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"slug": "bay-area-arab-film-festival-celebrates-3-decades-of-diasporic-cinema",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 30th \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> Arab American Film Festival, the first and largest \u003ca href=\"https://aff30.arabfilmfestival.org/schedule\">annual event\u003c/a> for Arab cinema in the country, opened Thursday at the AMC Kabuki in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The show began with an award presentation to Egyptian film producer Mohamed Hefzy, naming him the inaugural recipient of the AFMI Luminary Award for Cultural Impact. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His film, \u003cem>El Sett\u003c/em>, directed by Marwan Hamed, is a biopic about the legendary Umm Kulthum — one of the most prolific singers in the history of Arabic and Egyptian music. Kulthum, also dubbed “The Voice of Egypt,” was ranked number 61 on \u003cem>The Rolling Stones’\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/george-michael-8-1234643105/\">Greatest Singers of All Time\u003c/a> list. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The film’s subject, in a way, mirrored the journey the festival’s founders took — from modest beginnings to iconic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/AFFGetty-e286bff8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108654\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/AFFGetty-e286bff8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/AFFGetty-e286bff8-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/AFFGetty-e286bff8-1536x1014.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum performs on Nov. 16, 1967, at the Olympia concert hall, in Paris. (AFP/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kulthum was born in the Egyptian village of Tamay al-Zahayra in 1904, and started her career singing religious hymns in the countryside, dressed by her father as a boy – the only way she could perform in public.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the event’s executive director, Serge Bakalian, the festival had similarly humble beginnings. It was launched in 1996 by a group of Arab women in the Bay Area, he said, who didn’t see themselves, their stories, or their families represented on the screen.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They were knocking on doors and raising money, trying to find venues to screen films,” Bakalian said of the group of grassroots organizers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their efforts proved to accomplish just that. Films spanning multiple genres will be screened at the AMC Kabuki, the Roxy, and the Castro in San Francisco. Bakalian said that this year’s offerings will also include the debut film by French-Algerian filmmaker Amine Adjina, \u003cem>Spices and Lies\u003c/em>, a rom-com to be screened outdoors at the Proxy in Hayes Valley.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The festival’s diverse film offerings speak to the wider Arab world, Bakalian said, adding that it historically espoused “positivity” as a guiding principle, but has since shifted its focus to something more important — “authenticity.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I understand the community that’s constantly marginalized and constantly vilified,” he said. “I understand why it’s important to get protective and to only show things in a positive light.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many of the governments and cultures that these films originate from are hostile to certain subjects, Bakalian said. “Certain Arab countries like the Emirates are committing horrific crimes [like] in the Sudan. … We cannot only show positive depictions of our world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Showing yourself as flawed and contradictory and self-critical, critical of your own societies and your own governments is important,” Bakalian said. “It’s what makes us more human.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The event features work by filmmakers from across the Middle Eastern and North African diasporas, including Sudan, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, Kuwait, and Palestine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The festival runs through Nov. 14 and will conclude with Lebanese filmmaker Danielle Arbid’s \u003cem>Only Rebels Win\u003c/em> at Oakland’s Parkway Theater.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The show began with an award presentation to Egyptian film producer Mohamed Hefzy, naming him the inaugural recipient of the AFMI Luminary Award for Cultural Impact. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>His film, \u003cem>El Sett\u003c/em>, directed by Marwan Hamed, is a biopic about the legendary Umm Kulthum — one of the most prolific singers in the history of Arabic and Egyptian music. Kulthum, also dubbed “The Voice of Egypt,” was ranked number 61 on \u003cem>The Rolling Stones’\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/george-michael-8-1234643105/\">Greatest Singers of All Time\u003c/a> list. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The film’s subject, in a way, mirrored the journey the festival’s founders took — from modest beginnings to iconic. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kulthum was born in the Egyptian village of Tamay al-Zahayra in 1904, and started her career singing religious hymns in the countryside, dressed by her father as a boy – the only way she could perform in public.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the event’s executive director, Serge Bakalian, the festival had similarly humble beginnings. It was launched in 1996 by a group of Arab women in the Bay Area, he said, who didn’t see themselves, their stories, or their families represented on the screen.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Their efforts proved to accomplish just that. Films spanning multiple genres will be screened at the AMC Kabuki, the Roxy, and the Castro in San Francisco. Bakalian said that this year’s offerings will also include the debut film by French-Algerian filmmaker Amine Adjina, \u003cem>Spices and Lies\u003c/em>, a rom-com to be screened outdoors at the Proxy in Hayes Valley.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The festival’s diverse film offerings speak to the wider Arab world, Bakalian said, adding that it historically espoused “positivity” as a guiding principle, but has since shifted its focus to something more important — “authenticity.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I understand the community that’s constantly marginalized and constantly vilified,” he said. “I understand why it’s important to get protective and to only show things in a positive light.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many of the governments and cultures that these films originate from are hostile to certain subjects, Bakalian said. “Certain Arab countries like the Emirates are committing horrific crimes [like] in the Sudan. … We cannot only show positive depictions of our world.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Showing yourself as flawed and contradictory and self-critical, critical of your own societies and your own governments is important,” Bakalian said. “It’s what makes us more human.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The event features work by filmmakers from across the Middle Eastern and North African diasporas, including Sudan, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, Kuwait, and Palestine.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The festival runs through Nov. 14 and will conclude with Lebanese filmmaker Danielle Arbid’s \u003cem>Only Rebels Win\u003c/em> at Oakland’s Parkway Theater.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The largest of its kind outside of the Arab world, the festival will run through Nov. 14, with screenings across San Francisco and Oakland.",
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"title": "Bay Area Arab Film Festival Celebrates 3 Decades of Diasporic Cinema | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 30th \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> Arab American Film Festival, the first and largest \u003ca href=\"https://aff30.arabfilmfestival.org/schedule\">annual event\u003c/a> for Arab cinema in the country, opened Thursday at the AMC Kabuki in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The show began with an award presentation to Egyptian film producer Mohamed Hefzy, naming him the inaugural recipient of the AFMI Luminary Award for Cultural Impact. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His film, \u003cem>El Sett\u003c/em>, directed by Marwan Hamed, is a biopic about the legendary Umm Kulthum — one of the most prolific singers in the history of Arabic and Egyptian music. Kulthum, also dubbed “The Voice of Egypt,” was ranked number 61 on \u003cem>The Rolling Stones’\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/george-michael-8-1234643105/\">Greatest Singers of All Time\u003c/a> list. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The film’s subject, in a way, mirrored the journey the festival’s founders took — from modest beginnings to iconic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/AFFGetty-e286bff8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108654\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/AFFGetty-e286bff8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/AFFGetty-e286bff8-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/AFFGetty-e286bff8-1536x1014.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum performs on Nov. 16, 1967, at the Olympia concert hall, in Paris. (AFP/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kulthum was born in the Egyptian village of Tamay al-Zahayra in 1904, and started her career singing religious hymns in the countryside, dressed by her father as a boy – the only way she could perform in public.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the event’s executive director, Serge Bakalian, the festival had similarly humble beginnings. It was launched in 1996 by a group of Arab women in the Bay Area, he said, who didn’t see themselves, their stories, or their families represented on the screen.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They were knocking on doors and raising money, trying to find venues to screen films,” Bakalian said of the group of grassroots organizers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their efforts proved to accomplish just that. Films spanning multiple genres will be screened at the AMC Kabuki, the Roxy, and the Castro in San Francisco. Bakalian said that this year’s offerings will also include the debut film by French-Algerian filmmaker Amine Adjina, \u003cem>Spices and Lies\u003c/em>, a rom-com to be screened outdoors at the Proxy in Hayes Valley.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The festival’s diverse film offerings speak to the wider Arab world, Bakalian said, adding that it historically espoused “positivity” as a guiding principle, but has since shifted its focus to something more important — “authenticity.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I understand the community that’s constantly marginalized and constantly vilified,” he said. “I understand why it’s important to get protective and to only show things in a positive light.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many of the governments and cultures that these films originate from are hostile to certain subjects, Bakalian said. “Certain Arab countries like the Emirates are committing horrific crimes [like] in the Sudan. … We cannot only show positive depictions of our world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Showing yourself as flawed and contradictory and self-critical, critical of your own societies and your own governments is important,” Bakalian said. “It’s what makes us more human.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The event features work by filmmakers from across the Middle Eastern and North African diasporas, including Sudan, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, Kuwait, and Palestine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The festival runs through Nov. 14 and will conclude with Lebanese filmmaker Danielle Arbid’s \u003cem>Only Rebels Win\u003c/em> at Oakland’s Parkway Theater.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "pretty-vengeful-star-witness-in-thao-trial-to-resume-testimony",
"title": "Government’s Star Witness Describes Bribe, Payout in Oakland Sheng Thao Trial",
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"headTitle": "Government’s Star Witness Describes Bribe, Payout in Oakland Sheng Thao Trial | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The star witness in Sheng Thao’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/shengthaotrial\">Oakland corruption trial\u003c/a> continued delivering explosive testimony on Thursday, recounting the violent falling out that led him to report defendants in the trial to Oakland police, and detailing an additional bribe defendants paid to a former East Bay politician.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mario Juarez, an Oakland businessman and political operative, who has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged pay-to-play scheme to bribe the ex-mayor, agreed to testify on behalf of the government in hopes of a lighter sentence. Defense attorneys have described him in opening statements as a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104365/politics-as-profit-or-pure-fiction-bribery-trial-of-ex-oakland-mayor-kicks-off\">consummate hustler\u003c/a>” with a tendency to tell “half truths” and have repeatedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">called into question\u003c/a> his credibility as a witness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Juarez’s testimony on Thursday focused largely on former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo and allegations that the politician engaged in inappropriate conduct during a 2023 trade delegation with Thao, recycling executive David Duong, his son, Andy Duong and others, the jury also got a glimpse of how defense attorneys will use their cross-examination to further poke holes in his credibility. He’ll return to the stand on Friday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107638\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mario Juarez testifies at the U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107377/consummate-hustler-controversial-government-witness-set-to-testify-in-thao-trial\">Juarez told the jury\u003c/a> that he engaged in an alleged quid pro quo with Thao, her longtime romantic partner Andre Jones and David and Andy Duong, before and during Thao’s mayoral administration from 2022 to 2024. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He testified that he and the Duongs agreed to provide financial support for Thao’s 2022 mayoral run and give Jones a $300,000 no-show job at their housing start-up, Evolutionary Homes, which sought to convert shipping containers into homes for people exiting homelessness. In return, prosecutors say Thao allegedly agreed to help elevate city staffers to director-level positions in Oakland City Hall at the Duongs’ and Juarez’s request, help them win a city contract for Evolutionary Homes and aid the Duongs’ other business, California Waste Solutions, with various deals before the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The four co-defendants are facing conspiracy, bribery and fraud charges for the alleged deal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘He had him in his pocket’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During his second day of direct testimony, prosecutor Abraham Fine questioned Juarez about his and the Duongs’ relationship with Azevedo, who pleaded guilty in February to participating in a related bribery scheme with the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez testified that in December 2023, months after the Duongs returned from a summer trade delegation to Vietnam, which Thao and Azevedo also attended, David Duong brought Juarez into a meeting at the California Waste Services offices. Juarez said David Duong told him a reporter had asked Thao “salacious questions” about activities Azevedo engaged in while on that trip. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier in the trial, Thao’s former chief of staff said specifically that the journalist asked about potential sex trafficking of minors. On Thursday, Fine made no mention of the ages of the sex workers in question but asked Juarez if the allegations involved “interactions with prostitutes.” Juarez said, “Yes.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-08-BL-KQED-6bf76925.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107523\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-08-BL-KQED-6bf76925.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-08-BL-KQED-6bf76925-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-08-BL-KQED-6bf76925-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters of the Duong family stand outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The mayor had told [David Duong]… that if this story came out, she would not be able to f— with us, she would not be able to work with us,” Juarez said. “For the first time I saw a very worried David Duong.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez said David Duong “asked me to find a solution.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said he and David Duong first tried, unsuccessfully, to pay off the journalist, Steve Tavares, who writes a Substack newsletter called \u003cem>East Bay Insiders\u003c/em> \u003cem>Newsletter\u003c/em>, Juarez told the court. Then, he said, they decided to try to “influence someone close” to Tavares — his then-podcast co-host Shawn Wilson, who is now chief of staff to Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert — to kill the story. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a text message exchange, Juarez wrote to Wilson, “I have easy ask but big $,” to which Wilson responded, “Lol your asks are never easy.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When’s your next podcast with Steve? Can I be invited?” Juarez asked before sending another text offering Wilson $10,000. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez testified that after their text exchange, the two spoke on the phone. About forty minutes later, Wilson texted him: “No story, all good.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Days later, Juarez said he, David and Andy Duong and Azevedo traveled to Livermore to deliver Wilson a check for $10,000 from California Waste Solutions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fine asked Juarez why Azevedo was invited to the meeting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez said Andy Duong “wanted to make sure he knew the magnitude of what was happening and what we were doing for him.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few weeks later, in early 2024, Juarez and Andy Duong approached Azevedo, offering him kickbacks if San Leandro bought housing units from Evolutionary Homes. At the time, prosecutors have alleged, Thao was pushing them to pursue contracts with other smaller cities and government entities, so Oakland wouldn’t be the first to do so. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez said that they proposed the deal to Azevedo because Andy Duong “had him in his pocket.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Azevedo is expected to testify later in the trial. He has admitted to accepting a $2,000 bribe from the Duongs through a company and bank account set up under his wife’s name in exchange for “actions to benefit” Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The messy end of Evolutionary Homes\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez also gave insight into his explosive clash with the Duongs, which led to his first interview with the FBI just a month later. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said in the spring of 2024, his relationship with the Duongs had been fraying for months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the deal they allegedly struck with Thao and Jones more than a year prior, the city of Oakland still had not signed a contract to purchase housing units from the company, and Evolutionary Homes did not have units ready for market. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103337\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Evolutionary Homes’ rendering of a proposed container home unit for people who are exiting homelessness. (Courtesy of Evolutionary Homes)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That year, Andy Duong alleged Juarez had promised to deliver 50 Evolutionary Homes container units, but had produced just two. He told an inspector in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office that he and his father had invested $800,000 in a business venture with Juarez and were victims of what Andy Duong said was a theft of their investment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez testified Thursday that the Duongs had invested $750,000 that was used to set up the manufacturing plant in Mexico, pay employees and purchase materials. About $200,000 of the money, he said, he kept for living expenses since he had to relocate to Tijuana. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez testified he asked the Duongs to dissolve their partnership after feeling “tired” and “fed up” from months of having to fire employees in Mexico, not making sales, and not being reimbursed for money he said he put into the company. Juarez also said that around that time, he found out that the Duongs planned to move the manufacturing facility from Mexico to Vietnam. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I was being choked, I felt. I was very upset,” Juarez said. “They were leaving me out of the company.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-11-BL-KQED-d401af19.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107524\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-11-BL-KQED-d401af19.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-11-BL-KQED-d401af19-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-11-BL-KQED-d401af19-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong, son of California Waste Solutions CEO David Duong and a co-defendant in former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s federal corruption trial, enters the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026, followed by supporters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an April 2023 email chain with Juarez and multiple members of the Duong family, Andy Duong requested a “final meeting” with Juarez. He said that if Juarez didn’t agree to meet, the family might pursue legal action against him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a series of increasingly testy emails, Juarez sent a final message to the group on April 24, 2023, threatening to expose the Duongs’ deal with Thao, “sexual services paid by your [the Duong] family” and other evidence he had of wrongdoing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was after these email exchanges that their relationship reached a final breaking point, with an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105728/i-know-what-they-do-911-calls-were-key-turning-point-in-oakland-corruption-investigation\">altercation that turned violent\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘I was hurting’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At that point, Fine told the jury during his opening statement, “It got messy, and then it got really messy.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On May 3, 2024, Juarez arrived at the Evolutionary Homes’ office to find that he was locked out. In an audio recording that Andy Duong captured of part of the confrontation, played for the jury on Thursday, David Duong could be heard saying, “We want our $800,000 back.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the tape, Juarez said he needs to get inside the office, and multiple voices respond, offering to bring out his things. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107521\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Duong, co-owner of California Waste Solutions and a co-defendant in former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s federal corruption trial, enters the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026, followed by supporters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The “business is gone,” David Duong could be heard saying.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez alleged that after the recording ended, Andy Duong called his brother Johnny on the phone. Shortly after, he said, he was assaulted by 10 people in the parking lot in front of the California Waste Solutions’ offices. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They were hitting me in the ribs, kicking me in the balls,” he said, appearing to tear up on the stand. “It was hurting, but I knew I needed to stand up because I knew if I stayed down I was probably not going to stay around.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later that day, Juarez called 911 to report the alleged assault. He told the dispatcher the Duongs were involved in “racketeering and organized crime.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105728/i-know-what-they-do-911-calls-were-key-turning-point-in-oakland-corruption-investigation\">Asked previously\u003c/a> about those allegations, attorneys for the company and the Duongs did not respond to KQED’s request for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Fine, that was the first time Juarez had talked to law enforcement about the family.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time, the FBI had already launched an investigation into a possible bribery scheme involving Juarez and the co-defendants, FBI Special Agent Katherine Barclay testified earlier in the trial. She told the court that when the agency heard of Juarez’s allegations, they approached him for an interview. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Juarez’s ‘rebranding’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Throughout the trial and during the start of cross-examination on Thursday, defense attorneys have painted Juarez as vengeful and alleged he has falsely accused former business partners of wrongdoing when their ventures go south. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They suggested in the spring of 2024, Juarez did the same to the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“[It was] only when [Juarez] realized he was losing that he manufactured his latest rebranding: to headline this trial as the prosecution’s star witness,” Andy Duong’s defense attorney Winston Chan said in his opening statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104441\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Winston Chan (left), attorney for Andy Duong, gives his opening statements in the federal corruption trial of Duong and co-defendants former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, Andre Jones and David Duong, at the U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 14, 2026. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the final moments of the day’s proceedings, Ed Swanson, a defense attorney for David Duong, began what’s sure to be a fiery cross-examination trying to prove that theory. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He asked Juarez if when he went to Oakland police in May 2023, he “wanted the FBI involved?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I wanted the FBI and I wanted everybody involved in this investigation,” Juarez said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Swanson also asked Juarez if he admitted to being a knowing participant in the scheme when he first revealed details to law enforcement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“You told the jury: ‘I confessed it all,’ Swanson said before pointing out a seeming discrepancy in this testimony. “You were not going to admit, ‘I was helping someone commit a crime,’ isn’t that right?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez said he didn’t remember saying that.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The star witness in Sheng Thao’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/shengthaotrial\">Oakland corruption trial\u003c/a> continued delivering explosive testimony on Thursday, recounting the violent falling out that led him to report defendants in the trial to Oakland police, and detailing an additional bribe defendants paid to a former East Bay politician.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The star witness in Sheng Thao’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/shengthaotrial\">Oakland corruption trial\u003c/a> continued delivering explosive testimony on Thursday, recounting the violent falling out that led him to report defendants in the trial to Oakland police, and detailing an additional bribe defendants paid to a former East Bay politician.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mario Juarez, an Oakland businessman and political operative, who has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged pay-to-play scheme to bribe the ex-mayor, agreed to testify on behalf of the government in hopes of a lighter sentence. Defense attorneys have described him in opening statements as a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104365/politics-as-profit-or-pure-fiction-bribery-trial-of-ex-oakland-mayor-kicks-off\">consummate hustler\u003c/a>” with a tendency to tell “half truths” and have repeatedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">called into question\u003c/a> his credibility as a witness. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mario Juarez, an Oakland businessman and political operative, who has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged pay-to-play scheme to bribe the ex-mayor, agreed to testify on behalf of the government in hopes of a lighter sentence. Defense attorneys have described him in opening statements as a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104365/politics-as-profit-or-pure-fiction-bribery-trial-of-ex-oakland-mayor-kicks-off\">consummate hustler\u003c/a>” with a tendency to tell “half truths” and have repeatedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">called into question\u003c/a> his credibility as a witness. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Juarez’s testimony on Thursday focused largely on former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo and allegations that the politician engaged in inappropriate conduct during a 2023 trade delegation with Thao, recycling executive David Duong, his son, Andy Duong and others, the jury also got a glimpse of how defense attorneys will use their cross-examination to further poke holes in his credibility. He’ll return to the stand on Friday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While Juarez’s testimony on Thursday focused largely on former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo and allegations that the politician engaged in inappropriate conduct during a 2023 trade delegation with Thao, recycling executive David Duong, his son, Andy Duong and others, the jury also got a glimpse of how defense attorneys will use their cross-examination to further poke holes in his credibility. He’ll return to the stand on Friday. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107638\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mario Juarez testifies at the U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107638\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mario Juarez testifies at the U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107377/consummate-hustler-controversial-government-witness-set-to-testify-in-thao-trial\">Juarez told the jury\u003c/a> that he engaged in an alleged quid pro quo with Thao, her longtime romantic partner Andre Jones and David and Andy Duong, before and during Thao’s mayoral administration from 2022 to 2024. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Last week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107377/consummate-hustler-controversial-government-witness-set-to-testify-in-thao-trial\">Juarez told the jury\u003c/a> that he engaged in an alleged quid pro quo with Thao, her longtime romantic partner Andre Jones and David and Andy Duong, before and during Thao’s mayoral administration from 2022 to 2024. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He testified that he and the Duongs agreed to provide financial support for Thao’s 2022 mayoral run and give Jones a $300,000 no-show job at their housing start-up, Evolutionary Homes, which sought to convert shipping containers into homes for people exiting homelessness. In return, prosecutors say Thao allegedly agreed to help elevate city staffers to director-level positions in Oakland City Hall at the Duongs’ and Juarez’s request, help them win a city contract for Evolutionary Homes and aid the Duongs’ other business, California Waste Solutions, with various deals before the city.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During his second day of direct testimony, prosecutor Abraham Fine questioned Juarez about his and the Duongs’ relationship with Azevedo, who pleaded guilty in February to participating in a related bribery scheme with the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez testified that in December 2023, months after the Duongs returned from a summer trade delegation to Vietnam, which Thao and Azevedo also attended, David Duong brought Juarez into a meeting at the California Waste Services offices. Juarez said David Duong told him a reporter had asked Thao “salacious questions” about activities Azevedo engaged in while on that trip. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The mayor had told [David Duong]… that if this story came out, she would not be able to f— with us, she would not be able to work with us,” Juarez said. “For the first time I saw a very worried David Duong.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said he and David Duong first tried, unsuccessfully, to pay off the journalist, Steve Tavares, who writes a Substack newsletter called \u003cem>East Bay Insiders\u003c/em> \u003cem>Newsletter\u003c/em>, Juarez told the court. Then, he said, they decided to try to “influence someone close” to Tavares — his then-podcast co-host Shawn Wilson, who is now chief of staff to Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert — to kill the story. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When’s your next podcast with Steve? Can I be invited?” Juarez asked before sending another text offering Wilson $10,000. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Days later, Juarez said he, David and Andy Duong and Azevedo traveled to Livermore to deliver Wilson a check for $10,000 from California Waste Solutions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez said Andy Duong “wanted to make sure he knew the magnitude of what was happening and what we were doing for him.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A few weeks later, in early 2024, Juarez and Andy Duong approached Azevedo, offering him kickbacks if San Leandro bought housing units from Evolutionary Homes. At the time, prosecutors have alleged, Thao was pushing them to pursue contracts with other smaller cities and government entities, so Oakland wouldn’t be the first to do so. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Azevedo is expected to testify later in the trial. He has admitted to accepting a $2,000 bribe from the Duongs through a company and bank account set up under his wife’s name in exchange for “actions to benefit” Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez also gave insight into his explosive clash with the Duongs, which led to his first interview with the FBI just a month later. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite the deal they allegedly struck with Thao and Jones more than a year prior, the city of Oakland still had not signed a contract to purchase housing units from the company, and Evolutionary Homes did not have units ready for market. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That year, Andy Duong alleged Juarez had promised to deliver 50 Evolutionary Homes container units, but had produced just two. He told an inspector in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office that he and his father had invested $800,000 in a business venture with Juarez and were victims of what Andy Duong said was a theft of their investment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez testified Thursday that the Duongs had invested $750,000 that was used to set up the manufacturing plant in Mexico, pay employees and purchase materials. About $200,000 of the money, he said, he kept for living expenses since he had to relocate to Tijuana. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez testified he asked the Duongs to dissolve their partnership after feeling “tired” and “fed up” from months of having to fire employees in Mexico, not making sales, and not being reimbursed for money he said he put into the company. Juarez also said that around that time, he found out that the Duongs planned to move the manufacturing facility from Mexico to Vietnam. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I was being choked, I felt. I was very upset,” Juarez said. “They were leaving me out of the company.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At that point, Fine told the jury during his opening statement, “It got messy, and then it got really messy.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On May 3, 2024, Juarez arrived at the Evolutionary Homes’ office to find that he was locked out. In an audio recording that Andy Duong captured of part of the confrontation, played for the jury on Thursday, David Duong could be heard saying, “We want our $800,000 back.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107521\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Duong, co-owner of California Waste Solutions and a co-defendant in former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s federal corruption trial, enters the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026, followed by supporters.\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/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107521\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Duong, co-owner of California Waste Solutions and a co-defendant in former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s federal corruption trial, enters the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026, followed by supporters.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The “business is gone,” David Duong could be heard saying.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez alleged that after the recording ended, Andy Duong called his brother Johnny on the phone. Shortly after, he said, he was assaulted by 10 people in the parking lot in front of the California Waste Solutions’ offices. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Juarez alleged that after the recording ended, Andy Duong called his brother Johnny on the phone. Shortly after, he said, he was assaulted by 10 people in the parking lot in front of the California Waste Solutions’ offices. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They were hitting me in the ribs, kicking me in the balls,” he said, appearing to tear up on the stand. “It was hurting, but I knew I needed to stand up because I knew if I stayed down I was probably not going to stay around.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They were hitting me in the ribs, kicking me in the balls,” he said, appearing to tear up on the stand. “It was hurting, but I knew I needed to stand up because I knew if I stayed down I was probably not going to stay around.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Later that day, Juarez called 911 to report the alleged assault. He told the dispatcher the Duongs were involved in “racketeering and organized crime.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105728/i-know-what-they-do-911-calls-were-key-turning-point-in-oakland-corruption-investigation\">Asked previously\u003c/a> about those allegations, attorneys for the company and the Duongs did not respond to KQED’s request for comment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Later that day, Juarez called 911 to report the alleged assault. He told the dispatcher the Duongs were involved in “racketeering and organized crime.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105728/i-know-what-they-do-911-calls-were-key-turning-point-in-oakland-corruption-investigation\">Asked previously\u003c/a> about those allegations, attorneys for the company and the Duongs did not respond to KQED’s request for comment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to Fine, that was the first time Juarez had talked to law enforcement about the family.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Throughout the trial and during the start of cross-examination on Thursday, defense attorneys have painted Juarez as vengeful and alleged he has falsely accused former business partners of wrongdoing when their ventures go south. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“[It was] only when [Juarez] realized he was losing that he manufactured his latest rebranding: to headline this trial as the prosecution’s star witness,” Andy Duong’s defense attorney Winston Chan said in his opening statement. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104441\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Winston Chan (left), attorney for Andy Duong, gives his opening statements in the federal corruption trial of Duong and co-defendants former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, Andre Jones and David Duong, at the U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 14, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the final moments of the day’s proceedings, Ed Swanson, a defense attorney for David Duong, began what’s sure to be a fiery cross-examination trying to prove that theory. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You told the jury: ‘I confessed it all,’ Swanson said before pointing out a seeming discrepancy in this testimony. “You were not going to admit, ‘I was helping someone commit a crime,’ isn’t that right?” \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Businessman Mario Juarez continued delivering explosive testimony Thursday against major players in the federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The star witness in Sheng Thao’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/shengthaotrial\">Oakland corruption trial\u003c/a> continued delivering explosive testimony on Thursday, recounting the violent falling out that led him to report defendants in the trial to Oakland police, and detailing an additional bribe defendants paid to a former East Bay politician.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mario Juarez, an Oakland businessman and political operative, who has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged pay-to-play scheme to bribe the ex-mayor, agreed to testify on behalf of the government in hopes of a lighter sentence. Defense attorneys have described him in opening statements as a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104365/politics-as-profit-or-pure-fiction-bribery-trial-of-ex-oakland-mayor-kicks-off\">consummate hustler\u003c/a>” with a tendency to tell “half truths” and have repeatedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">called into question\u003c/a> his credibility as a witness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Juarez’s testimony on Thursday focused largely on former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo and allegations that the politician engaged in inappropriate conduct during a 2023 trade delegation with Thao, recycling executive David Duong, his son, Andy Duong and others, the jury also got a glimpse of how defense attorneys will use their cross-examination to further poke holes in his credibility. He’ll return to the stand on Friday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107638\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030_ThaoTrialJuarez_Sketch_4-4e41b570-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mario Juarez testifies at the U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107377/consummate-hustler-controversial-government-witness-set-to-testify-in-thao-trial\">Juarez told the jury\u003c/a> that he engaged in an alleged quid pro quo with Thao, her longtime romantic partner Andre Jones and David and Andy Duong, before and during Thao’s mayoral administration from 2022 to 2024. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He testified that he and the Duongs agreed to provide financial support for Thao’s 2022 mayoral run and give Jones a $300,000 no-show job at their housing start-up, Evolutionary Homes, which sought to convert shipping containers into homes for people exiting homelessness. In return, prosecutors say Thao allegedly agreed to help elevate city staffers to director-level positions in Oakland City Hall at the Duongs’ and Juarez’s request, help them win a city contract for Evolutionary Homes and aid the Duongs’ other business, California Waste Solutions, with various deals before the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The four co-defendants are facing conspiracy, bribery and fraud charges for the alleged deal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘He had him in his pocket’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During his second day of direct testimony, prosecutor Abraham Fine questioned Juarez about his and the Duongs’ relationship with Azevedo, who pleaded guilty in February to participating in a related bribery scheme with the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez testified that in December 2023, months after the Duongs returned from a summer trade delegation to Vietnam, which Thao and Azevedo also attended, David Duong brought Juarez into a meeting at the California Waste Services offices. Juarez said David Duong told him a reporter had asked Thao “salacious questions” about activities Azevedo engaged in while on that trip. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier in the trial, Thao’s former chief of staff said specifically that the journalist asked about potential sex trafficking of minors. On Thursday, Fine made no mention of the ages of the sex workers in question but asked Juarez if the allegations involved “interactions with prostitutes.” Juarez said, “Yes.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-08-BL-KQED-6bf76925.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107523\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-08-BL-KQED-6bf76925.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-08-BL-KQED-6bf76925-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-08-BL-KQED-6bf76925-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters of the Duong family stand outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The mayor had told [David Duong]… that if this story came out, she would not be able to f— with us, she would not be able to work with us,” Juarez said. “For the first time I saw a very worried David Duong.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez said David Duong “asked me to find a solution.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said he and David Duong first tried, unsuccessfully, to pay off the journalist, Steve Tavares, who writes a Substack newsletter called \u003cem>East Bay Insiders\u003c/em> \u003cem>Newsletter\u003c/em>, Juarez told the court. Then, he said, they decided to try to “influence someone close” to Tavares — his then-podcast co-host Shawn Wilson, who is now chief of staff to Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert — to kill the story. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a text message exchange, Juarez wrote to Wilson, “I have easy ask but big $,” to which Wilson responded, “Lol your asks are never easy.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When’s your next podcast with Steve? Can I be invited?” Juarez asked before sending another text offering Wilson $10,000. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez testified that after their text exchange, the two spoke on the phone. About forty minutes later, Wilson texted him: “No story, all good.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Days later, Juarez said he, David and Andy Duong and Azevedo traveled to Livermore to deliver Wilson a check for $10,000 from California Waste Solutions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fine asked Juarez why Azevedo was invited to the meeting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez said Andy Duong “wanted to make sure he knew the magnitude of what was happening and what we were doing for him.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few weeks later, in early 2024, Juarez and Andy Duong approached Azevedo, offering him kickbacks if San Leandro bought housing units from Evolutionary Homes. At the time, prosecutors have alleged, Thao was pushing them to pursue contracts with other smaller cities and government entities, so Oakland wouldn’t be the first to do so. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez said that they proposed the deal to Azevedo because Andy Duong “had him in his pocket.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Azevedo is expected to testify later in the trial. He has admitted to accepting a $2,000 bribe from the Duongs through a company and bank account set up under his wife’s name in exchange for “actions to benefit” Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The messy end of Evolutionary Homes\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez also gave insight into his explosive clash with the Duongs, which led to his first interview with the FBI just a month later. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said in the spring of 2024, his relationship with the Duongs had been fraying for months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the deal they allegedly struck with Thao and Jones more than a year prior, the city of Oakland still had not signed a contract to purchase housing units from the company, and Evolutionary Homes did not have units ready for market. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103337\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Evolutionary_Homes_PROJECT_PRESENTATION_-_EHLLC_Model_ONE-copy-2-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Evolutionary Homes’ rendering of a proposed container home unit for people who are exiting homelessness. (Courtesy of Evolutionary Homes)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That year, Andy Duong alleged Juarez had promised to deliver 50 Evolutionary Homes container units, but had produced just two. He told an inspector in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office that he and his father had invested $800,000 in a business venture with Juarez and were victims of what Andy Duong said was a theft of their investment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez testified Thursday that the Duongs had invested $750,000 that was used to set up the manufacturing plant in Mexico, pay employees and purchase materials. About $200,000 of the money, he said, he kept for living expenses since he had to relocate to Tijuana. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez testified he asked the Duongs to dissolve their partnership after feeling “tired” and “fed up” from months of having to fire employees in Mexico, not making sales, and not being reimbursed for money he said he put into the company. Juarez also said that around that time, he found out that the Duongs planned to move the manufacturing facility from Mexico to Vietnam. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I was being choked, I felt. I was very upset,” Juarez said. “They were leaving me out of the company.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-11-BL-KQED-d401af19.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107524\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-11-BL-KQED-d401af19.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-11-BL-KQED-d401af19-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-11-BL-KQED-d401af19-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong, son of California Waste Solutions CEO David Duong and a co-defendant in former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s federal corruption trial, enters the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026, followed by supporters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an April 2023 email chain with Juarez and multiple members of the Duong family, Andy Duong requested a “final meeting” with Juarez. He said that if Juarez didn’t agree to meet, the family might pursue legal action against him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a series of increasingly testy emails, Juarez sent a final message to the group on April 24, 2023, threatening to expose the Duongs’ deal with Thao, “sexual services paid by your [the Duong] family” and other evidence he had of wrongdoing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was after these email exchanges that their relationship reached a final breaking point, with an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105728/i-know-what-they-do-911-calls-were-key-turning-point-in-oakland-corruption-investigation\">altercation that turned violent\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘I was hurting’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At that point, Fine told the jury during his opening statement, “It got messy, and then it got really messy.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On May 3, 2024, Juarez arrived at the Evolutionary Homes’ office to find that he was locked out. In an audio recording that Andy Duong captured of part of the confrontation, played for the jury on Thursday, David Duong could be heard saying, “We want our $800,000 back.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the tape, Juarez said he needs to get inside the office, and multiple voices respond, offering to bring out his things. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107521\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261030-ThaoTrialJuarezTestifies-01-BL-KQED-1fd45511-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Duong, co-owner of California Waste Solutions and a co-defendant in former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s federal corruption trial, enters the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 30, 2026, followed by supporters. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The “business is gone,” David Duong could be heard saying.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez alleged that after the recording ended, Andy Duong called his brother Johnny on the phone. Shortly after, he said, he was assaulted by 10 people in the parking lot in front of the California Waste Solutions’ offices. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They were hitting me in the ribs, kicking me in the balls,” he said, appearing to tear up on the stand. “It was hurting, but I knew I needed to stand up because I knew if I stayed down I was probably not going to stay around.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later that day, Juarez called 911 to report the alleged assault. He told the dispatcher the Duongs were involved in “racketeering and organized crime.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105728/i-know-what-they-do-911-calls-were-key-turning-point-in-oakland-corruption-investigation\">Asked previously\u003c/a> about those allegations, attorneys for the company and the Duongs did not respond to KQED’s request for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Fine, that was the first time Juarez had talked to law enforcement about the family.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time, the FBI had already launched an investigation into a possible bribery scheme involving Juarez and the co-defendants, FBI Special Agent Katherine Barclay testified earlier in the trial. She told the court that when the agency heard of Juarez’s allegations, they approached him for an interview. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Juarez’s ‘rebranding’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Throughout the trial and during the start of cross-examination on Thursday, defense attorneys have painted Juarez as vengeful and alleged he has falsely accused former business partners of wrongdoing when their ventures go south. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They suggested in the spring of 2024, Juarez did the same to the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“[It was] only when [Juarez] realized he was losing that he manufactured his latest rebranding: to headline this trial as the prosecution’s star witness,” Andy Duong’s defense attorney Winston Chan said in his opening statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104441\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ShengThaoOpeningStatements_Sketch4_VB-KQED-e58e7c6d-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Winston Chan (left), attorney for Andy Duong, gives his opening statements in the federal corruption trial of Duong and co-defendants former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, Andre Jones and David Duong, at the U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on Oct. 14, 2026. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the final moments of the day’s proceedings, Ed Swanson, a defense attorney for David Duong, began what’s sure to be a fiery cross-examination trying to prove that theory. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He asked Juarez if when he went to Oakland police in May 2023, he “wanted the FBI involved?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I wanted the FBI and I wanted everybody involved in this investigation,” Juarez said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Swanson also asked Juarez if he admitted to being a knowing participant in the scheme when he first revealed details to law enforcement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“You told the jury: ‘I confessed it all,’ Swanson said before pointing out a seeming discrepancy in this testimony. “You were not going to admit, ‘I was helping someone commit a crime,’ isn’t that right?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Juarez said he didn’t remember saying that.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "101-closure-san-francisco-bay-bridge-november-6-9-detour-traffic",
"title": "Highway 101 Through SF Is Closed Again This Weekend — for the Last Time",
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"headTitle": "Highway 101 Through SF Is Closed Again This Weekend — for the Last Time | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We’re going to duck when we tell you this: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/highway-101\">Highway 101\u003c/a> through San Francisco will be closed again this weekend, for the fourth time in less than two months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/caltrans\">Caltrans\u003c/a> said this weekend really \u003cem>does\u003c/em> represent the last 101 closure — for this particular repaving project at least.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Starting the night of Friday, Nov. 6, over a mile of 101 near Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital will be \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-27-hospital-curve-closure\">fully closed to all southbound traffic\u003c/a>. The highway won’t reopen until early morning on Monday, Nov. 9. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These closures on what’s known as the “Hospital Curve” part of 101 will especially affect people driving from the East Bay or North Bay to the Peninsula and South Bay, and travelers trying to reach San Francisco International Airport by road. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1978\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108426\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-scaled.jpg 1978w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-160x207.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-1187x1536.jpg 1187w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-1582x2048.jpg 1582w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1978px) 100vw, 1978px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A map illustrating where Highway 101 through San Francisco will be closed Nov. 6-9.\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Caltrans)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But they’ll also impact people just wanting to travel through the city on those days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Caltrans’ Bay Area public information officer Lori Shepherd said that drivers should know that these closures have “a major, major impact,” and that any travelers planning to drive in San Francisco during the closure should expect sizable delays getting through the city — not just around 101, but on surrounding streets and detours.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But if you \u003cem>really\u003c/em> have to drive through San Francisco this weekend, what should you know about timing, detours and delays? Keep reading for what we know about navigating the upcoming 101 closure without having your weekend completely hijacked by traffic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(And if you know someone who’s traveling to SFO from San Francisco by road this weekend, send this to them, too.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where and when will southbound 101 through San Francisco be closed?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All southbound lanes on 101 between 17th and Cesar Chavez streets will be closed to traffic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The closure starts at 11 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6. All southbound lanes will reopen by 6 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 9.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Northbound 101 will remain open during the southbound closure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I really need to drive south through San Francisco during the closures. What detour should I take?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While these 101 southbound lanes are closed, Caltrans recommends that \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">motorists use I-280 southbound\u003c/a> instead. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Caltrans, the following on-ramps will be blocked to drivers during the closure:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Fourth Street on-ramp\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Seventh Street on-ramp\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>10th Street on-ramp\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The WB 80-NB 101 Central Freeway Connector\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-projects/d4-san-francisco-freeway-and-road-rehabilitation/d4-sf-101-rehab-hospital-curve/detour-routes\">Caltrans’ list of suggested detours\u003c/a> to get around this weekend’s 101 closures, or watch the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb5MLVoHT38\">video\u003c/a> visualizing the detours:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb5MLVoHT38\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What other parts of the city could be impacted by the closures?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shepherd said the greatest traffic impacts from these closures could be felt around Cesar Chavez and 17th streets, as well as around Potrero Avenue — and also on entrances to I-280.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Caltrans is urging travelers, wherever possible, to take \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/trip-planner\">public\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.bart.gov/planner\">transportation\u003c/a> to travel through San Francisco during the highway closure, instead of using the roads.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It “really remains the best option to bypass congestion and work zone delays — because there \u003cem>will\u003c/em> be some major delays getting through the city,” warned Shepherd. Delays from the closures could also have a knock-on effect on other routes through the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I feel like there’s been a ton of major road closures in San Francisco recently. What’s going on?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You’re not imagining it. The first northbound closures of this stretch of 101 took place \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">\u003cstrong>Sept. 4-7\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>, over the Labor Day holiday weekend, and \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Sept. 18-21\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>. The southbound lanes were then closed \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-09-hospital-curve-closure\">\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Oct. 16-19\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>, and will be again this weekend.\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>(And that’s without even mentioning the work taking place this year on nearby I-80, which was last closed \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-19-i80-wb-weekend-closure-bayshore\">\u003cstrong>Oct. 23-26\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This weekend’s closure represents the last shutdown for 101 in Caltrans’ ongoing work on what the agency calls “the Fab 4”: 101’s Hospital Curve, I-280, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080206/whats-the-deal-with-i-80-and-sfs-central-freeway-heres-a-brief-history\">Central Freeway\u003c/a> and 19th Avenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Caltrans’ Shepherd attributed the length of the multiple closures to the sheer scope of the “24-7” repaving work being undertaken on 101 at this time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s a major, massive project, if you can imagine, repaving the freeway,” she said, and Caltrans timed these closures “to do it with the least amount of impact on the public,” Shepherd said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The concrete used in this kind of repaving work also needs the kind of dry conditions that fall in San Francisco brings. “There’s a lot of emphasis on getting work done — as much of it completed in the summer during the dry season as much as possible,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s difficult, yes, for the traveling public to have to find ways around,” Shepherd said. “But in the end, it will produce long-term gains, because the road will be safer and smoother to drive [and] less prone to flooding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/jlara\">\u003cem>Juan Carlos Lara\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We’re going to duck when we tell you this: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/highway-101\">Highway 101\u003c/a> through San Francisco will be closed again this weekend, for the fourth time in less than two months.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>We’re going to duck when we tell you this: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/highway-101\">Highway 101\u003c/a> through San Francisco will be closed again this weekend, for the fourth time in less than two months.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/caltrans\">Caltrans\u003c/a> said this weekend really \u003cem>does\u003c/em> represent the last 101 closure — for this particular repaving project at least.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/caltrans\">Caltrans\u003c/a> said this weekend really \u003cem>does\u003c/em> represent the last 101 closure — for this particular repaving project at least.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Starting the night of Friday, Nov. 6, over a mile of 101 near Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital will be \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-27-hospital-curve-closure\">fully closed to all southbound traffic\u003c/a>. The highway won’t reopen until early morning on Monday, Nov. 9. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Starting the night of Friday, Nov. 6, over a mile of 101 near Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital will be \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-27-hospital-curve-closure\">fully closed to all southbound traffic\u003c/a>. The highway won’t reopen until early morning on Monday, Nov. 9. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These closures on what’s known as the “Hospital Curve” part of 101 will especially affect people driving from the East Bay or North Bay to the Peninsula and South Bay, and travelers trying to reach San Francisco International Airport by road. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>These closures on what’s known as the “Hospital Curve” part of 101 will especially affect people driving from the East Bay or North Bay to the Peninsula and South Bay, and travelers trying to reach San Francisco International Airport by road. \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/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108426\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-scaled.jpg 1978w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-160x207.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-1187x1536.jpg 1187w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-1582x2048.jpg 1582w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A map illustrating where Highway 101 through San Francisco will be closed Nov. 6-9.\u003cbr>\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Caltrans)\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/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108426\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A map illustrating where Highway 101 through San Francisco will be closed Nov. 6-9.\u003cbr>\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Caltrans)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But they’ll also impact people just wanting to travel through the city on those days.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But they’ll also impact people just wanting to travel through the city on those days.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Caltrans’ Bay Area public information officer Lori Shepherd said that drivers should know that these closures have “a major, major impact,” and that any travelers planning to drive in San Francisco during the closure should expect sizable delays getting through the city — not just around 101, but on surrounding streets and detours.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Caltrans’ Bay Area public information officer Lori Shepherd said that drivers should know that these closures have “a major, major impact,” and that any travelers planning to drive in San Francisco during the closure should expect sizable delays getting through the city — not just around 101, but on surrounding streets and detours.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But if you \u003cem>really\u003c/em> have to drive through San Francisco this weekend, what should you know about timing, detours and delays? Keep reading for what we know about navigating the upcoming 101 closure without having your weekend completely hijacked by traffic.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But if you \u003cem>really\u003c/em> have to drive through San Francisco this weekend, what should you know about timing, detours and delays? Keep reading for what we know about navigating the upcoming 101 closure without having your weekend completely hijacked by traffic.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>(And if you know someone who’s traveling to SFO from San Francisco by road this weekend, send this to them, too.)\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>(And if you know someone who’s traveling to SFO from San Francisco by road this weekend, send this to them, too.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Where and when will southbound 101 through San Francisco be closed?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where and when will southbound 101 through San Francisco be closed?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where and when will southbound 101 through San Francisco be closed?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>All southbound lanes on 101 between 17th and Cesar Chavez streets will be closed to traffic.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>All southbound lanes on 101 between 17th and Cesar Chavez streets will be closed to traffic.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The closure starts at 11 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6. All southbound lanes will reopen by 6 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 9.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The closure starts at 11 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6. All southbound lanes will reopen by 6 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 9.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Northbound 101 will remain open during the southbound closure.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Northbound 101 will remain open during the southbound closure.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "I really need to drive south through San Francisco during the closures. What detour should I take?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I really need to drive south through San Francisco during the closures. What detour should I take?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I really need to drive south through San Francisco during the closures. What detour should I take?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While these 101 southbound lanes are closed, Caltrans recommends that \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">motorists use I-280 southbound\u003c/a> instead. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While these 101 southbound lanes are closed, Caltrans recommends that \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">motorists use I-280 southbound\u003c/a> instead. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to Caltrans, the following on-ramps will be blocked to drivers during the closure:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to Caltrans, the following on-ramps will be blocked to drivers during the closure:\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Fourth Street on-ramp\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>Fourth Street on-ramp\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Seventh Street on-ramp\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>10th Street on-ramp\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>The WB 80-NB 101 Central Freeway Connector\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Read \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-projects/d4-san-francisco-freeway-and-road-rehabilitation/d4-sf-101-rehab-hospital-curve/detour-routes\">Caltrans’ list of suggested detours\u003c/a> to get around this weekend’s 101 closures, or watch the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb5MLVoHT38\">video\u003c/a> visualizing the detours:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Read \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-projects/d4-san-francisco-freeway-and-road-rehabilitation/d4-sf-101-rehab-hospital-curve/detour-routes\">Caltrans’ list of suggested detours\u003c/a> to get around this weekend’s 101 closures, or watch the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb5MLVoHT38\">video\u003c/a> visualizing the detours:\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb5MLVoHT38\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"text": "What other parts of the city could be impacted by the closures?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What other parts of the city could be impacted by the closures?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Shepherd said the greatest traffic impacts from these closures could be felt around Cesar Chavez and 17th streets, as well as around Potrero Avenue — and also on entrances to I-280.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Shepherd said the greatest traffic impacts from these closures could be felt around Cesar Chavez and 17th streets, as well as around Potrero Avenue — and also on entrances to I-280.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Caltrans is urging travelers, wherever possible, to take \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/trip-planner\">public\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.bart.gov/planner\">transportation\u003c/a> to travel through San Francisco during the highway closure, instead of using the roads.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Caltrans is urging travelers, wherever possible, to take \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/trip-planner\">public\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.bart.gov/planner\">transportation\u003c/a> to travel through San Francisco during the highway closure, instead of using the roads.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It “really remains the best option to bypass congestion and work zone delays — because there \u003cem>will\u003c/em> be some major delays getting through the city,” warned Shepherd. Delays from the closures could also have a knock-on effect on other routes through the city.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It “really remains the best option to bypass congestion and work zone delays — because there \u003cem>will\u003c/em> be some major delays getting through the city,” warned Shepherd. Delays from the closures could also have a knock-on effect on other routes through the city.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "I feel like there’s been a ton of major road closures in San Francisco recently. What’s going on?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I feel like there’s been a ton of major road closures in San Francisco recently. What’s going on?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You’re not imagining it. The first northbound closures of this stretch of 101 took place \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">\u003cstrong>Sept. 4-7\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>, over the Labor Day holiday weekend, and \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Sept. 18-21\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>. The southbound lanes were then closed \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-09-hospital-curve-closure\">\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Oct. 16-19\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>, and will be again this weekend.\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>(And that’s without even mentioning the work taking place this year on nearby I-80, which was last closed \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-19-i80-wb-weekend-closure-bayshore\">\u003cstrong>Oct. 23-26\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>You’re not imagining it. The first northbound closures of this stretch of 101 took place \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">\u003cstrong>Sept. 4-7\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>, over the Labor Day holiday weekend, and \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Sept. 18-21\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>. The southbound lanes were then closed \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-09-hospital-curve-closure\">\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Oct. 16-19\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>, and will be again this weekend.\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>(And that’s without even mentioning the work taking place this year on nearby I-80, which was last closed \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-19-i80-wb-weekend-closure-bayshore\">\u003cstrong>Oct. 23-26\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This weekend’s closure represents the last shutdown for 101 in Caltrans’ ongoing work on what the agency calls “the Fab 4”: 101’s Hospital Curve, I-280, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080206/whats-the-deal-with-i-80-and-sfs-central-freeway-heres-a-brief-history\">Central Freeway\u003c/a> and 19th Avenue. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This weekend’s closure represents the last shutdown for 101 in Caltrans’ ongoing work on what the agency calls “the Fab 4”: 101’s Hospital Curve, I-280, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080206/whats-the-deal-with-i-80-and-sfs-central-freeway-heres-a-brief-history\">Central Freeway\u003c/a> and 19th Avenue. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Caltrans’ Shepherd attributed the length of the multiple closures to the sheer scope of the “24-7” repaving work being undertaken on 101 at this time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s a major, massive project, if you can imagine, repaving the freeway,” she said, and Caltrans timed these closures “to do it with the least amount of impact on the public,” Shepherd said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It’s a major, massive project, if you can imagine, repaving the freeway,” she said, and Caltrans timed these closures “to do it with the least amount of impact on the public,” Shepherd said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The concrete used in this kind of repaving work also needs the kind of dry conditions that fall in San Francisco brings. “There’s a lot of emphasis on getting work done — as much of it completed in the summer during the dry season as much as possible,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The concrete used in this kind of repaving work also needs the kind of dry conditions that fall in San Francisco brings. “There’s a lot of emphasis on getting work done — as much of it completed in the summer during the dry season as much as possible,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s difficult, yes, for the traveling public to have to find ways around,” Shepherd said. “But in the end, it will produce long-term gains, because the road will be safer and smoother to drive [and] less prone to flooding.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s difficult, yes, for the traveling public to have to find ways around,” Shepherd said. “But in the end, it will produce long-term gains, because the road will be safer and smoother to drive [and] less prone to flooding.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/jlara\">\u003cem>Juan Carlos Lara\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Yet another closure starts Friday on southbound 101 through the city. Here’s what to know, including the recommended detours and which travelers will be most affected.",
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"title": "Highway 101 Through SF Is Closed Again This Weekend — for the Last Time | KQED",
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"headline": "Highway 101 Through SF Is Closed Again This Weekend — for the Last Time",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We’re going to duck when we tell you this: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/highway-101\">Highway 101\u003c/a> through San Francisco will be closed again this weekend, for the fourth time in less than two months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/caltrans\">Caltrans\u003c/a> said this weekend really \u003cem>does\u003c/em> represent the last 101 closure — for this particular repaving project at least.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Starting the night of Friday, Nov. 6, over a mile of 101 near Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital will be \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-27-hospital-curve-closure\">fully closed to all southbound traffic\u003c/a>. The highway won’t reopen until early morning on Monday, Nov. 9. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These closures on what’s known as the “Hospital Curve” part of 101 will especially affect people driving from the East Bay or North Bay to the Peninsula and South Bay, and travelers trying to reach San Francisco International Airport by road. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1978\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108426\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-scaled.jpg 1978w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-160x207.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-1187x1536.jpg 1187w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/FINALSBFAB-4-UCSF-ZUCKERBERG-SF-HOSPITALS-PPT-SB-US-101-102826-ebe7d0a4-1582x2048.jpg 1582w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1978px) 100vw, 1978px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A map illustrating where Highway 101 through San Francisco will be closed Nov. 6-9.\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Caltrans)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But they’ll also impact people just wanting to travel through the city on those days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Caltrans’ Bay Area public information officer Lori Shepherd said that drivers should know that these closures have “a major, major impact,” and that any travelers planning to drive in San Francisco during the closure should expect sizable delays getting through the city — not just around 101, but on surrounding streets and detours.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But if you \u003cem>really\u003c/em> have to drive through San Francisco this weekend, what should you know about timing, detours and delays? Keep reading for what we know about navigating the upcoming 101 closure without having your weekend completely hijacked by traffic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(And if you know someone who’s traveling to SFO from San Francisco by road this weekend, send this to them, too.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where and when will southbound 101 through San Francisco be closed?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All southbound lanes on 101 between 17th and Cesar Chavez streets will be closed to traffic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The closure starts at 11 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6. All southbound lanes will reopen by 6 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 9.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Northbound 101 will remain open during the southbound closure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I really need to drive south through San Francisco during the closures. What detour should I take?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While these 101 southbound lanes are closed, Caltrans recommends that \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">motorists use I-280 southbound\u003c/a> instead. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Caltrans, the following on-ramps will be blocked to drivers during the closure:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Fourth Street on-ramp\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Seventh Street on-ramp\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>10th Street on-ramp\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The WB 80-NB 101 Central Freeway Connector\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-projects/d4-san-francisco-freeway-and-road-rehabilitation/d4-sf-101-rehab-hospital-curve/detour-routes\">Caltrans’ list of suggested detours\u003c/a> to get around this weekend’s 101 closures, or watch the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb5MLVoHT38\">video\u003c/a> visualizing the detours:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/Pb5MLVoHT38'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/Pb5MLVoHT38'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What other parts of the city could be impacted by the closures?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shepherd said the greatest traffic impacts from these closures could be felt around Cesar Chavez and 17th streets, as well as around Potrero Avenue — and also on entrances to I-280.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Caltrans is urging travelers, wherever possible, to take \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/trip-planner\">public\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.bart.gov/planner\">transportation\u003c/a> to travel through San Francisco during the highway closure, instead of using the roads.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It “really remains the best option to bypass congestion and work zone delays — because there \u003cem>will\u003c/em> be some major delays getting through the city,” warned Shepherd. Delays from the closures could also have a knock-on effect on other routes through the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I feel like there’s been a ton of major road closures in San Francisco recently. What’s going on?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You’re not imagining it. The first northbound closures of this stretch of 101 took place \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">\u003cstrong>Sept. 4-7\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>, over the Labor Day holiday weekend, and \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-08-19-us101-nb-bayshore-freeway-hospital-curve-upcoming-full-closures\">\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Sept. 18-21\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>. The southbound lanes were then closed \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-09-hospital-curve-closure\">\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Oct. 16-19\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>, and will be again this weekend.\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>(And that’s without even mentioning the work taking place this year on nearby I-80, which was last closed \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-news/2026-10-19-i80-wb-weekend-closure-bayshore\">\u003cstrong>Oct. 23-26\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This weekend’s closure represents the last shutdown for 101 in Caltrans’ ongoing work on what the agency calls “the Fab 4”: 101’s Hospital Curve, I-280, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080206/whats-the-deal-with-i-80-and-sfs-central-freeway-heres-a-brief-history\">Central Freeway\u003c/a> and 19th Avenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Caltrans’ Shepherd attributed the length of the multiple closures to the sheer scope of the “24-7” repaving work being undertaken on 101 at this time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s a major, massive project, if you can imagine, repaving the freeway,” she said, and Caltrans timed these closures “to do it with the least amount of impact on the public,” Shepherd said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The concrete used in this kind of repaving work also needs the kind of dry conditions that fall in San Francisco brings. “There’s a lot of emphasis on getting work done — as much of it completed in the summer during the dry season as much as possible,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s difficult, yes, for the traveling public to have to find ways around,” Shepherd said. “But in the end, it will produce long-term gains, because the road will be safer and smoother to drive [and] less prone to flooding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/jlara\">\u003cem>Juan Carlos Lara\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/west-contra-costa-unified-school-district\">East Bay school district\u003c/a> said on Thursday that the El Cerrito High School football program was suspended after a police investigation into allegations of hazing, sexual battery and bullying involving 22 former or current student-athletes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The El Cerrito Police Department said it launched an investigation on Oct. 2 after a mandated reporter alleged students were bullying and hazing other football players. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The police probe has so far identified nearly two dozen individuals suspected of battery, sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, dissuading a victim, conspiracy or stalking that allegedly occurred between September 2024 and October 2026. The department expects to make “multiple arrests” as the investigation continues. \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/10/2026/11/20261105_114441-25e818a1-scaled-e1793913283300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108614\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The El Cerrito High School Stadium on Nov. 5, 2026. (Samantha Kennedy/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“No child should ever experience what our students have described,” West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Cheryl Cotton said in a statement. “We must now make the very tough call to immediately suspend the El Cerrito High football program in order to prevent any further harm and restore a safe learning environment for our students.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The investigation uncovered video footage that “corroborated the victims’ accounts and provided additional evidence substantiating the reported conduct,” the department said. Police said they would not release additional details at this time to protect the privacy of juvenile victims, witnesses and suspects.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As part of its own ongoing Title IX investigation conducted by an unnamed third party, WCCUSD placed the team’s head coach, Tim Johnson, on leave, according to the district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stacy Wayne, principal of El Cerrito High, told parents in an Oct. 7 message that there were altercations on campus involving adult relatives of students, which prompted a report that one of the adults may have a firearm, placing the school on lockdown. No firearm was recovered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wayne added in a separate message that the incident was related to the hazing allegations and “student misconduct” by some football team members. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our students, staff, and community, the decision has been made to forfeit the junior varsity and varsity football games scheduled for tomorrow,” Wayne said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The district is providing “supportive resources” for all impacted students and plans to implement “anti-hazing education and bystander education across classrooms,” officials said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“First and foremost, we must care for our students’ wellbeing,” WCCUSD Board President Guadalupe Enllana said in a statement. “As a Board and a district, we are committed to making sure that our students have the guidance and safe learning environments that they need in order to learn, grow, and thrive.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team won its first-ever state championship in 2025. ECHS’s 2024 football season, however, was \u003ca href=\"https://richmondconfidential.org/2024/10/25/wccusd-investigates-alleged-ringers-on-el-cerrito-football-team-forcing-gauchos-to-forfeit-6-games-and-prompting-student-walkout/\">marked by controversy\u003c/a> surrounding ineligible players and a student walkout. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/antioch-football-hazing-restorative-circle-21183017.php\">another\u003c/a> Contra Costa County high school football team in Antioch faced scrutiny for hazing when a group of Antioch High School players was caught on video hazing another student.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’S\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/slewis\">\u003cem>Sukey Lewis\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Stacy Wayne, principal of El Cerrito High, told parents in an Oct. 7 message that there were altercations on campus involving adult relatives of students, which prompted a report that one of the adults may have a firearm, placing the school on lockdown. No firearm was recovered. \u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/west-contra-costa-unified-school-district\">East Bay school district\u003c/a> said on Thursday that the El Cerrito High School football program was suspended after a police investigation into allegations of hazing, sexual battery and bullying involving 22 former or current student-athletes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The El Cerrito Police Department said it launched an investigation on Oct. 2 after a mandated reporter alleged students were bullying and hazing other football players. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The police probe has so far identified nearly two dozen individuals suspected of battery, sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, dissuading a victim, conspiracy or stalking that allegedly occurred between September 2024 and October 2026. The department expects to make “multiple arrests” as the investigation continues. \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/10/2026/11/20261105_114441-25e818a1-scaled-e1793913283300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108614\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The El Cerrito High School Stadium on Nov. 5, 2026. (Samantha Kennedy/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“No child should ever experience what our students have described,” West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Cheryl Cotton said in a statement. “We must now make the very tough call to immediately suspend the El Cerrito High football program in order to prevent any further harm and restore a safe learning environment for our students.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The investigation uncovered video footage that “corroborated the victims’ accounts and provided additional evidence substantiating the reported conduct,” the department said. Police said they would not release additional details at this time to protect the privacy of juvenile victims, witnesses and suspects.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As part of its own ongoing Title IX investigation conducted by an unnamed third party, WCCUSD placed the team’s head coach, Tim Johnson, on leave, according to the district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stacy Wayne, principal of El Cerrito High, told parents in an Oct. 7 message that there were altercations on campus involving adult relatives of students, which prompted a report that one of the adults may have a firearm, placing the school on lockdown. No firearm was recovered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wayne added in a separate message that the incident was related to the hazing allegations and “student misconduct” by some football team members. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our students, staff, and community, the decision has been made to forfeit the junior varsity and varsity football games scheduled for tomorrow,” Wayne said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The district is providing “supportive resources” for all impacted students and plans to implement “anti-hazing education and bystander education across classrooms,” officials said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“First and foremost, we must care for our students’ wellbeing,” WCCUSD Board President Guadalupe Enllana said in a statement. “As a Board and a district, we are committed to making sure that our students have the guidance and safe learning environments that they need in order to learn, grow, and thrive.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team won its first-ever state championship in 2025. ECHS’s 2024 football season, however, was \u003ca href=\"https://richmondconfidential.org/2024/10/25/wccusd-investigates-alleged-ringers-on-el-cerrito-football-team-forcing-gauchos-to-forfeit-6-games-and-prompting-student-walkout/\">marked by controversy\u003c/a> surrounding ineligible players and a student walkout. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/antioch-football-hazing-restorative-circle-21183017.php\">another\u003c/a> Contra Costa County high school football team in Antioch faced scrutiny for hazing when a group of Antioch High School players was caught on video hazing another student.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’S\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/slewis\">\u003cem>Sukey Lewis\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090248/redwood-city-to-vote-on-rent-control-in-november\">Rent control\u003c/a> measures on Tuesday’s ballot were a mixed bag in the Bay Area this election season, according to early returns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voters in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105076/as-costs-rise-voters-in-3-bay-area-cities-could-cap-one-of-them-rent\">three Bay Area cities\u003c/a> — San Pablo, Berkeley and Redwood City — were asked to decide on whether to establish new rent caps or build on existing protections for tenants. Early returns on Wednesday showed positive results for Berkeley and San Pablo, while Redwood City’s measure was headed toward defeat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“People are facing these rents that require two or three jobs to meet,” said Clara Jaeckel, a volunteer with the Redwood City chapter of the regional tenants rights group, Faith in Action. “People are living in overcrowded places or being pushed out of the city to look for places with a lower cost of living, and it really makes for an unstable community.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Organizers in the three cities pushed to add these measures to local ballots in response to the rising cost of rent across the Bay Area, which has seen \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/bay-area-ca/\">prices climb\u003c/a> partly due to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100661/this-sf-renter-is-trying-to-beat-the-ai-fueled-housing-boom-with-an-analog-approach\">region’s AI boom\u003c/a>. \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/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090453\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Locale Apartments in Redwood City on July 9, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, landlord groups argue that rent control \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">doesn’t bring down costs\u003c/a> and puts greater pressure on smaller mom-and-pop property owners who are also struggling with their own rising costs for insurance and maintenance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Redwood City’s Measure E, which voters appear to have rejected with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanmateo\">56% opposed\u003c/a>, would have capped rent increases by 5% or 60% of the local inflation rate, whichever is less. It would have also allowed landlords to petition for greater increases if their operating expenses grew.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among other provisions, Measure E would have provided renters with a right to return to their apartment or home if a landlord needed to temporarily displace them to make renovations, and it would have provided more options for tenants to advocate for basic repairs, if needed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But critics of the measure warn it could cost the city big to implement the program. A \u003ca href=\"https://caanet.org/u/2026/07/8A_Attachment_C_Supplemental_9212_Report_EPS.pdf\">July report\u003c/a> showed Redwood City would have to pay $11 million annually in tenant legal services and program administration fees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re optimistic that voters in Redwood City have recognized that Measure E is not the solution,” said Joshua Howard, executive vice president of local public affairs for the California Apartment Association, adding that the report showed the proposed regulations would also require the city to hire up to 18 new employees to implement the program “without building one new unit of housing that our community needs.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the East Bay city of San Pablo, voters took the opposite approach and appeared poised Wednesday to approve Measure S, which was leading with more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/bayarea\">59% of voters in favor\u003c/a>. Similar to the protections in Redwood City’s measure, San Pablo’s proposal caps rent increases at 3% or 60% of local inflation rates, whichever is less. It also expands protections to people living in mobile home parks, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If landlords need a tenant to move out for certain no-fault evictions, Measure S requires them to pay more in relocation costs, covering four months of market rent — up from two months in the city’s current laws — or up to $12,000, whichever is greater. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also rolls back rent increases to the amount charged a year ago. For tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, landlords would have to use those rents as a starting point to calculate increases. Tenants who moved in after that date would use their move-in rent for the calculation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Berkeley’s rent control proposal, Measure X, seeks to improve upon its existing ordinance, which voters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012553/californians-appear-to-reject-many-rent-control-measures\">last amended in 2024\u003c/a>. Earlier this year, the city council unanimously approved the measure to appear on the ballot and \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyside.org/2026/09/18/opinion-vote-yes-on-measure-x-for-a-more-efficient-rent-board\">members of the local rent board\u003c/a> argued it could close loopholes in the existing ordinance and make it more efficient. As of Wednesday afternoon, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/alameda\">67% of voters were in favor of it\u003c/a>. \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/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090457\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Redwood City Arch sign in Redwood City on July 9, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response to landlords who might bank rent increases for years, only to impose hefty hikes on tenants all at once, Berkeley’s measure sets a 10% cap on rent increases per year. It also allows tenants in buildings with five to 10 units to form a tenant association and requires the landlord to work in good faith with that association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rev. Sophia DeWitt, chief program officer for the advocacy coalition, East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO), said she campaigned for Measure X partly because wages are largely remaining stagnant, while other costs are rising.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Like with many other costs that people are dealing with, for groceries, for putting gas in their vehicles, for healthcare, the costs of rent are rising in many places,” she said. “One of the things that EBHO does and works on consistently is tenant protections and renter protections to try to make sure that rent increases are moderated and not exorbitant so that people can afford to continue to live in their homes.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the results remain unofficial for most of the races in the Bay Area, and organizers, including Jaeckel in Redwood City, remain hopeful Measure E will ultimately pass. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We gathered more than 7,000 signatures, which I think also says a lot about how much support and how much eagerness there is for a really strong solution to these unaffordable rents in our city,” Jaeckel said. ”There’s a strong desire for it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090248/redwood-city-to-vote-on-rent-control-in-november\">Rent control\u003c/a> measures on Tuesday’s ballot were a mixed bag in the Bay Area this election season, according to early returns. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Voters in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105076/as-costs-rise-voters-in-3-bay-area-cities-could-cap-one-of-them-rent\">three Bay Area cities\u003c/a> — San Pablo, Berkeley and Redwood City — were asked to decide on whether to establish new rent caps or build on existing protections for tenants. Early returns on Wednesday showed positive results for Berkeley and San Pablo, while Redwood City’s measure was headed toward defeat. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People are facing these rents that require two or three jobs to meet,” said Clara Jaeckel, a volunteer with the Redwood City chapter of the regional tenants rights group, Faith in Action. “People are living in overcrowded places or being pushed out of the city to look for places with a lower cost of living, and it really makes for an unstable community.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“People are facing these rents that require two or three jobs to meet,” said Clara Jaeckel, a volunteer with the Redwood City chapter of the regional tenants rights group, Faith in Action. “People are living in overcrowded places or being pushed out of the city to look for places with a lower cost of living, and it really makes for an unstable community.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Organizers in the three cities pushed to add these measures to local ballots in response to the rising cost of rent across the Bay Area, which has seen \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/bay-area-ca/\">prices climb\u003c/a> partly due to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100661/this-sf-renter-is-trying-to-beat-the-ai-fueled-housing-boom-with-an-analog-approach\">region’s AI boom\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Organizers in the three cities pushed to add these measures to local ballots in response to the rising cost of rent across the Bay Area, which has seen \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/bay-area-ca/\">prices climb\u003c/a> partly due to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100661/this-sf-renter-is-trying-to-beat-the-ai-fueled-housing-boom-with-an-analog-approach\">region’s AI boom\u003c/a>. \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/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090453\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_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\">Locale Apartments in Redwood City on July 9, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, landlord groups argue that rent control \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">doesn’t bring down costs\u003c/a> and puts greater pressure on smaller mom-and-pop property owners who are also struggling with their own rising costs for insurance and maintenance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, landlord groups argue that rent control \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">doesn’t bring down costs\u003c/a> and puts greater pressure on smaller mom-and-pop property owners who are also struggling with their own rising costs for insurance and maintenance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Redwood City’s Measure E, which voters appear to have rejected with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanmateo\">56% opposed\u003c/a>, would have capped rent increases by 5% or 60% of the local inflation rate, whichever is less. It would have also allowed landlords to petition for greater increases if their operating expenses grew.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Redwood City’s Measure E, which voters appear to have rejected with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanmateo\">56% opposed\u003c/a>, would have capped rent increases by 5% or 60% of the local inflation rate, whichever is less. It would have also allowed landlords to petition for greater increases if their operating expenses grew.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Among other provisions, Measure E would have provided renters with a right to return to their apartment or home if a landlord needed to temporarily displace them to make renovations, and it would have provided more options for tenants to advocate for basic repairs, if needed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Among other provisions, Measure E would have provided renters with a right to return to their apartment or home if a landlord needed to temporarily displace them to make renovations, and it would have provided more options for tenants to advocate for basic repairs, if needed. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But critics of the measure warn it could cost the city big to implement the program. A \u003ca href=\"https://caanet.org/u/2026/07/8A_Attachment_C_Supplemental_9212_Report_EPS.pdf\">July report\u003c/a> showed Redwood City would have to pay $11 million annually in tenant legal services and program administration fees. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But critics of the measure warn it could cost the city big to implement the program. A \u003ca href=\"https://caanet.org/u/2026/07/8A_Attachment_C_Supplemental_9212_Report_EPS.pdf\">July report\u003c/a> showed Redwood City would have to pay $11 million annually in tenant legal services and program administration fees. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re optimistic that voters in Redwood City have recognized that Measure E is not the solution,” said Joshua Howard, executive vice president of local public affairs for the California Apartment Association, adding that the report showed the proposed regulations would also require the city to hire up to 18 new employees to implement the program “without building one new unit of housing that our community needs.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re optimistic that voters in Redwood City have recognized that Measure E is not the solution,” said Joshua Howard, executive vice president of local public affairs for the California Apartment Association, adding that the report showed the proposed regulations would also require the city to hire up to 18 new employees to implement the program “without building one new unit of housing that our community needs.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the East Bay city of San Pablo, voters took the opposite approach and appeared poised Wednesday to approve Measure S, which was leading with more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/bayarea\">59% of voters in favor\u003c/a>. Similar to the protections in Redwood City’s measure, San Pablo’s proposal caps rent increases at 3% or 60% of local inflation rates, whichever is less. It also expands protections to people living in mobile home parks, too.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the East Bay city of San Pablo, voters took the opposite approach and appeared poised Wednesday to approve Measure S, which was leading with more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/bayarea\">59% of voters in favor\u003c/a>. Similar to the protections in Redwood City’s measure, San Pablo’s proposal caps rent increases at 3% or 60% of local inflation rates, whichever is less. It also expands protections to people living in mobile home parks, too.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If landlords need a tenant to move out for certain no-fault evictions, Measure S requires them to pay more in relocation costs, covering four months of market rent — up from two months in the city’s current laws — or up to $12,000, whichever is greater. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If landlords need a tenant to move out for certain no-fault evictions, Measure S requires them to pay more in relocation costs, covering four months of market rent — up from two months in the city’s current laws — or up to $12,000, whichever is greater. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It also rolls back rent increases to the amount charged a year ago. For tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, landlords would have to use those rents as a starting point to calculate increases. Tenants who moved in after that date would use their move-in rent for the calculation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It also rolls back rent increases to the amount charged a year ago. For tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, landlords would have to use those rents as a starting point to calculate increases. Tenants who moved in after that date would use their move-in rent for the calculation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Berkeley’s rent control proposal, Measure X, seeks to improve upon its existing ordinance, which voters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012553/californians-appear-to-reject-many-rent-control-measures\">last amended in 2024\u003c/a>. Earlier this year, the city council unanimously approved the measure to appear on the ballot and \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyside.org/2026/09/18/opinion-vote-yes-on-measure-x-for-a-more-efficient-rent-board\">members of the local rent board\u003c/a> argued it could close loopholes in the existing ordinance and make it more efficient. As of Wednesday afternoon, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/alameda\">67% of voters were in favor of it\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Berkeley’s rent control proposal, Measure X, seeks to improve upon its existing ordinance, which voters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012553/californians-appear-to-reject-many-rent-control-measures\">last amended in 2024\u003c/a>. Earlier this year, the city council unanimously approved the measure to appear on the ballot and \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyside.org/2026/09/18/opinion-vote-yes-on-measure-x-for-a-more-efficient-rent-board\">members of the local rent board\u003c/a> argued it could close loopholes in the existing ordinance and make it more efficient. As of Wednesday afternoon, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/alameda\">67% of voters were in favor of it\u003c/a>. \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/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090457\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_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\">The Redwood City Arch sign in Redwood City on July 9, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In response to landlords who might bank rent increases for years, only to impose hefty hikes on tenants all at once, Berkeley’s measure sets a 10% cap on rent increases per year. It also allows tenants in buildings with five to 10 units to form a tenant association and requires the landlord to work in good faith with that association.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In response to landlords who might bank rent increases for years, only to impose hefty hikes on tenants all at once, Berkeley’s measure sets a 10% cap on rent increases per year. It also allows tenants in buildings with five to 10 units to form a tenant association and requires the landlord to work in good faith with that association.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rev. Sophia DeWitt, chief program officer for the advocacy coalition, East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO), said she campaigned for Measure X partly because wages are largely remaining stagnant, while other costs are rising.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Rev. Sophia DeWitt, chief program officer for the advocacy coalition, East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO), said she campaigned for Measure X partly because wages are largely remaining stagnant, while other costs are rising.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Like with many other costs that people are dealing with, for groceries, for putting gas in their vehicles, for healthcare, the costs of rent are rising in many places,” she said. “One of the things that EBHO does and works on consistently is tenant protections and renter protections to try to make sure that rent increases are moderated and not exorbitant so that people can afford to continue to live in their homes.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Like with many other costs that people are dealing with, for groceries, for putting gas in their vehicles, for healthcare, the costs of rent are rising in many places,” she said. “One of the things that EBHO does and works on consistently is tenant protections and renter protections to try to make sure that rent increases are moderated and not exorbitant so that people can afford to continue to live in their homes.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the results remain unofficial for most of the races in the Bay Area, and organizers, including Jaeckel in Redwood City, remain hopeful Measure E will ultimately pass. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the results remain unofficial for most of the races in the Bay Area, and organizers, including Jaeckel in Redwood City, remain hopeful Measure E will ultimately pass. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We gathered more than 7,000 signatures, which I think also says a lot about how much support and how much eagerness there is for a really strong solution to these unaffordable rents in our city,” Jaeckel said. ”There’s a strong desire for it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We gathered more than 7,000 signatures, which I think also says a lot about how much support and how much eagerness there is for a really strong solution to these unaffordable rents in our city,” Jaeckel said. ”There’s a strong desire for it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Three cities voted on rent control measures to expand protections for tenants. Two of those measures were leading in early returns.",
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"title": "Rent Control Makes Moderate Gains Across the Bay Area in Early Voting Returns | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090248/redwood-city-to-vote-on-rent-control-in-november\">Rent control\u003c/a> measures on Tuesday’s ballot were a mixed bag in the Bay Area this election season, according to early returns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voters in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105076/as-costs-rise-voters-in-3-bay-area-cities-could-cap-one-of-them-rent\">three Bay Area cities\u003c/a> — San Pablo, Berkeley and Redwood City — were asked to decide on whether to establish new rent caps or build on existing protections for tenants. Early returns on Wednesday showed positive results for Berkeley and San Pablo, while Redwood City’s measure was headed toward defeat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“People are facing these rents that require two or three jobs to meet,” said Clara Jaeckel, a volunteer with the Redwood City chapter of the regional tenants rights group, Faith in Action. “People are living in overcrowded places or being pushed out of the city to look for places with a lower cost of living, and it really makes for an unstable community.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Organizers in the three cities pushed to add these measures to local ballots in response to the rising cost of rent across the Bay Area, which has seen \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/bay-area-ca/\">prices climb\u003c/a> partly due to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100661/this-sf-renter-is-trying-to-beat-the-ai-fueled-housing-boom-with-an-analog-approach\">region’s AI boom\u003c/a>. \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/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090453\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-11_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Locale Apartments in Redwood City on July 9, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, landlord groups argue that rent control \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">doesn’t bring down costs\u003c/a> and puts greater pressure on smaller mom-and-pop property owners who are also struggling with their own rising costs for insurance and maintenance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Redwood City’s Measure E, which voters appear to have rejected with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanmateo\">56% opposed\u003c/a>, would have capped rent increases by 5% or 60% of the local inflation rate, whichever is less. It would have also allowed landlords to petition for greater increases if their operating expenses grew.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among other provisions, Measure E would have provided renters with a right to return to their apartment or home if a landlord needed to temporarily displace them to make renovations, and it would have provided more options for tenants to advocate for basic repairs, if needed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But critics of the measure warn it could cost the city big to implement the program. A \u003ca href=\"https://caanet.org/u/2026/07/8A_Attachment_C_Supplemental_9212_Report_EPS.pdf\">July report\u003c/a> showed Redwood City would have to pay $11 million annually in tenant legal services and program administration fees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re optimistic that voters in Redwood City have recognized that Measure E is not the solution,” said Joshua Howard, executive vice president of local public affairs for the California Apartment Association, adding that the report showed the proposed regulations would also require the city to hire up to 18 new employees to implement the program “without building one new unit of housing that our community needs.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the East Bay city of San Pablo, voters took the opposite approach and appeared poised Wednesday to approve Measure S, which was leading with more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/bayarea\">59% of voters in favor\u003c/a>. Similar to the protections in Redwood City’s measure, San Pablo’s proposal caps rent increases at 3% or 60% of local inflation rates, whichever is less. It also expands protections to people living in mobile home parks, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If landlords need a tenant to move out for certain no-fault evictions, Measure S requires them to pay more in relocation costs, covering four months of market rent — up from two months in the city’s current laws — or up to $12,000, whichever is greater. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also rolls back rent increases to the amount charged a year ago. For tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, landlords would have to use those rents as a starting point to calculate increases. Tenants who moved in after that date would use their move-in rent for the calculation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Berkeley’s rent control proposal, Measure X, seeks to improve upon its existing ordinance, which voters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012553/californians-appear-to-reject-many-rent-control-measures\">last amended in 2024\u003c/a>. Earlier this year, the city council unanimously approved the measure to appear on the ballot and \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyside.org/2026/09/18/opinion-vote-yes-on-measure-x-for-a-more-efficient-rent-board\">members of the local rent board\u003c/a> argued it could close loopholes in the existing ordinance and make it more efficient. As of Wednesday afternoon, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/alameda\">67% of voters were in favor of it\u003c/a>. \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/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090457\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260709_RWCRentControl_GC-24_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Redwood City Arch sign in Redwood City on July 9, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response to landlords who might bank rent increases for years, only to impose hefty hikes on tenants all at once, Berkeley’s measure sets a 10% cap on rent increases per year. It also allows tenants in buildings with five to 10 units to form a tenant association and requires the landlord to work in good faith with that association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rev. Sophia DeWitt, chief program officer for the advocacy coalition, East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO), said she campaigned for Measure X partly because wages are largely remaining stagnant, while other costs are rising.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Like with many other costs that people are dealing with, for groceries, for putting gas in their vehicles, for healthcare, the costs of rent are rising in many places,” she said. “One of the things that EBHO does and works on consistently is tenant protections and renter protections to try to make sure that rent increases are moderated and not exorbitant so that people can afford to continue to live in their homes.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the results remain unofficial for most of the races in the Bay Area, and organizers, including Jaeckel in Redwood City, remain hopeful Measure E will ultimately pass. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We gathered more than 7,000 signatures, which I think also says a lot about how much support and how much eagerness there is for a really strong solution to these unaffordable rents in our city,” Jaeckel said. ”There’s a strong desire for it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "the-heart-behind-the-mic-how-randy-hahn-brings-sharks-games-to-life",
"title": "The Heart Behind the Mic: How Randy Hahn Brings Sharks Games to Life",
"publishDate": 1793876400,
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"headTitle": "The Heart Behind the Mic: How Randy Hahn Brings Sharks Games to Life | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003cem>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of all the things that make Randy Hahn stand out in the world of ice hockey announcers, there is one fact of his career that rises above the rest: he’s been calling games for the same team for 35 years, ever since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose-sharks\">San José Sharks\u003c/a> were first established in 1991. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a lot of fans, Hahn’s been the voice of the Sharks for their entire lives, helping to cultivate and nurture father-son bonds across the Bay Area for three generations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’ve been watching Randy since I was a kid, with my dad,” said Mark Gavartin, a long-time Sharks fan who now works at Stanford.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the Sharks last made the playoffs in 2019, Gavartin had 4-year-old twins of his own and began passing the team allegiance down the family line. Watching the dramatic first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights on TV, Gavartin relied on Hahn to transport the excitement unfolding in the arena back to him and his family on his living room couch. Years later, just thinking about Hahn calling that Game 7 overtime gave Gavartin goosebumps.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We were so emotional,” he remembered. “With the Sharks and Randy Hahn, it was like we were all together on this. We were like buddies, watching the game together.”\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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn commentates during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But as the Sharks advanced through the playoffs, then to the conference final, Gavartin noticed something strange: his buddy, Randy Hahn, was no longer behind the microphone calling the games. The national network wanted one of their own announcers to make the postseason calls. It was a voice Gavartin didn’t know.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It was not the same as listening to Randy Hahn,” he said. “It’s some other guy who was ‘meh, okay.’ Like, he didn’t go through what we went through.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gavartin wondered what many fans across many teams have wondered over the years: why did his beloved announcer disappear from the airwaves right when the team hit the peak of success? The question is not unique to the NHL. The phenomenon occurs across all sports during the postseason. But to truly understand why national TV networks install their own announcers for the most high-profile games, it is important, first, to understand why that decision leaves so many fans feeling so bereft. The fans of Randy Hahn, and the generations-worth of love and loyalty they hold for him, offer the perfect case study to reveal the answer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A roller coaster ride wrapped up in a soap opera’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On game days, the ice rink at San José’s SAP Center, aka the Shark Tank, is full of teal-clad fans. After the 2019 playoffs, the Sharks entered a drought and spectatorship dwindled amid the teams’ losses. But since acquiring the teenage phenom Macklin Celebrini in 2024, attendance at home games is again respectable; last year they filled the arena to 93% capacity on average and had 22 sellouts. For the Sharks home game against the Chicago Blackhawks last spring, every fan milling by the hot dog and beer stands, young or old, knew Hahn and had something to say about what made him a living legend.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“He’s a Sharks encyclopedia,” said Tristan Nickey, who grew up in San José, but now lives in Idaho where he watches Hahn call the games on ESPN+. “He’s got all these stats that he’s always giving out, and it makes the whole game enjoyable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For 18-year-old Mia Dimmock, who started watching hockey a few years ago after seeing a clip on TikTok, Hahn explains things in a way that makes the game accessible to newbies. He shares details about players that bring them to life. He’s at every home game and every away game. He’s on the same buses and planes as the team, in the same hotels. He’s at the practice rink, in the weight room. He sees and hears a lot. \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/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A fan watches the San José Sharks play the Vancouver Canucks on a television in the concourse at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“He is that connection to the team that we need,” Dimmock said. “He is the team and the team is him.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hahn calls home games from an open-air broadcast booth inside the arena – a narrow perch at the front of section 215 overlooking the ice. I crammed into a chair behind him and watched over his shoulder as he called the Sharks’ game vs. the Blackhawks, and I noticed what Dimmock noticed: while Hahn is calling the play-by-play, he’s also telling a story. He gives each game a dramatic arc with historic context tucked in. He turns the players into characters who drive the plot. Currently, the leading man is Celebrini, now 20. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Macklin’s not the only child in the family,” Hahn told TV viewers during a lull in play. “His older brother Aiden is a Vancouver Canuck, and his youngest brother RJ, he’s 13 playing up in Vancouver and is starting to challenge some of Macklin’s records that Macklin established there when he was that age. Watch out for RJ Celebrini.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Equally interesting to what Hahn shares is what he doesn’t share. There are certain facts and details he holds back. If Hahn notices a player on the bus with a bag of ice on his ankle or his hand wrapped in a bandage, for example, he won’t say anything during a game.\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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108420\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn and color commentator Drew Remenda meet fans in between periods of the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There might be somebody on another team who knows that if that player has a sore left knee, ‘I’m gonna go after that knee,’” Hahn told me. “It’s pro sports; it’s cutthroat. People are playing for money.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So if a defensive player has a goal scored against him, Hahn won’t say he failed to make the right play because he’s injured, but he will shade his commentary differently; he’ll be less critical. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s our way of putting our arm around him, if you will,” Hahn said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There’s an inherent tension in this. Hahn works for NBC Sports Bay Area, the local TV station, not the Sharks. He’s first and foremost a broadcaster, and he’s supposed to maintain some level of professional distance from his subjects. But that boundary can get murky, especially in light of how much time he spends with the players. Sometimes he catches himself referring to the team as “we,” as in, “we won.” Then he corrects himself: “they won.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Technically, he’s not part of the team, but fans absolutely see him that way. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“He is the Sharks to me,” said Trevin Cholmondeley, a fan from Napa.\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/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108394\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trevin Cholmondeley (left) grew up watching the Sharks and listening to Randy Hahn call games with his dad, Randy Cholmondeley (right). They attended a home game together at the SAP Center on April 6, 2026. (April Dembosky/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This tension hit a high point last December when the Sharks played the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Sharks season had started off slow with a lot of losses. They were losing the game to Pittsburgh, 5 to 1. Then halfway through the third period, two Penguins were sent to the penalty box and the Sharks seized the moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hahn is fond of saying that every hockey season is a “roller coaster ride wrapped up in a soap opera,” and through the twists and turns of the third period in Pittsburgh, he seized the energy in the arena and transposed it back to fans watching at home. He built the suspense of each goal the Sharks scored in the next five minutes like a crescendo in a Beethoven symphony. When the Sharks tied the game 5-5, then scored the winning goal in overtime, Hahn rallied the metaphorical trumpet blasts and cymbal crashes to capture the finale on the ice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They scooooore!” he roared. “One of the most amazing comebacks in franchise history! Sharks win! I’m beside myself, and there’s tears in my eyes.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was an expert, nuanced performance, on the ice and off. Hahn modulated his cadence and pitch to up the drama of each play, then added a strong dose of vulnerability, all to create what he later called “the theater of the moment.” He shouted in ecstasy to punctuate the win, then swiftly confessed to his TV audience that he was crying.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Afterward, Hahn texted a colleague and admitted that he was worried he’d gone too far at that game; perhaps he’d veered beyond his professional broadcasting boundaries and allowed himself to become overly emotional?\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/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108423\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn writes notes during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But after players and coaches made a point of complimenting his calls, he decided ultimately that he’d struck the right balance. Coaches and players have to keep their heads in the game. They can’t lose their cool after every goal. Hahn seemed to surmise that part of his job is to express the emotions that the other men on the team can’t. Hahn does the feeling for them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When something like that happens, it’s emotional for all of us because we all have so much invested in the process,” Hahn told the Sharks’ in-house podcaster Brodie Brazil. “To me, it was them saying, ‘you captured the way we felt even though we couldn’t show it.’ A head coach can’t show that; it just wouldn’t look right. But inside, you feel it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was the same with the fans. People who have to play it cool in the office, stay calm at home, Hahn does the feeling for them, too. When Hahn teared up watching the Sharks beat the Penguins, so did Tristan Nickey.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I felt what he was feeling,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Hahn got excited, so did Caleb Edwards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Hearing his motivation and his excitement build just kind of pulsates through you as a fan,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Hahn screamed into his mic, Trevin Cholmondeley screamed back at the TV.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The dude lost his voice halfway through,” he said. “I think he understands the energy that’s in the clubhouse that we, as a fan, don’t get to experience. We can live, sort of, through him.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why do local announcers get sidelined during the playoffs?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sociologists say that sports are like religion. Arenas, like churches. Fans are a kind of congregation worshipping the players and coaches and TV announcers like idols. To Sharks fans, Randy Hahn is an emotional conduit, a medium, channeling the euphoria and grief back and forth between players and fans. So when the playoffs come, and the local TV announcer gets deposed, replaced by a national announcer, it can feel like blasphemy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It will suck,” said Edwards, echoing a chorus of complaints from fans who wish Hahn could announce those games, should they come to pass.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It is not just a hockey question. There are baseball fans who are always wondering, ‘Why, if my team makes the playoffs, can’t I get my local announcers? Why am I getting the national announcers?’” said Richard Deitsch, a sports journalist who has worked for Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, and now CBC Radio in Canada. “By and large, the answer to these questions is the eternal answer to most questions. And the answer is money.” \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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108418\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn (right) commentates with color commentator Drew Remenda during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the Sharks first made the playoffs in 1994, local television announcers called every playoff game, through four rounds. But as national networks like ESPN and Fox got into the business of airing the Stanley Cup finals, and paid high rights fees for the privilege, they wanted exclusivity in return. While NBC Sports Bay Area, Hahn’s employer, aired the regular season games and early rounds of the playoffs, they no longer had the right to air the final series. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When networks negotiated the next contract, they wanted exclusivity of the final two rounds of the playoffs. And when ESPN and TNT signed their latest contract with the NHL – a seven-year deal for $600 million – they won exclusivity of the final three rounds of the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These final games of the season always attract the biggest audiences. And the more people there are watching, the more national TV networks can charge advertisers to air their commercials. Close to one million fans tune in for the Stanley Cup hockey finals; 20 million for the World Series; 120 million for the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“These are massive numbers, and that’s very, very rare in society today. It’s a very, very divisive and polarized time,” Deitsch said. “It is very hard to get Americans to agree on anything, but sports is one thing.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Americans may not agree on who should win, but they agree the game is worth watching. Across racial backgrounds, political affiliations, and religious beliefs, people can sit together in the same arena, or in front of one TV at a bar, and share the experience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“That’s the power of sports still. And it’s also the reason why it’s such an economic force and a multi-billion dollar business,” said Deitsh, “because the people who are in charge of these leagues and the people who are in charge of the networks that put on these games, they know that it’s one of few, if not the only thing, left where you can get communal experiences of that many people.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because so many different audiences are tuning in, including fans from both teams, the national networks are looking for neutrality and impartiality in their broadcasts. Hahn’s passion for the Sharks, or even simply his affiliation with the team, is seen as a liability, so the networks steer clear.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s a brutal reality for local announcers. To follow a team to the climax of the season, then be forced to turn the mic over to someone else. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s like you go to this great movie, it’s unbelievably dramatic, you’re there, and literally seven minutes before the movie’s over, an usher asks you to leave,” Deitsch said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the Sharks last made the playoffs in 2019, Hahn was in the stands at the Shark Tank, watching the game with all the other fans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But fans at home wished he was in the broadcast booth, not realizing that what they most loved about Hahn was precisely what disqualified him from calling the finals. They want his partiality. They prefer his bias. And they’re not shy about it.\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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108419\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn (left) commentates with color commentator Drew Remenda during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I tend to actually turn the volume down during the playoffs,” said Trevin Cholmondeley. He wants an announcer who’s been through what he’s been through, all the ups and downs of the soap opera-infused roller coaster. “Every season’s a little microcosm of life, and not having someone like Hahn, or any team’s local announcer, on the big stage just brings the quality down for me.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last winter, after the Sharks’ stunning win over Pittsburgh, Hahn predicted the Sharks would make the playoffs, if not last season, when they just missed qualifying, then this season for sure.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Fans will be tuning in, ready for Randy Hahn to be their prophet, their guide, their buddy, through every twist and turn.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>[baycuriousquestion]\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>Sounds of ice skating\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> The NHL season officially opened at the end of September and ice hockey fans around the country are hoping \u003cem>their\u003c/em> team will make it to the playoffs next spring. Fans are prone to believing \u003cem>their\u003c/em> players, their coaches, even their announcers are the best. For San Jose Sharks fans, that announcer is Randy Hahn. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>The building’s come alive! Here’s Kane, Knight push, back for Burns, save, rebound!\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Fans still talk about Randy’s calls from the last time the Sharks made it to the playoffs – in 2019. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> He’ll drop it back for Burns. Over to Couture. Scooore! They’ve done it. (Fade under earlier, starting here: They’ve come all the way back with a tie!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Longtime Sharks fan and Bay Curious listener Mark Gavartin remembers this game really well. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> I listened to it many, many times.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> He says just talking about it now, years later, still gives him goose bumps. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And then the Sharks won that game on overtime. And it was just like crazy. (laughs)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Mark had four-year old twins at the time. So it was really hard to make it out to any of the games. He couldn’t sit in an arena with thousands of other fans riding the same emotional roller coaster together. Instead, he watched the games on TV and he relied on Randy to transport that excitement to his living room. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And we were so like emotional with the, you know the Sharks and the, and Randy Hahn. And we just like, you know, like we’re all like together on this. It’s like having buddies watching the game together.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But then something strange happened. As the Sharks advanced through the playoffs then to the conference final, fans no longer heard Randy Hahn behind the mic. The national network wanted one of \u003cem>their\u003c/em> announcers to call the games instead. A guy that Mark didn’t know.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> It was like not the same listening to Randy Hahn. It was just different. It was like like they didn’t go through what we went through. And now it’s like some other guy is like, eh, you know, like, okay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And that made Mark wonder: \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> Why doesn’t Randy Hahn call the final rounds of the playoffs? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And that made us wonder, why do fans care so much that he doesn’t?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious, the show that answers listener questions about the San Francisco Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We asked KQED’s April Dembosky to introduce us to Randy Hahn and the fans who love him. Then explain why Randy disappears from the airwaves at the most critical moment in the season. Here’s April…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> There are a lot of things about Randy Hahn that make him stand out in the world of hockey announcers. But there’s one thing in particular. He’s been calling games for the same team for 35 years, ever since San Jose first established its team in 1991. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a lot of fans, Randy’s been the voice of the Sharks for their entire lives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> He IS the Sharks to me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Kenneth:\u003c/strong> Just living legend. I’ve been listening to him since I was a kid. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark:\u003c/strong> I’ve been watching since I was a kid with my dad. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> Randy’s a part of my life since I was a baby.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy is so iconic, Pixar filmmakers asked him to do a cameo in the movie Inside Out. Riley’s dad is caught daydreaming about a hockey game when his wife is trying to talk to him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Inside Out\u003c/em>\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>clip: Sound of hockey game announcing. \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>Sounds of Sharks arena\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Last spring I went to see the Sharks play the Chicago Blackhawks at the SAP center, aka, the Shark tank. And every fan I talked to … \u003cem>knew\u003c/em> Randy and had something to say about why they loved him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> He’s a Sharks encyclopedia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Tristan Nickey is from San Jose but lives in Idaho now. He watches all the Sharks games on ESPN plus where he has the choice to select Randy as his announcer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> He’s got all these stats that he’s always giving out and it makes the whole game enjoyable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> I feel like he’s a through on through Sharks man.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Eighteen year old Mia Dimmock started watching hockey a few years ago, after she saw a clip on TikTok. She says Randy has a way of explaining things that makes the game accessible to newbies like her.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> He has a way of introducing the fans to the players more and giving them an experience where then we feel more connected to the players as a whole. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy is at every home game and every away game. He’s on the same buses and planes as the team, in the same hotels. He’s at the practice rink, in the weight room. He sees and hears a lot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> He is the team and the team is him. He is that connection to the team that we need. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing:\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>\u003cem>\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>Let’s see if the Sharks can get some mojo going here in the second period. Will Smith with the puck, drops it for Macklin… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> I got to see Randy in action when he called the game against the Blackhawks. I sat behind him, crammed into his open-air broadcast booth in the arena. It’s at the front of section 215. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And I noticed what Mia noticed: while Randy is calling the play by play of the games, he’s also telling a story. He gives each game a dramatic arc. He turns the players into characters who drive the plot. Right now, the leading man is 20-year old phenom Macklin Celebrini. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing:\u003c/strong> Macklin’s not the only child in the family. His older brother Aiden is a Vancouver Canuck and his youngest brother RJ, he’s 13 playing up in northshore winter club up in Vancouver is started to challenge some of Macklin’s records that Macklin established there when he was that age. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When I talked to Randy outside the Shark tank, he explained that there are also certain details he holds back. The guys often play through injuries, but don’t want their opponents to know.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> There might be somebody on another team who knows that if that player has a sore left knee, I’m gonna go after that knee. It’s pro sports, it’s cutthroat. People are playing for money. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> If Randy notices a player on the bus with a bag of ice on his ankle or his hand wrapped in a bandage, he won’t say anything during a game, but he’ll shade his commentary differently; he’ll be less critical.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> He might have a goal scored against him and be unable to make a defensive play but I know, you know what? That guy’s toughing it out. And \u003cem>the fans don’t know it and he’s not saying anything about it and we aren’t either, but\u003c/em> it’s our way of putting our arm around him, if you will.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> There’s an inherent tension in this. Randy works for NBC Bay Area, the local TV station, not the Sharks. He’s first and foremost a broadcaster and he’s supposed to maintain some level of professional distance. But that boundary can get murky. Especially in light of how much time he spends with the players. Sometimes he catches himself referring to the team as “we,” as in, “we won.” Then he corrects himself: “they won.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>Arena sounds\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Technically, he’s not part of the team, but Sharks fans absolutely see him that way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> Oh my god! That was so cool. Oh my God.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> I caught up with Emma Daniels right after she visited Randy in his broadcast booth and fans line up here in between periods to meet him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> I’m such a big fan of him and he’s been so welcoming toward new fans. Oh my gosh. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> She got to take a picture with him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> I’m shaking. That was more exciting than the players. I met Randy Hahn!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> What Emma loves most about Randy is the feeling that he’s on her side. For her, and a bunch of fans, there was one game last season where Randy was \u003cem>so in it.\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> There was that game against the Penguins, the clips of him yelling in that game are so amazing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Caleb Edwards:\u003c/strong> With every goal, the energy in his voice built \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> The dude lost his voice halfway through, I don’t think he could believe what he was seeing on the ice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> It was December 2025. The Sharks season had started off slow with a lot of losses. They were losing the game to Pittsburgh, 5 to 1. Then halfway through the third period TWO Penguins were sent to the penalty box. The Sharks seized the moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Listen to the way Randy builds the tension. It’s like a crescendo in a Beethoven symphony.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing condensed:\u003c/strong> The Sharks with a power play goal, and it’s 5-2. Off the scramble, and it’s 5-3! The Sharks clawing their way back into this game. It’s 5-4! Save, rebound. They score! They score! The Sharks have tied it up! Unbelievable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The TV cameras pan the crowd, Penguins fans suddenly looking very tired and very nervous, biting their nails, folding their hands in prayer. The game goes into sudden death overtime. And soon enough Randy is rallying the metaphorical trumpet blasts and cymbal crashes to capture the finale on the ice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn annoucing:\u003c/strong> They score! One of the most amazing comebacks in franchise history! Sharks win! I’m beside myself and there’s tears in my eyes, my friend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy is doing something complex here. He’s surveying the feeling in the building and delivering it back to fans watching at home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He later told the Sharks’ in-house podcaster Brodie Brazil that he’s creating “the theater of the moment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> If it sounded like I was getting a little more excited with every goal, that was happening organically, yes, but it’s also part of years of doing this job. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy shouts in ecstasy in one moment then confesses to his TV audience that he’s crying.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Brodie Brazil:\u003c/strong> And you said afterwards, ‘I was a little worried, I got very emotional, I don’t know what happened.’ And that got me thinking, why did you get emotional? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> I, I don’t. I still am not sure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy wondered if he’d veered too far beyond his professional boundaries at that game…if he got \u003cem>too\u003c/em> emotional. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But after players and coaches made a point of complimenting his calls, he decided ultimately that he got it right. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> When something like that happens it is it’s emotional for all of us because we all have so much invested in the process and to me it was them saying you captured the way we felt even though we maybe couldn’t show it like a head coach can’t show that, it just wouldn’t look right, right? But inside you feel it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Coaches and players have to keep their heads in the game. They can’t lose their cool after every goal. Randy seems to understand that part of his job is to express the emotions that the other men on the team can’t. Randy does the feeling for them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> I go into every season with the same expectation, no matter what the roster, the season from start to finish will be a roller coaster ride wrapped up in a soap opera. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> It’s the same with the fans. People who have to play it cool in the office, stay calm at home, Randy does the feeling for them, too. When Randy teared up watching the Sharks beat the Penguins, so did Tristan Nickey.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> Like I felt it, I was watching the game. And it was absolutely incredible and I felt what he was feeling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When Randy got excited, so did Caleb Edwards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Caleb Edwards:\u003c/strong> Hearing his motivation and his excitement build just kind of pulsates through you as a fan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When Randy screamed into his mic, Trevin Cholmondeley screamed back at the TV.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> I think he understands the energy that’s in the clubhouse that we as fans don’t get to experience and I think we can live sort of through him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So you can see why Randy’s fans are so \u003cem>attached\u003c/em> to him. He’s an emotional conduit. An emotional medium. Funneling the euphoria and grief back and forth between players and the fans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe now it makes sense why fans get so upset at the prospect of their beloved local announcer getting replaced when the team advances through the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We’ve got to take a quick break, but when we come back we’ll find out why that happens. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Okay, so it’s clear that Sharks fans love Randy Hahn. But if the team makes it into the later rounds of the playoffs this season, we won’t be hearing him on air anymore. April Dembosky explains why… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Sociologists say that sports are like religion. Arenas, like churches. Fans are a kind of congregation worshipping the players and coaches and TV announcers like idols. So when the playoffs come and the TV announcer gets deposed, it can feel like blasphemy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Caleb Edwards:\u003c/strong> It will suck. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy C:\u003c/strong> That’s what’s a bummer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> That’s a disappointment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> I wish it was a local announcer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> I think we should petition to get Randy on that board. We need him calling the games.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So why do local announcers get sidelined right when their team hits the peak of success? Randy Hahn has been around long enough to see how this evolved.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Way back in the early days of the Sharks, in 1994 when they first made the playoffs, local television was allowed to do every playoff game through four rounds. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> But as national networks like ESPN and Fox got into the business of airing the finals, they didn’t want to share the stage with the local stations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> As network television contracts were negotiated and high rights fees were paid by those networks, they started to claw back and said we want exclusivity of the Stanley Cup finals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> But it didn’t stop there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Then when the next contract rolled around, we want exclusivity of the final two rounds and then eventually the final three rounds, which is where we sit now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The NHL signed its latest national TV contract in 2021 – a seven year-deal with ESPN and TNT for $600 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Richard Deitsch has been a sports reporter and editor for two decades, at Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, and now CBC radio in Canada. He says these exclusive contracts exist for all sports.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> It is not just a hockey question. There are baseball fans who are always wondering why, if my team makes the playoffs, can I get my local announcers and why am I getting the national announcers? And by and large, the answer to these questions are the eternal answer to most questions. And the answer is money. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The final games of the season always attract the biggest audiences. And the more people there are watching, the more networks can charge advertisers to air their commercials. Close to one million fans tune in for the hockey finals. 20 million for the World Series. 120 million for the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> These are massive numbers and that’s very, very rare in society today. It’s a very, very divisive and polarized time. It is very hard to get Americans to agree on anything, but sports is one thing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> They may not agree on who should win, but they agree the game is worth watching. Across racial backgrounds, political affiliations, and religious beliefs, people can sit together in the same arena, or in front of one TV at a bar, and share the experience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> That’s the power of sports still. And it’s also the reason why it’s such an economic force and a multi-billion dollar business, is because the people who are in charge of these leagues and the people who are in charge of the networks that put on these games, they know that it’s one of few, if not only things left where you can get communal experiences of that many people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Deitsch says, on a national broadcast, Randy Hahn’s passion for the Sharks could be a liability, so the networks steer clear.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> They want to at least come off as impartial as possible. There’s got to be neutrality here because they know that there’s different fans tuning in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So what the fans love most about Randy is precisely what disqualifies him from calling the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s a brutal reality for local announcers. To follow a team to the climax of the season, then be forced to turn the mic over to someone else. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> It’s like you go to this great movie, it’s unbelievably dramatic, you’re there, and literally seven minutes before the movie’s over, an usher asks you to leave. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Well obviously I don’t like it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy Hahn thinks there should be a middle ground. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> I would prefer to be doing games, and I think fans would love the option of being able to have a choice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When the Sharks last made the playoffs in 2019, Randy was in the stands at the Shark tank, watching the game with all the other fans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But fans at home wished he was in the broadcast booth. They want his partiality. They prefer his bias. And they’re not shy about it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>\u003c/em>I tend to actually turn the volume down during the playoffs\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Trevin Cholmondeley says he wants an announcer who’s been through what he’s been through, all the ups and downs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> Every season’s a little microcosm of life, really, and not having someone like Randy or any team’s local announcer on the big stage. Just brings the quality down for me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Sports have always been tribal. Super fans often see their team as an extension of their own identity. And because of that, they have higher self-esteem and lower levels of loneliness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research shows sports provide structure and routine and meaning. They fulfill our need to belong. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even when it comes to commiserating over Randy not calling the playoffs – there’s community in that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> I was very pleasantly surprised I’m not the only one who’s feeling that way. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> That’s what our question-asker Mark Gavartin took away from all this. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> This is \u003cem>our\u003c/em> team. We live here. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Last winter, Randy Hahn predicted the Sharks would make the playoffs, if not last season, then this season for sure. Mark wants Randy to be his prophet, his guide, his buddy, through it all… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And see Randy announce, ‘Hey, the Sharks won the Stanley Cup.’ \u003cem>It hasn’t happened yet, but\u003c/em> wouldn’t that be amazing? Like, to hear his voice saying that? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> But even if the Sharks do win the title, that won’t happen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> That was KQED health correspondent April Dembosky.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Big thanks to Mark Gavartin for submitting this week’s question, and to the many KQED members whose support make our reporting possible. Are you a KQED member? Become one today at \u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bay Curious is made in SF at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by\u003cbr>Katrina Schwarts, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen Price. With extra support from Maha Sanad, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a wonderful week. And go Sharks!\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Of all the things that make Randy Hahn stand out in the world of ice hockey announcers, there is one fact of his career that rises above the rest: he’s been calling games for the same team for 35 years, ever since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose-sharks\">San José Sharks\u003c/a> were first established in 1991. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Of all the things that make Randy Hahn stand out in the world of ice hockey announcers, there is one fact of his career that rises above the rest: he’s been calling games for the same team for 35 years, ever since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose-sharks\">San José Sharks\u003c/a> were first established in 1991. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For a lot of fans, Hahn’s been the voice of the Sharks for their entire lives, helping to cultivate and nurture father-son bonds across the Bay Area for three generations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve been watching Randy since I was a kid, with my dad,” said Mark Gavartin, a long-time Sharks fan who now works at Stanford.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When the Sharks last made the playoffs in 2019, Gavartin had 4-year-old twins of his own and began passing the team allegiance down the family line. Watching the dramatic first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights on TV, Gavartin relied on Hahn to transport the excitement unfolding in the arena back to him and his family on his living room couch. Years later, just thinking about Hahn calling that Game 7 overtime gave Gavartin goosebumps.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When the Sharks last made the playoffs in 2019, Gavartin had 4-year-old twins of his own and began passing the team allegiance down the family line. Watching the dramatic first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights on TV, Gavartin relied on Hahn to transport the excitement unfolding in the arena back to him and his family on his living room couch. Years later, just thinking about Hahn calling that Game 7 overtime gave Gavartin goosebumps.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We were so emotional,” he remembered. “With the Sharks and Randy Hahn, it was like we were all together on this. We were like buddies, watching the game together.”\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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn commentates during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108421\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn commentates during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But as the Sharks advanced through the playoffs, then to the conference final, Gavartin noticed something strange: his buddy, Randy Hahn, was no longer behind the microphone calling the games. The national network wanted one of their own announcers to make the postseason calls. It was a voice Gavartin didn’t know.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But as the Sharks advanced through the playoffs, then to the conference final, Gavartin noticed something strange: his buddy, Randy Hahn, was no longer behind the microphone calling the games. The national network wanted one of their own announcers to make the postseason calls. It was a voice Gavartin didn’t know.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was not the same as listening to Randy Hahn,” he said. “It’s some other guy who was ‘meh, okay.’ Like, he didn’t go through what we went through.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gavartin wondered what many fans across many teams have wondered over the years: why did his beloved announcer disappear from the airwaves right when the team hit the peak of success? The question is not unique to the NHL. The phenomenon occurs across all sports during the postseason. But to truly understand why national TV networks install their own announcers for the most high-profile games, it is important, first, to understand why that decision leaves so many fans feeling so bereft. The fans of Randy Hahn, and the generations-worth of love and loyalty they hold for him, offer the perfect case study to reveal the answer.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gavartin wondered what many fans across many teams have wondered over the years: why did his beloved announcer disappear from the airwaves right when the team hit the peak of success? The question is not unique to the NHL. The phenomenon occurs across all sports during the postseason. But to truly understand why national TV networks install their own announcers for the most high-profile games, it is important, first, to understand why that decision leaves so many fans feeling so bereft. The fans of Randy Hahn, and the generations-worth of love and loyalty they hold for him, offer the perfect case study to reveal the answer.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "‘A roller coaster ride wrapped up in a soap opera’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On game days, the ice rink at San José’s SAP Center, aka the Shark Tank, is full of teal-clad fans. After the 2019 playoffs, the Sharks entered a drought and spectatorship dwindled amid the teams’ losses. But since acquiring the teenage phenom Macklin Celebrini in 2024, attendance at home games is again respectable; last year they filled the arena to 93% capacity on average and had 22 sellouts. For the Sharks home game against the Chicago Blackhawks last spring, every fan milling by the hot dog and beer stands, young or old, knew Hahn and had something to say about what made him a living legend.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On game days, the ice rink at San José’s SAP Center, aka the Shark Tank, is full of teal-clad fans. After the 2019 playoffs, the Sharks entered a drought and spectatorship dwindled amid the teams’ losses. But since acquiring the teenage phenom Macklin Celebrini in 2024, attendance at home games is again respectable; last year they filled the arena to 93% capacity on average and had 22 sellouts. For the Sharks home game against the Chicago Blackhawks last spring, every fan milling by the hot dog and beer stands, young or old, knew Hahn and had something to say about what made him a living legend.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He’s a Sharks encyclopedia,” said Tristan Nickey, who grew up in San José, but now lives in Idaho where he watches Hahn call the games on ESPN+. “He’s got all these stats that he’s always giving out, and it makes the whole game enjoyable.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“He’s a Sharks encyclopedia,” said Tristan Nickey, who grew up in San José, but now lives in Idaho where he watches Hahn call the games on ESPN+. “He’s got all these stats that he’s always giving out, and it makes the whole game enjoyable.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For 18-year-old Mia Dimmock, who started watching hockey a few years ago after seeing a clip on TikTok, Hahn explains things in a way that makes the game accessible to newbies. He shares details about players that bring them to life. He’s at every home game and every away game. He’s on the same buses and planes as the team, in the same hotels. He’s at the practice rink, in the weight room. He sees and hears a lot. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For 18-year-old Mia Dimmock, who started watching hockey a few years ago after seeing a clip on TikTok, Hahn explains things in a way that makes the game accessible to newbies. He shares details about players that bring them to life. He’s at every home game and every away game. He’s on the same buses and planes as the team, in the same hotels. He’s at the practice rink, in the weight room. He sees and hears a lot. \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/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A fan watches the San José Sharks play the Vancouver Canucks on a television in the concourse at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108428\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A fan watches the San José Sharks play the Vancouver Canucks on a television in the concourse at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He is that connection to the team that we need,” Dimmock said. “He is the team and the team is him.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hahn calls home games from an open-air broadcast booth inside the arena – a narrow perch at the front of section 215 overlooking the ice. I crammed into a chair behind him and watched over his shoulder as he called the Sharks’ game vs. the Blackhawks, and I noticed what Dimmock noticed: while Hahn is calling the play-by-play, he’s also telling a story. He gives each game a dramatic arc with historic context tucked in. He turns the players into characters who drive the plot. Currently, the leading man is Celebrini, now 20. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Hahn calls home games from an open-air broadcast booth inside the arena – a narrow perch at the front of section 215 overlooking the ice. I crammed into a chair behind him and watched over his shoulder as he called the Sharks’ game vs. the Blackhawks, and I noticed what Dimmock noticed: while Hahn is calling the play-by-play, he’s also telling a story. He gives each game a dramatic arc with historic context tucked in. He turns the players into characters who drive the plot. Currently, the leading man is Celebrini, now 20. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Macklin’s not the only child in the family,” Hahn told TV viewers during a lull in play. “His older brother Aiden is a Vancouver Canuck, and his youngest brother RJ, he’s 13 playing up in Vancouver and is starting to challenge some of Macklin’s records that Macklin established there when he was that age. Watch out for RJ Celebrini.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Macklin’s not the only child in the family,” Hahn told TV viewers during a lull in play. “His older brother Aiden is a Vancouver Canuck, and his youngest brother RJ, he’s 13 playing up in Vancouver and is starting to challenge some of Macklin’s records that Macklin established there when he was that age. Watch out for RJ Celebrini.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Equally interesting to what Hahn shares is what he doesn’t share. There are certain facts and details he holds back. If Hahn notices a player on the bus with a bag of ice on his ankle or his hand wrapped in a bandage, for example, he won’t say anything during a game.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Equally interesting to what Hahn shares is what he doesn’t share. There are certain facts and details he holds back. If Hahn notices a player on the bus with a bag of ice on his ankle or his hand wrapped in a bandage, for example, he won’t say anything during a game.\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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108420\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn and color commentator Drew Remenda meet fans in between periods of the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108420\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn and color commentator Drew Remenda meet fans in between periods of the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There might be somebody on another team who knows that if that player has a sore left knee, ‘I’m gonna go after that knee,’” Hahn told me. “It’s pro sports; it’s cutthroat. People are playing for money.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There might be somebody on another team who knows that if that player has a sore left knee, ‘I’m gonna go after that knee,’” Hahn told me. “It’s pro sports; it’s cutthroat. People are playing for money.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So if a defensive player has a goal scored against him, Hahn won’t say he failed to make the right play because he’s injured, but he will shade his commentary differently; he’ll be less critical. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>So if a defensive player has a goal scored against him, Hahn won’t say he failed to make the right play because he’s injured, but he will shade his commentary differently; he’ll be less critical. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s our way of putting our arm around him, if you will,” Hahn said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s an inherent tension in this. Hahn works for NBC Sports Bay Area, the local TV station, not the Sharks. He’s first and foremost a broadcaster, and he’s supposed to maintain some level of professional distance from his subjects. But that boundary can get murky, especially in light of how much time he spends with the players. Sometimes he catches himself referring to the team as “we,” as in, “we won.” Then he corrects himself: “they won.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There’s an inherent tension in this. Hahn works for NBC Sports Bay Area, the local TV station, not the Sharks. He’s first and foremost a broadcaster, and he’s supposed to maintain some level of professional distance from his subjects. But that boundary can get murky, especially in light of how much time he spends with the players. Sometimes he catches himself referring to the team as “we,” as in, “we won.” Then he corrects himself: “they won.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Technically, he’s not part of the team, but fans absolutely see him that way. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Technically, he’s not part of the team, but fans absolutely see him that way. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He is the Sharks to me,” said Trevin Cholmondeley, a fan from Napa.\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/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108394\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trevin Cholmondeley (left) grew up watching the Sharks and listening to Randy Hahn call games with his dad, Randy Cholmondeley (right). They attended a home game together at the SAP Center on April 6, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (April Dembosky/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108394\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trevin Cholmondeley (left) grew up watching the Sharks and listening to Randy Hahn call games with his dad, Randy Cholmondeley (right). They attended a home game together at the SAP Center on April 6, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (April Dembosky/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This tension hit a high point last December when the Sharks played the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Sharks season had started off slow with a lot of losses. They were losing the game to Pittsburgh, 5 to 1. Then halfway through the third period, two Penguins were sent to the penalty box and the Sharks seized the moment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hahn is fond of saying that every hockey season is a “roller coaster ride wrapped up in a soap opera,” and through the twists and turns of the third period in Pittsburgh, he seized the energy in the arena and transposed it back to fans watching at home. He built the suspense of each goal the Sharks scored in the next five minutes like a crescendo in a Beethoven symphony. When the Sharks tied the game 5-5, then scored the winning goal in overtime, Hahn rallied the metaphorical trumpet blasts and cymbal crashes to capture the finale on the ice.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They scooooore!” he roared. “One of the most amazing comebacks in franchise history! Sharks win! I’m beside myself, and there’s tears in my eyes.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It was an expert, nuanced performance, on the ice and off. Hahn modulated his cadence and pitch to up the drama of each play, then added a strong dose of vulnerability, all to create what he later called “the theater of the moment.” He shouted in ecstasy to punctuate the win, then swiftly confessed to his TV audience that he was crying.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Afterward, Hahn texted a colleague and admitted that he was worried he’d gone too far at that game; perhaps he’d veered beyond his professional broadcasting boundaries and allowed himself to become overly emotional?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Afterward, Hahn texted a colleague and admitted that he was worried he’d gone too far at that game; perhaps he’d veered beyond his professional broadcasting boundaries and allowed himself to become overly emotional?\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/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108423\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn writes notes during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108423\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn writes notes during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But after players and coaches made a point of complimenting his calls, he decided ultimately that he’d struck the right balance. Coaches and players have to keep their heads in the game. They can’t lose their cool after every goal. Hahn seemed to surmise that part of his job is to express the emotions that the other men on the team can’t. Hahn does the feeling for them.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When something like that happens, it’s emotional for all of us because we all have so much invested in the process,” Hahn told the Sharks’ in-house podcaster Brodie Brazil. “To me, it was them saying, ‘you captured the way we felt even though we couldn’t show it.’ A head coach can’t show that; it just wouldn’t look right. But inside, you feel it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When something like that happens, it’s emotional for all of us because we all have so much invested in the process,” Hahn told the Sharks’ in-house podcaster Brodie Brazil. “To me, it was them saying, ‘you captured the way we felt even though we couldn’t show it.’ A head coach can’t show that; it just wouldn’t look right. But inside, you feel it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It was the same with the fans. People who have to play it cool in the office, stay calm at home, Hahn does the feeling for them, too. When Hahn teared up watching the Sharks beat the Penguins, so did Tristan Nickey.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It was the same with the fans. People who have to play it cool in the office, stay calm at home, Hahn does the feeling for them, too. When Hahn teared up watching the Sharks beat the Penguins, so did Tristan Nickey.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Hahn got excited, so did Caleb Edwards.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Hearing his motivation and his excitement build just kind of pulsates through you as a fan,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Hahn screamed into his mic, Trevin Cholmondeley screamed back at the TV.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The dude lost his voice halfway through,” he said. “I think he understands the energy that’s in the clubhouse that we, as a fan, don’t get to experience. We can live, sort of, through him.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sociologists say that sports are like religion. Arenas, like churches. Fans are a kind of congregation worshipping the players and coaches and TV announcers like idols. To Sharks fans, Randy Hahn is an emotional conduit, a medium, channeling the euphoria and grief back and forth between players and fans. So when the playoffs come, and the local TV announcer gets deposed, replaced by a national announcer, it can feel like blasphemy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sociologists say that sports are like religion. Arenas, like churches. Fans are a kind of congregation worshipping the players and coaches and TV announcers like idols. To Sharks fans, Randy Hahn is an emotional conduit, a medium, channeling the euphoria and grief back and forth between players and fans. So when the playoffs come, and the local TV announcer gets deposed, replaced by a national announcer, it can feel like blasphemy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It will suck,” said Edwards, echoing a chorus of complaints from fans who wish Hahn could announce those games, should they come to pass.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It will suck,” said Edwards, echoing a chorus of complaints from fans who wish Hahn could announce those games, should they come to pass.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It is not just a hockey question. There are baseball fans who are always wondering, ‘Why, if my team makes the playoffs, can’t I get my local announcers? Why am I getting the national announcers?’” said Richard Deitsch, a sports journalist who has worked for Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, and now CBC Radio in Canada. “By and large, the answer to these questions is the eternal answer to most questions. And the answer is money.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It is not just a hockey question. There are baseball fans who are always wondering, ‘Why, if my team makes the playoffs, can’t I get my local announcers? Why am I getting the national announcers?’” said Richard Deitsch, a sports journalist who has worked for Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, and now CBC Radio in Canada. “By and large, the answer to these questions is the eternal answer to most questions. And the answer is money.” \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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108418\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn (right) commentates with color commentator Drew Remenda during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108418\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn (right) commentates with color commentator Drew Remenda during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When the Sharks first made the playoffs in 1994, local television announcers called every playoff game, through four rounds. But as national networks like ESPN and Fox got into the business of airing the Stanley Cup finals, and paid high rights fees for the privilege, they wanted exclusivity in return. While NBC Sports Bay Area, Hahn’s employer, aired the regular season games and early rounds of the playoffs, they no longer had the right to air the final series. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When the Sharks first made the playoffs in 1994, local television announcers called every playoff game, through four rounds. But as national networks like ESPN and Fox got into the business of airing the Stanley Cup finals, and paid high rights fees for the privilege, they wanted exclusivity in return. While NBC Sports Bay Area, Hahn’s employer, aired the regular season games and early rounds of the playoffs, they no longer had the right to air the final series. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When networks negotiated the next contract, they wanted exclusivity of the final two rounds of the playoffs. And when ESPN and TNT signed their latest contract with the NHL – a seven-year deal for $600 million – they won exclusivity of the final three rounds of the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When networks negotiated the next contract, they wanted exclusivity of the final two rounds of the playoffs. And when ESPN and TNT signed their latest contract with the NHL – a seven-year deal for $600 million – they won exclusivity of the final three rounds of the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These final games of the season always attract the biggest audiences. And the more people there are watching, the more national TV networks can charge advertisers to air their commercials. Close to one million fans tune in for the Stanley Cup hockey finals; 20 million for the World Series; 120 million for the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>These final games of the season always attract the biggest audiences. And the more people there are watching, the more national TV networks can charge advertisers to air their commercials. Close to one million fans tune in for the Stanley Cup hockey finals; 20 million for the World Series; 120 million for the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“These are massive numbers, and that’s very, very rare in society today. It’s a very, very divisive and polarized time,” Deitsch said. “It is very hard to get Americans to agree on anything, but sports is one thing.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“These are massive numbers, and that’s very, very rare in society today. It’s a very, very divisive and polarized time,” Deitsch said. “It is very hard to get Americans to agree on anything, but sports is one thing.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Americans may not agree on who should win, but they agree the game is worth watching. Across racial backgrounds, political affiliations, and religious beliefs, people can sit together in the same arena, or in front of one TV at a bar, and share the experience.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Americans may not agree on who should win, but they agree the game is worth watching. Across racial backgrounds, political affiliations, and religious beliefs, people can sit together in the same arena, or in front of one TV at a bar, and share the experience.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That’s the power of sports still. And it’s also the reason why it’s such an economic force and a multi-billion dollar business,” said Deitsh, “because the people who are in charge of these leagues and the people who are in charge of the networks that put on these games, they know that it’s one of few, if not the only thing, left where you can get communal experiences of that many people.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“That’s the power of sports still. And it’s also the reason why it’s such an economic force and a multi-billion dollar business,” said Deitsh, “because the people who are in charge of these leagues and the people who are in charge of the networks that put on these games, they know that it’s one of few, if not the only thing, left where you can get communal experiences of that many people.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Because so many different audiences are tuning in, including fans from both teams, the national networks are looking for neutrality and impartiality in their broadcasts. Hahn’s passion for the Sharks, or even simply his affiliation with the team, is seen as a liability, so the networks steer clear.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s a brutal reality for local announcers. To follow a team to the climax of the season, then be forced to turn the mic over to someone else. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s like you go to this great movie, it’s unbelievably dramatic, you’re there, and literally seven minutes before the movie’s over, an usher asks you to leave,” Deitsch said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When the Sharks last made the playoffs in 2019, Hahn was in the stands at the Shark Tank, watching the game with all the other fans. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But fans at home wished he was in the broadcast booth, not realizing that what they most loved about Hahn was precisely what disqualified him from calling the finals. They want his partiality. They prefer his bias. And they’re not shy about it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But fans at home wished he was in the broadcast booth, not realizing that what they most loved about Hahn was precisely what disqualified him from calling the finals. They want his partiality. They prefer his bias. And they’re not shy about 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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108419\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn (left) commentates with color commentator Drew Remenda during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108419\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn (left) commentates with color commentator Drew Remenda during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I tend to actually turn the volume down during the playoffs,” said Trevin Cholmondeley. He wants an announcer who’s been through what he’s been through, all the ups and downs of the soap opera-infused roller coaster. “Every season’s a little microcosm of life, and not having someone like Hahn, or any team’s local announcer, on the big stage just brings the quality down for me.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I tend to actually turn the volume down during the playoffs,” said Trevin Cholmondeley. He wants an announcer who’s been through what he’s been through, all the ups and downs of the soap opera-infused roller coaster. “Every season’s a little microcosm of life, and not having someone like Hahn, or any team’s local announcer, on the big stage just brings the quality down for me.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last winter, after the Sharks’ stunning win over Pittsburgh, Hahn predicted the Sharks would make the playoffs, if not last season, when they just missed qualifying, then this season for sure.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Fans will be tuning in, ready for Randy Hahn to be their prophet, their guide, their buddy, through every twist and turn.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sounds of ice skating\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sounds of ice skating\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> The NHL season officially opened at the end of September and ice hockey fans around the country are hoping \u003cem>their\u003c/em> team will make it to the playoffs next spring. Fans are prone to believing \u003cem>their\u003c/em> players, their coaches, even their announcers are the best. For San Jose Sharks fans, that announcer is Randy Hahn. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> The NHL season officially opened at the end of September and ice hockey fans around the country are hoping \u003cem>their\u003c/em> team will make it to the playoffs next spring. Fans are prone to believing \u003cem>their\u003c/em> players, their coaches, even their announcers are the best. For San Jose Sharks fans, that announcer is Randy Hahn. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>The building’s come alive! Here’s Kane, Knight push, back for Burns, save, rebound!\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>The building’s come alive! Here’s Kane, Knight push, back for Burns, save, rebound!\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Fans still talk about Randy’s calls from the last time the Sharks made it to the playoffs – in 2019. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Fans still talk about Randy’s calls from the last time the Sharks made it to the playoffs – in 2019. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> He’ll drop it back for Burns. Over to Couture. Scooore! They’ve done it. (Fade under earlier, starting here: They’ve come all the way back with a tie!\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> He’ll drop it back for Burns. Over to Couture. Scooore! They’ve done it. (Fade under earlier, starting here: They’ve come all the way back with a tie!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Longtime Sharks fan and Bay Curious listener Mark Gavartin remembers this game really well. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Longtime Sharks fan and Bay Curious listener Mark Gavartin remembers this game really well. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> I listened to it many, many times.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> I listened to it many, many times.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> He says just talking about it now, years later, still gives him goose bumps. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> He says just talking about it now, years later, still gives him goose bumps. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And then the Sharks won that game on overtime. And it was just like crazy. (laughs)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And then the Sharks won that game on overtime. And it was just like crazy. (laughs)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Mark had four-year old twins at the time. So it was really hard to make it out to any of the games. He couldn’t sit in an arena with thousands of other fans riding the same emotional roller coaster together. Instead, he watched the games on TV and he relied on Randy to transport that excitement to his living room. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Mark had four-year old twins at the time. So it was really hard to make it out to any of the games. He couldn’t sit in an arena with thousands of other fans riding the same emotional roller coaster together. Instead, he watched the games on TV and he relied on Randy to transport that excitement to his living room. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And we were so like emotional with the, you know the Sharks and the, and Randy Hahn. And we just like, you know, like we’re all like together on this. It’s like having buddies watching the game together.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And we were so like emotional with the, you know the Sharks and the, and Randy Hahn. And we just like, you know, like we’re all like together on this. It’s like having buddies watching the game together.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But then something strange happened. As the Sharks advanced through the playoffs then to the conference final, fans no longer heard Randy Hahn behind the mic. The national network wanted one of \u003cem>their\u003c/em> announcers to call the games instead. A guy that Mark didn’t know.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But then something strange happened. As the Sharks advanced through the playoffs then to the conference final, fans no longer heard Randy Hahn behind the mic. The national network wanted one of \u003cem>their\u003c/em> announcers to call the games instead. A guy that Mark didn’t know.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> It was like not the same listening to Randy Hahn. It was just different. It was like like they didn’t go through what we went through. And now it’s like some other guy is like, eh, you know, like, okay. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> It was like not the same listening to Randy Hahn. It was just different. It was like like they didn’t go through what we went through. And now it’s like some other guy is like, eh, you know, like, okay. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And that made Mark wonder: \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And that made Mark wonder: \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> Why doesn’t Randy Hahn call the final rounds of the playoffs? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> Why doesn’t Randy Hahn call the final rounds of the playoffs? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And that made us wonder, why do fans care so much that he doesn’t?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious, the show that answers listener questions about the San Francisco Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And that made us wonder, why do fans care so much that he doesn’t?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious, the show that answers listener questions about the San Francisco Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We asked KQED’s April Dembosky to introduce us to Randy Hahn and the fans who love him. Then explain why Randy disappears from the airwaves at the most critical moment in the season. Here’s April…\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>We asked KQED’s April Dembosky to introduce us to Randy Hahn and the fans who love him. Then explain why Randy disappears from the airwaves at the most critical moment in the season. Here’s April…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> There are a lot of things about Randy Hahn that make him stand out in the world of hockey announcers. But there’s one thing in particular. He’s been calling games for the same team for 35 years, ever since San Jose first established its team in 1991. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> There are a lot of things about Randy Hahn that make him stand out in the world of hockey announcers. But there’s one thing in particular. He’s been calling games for the same team for 35 years, ever since San Jose first established its team in 1991. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For a lot of fans, Randy’s been the voice of the Sharks for their entire lives. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For a lot of fans, Randy’s been the voice of the Sharks for their entire lives. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> He IS the Sharks to me. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> He IS the Sharks to me. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kenneth:\u003c/strong> Just living legend. I’ve been listening to him since I was a kid. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kenneth:\u003c/strong> Just living legend. I’ve been listening to him since I was a kid. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark:\u003c/strong> I’ve been watching since I was a kid with my dad. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> Randy’s a part of my life since I was a baby.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> Randy’s a part of my life since I was a baby.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy is so iconic, Pixar filmmakers asked him to do a cameo in the movie Inside Out. Riley’s dad is caught daydreaming about a hockey game when his wife is trying to talk to him.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy is so iconic, Pixar filmmakers asked him to do a cameo in the movie Inside Out. Riley’s dad is caught daydreaming about a hockey game when his wife is trying to talk to him.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Inside Out\u003c/em>\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>clip: Sound of hockey game announcing. \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Inside Out\u003c/em>\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>clip: Sound of hockey game announcing. \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sounds of Sharks arena\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Last spring I went to see the Sharks play the Chicago Blackhawks at the SAP center, aka, the Shark tank. And every fan I talked to … \u003cem>knew\u003c/em> Randy and had something to say about why they loved him.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Last spring I went to see the Sharks play the Chicago Blackhawks at the SAP center, aka, the Shark tank. And every fan I talked to … \u003cem>knew\u003c/em> Randy and had something to say about why they loved him.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> He’s a Sharks encyclopedia.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> He’s a Sharks encyclopedia.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Tristan Nickey is from San Jose but lives in Idaho now. He watches all the Sharks games on ESPN plus where he has the choice to select Randy as his announcer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Tristan Nickey is from San Jose but lives in Idaho now. He watches all the Sharks games on ESPN plus where he has the choice to select Randy as his announcer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> He’s got all these stats that he’s always giving out and it makes the whole game enjoyable. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> He’s got all these stats that he’s always giving out and it makes the whole game enjoyable. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> I feel like he’s a through on through Sharks man.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> I feel like he’s a through on through Sharks man.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Eighteen year old Mia Dimmock started watching hockey a few years ago, after she saw a clip on TikTok. She says Randy has a way of explaining things that makes the game accessible to newbies like her.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> He has a way of introducing the fans to the players more and giving them an experience where then we feel more connected to the players as a whole. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> He has a way of introducing the fans to the players more and giving them an experience where then we feel more connected to the players as a whole. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy is at every home game and every away game. He’s on the same buses and planes as the team, in the same hotels. He’s at the practice rink, in the weight room. He sees and hears a lot. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> He is the team and the team is him. He is that connection to the team that we need. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing:\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>\u003cem>\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>Let’s see if the Sharks can get some mojo going here in the second period. Will Smith with the puck, drops it for Macklin… \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> I got to see Randy in action when he called the game against the Blackhawks. I sat behind him, crammed into his open-air broadcast booth in the arena. It’s at the front of section 215. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And I noticed what Mia noticed: while Randy is calling the play by play of the games, he’s also telling a story. He gives each game a dramatic arc. He turns the players into characters who drive the plot. Right now, the leading man is 20-year old phenom Macklin Celebrini. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And I noticed what Mia noticed: while Randy is calling the play by play of the games, he’s also telling a story. He gives each game a dramatic arc. He turns the players into characters who drive the plot. Right now, the leading man is 20-year old phenom Macklin Celebrini. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing:\u003c/strong> Macklin’s not the only child in the family. His older brother Aiden is a Vancouver Canuck and his youngest brother RJ, he’s 13 playing up in northshore winter club up in Vancouver is started to challenge some of Macklin’s records that Macklin established there when he was that age. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing:\u003c/strong> Macklin’s not the only child in the family. His older brother Aiden is a Vancouver Canuck and his youngest brother RJ, he’s 13 playing up in northshore winter club up in Vancouver is started to challenge some of Macklin’s records that Macklin established there when he was that age. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When I talked to Randy outside the Shark tank, he explained that there are also certain details he holds back. The guys often play through injuries, but don’t want their opponents to know.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When I talked to Randy outside the Shark tank, he explained that there are also certain details he holds back. The guys often play through injuries, but don’t want their opponents to know.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> There might be somebody on another team who knows that if that player has a sore left knee, I’m gonna go after that knee. It’s pro sports, it’s cutthroat. People are playing for money. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> There might be somebody on another team who knows that if that player has a sore left knee, I’m gonna go after that knee. It’s pro sports, it’s cutthroat. People are playing for money. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> He might have a goal scored against him and be unable to make a defensive play but I know, you know what? That guy’s toughing it out. And \u003cem>the fans don’t know it and he’s not saying anything about it and we aren’t either, but\u003c/em> it’s our way of putting our arm around him, if you will.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> He might have a goal scored against him and be unable to make a defensive play but I know, you know what? That guy’s toughing it out. And \u003cem>the fans don’t know it and he’s not saying anything about it and we aren’t either, but\u003c/em> it’s our way of putting our arm around him, if you will.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> There’s an inherent tension in this. Randy works for NBC Bay Area, the local TV station, not the Sharks. He’s first and foremost a broadcaster and he’s supposed to maintain some level of professional distance. But that boundary can get murky. Especially in light of how much time he spends with the players. Sometimes he catches himself referring to the team as “we,” as in, “we won.” Then he corrects himself: “they won.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Arena sounds\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Technically, he’s not part of the team, but Sharks fans absolutely see him that way.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> Oh my god! That was so cool. Oh my God.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> I caught up with Emma Daniels right after she visited Randy in his broadcast booth and fans line up here in between periods to meet him.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> I caught up with Emma Daniels right after she visited Randy in his broadcast booth and fans line up here in between periods to meet him.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> I’m such a big fan of him and he’s been so welcoming toward new fans. Oh my gosh. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> I’m such a big fan of him and he’s been so welcoming toward new fans. Oh my gosh. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> I’m shaking. That was more exciting than the players. I met Randy Hahn!\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> What Emma loves most about Randy is the feeling that he’s on her side. For her, and a bunch of fans, there was one game last season where Randy was \u003cem>so in it.\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> There was that game against the Penguins, the clips of him yelling in that game are so amazing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> There was that game against the Penguins, the clips of him yelling in that game are so amazing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Caleb Edwards:\u003c/strong> With every goal, the energy in his voice built \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> The dude lost his voice halfway through, I don’t think he could believe what he was seeing on the ice. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> The dude lost his voice halfway through, I don’t think he could believe what he was seeing on the ice. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> It was December 2025. The Sharks season had started off slow with a lot of losses. They were losing the game to Pittsburgh, 5 to 1. Then halfway through the third period TWO Penguins were sent to the penalty box. The Sharks seized the moment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> It was December 2025. The Sharks season had started off slow with a lot of losses. They were losing the game to Pittsburgh, 5 to 1. Then halfway through the third period TWO Penguins were sent to the penalty box. The Sharks seized the moment.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Listen to the way Randy builds the tension. It’s like a crescendo in a Beethoven symphony.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing condensed:\u003c/strong> The Sharks with a power play goal, and it’s 5-2. Off the scramble, and it’s 5-3! The Sharks clawing their way back into this game. It’s 5-4! Save, rebound. They score! They score! The Sharks have tied it up! Unbelievable. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing condensed:\u003c/strong> The Sharks with a power play goal, and it’s 5-2. Off the scramble, and it’s 5-3! The Sharks clawing their way back into this game. It’s 5-4! Save, rebound. They score! They score! The Sharks have tied it up! Unbelievable. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The TV cameras pan the crowd, Penguins fans suddenly looking very tired and very nervous, biting their nails, folding their hands in prayer. The game goes into sudden death overtime. And soon enough Randy is rallying the metaphorical trumpet blasts and cymbal crashes to capture the finale on the ice.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The TV cameras pan the crowd, Penguins fans suddenly looking very tired and very nervous, biting their nails, folding their hands in prayer. The game goes into sudden death overtime. And soon enough Randy is rallying the metaphorical trumpet blasts and cymbal crashes to capture the finale on the ice.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn annoucing:\u003c/strong> They score! One of the most amazing comebacks in franchise history! Sharks win! I’m beside myself and there’s tears in my eyes, my friend. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn annoucing:\u003c/strong> They score! One of the most amazing comebacks in franchise history! Sharks win! I’m beside myself and there’s tears in my eyes, my friend. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy is doing something complex here. He’s surveying the feeling in the building and delivering it back to fans watching at home. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He later told the Sharks’ in-house podcaster Brodie Brazil that he’s creating “the theater of the moment.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He later told the Sharks’ in-house podcaster Brodie Brazil that he’s creating “the theater of the moment.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> If it sounded like I was getting a little more excited with every goal, that was happening organically, yes, but it’s also part of years of doing this job. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy shouts in ecstasy in one moment then confesses to his TV audience that he’s crying.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brodie Brazil:\u003c/strong> And you said afterwards, ‘I was a little worried, I got very emotional, I don’t know what happened.’ And that got me thinking, why did you get emotional? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Brodie Brazil:\u003c/strong> And you said afterwards, ‘I was a little worried, I got very emotional, I don’t know what happened.’ And that got me thinking, why did you get emotional? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> I, I don’t. I still am not sure.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy wondered if he’d veered too far beyond his professional boundaries at that game…if he got \u003cem>too\u003c/em> emotional. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But after players and coaches made a point of complimenting his calls, he decided ultimately that he got it right. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> When something like that happens it is it’s emotional for all of us because we all have so much invested in the process and to me it was them saying you captured the way we felt even though we maybe couldn’t show it like a head coach can’t show that, it just wouldn’t look right, right? But inside you feel it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> When something like that happens it is it’s emotional for all of us because we all have so much invested in the process and to me it was them saying you captured the way we felt even though we maybe couldn’t show it like a head coach can’t show that, it just wouldn’t look right, right? But inside you feel it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Coaches and players have to keep their heads in the game. They can’t lose their cool after every goal. Randy seems to understand that part of his job is to express the emotions that the other men on the team can’t. Randy does the feeling for them.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Coaches and players have to keep their heads in the game. They can’t lose their cool after every goal. Randy seems to understand that part of his job is to express the emotions that the other men on the team can’t. Randy does the feeling for them.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> I go into every season with the same expectation, no matter what the roster, the season from start to finish will be a roller coaster ride wrapped up in a soap opera. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> It’s the same with the fans. People who have to play it cool in the office, stay calm at home, Randy does the feeling for them, too. When Randy teared up watching the Sharks beat the Penguins, so did Tristan Nickey.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> It’s the same with the fans. People who have to play it cool in the office, stay calm at home, Randy does the feeling for them, too. When Randy teared up watching the Sharks beat the Penguins, so did Tristan Nickey.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> Like I felt it, I was watching the game. And it was absolutely incredible and I felt what he was feeling. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> Like I felt it, I was watching the game. And it was absolutely incredible and I felt what he was feeling. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When Randy got excited, so did Caleb Edwards.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Caleb Edwards:\u003c/strong> Hearing his motivation and his excitement build just kind of pulsates through you as a fan. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When Randy screamed into his mic, Trevin Cholmondeley screamed back at the TV.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> I think he understands the energy that’s in the clubhouse that we as fans don’t get to experience and I think we can live sort of through him. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> I think he understands the energy that’s in the clubhouse that we as fans don’t get to experience and I think we can live sort of through him. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So you can see why Randy’s fans are so \u003cem>attached\u003c/em> to him. He’s an emotional conduit. An emotional medium. Funneling the euphoria and grief back and forth between players and the fans. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So you can see why Randy’s fans are so \u003cem>attached\u003c/em> to him. He’s an emotional conduit. An emotional medium. Funneling the euphoria and grief back and forth between players and the fans. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Maybe now it makes sense why fans get so upset at the prospect of their beloved local announcer getting replaced when the team advances through the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Maybe now it makes sense why fans get so upset at the prospect of their beloved local announcer getting replaced when the team advances through the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We’ve got to take a quick break, but when we come back we’ll find out why that happens. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We’ve got to take a quick break, but when we come back we’ll find out why that happens. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Okay, so it’s clear that Sharks fans love Randy Hahn. But if the team makes it into the later rounds of the playoffs this season, we won’t be hearing him on air anymore. April Dembosky explains why… \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Okay, so it’s clear that Sharks fans love Randy Hahn. But if the team makes it into the later rounds of the playoffs this season, we won’t be hearing him on air anymore. April Dembosky explains why… \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Sociologists say that sports are like religion. Arenas, like churches. Fans are a kind of congregation worshipping the players and coaches and TV announcers like idols. So when the playoffs come and the TV announcer gets deposed, it can feel like blasphemy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Sociologists say that sports are like religion. Arenas, like churches. Fans are a kind of congregation worshipping the players and coaches and TV announcers like idols. So when the playoffs come and the TV announcer gets deposed, it can feel like blasphemy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Caleb Edwards:\u003c/strong> It will suck. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Caleb Edwards:\u003c/strong> It will suck. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy C:\u003c/strong> That’s what’s a bummer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy C:\u003c/strong> That’s what’s a bummer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> That’s a disappointment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> That’s a disappointment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> I wish it was a local announcer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> I wish it was a local announcer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> I think we should petition to get Randy on that board. We need him calling the games.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> I think we should petition to get Randy on that board. We need him calling the games.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So why do local announcers get sidelined right when their team hits the peak of success? Randy Hahn has been around long enough to see how this evolved.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So why do local announcers get sidelined right when their team hits the peak of success? Randy Hahn has been around long enough to see how this evolved.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Way back in the early days of the Sharks, in 1994 when they first made the playoffs, local television was allowed to do every playoff game through four rounds. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Way back in the early days of the Sharks, in 1994 when they first made the playoffs, local television was allowed to do every playoff game through four rounds. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> But as national networks like ESPN and Fox got into the business of airing the finals, they didn’t want to share the stage with the local stations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> But as national networks like ESPN and Fox got into the business of airing the finals, they didn’t want to share the stage with the local stations.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> As network television contracts were negotiated and high rights fees were paid by those networks, they started to claw back and said we want exclusivity of the Stanley Cup finals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> As network television contracts were negotiated and high rights fees were paid by those networks, they started to claw back and said we want exclusivity of the Stanley Cup finals. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> But it didn’t stop there. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Then when the next contract rolled around, we want exclusivity of the final two rounds and then eventually the final three rounds, which is where we sit now. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Then when the next contract rolled around, we want exclusivity of the final two rounds and then eventually the final three rounds, which is where we sit now. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The NHL signed its latest national TV contract in 2021 – a seven year-deal with ESPN and TNT for $600 million.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The NHL signed its latest national TV contract in 2021 – a seven year-deal with ESPN and TNT for $600 million.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Richard Deitsch has been a sports reporter and editor for two decades, at Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, and now CBC radio in Canada. He says these exclusive contracts exist for all sports.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Richard Deitsch has been a sports reporter and editor for two decades, at Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, and now CBC radio in Canada. He says these exclusive contracts exist for all sports.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> It is not just a hockey question. There are baseball fans who are always wondering why, if my team makes the playoffs, can I get my local announcers and why am I getting the national announcers? And by and large, the answer to these questions are the eternal answer to most questions. And the answer is money. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> It is not just a hockey question. There are baseball fans who are always wondering why, if my team makes the playoffs, can I get my local announcers and why am I getting the national announcers? And by and large, the answer to these questions are the eternal answer to most questions. And the answer is money. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The final games of the season always attract the biggest audiences. And the more people there are watching, the more networks can charge advertisers to air their commercials. Close to one million fans tune in for the hockey finals. 20 million for the World Series. 120 million for the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The final games of the season always attract the biggest audiences. And the more people there are watching, the more networks can charge advertisers to air their commercials. Close to one million fans tune in for the hockey finals. 20 million for the World Series. 120 million for the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> These are massive numbers and that’s very, very rare in society today. It’s a very, very divisive and polarized time. It is very hard to get Americans to agree on anything, but sports is one thing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> These are massive numbers and that’s very, very rare in society today. It’s a very, very divisive and polarized time. It is very hard to get Americans to agree on anything, but sports is one thing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> They may not agree on who should win, but they agree the game is worth watching. Across racial backgrounds, political affiliations, and religious beliefs, people can sit together in the same arena, or in front of one TV at a bar, and share the experience.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> They may not agree on who should win, but they agree the game is worth watching. Across racial backgrounds, political affiliations, and religious beliefs, people can sit together in the same arena, or in front of one TV at a bar, and share the experience.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> That’s the power of sports still. And it’s also the reason why it’s such an economic force and a multi-billion dollar business, is because the people who are in charge of these leagues and the people who are in charge of the networks that put on these games, they know that it’s one of few, if not only things left where you can get communal experiences of that many people.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> That’s the power of sports still. And it’s also the reason why it’s such an economic force and a multi-billion dollar business, is because the people who are in charge of these leagues and the people who are in charge of the networks that put on these games, they know that it’s one of few, if not only things left where you can get communal experiences of that many people.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Deitsch says, on a national broadcast, Randy Hahn’s passion for the Sharks could be a liability, so the networks steer clear.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Deitsch says, on a national broadcast, Randy Hahn’s passion for the Sharks could be a liability, so the networks steer clear.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> They want to at least come off as impartial as possible. There’s got to be neutrality here because they know that there’s different fans tuning in.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> They want to at least come off as impartial as possible. There’s got to be neutrality here because they know that there’s different fans tuning in.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So what the fans love most about Randy is precisely what disqualifies him from calling the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So what the fans love most about Randy is precisely what disqualifies him from calling the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s a brutal reality for local announcers. To follow a team to the climax of the season, then be forced to turn the mic over to someone else. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s a brutal reality for local announcers. To follow a team to the climax of the season, then be forced to turn the mic over to someone else. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> It’s like you go to this great movie, it’s unbelievably dramatic, you’re there, and literally seven minutes before the movie’s over, an usher asks you to leave. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> It’s like you go to this great movie, it’s unbelievably dramatic, you’re there, and literally seven minutes before the movie’s over, an usher asks you to leave. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Well obviously I don’t like it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Well obviously I don’t like it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy Hahn thinks there should be a middle ground. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> I would prefer to be doing games, and I think fans would love the option of being able to have a choice. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> I would prefer to be doing games, and I think fans would love the option of being able to have a choice. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When the Sharks last made the playoffs in 2019, Randy was in the stands at the Shark tank, watching the game with all the other fans. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When the Sharks last made the playoffs in 2019, Randy was in the stands at the Shark tank, watching the game with all the other fans. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But fans at home wished he was in the broadcast booth. They want his partiality. They prefer his bias. And they’re not shy about it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But fans at home wished he was in the broadcast booth. They want his partiality. They prefer his bias. And they’re not shy about it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>\u003c/em>I tend to actually turn the volume down during the playoffs\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>\u003c/em>I tend to actually turn the volume down during the playoffs\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Trevin Cholmondeley says he wants an announcer who’s been through what he’s been through, all the ups and downs.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Trevin Cholmondeley says he wants an announcer who’s been through what he’s been through, all the ups and downs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> Every season’s a little microcosm of life, really, and not having someone like Randy or any team’s local announcer on the big stage. Just brings the quality down for me. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> Every season’s a little microcosm of life, really, and not having someone like Randy or any team’s local announcer on the big stage. Just brings the quality down for me. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Sports have always been tribal. Super fans often see their team as an extension of their own identity. And because of that, they have higher self-esteem and lower levels of loneliness.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Sports have always been tribal. Super fans often see their team as an extension of their own identity. And because of that, they have higher self-esteem and lower levels of loneliness.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Research shows sports provide structure and routine and meaning. They fulfill our need to belong. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Research shows sports provide structure and routine and meaning. They fulfill our need to belong. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even when it comes to commiserating over Randy not calling the playoffs – there’s community in that.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Even when it comes to commiserating over Randy not calling the playoffs – there’s community in that.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> I was very pleasantly surprised I’m not the only one who’s feeling that way. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> I was very pleasantly surprised I’m not the only one who’s feeling that way. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> That’s what our question-asker Mark Gavartin took away from all this. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> That’s what our question-asker Mark Gavartin took away from all this. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> This is \u003cem>our\u003c/em> team. We live here. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> This is \u003cem>our\u003c/em> team. We live here. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Last winter, Randy Hahn predicted the Sharks would make the playoffs, if not last season, then this season for sure. Mark wants Randy to be his prophet, his guide, his buddy, through it all… \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Last winter, Randy Hahn predicted the Sharks would make the playoffs, if not last season, then this season for sure. Mark wants Randy to be his prophet, his guide, his buddy, through it all… \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And see Randy announce, ‘Hey, the Sharks won the Stanley Cup.’ \u003cem>It hasn’t happened yet, but\u003c/em> wouldn’t that be amazing? Like, to hear his voice saying that? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And see Randy announce, ‘Hey, the Sharks won the Stanley Cup.’ \u003cem>It hasn’t happened yet, but\u003c/em> wouldn’t that be amazing? Like, to hear his voice saying that? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> But even if the Sharks do win the title, that won’t happen. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> But even if the Sharks do win the title, that won’t happen. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> That was KQED health correspondent April Dembosky.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> That was KQED health correspondent April Dembosky.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Big thanks to Mark Gavartin for submitting this week’s question, and to the many KQED members whose support make our reporting possible. Are you a KQED member? Become one today at \u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Big thanks to Mark Gavartin for submitting this week’s question, and to the many KQED members whose support make our reporting possible. Are you a KQED member? Become one today at \u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bay Curious is made in SF at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by\u003cbr>Katrina Schwarts, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen Price. With extra support from Maha Sanad, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Bay Curious is made in SF at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by\u003cbr>Katrina Schwarts, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen Price. With extra support from Maha Sanad, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a wonderful week. And go Sharks!\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "For Sharks fans, Randy Hahn is the soul of the team. But why doesn’t he call the playoff games?",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003cem>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of all the things that make Randy Hahn stand out in the world of ice hockey announcers, there is one fact of his career that rises above the rest: he’s been calling games for the same team for 35 years, ever since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose-sharks\">San José Sharks\u003c/a> were first established in 1991. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a lot of fans, Hahn’s been the voice of the Sharks for their entire lives, helping to cultivate and nurture father-son bonds across the Bay Area for three generations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’ve been watching Randy since I was a kid, with my dad,” said Mark Gavartin, a long-time Sharks fan who now works at Stanford.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the Sharks last made the playoffs in 2019, Gavartin had 4-year-old twins of his own and began passing the team allegiance down the family line. Watching the dramatic first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights on TV, Gavartin relied on Hahn to transport the excitement unfolding in the arena back to him and his family on his living room couch. Years later, just thinking about Hahn calling that Game 7 overtime gave Gavartin goosebumps.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We were so emotional,” he remembered. “With the Sharks and Randy Hahn, it was like we were all together on this. We were like buddies, watching the game together.”\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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-18-KQED-bc7914c7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn commentates during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But as the Sharks advanced through the playoffs, then to the conference final, Gavartin noticed something strange: his buddy, Randy Hahn, was no longer behind the microphone calling the games. The national network wanted one of their own announcers to make the postseason calls. It was a voice Gavartin didn’t know.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It was not the same as listening to Randy Hahn,” he said. “It’s some other guy who was ‘meh, okay.’ Like, he didn’t go through what we went through.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gavartin wondered what many fans across many teams have wondered over the years: why did his beloved announcer disappear from the airwaves right when the team hit the peak of success? The question is not unique to the NHL. The phenomenon occurs across all sports during the postseason. But to truly understand why national TV networks install their own announcers for the most high-profile games, it is important, first, to understand why that decision leaves so many fans feeling so bereft. The fans of Randy Hahn, and the generations-worth of love and loyalty they hold for him, offer the perfect case study to reveal the answer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A roller coaster ride wrapped up in a soap opera’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On game days, the ice rink at San José’s SAP Center, aka the Shark Tank, is full of teal-clad fans. After the 2019 playoffs, the Sharks entered a drought and spectatorship dwindled amid the teams’ losses. But since acquiring the teenage phenom Macklin Celebrini in 2024, attendance at home games is again respectable; last year they filled the arena to 93% capacity on average and had 22 sellouts. For the Sharks home game against the Chicago Blackhawks last spring, every fan milling by the hot dog and beer stands, young or old, knew Hahn and had something to say about what made him a living legend.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“He’s a Sharks encyclopedia,” said Tristan Nickey, who grew up in San José, but now lives in Idaho where he watches Hahn call the games on ESPN+. “He’s got all these stats that he’s always giving out, and it makes the whole game enjoyable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For 18-year-old Mia Dimmock, who started watching hockey a few years ago after seeing a clip on TikTok, Hahn explains things in a way that makes the game accessible to newbies. He shares details about players that bring them to life. He’s at every home game and every away game. He’s on the same buses and planes as the team, in the same hotels. He’s at the practice rink, in the weight room. He sees and hears a lot. \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/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-19_qed-c309dc03-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A fan watches the San José Sharks play the Vancouver Canucks on a television in the concourse at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“He is that connection to the team that we need,” Dimmock said. “He is the team and the team is him.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hahn calls home games from an open-air broadcast booth inside the arena – a narrow perch at the front of section 215 overlooking the ice. I crammed into a chair behind him and watched over his shoulder as he called the Sharks’ game vs. the Blackhawks, and I noticed what Dimmock noticed: while Hahn is calling the play-by-play, he’s also telling a story. He gives each game a dramatic arc with historic context tucked in. He turns the players into characters who drive the plot. Currently, the leading man is Celebrini, now 20. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Macklin’s not the only child in the family,” Hahn told TV viewers during a lull in play. “His older brother Aiden is a Vancouver Canuck, and his youngest brother RJ, he’s 13 playing up in Vancouver and is starting to challenge some of Macklin’s records that Macklin established there when he was that age. Watch out for RJ Celebrini.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Equally interesting to what Hahn shares is what he doesn’t share. There are certain facts and details he holds back. If Hahn notices a player on the bus with a bag of ice on his ankle or his hand wrapped in a bandage, for example, he won’t say anything during a game.\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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108420\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-17-KQED-0fec1fc7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn and color commentator Drew Remenda meet fans in between periods of the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There might be somebody on another team who knows that if that player has a sore left knee, ‘I’m gonna go after that knee,’” Hahn told me. “It’s pro sports; it’s cutthroat. People are playing for money.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So if a defensive player has a goal scored against him, Hahn won’t say he failed to make the right play because he’s injured, but he will shade his commentary differently; he’ll be less critical. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s our way of putting our arm around him, if you will,” Hahn said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There’s an inherent tension in this. Hahn works for NBC Sports Bay Area, the local TV station, not the Sharks. He’s first and foremost a broadcaster, and he’s supposed to maintain some level of professional distance from his subjects. But that boundary can get murky, especially in light of how much time he spends with the players. Sometimes he catches himself referring to the team as “we,” as in, “we won.” Then he corrects himself: “they won.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Technically, he’s not part of the team, but fans absolutely see him that way. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“He is the Sharks to me,” said Trevin Cholmondeley, a fan from Napa.\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/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108394\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-RANDY-HAHN-AD-01-KQED-1-11c8b8bc-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trevin Cholmondeley (left) grew up watching the Sharks and listening to Randy Hahn call games with his dad, Randy Cholmondeley (right). They attended a home game together at the SAP Center on April 6, 2026. (April Dembosky/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This tension hit a high point last December when the Sharks played the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Sharks season had started off slow with a lot of losses. They were losing the game to Pittsburgh, 5 to 1. Then halfway through the third period, two Penguins were sent to the penalty box and the Sharks seized the moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hahn is fond of saying that every hockey season is a “roller coaster ride wrapped up in a soap opera,” and through the twists and turns of the third period in Pittsburgh, he seized the energy in the arena and transposed it back to fans watching at home. He built the suspense of each goal the Sharks scored in the next five minutes like a crescendo in a Beethoven symphony. When the Sharks tied the game 5-5, then scored the winning goal in overtime, Hahn rallied the metaphorical trumpet blasts and cymbal crashes to capture the finale on the ice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They scooooore!” he roared. “One of the most amazing comebacks in franchise history! Sharks win! I’m beside myself, and there’s tears in my eyes.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was an expert, nuanced performance, on the ice and off. Hahn modulated his cadence and pitch to up the drama of each play, then added a strong dose of vulnerability, all to create what he later called “the theater of the moment.” He shouted in ecstasy to punctuate the win, then swiftly confessed to his TV audience that he was crying.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Afterward, Hahn texted a colleague and admitted that he was worried he’d gone too far at that game; perhaps he’d veered beyond his professional broadcasting boundaries and allowed himself to become overly emotional?\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/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108423\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RandyHahn-NG-16_qed-ec983e89-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn writes notes during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But after players and coaches made a point of complimenting his calls, he decided ultimately that he’d struck the right balance. Coaches and players have to keep their heads in the game. They can’t lose their cool after every goal. Hahn seemed to surmise that part of his job is to express the emotions that the other men on the team can’t. Hahn does the feeling for them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When something like that happens, it’s emotional for all of us because we all have so much invested in the process,” Hahn told the Sharks’ in-house podcaster Brodie Brazil. “To me, it was them saying, ‘you captured the way we felt even though we couldn’t show it.’ A head coach can’t show that; it just wouldn’t look right. But inside, you feel it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was the same with the fans. People who have to play it cool in the office, stay calm at home, Hahn does the feeling for them, too. When Hahn teared up watching the Sharks beat the Penguins, so did Tristan Nickey.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I felt what he was feeling,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Hahn got excited, so did Caleb Edwards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Hearing his motivation and his excitement build just kind of pulsates through you as a fan,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Hahn screamed into his mic, Trevin Cholmondeley screamed back at the TV.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The dude lost his voice halfway through,” he said. “I think he understands the energy that’s in the clubhouse that we, as a fan, don’t get to experience. We can live, sort of, through him.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why do local announcers get sidelined during the playoffs?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sociologists say that sports are like religion. Arenas, like churches. Fans are a kind of congregation worshipping the players and coaches and TV announcers like idols. To Sharks fans, Randy Hahn is an emotional conduit, a medium, channeling the euphoria and grief back and forth between players and fans. So when the playoffs come, and the local TV announcer gets deposed, replaced by a national announcer, it can feel like blasphemy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It will suck,” said Edwards, echoing a chorus of complaints from fans who wish Hahn could announce those games, should they come to pass.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It is not just a hockey question. There are baseball fans who are always wondering, ‘Why, if my team makes the playoffs, can’t I get my local announcers? Why am I getting the national announcers?’” said Richard Deitsch, a sports journalist who has worked for Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, and now CBC Radio in Canada. “By and large, the answer to these questions is the eternal answer to most questions. And the answer is money.” \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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108418\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-13-KQED-0b225393-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn (right) commentates with color commentator Drew Remenda during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the Sharks first made the playoffs in 1994, local television announcers called every playoff game, through four rounds. But as national networks like ESPN and Fox got into the business of airing the Stanley Cup finals, and paid high rights fees for the privilege, they wanted exclusivity in return. While NBC Sports Bay Area, Hahn’s employer, aired the regular season games and early rounds of the playoffs, they no longer had the right to air the final series. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When networks negotiated the next contract, they wanted exclusivity of the final two rounds of the playoffs. And when ESPN and TNT signed their latest contract with the NHL – a seven-year deal for $600 million – they won exclusivity of the final three rounds of the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These final games of the season always attract the biggest audiences. And the more people there are watching, the more national TV networks can charge advertisers to air their commercials. Close to one million fans tune in for the Stanley Cup hockey finals; 20 million for the World Series; 120 million for the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“These are massive numbers, and that’s very, very rare in society today. It’s a very, very divisive and polarized time,” Deitsch said. “It is very hard to get Americans to agree on anything, but sports is one thing.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Americans may not agree on who should win, but they agree the game is worth watching. Across racial backgrounds, political affiliations, and religious beliefs, people can sit together in the same arena, or in front of one TV at a bar, and share the experience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“That’s the power of sports still. And it’s also the reason why it’s such an economic force and a multi-billion dollar business,” said Deitsh, “because the people who are in charge of these leagues and the people who are in charge of the networks that put on these games, they know that it’s one of few, if not the only thing, left where you can get communal experiences of that many people.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because so many different audiences are tuning in, including fans from both teams, the national networks are looking for neutrality and impartiality in their broadcasts. Hahn’s passion for the Sharks, or even simply his affiliation with the team, is seen as a liability, so the networks steer clear.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s a brutal reality for local announcers. To follow a team to the climax of the season, then be forced to turn the mic over to someone else. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s like you go to this great movie, it’s unbelievably dramatic, you’re there, and literally seven minutes before the movie’s over, an usher asks you to leave,” Deitsch said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the Sharks last made the playoffs in 2019, Hahn was in the stands at the Shark Tank, watching the game with all the other fans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But fans at home wished he was in the broadcast booth, not realizing that what they most loved about Hahn was precisely what disqualified him from calling the finals. They want his partiality. They prefer his bias. And they’re not shy about it.\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/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108419\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261029-RANDYHAHN-NG-15-KQED-43b5add7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn (left) commentates with color commentator Drew Remenda during the San José Sharks game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San José on Oct. 29, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I tend to actually turn the volume down during the playoffs,” said Trevin Cholmondeley. He wants an announcer who’s been through what he’s been through, all the ups and downs of the soap opera-infused roller coaster. “Every season’s a little microcosm of life, and not having someone like Hahn, or any team’s local announcer, on the big stage just brings the quality down for me.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last winter, after the Sharks’ stunning win over Pittsburgh, Hahn predicted the Sharks would make the playoffs, if not last season, when they just missed qualifying, then this season for sure.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Fans will be tuning in, ready for Randy Hahn to be their prophet, their guide, their buddy, through every twist and turn.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>Sounds of ice skating\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> The NHL season officially opened at the end of September and ice hockey fans around the country are hoping \u003cem>their\u003c/em> team will make it to the playoffs next spring. Fans are prone to believing \u003cem>their\u003c/em> players, their coaches, even their announcers are the best. For San Jose Sharks fans, that announcer is Randy Hahn. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>The building’s come alive! Here’s Kane, Knight push, back for Burns, save, rebound!\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Fans still talk about Randy’s calls from the last time the Sharks made it to the playoffs – in 2019. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> He’ll drop it back for Burns. Over to Couture. Scooore! They’ve done it. (Fade under earlier, starting here: They’ve come all the way back with a tie!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Longtime Sharks fan and Bay Curious listener Mark Gavartin remembers this game really well. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> I listened to it many, many times.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> He says just talking about it now, years later, still gives him goose bumps. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And then the Sharks won that game on overtime. And it was just like crazy. (laughs)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Mark had four-year old twins at the time. So it was really hard to make it out to any of the games. He couldn’t sit in an arena with thousands of other fans riding the same emotional roller coaster together. Instead, he watched the games on TV and he relied on Randy to transport that excitement to his living room. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And we were so like emotional with the, you know the Sharks and the, and Randy Hahn. And we just like, you know, like we’re all like together on this. It’s like having buddies watching the game together.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But then something strange happened. As the Sharks advanced through the playoffs then to the conference final, fans no longer heard Randy Hahn behind the mic. The national network wanted one of \u003cem>their\u003c/em> announcers to call the games instead. A guy that Mark didn’t know.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> It was like not the same listening to Randy Hahn. It was just different. It was like like they didn’t go through what we went through. And now it’s like some other guy is like, eh, you know, like, okay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And that made Mark wonder: \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> Why doesn’t Randy Hahn call the final rounds of the playoffs? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> And that made us wonder, why do fans care so much that he doesn’t?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious, the show that answers listener questions about the San Francisco Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We asked KQED’s April Dembosky to introduce us to Randy Hahn and the fans who love him. Then explain why Randy disappears from the airwaves at the most critical moment in the season. Here’s April…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> There are a lot of things about Randy Hahn that make him stand out in the world of hockey announcers. But there’s one thing in particular. He’s been calling games for the same team for 35 years, ever since San Jose first established its team in 1991. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a lot of fans, Randy’s been the voice of the Sharks for their entire lives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> He IS the Sharks to me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Kenneth:\u003c/strong> Just living legend. I’ve been listening to him since I was a kid. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark:\u003c/strong> I’ve been watching since I was a kid with my dad. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> Randy’s a part of my life since I was a baby.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy is so iconic, Pixar filmmakers asked him to do a cameo in the movie Inside Out. Riley’s dad is caught daydreaming about a hockey game when his wife is trying to talk to him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Inside Out\u003c/em>\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>clip: Sound of hockey game announcing. \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>Sounds of Sharks arena\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Last spring I went to see the Sharks play the Chicago Blackhawks at the SAP center, aka, the Shark tank. And every fan I talked to … \u003cem>knew\u003c/em> Randy and had something to say about why they loved him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> He’s a Sharks encyclopedia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Tristan Nickey is from San Jose but lives in Idaho now. He watches all the Sharks games on ESPN plus where he has the choice to select Randy as his announcer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> He’s got all these stats that he’s always giving out and it makes the whole game enjoyable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> I feel like he’s a through on through Sharks man.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Eighteen year old Mia Dimmock started watching hockey a few years ago, after she saw a clip on TikTok. She says Randy has a way of explaining things that makes the game accessible to newbies like her.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> He has a way of introducing the fans to the players more and giving them an experience where then we feel more connected to the players as a whole. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy is at every home game and every away game. He’s on the same buses and planes as the team, in the same hotels. He’s at the practice rink, in the weight room. He sees and hears a lot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> He is the team and the team is him. He is that connection to the team that we need. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing:\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>\u003cem>\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>Let’s see if the Sharks can get some mojo going here in the second period. Will Smith with the puck, drops it for Macklin… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> I got to see Randy in action when he called the game against the Blackhawks. I sat behind him, crammed into his open-air broadcast booth in the arena. It’s at the front of section 215. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And I noticed what Mia noticed: while Randy is calling the play by play of the games, he’s also telling a story. He gives each game a dramatic arc. He turns the players into characters who drive the plot. Right now, the leading man is 20-year old phenom Macklin Celebrini. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing:\u003c/strong> Macklin’s not the only child in the family. His older brother Aiden is a Vancouver Canuck and his youngest brother RJ, he’s 13 playing up in northshore winter club up in Vancouver is started to challenge some of Macklin’s records that Macklin established there when he was that age. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When I talked to Randy outside the Shark tank, he explained that there are also certain details he holds back. The guys often play through injuries, but don’t want their opponents to know.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> There might be somebody on another team who knows that if that player has a sore left knee, I’m gonna go after that knee. It’s pro sports, it’s cutthroat. People are playing for money. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> If Randy notices a player on the bus with a bag of ice on his ankle or his hand wrapped in a bandage, he won’t say anything during a game, but he’ll shade his commentary differently; he’ll be less critical.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> He might have a goal scored against him and be unable to make a defensive play but I know, you know what? That guy’s toughing it out. And \u003cem>the fans don’t know it and he’s not saying anything about it and we aren’t either, but\u003c/em> it’s our way of putting our arm around him, if you will.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> There’s an inherent tension in this. Randy works for NBC Bay Area, the local TV station, not the Sharks. He’s first and foremost a broadcaster and he’s supposed to maintain some level of professional distance. But that boundary can get murky. Especially in light of how much time he spends with the players. Sometimes he catches himself referring to the team as “we,” as in, “we won.” Then he corrects himself: “they won.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>Arena sounds\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Technically, he’s not part of the team, but Sharks fans absolutely see him that way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> Oh my god! That was so cool. Oh my God.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> I caught up with Emma Daniels right after she visited Randy in his broadcast booth and fans line up here in between periods to meet him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> I’m such a big fan of him and he’s been so welcoming toward new fans. Oh my gosh. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> She got to take a picture with him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> I’m shaking. That was more exciting than the players. I met Randy Hahn!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> What Emma loves most about Randy is the feeling that he’s on her side. For her, and a bunch of fans, there was one game last season where Randy was \u003cem>so in it.\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> There was that game against the Penguins, the clips of him yelling in that game are so amazing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Caleb Edwards:\u003c/strong> With every goal, the energy in his voice built \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin:\u003c/strong> The dude lost his voice halfway through, I don’t think he could believe what he was seeing on the ice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> It was December 2025. The Sharks season had started off slow with a lot of losses. They were losing the game to Pittsburgh, 5 to 1. Then halfway through the third period TWO Penguins were sent to the penalty box. The Sharks seized the moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Listen to the way Randy builds the tension. It’s like a crescendo in a Beethoven symphony.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn announcing condensed:\u003c/strong> The Sharks with a power play goal, and it’s 5-2. Off the scramble, and it’s 5-3! The Sharks clawing their way back into this game. It’s 5-4! Save, rebound. They score! They score! The Sharks have tied it up! Unbelievable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The TV cameras pan the crowd, Penguins fans suddenly looking very tired and very nervous, biting their nails, folding their hands in prayer. The game goes into sudden death overtime. And soon enough Randy is rallying the metaphorical trumpet blasts and cymbal crashes to capture the finale on the ice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn annoucing:\u003c/strong> They score! One of the most amazing comebacks in franchise history! Sharks win! I’m beside myself and there’s tears in my eyes, my friend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy is doing something complex here. He’s surveying the feeling in the building and delivering it back to fans watching at home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He later told the Sharks’ in-house podcaster Brodie Brazil that he’s creating “the theater of the moment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> If it sounded like I was getting a little more excited with every goal, that was happening organically, yes, but it’s also part of years of doing this job. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy shouts in ecstasy in one moment then confesses to his TV audience that he’s crying.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Brodie Brazil:\u003c/strong> And you said afterwards, ‘I was a little worried, I got very emotional, I don’t know what happened.’ And that got me thinking, why did you get emotional? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> I, I don’t. I still am not sure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy wondered if he’d veered too far beyond his professional boundaries at that game…if he got \u003cem>too\u003c/em> emotional. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But after players and coaches made a point of complimenting his calls, he decided ultimately that he got it right. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> When something like that happens it is it’s emotional for all of us because we all have so much invested in the process and to me it was them saying you captured the way we felt even though we maybe couldn’t show it like a head coach can’t show that, it just wouldn’t look right, right? But inside you feel it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Coaches and players have to keep their heads in the game. They can’t lose their cool after every goal. Randy seems to understand that part of his job is to express the emotions that the other men on the team can’t. Randy does the feeling for them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> I go into every season with the same expectation, no matter what the roster, the season from start to finish will be a roller coaster ride wrapped up in a soap opera. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> It’s the same with the fans. People who have to play it cool in the office, stay calm at home, Randy does the feeling for them, too. When Randy teared up watching the Sharks beat the Penguins, so did Tristan Nickey.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Tristan Nickey:\u003c/strong> Like I felt it, I was watching the game. And it was absolutely incredible and I felt what he was feeling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When Randy got excited, so did Caleb Edwards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Caleb Edwards:\u003c/strong> Hearing his motivation and his excitement build just kind of pulsates through you as a fan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When Randy screamed into his mic, Trevin Cholmondeley screamed back at the TV.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> I think he understands the energy that’s in the clubhouse that we as fans don’t get to experience and I think we can live sort of through him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So you can see why Randy’s fans are so \u003cem>attached\u003c/em> to him. He’s an emotional conduit. An emotional medium. Funneling the euphoria and grief back and forth between players and the fans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe now it makes sense why fans get so upset at the prospect of their beloved local announcer getting replaced when the team advances through the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We’ve got to take a quick break, but when we come back we’ll find out why that happens. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Okay, so it’s clear that Sharks fans love Randy Hahn. But if the team makes it into the later rounds of the playoffs this season, we won’t be hearing him on air anymore. April Dembosky explains why… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Sociologists say that sports are like religion. Arenas, like churches. Fans are a kind of congregation worshipping the players and coaches and TV announcers like idols. So when the playoffs come and the TV announcer gets deposed, it can feel like blasphemy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Caleb Edwards:\u003c/strong> It will suck. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy C:\u003c/strong> That’s what’s a bummer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> That’s a disappointment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Emma Daniels:\u003c/strong> I wish it was a local announcer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mia Dimmock:\u003c/strong> I think we should petition to get Randy on that board. We need him calling the games.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So why do local announcers get sidelined right when their team hits the peak of success? Randy Hahn has been around long enough to see how this evolved.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Way back in the early days of the Sharks, in 1994 when they first made the playoffs, local television was allowed to do every playoff game through four rounds. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> But as national networks like ESPN and Fox got into the business of airing the finals, they didn’t want to share the stage with the local stations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> As network television contracts were negotiated and high rights fees were paid by those networks, they started to claw back and said we want exclusivity of the Stanley Cup finals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> But it didn’t stop there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Then when the next contract rolled around, we want exclusivity of the final two rounds and then eventually the final three rounds, which is where we sit now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The NHL signed its latest national TV contract in 2021 – a seven year-deal with ESPN and TNT for $600 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Richard Deitsch has been a sports reporter and editor for two decades, at Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, and now CBC radio in Canada. He says these exclusive contracts exist for all sports.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> It is not just a hockey question. There are baseball fans who are always wondering why, if my team makes the playoffs, can I get my local announcers and why am I getting the national announcers? And by and large, the answer to these questions are the eternal answer to most questions. And the answer is money. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> The final games of the season always attract the biggest audiences. And the more people there are watching, the more networks can charge advertisers to air their commercials. Close to one million fans tune in for the hockey finals. 20 million for the World Series. 120 million for the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> These are massive numbers and that’s very, very rare in society today. It’s a very, very divisive and polarized time. It is very hard to get Americans to agree on anything, but sports is one thing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> They may not agree on who should win, but they agree the game is worth watching. Across racial backgrounds, political affiliations, and religious beliefs, people can sit together in the same arena, or in front of one TV at a bar, and share the experience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> That’s the power of sports still. And it’s also the reason why it’s such an economic force and a multi-billion dollar business, is because the people who are in charge of these leagues and the people who are in charge of the networks that put on these games, they know that it’s one of few, if not only things left where you can get communal experiences of that many people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Deitsch says, on a national broadcast, Randy Hahn’s passion for the Sharks could be a liability, so the networks steer clear.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> They want to at least come off as impartial as possible. There’s got to be neutrality here because they know that there’s different fans tuning in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> So what the fans love most about Randy is precisely what disqualifies him from calling the playoffs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s a brutal reality for local announcers. To follow a team to the climax of the season, then be forced to turn the mic over to someone else. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Richard Deitsch:\u003c/strong> It’s like you go to this great movie, it’s unbelievably dramatic, you’re there, and literally seven minutes before the movie’s over, an usher asks you to leave. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> Well obviously I don’t like it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Randy Hahn thinks there should be a middle ground. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Randy Hahn:\u003c/strong> I would prefer to be doing games, and I think fans would love the option of being able to have a choice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> When the Sharks last made the playoffs in 2019, Randy was in the stands at the Shark tank, watching the game with all the other fans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But fans at home wished he was in the broadcast booth. They want his partiality. They prefer his bias. And they’re not shy about it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> \u003cem>\u003c/em>I tend to actually turn the volume down during the playoffs\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Trevin Cholmondeley says he wants an announcer who’s been through what he’s been through, all the ups and downs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Trevin Cholmondeley:\u003c/strong> Every season’s a little microcosm of life, really, and not having someone like Randy or any team’s local announcer on the big stage. Just brings the quality down for me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Sports have always been tribal. Super fans often see their team as an extension of their own identity. And because of that, they have higher self-esteem and lower levels of loneliness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research shows sports provide structure and routine and meaning. They fulfill our need to belong. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even when it comes to commiserating over Randy not calling the playoffs – there’s community in that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> I was very pleasantly surprised I’m not the only one who’s feeling that way. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> That’s what our question-asker Mark Gavartin took away from all this. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> This is \u003cem>our\u003c/em> team. We live here. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> Last winter, Randy Hahn predicted the Sharks would make the playoffs, if not last season, then this season for sure. Mark wants Randy to be his prophet, his guide, his buddy, through it all… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Mark Gavartin:\u003c/strong> And see Randy announce, ‘Hey, the Sharks won the Stanley Cup.’ \u003cem>It hasn’t happened yet, but\u003c/em> wouldn’t that be amazing? Like, to hear his voice saying that? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>April Dembosky:\u003c/strong> But even if the Sharks do win the title, that won’t happen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> That was KQED health correspondent April Dembosky.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Big thanks to Mark Gavartin for submitting this week’s question, and to the many KQED members whose support make our reporting possible. Are you a KQED member? Become one today at \u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bay Curious is made in SF at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by\u003cbr>Katrina Schwarts, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen Price. With extra support from Maha Sanad, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a wonderful week. And go Sharks!\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>"
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"slug": "measure-to-subsidize-childcare-in-marin-county-leading-in-early-returns",
"title": "Measure to Subsidize Childcare in Marin County Leading in Early Returns",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/marin-county\">Marin County\u003c/a> measure to subsidize childcare, build more early education facilities and increase wages for educators is leading in early returns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure P, which would increase parcel taxes to raise about $12.5 million each year over 15 years, has received at least 53% approval, according to the county’s Registrar of Voters on Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If it passes, Marin will be the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105159/as-costs-crush-families-this-bay-area-county-could-be-latest-to-subsidize-childcare\">fourth Bay Area county\u003c/a> in eight years to fund childcare. San Francisco, Alameda and Sonoma counties, as well as the city of Oakland and the Ravenswood City School District in San Mateo County, have all established their own funding streams for early childhood education and care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103075\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students play at All Five, an early childhood education program in Menlo Park, on Sept. 25, 2026. The nonprofit serves children from 6 weeks old until they start kindergarten, drawing families from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re still waiting for all final votes to be counted but we’re very optimistic that Marin voters will deliver a really, really important investment in kids of Marin County,” said Joanne Webster, president of the North Bay Leadership Council, a public advocacy group that backed the measure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers, which opposed the measure, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2016, a group of Marin County parents and early childhood advocates put forward a sales tax measure to subsidize childcare in Marin County. It fell just 3 percentage points short of getting a supermajority, or two-thirds support, to pass. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, a series of court decisions made it easier to pass citizen-led tax initiatives. Now, the measure only needs a simple majority of 50% to win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Amarantha Silva, a Marin County parent who campaigned for the tax measure a decade ago and for Measure P this year, said she was confident it was headed to victory.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Ten years ago, I was a mom carrying my son, Rafael, in my arms while pregnant with my daughter, Ximena, as a parent leader for a similar childcare tax initiative,” she said. “We kept pushing, and this time, we won!”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Silva is now organizing for Parent Voices Power, a group pushing for universal childcare across California. That movement is reaching as far south as San Diego County, where \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/San_Diego_County,_California,_Measure_B,_Issue_Sales_Tax_to_Fund_Health,_Family,_Environmental_Protection,_and_Public_Safety_Services_Initiative_(November_2026)\">a sales tax measure\u003c/a> that would partially fund childcare subsidies and early childhood mental or behavioral health services was also leading Wednesday with nearly 52% approval.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This victory is proof that a parent-led grassroots movement can create positive change in our community,” Silva 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/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103075\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-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\">Students play at All Five, an early childhood education program in Menlo Park, on Sept. 25, 2026. The nonprofit serves children from 6 weeks old until they start kindergarten, drawing families from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds.\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/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103075\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students play at All Five, an early childhood education program in Menlo Park, on Sept. 25, 2026. The nonprofit serves children from 6 weeks old until they start kindergarten, drawing families from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re still waiting for all final votes to be counted but we’re very optimistic that Marin voters will deliver a really, really important investment in kids of Marin County,” said Joanne Webster, president of the North Bay Leadership Council, a public advocacy group that backed the measure. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re still waiting for all final votes to be counted but we’re very optimistic that Marin voters will deliver a really, really important investment in kids of Marin County,” said Joanne Webster, president of the North Bay Leadership Council, a public advocacy group that backed the measure. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers, which opposed the measure, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2016, a group of Marin County parents and early childhood advocates put forward a sales tax measure to subsidize childcare in Marin County. It fell just 3 percentage points short of getting a supermajority, or two-thirds support, to pass. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since then, a series of court decisions made it easier to pass citizen-led tax initiatives. Now, the measure only needs a simple majority of 50% to win.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Amarantha Silva, a Marin County parent who campaigned for the tax measure a decade ago and for Measure P this year, said she was confident it was headed to victory.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Ten years ago, I was a mom carrying my son, Rafael, in my arms while pregnant with my daughter, Ximena, as a parent leader for a similar childcare tax initiative,” she said. “We kept pushing, and this time, we won!”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Silva is now organizing for Parent Voices Power, a group pushing for universal childcare across California. That movement is reaching as far south as San Diego County, where \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/San_Diego_County,_California,_Measure_B,_Issue_Sales_Tax_to_Fund_Health,_Family,_Environmental_Protection,_and_Public_Safety_Services_Initiative_(November_2026)\">a sales tax measure\u003c/a> that would partially fund childcare subsidies and early childhood mental or behavioral health services was also leading Wednesday with nearly 52% approval.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Silva is now organizing for Parent Voices Power, a group pushing for universal childcare across California. That movement is reaching as far south as San Diego County, where \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/San_Diego_County,_California,_Measure_B,_Issue_Sales_Tax_to_Fund_Health,_Family,_Environmental_Protection,_and_Public_Safety_Services_Initiative_(November_2026)\">a sales tax measure\u003c/a> that would partially fund childcare subsidies and early childhood mental or behavioral health services was also leading Wednesday with nearly 52% approval.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This victory is proof that a parent-led grassroots movement can create positive change in our community,” Silva said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "If it passes, Marin will be the fourth Bay Area county in eight years to fund childcare.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/marin-county\">Marin County\u003c/a> measure to subsidize childcare, build more early education facilities and increase wages for educators is leading in early returns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure P, which would increase parcel taxes to raise about $12.5 million each year over 15 years, has received at least 53% approval, according to the county’s Registrar of Voters on Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If it passes, Marin will be the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105159/as-costs-crush-families-this-bay-area-county-could-be-latest-to-subsidize-childcare\">fourth Bay Area county\u003c/a> in eight years to fund childcare. San Francisco, Alameda and Sonoma counties, as well as the city of Oakland and the Ravenswood City School District in San Mateo County, have all established their own funding streams for early childhood education and care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103075\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260925-ChildcareBallotMeasure-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students play at All Five, an early childhood education program in Menlo Park, on Sept. 25, 2026. The nonprofit serves children from 6 weeks old until they start kindergarten, drawing families from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re still waiting for all final votes to be counted but we’re very optimistic that Marin voters will deliver a really, really important investment in kids of Marin County,” said Joanne Webster, president of the North Bay Leadership Council, a public advocacy group that backed the measure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers, which opposed the measure, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2016, a group of Marin County parents and early childhood advocates put forward a sales tax measure to subsidize childcare in Marin County. It fell just 3 percentage points short of getting a supermajority, or two-thirds support, to pass. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, a series of court decisions made it easier to pass citizen-led tax initiatives. Now, the measure only needs a simple majority of 50% to win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Amarantha Silva, a Marin County parent who campaigned for the tax measure a decade ago and for Measure P this year, said she was confident it was headed to victory.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Ten years ago, I was a mom carrying my son, Rafael, in my arms while pregnant with my daughter, Ximena, as a parent leader for a similar childcare tax initiative,” she said. “We kept pushing, and this time, we won!”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Silva is now organizing for Parent Voices Power, a group pushing for universal childcare across California. That movement is reaching as far south as San Diego County, where \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/San_Diego_County,_California,_Measure_B,_Issue_Sales_Tax_to_Fund_Health,_Family,_Environmental_Protection,_and_Public_Safety_Services_Initiative_(November_2026)\">a sales tax measure\u003c/a> that would partially fund childcare subsidies and early childhood mental or behavioral health services was also leading Wednesday with nearly 52% approval.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This victory is proof that a parent-led grassroots movement can create positive change in our community,” Silva said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "valkyries-parade-draws-thousands-to-san-franciscos-embarcadero-for-wnba-championship-celebration",
"title": "Valkyries Parade Draws Thousands to San Francisco’s Embarcadero for WNBA Championship Celebration",
"publishDate": 1793825981,
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"headTitle": "Valkyries Parade Draws Thousands to San Francisco’s Embarcadero for WNBA Championship Celebration | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a postcard-perfect day in the Bay, thousands of Golden State Valkyries fans showed up and showed out along San Francisco’s waterfront Wednesday to celebrate their newly crowned champions of the WNBA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The much anticipated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107759/where-is-valkyries-parade-route-san-francisco-sf-2026-wednesday-nov-4-bart-muni\">victory parade\u003c/a> delivered a double dose of joy and revelry in the region, just days after the Bay Area’s hugely successful professional women’s basketball team defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107530/ballhalla-is-going-to-show-up-valkyries-fans-rally-for-wnba-finals-game-7\">win the league championship\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Valkyries clinching the title in only their second season set a record as the fastest that any professional basketball expansion team has accomplished such a feat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team’s focus on including and celebrating fans from many different backgrounds and lifestyles has helped drive sellout crowds for every home game, and the undying loyalty and reciprocal love was on full display Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108315\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Bay Area hip-hop music blared, the champs rolled by on violet buses dancing, throwing out swag and hopping out to dap up, hug and high-five their many fans throughout the Embarcadero, leaving a wake of exhilaration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It means everything to me. It shows that these women put in so much effort to do everything here for the Bay and all the hard work that they put in,” said diehard fan Lie Crescini, who staked out a spot along the parade route at 7:30 a.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Crescini flew in from Hawaii the same way she has for every home game and some away games. The Valkyries fandom, she said, is a huge part of what draws her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s the best feeling ever because it’s like having 18,000 new family members that you actually like,” she said. “It’s a beautiful feeling … it’s a feeling that has definitely shaped my life.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108350\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, celebrates with her WNBA finals MVP trophy at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fans decked out head-to-toe in the team’s signature violet were allowed to officially begin lining up along the parade route at 9 a.m. (the earliest city officials said they would let them) from the Ferry Building to 2nd and King streets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marnie Carter, a San Francisco resident who played basketball at the University of San Francisco and now works to encourage young girls to continue playing through high school, college and beyond, joined the throngs of fans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said the Valkyries have helped bring attention and resources to not only women’s basketball, but youth basketball, as well. Players, she said, have inspired both girls and boys. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I have young men — my nephews are coming down here today — and they’re excited about it,” Carter said. “It’s so hard to get resources for what we do … It’s slowly started to grow.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stephanie Ashley and Whit Guerrero weren’t surprised to see big crowds, chalking up the Valkyries wide popularity to the inclusive vibe the team has cultivated. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Karsyn Arribas (left) and Michelle Tokarski cheer before the start of the Valkyries WNBA championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (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-11 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108312\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108312\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108313\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108313\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Frances Choun (left) and Alice Tripplet cheer before the start of the Valkyries WNBA championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Their message is always about celebrating the culture and community in the Bay. I feel like there is just so much pride in who the Bay is and what the Bay is about,” Ashley said. “And it’s just really beautiful to see this team love on each other so much and love on the Bay so much, and then play so well together and win.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guerrero said they are trans and Mexican, and the team is “vocally supportive” of both of those communities and more. They felt embraced by the team during the season, including on special event nights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Just having gone to the games and them having Native American heritage month, I think they had the Mexica dancers, they had the Glide Ensemble, so like very much people of color, communities that are local,” Guerrero said. “It feels like home.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The party began early for some fans traveling from across the Bay Area to get a glimpse of their favorite team. A kickoff rally in Oakland’s Jack London Square welcomed East Bay revelers before they boarded a ferry to reach the parade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108349\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans, waiting for a ferry, watch celebrations at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a historic playoff series for many individual players, as well. Valkyries powerhouse forward Gabby Williams — who played club basketball in San Francisco as a kid — scored 30 points in Saturday’s Game 7. With 28 of those points occurring in the second half, Williams broke a WNBA record for the most points in any playoff half. She took home the title of MVP for the 2026 WNBA Finals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking at the Oakland rally, Williams thanked the team, her agent, family and friends, and Valkyries fans for their support and making her feel at ease during Game 7 at Chase Center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I couldn’t stop smiling, because I was like, ‘Look where I am.’ You guys took the stress off of my shoulders and allowed me to play so free,” Williams said. “I was ass, I was ass for like 30 minutes of that game. I hit one bucket and y’all erupted, and I thought, I’m about to have 40 points! This does not happen without every single person who is here.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite it being a school day, there were plenty of kids along the parade route, sharing in the excitement of getting to see their Bay Area champions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zayda Williams, 8, came from Daly City with her mom and aunt, and said her favorite player is Gabby Williams, who she has followed through televised games, but never seen in person before today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108459\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">LaRussell performs during the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zayda said her message to Williams would be to “keep working hard and never give up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marc Staudenbaur from Pacifica attended San Francisco Giants championship parades, and said the togetherness at such events made him pull his two daughters out of school to attend this parade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When it’s a team sport that comes together, it brings out a special type of unity,” he said. “When you’re here to celebrate something that you all rooted for, it’s a special type of parade and I wanted my kids to be able to experience that.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Domonique Ousborn and her niece Lieria Ousborn came from Berkeley to experience the historic moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s just monumental,” Ousborn said. “Women’s sports wasn’t always getting the light that they needed. And now having this opportunity, I had to bring my niece out. I had to show her that women can do anything they set their minds to, because we are powerful and we are strong.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The celebratory and playful atmosphere was on full display well before the parade even started moving down the waterfront, with fans chanting “GSV,” waiting in huge lines to buy Valkyries merchandise and posing for photos with the team’s raven mascot, Violet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108327\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Violet the Valkyrie hypes up fans at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/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-12 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=\"12108366\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108366\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, embraces Oakland mayor, Barbara Lee, at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/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=\"12108367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108367\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans cheer and celebrate the Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA championship win at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even a group of dogs out for a walk got in on the action with matching Valks shirts and winged helmets, lounging in a grassy patch near the end of the parade route. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The parade was kicked off with plenty of pomp, as local celebrities and organizations like rapper LaRussell and the motorcycle group Dykes on Bikes helped amp up the crowds. Valkyries and Warriors owner Joe Lacob cruised down the route in a low rider among a fleet of classic cars, as did Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, fresh off an election victory, and wearing a bright purple wig, alongside artist Kehlani. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mayor Daniel Lurie strode by, while Rep. Nancy Pelosi waved from a passing cable car, as fans hung over barricades and screamed with joy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A bus stuffed with players drove through as crowds chanted “MVP” for Gabby Williams, and players tossed out necklaces, t-shirts and towels after crossing under a massive purple and black balloon arch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Valkyries players bounded along the barricades to greet fans, including Kaitlyn Chen, who tossed out full cans of beer, while Justė Jocytė popped champagne and sprayed down groups of parade-goers. Veronica Burton took selfies with fans while wearing a “Women Run This Game” shirt and sunglasses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some fans dressed in home-crafted customized dresses and garments, including one woman donning a violet ball gown with pictures of the players affixed to the front. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team’s broad powerful draw brought people from all over, including Kimberly Traverso, who along with her wife is a season ticket holder and drove four hours in traffic from Ione in Amador County to be in San Francisco this morning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The atmosphere and energy of Ballhalla, the nickname given to Chase Center when it hosts Valkyries games, “means everything” to the couple because of its inclusiveness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108338\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Golden State Valkyries pose with their WNBA championship trophy at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/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-13 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=\"1334\" data-id=\"12108325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108325\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans cheer and celebrate the Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA championship win at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12108335\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor, Barbara Lee, watches the celebrations at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s just the best place to be. We’re season ticket holders and we love driving the two and a half, three hours to get there just to be a part of it,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Traverso was hoping the giant prop of Burton’s “iconic” hair bun, which she fashioned from foam and stuffing, would be noticed by the player herself. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“You don’t want to see that bun coming downhill,” Traverso said. “I hope Burton sees it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Center Kiah Stokes also set an all-time WNBA Finals record with 19 total blocks during the series, while also clinching her fourth career WNBA championship title.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, Tiffany Hayes had a fairytale comeback story. The Valkyries shooting guard played 10 seasons with the Dream, retired in 2023, but returned to play with the Las Vegas Aces in 2024 and signed with the Golden State Valkyries in 2025. This year, Hayes won the WNBA championship against the team where she started and built her basketball career. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Perhaps no one on the team has had a better year than Coach Natalie Nakase, who also became the first Asian American head coach to win a WNBA championship. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nakase’s fans were legion Wednesday, and she took plenty of time to walk along the route signing autographs, taking photos and chatting with supporters while wearing reflective wraparound sunglasses, gold bead necklaces and a shirt featuring a cartoon of herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-14 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=\"12108467\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108467\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Kaitlyn Chen sprays champagne into the crowd during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (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=\"12108457\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108457\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Dykes on Bikes motorcycle contingent led the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-15 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=\"12108466\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108466\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Veronica Burton greets the crowd lining the Embarcadero during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (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=\"12108460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108460\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, for a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sue Rojcewicz, a member of the inaugural U.S. women’s basketball team in 1976 when the team won a silver Olympic medal, came up from Monterey to celebrate the Valks and the growth of the sport the organization has spurred. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I have never felt so welcome as a fan. I think they’ve got the standard for really having sports explode,” Rojcewicz said. “I hope they hold that. They love the crowd, it’s all about love and joy and teamwork. So the sky’s the limit, because I think people are craving it. We want it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In only two years, the Valkyries quickly became the most valuable women’s sports team in the world. Much of the revenue the team has raked in has come from sponsorships and a dedicated fanbase of season ticket holders, many of whom were planning to be at Wednesday’s parade also. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Women’s sports still have a long way to go to reach parity with men’s sports in terms of pay, viewership and overall investment from sports leagues. But players and their fans, who sold out Chase Center over and over again this season, say that the momentum is only getting started. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is just what happens when you invest in women’s sports,” Hayes said immediately following the team’s win on Saturday. “We ain’t going nowhere.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On a postcard-perfect day in the Bay, thousands of Golden State Valkyries fans showed up and showed out along San Francisco’s waterfront Wednesday to celebrate their newly crowned champions of the WNBA.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The much anticipated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107759/where-is-valkyries-parade-route-san-francisco-sf-2026-wednesday-nov-4-bart-muni\">victory parade\u003c/a> delivered a double dose of joy and revelry in the region, just days after the Bay Area’s hugely successful professional women’s basketball team defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107530/ballhalla-is-going-to-show-up-valkyries-fans-rally-for-wnba-finals-game-7\">win the league championship\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Valkyries clinching the title in only their second season set a record as the fastest that any professional basketball expansion team has accomplished such a feat. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Valkyries clinching the title in only their second season set a record as the fastest that any professional basketball expansion team has accomplished such a feat. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The team’s focus on including and celebrating fans from many different backgrounds and lifestyles has helped drive sellout crowds for every home game, and the undying loyalty and reciprocal love was on full display Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The team’s focus on including and celebrating fans from many different backgrounds and lifestyles has helped drive sellout crowds for every home game, and the undying loyalty and reciprocal love was on full display Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108315\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As Bay Area hip-hop music blared, the champs rolled by on violet buses dancing, throwing out swag and hopping out to dap up, hug and high-five their many fans throughout the Embarcadero, leaving a wake of exhilaration.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As Bay Area hip-hop music blared, the champs rolled by on violet buses dancing, throwing out swag and hopping out to dap up, hug and high-five their many fans throughout the Embarcadero, leaving a wake of exhilaration.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It means everything to me. It shows that these women put in so much effort to do everything here for the Bay and all the hard work that they put in,” said diehard fan Lie Crescini, who staked out a spot along the parade route at 7:30 a.m. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It means everything to me. It shows that these women put in so much effort to do everything here for the Bay and all the hard work that they put in,” said diehard fan Lie Crescini, who staked out a spot along the parade route at 7:30 a.m. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Crescini flew in from Hawaii the same way she has for every home game and some away games. The Valkyries fandom, she said, is a huge part of what draws her. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Crescini flew in from Hawaii the same way she has for every home game and some away games. The Valkyries fandom, she said, is a huge part of what draws her. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s the best feeling ever because it’s like having 18,000 new family members that you actually like,” she said. “It’s a beautiful feeling … it’s a feeling that has definitely shaped my life.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s the best feeling ever because it’s like having 18,000 new family members that you actually like,” she said. “It’s a beautiful feeling … it’s a feeling that has definitely shaped my life.”\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/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108350\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, celebrates with her WNBA finals MVP trophy at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/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/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108350\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, celebrates with her WNBA finals MVP trophy at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fans decked out head-to-toe in the team’s signature violet were allowed to officially begin lining up along the parade route at 9 a.m. (the earliest city officials said they would let them) from the Ferry Building to 2nd and King streets.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fans decked out head-to-toe in the team’s signature violet were allowed to officially begin lining up along the parade route at 9 a.m. (the earliest city officials said they would let them) from the Ferry Building to 2nd and King streets.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Marnie Carter, a San Francisco resident who played basketball at the University of San Francisco and now works to encourage young girls to continue playing through high school, college and beyond, joined the throngs of fans. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Marnie Carter, a San Francisco resident who played basketball at the University of San Francisco and now works to encourage young girls to continue playing through high school, college and beyond, joined the throngs of fans. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said the Valkyries have helped bring attention and resources to not only women’s basketball, but youth basketball, as well. Players, she said, have inspired both girls and boys. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I have young men — my nephews are coming down here today — and they’re excited about it,” Carter said. “It’s so hard to get resources for what we do … It’s slowly started to grow.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Stephanie Ashley and Whit Guerrero weren’t surprised to see big crowds, chalking up the Valkyries wide popularity to the inclusive vibe the team has cultivated. \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/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108312\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108313\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Frances Choun (left) and Alice Tripplet cheer before the start of the Valkyries WNBA championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Their message is always about celebrating the culture and community in the Bay. I feel like there is just so much pride in who the Bay is and what the Bay is about,” Ashley said. “And it’s just really beautiful to see this team love on each other so much and love on the Bay so much, and then play so well together and win.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Guerrero said they are trans and Mexican, and the team is “vocally supportive” of both of those communities and more. They felt embraced by the team during the season, including on special event nights. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Just having gone to the games and them having Native American heritage month, I think they had the Mexica dancers, they had the Glide Ensemble, so like very much people of color, communities that are local,” Guerrero said. “It feels like home.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The party began early for some fans traveling from across the Bay Area to get a glimpse of their favorite team. A kickoff rally in Oakland’s Jack London Square welcomed East Bay revelers before they boarded a ferry to reach the parade. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It was a historic playoff series for many individual players, as well. Valkyries powerhouse forward Gabby Williams — who played club basketball in San Francisco as a kid — scored 30 points in Saturday’s Game 7. With 28 of those points occurring in the second half, Williams broke a WNBA record for the most points in any playoff half. She took home the title of MVP for the 2026 WNBA Finals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It was a historic playoff series for many individual players, as well. Valkyries powerhouse forward Gabby Williams — who played club basketball in San Francisco as a kid — scored 30 points in Saturday’s Game 7. With 28 of those points occurring in the second half, Williams broke a WNBA record for the most points in any playoff half. She took home the title of MVP for the 2026 WNBA Finals. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Speaking at the Oakland rally, Williams thanked the team, her agent, family and friends, and Valkyries fans for their support and making her feel at ease during Game 7 at Chase Center. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I couldn’t stop smiling, because I was like, ‘Look where I am.’ You guys took the stress off of my shoulders and allowed me to play so free,” Williams said. “I was ass, I was ass for like 30 minutes of that game. I hit one bucket and y’all erupted, and I thought, I’m about to have 40 points! This does not happen without every single person who is here.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I couldn’t stop smiling, because I was like, ‘Look where I am.’ You guys took the stress off of my shoulders and allowed me to play so free,” Williams said. “I was ass, I was ass for like 30 minutes of that game. I hit one bucket and y’all erupted, and I thought, I’m about to have 40 points! This does not happen without every single person who is here.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite it being a school day, there were plenty of kids along the parade route, sharing in the excitement of getting to see their Bay Area champions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Zayda Williams, 8, came from Daly City with her mom and aunt, and said her favorite player is Gabby Williams, who she has followed through televised games, but never seen in person before today. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Zayda Williams, 8, came from Daly City with her mom and aunt, and said her favorite player is Gabby Williams, who she has followed through televised games, but never seen in person before today. \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/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108459\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">LaRussell performs during the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory.\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/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108459\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">LaRussell performs during the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Zayda said her message to Williams would be to “keep working hard and never give up.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Marc Staudenbaur from Pacifica attended San Francisco Giants championship parades, and said the togetherness at such events made him pull his two daughters out of school to attend this parade. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When it’s a team sport that comes together, it brings out a special type of unity,” he said. “When you’re here to celebrate something that you all rooted for, it’s a special type of parade and I wanted my kids to be able to experience that.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When it’s a team sport that comes together, it brings out a special type of unity,” he said. “When you’re here to celebrate something that you all rooted for, it’s a special type of parade and I wanted my kids to be able to experience that.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Domonique Ousborn and her niece Lieria Ousborn came from Berkeley to experience the historic moment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s just monumental,” Ousborn said. “Women’s sports wasn’t always getting the light that they needed. And now having this opportunity, I had to bring my niece out. I had to show her that women can do anything they set their minds to, because we are powerful and we are strong.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s just monumental,” Ousborn said. “Women’s sports wasn’t always getting the light that they needed. And now having this opportunity, I had to bring my niece out. I had to show her that women can do anything they set their minds to, because we are powerful and we are strong.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The celebratory and playful atmosphere was on full display well before the parade even started moving down the waterfront, with fans chanting “GSV,” waiting in huge lines to buy Valkyries merchandise and posing for photos with the team’s raven mascot, Violet. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The celebratory and playful atmosphere was on full display well before the parade even started moving down the waterfront, with fans chanting “GSV,” waiting in huge lines to buy Valkyries merchandise and posing for photos with the team’s raven mascot, Violet. \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/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108366\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, embraces Oakland mayor, Barbara Lee, at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The parade was kicked off with plenty of pomp, as local celebrities and organizations like rapper LaRussell and the motorcycle group Dykes on Bikes helped amp up the crowds. Valkyries and Warriors owner Joe Lacob cruised down the route in a low rider among a fleet of classic cars, as did Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, fresh off an election victory, and wearing a bright purple wig, alongside artist Kehlani. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sue Rojcewicz, a member of the inaugural U.S. women’s basketball team in 1976 when the team won a silver Olympic medal, came up from Monterey to celebrate the Valks and the growth of the sport the organization has spurred. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is just what happens when you invest in women’s sports,” Hayes said immediately following the team’s win on Saturday. “We ain’t going nowhere.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Bay Area’s WNBA team, only in its second year, is the fastest expansion team to win a WNBA championship title.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a postcard-perfect day in the Bay, thousands of Golden State Valkyries fans showed up and showed out along San Francisco’s waterfront Wednesday to celebrate their newly crowned champions of the WNBA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The much anticipated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107759/where-is-valkyries-parade-route-san-francisco-sf-2026-wednesday-nov-4-bart-muni\">victory parade\u003c/a> delivered a double dose of joy and revelry in the region, just days after the Bay Area’s hugely successful professional women’s basketball team defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107530/ballhalla-is-going-to-show-up-valkyries-fans-rally-for-wnba-finals-game-7\">win the league championship\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Valkyries clinching the title in only their second season set a record as the fastest that any professional basketball expansion team has accomplished such a feat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team’s focus on including and celebrating fans from many different backgrounds and lifestyles has helped drive sellout crowds for every home game, and the undying loyalty and reciprocal love was on full display Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108315\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-06-BL-KQED-080da71b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Bay Area hip-hop music blared, the champs rolled by on violet buses dancing, throwing out swag and hopping out to dap up, hug and high-five their many fans throughout the Embarcadero, leaving a wake of exhilaration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It means everything to me. It shows that these women put in so much effort to do everything here for the Bay and all the hard work that they put in,” said diehard fan Lie Crescini, who staked out a spot along the parade route at 7:30 a.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Crescini flew in from Hawaii the same way she has for every home game and some away games. The Valkyries fandom, she said, is a huge part of what draws her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s the best feeling ever because it’s like having 18,000 new family members that you actually like,” she said. “It’s a beautiful feeling … it’s a feeling that has definitely shaped my life.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108350\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-52-MC-KQED-b664e8c6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, celebrates with her WNBA finals MVP trophy at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fans decked out head-to-toe in the team’s signature violet were allowed to officially begin lining up along the parade route at 9 a.m. (the earliest city officials said they would let them) from the Ferry Building to 2nd and King streets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marnie Carter, a San Francisco resident who played basketball at the University of San Francisco and now works to encourage young girls to continue playing through high school, college and beyond, joined the throngs of fans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said the Valkyries have helped bring attention and resources to not only women’s basketball, but youth basketball, as well. Players, she said, have inspired both girls and boys. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I have young men — my nephews are coming down here today — and they’re excited about it,” Carter said. “It’s so hard to get resources for what we do … It’s slowly started to grow.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stephanie Ashley and Whit Guerrero weren’t surprised to see big crowds, chalking up the Valkyries wide popularity to the inclusive vibe the team has cultivated. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-08-BL-KQED-ee1fc0fa-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Karsyn Arribas (left) and Michelle Tokarski cheer before the start of the Valkyries WNBA championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (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-11 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108312\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108312\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-01-BL-KQED-bcf01a50-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, ahead of a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12108313\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108313\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-02-BL-KQED-5d94a78d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Frances Choun (left) and Alice Tripplet cheer before the start of the Valkyries WNBA championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Their message is always about celebrating the culture and community in the Bay. I feel like there is just so much pride in who the Bay is and what the Bay is about,” Ashley said. “And it’s just really beautiful to see this team love on each other so much and love on the Bay so much, and then play so well together and win.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guerrero said they are trans and Mexican, and the team is “vocally supportive” of both of those communities and more. They felt embraced by the team during the season, including on special event nights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Just having gone to the games and them having Native American heritage month, I think they had the Mexica dancers, they had the Glide Ensemble, so like very much people of color, communities that are local,” Guerrero said. “It feels like home.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The party began early for some fans traveling from across the Bay Area to get a glimpse of their favorite team. A kickoff rally in Oakland’s Jack London Square welcomed East Bay revelers before they boarded a ferry to reach the parade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108349\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-28-MC-KQED-9719bf8b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans, waiting for a ferry, watch celebrations at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a historic playoff series for many individual players, as well. Valkyries powerhouse forward Gabby Williams — who played club basketball in San Francisco as a kid — scored 30 points in Saturday’s Game 7. With 28 of those points occurring in the second half, Williams broke a WNBA record for the most points in any playoff half. She took home the title of MVP for the 2026 WNBA Finals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking at the Oakland rally, Williams thanked the team, her agent, family and friends, and Valkyries fans for their support and making her feel at ease during Game 7 at Chase Center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I couldn’t stop smiling, because I was like, ‘Look where I am.’ You guys took the stress off of my shoulders and allowed me to play so free,” Williams said. “I was ass, I was ass for like 30 minutes of that game. I hit one bucket and y’all erupted, and I thought, I’m about to have 40 points! This does not happen without every single person who is here.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite it being a school day, there were plenty of kids along the parade route, sharing in the excitement of getting to see their Bay Area champions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zayda Williams, 8, came from Daly City with her mom and aunt, and said her favorite player is Gabby Williams, who she has followed through televised games, but never seen in person before today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108459\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-20-BL-KQED-81acc920-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">LaRussell performs during the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zayda said her message to Williams would be to “keep working hard and never give up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marc Staudenbaur from Pacifica attended San Francisco Giants championship parades, and said the togetherness at such events made him pull his two daughters out of school to attend this parade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When it’s a team sport that comes together, it brings out a special type of unity,” he said. “When you’re here to celebrate something that you all rooted for, it’s a special type of parade and I wanted my kids to be able to experience that.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Domonique Ousborn and her niece Lieria Ousborn came from Berkeley to experience the historic moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s just monumental,” Ousborn said. “Women’s sports wasn’t always getting the light that they needed. And now having this opportunity, I had to bring my niece out. I had to show her that women can do anything they set their minds to, because we are powerful and we are strong.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The celebratory and playful atmosphere was on full display well before the parade even started moving down the waterfront, with fans chanting “GSV,” waiting in huge lines to buy Valkyries merchandise and posing for photos with the team’s raven mascot, Violet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108327\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-09-MC-KQED-aa8ffa43-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Violet the Valkyrie hypes up fans at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/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-12 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=\"12108366\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108366\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-56-MC-KQED-66d06183-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries forward, Gabby Williams, embraces Oakland mayor, Barbara Lee, at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/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=\"12108367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108367\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-61-MC-KQED-6223508b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans cheer and celebrate the Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA championship win at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even a group of dogs out for a walk got in on the action with matching Valks shirts and winged helmets, lounging in a grassy patch near the end of the parade route. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The parade was kicked off with plenty of pomp, as local celebrities and organizations like rapper LaRussell and the motorcycle group Dykes on Bikes helped amp up the crowds. Valkyries and Warriors owner Joe Lacob cruised down the route in a low rider among a fleet of classic cars, as did Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, fresh off an election victory, and wearing a bright purple wig, alongside artist Kehlani. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mayor Daniel Lurie strode by, while Rep. Nancy Pelosi waved from a passing cable car, as fans hung over barricades and screamed with joy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A bus stuffed with players drove through as crowds chanted “MVP” for Gabby Williams, and players tossed out necklaces, t-shirts and towels after crossing under a massive purple and black balloon arch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Valkyries players bounded along the barricades to greet fans, including Kaitlyn Chen, who tossed out full cans of beer, while Justė Jocytė popped champagne and sprayed down groups of parade-goers. Veronica Burton took selfies with fans while wearing a “Women Run This Game” shirt and sunglasses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some fans dressed in home-crafted customized dresses and garments, including one woman donning a violet ball gown with pictures of the players affixed to the front. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team’s broad powerful draw brought people from all over, including Kimberly Traverso, who along with her wife is a season ticket holder and drove four hours in traffic from Ione in Amador County to be in San Francisco this morning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The atmosphere and energy of Ballhalla, the nickname given to Chase Center when it hosts Valkyries games, “means everything” to the couple because of its inclusiveness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108338\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-20-MC-KQED-de8cfcd3-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Golden State Valkyries pose with their WNBA championship trophy at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/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-13 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=\"1334\" data-id=\"12108325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108325\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-01-MC-KQED-9e6cdb89-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fans cheer and celebrate the Golden State Valkyries’ WNBA championship win at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12108335\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110426-ValkyriesParadeKickOff-17-MC-KQED-5f23bc9f-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor, Barbara Lee, watches the celebrations at a kickoff event for the Valkyries’ victory parade on November 4, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s just the best place to be. We’re season ticket holders and we love driving the two and a half, three hours to get there just to be a part of it,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Traverso was hoping the giant prop of Burton’s “iconic” hair bun, which she fashioned from foam and stuffing, would be noticed by the player herself. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“You don’t want to see that bun coming downhill,” Traverso said. “I hope Burton sees it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Center Kiah Stokes also set an all-time WNBA Finals record with 19 total blocks during the series, while also clinching her fourth career WNBA championship title.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, Tiffany Hayes had a fairytale comeback story. The Valkyries shooting guard played 10 seasons with the Dream, retired in 2023, but returned to play with the Las Vegas Aces in 2024 and signed with the Golden State Valkyries in 2025. This year, Hayes won the WNBA championship against the team where she started and built her basketball career. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Perhaps no one on the team has had a better year than Coach Natalie Nakase, who also became the first Asian American head coach to win a WNBA championship. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nakase’s fans were legion Wednesday, and she took plenty of time to walk along the route signing autographs, taking photos and chatting with supporters while wearing reflective wraparound sunglasses, gold bead necklaces and a shirt featuring a cartoon of herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-14 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=\"12108467\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108467\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-38-BL-KQED-72d75bfd-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Kaitlyn Chen sprays champagne into the crowd during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (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=\"12108457\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108457\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-16-BL-KQED-d4aedd2f-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Dykes on Bikes motorcycle contingent led the Golden State Valkyries championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, celebrating their WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-15 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=\"12108466\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108466\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-33-BL-KQED-afecb86e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries player Veronica Burton greets the crowd lining the Embarcadero during the team’s championship parade in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026. (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=\"12108460\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108460\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/261104-ValkyriesParade-21-BL-KQED-274174d8-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden State Valkyries fans line the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Nov. 4, 2026, for a parade celebrating the team’s WNBA championship victory. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sue Rojcewicz, a member of the inaugural U.S. women’s basketball team in 1976 when the team won a silver Olympic medal, came up from Monterey to celebrate the Valks and the growth of the sport the organization has spurred. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I have never felt so welcome as a fan. I think they’ve got the standard for really having sports explode,” Rojcewicz said. “I hope they hold that. They love the crowd, it’s all about love and joy and teamwork. So the sky’s the limit, because I think people are craving it. We want it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In only two years, the Valkyries quickly became the most valuable women’s sports team in the world. Much of the revenue the team has raked in has come from sponsorships and a dedicated fanbase of season ticket holders, many of whom were planning to be at Wednesday’s parade also. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Women’s sports still have a long way to go to reach parity with men’s sports in terms of pay, viewership and overall investment from sports leagues. But players and their fans, who sold out Chase Center over and over again this season, say that the momentum is only getting started. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is just what happens when you invest in women’s sports,” Hayes said immediately following the team’s win on Saturday. “We ain’t going nowhere.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "jackie-elward-declares-victory-in-north-bay-assembly-race-targeted-by-silicon-valley",
"title": "Jackie Elward Declares Victory in North Bay Assembly Race Targeted by Silicon Valley",
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"headTitle": "Jackie Elward Declares Victory in North Bay Assembly Race Targeted by Silicon Valley | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rohnert Park City Councilmember Jackie Elward declared victory on Wednesday morning in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">closely watched Assembly race\u003c/a> in the North Bay that drew millions of dollars in outside spending and became a proxy fight between labor unions and Big Tech.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Associated Press has not yet called the race, but Elward said she received a phone call from her opponent, Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, acknowledging defeat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“He congratulated me on my victory,” Elward said. “He conceded, and he said if I needed anything, help from him, to call him. He was really sweet.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elward has 57% of the vote in the contest between two Democrats. If that lead holds, she will represent District 12, which covers Marin County and nearly half of Sonoma County, as incumbent Assemblymember Damon Connolly wins his state Senate race.\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/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108107\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters of Jackie Elward attend her election night watch party at Pub Republic in Petaluma on Nov. 3, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Obviously it’s not where we wanted to be,” Lucan told KQED. “That’s why I called Jackie just to congratulate her on the results that have come in so far. Still a lot of votes to get counted, but I’ve seen enough results over the years to know this is not where we wanted to be or hoped to be.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During their campaigns, the two candidates shared similar messages on affordability, climate resiliency and protecting democracy from the Trump administration. The clearest difference between them was outside spending they have no control over. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race drew significant independent expenditures \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">from tech interests and labor unions\u003c/a>, which are competing for influence in Sacramento as lawmakers there weigh how to regulate artificial intelligence. Both sides see the Legislature as an important arena, given the state’s potential to set national standards. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the state, candidates backed by Silicon Valley performed well on election night. District 12, along with Assembly District 47 in Riverside County, proved exceptions as the deluge of tech billionaire spending backfired against Big Tech’s favored candidates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is a battle royale,” said David McCuan, political science professor at Sonoma State University. “So much money has been bombarded that there’s a huge backlash effect.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grow California, a super PAC financed by crypto billionaire Chris Larsen and venture capital billionaire Tim Draper, spent nearly $4 million in the District 12 race this election cycle. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McCuan said that if not for the tech spending that inadvertently elevated Elward, he “wouldn’t have predicted by any stretch of the imagination that Jackie Elward would get this far.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elward moved to Sonoma County from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003 and has served on the Rohnert Park City Council since 2020. She is an educator and labor organizer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lucan grew up in Marin and has served on the Board of Supervisors since 2022. He was head of marketing for Mike’s Bikes and runs a San Francisco fitness studio with his wife. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite Lucan’s name recognition advantage in Marin, Elward is \u003ca href=\"https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/returns/state-assembly/district/12/county/marin\">outperforming him\u003c/a> in the county, holding a lead of more than 8 percentage points, according to data on the California Secretary of State’s website as of early Wednesday. In Sonoma, she’s sweeping him by 21 percentage points. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to union support, Elward received endorsements from Napa Valley Rep. Mike Thompson, Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Working Families Party. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman, California YIMBY and local business groups like the Marin Builders Association backed Lucan. Assembly Speaker \u003ca href=\"https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/11/rivas-assembly-senate-endorsements-01144382\">Robert Rivas\u003c/a> managed to disgruntle the Legislature’s Black, Progressive and Women’s caucuses by endorsing Lucan, Politico reported. \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/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108115\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jackie Elward, Democratic candidate for California State Assembly District 12, speaks to a supporter at her election night watch party, at Pub Republic in Petaluma on Nov. 3, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grow California and California Leads, another super PAC that is heavily funded by Meta and Google, poured nearly $39 million into 16 other legislative races across the state, backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates. Political analysts say Big Tech’s spending outpaced its contributions in prior years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, Grow California committed to continuing its election advocacy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Lasting progress is built incrementally, over time and across election cycles,” said Shaudi Fulp, strategist for Grow California. “We are making that long-term commitment to California, grounded in trust, collaboration, and a willingness to find common ground on the issues that matter most to Californians.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The spending in District 12 this year may have pushed labor interests to increase their contributions, according to McCuan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“You see a huge amount of labor interests that are coordinating a campaign for Elward, in other words, to push back against those entities that are on the negative [independent expenditure] side,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Californians United for Progress, a super PAC funded by labor unions — including the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO and SEIU California State Council — spent nearly $2 million backing Elward, most of it after the primary. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elward proudly called herself the labor candidate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“If it wasn’t for labor, I wouldn’t be alive,” she said. “It’s all about just protecting the humans that are working in those union and non-union jobs.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Labor wasn’t the only group responding to the influx of tech money. TechEquity Action, an Oakland nonprofit that lobbies on AI and tech policy in Sacramento, launched a $1 million \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">ad campaign\u003c/a> to highlight the presence of that money in four races, including District 12. \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/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-10-KQED-f7076bcc.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108116\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-10-KQED-f7076bcc.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-10-KQED-f7076bcc-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-10-KQED-f7076bcc-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jackie Elward, Democratic candidate for California State Assembly District 12, reacts as she finds out she’s leading the AD12 race, at her election night watch party, at Pub Republic in Petaluma on Nov. 3, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the campaign, Lucan disavowed the outside spending on both sides and called on the political action committees to back off, noting that the independent expenditures had “completely dwarf[ed]” the candidates’ own war chests. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There will be a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking,” he said the morning after Election Day. “I think looking back, when folks look at this race, it unfortunately is going to be defined by the significant outside spending.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Larsen told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> that he sees Lucan as a “problem solver” and believes Elward is “taking orders” from unions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elward issued a similar criticism of Grow California, saying the group wants a candidate who will “push their agenda.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s funny he said that because I am beholden to the working people,” she said. “When he was pouring money to my opponent, what was he thinking? He wanted my opponent to be beholden to him?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both candidates said AI and data centers need guardrails, but they differed on how far they would go. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lucan called for more transparency about data centers’ impact on water and energy costs. He does not support a statewide moratorium and said land-use decisions should be handled at the local level.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elward supported a statewide data center moratorium and tighter limits on AI use in workplaces, hospitals and schools. She said her priority is protecting workers and jobs from AI. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“[The voters] do not want data centers; that is something that they have been clear about,” Elward said. “I’m going to work on a statewide moratorium on data centers in order to protect workers, to protect the working class.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rohnert Park City Councilmember Jackie Elward declared victory on Wednesday morning in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">closely watched Assembly race\u003c/a> in the North Bay that drew millions of dollars in outside spending and became a proxy fight between labor unions and Big Tech.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Associated Press has not yet called the race, but Elward said she received a phone call from her opponent, Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, acknowledging defeat. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He congratulated me on my victory,” Elward said. “He conceded, and he said if I needed anything, help from him, to call him. He was really sweet.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“He congratulated me on my victory,” Elward said. “He conceded, and he said if I needed anything, help from him, to call him. He was really sweet.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elward has 57% of the vote in the contest between two Democrats. If that lead holds, she will represent District 12, which covers Marin County and nearly half of Sonoma County, as incumbent Assemblymember Damon Connolly wins his state Senate race.\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/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108107\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters of Jackie Elward attend her election night watch party at Pub Republic in Petaluma on Nov. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108107\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters of Jackie Elward attend her election night watch party at Pub Republic in Petaluma on Nov. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Obviously it’s not where we wanted to be,” Lucan told KQED. “That’s why I called Jackie just to congratulate her on the results that have come in so far. Still a lot of votes to get counted, but I’ve seen enough results over the years to know this is not where we wanted to be or hoped to be.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Obviously it’s not where we wanted to be,” Lucan told KQED. “That’s why I called Jackie just to congratulate her on the results that have come in so far. Still a lot of votes to get counted, but I’ve seen enough results over the years to know this is not where we wanted to be or hoped to be.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During their campaigns, the two candidates shared similar messages on affordability, climate resiliency and protecting democracy from the Trump administration. The clearest difference between them was outside spending they have no control over. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>During their campaigns, the two candidates shared similar messages on affordability, climate resiliency and protecting democracy from the Trump administration. The clearest difference between them was outside spending they have no control over. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The race drew significant independent expenditures \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">from tech interests and labor unions\u003c/a>, which are competing for influence in Sacramento as lawmakers there weigh how to regulate artificial intelligence. Both sides see the Legislature as an important arena, given the state’s potential to set national standards. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The race drew significant independent expenditures \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">from tech interests and labor unions\u003c/a>, which are competing for influence in Sacramento as lawmakers there weigh how to regulate artificial intelligence. Both sides see the Legislature as an important arena, given the state’s potential to set national standards. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across the state, candidates backed by Silicon Valley performed well on election night. District 12, along with Assembly District 47 in Riverside County, proved exceptions as the deluge of tech billionaire spending backfired against Big Tech’s favored candidates.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Across the state, candidates backed by Silicon Valley performed well on election night. District 12, along with Assembly District 47 in Riverside County, proved exceptions as the deluge of tech billionaire spending backfired against Big Tech’s favored candidates.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is a battle royale,” said David McCuan, political science professor at Sonoma State University. “So much money has been bombarded that there’s a huge backlash effect.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is a battle royale,” said David McCuan, political science professor at Sonoma State University. “So much money has been bombarded that there’s a huge backlash effect.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Grow California, a super PAC financed by crypto billionaire Chris Larsen and venture capital billionaire Tim Draper, spent nearly $4 million in the District 12 race this election cycle. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Grow California, a super PAC financed by crypto billionaire Chris Larsen and venture capital billionaire Tim Draper, spent nearly $4 million in the District 12 race this election cycle. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>McCuan said that if not for the tech spending that inadvertently elevated Elward, he “wouldn’t have predicted by any stretch of the imagination that Jackie Elward would get this far.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>McCuan said that if not for the tech spending that inadvertently elevated Elward, he “wouldn’t have predicted by any stretch of the imagination that Jackie Elward would get this far.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elward moved to Sonoma County from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003 and has served on the Rohnert Park City Council since 2020. She is an educator and labor organizer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Elward moved to Sonoma County from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003 and has served on the Rohnert Park City Council since 2020. She is an educator and labor organizer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lucan grew up in Marin and has served on the Board of Supervisors since 2022. He was head of marketing for Mike’s Bikes and runs a San Francisco fitness studio with his wife. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lucan grew up in Marin and has served on the Board of Supervisors since 2022. He was head of marketing for Mike’s Bikes and runs a San Francisco fitness studio with his wife. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite Lucan’s name recognition advantage in Marin, Elward is \u003ca href=\"https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/returns/state-assembly/district/12/county/marin\">outperforming him\u003c/a> in the county, holding a lead of more than 8 percentage points, according to data on the California Secretary of State’s website as of early Wednesday. In Sonoma, she’s sweeping him by 21 percentage points. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Despite Lucan’s name recognition advantage in Marin, Elward is \u003ca href=\"https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/returns/state-assembly/district/12/county/marin\">outperforming him\u003c/a> in the county, holding a lead of more than 8 percentage points, according to data on the California Secretary of State’s website as of early Wednesday. In Sonoma, she’s sweeping him by 21 percentage points. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In addition to union support, Elward received endorsements from Napa Valley Rep. Mike Thompson, Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Working Families Party. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In addition to union support, Elward received endorsements from Napa Valley Rep. Mike Thompson, Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Working Families Party. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman, California YIMBY and local business groups like the Marin Builders Association backed Lucan. Assembly Speaker \u003ca href=\"https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/11/rivas-assembly-senate-endorsements-01144382\">Robert Rivas\u003c/a> managed to disgruntle the Legislature’s Black, Progressive and Women’s caucuses by endorsing Lucan, Politico reported. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman, California YIMBY and local business groups like the Marin Builders Association backed Lucan. Assembly Speaker \u003ca href=\"https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/11/rivas-assembly-senate-endorsements-01144382\">Robert Rivas\u003c/a> managed to disgruntle the Legislature’s Black, Progressive and Women’s caucuses by endorsing Lucan, Politico reported. \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/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108115\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jackie Elward, Democratic candidate for California State Assembly District 12, speaks to a supporter at her election night watch party, at Pub Republic in Petaluma on Nov. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108115\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jackie Elward, Democratic candidate for California State Assembly District 12, speaks to a supporter at her election night watch party, at Pub Republic in Petaluma on Nov. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Grow California and California Leads, another super PAC that is heavily funded by Meta and Google, poured nearly $39 million into 16 other legislative races across the state, backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates. Political analysts say Big Tech’s spending outpaced its contributions in prior years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Grow California and California Leads, another super PAC that is heavily funded by Meta and Google, poured nearly $39 million into 16 other legislative races across the state, backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates. Political analysts say Big Tech’s spending outpaced its contributions in prior years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, Grow California committed to continuing its election advocacy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Lasting progress is built incrementally, over time and across election cycles,” said Shaudi Fulp, strategist for Grow California. “We are making that long-term commitment to California, grounded in trust, collaboration, and a willingness to find common ground on the issues that matter most to Californians.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Lasting progress is built incrementally, over time and across election cycles,” said Shaudi Fulp, strategist for Grow California. “We are making that long-term commitment to California, grounded in trust, collaboration, and a willingness to find common ground on the issues that matter most to Californians.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The spending in District 12 this year may have pushed labor interests to increase their contributions, according to McCuan.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The spending in District 12 this year may have pushed labor interests to increase their contributions, according to McCuan.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You see a huge amount of labor interests that are coordinating a campaign for Elward, in other words, to push back against those entities that are on the negative [independent expenditure] side,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You see a huge amount of labor interests that are coordinating a campaign for Elward, in other words, to push back against those entities that are on the negative [independent expenditure] side,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Californians United for Progress, a super PAC funded by labor unions — including the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO and SEIU California State Council — spent nearly $2 million backing Elward, most of it after the primary. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Californians United for Progress, a super PAC funded by labor unions — including the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO and SEIU California State Council — spent nearly $2 million backing Elward, most of it after the primary. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If it wasn’t for labor, I wouldn’t be alive,” she said. “It’s all about just protecting the humans that are working in those union and non-union jobs.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Labor wasn’t the only group responding to the influx of tech money. TechEquity Action, an Oakland nonprofit that lobbies on AI and tech policy in Sacramento, launched a $1 million \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">ad campaign\u003c/a> to highlight the presence of that money in four races, including District 12. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Labor wasn’t the only group responding to the influx of tech money. TechEquity Action, an Oakland nonprofit that lobbies on AI and tech policy in Sacramento, launched a $1 million \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">ad campaign\u003c/a> to highlight the presence of that money in four races, including District 12. \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-10-KQED-f7076bcc.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108116\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jackie Elward, Democratic candidate for California State Assembly District 12, reacts as she finds out she’s leading the AD12 race, at her election night watch party, at Pub Republic in Petaluma on Nov. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the campaign, Lucan disavowed the outside spending on both sides and called on the political action committees to back off, noting that the independent expenditures had “completely dwarf[ed]” the candidates’ own war chests. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>During the campaign, Lucan disavowed the outside spending on both sides and called on the political action committees to back off, noting that the independent expenditures had “completely dwarf[ed]” the candidates’ own war chests. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There will be a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking,” he said the morning after Election Day. “I think looking back, when folks look at this race, it unfortunately is going to be defined by the significant outside spending.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There will be a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking,” he said the morning after Election Day. “I think looking back, when folks look at this race, it unfortunately is going to be defined by the significant outside spending.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Larsen told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> that he sees Lucan as a “problem solver” and believes Elward is “taking orders” from unions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Larsen told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> that he sees Lucan as a “problem solver” and believes Elward is “taking orders” from unions.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elward issued a similar criticism of Grow California, saying the group wants a candidate who will “push their agenda.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s funny he said that because I am beholden to the working people,” she said. “When he was pouring money to my opponent, what was he thinking? He wanted my opponent to be beholden to him?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s funny he said that because I am beholden to the working people,” she said. “When he was pouring money to my opponent, what was he thinking? He wanted my opponent to be beholden to him?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Both candidates said AI and data centers need guardrails, but they differed on how far they would go. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lucan called for more transparency about data centers’ impact on water and energy costs. He does not support a statewide moratorium and said land-use decisions should be handled at the local level.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lucan called for more transparency about data centers’ impact on water and energy costs. He does not support a statewide moratorium and said land-use decisions should be handled at the local level.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elward supported a statewide data center moratorium and tighter limits on AI use in workplaces, hospitals and schools. She said her priority is protecting workers and jobs from AI. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“[The voters] do not want data centers; that is something that they have been clear about,” Elward said. “I’m going to work on a statewide moratorium on data centers in order to protect workers, to protect the working class.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“[The voters] do not want data centers; that is something that they have been clear about,” Elward said. “I’m going to work on a statewide moratorium on data centers in order to protect workers, to protect the working class.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Tech-funded super PACs spent millions in the race for Assembly District 12, but analysts say the deluge of outside spending backfired.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rohnert Park City Councilmember Jackie Elward declared victory on Wednesday morning in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">closely watched Assembly race\u003c/a> in the North Bay that drew millions of dollars in outside spending and became a proxy fight between labor unions and Big Tech.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Associated Press has not yet called the race, but Elward said she received a phone call from her opponent, Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, acknowledging defeat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“He congratulated me on my victory,” Elward said. “He conceded, and he said if I needed anything, help from him, to call him. He was really sweet.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elward has 57% of the vote in the contest between two Democrats. If that lead holds, she will represent District 12, which covers Marin County and nearly half of Sonoma County, as incumbent Assemblymember Damon Connolly wins his state Senate race.\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/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108107\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-1-KQED-1ca07935-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters of Jackie Elward attend her election night watch party at Pub Republic in Petaluma on Nov. 3, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Obviously it’s not where we wanted to be,” Lucan told KQED. “That’s why I called Jackie just to congratulate her on the results that have come in so far. Still a lot of votes to get counted, but I’ve seen enough results over the years to know this is not where we wanted to be or hoped to be.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During their campaigns, the two candidates shared similar messages on affordability, climate resiliency and protecting democracy from the Trump administration. The clearest difference between them was outside spending they have no control over. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race drew significant independent expenditures \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">from tech interests and labor unions\u003c/a>, which are competing for influence in Sacramento as lawmakers there weigh how to regulate artificial intelligence. Both sides see the Legislature as an important arena, given the state’s potential to set national standards. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the state, candidates backed by Silicon Valley performed well on election night. District 12, along with Assembly District 47 in Riverside County, proved exceptions as the deluge of tech billionaire spending backfired against Big Tech’s favored candidates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is a battle royale,” said David McCuan, political science professor at Sonoma State University. “So much money has been bombarded that there’s a huge backlash effect.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grow California, a super PAC financed by crypto billionaire Chris Larsen and venture capital billionaire Tim Draper, spent nearly $4 million in the District 12 race this election cycle. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McCuan said that if not for the tech spending that inadvertently elevated Elward, he “wouldn’t have predicted by any stretch of the imagination that Jackie Elward would get this far.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elward moved to Sonoma County from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003 and has served on the Rohnert Park City Council since 2020. She is an educator and labor organizer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lucan grew up in Marin and has served on the Board of Supervisors since 2022. He was head of marketing for Mike’s Bikes and runs a San Francisco fitness studio with his wife. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite Lucan’s name recognition advantage in Marin, Elward is \u003ca href=\"https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/returns/state-assembly/district/12/county/marin\">outperforming him\u003c/a> in the county, holding a lead of more than 8 percentage points, according to data on the California Secretary of State’s website as of early Wednesday. In Sonoma, she’s sweeping him by 21 percentage points. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to union support, Elward received endorsements from Napa Valley Rep. Mike Thompson, Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Working Families Party. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman, California YIMBY and local business groups like the Marin Builders Association backed Lucan. Assembly Speaker \u003ca href=\"https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/11/rivas-assembly-senate-endorsements-01144382\">Robert Rivas\u003c/a> managed to disgruntle the Legislature’s Black, Progressive and Women’s caucuses by endorsing Lucan, Politico reported. \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/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108115\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-3-KQED-c3baf0bd-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jackie Elward, Democratic candidate for California State Assembly District 12, speaks to a supporter at her election night watch party, at Pub Republic in Petaluma on Nov. 3, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grow California and California Leads, another super PAC that is heavily funded by Meta and Google, poured nearly $39 million into 16 other legislative races across the state, backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates. Political analysts say Big Tech’s spending outpaced its contributions in prior years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, Grow California committed to continuing its election advocacy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Lasting progress is built incrementally, over time and across election cycles,” said Shaudi Fulp, strategist for Grow California. “We are making that long-term commitment to California, grounded in trust, collaboration, and a willingness to find common ground on the issues that matter most to Californians.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The spending in District 12 this year may have pushed labor interests to increase their contributions, according to McCuan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“You see a huge amount of labor interests that are coordinating a campaign for Elward, in other words, to push back against those entities that are on the negative [independent expenditure] side,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Californians United for Progress, a super PAC funded by labor unions — including the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO and SEIU California State Council — spent nearly $2 million backing Elward, most of it after the primary. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elward proudly called herself the labor candidate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“If it wasn’t for labor, I wouldn’t be alive,” she said. “It’s all about just protecting the humans that are working in those union and non-union jobs.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Labor wasn’t the only group responding to the influx of tech money. TechEquity Action, an Oakland nonprofit that lobbies on AI and tech policy in Sacramento, launched a $1 million \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">ad campaign\u003c/a> to highlight the presence of that money in four races, including District 12. \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/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-10-KQED-f7076bcc.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108116\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-10-KQED-f7076bcc.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-10-KQED-f7076bcc-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/20261103_JACKIEELWARDELECTIONNIGHT_GC-10-KQED-f7076bcc-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jackie Elward, Democratic candidate for California State Assembly District 12, reacts as she finds out she’s leading the AD12 race, at her election night watch party, at Pub Republic in Petaluma on Nov. 3, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the campaign, Lucan disavowed the outside spending on both sides and called on the political action committees to back off, noting that the independent expenditures had “completely dwarf[ed]” the candidates’ own war chests. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There will be a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking,” he said the morning after Election Day. “I think looking back, when folks look at this race, it unfortunately is going to be defined by the significant outside spending.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Larsen told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> that he sees Lucan as a “problem solver” and believes Elward is “taking orders” from unions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elward issued a similar criticism of Grow California, saying the group wants a candidate who will “push their agenda.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s funny he said that because I am beholden to the working people,” she said. “When he was pouring money to my opponent, what was he thinking? He wanted my opponent to be beholden to him?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both candidates said AI and data centers need guardrails, but they differed on how far they would go. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lucan called for more transparency about data centers’ impact on water and energy costs. He does not support a statewide moratorium and said land-use decisions should be handled at the local level.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elward supported a statewide data center moratorium and tighter limits on AI use in workplaces, hospitals and schools. She said her priority is protecting workers and jobs from AI. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“[The voters] do not want data centers; that is something that they have been clear about,” Elward said. “I’m going to work on a statewide moratorium on data centers in order to protect workers, to protect the working class.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "lurie-backed-propositions-appear-headed-to-victory-in-san-francisco",
"title": "Lurie-Backed Propositions Appear Headed to Victory in San Francisco",
"publishDate": 1793818183,
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"headTitle": "Lurie-Backed Propositions Appear Headed to Victory in San Francisco | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco voters weighed in Tuesday on a trio of propositions backed by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and two competitive races to serve on the Board of Supervisors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Propositions D, E and F \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lurie’s slate of charter reform propositions to “clean up City Hall” were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results\">approved by voters\u003c/a> Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s an exciting night for our city, it’s an exciting night for our state and it’s an exciting night for our country,” Lurie said Tuesday night during an election party at Anina, a bar in Hayes Valley.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Propositions D, E and F aim to streamline the city’s notoriously clunky and confusing governance system. The measures would add additional limits to how a measure is placed on city ballots, give the mayor more direct control over city government and streamline contracting processes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They were backed by the majority of the Board of Supervisors, including President Rafael Mandelman, who introduced the propositions with the mayor. Most of the changes also align with recommendations nonprofit public policy organization SPUR made in a 2025 charter reform report, written by a number of former city officials.\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/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062093\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman speaks at a press event in front of San Francisco City Hall on Oct. 29, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/proposition-d\">Proposition D\u003c/a>, which was leading with 57.75% of the vote Wednesday morning, will make it more difficult to place a citywide measure on San Francisco ballots, by requiring the backing of a majority of the Board of Supervisors and raising the signature threshold for citizen-led ballot measures from 2% to 8%. The mayor will no longer be able to unilaterally place a measure on the ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Democratic Socialists of America San Francisco, which \u003ca href=\"https://dsasf.org/oppose-mayor-luries-power-grab-no-on-d-e-f/\">opposed all three measures\u003c/a>, and multiple labor unions said it would limit citizen-led ballot initiatives, which in San Francisco have led to major changes in city policy around rent control and affordability, education funding and more. Such measures would need to gather about 42,500 signatures instead of 10,600 — which is still considered on the lower end of signature requirements. Currently, San Francisco has the lowest requirement in the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measures E and D led by even wider margins Wednesday, with 66.88% and 62.86% of votes in favor, respectively.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/proposition-e\">Measure E\u003c/a>, the city administrator would be the sole decision-maker for city contracting decisions and would create consistent purchasing guidelines for all departments to follow. The city administrator, appointed by the mayor, would also serve for 10 years instead of five. The measure also raises the threshold for what contracts require Board of Supervisors’ approval from $10 million to $25 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents worry that streamlining the contracting process in this way will open the door to corruption in City Hall — a hot-button issue for many San Franciscans after former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru’s 2020 arrest for accepting bribes led to a slew of other officials’ indictments for bribery, embezzlement and similar misuse of public funds. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Proposition F allows the mayor to directly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096437/sf-mayor-backers-renew-push-for-increased-mayoral-power\">hire and fire more department heads\u003c/a>, including for important departments like city planning, building inspection, public works and homelessness and supportive housing. Until now, unelected commissions gave the mayor a list of at least three candidates to choose from for the role. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some departments will still require commission recommendation, but it will lower the number of candidates they need to put forward to one. The mayor, instead of commissions, will also be able to fire department heads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mayor will be able to merge city departments and change their duties. Most of those decisions previously required a citywide vote to change, since departments and their roles are written into the city charter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measures benefited from high-profile support, including from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who endorsed all three last month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters also poured a staggering $13.5 million into the slate of propositions — more than any other local measure on this year’s ballot. It was bankrolled by the city’s tech elites, including Chris Larsen and his wife Lyna Lam, Michael Moritz and John Pritzker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106168\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom attends a rally alongside California Democratic Party members, labor leaders and advocates in San Francisco on Oct. 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They significantly outspent opponents of the charter reform package: opponents of Measure D raised just $1.8 million, and neither Measure E nor F faced a robust opposition campaign. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, money didn’t appear to be the deciding factor in the races: a similar charter reform effort in 2024 failed to garner enough support, despite raising nearly $10 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Proposition I, meanwhile, was trailing by about a 10% margin Wednesday morning. The affordable housing measure was the only Lurie strongly campaigned against. The measure, \u003ca href=\"https://sfsocialhousing.org/news/20260703-local-news-matters-affordable-housing-guarantee-act-signatures\">championed by the city’s Democratic Socialist of America chapter\u003c/a>, would have dedicated half of the transfer tax revenue from property transactions of $10 million or more to affordable housing and certain tenant protection programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In August, Lurie called the measure an “unaccountable slush fund for the groups that wrote it.” Unions for the city’s fire and police departments — who Lurie said could be affected by a loss of general fund money if the measure passes — joined his opposition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">District 8 \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gary McCoy, a progressive Democrat who became the late frontrunner in the race to become San Francisco’s next \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/supervisor-8th-district\">District 8 supervisor\u003c/a>, declared victory shortly after the city’s first vote returns came in Tuesday night. He held a commanding lead in vote returns Wednesday morning, with support from more than 64% of Castro, Noe Valley and Glen Park voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At an election night party, McCoy said he felt “1000% today…I’m glad to have a lot of good friends and supporters here tonight.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, he said winning the seat was “the honor of my life.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McCoy, who worked in the offices of former Mayor London Breed and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, won the race to represent after it was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102333/new-allegations-surface-against-san-francisco-supervisor-candidate-manny-yekutiel\">upended in October\u003c/a> by sexual assault allegations against his prominent then-competitor Manny Yekutiel.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104054\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gary McCoy sits at the Castro Country Club in San Francisco on May 4, 2022, where he would have coffee before work for many years. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prior to October, Yekutiel was considered a strong favorite to win the seat. The owner of cafe and political gathering space Manny’s Cafe in the Mission District had wracked up powerful endorsements from Mayor Daniel Lurie, outgoing supervisor Rafael Mandelman, a majority of sitting members of the Board of Supervisors, GrowSF and other moderate PACs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many of those endorsements came after Yekutiel was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090065/sexual-assault-allegations-against-manny-yekutiel-roil-san-francisco-democrats\">publicly accused of sexual assault\u003c/a> by political activist Brad Chapin in June. Yekutiel denied the allegations, and many of his supporters stuck by his campaign until October, when the San Francisco Standard \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2026/10/01/manny-yekutiel-sexual-assault-allegation-sf-supervisor-candidate/\">published additional allegations\u003c/a> by a couple who said Yekutiel assaulted them at a 2023 Pride event. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yekutiel has also denied those claims, but ended his campaign days later after a number of his supporters rescinded their endorsements, and he faced calls from local politicians to drop out of the race. His name still appeared on voters’ ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Yekutiel, who founded Spark SF with Lurie, would have been a key ally for the mayor, McCoy will be a much more progressive voice on the board, especially with respect to addiction policy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco Democratic Party Chair Nancy Tung said Tuesday that McCoy was “always a strong candidate … he has deep institutional knowledge about how the city works.” \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/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11996722\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco Democratic Party Chair Nancy Tung speaks during a rally in support of the presidential nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris at City Hall in San Francisco on July 22, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He’s one of the few board members who are still supportive of the idea of making drug use safer for people in all stages of recovery, rather than criminalizing users. In recent years, San Francisco has significantly scaled back harm-reduction programs, which Lurie and more moderate supervisors say aren’t working to solve the city’s addiction crisis. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’ve known him for about 20 years, and I’ve never known him not to be in service to sort of the underserved population,” supporter Basil Green said. “I think that’s sort of what’s lacking in politics right now.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McCoy also beat out former Obama White House staffer Darshini Patel, with whom he split some of San Francisco’s progressive support. Patel had also received a late endorsement from moderate PAC GrowSF — which she has said was against her will — after it rescinded its support for Yekutiel. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Having the trust of the voters means the world to me,” McCoy said in a statement. “I’m ready to hit the ground running on day one to fight for a more affordable city – more housing, fully-funded transit that works and safe streets for all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">District 10 \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Theo Ellington, a moderate Democrat and Bayview-Hunter’s Point native, also declared victory Tuesday night in the race to represent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/supervisor-10th-district\">District 10\u003c/a> on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ellington, who was backed by much of the city’s moderate Democratic flank and received a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">record-breaking donation\u003c/a> during his campaign, beat a crowded field of candidates in early vote returns. As of Wednesday morning, he held a commanding lead with 66.87% of the votes counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He is set to succeed one of the board’s most progressive voices, marking a political shift and adding to Mayor Daniel Lurie’s moderate voting bloc at a time of major change for the southeastern edge of the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102816\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 Supervisor candidate Theo Ellington speaks during a youth-led candidate forum at Southeast Community Center in San Francisco on Weds., Sept. 30, 2026. 3rd Street Youth Center and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) partnered to host the forum for local residents. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Theo is a really strong candidate,” Tung, the party chair, said Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was up against Dion-Jay Brookter, a progressive Democrat and longtime Hunters Point resident. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brookter amassed much of the city’s labor and progressive support, including that of outgoing Supervisor Shamann Walton. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nine candidates joined the race to represent District 10, which includes a diverse block of neighborhoods from Potrero Hill to Bayview-Hunters Point. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race attracted citywide attention this fall, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">crypto billionaire Chris Larsen\u003c/a> spent a record $500,000 to elect Ellington. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The donation through a political action committee backing his campaign is thought to be the largest in San Francisco history to a third-party supporting a single candidate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It raised questions about how much power money can buy in local politics, especially in low-information races where having the funds to advertise and build name recognition is particularly important.\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/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099648\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco District 10 supervisor, Shamann Walton, announces that he will vote for a 45-day moratorium on approving new data center construction in the city outside of San Francisco City Hall on Sept. 14, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new supervisor will oversee a period of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088662/toxic-land-protest-targets-sf-housing-plans-at-contaminated-hunters-point-naval-shipyard\">major change in District 10\u003c/a>, with the ongoing environmental cleanup of the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and concurrent development efforts at the site.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The former shipyard was declared one of the nation’s most contaminated sites in 1989, after radioactive chemicals, heavy metals and petroleum fuels related to atomic bomb tests during the Cold War seeped into its soil and groundwater. Cancer “is a major cause of years of life lost” for Bayview-Hunters Point residents, according to past city health surveys, though they didn’t assess whether the shipyard contamination was a direct factor in adverse health outcomes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alongside the cleanup work, the city is also undertaking a massive redevelopment project on the former base, which could eventually be transformed into two new neighborhoods of recreational and commercial space and up to 10,000 new housing units. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new supervisor will replace the termed-out Walton, who has been one of the board’s most progressive voices since his election in 2018.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco voters weighed in Tuesday on a trio of propositions backed by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and two competitive races to serve on the Board of Supervisors. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco voters weighed in Tuesday on a trio of propositions backed by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and two competitive races to serve on the Board of Supervisors. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Propositions D, E and F ",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Propositions D, E and F \u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lurie’s slate of charter reform propositions to “clean up City Hall” were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results\">approved by voters\u003c/a> Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lurie’s slate of charter reform propositions to “clean up City Hall” were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results\">approved by voters\u003c/a> Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s an exciting night for our city, it’s an exciting night for our state and it’s an exciting night for our country,” Lurie said Tuesday night during an election party at Anina, a bar in Hayes Valley.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s an exciting night for our city, it’s an exciting night for our state and it’s an exciting night for our country,” Lurie said Tuesday night during an election party at Anina, a bar in Hayes Valley.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Propositions D, E and F aim to streamline the city’s notoriously clunky and confusing governance system. The measures would add additional limits to how a measure is placed on city ballots, give the mayor more direct control over city government and streamline contracting processes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Propositions D, E and F aim to streamline the city’s notoriously clunky and confusing governance system. The measures would add additional limits to how a measure is placed on city ballots, give the mayor more direct control over city government and streamline contracting processes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They were backed by the majority of the Board of Supervisors, including President Rafael Mandelman, who introduced the propositions with the mayor. Most of the changes also align with recommendations nonprofit public policy organization SPUR made in a 2025 charter reform report, written by a number of former city officials.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They were backed by the majority of the Board of Supervisors, including President Rafael Mandelman, who introduced the propositions with the mayor. Most of the changes also align with recommendations nonprofit public policy organization SPUR made in a 2025 charter reform report, written by a number of former city officials.\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/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062093\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-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\">San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman speaks at a press event in front of San Francisco City Hall on Oct. 29, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/proposition-d\">Proposition D\u003c/a>, which was leading with 57.75% of the vote Wednesday morning, will make it more difficult to place a citywide measure on San Francisco ballots, by requiring the backing of a majority of the Board of Supervisors and raising the signature threshold for citizen-led ballot measures from 2% to 8%. The mayor will no longer be able to unilaterally place a measure on the ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Democratic Socialists of America San Francisco, which \u003ca href=\"https://dsasf.org/oppose-mayor-luries-power-grab-no-on-d-e-f/\">opposed all three measures\u003c/a>, and multiple labor unions said it would limit citizen-led ballot initiatives, which in San Francisco have led to major changes in city policy around rent control and affordability, education funding and more. Such measures would need to gather about 42,500 signatures instead of 10,600 — which is still considered on the lower end of signature requirements. Currently, San Francisco has the lowest requirement in the state. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Democratic Socialists of America San Francisco, which \u003ca href=\"https://dsasf.org/oppose-mayor-luries-power-grab-no-on-d-e-f/\">opposed all three measures\u003c/a>, and multiple labor unions said it would limit citizen-led ballot initiatives, which in San Francisco have led to major changes in city policy around rent control and affordability, education funding and more. Such measures would need to gather about 42,500 signatures instead of 10,600 — which is still considered on the lower end of signature requirements. Currently, San Francisco has the lowest requirement in the state. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Measures E and D led by even wider margins Wednesday, with 66.88% and 62.86% of votes in favor, respectively.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Measures E and D led by even wider margins Wednesday, with 66.88% and 62.86% of votes in favor, respectively.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/proposition-e\">Measure E\u003c/a>, the city administrator would be the sole decision-maker for city contracting decisions and would create consistent purchasing guidelines for all departments to follow. The city administrator, appointed by the mayor, would also serve for 10 years instead of five. The measure also raises the threshold for what contracts require Board of Supervisors’ approval from $10 million to $25 million. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/proposition-e\">Measure E\u003c/a>, the city administrator would be the sole decision-maker for city contracting decisions and would create consistent purchasing guidelines for all departments to follow. The city administrator, appointed by the mayor, would also serve for 10 years instead of five. The measure also raises the threshold for what contracts require Board of Supervisors’ approval from $10 million to $25 million. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Opponents worry that streamlining the contracting process in this way will open the door to corruption in City Hall — a hot-button issue for many San Franciscans after former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru’s 2020 arrest for accepting bribes led to a slew of other officials’ indictments for bribery, embezzlement and similar misuse of public funds. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Opponents worry that streamlining the contracting process in this way will open the door to corruption in City Hall — a hot-button issue for many San Franciscans after former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru’s 2020 arrest for accepting bribes led to a slew of other officials’ indictments for bribery, embezzlement and similar misuse of public funds. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Proposition F allows the mayor to directly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096437/sf-mayor-backers-renew-push-for-increased-mayoral-power\">hire and fire more department heads\u003c/a>, including for important departments like city planning, building inspection, public works and homelessness and supportive housing. Until now, unelected commissions gave the mayor a list of at least three candidates to choose from for the role. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Proposition F allows the mayor to directly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096437/sf-mayor-backers-renew-push-for-increased-mayoral-power\">hire and fire more department heads\u003c/a>, including for important departments like city planning, building inspection, public works and homelessness and supportive housing. Until now, unelected commissions gave the mayor a list of at least three candidates to choose from for the role. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some departments will still require commission recommendation, but it will lower the number of candidates they need to put forward to one. The mayor, instead of commissions, will also be able to fire department heads. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some departments will still require commission recommendation, but it will lower the number of candidates they need to put forward to one. The mayor, instead of commissions, will also be able to fire department heads. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The mayor will be able to merge city departments and change their duties. Most of those decisions previously required a citywide vote to change, since departments and their roles are written into the city charter.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The mayor will be able to merge city departments and change their duties. Most of those decisions previously required a citywide vote to change, since departments and their roles are written into the city charter.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The measures benefited from high-profile support, including from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who endorsed all three last month. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The measures benefited from high-profile support, including from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who endorsed all three last month. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Supporters also poured a staggering $13.5 million into the slate of propositions — more than any other local measure on this year’s ballot. It was bankrolled by the city’s tech elites, including Chris Larsen and his wife Lyna Lam, Michael Moritz and John Pritzker.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Supporters also poured a staggering $13.5 million into the slate of propositions — more than any other local measure on this year’s ballot. It was bankrolled by the city’s tech elites, including Chris Larsen and his wife Lyna Lam, Michael Moritz and John Pritzker.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106168\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom attends a rally alongside California Democratic Party members, labor leaders and advocates in San Francisco on Oct. 23, 2026.\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/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106168\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom attends a rally alongside California Democratic Party members, labor leaders and advocates in San Francisco on Oct. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They significantly outspent opponents of the charter reform package: opponents of Measure D raised just $1.8 million, and neither Measure E nor F faced a robust opposition campaign. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They significantly outspent opponents of the charter reform package: opponents of Measure D raised just $1.8 million, and neither Measure E nor F faced a robust opposition campaign. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, money didn’t appear to be the deciding factor in the races: a similar charter reform effort in 2024 failed to garner enough support, despite raising nearly $10 million. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Still, money didn’t appear to be the deciding factor in the races: a similar charter reform effort in 2024 failed to garner enough support, despite raising nearly $10 million. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Proposition I, meanwhile, was trailing by about a 10% margin Wednesday morning. The affordable housing measure was the only Lurie strongly campaigned against. The measure, \u003ca href=\"https://sfsocialhousing.org/news/20260703-local-news-matters-affordable-housing-guarantee-act-signatures\">championed by the city’s Democratic Socialist of America chapter\u003c/a>, would have dedicated half of the transfer tax revenue from property transactions of $10 million or more to affordable housing and certain tenant protection programs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Proposition I, meanwhile, was trailing by about a 10% margin Wednesday morning. The affordable housing measure was the only Lurie strongly campaigned against. The measure, \u003ca href=\"https://sfsocialhousing.org/news/20260703-local-news-matters-affordable-housing-guarantee-act-signatures\">championed by the city’s Democratic Socialist of America chapter\u003c/a>, would have dedicated half of the transfer tax revenue from property transactions of $10 million or more to affordable housing and certain tenant protection programs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In August, Lurie called the measure an “unaccountable slush fund for the groups that wrote it.” Unions for the city’s fire and police departments — who Lurie said could be affected by a loss of general fund money if the measure passes — joined his opposition. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In August, Lurie called the measure an “unaccountable slush fund for the groups that wrote it.” Unions for the city’s fire and police departments — who Lurie said could be affected by a loss of general fund money if the measure passes — joined his opposition. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gary McCoy, a progressive Democrat who became the late frontrunner in the race to become San Francisco’s next \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/supervisor-8th-district\">District 8 supervisor\u003c/a>, declared victory shortly after the city’s first vote returns came in Tuesday night. He held a commanding lead in vote returns Wednesday morning, with support from more than 64% of Castro, Noe Valley and Glen Park voters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gary McCoy, a progressive Democrat who became the late frontrunner in the race to become San Francisco’s next \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/supervisor-8th-district\">District 8 supervisor\u003c/a>, declared victory shortly after the city’s first vote returns came in Tuesday night. He held a commanding lead in vote returns Wednesday morning, with support from more than 64% of Castro, Noe Valley and Glen Park voters.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At an election night party, McCoy said he felt “1000% today…I’m glad to have a lot of good friends and supporters here tonight.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At an election night party, McCoy said he felt “1000% today…I’m glad to have a lot of good friends and supporters here tonight.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, he said winning the seat was “the honor of my life.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a statement, he said winning the seat was “the honor of my life.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>McCoy, who worked in the offices of former Mayor London Breed and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, won the race to represent after it was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102333/new-allegations-surface-against-san-francisco-supervisor-candidate-manny-yekutiel\">upended in October\u003c/a> by sexual assault allegations against his prominent then-competitor Manny Yekutiel.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>McCoy, who worked in the offices of former Mayor London Breed and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, won the race to represent after it was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102333/new-allegations-surface-against-san-francisco-supervisor-candidate-manny-yekutiel\">upended in October\u003c/a> by sexual assault allegations against his prominent then-competitor Manny Yekutiel.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104054\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gary McCoy sits at the Castro Country Club in San Francisco on May 4, 2022, where he would have coffee before work for many years.\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/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104054\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gary McCoy sits at the Castro Country Club in San Francisco on May 4, 2022, where he would have coffee before work for many years.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prior to October, Yekutiel was considered a strong favorite to win the seat. The owner of cafe and political gathering space Manny’s Cafe in the Mission District had wracked up powerful endorsements from Mayor Daniel Lurie, outgoing supervisor Rafael Mandelman, a majority of sitting members of the Board of Supervisors, GrowSF and other moderate PACs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prior to October, Yekutiel was considered a strong favorite to win the seat. The owner of cafe and political gathering space Manny’s Cafe in the Mission District had wracked up powerful endorsements from Mayor Daniel Lurie, outgoing supervisor Rafael Mandelman, a majority of sitting members of the Board of Supervisors, GrowSF and other moderate PACs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many of those endorsements came after Yekutiel was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090065/sexual-assault-allegations-against-manny-yekutiel-roil-san-francisco-democrats\">publicly accused of sexual assault\u003c/a> by political activist Brad Chapin in June. Yekutiel denied the allegations, and many of his supporters stuck by his campaign until October, when the San Francisco Standard \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2026/10/01/manny-yekutiel-sexual-assault-allegation-sf-supervisor-candidate/\">published additional allegations\u003c/a> by a couple who said Yekutiel assaulted them at a 2023 Pride event. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Many of those endorsements came after Yekutiel was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090065/sexual-assault-allegations-against-manny-yekutiel-roil-san-francisco-democrats\">publicly accused of sexual assault\u003c/a> by political activist Brad Chapin in June. Yekutiel denied the allegations, and many of his supporters stuck by his campaign until October, when the San Francisco Standard \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2026/10/01/manny-yekutiel-sexual-assault-allegation-sf-supervisor-candidate/\">published additional allegations\u003c/a> by a couple who said Yekutiel assaulted them at a 2023 Pride event. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yekutiel has also denied those claims, but ended his campaign days later after a number of his supporters rescinded their endorsements, and he faced calls from local politicians to drop out of the race. His name still appeared on voters’ ballots.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yekutiel has also denied those claims, but ended his campaign days later after a number of his supporters rescinded their endorsements, and he faced calls from local politicians to drop out of the race. His name still appeared on voters’ ballots.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Yekutiel, who founded Spark SF with Lurie, would have been a key ally for the mayor, McCoy will be a much more progressive voice on the board, especially with respect to addiction policy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco Democratic Party Chair Nancy Tung said Tuesday that McCoy was “always a strong candidate … he has deep institutional knowledge about how the city works.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He’s one of the few board members who are still supportive of the idea of making drug use safer for people in all stages of recovery, rather than criminalizing users. In recent years, San Francisco has significantly scaled back harm-reduction programs, which Lurie and more moderate supervisors say aren’t working to solve the city’s addiction crisis. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve known him for about 20 years, and I’ve never known him not to be in service to sort of the underserved population,” supporter Basil Green said. “I think that’s sort of what’s lacking in politics right now.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’ve known him for about 20 years, and I’ve never known him not to be in service to sort of the underserved population,” supporter Basil Green said. “I think that’s sort of what’s lacking in politics right now.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>McCoy also beat out former Obama White House staffer Darshini Patel, with whom he split some of San Francisco’s progressive support. Patel had also received a late endorsement from moderate PAC GrowSF — which she has said was against her will — after it rescinded its support for Yekutiel. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>McCoy also beat out former Obama White House staffer Darshini Patel, with whom he split some of San Francisco’s progressive support. Patel had also received a late endorsement from moderate PAC GrowSF — which she has said was against her will — after it rescinded its support for Yekutiel. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Having the trust of the voters means the world to me,” McCoy said in a statement. “I’m ready to hit the ground running on day one to fight for a more affordable city – more housing, fully-funded transit that works and safe streets for all.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Having the trust of the voters means the world to me,” McCoy said in a statement. “I’m ready to hit the ground running on day one to fight for a more affordable city – more housing, fully-funded transit that works and safe streets for all.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">District 10 \u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Theo Ellington, a moderate Democrat and Bayview-Hunter’s Point native, also declared victory Tuesday night in the race to represent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/supervisor-10th-district\">District 10\u003c/a> on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Theo Ellington, a moderate Democrat and Bayview-Hunter’s Point native, also declared victory Tuesday night in the race to represent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/supervisor-10th-district\">District 10\u003c/a> on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ellington, who was backed by much of the city’s moderate Democratic flank and received a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">record-breaking donation\u003c/a> during his campaign, beat a crowded field of candidates in early vote returns. As of Wednesday morning, he held a commanding lead with 66.87% of the votes counted.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ellington, who was backed by much of the city’s moderate Democratic flank and received a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">record-breaking donation\u003c/a> during his campaign, beat a crowded field of candidates in early vote returns. As of Wednesday morning, he held a commanding lead with 66.87% of the votes counted.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He is set to succeed one of the board’s most progressive voices, marking a political shift and adding to Mayor Daniel Lurie’s moderate voting bloc at a time of major change for the southeastern edge of the city.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He is set to succeed one of the board’s most progressive voices, marking a political shift and adding to Mayor Daniel Lurie’s moderate voting bloc at a time of major change for the southeastern edge of the city.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102816\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-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\">District 10 Supervisor candidate Theo Ellington speaks during a youth-led candidate forum at Southeast Community Center in San Francisco on Weds., Sept. 30, 2026. 3rd Street Youth Center and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) partnered to host the forum for local residents.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102816\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 Supervisor candidate Theo Ellington speaks during a youth-led candidate forum at Southeast Community Center in San Francisco on Weds., Sept. 30, 2026. 3rd Street Youth Center and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) partnered to host the forum for local residents.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Theo is a really strong candidate,” Tung, the party chair, said Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He was up against Dion-Jay Brookter, a progressive Democrat and longtime Hunters Point resident. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brookter amassed much of the city’s labor and progressive support, including that of outgoing Supervisor Shamann Walton. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nine candidates joined the race to represent District 10, which includes a diverse block of neighborhoods from Potrero Hill to Bayview-Hunters Point. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nine candidates joined the race to represent District 10, which includes a diverse block of neighborhoods from Potrero Hill to Bayview-Hunters Point. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The race attracted citywide attention this fall, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">crypto billionaire Chris Larsen\u003c/a> spent a record $500,000 to elect Ellington. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The race attracted citywide attention this fall, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">crypto billionaire Chris Larsen\u003c/a> spent a record $500,000 to elect Ellington. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The donation through a political action committee backing his campaign is thought to be the largest in San Francisco history to a third-party supporting a single candidate. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The donation through a political action committee backing his campaign is thought to be the largest in San Francisco history to a third-party supporting a single candidate. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It raised questions about how much power money can buy in local politics, especially in low-information races where having the funds to advertise and build name recognition is particularly important.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It raised questions about how much power money can buy in local politics, especially in low-information races where having the funds to advertise and build name recognition is particularly important.\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/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099648\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-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\">San Francisco District 10 supervisor, Shamann Walton, announces that he will vote for a 45-day moratorium on approving new data center construction in the city outside of San Francisco City Hall on Sept. 14, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099648\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco District 10 supervisor, Shamann Walton, announces that he will vote for a 45-day moratorium on approving new data center construction in the city outside of San Francisco City Hall on Sept. 14, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The new supervisor will oversee a period of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088662/toxic-land-protest-targets-sf-housing-plans-at-contaminated-hunters-point-naval-shipyard\">major change in District 10\u003c/a>, with the ongoing environmental cleanup of the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and concurrent development efforts at the site.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The former shipyard was declared one of the nation’s most contaminated sites in 1989, after radioactive chemicals, heavy metals and petroleum fuels related to atomic bomb tests during the Cold War seeped into its soil and groundwater. Cancer “is a major cause of years of life lost” for Bayview-Hunters Point residents, according to past city health surveys, though they didn’t assess whether the shipyard contamination was a direct factor in adverse health outcomes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alongside the cleanup work, the city is also undertaking a massive redevelopment project on the former base, which could eventually be transformed into two new neighborhoods of recreational and commercial space and up to 10,000 new housing units. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The new supervisor will replace the termed-out Walton, who has been one of the board’s most progressive voices since his election in 2018.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco voters weighed in Tuesday on a trio of propositions backed by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and two competitive races to serve on the Board of Supervisors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Propositions D, E and F \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lurie’s slate of charter reform propositions to “clean up City Hall” were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results\">approved by voters\u003c/a> Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s an exciting night for our city, it’s an exciting night for our state and it’s an exciting night for our country,” Lurie said Tuesday night during an election party at Anina, a bar in Hayes Valley.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Propositions D, E and F aim to streamline the city’s notoriously clunky and confusing governance system. The measures would add additional limits to how a measure is placed on city ballots, give the mayor more direct control over city government and streamline contracting processes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They were backed by the majority of the Board of Supervisors, including President Rafael Mandelman, who introduced the propositions with the mayor. Most of the changes also align with recommendations nonprofit public policy organization SPUR made in a 2025 charter reform report, written by a number of former city officials.\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/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062093\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-SNAP-PRESSER-MD-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman speaks at a press event in front of San Francisco City Hall on Oct. 29, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/proposition-d\">Proposition D\u003c/a>, which was leading with 57.75% of the vote Wednesday morning, will make it more difficult to place a citywide measure on San Francisco ballots, by requiring the backing of a majority of the Board of Supervisors and raising the signature threshold for citizen-led ballot measures from 2% to 8%. The mayor will no longer be able to unilaterally place a measure on the ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Democratic Socialists of America San Francisco, which \u003ca href=\"https://dsasf.org/oppose-mayor-luries-power-grab-no-on-d-e-f/\">opposed all three measures\u003c/a>, and multiple labor unions said it would limit citizen-led ballot initiatives, which in San Francisco have led to major changes in city policy around rent control and affordability, education funding and more. Such measures would need to gather about 42,500 signatures instead of 10,600 — which is still considered on the lower end of signature requirements. Currently, San Francisco has the lowest requirement in the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measures E and D led by even wider margins Wednesday, with 66.88% and 62.86% of votes in favor, respectively.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/proposition-e\">Measure E\u003c/a>, the city administrator would be the sole decision-maker for city contracting decisions and would create consistent purchasing guidelines for all departments to follow. The city administrator, appointed by the mayor, would also serve for 10 years instead of five. The measure also raises the threshold for what contracts require Board of Supervisors’ approval from $10 million to $25 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents worry that streamlining the contracting process in this way will open the door to corruption in City Hall — a hot-button issue for many San Franciscans after former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru’s 2020 arrest for accepting bribes led to a slew of other officials’ indictments for bribery, embezzlement and similar misuse of public funds. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Proposition F allows the mayor to directly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096437/sf-mayor-backers-renew-push-for-increased-mayoral-power\">hire and fire more department heads\u003c/a>, including for important departments like city planning, building inspection, public works and homelessness and supportive housing. Until now, unelected commissions gave the mayor a list of at least three candidates to choose from for the role. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some departments will still require commission recommendation, but it will lower the number of candidates they need to put forward to one. The mayor, instead of commissions, will also be able to fire department heads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mayor will be able to merge city departments and change their duties. Most of those decisions previously required a citywide vote to change, since departments and their roles are written into the city charter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measures benefited from high-profile support, including from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who endorsed all three last month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters also poured a staggering $13.5 million into the slate of propositions — more than any other local measure on this year’s ballot. It was bankrolled by the city’s tech elites, including Chris Larsen and his wife Lyna Lam, Michael Moritz and John Pritzker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106168\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-04-BL-KQED-f3ea4b09-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom attends a rally alongside California Democratic Party members, labor leaders and advocates in San Francisco on Oct. 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They significantly outspent opponents of the charter reform package: opponents of Measure D raised just $1.8 million, and neither Measure E nor F faced a robust opposition campaign. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, money didn’t appear to be the deciding factor in the races: a similar charter reform effort in 2024 failed to garner enough support, despite raising nearly $10 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Proposition I, meanwhile, was trailing by about a 10% margin Wednesday morning. The affordable housing measure was the only Lurie strongly campaigned against. The measure, \u003ca href=\"https://sfsocialhousing.org/news/20260703-local-news-matters-affordable-housing-guarantee-act-signatures\">championed by the city’s Democratic Socialist of America chapter\u003c/a>, would have dedicated half of the transfer tax revenue from property transactions of $10 million or more to affordable housing and certain tenant protection programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In August, Lurie called the measure an “unaccountable slush fund for the groups that wrote it.” Unions for the city’s fire and police departments — who Lurie said could be affected by a loss of general fund money if the measure passes — joined his opposition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">District 8 \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gary McCoy, a progressive Democrat who became the late frontrunner in the race to become San Francisco’s next \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/supervisor-8th-district\">District 8 supervisor\u003c/a>, declared victory shortly after the city’s first vote returns came in Tuesday night. He held a commanding lead in vote returns Wednesday morning, with support from more than 64% of Castro, Noe Valley and Glen Park voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At an election night party, McCoy said he felt “1000% today…I’m glad to have a lot of good friends and supporters here tonight.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, he said winning the seat was “the honor of my life.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McCoy, who worked in the offices of former Mayor London Breed and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, won the race to represent after it was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102333/new-allegations-surface-against-san-francisco-supervisor-candidate-manny-yekutiel\">upended in October\u003c/a> by sexual assault allegations against his prominent then-competitor Manny Yekutiel.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104054\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/007_KQED_GaryMcCoyCastro_05042022_qed-2229755b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gary McCoy sits at the Castro Country Club in San Francisco on May 4, 2022, where he would have coffee before work for many years. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prior to October, Yekutiel was considered a strong favorite to win the seat. The owner of cafe and political gathering space Manny’s Cafe in the Mission District had wracked up powerful endorsements from Mayor Daniel Lurie, outgoing supervisor Rafael Mandelman, a majority of sitting members of the Board of Supervisors, GrowSF and other moderate PACs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many of those endorsements came after Yekutiel was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090065/sexual-assault-allegations-against-manny-yekutiel-roil-san-francisco-democrats\">publicly accused of sexual assault\u003c/a> by political activist Brad Chapin in June. Yekutiel denied the allegations, and many of his supporters stuck by his campaign until October, when the San Francisco Standard \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2026/10/01/manny-yekutiel-sexual-assault-allegation-sf-supervisor-candidate/\">published additional allegations\u003c/a> by a couple who said Yekutiel assaulted them at a 2023 Pride event. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yekutiel has also denied those claims, but ended his campaign days later after a number of his supporters rescinded their endorsements, and he faced calls from local politicians to drop out of the race. His name still appeared on voters’ ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Yekutiel, who founded Spark SF with Lurie, would have been a key ally for the mayor, McCoy will be a much more progressive voice on the board, especially with respect to addiction policy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco Democratic Party Chair Nancy Tung said Tuesday that McCoy was “always a strong candidate … he has deep institutional knowledge about how the city works.” \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/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11996722\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/240722-SFKamalaHarrisRally-56-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco Democratic Party Chair Nancy Tung speaks during a rally in support of the presidential nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris at City Hall in San Francisco on July 22, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He’s one of the few board members who are still supportive of the idea of making drug use safer for people in all stages of recovery, rather than criminalizing users. In recent years, San Francisco has significantly scaled back harm-reduction programs, which Lurie and more moderate supervisors say aren’t working to solve the city’s addiction crisis. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’ve known him for about 20 years, and I’ve never known him not to be in service to sort of the underserved population,” supporter Basil Green said. “I think that’s sort of what’s lacking in politics right now.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McCoy also beat out former Obama White House staffer Darshini Patel, with whom he split some of San Francisco’s progressive support. Patel had also received a late endorsement from moderate PAC GrowSF — which she has said was against her will — after it rescinded its support for Yekutiel. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Having the trust of the voters means the world to me,” McCoy said in a statement. “I’m ready to hit the ground running on day one to fight for a more affordable city – more housing, fully-funded transit that works and safe streets for all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">District 10 \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Theo Ellington, a moderate Democrat and Bayview-Hunter’s Point native, also declared victory Tuesday night in the race to represent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanfrancisco/supervisor-10th-district\">District 10\u003c/a> on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ellington, who was backed by much of the city’s moderate Democratic flank and received a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">record-breaking donation\u003c/a> during his campaign, beat a crowded field of candidates in early vote returns. As of Wednesday morning, he held a commanding lead with 66.87% of the votes counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He is set to succeed one of the board’s most progressive voices, marking a political shift and adding to Mayor Daniel Lurie’s moderate voting bloc at a time of major change for the southeastern edge of the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102816\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260930-CHINESEEDUCATION-JY-10-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 Supervisor candidate Theo Ellington speaks during a youth-led candidate forum at Southeast Community Center in San Francisco on Weds., Sept. 30, 2026. 3rd Street Youth Center and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) partnered to host the forum for local residents. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Theo is a really strong candidate,” Tung, the party chair, said Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was up against Dion-Jay Brookter, a progressive Democrat and longtime Hunters Point resident. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brookter amassed much of the city’s labor and progressive support, including that of outgoing Supervisor Shamann Walton. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nine candidates joined the race to represent District 10, which includes a diverse block of neighborhoods from Potrero Hill to Bayview-Hunters Point. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race attracted citywide attention this fall, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">crypto billionaire Chris Larsen\u003c/a> spent a record $500,000 to elect Ellington. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The donation through a political action committee backing his campaign is thought to be the largest in San Francisco history to a third-party supporting a single candidate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It raised questions about how much power money can buy in local politics, especially in low-information races where having the funds to advertise and build name recognition is particularly important.\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/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099648\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/091426-SFDataCenterBan-14-MC-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco District 10 supervisor, Shamann Walton, announces that he will vote for a 45-day moratorium on approving new data center construction in the city outside of San Francisco City Hall on Sept. 14, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new supervisor will oversee a period of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088662/toxic-land-protest-targets-sf-housing-plans-at-contaminated-hunters-point-naval-shipyard\">major change in District 10\u003c/a>, with the ongoing environmental cleanup of the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and concurrent development efforts at the site.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The former shipyard was declared one of the nation’s most contaminated sites in 1989, after radioactive chemicals, heavy metals and petroleum fuels related to atomic bomb tests during the Cold War seeped into its soil and groundwater. Cancer “is a major cause of years of life lost” for Bayview-Hunters Point residents, according to past city health surveys, though they didn’t assess whether the shipyard contamination was a direct factor in adverse health outcomes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alongside the cleanup work, the city is also undertaking a massive redevelopment project on the former base, which could eventually be transformed into two new neighborhoods of recreational and commercial space and up to 10,000 new housing units. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new supervisor will replace the termed-out Walton, who has been one of the board’s most progressive voices since his election in 2018.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "lee-headed-for-victory-in-oakland-mayors-race-strong-mayor-measure-leading",
"title": "Lee Triumphs in Oakland Mayor’s Race; ‘Strong Mayor’ Measure Leading",
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"headTitle": "Lee Triumphs in Oakland Mayor’s Race; ‘Strong Mayor’ Measure Leading | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A year and a half after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> voters chose Barbara Lee to lead a city reeling from a fiscal crisis and a major political scandal, they’ve re-elected the former member of Congress to a full four-year term.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lee, elected last year to replace recalled Mayor Sheng Thao, won easily in the ranked-choice contest with just over 84% of the vote in results reported early Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three other candidates on the ballot, including Brenda Grisham, a community organizer who was one of the chief organizers behind the recall of Mayor Thao, split the remaining 15% of the vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Whether you voted for me or not, we are one Oakland,” Lee said to a room of cheering supporters at a party in downtown Oakland on Tuesday night. “You told me what you want and that’s safer streets, cleaner neighborhoods, affordable housing, good jobs, strong businesses, addressing homelessness and a City Hall that works for you. No excuses, you wanted results.”\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/10/2026/11/110326-11.03.26.ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-31-MC-KQED-c6b2b31c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108153\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-11.03.26.ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-31-MC-KQED-c6b2b31c.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-11.03.26.ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-31-MC-KQED-c6b2b31c-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-11.03.26.ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-31-MC-KQED-c6b2b31c-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People celebrate Democratic gains at a Democratic Party watch party on November 3, 2026, in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lee has appeared to enjoy widespread support among voters during her 18 months in office, as reflected in \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandchamber.com/2026-pulse-of-oakland-poll-results/\">a recent Oakland Chamber of Commerce poll\u003c/a> in which 46% of respondents saying the city is headed in the right direction. That’s a dramatic turnaround from two years ago, when just 12% said the city was on the right track.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also a good sign for Lee: Oakland voters seem poised to give the city’s mayor more power through a “strong mayor” initiative, Measure EE. The proposal had racked up a 74% “yes” vote in early returns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure EE would restructure Oakland’s city government, amending the City Charter to designate the mayor as the chief executive responsible for city departments and operations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mayor would have veto power over legislation and line items in the budget, with the eight-member City Council able to override vetoes with six votes. The mayor would also gain more control over hiring and firing department heads and other city personnel. Measure EE would make the City Council a full-time position with higher pay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oakland’s current government is a hybrid mayor-council system. It’s among the vast majority of California cities that rely on a professional manager, like a city manager or city administrator, for key city functions. But the city is caught between the council-manager and strong mayor systems of governance, said Gail Wallace of the League of Women Voters Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Being caught between those two models, the allocation of responsibilities and therefore the ability to hold people accountable — the wires got crossed,” Wallace said. “That is one of the reasons that we need a change to the charter to clarify roles and responsibilities so that people can hold their officials and employees accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most in Oakland agree the current system isn’t working — the city faces a major budget shortfall and public distrust in city spending has historically been high. But many disagree on which direction the city should move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure EE proponents say the proposal could ease the delivery of key city services, especially if Oaklanders know who is ultimately on the hook in City Hall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Most residents have told me, and this was even when I was a member of Congress, that people don’t know who is responsible for what. People get the run around, city services are not delivered,” Lee told KQED in the days leading up to the election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the timing was tricky for strong mayor supporters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oakland voters were asked to give their mayor more power at the same time that former Mayor Sheng Thao and three co-defendants are on trial for federal corruption charges.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure EE opponents argued that this should be a warning to Oaklanders about further empowering the office of mayor, characterizing the initiative as a “power grab” that could enable future bad actors in City Hall.\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/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108157\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland mayor Barbara Lee, celebrates with Oakland City Council member, Charlene Wang, after they both won their reelection races at a Democratic Party watch party on November 3, 2026, in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Oakland needs to make this decision based on any possible mayor that comes forward under this system and not just the current mayor that we have today, and that’s important for those making this decision to understand. It’s not just about Barbara Lee,” former Oakland City Councilmember Loren Taylor said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ben Gould, an Oakland resident who volunteers on the city’s Budget Advisory Commission, agrees Measure EE could help clarify who is responsible for what in city government. However, he said that doesn’t guarantee there will be a way to hold leaders accountable if they don’t deliver.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I think it makes the mayor harder to hold accountable. They don’t have to go to city council meetings. I don’t have to answer questions in front of the public,” Gould said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, the measure has broad support among Oakland leaders and community groups who say Oakland needs a change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>I think most people either are supporting Barbara Lee, are supporting some kind of change, or just want to see something different happen in Oakland and aren’t necessarily thinking, ‘Yeah, strong mayor is the way we want to see our city run,’” Gould said. “They just want to have a better shot at something working better than it is right now.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other notable East Bay races:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Berkeley Rent Control\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A measure aiming to give Berkeley renters more protections is ahead based on early results. First reports from county election officials showed the measure leading with a 67.5% “yes” vote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Berkeley’s Measure X aims to amend the city’s current rent control ordinance to give tenants more protections. It would cap rent increases at 10% in a single year. It would also make it easier for renters to form tenant associations — the current ordinance allows renters to do this if there are 10 or more units on a single property, but Measure X would lower that threshold to five units. It also seeks to protect tenant association power if property management changes hands.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Berkeley Soda Tax Increase\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure AA, a proposal to raise the soda tax in Berkeley appears to be headed toward approval. Early returns showed the measure winning with a 76.2% “yes” vote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The East Bay city was the first in the nation to establish a tax on sugary beverages in 2014. Distributors are currently required to pay a penny per fluid ounce of each soda drink that’s sold to retailers in the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure AA seeks to double the tax to two cents per ounce, with 42.5% of revenue going towards cooking and gardening programs at Berkeley schools.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another 42.5% would be allocated for health, dental and water services. The remainder would fund administrative oversight and reporting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Proponents argue the first-in-the-nation tax has been successful: Tax revenue has funded preventive health programs and helped grow a cooking program in Berkeley schools. A tax increase is necessary to adjust for inflation and preserve these programs, supporters say.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American Beverage Association of California opposed the tax and has consistently fought similar local efforts across the state.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Whether you voted for me or not, we are one Oakland,” Lee said to a room of cheering supporters at a party in downtown Oakland on Tuesday night. “You told me what you want and that’s safer streets, cleaner neighborhoods, affordable housing, good jobs, strong businesses, addressing homelessness and a City Hall that works for you. No excuses, you wanted results.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lee has appeared to enjoy widespread support among voters during her 18 months in office, as reflected in \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandchamber.com/2026-pulse-of-oakland-poll-results/\">a recent Oakland Chamber of Commerce poll\u003c/a> in which 46% of respondents saying the city is headed in the right direction. That’s a dramatic turnaround from two years ago, when just 12% said the city was on the right track.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also a good sign for Lee: Oakland voters seem poised to give the city’s mayor more power through a “strong mayor” initiative, Measure EE. The proposal had racked up a 74% “yes” vote in early returns.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Measure EE would restructure Oakland’s city government, amending the City Charter to designate the mayor as the chief executive responsible for city departments and operations. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The mayor would have veto power over legislation and line items in the budget, with the eight-member City Council able to override vetoes with six votes. The mayor would also gain more control over hiring and firing department heads and other city personnel. Measure EE would make the City Council a full-time position with higher pay.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Oakland’s current government is a hybrid mayor-council system. It’s among the vast majority of California cities that rely on a professional manager, like a city manager or city administrator, for key city functions. But the city is caught between the council-manager and strong mayor systems of governance, said Gail Wallace of the League of Women Voters Oakland.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Being caught between those two models, the allocation of responsibilities and therefore the ability to hold people accountable — the wires got crossed,” Wallace said. “That is one of the reasons that we need a change to the charter to clarify roles and responsibilities so that people can hold their officials and employees accountable.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Most in Oakland agree the current system isn’t working — the city faces a major budget shortfall and public distrust in city spending has historically been high. But many disagree on which direction the city should move.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Measure EE proponents say the proposal could ease the delivery of key city services, especially if Oaklanders know who is ultimately on the hook in City Hall.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Most residents have told me, and this was even when I was a member of Congress, that people don’t know who is responsible for what. People get the run around, city services are not delivered,” Lee told KQED in the days leading up to the election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Oakland voters were asked to give their mayor more power at the same time that former Mayor Sheng Thao and three co-defendants are on trial for federal corruption charges.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Measure EE opponents argued that this should be a warning to Oaklanders about further empowering the office of mayor, characterizing the initiative as a “power grab” that could enable future bad actors in City Hall.\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/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108157\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland mayor Barbara Lee, celebrates with Oakland City Council member, Charlene Wang, after they both won their reelection races at a Democratic Party watch party on November 3, 2026, in Oakland.\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/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108157\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland mayor Barbara Lee, celebrates with Oakland City Council member, Charlene Wang, after they both won their reelection races at a Democratic Party watch party on November 3, 2026, in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Oakland needs to make this decision based on any possible mayor that comes forward under this system and not just the current mayor that we have today, and that’s important for those making this decision to understand. It’s not just about Barbara Lee,” former Oakland City Councilmember Loren Taylor said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Oakland needs to make this decision based on any possible mayor that comes forward under this system and not just the current mayor that we have today, and that’s important for those making this decision to understand. It’s not just about Barbara Lee,” former Oakland City Councilmember Loren Taylor said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ben Gould, an Oakland resident who volunteers on the city’s Budget Advisory Commission, agrees Measure EE could help clarify who is responsible for what in city government. However, he said that doesn’t guarantee there will be a way to hold leaders accountable if they don’t deliver.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ben Gould, an Oakland resident who volunteers on the city’s Budget Advisory Commission, agrees Measure EE could help clarify who is responsible for what in city government. However, he said that doesn’t guarantee there will be a way to hold leaders accountable if they don’t deliver.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think it makes the mayor harder to hold accountable. They don’t have to go to city council meetings. I don’t have to answer questions in front of the public,” Gould said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I think it makes the mayor harder to hold accountable. They don’t have to go to city council meetings. I don’t have to answer questions in front of the public,” Gould said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, the measure has broad support among Oakland leaders and community groups who say Oakland needs a change.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>I think most people either are supporting Barbara Lee, are supporting some kind of change, or just want to see something different happen in Oakland and aren’t necessarily thinking, ‘Yeah, strong mayor is the way we want to see our city run,’” Gould said. “They just want to have a better shot at something working better than it is right now.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>I think most people either are supporting Barbara Lee, are supporting some kind of change, or just want to see something different happen in Oakland and aren’t necessarily thinking, ‘Yeah, strong mayor is the way we want to see our city run,’” Gould said. “They just want to have a better shot at something working better than it is right now.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In other notable East Bay races:\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Berkeley Rent Control\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Berkeley Rent Control\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A measure aiming to give Berkeley renters more protections is ahead based on early results. First reports from county election officials showed the measure leading with a 67.5% “yes” vote. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A measure aiming to give Berkeley renters more protections is ahead based on early results. First reports from county election officials showed the measure leading with a 67.5% “yes” vote. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Berkeley’s Measure X aims to amend the city’s current rent control ordinance to give tenants more protections. It would cap rent increases at 10% in a single year. It would also make it easier for renters to form tenant associations — the current ordinance allows renters to do this if there are 10 or more units on a single property, but Measure X would lower that threshold to five units. It also seeks to protect tenant association power if property management changes hands.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Berkeley’s Measure X aims to amend the city’s current rent control ordinance to give tenants more protections. It would cap rent increases at 10% in a single year. It would also make it easier for renters to form tenant associations — the current ordinance allows renters to do this if there are 10 or more units on a single property, but Measure X would lower that threshold to five units. It also seeks to protect tenant association power if property management changes hands.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Berkeley Soda Tax Increase\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Measure AA, a proposal to raise the soda tax in Berkeley appears to be headed toward approval. Early returns showed the measure winning with a 76.2% “yes” vote. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The East Bay city was the first in the nation to establish a tax on sugary beverages in 2014. Distributors are currently required to pay a penny per fluid ounce of each soda drink that’s sold to retailers in the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The East Bay city was the first in the nation to establish a tax on sugary beverages in 2014. Distributors are currently required to pay a penny per fluid ounce of each soda drink that’s sold to retailers in the city. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Measure AA seeks to double the tax to two cents per ounce, with 42.5% of revenue going towards cooking and gardening programs at Berkeley schools.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Measure AA seeks to double the tax to two cents per ounce, with 42.5% of revenue going towards cooking and gardening programs at Berkeley schools.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another 42.5% would be allocated for health, dental and water services. The remainder would fund administrative oversight and reporting.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Proponents argue the first-in-the-nation tax has been successful: Tax revenue has funded preventive health programs and helped grow a cooking program in Berkeley schools. A tax increase is necessary to adjust for inflation and preserve these programs, supporters say.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Proponents argue the first-in-the-nation tax has been successful: Tax revenue has funded preventive health programs and helped grow a cooking program in Berkeley schools. A tax increase is necessary to adjust for inflation and preserve these programs, supporters say.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The American Beverage Association of California opposed the tax and has consistently fought similar local efforts across the state.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Eighteen months after taking the city’s reins in the midst of a major political scandal and budget crisis, voters give Barbara Lee the nod to lead the city for next four years. A measure that would give her more decision-making power was also ahead. ",
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"title": "Lee Triumphs in Oakland Mayor’s Race; ‘Strong Mayor’ Measure Leading | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A year and a half after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> voters chose Barbara Lee to lead a city reeling from a fiscal crisis and a major political scandal, they’ve re-elected the former member of Congress to a full four-year term.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lee, elected last year to replace recalled Mayor Sheng Thao, won easily in the ranked-choice contest with just over 84% of the vote in results reported early Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three other candidates on the ballot, including Brenda Grisham, a community organizer who was one of the chief organizers behind the recall of Mayor Thao, split the remaining 15% of the vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Whether you voted for me or not, we are one Oakland,” Lee said to a room of cheering supporters at a party in downtown Oakland on Tuesday night. “You told me what you want and that’s safer streets, cleaner neighborhoods, affordable housing, good jobs, strong businesses, addressing homelessness and a City Hall that works for you. No excuses, you wanted results.”\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/10/2026/11/110326-11.03.26.ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-31-MC-KQED-c6b2b31c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108153\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-11.03.26.ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-31-MC-KQED-c6b2b31c.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-11.03.26.ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-31-MC-KQED-c6b2b31c-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-11.03.26.ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-31-MC-KQED-c6b2b31c-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People celebrate Democratic gains at a Democratic Party watch party on November 3, 2026, in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lee has appeared to enjoy widespread support among voters during her 18 months in office, as reflected in \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandchamber.com/2026-pulse-of-oakland-poll-results/\">a recent Oakland Chamber of Commerce poll\u003c/a> in which 46% of respondents saying the city is headed in the right direction. That’s a dramatic turnaround from two years ago, when just 12% said the city was on the right track.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also a good sign for Lee: Oakland voters seem poised to give the city’s mayor more power through a “strong mayor” initiative, Measure EE. The proposal had racked up a 74% “yes” vote in early returns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure EE would restructure Oakland’s city government, amending the City Charter to designate the mayor as the chief executive responsible for city departments and operations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mayor would have veto power over legislation and line items in the budget, with the eight-member City Council able to override vetoes with six votes. The mayor would also gain more control over hiring and firing department heads and other city personnel. Measure EE would make the City Council a full-time position with higher pay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oakland’s current government is a hybrid mayor-council system. It’s among the vast majority of California cities that rely on a professional manager, like a city manager or city administrator, for key city functions. But the city is caught between the council-manager and strong mayor systems of governance, said Gail Wallace of the League of Women Voters Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Being caught between those two models, the allocation of responsibilities and therefore the ability to hold people accountable — the wires got crossed,” Wallace said. “That is one of the reasons that we need a change to the charter to clarify roles and responsibilities so that people can hold their officials and employees accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most in Oakland agree the current system isn’t working — the city faces a major budget shortfall and public distrust in city spending has historically been high. But many disagree on which direction the city should move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure EE proponents say the proposal could ease the delivery of key city services, especially if Oaklanders know who is ultimately on the hook in City Hall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Most residents have told me, and this was even when I was a member of Congress, that people don’t know who is responsible for what. People get the run around, city services are not delivered,” Lee told KQED in the days leading up to the election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the timing was tricky for strong mayor supporters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oakland voters were asked to give their mayor more power at the same time that former Mayor Sheng Thao and three co-defendants are on trial for federal corruption charges.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure EE opponents argued that this should be a warning to Oaklanders about further empowering the office of mayor, characterizing the initiative as a “power grab” that could enable future bad actors in City Hall.\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/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12108157\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/110326-ELECTIONNIGHTBARBARALEEMEASUREEEWATCHPARTY-50-MC-KQED-9b376ada-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland mayor Barbara Lee, celebrates with Oakland City Council member, Charlene Wang, after they both won their reelection races at a Democratic Party watch party on November 3, 2026, in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Oakland needs to make this decision based on any possible mayor that comes forward under this system and not just the current mayor that we have today, and that’s important for those making this decision to understand. It’s not just about Barbara Lee,” former Oakland City Councilmember Loren Taylor said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ben Gould, an Oakland resident who volunteers on the city’s Budget Advisory Commission, agrees Measure EE could help clarify who is responsible for what in city government. However, he said that doesn’t guarantee there will be a way to hold leaders accountable if they don’t deliver.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I think it makes the mayor harder to hold accountable. They don’t have to go to city council meetings. I don’t have to answer questions in front of the public,” Gould said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, the measure has broad support among Oakland leaders and community groups who say Oakland needs a change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>I think most people either are supporting Barbara Lee, are supporting some kind of change, or just want to see something different happen in Oakland and aren’t necessarily thinking, ‘Yeah, strong mayor is the way we want to see our city run,’” Gould said. “They just want to have a better shot at something working better than it is right now.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other notable East Bay races:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Berkeley Rent Control\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A measure aiming to give Berkeley renters more protections is ahead based on early results. First reports from county election officials showed the measure leading with a 67.5% “yes” vote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Berkeley’s Measure X aims to amend the city’s current rent control ordinance to give tenants more protections. It would cap rent increases at 10% in a single year. It would also make it easier for renters to form tenant associations — the current ordinance allows renters to do this if there are 10 or more units on a single property, but Measure X would lower that threshold to five units. It also seeks to protect tenant association power if property management changes hands.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Berkeley Soda Tax Increase\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure AA, a proposal to raise the soda tax in Berkeley appears to be headed toward approval. Early returns showed the measure winning with a 76.2% “yes” vote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The East Bay city was the first in the nation to establish a tax on sugary beverages in 2014. Distributors are currently required to pay a penny per fluid ounce of each soda drink that’s sold to retailers in the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure AA seeks to double the tax to two cents per ounce, with 42.5% of revenue going towards cooking and gardening programs at Berkeley schools.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another 42.5% would be allocated for health, dental and water services. The remainder would fund administrative oversight and reporting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Proponents argue the first-in-the-nation tax has been successful: Tax revenue has funded preventive health programs and helped grow a cooking program in Berkeley schools. A tax increase is necessary to adjust for inflation and preserve these programs, supporters say.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American Beverage Association of California opposed the tax and has consistently fought similar local efforts across the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "claudia-jimenez-holds-a-lead-in-richmond-mayoral-race",
"title": "Claudia Jiménez Holds a Lead in Richmond Mayoral Race",
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"headTitle": "Claudia Jiménez Holds a Lead in Richmond Mayoral Race | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Councilmember Claudia Jiménez holds a lead over Ahmad Anderson in Richmond’s nonpartisan mayoral race, with 17,660 votes counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As of 10:44 p.m. on election night, Jiménez had 52.46% of the vote, while Anderson, a longtime candidate who has never held elected office, had 47.54%, according to the Contra Costa County clerk-recorder.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If her lead holds, Jiménez would extend two decades of Richmond Progressive Alliance leadership and win the first mayoral race under the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/79252/MEASURE-J-SUMMARY\">new run-off election system\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the election night party at RPA headquarters, energy was high. Jiménez and supporters danced to a DJ, snacked on pupusas and sipped horchata and wine while intermittently erupting in cheers when news of a big national Democratic win flashed on the TV. A Jiménez campaign sign hung on the wall next to posters that read “Free Palestine.”\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/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12031084\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Richmond City Hall on March 12, 2025. Richmond joined several California cities in strengthening its sanctuary city ordinances to limit involvement with federal immigration enforcement. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As early results came in, Jiménez addressed the room. “If I win,” she said, interrupted by calls of “When! When!” “I will be the first immigrant woman holding this position.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jiménez, a two-term City Council member, was born in Colombia, where she worked as an architect and \u003ca href=\"https://www.grandviewindependent.com/candidate-interview-claudia-jimenez-runs-for-mayor-of-richmond/\">helped rebuild homes\u003c/a> in a small Andean community devastated by flooding. She came to the United States in 2007, earned a Master’s degree in Environmental Planning at UC Berkeley and worked as an organizer before winning her council seat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At his own election night gathering at his childhood home, where he still lives, Anderson was surrounded by supporters, friends and family for salad, chicken wings and corn. “I’m still motivated and encouraged that we’ve done everything possible we can do,” he said. “My vision for the city of Richmond has gotten me where I need to be. And I’m in this to win it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race carries echoes of the contest that launched the era of RPA dominance. Almost exactly 20 years ago, insurgent progressive Gayle McLaughlin ousted incumbent mayor Irma Anderson by \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentView.asp?DID=977\">242 votes\u003c/a>, bringing decades of more traditional Democratic control to an end. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, the two sides of that race were back on the ballot through their heirs: Ahmad Anderson, Irma’s son, and Jiménez, who carries McLaughlin’s political legacy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The RPA, which McLaughlin co-founded on a pledge to take no corporate money, now backs a majority of the City Council’s seven members. It’s fended off challenges for years, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/11/05/361875792/chevron-spends-big-and-loses-big-in-a-city-council-race\">a $3 million Chevron-funded push\u003c/a> in 2014. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don Gosney, one of the RPA’s most vocal critics and a longtime fixture in Richmond politics, championed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/79252/MEASURE-J-SUMMARY\">2024 ballot measure\u003c/a> that created the new top-two election system, arguing the old plurality model worked in the organization’s favor. “Time and time again,” Gosney said, “they would encourage everybody else to run against them and split the vote.” RPA supporters dismiss that critique, pointing to a track record of wide-margin wins they say reflect strong community backing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For years, supporters have celebrated the city of 115,000 as a laboratory of corporate-free governance for the American left, a place that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/201507240900/richmond-approves-californias-first-rent-control-ordinance-in-30-years\">revived rent control\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.americanprogress.org/article/beyond-policing-investing-offices-neighborhood-safety/\">pioneered alternatives to traditional policing\u003c/a> and wrested a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12000170/richmond-drops-bid-for-chevron-refinery-tax-in-550-million-deal-with-company\">$550 million settlement\u003c/a> from Chevron. Critics, meanwhile, see liberal policymaking run amok. This summer, Fox News held up the city as a dark preview of life under democratic socialist rule. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The RPA has never been tied to a single political party, but much of its leadership today is associated with the Democratic Socialists of America. As national Democrats argue over whether the party’s left wing can actually govern, Richmond’s election is a referendum on 20 years of RPA leadership, centered on the city’s economic future and approach to public safety.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jiménez and her supporters tout the 10-year settlement she helped negotiate with Chevron in 2024, which, along with a 2020 \u003ca href=\"https://richmondconfidential.org/2020/11/03/businesses-and-government-leaders-divided-on-measure-u/\">business tax\u003c/a>, helped \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2025/10/08/richmond-no-longer-high-risk-financially/\">grow the city’s budget reserves\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2025-801/#audit-responses\">lift it off the state auditor’s watchlist\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Anderson and critics see a myopic economic strategy that relies on extracting money from Chevron and large businesses, creating a hostile climate that drives out investment. In their view, the settlement is a temporary windfall that masks \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2026/09/17/richmond-chevron-settlement-could-shrink-staff-warns/\">underlying operating deficits\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1917\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20260915_RichmondDataCenterRally-21.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100066\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20260915_RichmondDataCenterRally-21.jpg 1917w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20260915_RichmondDataCenterRally-21-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20260915_RichmondDataCenterRally-21-1536x1068.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1917px) 100vw, 1917px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Richmond City Councilmembers Claudia Jiménez, left, and Sue Wilson, right, during a City Council meeting at Richmond City Hall in Richmond on Sept. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On public safety, Anderson backs a police union \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/80234/Public-Safety-Funding-Charter-Amendment-Initiative---Ballot-Title-and-Summary\">initiative\u003c/a> that would require a minimum of 187 sworn officers, while Jiménez, who supports non-police crisis response and youth programs, warned it would exhaust city resources. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Campaign \u003ca href=\"https://netfile.com/public/RICH/campaign/filingsByIndependentExpenditures/214395286-11-03-2026_General_Election\">finance filings\u003c/a> show the \u003ca href=\"https://netfile.com/public/RICH/campaign/elections\">candidates pulled in\u003c/a> around $130,000 each in individual donations. A PAC funded by the police and building trades unions spent about $430,000 backing Anderson, while a PAC funded by public-sector and service unions and environmental groups put about $250,000 toward Jiménez’s campaign. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jose Abastida is an organizer with SEIU 1021, the union that represents Richmond city employees, and a campaign manager for East Bay Working Families, the PAC that supported Jiménez. “We have seen the impacts that Chevron has caused over the years,” he said. “We want to see a candidate that stands up to big corporations, to big money, and that lets them know it’s not OK to pollute our city.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Tuesday night, Jiménez stressed that this election wasn’t just about her. “It’s all of us doing this for Richmond,” she said. “And I am ready to lead with all of you this new city, this new chapter of this beautiful city, Richmond — the city we all call home.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As of 10:44 p.m. on election night, Jiménez had 52.46% of the vote, while Anderson, a longtime candidate who has never held elected office, had 47.54%, according to the Contra Costa County clerk-recorder.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If her lead holds, Jiménez would extend two decades of Richmond Progressive Alliance leadership and win the first mayoral race under the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/79252/MEASURE-J-SUMMARY\">new run-off election system\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the election night party at RPA headquarters, energy was high. Jiménez and supporters danced to a DJ, snacked on pupusas and sipped horchata and wine while intermittently erupting in cheers when news of a big national Democratic win flashed on the TV. A Jiménez campaign sign hung on the wall next to posters that read “Free Palestine.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As early results came in, Jiménez addressed the room. “If I win,” she said, interrupted by calls of “When! When!” “I will be the first immigrant woman holding this position.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jiménez, a two-term City Council member, was born in Colombia, where she worked as an architect and \u003ca href=\"https://www.grandviewindependent.com/candidate-interview-claudia-jimenez-runs-for-mayor-of-richmond/\">helped rebuild homes\u003c/a> in a small Andean community devastated by flooding. She came to the United States in 2007, earned a Master’s degree in Environmental Planning at UC Berkeley and worked as an organizer before winning her council seat.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At his own election night gathering at his childhood home, where he still lives, Anderson was surrounded by supporters, friends and family for salad, chicken wings and corn. “I’m still motivated and encouraged that we’ve done everything possible we can do,” he said. “My vision for the city of Richmond has gotten me where I need to be. And I’m in this to win it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At his own election night gathering at his childhood home, where he still lives, Anderson was surrounded by supporters, friends and family for salad, chicken wings and corn. “I’m still motivated and encouraged that we’ve done everything possible we can do,” he said. “My vision for the city of Richmond has gotten me where I need to be. And I’m in this to win it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The race carries echoes of the contest that launched the era of RPA dominance. Almost exactly 20 years ago, insurgent progressive Gayle McLaughlin ousted incumbent mayor Irma Anderson by \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentView.asp?DID=977\">242 votes\u003c/a>, bringing decades of more traditional Democratic control to an end. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The RPA, which McLaughlin co-founded on a pledge to take no corporate money, now backs a majority of the City Council’s seven members. It’s fended off challenges for years, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/11/05/361875792/chevron-spends-big-and-loses-big-in-a-city-council-race\">a $3 million Chevron-funded push\u003c/a> in 2014. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The RPA, which McLaughlin co-founded on a pledge to take no corporate money, now backs a majority of the City Council’s seven members. It’s fended off challenges for years, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/11/05/361875792/chevron-spends-big-and-loses-big-in-a-city-council-race\">a $3 million Chevron-funded push\u003c/a> in 2014. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Don Gosney, one of the RPA’s most vocal critics and a longtime fixture in Richmond politics, championed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/79252/MEASURE-J-SUMMARY\">2024 ballot measure\u003c/a> that created the new top-two election system, arguing the old plurality model worked in the organization’s favor. “Time and time again,” Gosney said, “they would encourage everybody else to run against them and split the vote.” RPA supporters dismiss that critique, pointing to a track record of wide-margin wins they say reflect strong community backing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For years, supporters have celebrated the city of 115,000 as a laboratory of corporate-free governance for the American left, a place that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/201507240900/richmond-approves-californias-first-rent-control-ordinance-in-30-years\">revived rent control\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.americanprogress.org/article/beyond-policing-investing-offices-neighborhood-safety/\">pioneered alternatives to traditional policing\u003c/a> and wrested a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12000170/richmond-drops-bid-for-chevron-refinery-tax-in-550-million-deal-with-company\">$550 million settlement\u003c/a> from Chevron. Critics, meanwhile, see liberal policymaking run amok. This summer, Fox News held up the city as a dark preview of life under democratic socialist rule. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For years, supporters have celebrated the city of 115,000 as a laboratory of corporate-free governance for the American left, a place that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/201507240900/richmond-approves-californias-first-rent-control-ordinance-in-30-years\">revived rent control\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.americanprogress.org/article/beyond-policing-investing-offices-neighborhood-safety/\">pioneered alternatives to traditional policing\u003c/a> and wrested a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12000170/richmond-drops-bid-for-chevron-refinery-tax-in-550-million-deal-with-company\">$550 million settlement\u003c/a> from Chevron. Critics, meanwhile, see liberal policymaking run amok. This summer, Fox News held up the city as a dark preview of life under democratic socialist rule. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The RPA has never been tied to a single political party, but much of its leadership today is associated with the Democratic Socialists of America. As national Democrats argue over whether the party’s left wing can actually govern, Richmond’s election is a referendum on 20 years of RPA leadership, centered on the city’s economic future and approach to public safety.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The RPA has never been tied to a single political party, but much of its leadership today is associated with the Democratic Socialists of America. As national Democrats argue over whether the party’s left wing can actually govern, Richmond’s election is a referendum on 20 years of RPA leadership, centered on the city’s economic future and approach to public safety.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jiménez and her supporters tout the 10-year settlement she helped negotiate with Chevron in 2024, which, along with a 2020 \u003ca href=\"https://richmondconfidential.org/2020/11/03/businesses-and-government-leaders-divided-on-measure-u/\">business tax\u003c/a>, helped \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2025/10/08/richmond-no-longer-high-risk-financially/\">grow the city’s budget reserves\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2025-801/#audit-responses\">lift it off the state auditor’s watchlist\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jiménez and her supporters tout the 10-year settlement she helped negotiate with Chevron in 2024, which, along with a 2020 \u003ca href=\"https://richmondconfidential.org/2020/11/03/businesses-and-government-leaders-divided-on-measure-u/\">business tax\u003c/a>, helped \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2025/10/08/richmond-no-longer-high-risk-financially/\">grow the city’s budget reserves\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2025-801/#audit-responses\">lift it off the state auditor’s watchlist\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Anderson and critics see a myopic economic strategy that relies on extracting money from Chevron and large businesses, creating a hostile climate that drives out investment. In their view, the settlement is a temporary windfall that masks \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2026/09/17/richmond-chevron-settlement-could-shrink-staff-warns/\">underlying operating deficits\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Anderson and critics see a myopic economic strategy that relies on extracting money from Chevron and large businesses, creating a hostile climate that drives out investment. In their view, the settlement is a temporary windfall that masks \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2026/09/17/richmond-chevron-settlement-could-shrink-staff-warns/\">underlying operating deficits\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On public safety, Anderson backs a police union \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/80234/Public-Safety-Funding-Charter-Amendment-Initiative---Ballot-Title-and-Summary\">initiative\u003c/a> that would require a minimum of 187 sworn officers, while Jiménez, who supports non-police crisis response and youth programs, warned it would exhaust city resources. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On public safety, Anderson backs a police union \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/80234/Public-Safety-Funding-Charter-Amendment-Initiative---Ballot-Title-and-Summary\">initiative\u003c/a> that would require a minimum of 187 sworn officers, while Jiménez, who supports non-police crisis response and youth programs, warned it would exhaust city resources. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Campaign \u003ca href=\"https://netfile.com/public/RICH/campaign/filingsByIndependentExpenditures/214395286-11-03-2026_General_Election\">finance filings\u003c/a> show the \u003ca href=\"https://netfile.com/public/RICH/campaign/elections\">candidates pulled in\u003c/a> around $130,000 each in individual donations. A PAC funded by the police and building trades unions spent about $430,000 backing Anderson, while a PAC funded by public-sector and service unions and environmental groups put about $250,000 toward Jiménez’s campaign. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jose Abastida is an organizer with SEIU 1021, the union that represents Richmond city employees, and a campaign manager for East Bay Working Families, the PAC that supported Jiménez. “We have seen the impacts that Chevron has caused over the years,” he said. “We want to see a candidate that stands up to big corporations, to big money, and that lets them know it’s not OK to pollute our city.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Tuesday night, Jiménez stressed that this election wasn’t just about her. “It’s all of us doing this for Richmond,” she said. “And I am ready to lead with all of you this new city, this new chapter of this beautiful city, Richmond — the city we all call home.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Tuesday night, Jiménez stressed that this election wasn’t just about her. “It’s all of us doing this for Richmond,” she said. “And I am ready to lead with all of you this new city, this new chapter of this beautiful city, Richmond — the city we all call home.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The council member is a member of the Richmond Progressive Alliance, which has led the city for two decades.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Councilmember Claudia Jiménez holds a lead over Ahmad Anderson in Richmond’s nonpartisan mayoral race, with 17,660 votes counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As of 10:44 p.m. on election night, Jiménez had 52.46% of the vote, while Anderson, a longtime candidate who has never held elected office, had 47.54%, according to the Contra Costa County clerk-recorder.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If her lead holds, Jiménez would extend two decades of Richmond Progressive Alliance leadership and win the first mayoral race under the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/79252/MEASURE-J-SUMMARY\">new run-off election system\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the election night party at RPA headquarters, energy was high. Jiménez and supporters danced to a DJ, snacked on pupusas and sipped horchata and wine while intermittently erupting in cheers when news of a big national Democratic win flashed on the TV. A Jiménez campaign sign hung on the wall next to posters that read “Free Palestine.”\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/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12031084\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250312-RICHMOND-CITY-HALL-MD-02-KQED-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Richmond City Hall on March 12, 2025. Richmond joined several California cities in strengthening its sanctuary city ordinances to limit involvement with federal immigration enforcement. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As early results came in, Jiménez addressed the room. “If I win,” she said, interrupted by calls of “When! When!” “I will be the first immigrant woman holding this position.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jiménez, a two-term City Council member, was born in Colombia, where she worked as an architect and \u003ca href=\"https://www.grandviewindependent.com/candidate-interview-claudia-jimenez-runs-for-mayor-of-richmond/\">helped rebuild homes\u003c/a> in a small Andean community devastated by flooding. She came to the United States in 2007, earned a Master’s degree in Environmental Planning at UC Berkeley and worked as an organizer before winning her council seat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At his own election night gathering at his childhood home, where he still lives, Anderson was surrounded by supporters, friends and family for salad, chicken wings and corn. “I’m still motivated and encouraged that we’ve done everything possible we can do,” he said. “My vision for the city of Richmond has gotten me where I need to be. And I’m in this to win it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race carries echoes of the contest that launched the era of RPA dominance. Almost exactly 20 years ago, insurgent progressive Gayle McLaughlin ousted incumbent mayor Irma Anderson by \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentView.asp?DID=977\">242 votes\u003c/a>, bringing decades of more traditional Democratic control to an end. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, the two sides of that race were back on the ballot through their heirs: Ahmad Anderson, Irma’s son, and Jiménez, who carries McLaughlin’s political legacy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The RPA, which McLaughlin co-founded on a pledge to take no corporate money, now backs a majority of the City Council’s seven members. It’s fended off challenges for years, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/11/05/361875792/chevron-spends-big-and-loses-big-in-a-city-council-race\">a $3 million Chevron-funded push\u003c/a> in 2014. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don Gosney, one of the RPA’s most vocal critics and a longtime fixture in Richmond politics, championed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/79252/MEASURE-J-SUMMARY\">2024 ballot measure\u003c/a> that created the new top-two election system, arguing the old plurality model worked in the organization’s favor. “Time and time again,” Gosney said, “they would encourage everybody else to run against them and split the vote.” RPA supporters dismiss that critique, pointing to a track record of wide-margin wins they say reflect strong community backing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For years, supporters have celebrated the city of 115,000 as a laboratory of corporate-free governance for the American left, a place that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/201507240900/richmond-approves-californias-first-rent-control-ordinance-in-30-years\">revived rent control\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.americanprogress.org/article/beyond-policing-investing-offices-neighborhood-safety/\">pioneered alternatives to traditional policing\u003c/a> and wrested a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12000170/richmond-drops-bid-for-chevron-refinery-tax-in-550-million-deal-with-company\">$550 million settlement\u003c/a> from Chevron. Critics, meanwhile, see liberal policymaking run amok. This summer, Fox News held up the city as a dark preview of life under democratic socialist rule. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The RPA has never been tied to a single political party, but much of its leadership today is associated with the Democratic Socialists of America. As national Democrats argue over whether the party’s left wing can actually govern, Richmond’s election is a referendum on 20 years of RPA leadership, centered on the city’s economic future and approach to public safety.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jiménez and her supporters tout the 10-year settlement she helped negotiate with Chevron in 2024, which, along with a 2020 \u003ca href=\"https://richmondconfidential.org/2020/11/03/businesses-and-government-leaders-divided-on-measure-u/\">business tax\u003c/a>, helped \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2025/10/08/richmond-no-longer-high-risk-financially/\">grow the city’s budget reserves\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2025-801/#audit-responses\">lift it off the state auditor’s watchlist\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Anderson and critics see a myopic economic strategy that relies on extracting money from Chevron and large businesses, creating a hostile climate that drives out investment. In their view, the settlement is a temporary windfall that masks \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2026/09/17/richmond-chevron-settlement-could-shrink-staff-warns/\">underlying operating deficits\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1917\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20260915_RichmondDataCenterRally-21.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100066\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20260915_RichmondDataCenterRally-21.jpg 1917w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20260915_RichmondDataCenterRally-21-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20260915_RichmondDataCenterRally-21-1536x1068.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1917px) 100vw, 1917px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Richmond City Councilmembers Claudia Jiménez, left, and Sue Wilson, right, during a City Council meeting at Richmond City Hall in Richmond on Sept. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On public safety, Anderson backs a police union \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/80234/Public-Safety-Funding-Charter-Amendment-Initiative---Ballot-Title-and-Summary\">initiative\u003c/a> that would require a minimum of 187 sworn officers, while Jiménez, who supports non-police crisis response and youth programs, warned it would exhaust city resources. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Campaign \u003ca href=\"https://netfile.com/public/RICH/campaign/filingsByIndependentExpenditures/214395286-11-03-2026_General_Election\">finance filings\u003c/a> show the \u003ca href=\"https://netfile.com/public/RICH/campaign/elections\">candidates pulled in\u003c/a> around $130,000 each in individual donations. A PAC funded by the police and building trades unions spent about $430,000 backing Anderson, while a PAC funded by public-sector and service unions and environmental groups put about $250,000 toward Jiménez’s campaign. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jose Abastida is an organizer with SEIU 1021, the union that represents Richmond city employees, and a campaign manager for East Bay Working Families, the PAC that supported Jiménez. “We have seen the impacts that Chevron has caused over the years,” he said. “We want to see a candidate that stands up to big corporations, to big money, and that lets them know it’s not OK to pollute our city.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Tuesday night, Jiménez stressed that this election wasn’t just about her. “It’s all of us doing this for Richmond,” she said. “And I am ready to lead with all of you this new city, this new chapter of this beautiful city, Richmond — the city we all call home.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
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"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
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"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
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"order": 8
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},
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"order": 1
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"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
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"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",
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"order": 9
},
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"id": "fresh-air",
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"hidden-brain": {
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"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. ",
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"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. ",
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"order": 18
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},
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"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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},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
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"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"
},
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
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"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>",
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