekly, personalized report that tracks what your state representatives say and do.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> lawmakers will spend up to $125 million in state funds to help buy and turn Golden Gate Fields, the 161-acre former horse racing track along the East Bay shoreline, into a public park — a priority of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The funding will come from \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/11/california-election-news-proposition-4-environment/\">Proposition 4\u003c/a>, the voter-approved $10 billion bond for climate projects such as drinking water, wildfire prevention and land conservation, despite concerns from environmental advocates and lawmakers that diverting the money would drain limited resources from those other priorities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Golden Gate Fields, owned by Canadian company The Stronach Group, closed in 2024 after an 83-year run as \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2024-06-09/golden-gate-fields-closes-california-racing-struggles\">interest in horse racing dwindled\u003c/a>. In March, Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit advocating for park access, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tpl.org/media-room/trust-for-public-land-secures-option-on-former-golden-gate-fields-site-launching-effort-in-partnership-with-east-bay-regional-park-district-to-transform-161-acre-waterfront-into-future-east\">announced its intention\u003c/a> to raise $175 million to buy the land, transfer the deed to the East Bay Regional Park District and transform it into a publicly accessible waterfront park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan drew support from local officials and state lawmakers representing the area, who deemed it a valuable opportunity to restore the coastline, expand access to public amenities and revitalize surrounding disadvantaged communities.\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/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078408\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260401-GOLDENGATEFIELDSPARK-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Fields, a former horse racing track along the Berkeley shoreline, on April 1, 2026. The track closed in 2024, and the Trust for Public Land is working to turn the site into a public park. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The track sits west of Interstate 80 in Berkeley with public beaches behind it; the city is on the opposite side of the highway. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a major victory for our region,” said Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/jesse-arreguin-156369\">Jesse Arreguín\u003c/a>, a Berkeley Democrat, in March. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two months later, while presenting his \u003ca href=\"https://ebudget.ca.gov/2026-27/pdf/Revised/BudgetSummary/NaturalResourcesandEnvironment.pdf\">May budget plan\u003c/a>, Newsom proposed that the state foot most of the bill. The park district pledged $20 million and the nonprofit is expected to raise $30 million to make up the rest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This acquisition is a once-in-a-century opportunity to repurpose a former horse racing track into an iconic shoreline park and recreational hub, which will restore nature and expand open space and Bayshore access for millions of Bay Area residents,” Newsom’s May budget proposal reads.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom’s proposal is now included in \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab113\">Assembly Bill/Senate Bill 113\u003c/a>, which lawmakers are poised to adopt by Tuesday. Under the legislation, if the nonprofit and the park district raise more than $50 million by the end of the year, the state could pay less than $125 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/eloise-gomez-reyes-165418\">Eloise Gomez-Reyes\u003c/a>, a San Bernardino Democrat who chairs the Senate budget subcommittee on resources, said she’s concerned the sizable investment would delay other funding priorities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The problem is, $125 million out of Prop. 4 is a lot of money,” she told CalMatters earlier this month. “Trying to find the best way to take care of the needs of Californians is not always the easiest thing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Annie Burke, executive director of conservationist coalition TOGETHER Bay Area, \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyside.org/2026/06/05/golden-gate-fields-gavin-newsom-berkeley-prop-4\">told lawmakers\u003c/a> earlier this year that the “transformative” investment could “take funding away from the competitive grant-making program that those funds were originally allocated to.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s critical that we invest in smaller projects which are capably led by Native American Tribes, Native-led organizations, community-based organizations, and many others,” she wrote in a letter to lawmakers.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-hurricane-not-likely-but-rain-could-be-on-the-way",
"title": "California Hurricane? Not Likely, but Rain Could Be on the Way",
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"headTitle": "California Hurricane? Not Likely, but Rain Could Be on the Way | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A tropical storm is forming off the coast of Baja \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California,\u003c/a> a system that national forecasters say has a virtually nonexistent chance of intensifying into a hurricane.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The National Hurricane Center is predicting a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=epac&fdays=7\">90% chance\u003c/a> of a tropical storm forming in the Baja California area within the next 48 hours and within the next seven days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The storm brewing off the Baja coast is fueled in part by the very strong El Niño, a natural climate pattern that is gaining momentum and warming sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. Temperatures off the coast of San Diego are about \u003ca href=\"https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Scripps-Pier/seatemp\">8 degrees above the average\u003c/a> for this time of year, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the warming of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is one consequence of human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037679\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1536x1018.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An automated National Weather Service weather station collects data on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Montara, California, on April 5, 2016. (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During his YouTube \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDPdXP-EnQQ\">office hours\u003c/a> on Monday, Swain said that the ocean off the coast of Southern California and off the west coast of Mexico “is the warmest it has ever been in recorded history.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There is a record-breaking amount of potential energy stored in that surface ocean,” Swain said. “There is a lot of extra moisture in the overlying atmosphere because, of course, warm water means more evaporation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But meteorologists are making it clear that California’s coast has a small chance of a tropical storm making landfall, and an even smaller chance of a hurricane, over the next week. NWS forecasters reported that it’s the “least likely outcome at this point.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everything in between is also on the table,” Los Angeles-based weather service meteorologists wrote in their daily \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=lox&issuedby=LOX&product=AFD\">forecast discussion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the storm forms and veers west, California will likely get very little rain or wind, forecasters said. But if it moves northeast, remnants of the tropical storm increase the chances of rain in Southern California and eventually the Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“To be clear, there is virtually no chance that a hurricane will make landfall in California,” Bay Area weather forecasters wrote in their daily forecast discussion. “The actual water temperature is still far too cold to support a tropical cyclone.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lauren Villafane, a meteorologist with the NWS San Diego office, said cooler water off the California coast usually protects the state from the effects of intense tropical storms or hurricanes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Until it actually develops into something and we get more confidence in its track, I can’t put out anything with any real confidence,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Even with our above-average temperatures that we have going on currently, it’s still not those ideal temperatures for tropical cyclone formation,” Villafane said. “Our cold water actually has the tendency to kill things off. So, which is why we usually end up with tropical remnants over the area if we get anything at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A man walks next to a large highway that has been completely blockaded by debris.\" class=\"wp-image-11958712\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Coachella Valley Water District worker surveys a debris flow following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary, at Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Aug. 21, 2023. (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The last time a tropical storm swept over California was in \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20080229155402/http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/research/Guide/weatherhistory.pdf\">1939\u003c/a>. But remnants of tropical storms have made landfall — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958562/hurricane-hilary-hits-what-california-and-the-bay-area-can-expect\">Hilary\u003c/a> brought significant rain and flooding to Southern California in August 2023, causing nearly a billion dollars in damage to the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It wasn’t a hurricane by the time it reached here,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sea surface temperatures are in the mid- to upper-50s off the Bay Area coast. “Warm water is one of the things you need for a tropical cyclone formation, which is what El Niño really is,” Villafane said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Models show a range of possibilities for the storm’s track once it forms, including one with a 5% chance of direct impacts on Southern California, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you cherry-pick models, it makes it look like we’re going to get it,” Villafane said. “But a lot of the other models have it going in a different direction.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the system moves north, it could lead to a higher chance of precipitation — but not significantly windy conditions, according to Brian Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist for the NWS Bay Area office.\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/10/2025/07/GettyImages-2227074366-scaled-e1758749155173.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12050295\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of the Pacific Ocean along the coastline at Pacifica Municipal Pier in Pacifica, California, United States on July 30, 2025. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In terms of seeing any sort of storm come up towards the Bay Area or even as close as the Central Coast, it’s pretty much a nonstarter,” Garcia said. “We can’t get a hurricane up across these waters because the waters are just too cold.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“But we could get moisture to build across our area, which could bring significant rainfall,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Garcia also said that a cold, low-pressure system moving south from the Gulf of Alaska, which could affect the Pacific Northwest by midweek, could reach the Bay Area near the end of the workweek. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It could provide a highway for the remnants of the tropical system to ride along and bring it across different portions of California,” Garcia said. “It is definitely something that we’re watching, we’re keeping an eye on, and we’ll be messaging out to our partners as things become a little bit more concrete.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The storm brewing off the Baja coast is fueled in part by the very strong El Niño, a natural climate pattern that is gaining momentum and warming sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. Temperatures off the coast of San Diego are about \u003ca href=\"https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Scripps-Pier/seatemp\">8 degrees above the average\u003c/a> for this time of year, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the warming of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is one consequence of human-caused climate change.\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/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037679\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1536x1018.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An automated National Weather Service weather station collects data on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Montara, California, on April 5, 2016. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During his YouTube \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDPdXP-EnQQ\">office hours\u003c/a> on Monday, Swain said that the ocean off the coast of Southern California and off the west coast of Mexico “is the warmest it has ever been in recorded history.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But meteorologists are making it clear that California’s coast has a small chance of a tropical storm making landfall, and an even smaller chance of a hurricane, over the next week. NWS forecasters reported that it’s the “least likely outcome at this point.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Everything in between is also on the table,” Los Angeles-based weather service meteorologists wrote in their daily \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=lox&issuedby=LOX&product=AFD\">forecast discussion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Everything in between is also on the table,” Los Angeles-based weather service meteorologists wrote in their daily \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=lox&issuedby=LOX&product=AFD\">forecast discussion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If the storm forms and veers west, California will likely get very little rain or wind, forecasters said. But if it moves northeast, remnants of the tropical storm increase the chances of rain in Southern California and eventually the Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“To be clear, there is virtually no chance that a hurricane will make landfall in California,” Bay Area weather forecasters wrote in their daily forecast discussion. “The actual water temperature is still far too cold to support a tropical cyclone.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If the storm forms and veers west, California will likely get very little rain or wind, forecasters said. But if it moves northeast, remnants of the tropical storm increase the chances of rain in Southern California and eventually the Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“To be clear, there is virtually no chance that a hurricane will make landfall in California,” Bay Area weather forecasters wrote in their daily forecast discussion. “The actual water temperature is still far too cold to support a tropical cyclone.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lauren Villafane, a meteorologist with the NWS San Diego office, said cooler water off the California coast usually protects the state from the effects of intense tropical storms or hurricanes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lauren Villafane, a meteorologist with the NWS San Diego office, said cooler water off the California coast usually protects the state from the effects of intense tropical storms or hurricanes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Until it actually develops into something and we get more confidence in its track, I can’t put out anything with any real confidence,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Until it actually develops into something and we get more confidence in its track, I can’t put out anything with any real confidence,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Even with our above-average temperatures that we have going on currently, it’s still not those ideal temperatures for tropical cyclone formation,” Villafane said. “Our cold water actually has the tendency to kill things off. So, which is why we usually end up with tropical remnants over the area if we get anything at all.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Even with our above-average temperatures that we have going on currently, it’s still not those ideal temperatures for tropical cyclone formation,” Villafane said. “Our cold water actually has the tendency to kill things off. So, which is why we usually end up with tropical remnants over the area if we get anything at all.”\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/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A man walks next to a large highway that has been completely blockaded by debris.\" class=\"wp-image-11958712\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Coachella Valley Water District worker surveys a debris flow following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary, at Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Aug. 21, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (David Swanson/AFP 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/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A man walks next to a large highway that has been completely blockaded by debris.\" class=\"wp-image-11958712\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Coachella Valley Water District worker surveys a debris flow following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary, at Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Aug. 21, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The last time a tropical storm swept over California was in \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20080229155402/http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/research/Guide/weatherhistory.pdf\">1939\u003c/a>. But remnants of tropical storms have made landfall — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958562/hurricane-hilary-hits-what-california-and-the-bay-area-can-expect\">Hilary\u003c/a> brought significant rain and flooding to Southern California in August 2023, causing nearly a billion dollars in damage to the state.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The last time a tropical storm swept over California was in \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20080229155402/http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/research/Guide/weatherhistory.pdf\">1939\u003c/a>. But remnants of tropical storms have made landfall — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958562/hurricane-hilary-hits-what-california-and-the-bay-area-can-expect\">Hilary\u003c/a> brought significant rain and flooding to Southern California in August 2023, causing nearly a billion dollars in damage to the state.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It wasn’t a hurricane by the time it reached here,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It wasn’t a hurricane by the time it reached here,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sea surface temperatures are in the mid- to upper-50s off the Bay Area coast. “Warm water is one of the things you need for a tropical cyclone formation, which is what El Niño really is,” Villafane said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sea surface temperatures are in the mid- to upper-50s off the Bay Area coast. “Warm water is one of the things you need for a tropical cyclone formation, which is what El Niño really is,” Villafane said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Models show a range of possibilities for the storm’s track once it forms, including one with a 5% chance of direct impacts on Southern California, she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Models show a range of possibilities for the storm’s track once it forms, including one with a 5% chance of direct impacts on Southern California, she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If you cherry-pick models, it makes it look like we’re going to get it,” Villafane said. “But a lot of the other models have it going in a different direction.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If you cherry-pick models, it makes it look like we’re going to get it,” Villafane said. “But a lot of the other models have it going in a different direction.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If the system moves north, it could lead to a higher chance of precipitation — but not significantly windy conditions, according to Brian Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist for the NWS Bay Area office.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If the system moves north, it could lead to a higher chance of precipitation — but not significantly windy conditions, according to Brian Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist for the NWS Bay Area office.\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/10/2025/07/GettyImages-2227074366-scaled-e1758749155173.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12050295\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of the Pacific Ocean along the coastline at Pacifica Municipal Pier in Pacifica, California, United States on July 30, 2025. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In terms of seeing any sort of storm come up towards the Bay Area or even as close as the Central Coast, it’s pretty much a nonstarter,” Garcia said. “We can’t get a hurricane up across these waters because the waters are just too cold.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“But we could get moisture to build across our area, which could bring significant rainfall,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“In terms of seeing any sort of storm come up towards the Bay Area or even as close as the Central Coast, it’s pretty much a nonstarter,” Garcia said. “We can’t get a hurricane up across these waters because the waters are just too cold.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“But we could get moisture to build across our area, which could bring significant rainfall,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Garcia also said that a cold, low-pressure system moving south from the Gulf of Alaska, which could affect the Pacific Northwest by midweek, could reach the Bay Area near the end of the workweek. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Garcia also said that a cold, low-pressure system moving south from the Gulf of Alaska, which could affect the Pacific Northwest by midweek, could reach the Bay Area near the end of the workweek. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It could provide a highway for the remnants of the tropical system to ride along and bring it across different portions of California,” Garcia said. “It is definitely something that we’re watching, we’re keeping an eye on, and we’ll be messaging out to our partners as things become a little bit more concrete.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It could provide a highway for the remnants of the tropical system to ride along and bring it across different portions of California,” Garcia said. “It is definitely something that we’re watching, we’re keeping an eye on, and we’ll be messaging out to our partners as things become a little bit more concrete.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "A tropical storm could send rain toward California, but forecasters say that a direct hit remains a long shot.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A tropical storm is forming off the coast of Baja \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California,\u003c/a> a system that national forecasters say has a virtually nonexistent chance of intensifying into a hurricane.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The National Hurricane Center is predicting a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=epac&fdays=7\">90% chance\u003c/a> of a tropical storm forming in the Baja California area within the next 48 hours and within the next seven days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The storm brewing off the Baja coast is fueled in part by the very strong El Niño, a natural climate pattern that is gaining momentum and warming sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. Temperatures off the coast of San Diego are about \u003ca href=\"https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Scripps-Pier/seatemp\">8 degrees above the average\u003c/a> for this time of year, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the warming of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is one consequence of human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037679\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1536x1018.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An automated National Weather Service weather station collects data on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Montara, California, on April 5, 2016. (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During his YouTube \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDPdXP-EnQQ\">office hours\u003c/a> on Monday, Swain said that the ocean off the coast of Southern California and off the west coast of Mexico “is the warmest it has ever been in recorded history.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There is a record-breaking amount of potential energy stored in that surface ocean,” Swain said. “There is a lot of extra moisture in the overlying atmosphere because, of course, warm water means more evaporation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But meteorologists are making it clear that California’s coast has a small chance of a tropical storm making landfall, and an even smaller chance of a hurricane, over the next week. NWS forecasters reported that it’s the “least likely outcome at this point.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everything in between is also on the table,” Los Angeles-based weather service meteorologists wrote in their daily \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=lox&issuedby=LOX&product=AFD\">forecast discussion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the storm forms and veers west, California will likely get very little rain or wind, forecasters said. But if it moves northeast, remnants of the tropical storm increase the chances of rain in Southern California and eventually the Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“To be clear, there is virtually no chance that a hurricane will make landfall in California,” Bay Area weather forecasters wrote in their daily forecast discussion. “The actual water temperature is still far too cold to support a tropical cyclone.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lauren Villafane, a meteorologist with the NWS San Diego office, said cooler water off the California coast usually protects the state from the effects of intense tropical storms or hurricanes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Until it actually develops into something and we get more confidence in its track, I can’t put out anything with any real confidence,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Even with our above-average temperatures that we have going on currently, it’s still not those ideal temperatures for tropical cyclone formation,” Villafane said. “Our cold water actually has the tendency to kill things off. So, which is why we usually end up with tropical remnants over the area if we get anything at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A man walks next to a large highway that has been completely blockaded by debris.\" class=\"wp-image-11958712\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Coachella Valley Water District worker surveys a debris flow following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary, at Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Aug. 21, 2023. (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The last time a tropical storm swept over California was in \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20080229155402/http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/research/Guide/weatherhistory.pdf\">1939\u003c/a>. But remnants of tropical storms have made landfall — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958562/hurricane-hilary-hits-what-california-and-the-bay-area-can-expect\">Hilary\u003c/a> brought significant rain and flooding to Southern California in August 2023, causing nearly a billion dollars in damage to the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It wasn’t a hurricane by the time it reached here,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sea surface temperatures are in the mid- to upper-50s off the Bay Area coast. “Warm water is one of the things you need for a tropical cyclone formation, which is what El Niño really is,” Villafane said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Models show a range of possibilities for the storm’s track once it forms, including one with a 5% chance of direct impacts on Southern California, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you cherry-pick models, it makes it look like we’re going to get it,” Villafane said. “But a lot of the other models have it going in a different direction.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the system moves north, it could lead to a higher chance of precipitation — but not significantly windy conditions, according to Brian Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist for the NWS Bay Area office.\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/10/2025/07/GettyImages-2227074366-scaled-e1758749155173.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12050295\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of the Pacific Ocean along the coastline at Pacifica Municipal Pier in Pacifica, California, United States on July 30, 2025. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In terms of seeing any sort of storm come up towards the Bay Area or even as close as the Central Coast, it’s pretty much a nonstarter,” Garcia said. “We can’t get a hurricane up across these waters because the waters are just too cold.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“But we could get moisture to build across our area, which could bring significant rainfall,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Garcia also said that a cold, low-pressure system moving south from the Gulf of Alaska, which could affect the Pacific Northwest by midweek, could reach the Bay Area near the end of the workweek. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It could provide a highway for the remnants of the tropical system to ride along and bring it across different portions of California,” Garcia said. “It is definitely something that we’re watching, we’re keeping an eye on, and we’ll be messaging out to our partners as things become a little bit more concrete.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "big-sur-fires-cost-around-80-million-so-far-could-burn-until-october-rains",
"title": "Big Sur Fires Cost Around $80 Million So Far, Could Burn Until October Rains",
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"headTitle": "Big Sur Fires Cost Around $80 Million So Far, Could Burn Until October Rains | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>As firefighters continue to battle the two major blazes in the Big Sur area, the U.S. Forest Service estimates that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097303/crews-struggle-to-contain-big-sur-fires-with-el-nino-on-the-horizon\">Timber and Plaskett fires\u003c/a> have cost $80 million so far and could burn until October.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097092/timber-fire-big-sur-highway-1-closed-again-wildfire-map-evacuation-august-2026\">Plaskett Fire\u003c/a> near Big Sur almost doubled in size over the weekend, burning 15,479 acres with just 1% containment. The fire triggered new evacuation orders on Sunday, in both \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/\">Monterey\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/slocountyoes\">San Luis Obispo \u003c/a>counties, and has ignited land that has not burned since the 1970s, said Lee Beyer, a U.S. Forest Service spokesperson. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nearly 25,000-acre \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096883/timber-fire-now-third-largest-in-state-chp-announces-highway-1-closure\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>, now in its fourth week, slowed overnight thanks to a change in weather, which draped a thick marine layer over Highway 1, said Josh Silveira, a Cal Fire spokesperson.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It remains the third-largest wildfire in California this year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">Cal Fire\u003c/a>. \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/10/2026/08/55484414192_e9eb07140e_o-scaled-e1787935469462.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097295\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Forest Service biologists survey the Timber Fire area on Aug. 24, 2026. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, the Forest Service estimated that fighting the blazes has racked up $80 million in firefighting costs so far, due to the use of “expensive” aircraft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Given the remote and difficult terrain and the high value of the communities at risk along the Big Sur coast, we have used a lot of aircraft,” Beyer wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira warned the weather may get warmer and drier midweek, which could “potentially put the fire into conditions where it’s going to grow a little more steadily.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fires in Big Sur can burn into October, Beyer said, when early winter rain can fully extinguish the most remote flames. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira said fires in this part of the Ventana Wilderness — the rugged, mountainous area just inland from Big Sur — typically last longer \u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>because they are so remote, so difficult to access.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s some hiking trails that lead back into the backcountry, but there’s no real vehicle access,” Silveira said. “So that steep, really rugged, inaccessible terrain is a historic challenge that we’ve had on all the fires in this area. And that’s one of the reasons that we love the Big Sur coast because it is that untamed natural beauty. On the back end of it, though, it just makes things difficult when we do get fires.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Road closures remain in effect on U.S. Highway 1 between Little Sur River and Salmon Creek. Smoke from the fires is expected to impact air quality in the Bay Area on Monday and Tuesday, the air district said Monday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira added that “monsoonal moisture,” or the humid, rainy weather on Monday, combined with southerly winds, will push the smoke towards the Bay Area. Though the smoke will stay relatively high in the sky, “residents in the Bay should be aware that there is going to be smoke from both of these fires in the area.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Firefighters from across the state, including engine strike teams from Contra Costa, Santa Clara and Alameda counties — and from across the country — have helped manage the flames, he added. \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/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two firefighters have been injured so far, and no civilians have been injured, Silveira said. Cal Fire has not yet identified the cause of the fire, citing dangerous conditions for investigators.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The community does an amazing job with home hardening and preparedness because they’ve lived through fires in this area,” Silveira said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Evacuation \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/incident-archive/2026-timber-fire\">shelters\u003c/a> remain open at Carmel Mission Inn Conference Room in Carmel and the Veteran’s Building in Cambria. Monterey County’s SPCA is providing emergency rescue and sheltering for animals impacted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/calam\">\u003cem>Christopher Alam\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097092/timber-fire-big-sur-highway-1-closed-again-wildfire-map-evacuation-august-2026\">Plaskett Fire\u003c/a> near Big Sur almost doubled in size over the weekend, burning 15,479 acres with just 1% containment. The fire triggered new evacuation orders on Sunday, in both \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/\">Monterey\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/slocountyoes\">San Luis Obispo \u003c/a>counties, and has ignited land that has not burned since the 1970s, said Lee Beyer, a U.S. Forest Service spokesperson. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, the Forest Service estimated that fighting the blazes has racked up $80 million in firefighting costs so far, due to the use of “expensive” aircraft. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Silveira warned the weather may get warmer and drier midweek, which could “potentially put the fire into conditions where it’s going to grow a little more steadily.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fires in Big Sur can burn into October, Beyer said, when early winter rain can fully extinguish the most remote flames. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Silveira said fires in this part of the Ventana Wilderness — the rugged, mountainous area just inland from Big Sur — typically last longer \u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>because they are so remote, so difficult to access.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s some hiking trails that lead back into the backcountry, but there’s no real vehicle access,” Silveira said. “So that steep, really rugged, inaccessible terrain is a historic challenge that we’ve had on all the fires in this area. And that’s one of the reasons that we love the Big Sur coast because it is that untamed natural beauty. On the back end of it, though, it just makes things difficult when we do get fires.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There’s some hiking trails that lead back into the backcountry, but there’s no real vehicle access,” Silveira said. “So that steep, really rugged, inaccessible terrain is a historic challenge that we’ve had on all the fires in this area. And that’s one of the reasons that we love the Big Sur coast because it is that untamed natural beauty. On the back end of it, though, it just makes things difficult when we do get fires.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Road closures remain in effect on U.S. Highway 1 between Little Sur River and Salmon Creek. Smoke from the fires is expected to impact air quality in the Bay Area on Monday and Tuesday, the air district said Monday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Silveira added that “monsoonal moisture,” or the humid, rainy weather on Monday, combined with southerly winds, will push the smoke towards the Bay Area. Though the smoke will stay relatively high in the sky, “residents in the Bay should be aware that there is going to be smoke from both of these fires in the area.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Silveira added that “monsoonal moisture,” or the humid, rainy weather on Monday, combined with southerly winds, will push the smoke towards the Bay Area. Though the smoke will stay relatively high in the sky, “residents in the Bay should be aware that there is going to be smoke from both of these fires in the area.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Firefighters from across the state, including engine strike teams from Contra Costa, Santa Clara and Alameda counties — and from across the country — have helped manage the flames, he added. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Firefighters from across the state, including engine strike teams from Contra Costa, Santa Clara and Alameda counties — and from across the country — have helped manage the flames, he added. \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/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 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>Two firefighters have been injured so far, and no civilians have been injured, Silveira said. Cal Fire has not yet identified the cause of the fire, citing dangerous conditions for investigators.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The community does an amazing job with home hardening and preparedness because they’ve lived through fires in this area,” Silveira said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Evacuation \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/incident-archive/2026-timber-fire\">shelters\u003c/a> remain open at Carmel Mission Inn Conference Room in Carmel and the Veteran’s Building in Cambria. Monterey County’s SPCA is providing emergency rescue and sheltering for animals impacted. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Evacuation \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/incident-archive/2026-timber-fire\">shelters\u003c/a> remain open at Carmel Mission Inn Conference Room in Carmel and the Veteran’s Building in Cambria. Monterey County’s SPCA is providing emergency rescue and sheltering for animals impacted. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/calam\">\u003cem>Christopher Alam\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Plaskett and Timber fires raging in the Monterey County wilderness have burned more than 40,000 acres — and show no sign of stopping.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>As firefighters continue to battle the two major blazes in the Big Sur area, the U.S. Forest Service estimates that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097303/crews-struggle-to-contain-big-sur-fires-with-el-nino-on-the-horizon\">Timber and Plaskett fires\u003c/a> have cost $80 million so far and could burn until October.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097092/timber-fire-big-sur-highway-1-closed-again-wildfire-map-evacuation-august-2026\">Plaskett Fire\u003c/a> near Big Sur almost doubled in size over the weekend, burning 15,479 acres with just 1% containment. The fire triggered new evacuation orders on Sunday, in both \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/\">Monterey\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/slocountyoes\">San Luis Obispo \u003c/a>counties, and has ignited land that has not burned since the 1970s, said Lee Beyer, a U.S. Forest Service spokesperson. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nearly 25,000-acre \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096883/timber-fire-now-third-largest-in-state-chp-announces-highway-1-closure\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>, now in its fourth week, slowed overnight thanks to a change in weather, which draped a thick marine layer over Highway 1, said Josh Silveira, a Cal Fire spokesperson.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It remains the third-largest wildfire in California this year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">Cal Fire\u003c/a>. \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/10/2026/08/55484414192_e9eb07140e_o-scaled-e1787935469462.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097295\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Forest Service biologists survey the Timber Fire area on Aug. 24, 2026. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, the Forest Service estimated that fighting the blazes has racked up $80 million in firefighting costs so far, due to the use of “expensive” aircraft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Given the remote and difficult terrain and the high value of the communities at risk along the Big Sur coast, we have used a lot of aircraft,” Beyer wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira warned the weather may get warmer and drier midweek, which could “potentially put the fire into conditions where it’s going to grow a little more steadily.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fires in Big Sur can burn into October, Beyer said, when early winter rain can fully extinguish the most remote flames. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira said fires in this part of the Ventana Wilderness — the rugged, mountainous area just inland from Big Sur — typically last longer \u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>because they are so remote, so difficult to access.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s some hiking trails that lead back into the backcountry, but there’s no real vehicle access,” Silveira said. “So that steep, really rugged, inaccessible terrain is a historic challenge that we’ve had on all the fires in this area. And that’s one of the reasons that we love the Big Sur coast because it is that untamed natural beauty. On the back end of it, though, it just makes things difficult when we do get fires.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Road closures remain in effect on U.S. Highway 1 between Little Sur River and Salmon Creek. Smoke from the fires is expected to impact air quality in the Bay Area on Monday and Tuesday, the air district said Monday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira added that “monsoonal moisture,” or the humid, rainy weather on Monday, combined with southerly winds, will push the smoke towards the Bay Area. Though the smoke will stay relatively high in the sky, “residents in the Bay should be aware that there is going to be smoke from both of these fires in the area.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Firefighters from across the state, including engine strike teams from Contra Costa, Santa Clara and Alameda counties — and from across the country — have helped manage the flames, he added. \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/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two firefighters have been injured so far, and no civilians have been injured, Silveira said. Cal Fire has not yet identified the cause of the fire, citing dangerous conditions for investigators.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The community does an amazing job with home hardening and preparedness because they’ve lived through fires in this area,” Silveira said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Evacuation \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/incident-archive/2026-timber-fire\">shelters\u003c/a> remain open at Carmel Mission Inn Conference Room in Carmel and the Veteran’s Building in Cambria. Monterey County’s SPCA is providing emergency rescue and sheltering for animals impacted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/calam\">\u003cem>Christopher Alam\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-teacher-misconduct-bill-administrator-discipline-al-muratsuchi",
"title": "California Lawmakers Pass Bill to Punish Administrators Who Fail to Vet Teachers for Misconduct",
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"headTitle": "California Lawmakers Pass Bill to Punish Administrators Who Fail to Vet Teachers for Misconduct | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/\">\u003cem>KQED\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/newsletters/dispatches\">\u003cem>Sign up for Dispatches\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> to get stories like this one as soon as they are published. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Update, Oct. 9, 2026:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1381/id/3459424\">a bill\u003c/a>\u003cem> on Sept. 20 to strengthen the enforcement of teacher background checks and employment history disclosures.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California lawmakers unanimously passed legislation last week to ensure that school administrators are informed about past accusations of misconduct against teachers as part of their hiring process.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislation follows a \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/california-fired-teacher-sexual-harassment\">KQED-ProPublica investigation\u003c/a> revealing how delays and inaction, combined with a lack of transparency, allowed educators to get new jobs after school districts reported them to the state teacher licensing agency for sexual harassment or other misconduct. Our reporting found that new schools hired at least 14 educators after their former employers determined they had sexually harassed students or committed other sexual misconduct. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1381/id/3456504\">bill\u003c/a>, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, is an attempt to make sure that doesn’t happen again, adding teeth to background check mandates in place since 2025. Under \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2534\">that law\u003c/a>, applicants for jobs at public schools are supposed to list every teaching position they have ever held. The requirement \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB848\">expanded to private school\u003c/a> teaching applicants this year. Top school administrators are required to check with applicants’ previous employers to see if they had ever been reported to the state for credible or substantiated complaints of egregious misconduct.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the existing law relies on schools and teachers to follow the mandates without clear penalties for those who fail to do so. Muratsuchi’s bill specifies that the state’s teacher licensing agency may discipline teachers and administrators; that can include issuing public reprimands or suspending or revoking their credentials if they don’t comply. \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/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12028517\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students complete an outdoor assignment activity in the schoolyard at an elementary school in San Leandro, California, on June 1, 2023. California lawmakers unanimously passed legislation last week to ensure that schools are informed about past accusations of teacher misconduct as part of their hiring process. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If there aren’t any penalties, there are no consequences,” Muratsuchi said in an interview with KQED and ProPublica after the legislation passed. “The bill makes sure that school districts prioritize this by putting in consequences for failing to do so.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the legislation. A spokesperson for Newsom said the governor does not typically comment on bills awaiting his signature.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The measure is dramatically different from the bill Muratsuchi originally proposed in June, which would have gone further, creating a searchable database that would allow schools to see if applicants for public school teaching positions had been reported to the state after they were fired or had resigned over claims of misconduct. California is set to launch such a database by next summer for school support staff, such as bus drivers and janitors, with substantiated claims of egregious misconduct. But public school teachers are not included.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Trump administration had singled out teachers unions as obstructions to legislative reforms to protect children when it announced a \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-teacher-sexual-misconduct-crackdown-linda-mcmahon\">national crackdown this summer\u003c/a> on how school districts handle accusations of sexual misconduct by teachers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s powerful teachers unions, the California Federation of Teachers and California Teachers Association, had \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/california-teacher-misconduct-database-bill-failed-al-muratsuchi\">criticized Muratsuchi’s database proposal\u003c/a> for public school educators, arguing it would violate teachers’ privacy and subject them to employment consequences if allegations are later determined to be unfounded. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Commission on Teacher Credentialing, California’s educator licensing agency, also warned that complying with the proposed legislation to add teachers to the database would “require Commission staff to commit crimes” and expose the agency to liability because state law restricts what information it is allowed to share. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After the pushback, Muratsuchi amended the proposed bill and scrapped the database idea. The revamped legislation ultimately received support from the California Federation of Teachers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>School administrators, though, say the legislation does not address the burden on school districts to reach out to every previous employer for any reports they made to the state about a teacher applicant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Many of us in this state have been faced with budget cuts and reduced staffing. We need a better system,” said Chris Calabrese, superintendent of Benicia Unified, a 4,500-student district in the San Francisco Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said a database for employers to check whether a teacher had ever been reported would be a more efficient way to vet applicants, allowing schools easy access to critical information that would keep students safe.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Currently, a red flag shows up next to a teacher’s name in the state’s public database of credentialed educators if the licensing agency has ever disciplined the person. But the state disciplinary process typically takes one year, according to the agency, giving educators who have been reported a window to apply for new teaching jobs without any warning to potential employers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2023, Benicia Unified reported former elementary teacher Matthew Shelton to the state after \u003ca href=\"https://www.vallejosun.com/four-more-victims-accuse-former-benicia-teacher-of-sexual-abuse/\">students accused him of touching them inappropriately\u003c/a>. Shelton resigned and weeks later was hired as an assistant principal at a nearby middle school in West Contra Unified. A red flag did not appear next to his name until the following year, after his teaching license was suspended because he was charged with five felony counts of lewd acts on a Benicia student. The number of victims and charges has since grown, and Shelton, whose license has been revoked, is scheduled to go to trial in September.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Shelton, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, did not respond to requests for comment, and his attorney declined to comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Calabrese, who started as superintendent last year, declined to comment on specific questions about Shelton.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/\">\u003cem>KQED\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/newsletters/dispatches\">\u003cem>Sign up for Dispatches\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> to get stories like this one as soon as they are published. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Update, Oct. 9, 2026:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1381/id/3459424\">a bill\u003c/a>\u003cem> on Sept. 20 to strengthen the enforcement of teacher background checks and employment history disclosures.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Update, Oct. 9, 2026:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1381/id/3459424\">a bill\u003c/a>\u003cem> on Sept. 20 to strengthen the enforcement of teacher background checks and employment history disclosures.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California lawmakers unanimously passed legislation last week to ensure that school administrators are informed about past accusations of misconduct against teachers as part of their hiring process.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California lawmakers unanimously passed legislation last week to ensure that school administrators are informed about past accusations of misconduct against teachers as part of their hiring process.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The legislation follows a \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/california-fired-teacher-sexual-harassment\">KQED-ProPublica investigation\u003c/a> revealing how delays and inaction, combined with a lack of transparency, allowed educators to get new jobs after school districts reported them to the state teacher licensing agency for sexual harassment or other misconduct. Our reporting found that new schools hired at least 14 educators after their former employers determined they had sexually harassed students or committed other sexual misconduct. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The legislation follows a \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/california-fired-teacher-sexual-harassment\">KQED-ProPublica investigation\u003c/a> revealing how delays and inaction, combined with a lack of transparency, allowed educators to get new jobs after school districts reported them to the state teacher licensing agency for sexual harassment or other misconduct. Our reporting found that new schools hired at least 14 educators after their former employers determined they had sexually harassed students or committed other sexual misconduct. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1381/id/3456504\">bill\u003c/a>, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, is an attempt to make sure that doesn’t happen again, adding teeth to background check mandates in place since 2025. Under \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2534\">that law\u003c/a>, applicants for jobs at public schools are supposed to list every teaching position they have ever held. The requirement \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB848\">expanded to private school\u003c/a> teaching applicants this year. Top school administrators are required to check with applicants’ previous employers to see if they had ever been reported to the state for credible or substantiated complaints of egregious misconduct.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1381/id/3456504\">bill\u003c/a>, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, is an attempt to make sure that doesn’t happen again, adding teeth to background check mandates in place since 2025. Under \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2534\">that law\u003c/a>, applicants for jobs at public schools are supposed to list every teaching position they have ever held. The requirement \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB848\">expanded to private school\u003c/a> teaching applicants this year. Top school administrators are required to check with applicants’ previous employers to see if they had ever been reported to the state for credible or substantiated complaints of egregious misconduct.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the existing law relies on schools and teachers to follow the mandates without clear penalties for those who fail to do so. Muratsuchi’s bill specifies that the state’s teacher licensing agency may discipline teachers and administrators; that can include issuing public reprimands or suspending or revoking their credentials if they don’t comply. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the existing law relies on schools and teachers to follow the mandates without clear penalties for those who fail to do so. Muratsuchi’s bill specifies that the state’s teacher licensing agency may discipline teachers and administrators; that can include issuing public reprimands or suspending or revoking their credentials if they don’t comply. \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/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12028517\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students complete an outdoor assignment activity in the schoolyard at an elementary school in San Leandro, California, on June 1, 2023. California lawmakers unanimously passed legislation last week to ensure that schools are informed about past accusations of teacher misconduct as part of their hiring process.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the legislation. A spokesperson for Newsom said the governor does not typically comment on bills awaiting his signature.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Commission on Teacher Credentialing, California’s educator licensing agency, also warned that complying with the proposed legislation to add teachers to the database would “require Commission staff to commit crimes” and expose the agency to liability because state law restricts what information it is allowed to share. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>School administrators, though, say the legislation does not address the burden on school districts to reach out to every previous employer for any reports they made to the state about a teacher applicant.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Many of us in this state have been faced with budget cuts and reduced staffing. We need a better system,” said Chris Calabrese, superintendent of Benicia Unified, a 4,500-student district in the San Francisco Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Currently, a red flag shows up next to a teacher’s name in the state’s public database of credentialed educators if the licensing agency has ever disciplined the person. But the state disciplinary process typically takes one year, according to the agency, giving educators who have been reported a window to apply for new teaching jobs without any warning to potential employers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2023, Benicia Unified reported former elementary teacher Matthew Shelton to the state after \u003ca href=\"https://www.vallejosun.com/four-more-victims-accuse-former-benicia-teacher-of-sexual-abuse/\">students accused him of touching them inappropriately\u003c/a>. Shelton resigned and weeks later was hired as an assistant principal at a nearby middle school in West Contra Unified. A red flag did not appear next to his name until the following year, after his teaching license was suspended because he was charged with five felony counts of lewd acts on a Benicia student. The number of victims and charges has since grown, and Shelton, whose license has been revoked, is scheduled to go to trial in September.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The legislation follows a KQED-ProPublica investigation revealing how delays and inaction, combined with a lack of transparency, allowed educators to get new jobs after school districts reported them to the state for sexual misconduct.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/\">\u003cem>KQED\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/newsletters/dispatches\">\u003cem>Sign up for Dispatches\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> to get stories like this one as soon as they are published. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Update, Oct. 9, 2026:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1381/id/3459424\">a bill\u003c/a>\u003cem> on Sept. 20 to strengthen the enforcement of teacher background checks and employment history disclosures.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California lawmakers unanimously passed legislation last week to ensure that school administrators are informed about past accusations of misconduct against teachers as part of their hiring process.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislation follows a \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/california-fired-teacher-sexual-harassment\">KQED-ProPublica investigation\u003c/a> revealing how delays and inaction, combined with a lack of transparency, allowed educators to get new jobs after school districts reported them to the state teacher licensing agency for sexual harassment or other misconduct. Our reporting found that new schools hired at least 14 educators after their former employers determined they had sexually harassed students or committed other sexual misconduct. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1381/id/3456504\">bill\u003c/a>, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, is an attempt to make sure that doesn’t happen again, adding teeth to background check mandates in place since 2025. Under \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2534\">that law\u003c/a>, applicants for jobs at public schools are supposed to list every teaching position they have ever held. The requirement \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB848\">expanded to private school\u003c/a> teaching applicants this year. Top school administrators are required to check with applicants’ previous employers to see if they had ever been reported to the state for credible or substantiated complaints of egregious misconduct.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the existing law relies on schools and teachers to follow the mandates without clear penalties for those who fail to do so. Muratsuchi’s bill specifies that the state’s teacher licensing agency may discipline teachers and administrators; that can include issuing public reprimands or suspending or revoking their credentials if they don’t comply. \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/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12028517\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/230601-MindShift-33-BL_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students complete an outdoor assignment activity in the schoolyard at an elementary school in San Leandro, California, on June 1, 2023. California lawmakers unanimously passed legislation last week to ensure that schools are informed about past accusations of teacher misconduct as part of their hiring process. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If there aren’t any penalties, there are no consequences,” Muratsuchi said in an interview with KQED and ProPublica after the legislation passed. “The bill makes sure that school districts prioritize this by putting in consequences for failing to do so.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the legislation. A spokesperson for Newsom said the governor does not typically comment on bills awaiting his signature.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The measure is dramatically different from the bill Muratsuchi originally proposed in June, which would have gone further, creating a searchable database that would allow schools to see if applicants for public school teaching positions had been reported to the state after they were fired or had resigned over claims of misconduct. California is set to launch such a database by next summer for school support staff, such as bus drivers and janitors, with substantiated claims of egregious misconduct. But public school teachers are not included.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Trump administration had singled out teachers unions as obstructions to legislative reforms to protect children when it announced a \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-teacher-sexual-misconduct-crackdown-linda-mcmahon\">national crackdown this summer\u003c/a> on how school districts handle accusations of sexual misconduct by teachers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s powerful teachers unions, the California Federation of Teachers and California Teachers Association, had \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/california-teacher-misconduct-database-bill-failed-al-muratsuchi\">criticized Muratsuchi’s database proposal\u003c/a> for public school educators, arguing it would violate teachers’ privacy and subject them to employment consequences if allegations are later determined to be unfounded. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Commission on Teacher Credentialing, California’s educator licensing agency, also warned that complying with the proposed legislation to add teachers to the database would “require Commission staff to commit crimes” and expose the agency to liability because state law restricts what information it is allowed to share. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After the pushback, Muratsuchi amended the proposed bill and scrapped the database idea. The revamped legislation ultimately received support from the California Federation of Teachers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>School administrators, though, say the legislation does not address the burden on school districts to reach out to every previous employer for any reports they made to the state about a teacher applicant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Many of us in this state have been faced with budget cuts and reduced staffing. We need a better system,” said Chris Calabrese, superintendent of Benicia Unified, a 4,500-student district in the San Francisco Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said a database for employers to check whether a teacher had ever been reported would be a more efficient way to vet applicants, allowing schools easy access to critical information that would keep students safe.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Currently, a red flag shows up next to a teacher’s name in the state’s public database of credentialed educators if the licensing agency has ever disciplined the person. But the state disciplinary process typically takes one year, according to the agency, giving educators who have been reported a window to apply for new teaching jobs without any warning to potential employers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2023, Benicia Unified reported former elementary teacher Matthew Shelton to the state after \u003ca href=\"https://www.vallejosun.com/four-more-victims-accuse-former-benicia-teacher-of-sexual-abuse/\">students accused him of touching them inappropriately\u003c/a>. Shelton resigned and weeks later was hired as an assistant principal at a nearby middle school in West Contra Unified. A red flag did not appear next to his name until the following year, after his teaching license was suspended because he was charged with five felony counts of lewd acts on a Benicia student. The number of victims and charges has since grown, and Shelton, whose license has been revoked, is scheduled to go to trial in September.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Shelton, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, did not respond to requests for comment, and his attorney declined to comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Calabrese, who started as superintendent last year, declined to comment on specific questions about Shelton.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
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"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
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}
},
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"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
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"order": 10
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
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},
"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",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
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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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"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"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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"meta": {
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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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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"meta": {
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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"id": "forum",
"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.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
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"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
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"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
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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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},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
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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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"here-and-now": {
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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": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"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",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
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},
"how-i-built-this": {
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"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"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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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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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
},
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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"
}
},
"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": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
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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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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
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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",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"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",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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