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"content": "\u003cp class=\"e-91036-text encore-text-body-medium\" data-encore-id=\"text\" data-slate-node=\"element\">\u003cspan data-slate-node=\"text\">\u003cspan class=\"sc-brPLxw gubhrO\" data-slate-leaf=\"true\">The latest Bay Area recall election took place in the Marin County town of Fairfax this November, where some residents hoped to oust the mayor and vice mayor for \u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003ca class=\"e-91036-text-link e-91036-baseline e-91036-overflow-wrap-anywhere encore-internal-color-text-announcement e-91036-text-link--use-focus sc-ihgnxF fGbrTd\" href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061468/the-latest-bay-area-recall-campaign-is-over-a-six-story-apartment-building\" data-encore-id=\"textLink\" data-slate-node=\"element\" data-slate-inline=\"true\">\u003cspan data-slate-node=\"text\">\u003cspan class=\"sc-brPLxw gubhrO\" data-slate-leaf=\"true\">\u003cu>voting to rezone land for a six-story apartment building.\u003c/u>\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"e-91036-text encore-text-body-medium\" data-encore-id=\"text\" data-slate-node=\"element\" data-slate-fragment=\"JTVCJTdCJTIydHlwZSUyMiUzQSUyMnBhcmFncmFwaCUyMiUyQyUyMmNoaWxkcmVuJTIyJTNBJTVCJTdCJTIydGV4dCUyMiUzQSUyMlRoZSUyMGxhdGVzdCUyMEJheSUyMEFyZWElMjByZWNhbGwlMjBlbGVjdGlvbiUyMHRvb2slMjBwbGFjZSUyMGluJTIwdGhlJTIwTWFyaW4lMjBDb3VudHklMjB0b3duJTIwb2YlMjBGYWlyZmF4JTIwdGhpcyUyME5vdmVtYmVyJTJDJTIwd2hlcmUlMjBzb21lJTIwcmVzaWRlbnRzJTIwaG9wZWQlMjB0byUyMG91c3QlMjB0aGUlMjBtYXlvciUyMGFuZCUyMHZpY2UlMjBtYXlvciUyMGZvciUyMCUyMiU3RCUyQyU3QiUyMnR5cGUlMjIlM0ElMjJsaW5rJTIyJTJDJTIydXJsJTIyJTNBJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cua3FlZC5vcmclMkZuZXdzJTJGMTIwNjE0NjglMkZ0aGUtbGF0ZXN0LWJheS1hcmVhLXJlY2FsbC1jYW1wYWlnbi1pcy1vdmVyLWEtc2l4LXN0b3J5LWFwYXJ0bWVudC1idWlsZGluZyUyMiUyQyUyMnRhcmdldCUyMiUzQW51bGwlMkMlMjJyZWwlMjIlM0FudWxsJTJDJTIyY2hpbGRyZW4lMjIlM0ElNUIlN0IlMjJ0ZXh0JTIyJTNBJTIydm90aW5nJTIwdG8lMjByZXpvbmUlMjBsYW5kJTIwZm9yJTIwYSUyMHNpeC1zdG9yeSUyMGFwYXJ0bWVudCUyMGJ1aWxkaW5nLiUyMiUyQyUyMnVuZGVybGluZSUyMiUzQXRydWUlN0QlNUQlN0QlNUQlN0QlMkMlN0IlMjJ0eXBlJTIyJTNBJTIycGFyYWdyYXBoJTIyJTJDJTIyY2hpbGRyZW4lMjIlM0ElNUIlN0IlMjJ0ZXh0JTIyJTNBJTIyVGhpcyUyMHRpbWUlMkMlMjB0aGUlMjByZWNhbGwlMjBmYWlsZWQlMkMlMjB3aXRoJTIwcm91Z2hseSUyMDU2JTI1JTIwb2YlMjB2b3RlcnMlMjBvcHRpbmclMjB0byUyMGtlZXAlMjBNYXlvciUyMExpc2VsJTIwQmxhc2glMjBhbmQlMjBWaWNlJTIwTWF5b3IlMjBTdGVwaGFuaWUlMjBIZWxsbWFuLiUyMEtRRUQlRTIlODAlOTlzJTIwSXp6eSUyMEJsb29tJTIwYnJlYWtzJTIwZG93biUyMHRoaXMlMjBzdG9yeSUyMGFuZCUyMGV4cGxhaW5zJTIwd2hhdCUyMHRoaXMlMjBmaWdodCUyMG92ZXIlMjBob3VzaW5nJTIwaW4lMjBGYWlyZmF4JTIwY291bGQlMjBtZWFuJTIwZm9yJTIwdGhlJTIwZW50aXJlJTIwcmVnaW9uLiUyMiU3RCU1RCU3RCU1RA==\">\u003cspan data-slate-node=\"text\">\u003cspan class=\"sc-brPLxw gubhrO\" data-slate-leaf=\"true\">This time, the recall failed, with roughly 56% of voters opting to keep Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman. KQED’s Izzy Bloom breaks down this story and explains what this fight over housing in Fairfax could mean for the entire region.\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp data-encore-id=\"text\" data-slate-node=\"element\" data-slate-fragment=\"JTVCJTdCJTIydHlwZSUyMiUzQSUyMnBhcmFncmFwaCUyMiUyQyUyMmNoaWxkcmVuJTIyJTNBJTVCJTdCJTIydGV4dCUyMiUzQSUyMlRoZSUyMGxhdGVzdCUyMEJheSUyMEFyZWElMjByZWNhbGwlMjBlbGVjdGlvbiUyMHRvb2slMjBwbGFjZSUyMGluJTIwdGhlJTIwTWFyaW4lMjBDb3VudHklMjB0b3duJTIwb2YlMjBGYWlyZmF4JTIwdGhpcyUyME5vdmVtYmVyJTJDJTIwd2hlcmUlMjBzb21lJTIwcmVzaWRlbnRzJTIwaG9wZWQlMjB0byUyMG91c3QlMjB0aGUlMjBtYXlvciUyMGFuZCUyMHZpY2UlMjBtYXlvciUyMGZvciUyMCUyMiU3RCUyQyU3QiUyMnR5cGUlMjIlM0ElMjJsaW5rJTIyJTJDJTIydXJsJTIyJTNBJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cua3FlZC5vcmclMkZuZXdzJTJGMTIwNjE0NjglMkZ0aGUtbGF0ZXN0LWJheS1hcmVhLXJlY2FsbC1jYW1wYWlnbi1pcy1vdmVyLWEtc2l4LXN0b3J5LWFwYXJ0bWVudC1idWlsZGluZyUyMiUyQyUyMnRhcmdldCUyMiUzQW51bGwlMkMlMjJyZWwlMjIlM0FudWxsJTJDJTIyY2hpbGRyZW4lMjIlM0ElNUIlN0IlMjJ0ZXh0JTIyJTNBJTIydm90aW5nJTIwdG8lMjByZXpvbmUlMjBsYW5kJTIwZm9yJTIwYSUyMHNpeC1zdG9yeSUyMGFwYXJ0bWVudCUyMGJ1aWxkaW5nLiUyMiUyQyUyMnVuZGVybGluZSUyMiUzQXRydWUlN0QlNUQlN0QlNUQlN0QlMkMlN0IlMjJ0eXBlJTIyJTNBJTIycGFyYWdyYXBoJTIyJTJDJTIyY2hpbGRyZW4lMjIlM0ElNUIlN0IlMjJ0ZXh0JTIyJTNBJTIyVGhpcyUyMHRpbWUlMkMlMjB0aGUlMjByZWNhbGwlMjBmYWlsZWQlMkMlMjB3aXRoJTIwcm91Z2hseSUyMDU2JTI1JTIwb2YlMjB2b3RlcnMlMjBvcHRpbmclMjB0byUyMGtlZXAlMjBNYXlvciUyMExpc2VsJTIwQmxhc2glMjBhbmQlMjBWaWNlJTIwTWF5b3IlMjBTdGVwaGFuaWUlMjBIZWxsbWFuLiUyMEtRRUQlRTIlODAlOTlzJTIwSXp6eSUyMEJsb29tJTIwYnJlYWtzJTIwZG93biUyMHRoaXMlMjBzdG9yeSUyMGFuZCUyMGV4cGxhaW5zJTIwd2hhdCUyMHRoaXMlMjBmaWdodCUyMG92ZXIlMjBob3VzaW5nJTIwaW4lMjBGYWlyZmF4JTIwY291bGQlMjBtZWFuJTIwZm9yJTIwdGhlJTIwZW50aXJlJTIwcmVnaW9uLiUyMiU3RCU1RCU3RCU1RA==\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC9586793910&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:49] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara and welcome to the Bay local news to keep you rooted. The Bay Area is no stranger to recalls, but what’s rare is a recall that fails. And this past election, a recall vote took place in the small Marin County town of Fairfax, where a group of residents hoped to boot out the mayor and vice mayor over a six-story apartment building proposed for the edge of downtown. And not only did the recall fail, but it was personal in a way that other Bay Area recalls were.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Mayor Lisel Blash: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:32] \u003c/em>People hear about East Bay recalls or recalls in San Francisco, and I’m sure those are painful for the recallees, but this is like a really tiny town. So I see people, my neighbors, people in the supermarket, it just really feels very personal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:51] \u003c/em>Today, the recall in Fairfax and why what happens here over housing is worth watching.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:12] \u003c/em>When I went down to Fairfax, most people said that this has really divided their community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:17] \u003c/em>Izzy Bloom is a politics reporter and producer for KQED’s Political Breakdown Podcast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:24] \u003c/em>The recall effort targeted Fairfax Mayor Liesl Blash and its Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman. I went down a few weeks before the election and along with all of the Halloween decorations and people’s yards, you know, up and down the street, there were all these yes on recall, no recall signs, often at houses right next to each other. And so it’s really pitted neighbors against each other\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:50] \u003c/em>Izzy, before we get into this recall election that happened a couple of weeks ago, tell me a little bit more about the town of Fairfax.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:59] \u003c/em>You know, Fairfax is this really small, charming town in Marin County. It’s about 7,500 residents. It tends to be a little bit more white, higher income. It’s known also for a lot of artists and musicians who’ve been priced out of town because of the high housing costs. It’s nestled in the foothills of Mount Tamalpais. It’s know as the birthplace for mountain biking and also for its progressive politics. But at the same time, Fairfax, like a lot of Marin County, has really high housing costs. And so I felt like there were some interesting conflicts here where residents say they want affordable housing in their town, but they’re also pushing back against high density housing developments. And I think residents know that they have a bit of a reputation as NIMBY. One of the recall organizers said that he thinks that sort of like stunts the conversation. He says they’re a little bit more MIMBY So ‘maybe in my backyard,’ instead of ‘no in my back yard.’\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:58] \u003c/em>In other words, it is Marin County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:01] \u003c/em>It is Marin County, yeah.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:03] \u003c/em>A place that is notorious for not building enough housing. Let’s step back a little bit, Izzy, and talk about the rationale behind this recall. As we were just talking about, Marin County has never built enough housing, tell me a little more about why the recall was happening in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:23] \u003c/em>Last November, developer Mill Creek Residential submitted a preliminary application to build this 243 unit, six story apartment building in downtown Fairfax. And that would include four levels of residential, two levels of parking, and then the ground floor would be commercial space. And then 49 of those units would be marked as affordable, which is about like $1,900 to $2,500 a month for a studio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:53] \u003c/em>Oh, God.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:53] \u003c/em>So, you know, I met recall organizers before the election at this local pub in Fairfax called Naves Bar where the recall leader Candice Neal-Ricker manages\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Candace Neal-Ricker: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:08] \u003c/em>I am local, ultra-low-income, born-and-raised Fairfaxian that could not afford what they are proposing there. This is serious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:17] \u003c/em>One of her criticisms is that, first of all, there’s not enough affordable housing included in this development proposal, and also that she doesn’t really think it is affordable like it wouldn’t be affordable to her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Candace Neal-Ricker: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:28] \u003c/em>I couldn’t afford the 2,700 month studio apartment. So this is not affordable housing. This is a shill of\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:36] \u003c/em>I think really at the heart of this recall was the high density housing development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:41] \u003c/em>I know a lot of people were actually really, didn’t like how this development would look, right? Tell me a little bit more about how residents were feeling when this housing development was proposed and what were some of the other arguments that you heard about their opposition to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:01] \u003c/em>A lot of people definitely said it wouldn’t fit the esthetic of Fairfax. Multiple people referred to it as a monstrosity. And even the vice mayor, Stephanie Hellman, who faced a recall, described the design as cheap and ugly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:19] \u003c/em>There’s problems with it. Design-wise, it’s cookie cutter, doesn’t fit with the design and, you know, esthetic or character of the town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:30] \u003c/em>This site that it was slated for, it’s called School Street Plaza. It’s this two acre plot of land that’s on a bit of a hill right at the edge of town. And a six story building there really would tower over the town and it would block some residents views of the hills. Other than that, some of the big concerns for the development is that it would cause issues for parking. And the recall petition also said that, it would bring this influx of cars to Fairfax that would create a death trap if there was a wildfire or an earthquake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:07] \u003c/em>When did this opposition to this housing development then spiral into a recall? Like what were the events that sort of triggered the recall?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:19] \u003c/em>Last year, the town council voted to rezone the school street site. The state is putting a lot of pressure on local governments to meet housing demands in order to ease California’s housing crisis, or else they’ll take away some of their permitting and zoning authority or, you know, hit them with fines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:40] \u003c/em>And the council voted to rezone the land in order to move forward with it, and people didn’t like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:47] \u003c/em>They didn’t. Another thing that recall organizers were upset about is that the council processed the development under what’s called ministerial review. Ministerial review is a way to fast track housing developments by allowing them to bypass public hearings and review under the California Environmental Quality Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:08] \u003c/em>So, then this recall is on the ballot. What was Candice’s argument for the recall?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:17] \u003c/em>I think the biggest thing that Candice and other recall organizers were saying is that their elected officials just were out of touch with constituents’ desires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Candace Neal-Ricker: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:28] \u003c/em>As you recall, it was 100% about getting back to basics and listening to the constituents, the voters of Fairfax, the taxpayers. Council members are not gods. And something that has happened here in Fairfax is they’ve forgotten who they work for and what they were elected to represent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:47] \u003c/em>What I really felt like I kept hearing is that, even though there are these state mandates, they wanted their representatives to push back on the state more than they did and listen to what their constituents wanted. I think they really felt like they just rolled over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Candace Neal-Ricker: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:05] \u003c/em>We can do better here at Fairfax. We can get back to some basics. I believe we can meet the affordable housing needs of the state in a much better way. Again, like as town council members, you’re city planners and city hall and the planning commission, these are your jobs. And to manage them is your elected positions. So it’s a complete sellout to the developers, 100%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:32] \u003c/em>Coming up, the arguments against the recall in Fairfax, and why it ultimately failed. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:37] \u003c/em>Well, let’s talk now, Izzy, about the arguments against the recall campaign. What was Liesl Blash and Stephanie Hellman’s main argument against the Recall, like at its core?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:50] \u003c/em>Blash and Hellman really said that their hands were tied. You know, they have this state mandate to permit for 490 new units by 2031. And if they don’t make progress towards that, they could face litigation from the state, fines of up to $600,000 a month, and they could even lose some of their permitting and zoning authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:12] \u003c/em>All of my actions have been to protect the town from litigation, penalties, and fines. I’m not happy about a lot of these laws, but I didn’t run for office to break the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:26] \u003c/em>Vice Mayor Hellman said that she really felt like the state was ready to make an example out of Fairfax for this sort of perception that Marin County has not met up with housing demands and helped contribute to state efforts to resolve California’s housing crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:45] \u003c/em>I truly believe that the state and lots of jurisdictions are looking at Fairfax right now as a test case and it’s not about saving me, it’s about saving the town from fiscal ruin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:58] \u003c/em>I also have to ask, the recall was, it seemed like over this new housing development, but the recall wouldn’t have actually stopped the complex from being built, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:12:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, I think that’s something that really interested me about this story. It kind of reminds me of what happened in San Francisco’s Sunset District with Supervisor Joel Engardio, who his recall campaign was about his support for closing part of the Great Highway to create the Sunset Dunes Park. And he ultimately was recalled, but it had no impact on what ultimately happened with the park. And in this situation, recalling the mayor and vice mayor wouldn’t impact whether or not this proposal ultimately gets approved or denied. It’s not really up to them. And so I think the recall was a lot more about residents telling local electeds, hey, we don’t agree with your policy decisions and we want you to listen to us, your constituents, not the state. I do think that we’re seeing more and more recalls that are about residents expressing dissatisfaction rather than a being about some specific malfeasance or corruption.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:13] \u003c/em>Yeah, and I mean, if a recall in a place like Fairfax that is so small, I can imagine, has made such a big impact on the town and on the community. But that said, the mayor and the vice mayor seem to have made a pretty convincing argument that they have to build this development, even if people don’t like it, right? And the recall ultimately did not succeed?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:39] \u003c/em>Yeah, I think that message actually really got out to people that recalling them would not change what happens with this housing development. And it actually was a pretty decisive victory for Blash and Hellman. About 55% to 56% of voters said no on the recall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:58] \u003c/em>I’ve already started to reach out to folks who were vocally in support of the recall to just listen and hear their perspectives and start to build bridges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:14:10] \u003c/em>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman, you know, really said that the No on Recall campaign did a lot of work to educate the residents of Fairfax about basically that, you know, the mayor and vice mayor aren’t supportive of this housing development and that it is just them trying to protect the town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:14:29] \u003c/em>There was a handful of residents who really did a lot of work to educate the community on how much local control we’ve really lost. We were all about protecting the town from severe penalties, from losing our housing element certification, which basically gives developers free reign with very, very little, if any, local control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:14:57] \u003c/em>It does seem like when I saw the results of this story, it did feel very surprising and rare. I guess, what do you make of that result?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:15:09] \u003c/em>Yeah, I actually think in some ways it was pretty surprising. You know, I looked through Ballotpedia’s list of failed recalls in the Bay Area. And in the past decade, this is only the second to fail. Mayor Liesl Blash said that she thinks one thing that made Fairfax different from some of these other recalls in the bay area is just that it’s such a small community. The divisiveness was a lot more visible to residents and it was a little more personal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Mayor Lisel Blash: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:15:37] \u003c/em>It’s been, like, a huge amount of time and money on all sides. It’s created incredible stress in Fairfax, and it’s really a time for people to come back together, you know, not keep driving this wedge between us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:15:50] \u003c/em>Prop 50, she thinks, really helped bring out more voters, and that high turnout really helped them, which I think is possible, you know, that otherwise maybe more motivated people to recall the mayor and vice mayor would have turned out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Mayor Lisel Blash: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:16:04] \u003c/em>And I think people are weary of the crazy shenanigans and they wanna get back to a more normal environment. You know, it’s been like three solid years of negativity and I think we just have to say this is over. We just need to move on as a community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:16:18] \u003c/em>Was there any response from the pro-recall campaign? Did they have any thoughts on why they ultimately lost this recall?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:16:29] \u003c/em>They texted me a written statement saying they were obviously disappointed with the results, but that they do feel the recall forced a real conversation about the future of Fairfax and led the town council to confront issues like high density housing and take meaningful action to address them. And they just said they’ll continue to push for better decisions at town hall that works for the residents of FairFax.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:16:52] \u003c/em>I guess my last question for you, Izzy, how would you explain why, what happens from here on out in Fairfax is relevant to the rest of the region?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:17:03] \u003c/em>California right now is really grappling with how they’re going to solve the housing crisis. And Marin County tends to be a bit of a poster child for fighting back against that, but we’re seeing this trend of local power shifting away from local governments to the state when it comes to making housing decisions. And I think residents are just sort of becoming aware of that. And we’ll see whether they use recalls as a tool to push back against it. I mean, Blash said that she thinks there will always be. A group of people in Fairfax who don’t want high-density housing, but she does think one of the messages from the election is that there’s a growing consensus among the town that they do need more housing, they just want to have input on what that looks like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Mayor Lisel Blash: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:17:58] \u003c/em>I think one of the things that really came out of this was that people learned that there are state mandates around housing and that that may not be the decision of their council per se, but that we are all facing, you know, a new environment around housing laws. And I think people really learned that from all of the press coverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:18:21] \u003c/em>Well, Izzy, thank you so much for joining me. I appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:18:24] \u003c/em>Thank you so much\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp class=\"e-91036-text encore-text-body-medium\" data-encore-id=\"text\" data-slate-node=\"element\">\u003cspan data-slate-node=\"text\">\u003cspan class=\"sc-brPLxw gubhrO\" data-slate-leaf=\"true\">The latest Bay Area recall election took place in the Marin County town of Fairfax this November, where some residents hoped to oust the mayor and vice mayor for \u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003ca class=\"e-91036-text-link e-91036-baseline e-91036-overflow-wrap-anywhere encore-internal-color-text-announcement e-91036-text-link--use-focus sc-ihgnxF fGbrTd\" href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061468/the-latest-bay-area-recall-campaign-is-over-a-six-story-apartment-building\" data-encore-id=\"textLink\" data-slate-node=\"element\" data-slate-inline=\"true\">\u003cspan data-slate-node=\"text\">\u003cspan class=\"sc-brPLxw gubhrO\" data-slate-leaf=\"true\">\u003cu>voting to rezone land for a six-story apartment building.\u003c/u>\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"e-91036-text encore-text-body-medium\" data-encore-id=\"text\" data-slate-node=\"element\" data-slate-fragment=\"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\">\u003cspan data-slate-node=\"text\">\u003cspan class=\"sc-brPLxw gubhrO\" data-slate-leaf=\"true\">This time, the recall failed, with roughly 56% of voters opting to keep Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman. KQED’s Izzy Bloom breaks down this story and explains what this fight over housing in Fairfax could mean for the entire region.\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp data-encore-id=\"text\" data-slate-node=\"element\" data-slate-fragment=\"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\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC9586793910&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:49] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara and welcome to the Bay local news to keep you rooted. The Bay Area is no stranger to recalls, but what’s rare is a recall that fails. And this past election, a recall vote took place in the small Marin County town of Fairfax, where a group of residents hoped to boot out the mayor and vice mayor over a six-story apartment building proposed for the edge of downtown. And not only did the recall fail, but it was personal in a way that other Bay Area recalls were.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Mayor Lisel Blash: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:32] \u003c/em>People hear about East Bay recalls or recalls in San Francisco, and I’m sure those are painful for the recallees, but this is like a really tiny town. So I see people, my neighbors, people in the supermarket, it just really feels very personal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:51] \u003c/em>Today, the recall in Fairfax and why what happens here over housing is worth watching.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:12] \u003c/em>When I went down to Fairfax, most people said that this has really divided their community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:17] \u003c/em>Izzy Bloom is a politics reporter and producer for KQED’s Political Breakdown Podcast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:24] \u003c/em>The recall effort targeted Fairfax Mayor Liesl Blash and its Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman. I went down a few weeks before the election and along with all of the Halloween decorations and people’s yards, you know, up and down the street, there were all these yes on recall, no recall signs, often at houses right next to each other. And so it’s really pitted neighbors against each other\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:50] \u003c/em>Izzy, before we get into this recall election that happened a couple of weeks ago, tell me a little bit more about the town of Fairfax.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:59] \u003c/em>You know, Fairfax is this really small, charming town in Marin County. It’s about 7,500 residents. It tends to be a little bit more white, higher income. It’s known also for a lot of artists and musicians who’ve been priced out of town because of the high housing costs. It’s nestled in the foothills of Mount Tamalpais. It’s know as the birthplace for mountain biking and also for its progressive politics. But at the same time, Fairfax, like a lot of Marin County, has really high housing costs. And so I felt like there were some interesting conflicts here where residents say they want affordable housing in their town, but they’re also pushing back against high density housing developments. And I think residents know that they have a bit of a reputation as NIMBY. One of the recall organizers said that he thinks that sort of like stunts the conversation. He says they’re a little bit more MIMBY So ‘maybe in my backyard,’ instead of ‘no in my back yard.’\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:58] \u003c/em>In other words, it is Marin County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:01] \u003c/em>It is Marin County, yeah.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:03] \u003c/em>A place that is notorious for not building enough housing. Let’s step back a little bit, Izzy, and talk about the rationale behind this recall. As we were just talking about, Marin County has never built enough housing, tell me a little more about why the recall was happening in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:23] \u003c/em>Last November, developer Mill Creek Residential submitted a preliminary application to build this 243 unit, six story apartment building in downtown Fairfax. And that would include four levels of residential, two levels of parking, and then the ground floor would be commercial space. And then 49 of those units would be marked as affordable, which is about like $1,900 to $2,500 a month for a studio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:53] \u003c/em>Oh, God.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:53] \u003c/em>So, you know, I met recall organizers before the election at this local pub in Fairfax called Naves Bar where the recall leader Candice Neal-Ricker manages\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Candace Neal-Ricker: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:08] \u003c/em>I am local, ultra-low-income, born-and-raised Fairfaxian that could not afford what they are proposing there. This is serious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:17] \u003c/em>One of her criticisms is that, first of all, there’s not enough affordable housing included in this development proposal, and also that she doesn’t really think it is affordable like it wouldn’t be affordable to her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Candace Neal-Ricker: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:28] \u003c/em>I couldn’t afford the 2,700 month studio apartment. So this is not affordable housing. This is a shill of\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:36] \u003c/em>I think really at the heart of this recall was the high density housing development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:41] \u003c/em>I know a lot of people were actually really, didn’t like how this development would look, right? Tell me a little bit more about how residents were feeling when this housing development was proposed and what were some of the other arguments that you heard about their opposition to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:01] \u003c/em>A lot of people definitely said it wouldn’t fit the esthetic of Fairfax. Multiple people referred to it as a monstrosity. And even the vice mayor, Stephanie Hellman, who faced a recall, described the design as cheap and ugly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:19] \u003c/em>There’s problems with it. Design-wise, it’s cookie cutter, doesn’t fit with the design and, you know, esthetic or character of the town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:30] \u003c/em>This site that it was slated for, it’s called School Street Plaza. It’s this two acre plot of land that’s on a bit of a hill right at the edge of town. And a six story building there really would tower over the town and it would block some residents views of the hills. Other than that, some of the big concerns for the development is that it would cause issues for parking. And the recall petition also said that, it would bring this influx of cars to Fairfax that would create a death trap if there was a wildfire or an earthquake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:07] \u003c/em>When did this opposition to this housing development then spiral into a recall? Like what were the events that sort of triggered the recall?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:19] \u003c/em>Last year, the town council voted to rezone the school street site. The state is putting a lot of pressure on local governments to meet housing demands in order to ease California’s housing crisis, or else they’ll take away some of their permitting and zoning authority or, you know, hit them with fines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:40] \u003c/em>And the council voted to rezone the land in order to move forward with it, and people didn’t like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:47] \u003c/em>They didn’t. Another thing that recall organizers were upset about is that the council processed the development under what’s called ministerial review. Ministerial review is a way to fast track housing developments by allowing them to bypass public hearings and review under the California Environmental Quality Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:08] \u003c/em>So, then this recall is on the ballot. What was Candice’s argument for the recall?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:17] \u003c/em>I think the biggest thing that Candice and other recall organizers were saying is that their elected officials just were out of touch with constituents’ desires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Candace Neal-Ricker: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:28] \u003c/em>As you recall, it was 100% about getting back to basics and listening to the constituents, the voters of Fairfax, the taxpayers. Council members are not gods. And something that has happened here in Fairfax is they’ve forgotten who they work for and what they were elected to represent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:47] \u003c/em>What I really felt like I kept hearing is that, even though there are these state mandates, they wanted their representatives to push back on the state more than they did and listen to what their constituents wanted. I think they really felt like they just rolled over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Candace Neal-Ricker: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:05] \u003c/em>We can do better here at Fairfax. We can get back to some basics. I believe we can meet the affordable housing needs of the state in a much better way. Again, like as town council members, you’re city planners and city hall and the planning commission, these are your jobs. And to manage them is your elected positions. So it’s a complete sellout to the developers, 100%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:32] \u003c/em>Coming up, the arguments against the recall in Fairfax, and why it ultimately failed. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:37] \u003c/em>Well, let’s talk now, Izzy, about the arguments against the recall campaign. What was Liesl Blash and Stephanie Hellman’s main argument against the Recall, like at its core?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:50] \u003c/em>Blash and Hellman really said that their hands were tied. You know, they have this state mandate to permit for 490 new units by 2031. And if they don’t make progress towards that, they could face litigation from the state, fines of up to $600,000 a month, and they could even lose some of their permitting and zoning authority.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:12] \u003c/em>All of my actions have been to protect the town from litigation, penalties, and fines. I’m not happy about a lot of these laws, but I didn’t run for office to break the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:26] \u003c/em>Vice Mayor Hellman said that she really felt like the state was ready to make an example out of Fairfax for this sort of perception that Marin County has not met up with housing demands and helped contribute to state efforts to resolve California’s housing crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:45] \u003c/em>I truly believe that the state and lots of jurisdictions are looking at Fairfax right now as a test case and it’s not about saving me, it’s about saving the town from fiscal ruin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:58] \u003c/em>I also have to ask, the recall was, it seemed like over this new housing development, but the recall wouldn’t have actually stopped the complex from being built, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:12:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, I think that’s something that really interested me about this story. It kind of reminds me of what happened in San Francisco’s Sunset District with Supervisor Joel Engardio, who his recall campaign was about his support for closing part of the Great Highway to create the Sunset Dunes Park. And he ultimately was recalled, but it had no impact on what ultimately happened with the park. And in this situation, recalling the mayor and vice mayor wouldn’t impact whether or not this proposal ultimately gets approved or denied. It’s not really up to them. And so I think the recall was a lot more about residents telling local electeds, hey, we don’t agree with your policy decisions and we want you to listen to us, your constituents, not the state. I do think that we’re seeing more and more recalls that are about residents expressing dissatisfaction rather than a being about some specific malfeasance or corruption.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:13] \u003c/em>Yeah, and I mean, if a recall in a place like Fairfax that is so small, I can imagine, has made such a big impact on the town and on the community. But that said, the mayor and the vice mayor seem to have made a pretty convincing argument that they have to build this development, even if people don’t like it, right? And the recall ultimately did not succeed?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:39] \u003c/em>Yeah, I think that message actually really got out to people that recalling them would not change what happens with this housing development. And it actually was a pretty decisive victory for Blash and Hellman. About 55% to 56% of voters said no on the recall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:58] \u003c/em>I’ve already started to reach out to folks who were vocally in support of the recall to just listen and hear their perspectives and start to build bridges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:14:10] \u003c/em>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman, you know, really said that the No on Recall campaign did a lot of work to educate the residents of Fairfax about basically that, you know, the mayor and vice mayor aren’t supportive of this housing development and that it is just them trying to protect the town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:14:29] \u003c/em>There was a handful of residents who really did a lot of work to educate the community on how much local control we’ve really lost. We were all about protecting the town from severe penalties, from losing our housing element certification, which basically gives developers free reign with very, very little, if any, local control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:14:57] \u003c/em>It does seem like when I saw the results of this story, it did feel very surprising and rare. I guess, what do you make of that result?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:15:09] \u003c/em>Yeah, I actually think in some ways it was pretty surprising. You know, I looked through Ballotpedia’s list of failed recalls in the Bay Area. And in the past decade, this is only the second to fail. Mayor Liesl Blash said that she thinks one thing that made Fairfax different from some of these other recalls in the bay area is just that it’s such a small community. The divisiveness was a lot more visible to residents and it was a little more personal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Mayor Lisel Blash: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:15:37] \u003c/em>It’s been, like, a huge amount of time and money on all sides. It’s created incredible stress in Fairfax, and it’s really a time for people to come back together, you know, not keep driving this wedge between us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:15:50] \u003c/em>Prop 50, she thinks, really helped bring out more voters, and that high turnout really helped them, which I think is possible, you know, that otherwise maybe more motivated people to recall the mayor and vice mayor would have turned out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Mayor Lisel Blash: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:16:04] \u003c/em>And I think people are weary of the crazy shenanigans and they wanna get back to a more normal environment. You know, it’s been like three solid years of negativity and I think we just have to say this is over. We just need to move on as a community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:16:18] \u003c/em>Was there any response from the pro-recall campaign? Did they have any thoughts on why they ultimately lost this recall?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:16:29] \u003c/em>They texted me a written statement saying they were obviously disappointed with the results, but that they do feel the recall forced a real conversation about the future of Fairfax and led the town council to confront issues like high density housing and take meaningful action to address them. And they just said they’ll continue to push for better decisions at town hall that works for the residents of FairFax.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:16:52] \u003c/em>I guess my last question for you, Izzy, how would you explain why, what happens from here on out in Fairfax is relevant to the rest of the region?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:17:03] \u003c/em>California right now is really grappling with how they’re going to solve the housing crisis. And Marin County tends to be a bit of a poster child for fighting back against that, but we’re seeing this trend of local power shifting away from local governments to the state when it comes to making housing decisions. And I think residents are just sort of becoming aware of that. And we’ll see whether they use recalls as a tool to push back against it. I mean, Blash said that she thinks there will always be. A group of people in Fairfax who don’t want high-density housing, but she does think one of the messages from the election is that there’s a growing consensus among the town that they do need more housing, they just want to have input on what that looks like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Mayor Lisel Blash: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:17:58] \u003c/em>I think one of the things that really came out of this was that people learned that there are state mandates around housing and that that may not be the decision of their council per se, but that we are all facing, you know, a new environment around housing laws. And I think people really learned that from all of the press coverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:18:21] \u003c/em>Well, Izzy, thank you so much for joining me. I appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:18:24] \u003c/em>Thank you so much\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Fairfax Recall of Mayor, Vice-Mayor Appears Poised to Fail, Early Returns Show",
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"headTitle": "Fairfax Recall of Mayor, Vice-Mayor Appears Poised to Fail, Early Returns Show | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>An attempt to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061468/the-latest-bay-area-recall-campaign-is-over-a-six-story-apartment-building\">recall two North Bay officials over housing density\u003c/a> appears headed for failure, early ballot returns showed Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A petition to recall Fairfax Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman accused the leaders of mismanaging money and ignoring infrastructure repairs in the small Marin County town, but at the center of the campaign was a referendum on their perceived support for a new six-story apartment complex proposed near the small town’s center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite widespread anger over the development, the pair looked poised to hold onto their seats by wide \u003ca href=\"https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CA/Marin/124182/web.345435/#/detail/3\">margins\u003c/a> on Wednesday morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The results look very encouraging and we are so thankful for our volunteers, community members, elected officials, and organizations who showed up and supported us,” they said in a joint statement. “We remain committed to a safe, affordable, fair Fairfax and look forward to all ballots being counted.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recall supporters, who launched their campaign last March, have blamed Blash and Hellman for backing a rezoning plan that allowed developers to move forward with plans for the large apartment complex.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12061569\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12061569\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Halloween display plays on election-related content in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Two other former council members who supported the zoning changes lost their seats on town council last November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That month, development firm Mill Creek Residential submitted an application to build a 243-unit apartment building, plus two floors for parking and ground-floor commercial space, on a two-acre plot in downtown Fairfax, known as School Street Plaza. The plan has been unpopular with many of the 7,500 residents of the town, and Hellman herself told KQED last month that the “cookie-cutter” design looked out of place and was too tall for the area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, she and Blash both said, the town needs to build more housing as the state’s deadline to meet certain housing requirements approaches. Fairfax is required to add more than 490 new homes by 2031.[aside postID=news_12061468 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-24-BL-KQED.jpg']The redevelopment is very much still in limbo — Fairfax’s planning director sent a letter to Mill Creek Residential last month \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/fairfaxca/2025/10/ec4f9313-95-broadway-application-consistency-review-10-16-25.pdf\">threatening to deny the project\u003c/a> if developers didn’t address a number of issues in their proposal, which make it inconsistent with the town’s objective design standards, by Nov. 17. According to \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/fairfaxca/2025/10/40fec0e1-6-95-broadway-response-to-hurd-letter-10-24-25.pdf\">a follow up letter\u003c/a>, the company’s attorney shot back with an email saying the town had blown past its 60-day window to vote on the project, and was therefore “deemed approved.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recall organizers on Wednesday morning had not admitted defeat, saying in a statement that there were still hundreds of votes left to be counted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are committed to ensuring every last voice is heard before the outcome is determined,” they said via email. “Regardless of the final result, we are not going anywhere. Our movement will remain fully engaged in local government and ensure that the interests of our residents are represented by the Town Council. We can do better in Fairfax, and we are confident that, in time, we will see a return to common sense leadership in our community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Either way, the recall results won’t have any direct impact on whether the School Street Plaza project ultimately goes forward. And, according to anti-recall advocate Chris Kent, the town will still have to face its housing crisis. If the town fails to add the units it’s required to by 2031, the state will step in to do so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are people who want to stop time in its tracks,” Kent said. “They’d like there to be no growth ever, but history shows us the growth happens anyway. We either do that intelligently and plan for how we’re going to manage growth or we try to fight the state when we don’t have the power to do that, or the sovereignty.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ibloom\">\u003cem>Izzy Bloom\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/aemslie\">\u003cem>Alex Emslie\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>An attempt to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061468/the-latest-bay-area-recall-campaign-is-over-a-six-story-apartment-building\">recall two North Bay officials over housing density\u003c/a> appears headed for failure, early ballot returns showed Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A petition to recall Fairfax Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman accused the leaders of mismanaging money and ignoring infrastructure repairs in the small Marin County town, but at the center of the campaign was a referendum on their perceived support for a new six-story apartment complex proposed near the small town’s center.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite widespread anger over the development, the pair looked poised to hold onto their seats by wide \u003ca href=\"https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CA/Marin/124182/web.345435/#/detail/3\">margins\u003c/a> on Wednesday morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The results look very encouraging and we are so thankful for our volunteers, community members, elected officials, and organizations who showed up and supported us,” they said in a joint statement. “We remain committed to a safe, affordable, fair Fairfax and look forward to all ballots being counted.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recall supporters, who launched their campaign last March, have blamed Blash and Hellman for backing a rezoning plan that allowed developers to move forward with plans for the large apartment complex.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12061569\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12061569\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Halloween display plays on election-related content in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Two other former council members who supported the zoning changes lost their seats on town council last November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That month, development firm Mill Creek Residential submitted an application to build a 243-unit apartment building, plus two floors for parking and ground-floor commercial space, on a two-acre plot in downtown Fairfax, known as School Street Plaza. The plan has been unpopular with many of the 7,500 residents of the town, and Hellman herself told KQED last month that the “cookie-cutter” design looked out of place and was too tall for the area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, she and Blash both said, the town needs to build more housing as the state’s deadline to meet certain housing requirements approaches. Fairfax is required to add more than 490 new homes by 2031.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The redevelopment is very much still in limbo — Fairfax’s planning director sent a letter to Mill Creek Residential last month \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/fairfaxca/2025/10/ec4f9313-95-broadway-application-consistency-review-10-16-25.pdf\">threatening to deny the project\u003c/a> if developers didn’t address a number of issues in their proposal, which make it inconsistent with the town’s objective design standards, by Nov. 17. According to \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/fairfaxca/2025/10/40fec0e1-6-95-broadway-response-to-hurd-letter-10-24-25.pdf\">a follow up letter\u003c/a>, the company’s attorney shot back with an email saying the town had blown past its 60-day window to vote on the project, and was therefore “deemed approved.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recall organizers on Wednesday morning had not admitted defeat, saying in a statement that there were still hundreds of votes left to be counted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are committed to ensuring every last voice is heard before the outcome is determined,” they said via email. “Regardless of the final result, we are not going anywhere. Our movement will remain fully engaged in local government and ensure that the interests of our residents are represented by the Town Council. We can do better in Fairfax, and we are confident that, in time, we will see a return to common sense leadership in our community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Either way, the recall results won’t have any direct impact on whether the School Street Plaza project ultimately goes forward. And, according to anti-recall advocate Chris Kent, the town will still have to face its housing crisis. If the town fails to add the units it’s required to by 2031, the state will step in to do so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are people who want to stop time in its tracks,” Kent said. “They’d like there to be no growth ever, but history shows us the growth happens anyway. We either do that intelligently and plan for how we’re going to manage growth or we try to fight the state when we don’t have the power to do that, or the sovereignty.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ibloom\">\u003cem>Izzy Bloom\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/aemslie\">\u003cem>Alex Emslie\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "family-says-marin-county-murder-suspect-should-receive-mental-health-care-not-prison",
"title": "Family Says Marin County Murder Suspect Should Receive Mental Health Care, Not Prison",
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"content": "\u003cp>With the trial of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/marin\">Marin\u003c/a> woman charged in the death of her mother set to begin next week, advocates are asking the county’s district attorney to seek mental health treatment, instead of criminal prosecution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Family members and restorative justice advocates said Tonantzyn Beltran, 30, was in the midst of a severe mental health episode when she fatally stabbed her mother, Olivia Beltran, in the victim’s San Rafael apartment in January 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My sister’s not a monster, and she’s not disposable,” Tonatiuh Beltran, Tonantzyn’s younger sister, said Thursday. “It’s an unfortunate reality that she was failed by a medical system since the time I was 16 years old.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The day before the stabbing, Tnantzyn had been hospitalized at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital after police intervened in a mental health crisis. Despite her family’s pleas for the medical center to keep her on a mandatory 72-hour hold, Tonatiuh said, clinicians discharged her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Jan. 8, 2024, San Rafael police responded to reports of a physical fight and stabbing at Olivia’s apartment just before 5 p.m. When they arrived, they found Beltran standing over her mother, holding a knife. Olivia had been stabbed and her clothes soaked in blood, police said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.srpd.org/press-release.php?id=768\">press release\u003c/a> at the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062383\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062383\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00351_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00351_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00351_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00351_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Supporters of the Beltran family hold up a sign reading, “Prison doesn’t treat mental illness” outside the Marin County Superior Court during a press conference in San Rafael on Oct. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Fire officials rendered aid and transported the victim to a local hospital, where she died within hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, she said, it feels like the family is being ignored again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They dismissed us,” Tonatiuh Beltran said. “My mom kept trying, but 24 hours later, the tragedy happened, and it changed my life forever.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The district attorney’s office is moving forward with a criminal trial despite our wishes for my sister to be hospitalized,” she continued. “It feels like another tragedy, on top of what we have already had to survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062378\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062378\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Beltran-Family.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Beltran-Family.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Beltran-Family-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Beltran-Family-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left to right: Olivia, Tonatiuh and Tonantzyn Beltran at UC Berkeley. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Erin Musgrave Communications)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“My mother made it clear from the start that she wanted my sister to get help, that she wanted my sister to receive the proper treatment and hospitalization, not criminalization.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beltran said her sister had previously been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. She pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity last September, but after multiple mental health evaluations, she was declared fit to stand trial this spring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The district attorney, time and time again, claims to represent victims. She claims to center victims’ rights and victims’ voices. But in this case, she is ignoring the voice,” said George Galvis, co-founder and executive director of Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062384\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12062384 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00693_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00693_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00693_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00693_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tonatiuh Beltran wears a shirt honoring her mother, Olivia Beltran, outside the Marin County Superior Court during a press conference in San Rafael on Oct. 30, 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Pleading not guilty by reason of insanity, he said, “does not mean it’s a get-out-of-jail-free card. It does mean that there isn’t accountability. It’s an understanding of how we treat that person,” adding that jails and prisons aren’t equipped to handle extreme mental health issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Marin County District Attorney’s Office declined a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trial was initially set to begin Oct. 21, but has been pushed back to Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmeline\">\u003cem>Gabe Meline\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"title": "Family Says Marin County Murder Suspect Should Receive Mental Health Care, Not Prison | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>With the trial of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/marin\">Marin\u003c/a> woman charged in the death of her mother set to begin next week, advocates are asking the county’s district attorney to seek mental health treatment, instead of criminal prosecution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Family members and restorative justice advocates said Tonantzyn Beltran, 30, was in the midst of a severe mental health episode when she fatally stabbed her mother, Olivia Beltran, in the victim’s San Rafael apartment in January 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My sister’s not a monster, and she’s not disposable,” Tonatiuh Beltran, Tonantzyn’s younger sister, said Thursday. “It’s an unfortunate reality that she was failed by a medical system since the time I was 16 years old.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The day before the stabbing, Tnantzyn had been hospitalized at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital after police intervened in a mental health crisis. Despite her family’s pleas for the medical center to keep her on a mandatory 72-hour hold, Tonatiuh said, clinicians discharged her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Jan. 8, 2024, San Rafael police responded to reports of a physical fight and stabbing at Olivia’s apartment just before 5 p.m. When they arrived, they found Beltran standing over her mother, holding a knife. Olivia had been stabbed and her clothes soaked in blood, police said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.srpd.org/press-release.php?id=768\">press release\u003c/a> at the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062383\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062383\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00351_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00351_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00351_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00351_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Supporters of the Beltran family hold up a sign reading, “Prison doesn’t treat mental illness” outside the Marin County Superior Court during a press conference in San Rafael on Oct. 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Fire officials rendered aid and transported the victim to a local hospital, where she died within hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, she said, it feels like the family is being ignored again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They dismissed us,” Tonatiuh Beltran said. “My mom kept trying, but 24 hours later, the tragedy happened, and it changed my life forever.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The district attorney’s office is moving forward with a criminal trial despite our wishes for my sister to be hospitalized,” she continued. “It feels like another tragedy, on top of what we have already had to survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062378\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062378\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Beltran-Family.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Beltran-Family.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Beltran-Family-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/Beltran-Family-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left to right: Olivia, Tonatiuh and Tonantzyn Beltran at UC Berkeley. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Erin Musgrave Communications)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“My mother made it clear from the start that she wanted my sister to get help, that she wanted my sister to receive the proper treatment and hospitalization, not criminalization.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beltran said her sister had previously been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. She pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity last September, but after multiple mental health evaluations, she was declared fit to stand trial this spring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The district attorney, time and time again, claims to represent victims. She claims to center victims’ rights and victims’ voices. But in this case, she is ignoring the voice,” said George Galvis, co-founder and executive director of Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062384\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12062384 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00693_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00693_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00693_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-marinmentalhealth00693_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tonatiuh Beltran wears a shirt honoring her mother, Olivia Beltran, outside the Marin County Superior Court during a press conference in San Rafael on Oct. 30, 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Pleading not guilty by reason of insanity, he said, “does not mean it’s a get-out-of-jail-free card. It does mean that there isn’t accountability. It’s an understanding of how we treat that person,” adding that jails and prisons aren’t equipped to handle extreme mental health issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Marin County District Attorney’s Office declined a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trial was initially set to begin Oct. 21, but has been pushed back to Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmeline\">\u003cem>Gabe Meline\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "the-latest-bay-area-recall-campaign-is-over-a-six-story-apartment-building",
"title": "The Latest Bay Area Recall Campaign Is Over a 6-Story Apartment Building",
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"headTitle": "The Latest Bay Area Recall Campaign Is Over a 6-Story Apartment Building | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>It’s spooky season in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/marin-county\">Marin County\u003c/a> town of Fairfax, where skeletons and pumpkins take up their positions in yards, right alongside signs urging residents to “Vote Yes to Recall” or “Vote No Recalls.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Nov. 4, voters will decide whether to recall Fairfax’s mayor and vice mayor over their approval of a six-story apartment complex — a decision that’s divided this small town of about 7,500 residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/fairfaxca/2025/04/Notice-of-Intent-to-Circulate-a-Recall-Petition-Hellman-3-6-25.pdf\">recall petition\u003c/a> accuses Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman of mismanaging funds, neglecting road maintenance and prioritizing their personal agendas. But at the heart of the recall is a high-density housing development proposed for a 2-acre site called School Street Plaza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last November, developer Mill Creek Residential submitted a preliminary application to build a 243-unit apartment complex at School Street Plaza, with 49 affordable housing units priced between about \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/sanrafaelca/2024/07/2024-affordable-rent-schedule-50-60-65-7075-80-90-100-AMI.pdf\">$1,900 to $2,500 a month\u003c/a> for a studio. The proposal includes two levels of parking and commercial space on the ground floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residents immediately pushed back. The development site sits on a hill at the edge of downtown Fairfax. A six-story building would tower over the town, where most buildings are one or two stories and the tallest reaches just four stories, and would block many residents’ views of the rolling hills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060488\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12060488 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-37-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-37-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-37-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-37-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Fairfax Theater in Fairfax, California, on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Recall proponents blame Blash, who was elected to the council in 2022, and Hellman, who has served since 2019, for approving zoning changes to School Street Plaza that allowed the housing proposal to move forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, voters replaced two council members who had approved the rezoning with Mike Ghiringhelli and Frank Egger, who both opposed taller buildings. Egger told KQED he will vote Yes on the recall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blash and Hellman argue their hands were tied. State housing mandates require Fairfax to approve a housing plan, or “housing element,” for \u003ca href=\"https://townoffairfaxca.gov/town-of-fairfax-files-regional-housing-needs-allocation-rhna-appeal/\">at least 490 new homes by 2031\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12061569\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12061569\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Halloween display plays on election related content in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If the town fails to make progress toward meeting its required housing allocation, it could \u003ca href=\"https://assets.marincounty.gov/marincounty-prod/public/2025-06/The%20Worrisome%20Future%20of%20Marin%20Housing.pdf\">face lawsuits, fines of up to $600,000 a month and a loss of permitting and zoning authority\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The push to unseat Blash and Hellman is the latest in a string of Bay Area recall campaigns, where frustrated residents have increasingly turned to recalls to express their dissatisfaction with political leaders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fight also underscores a fundamental shift in California housing policy, as new state laws steadily erode local control in favor of state mandates.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A small town divided\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Fairfax, nestled in the foothills of Mount Tamalpais, is known as the cradle of mountain biking and was once an oasis for artists and musicians, who have since been priced out of the town. Many people find the charming homes along winding, redwood-forested streets a desirable place to settle down and raise kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ian Glover, 47, who’s lived in Fairfax for five years, was among families shopping at a recent Wednesday evening farmers market in Bolinas Park. Glover had initially signed the recall petition, believing it would block the School Street apartment complex. The property’s former occupants included a school, a marijuana dispensary and community hot tubs and saunas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/School-Street-Plaza-Plaza-View-2-04.16.2025-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/School-Street-Plaza-Plaza-View-2-04.16.2025-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/School-Street-Plaza-Plaza-View-2-04.16.2025-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/School-Street-Plaza-Plaza-View-2-04.16.2025-KQED-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The proposed 6-story housing development at 95 Broadway in Fairfax includes 4 stories of apartment units, 2 levels for parking and commercial space on the ground floor. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Stackhouse De la Peña Trachtenberg Architects)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I don’t want to see a big high-rise. I don’t want to see more traffic,” Glover said as he offered his 2.5-year-old son some pomegranate seeds and melon slices. Even though he believes apartments and cheap housing benefit the community, Glover said he’d prefer the site become something that preserves the town’s character. “I’d rather see it be a cool school again or … the hot tub place was funky.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many residents share his sentiment. Some call the building proposal a “monstrosity.” Even Vice Mayor Hellman agrees it’s too tall and would look out of place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Design-wise, it’s cookie-cutter, cheap, ugly, doesn’t fit within the design and aesthetic or character of the town,” Hellman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060487\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060487\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-33-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-33-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-33-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-33-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman poses for a photo at her home in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Wendy Lee, 64, has lived in Fairfax for nearly 40 years, raised three kids there and now has three grandchildren. Lee is against the recall, but like many residents, she doesn’t like the development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t want to be a NIMBY because I know Marin County, we need low-income housing,” Lee said. “But I also don’t think that a six-story apartment building should be smack downtown on that little hill rise.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along with concerns about parking and traffic, recall supporters contend the project could create a “death trap” in the event of a wildfire, flood or earthquake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have one road in and out in case of fire coming from West Marin,” said recall treasurer Sean Fitzgerald. “We have to go through four other towns to get out to the freeway.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060483\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060483\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Michael Mackintosh (left) and Sean Fitzgerald speak with fellow supporters of the recall of Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman at Nave’s Bar and Grill in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Riley Hurd, a land use attorney representing Mill Creek, said he isn’t surprised by the town’s pushback on the School Street proposal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s been the Fairfax way for decades and decades,” he said. “That’s why nothing ever gets built there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The debate over the recall has driven a wedge between neighbors and strained friendships in the tight-knit community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This has totally splintered our town,” Lee said. “It’s so sad.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Council meetings have turned “ugly and vitriolic,” Blash said, with people yelling, pounding chairs and waving their fists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060480\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060480\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fairfax Mayor Lisel Blash at her home in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“People talk about gnawing on our necks, or lynching us or tar and feathering us,” Blash said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve had days where it’s really taken a toll on my mental health for sure,” Hellman added. “I’ve had days where I’ve thought about quitting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hellman installed a new security system after a few recall organizers showed up at her house. Blash stopped walking home from meetings at night and no longer goes to her favorite coffee shop, now that its windows are plastered with pro-recall signs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People hear about East Bay recalls or recalls in San Francisco, and I’m sure those are painful for the recallees, but this is a really tiny town,” she said. “It just really feels very personal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Bay Area recall fever\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The campaign to oust Blash and Hellman joins a growing list of Bay Area recalls since the pandemic, including the removal of three school board members in San Francisco and the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11916212/chesa-boudin-recall-sf-voters-on-track-to-oust-district-attorney\">District Attorney Chesa Boudin\u003c/a> in 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, voters recalled \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11992881/recall-of-two-sunol-school-board-members-appears-headed-to-victory\">two more school board members in Sunol\u003c/a>, Alameda County \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12013442/alameda-county-voters-recall-district-attorney-pamela-price\">District Attorney Pamela Price\u003c/a> and Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012357/sheng-thao-accepts-defeat-in-contentious-oakland-mayoral-recall\">Mayor Sheng Thao\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060479\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060479\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-03-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-03-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-03-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-03-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Signs for and against the recall of Fairfax Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman sit outside a 7-Eleven in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In September, residents in San Francisco’s Sunset District \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12056059/supervisor-joel-engardio-is-out-whats-next-for-san-franciscos-sunset-district\">recalled Supervisor Joel Engardio\u003c/a> over his support for closing part of the Great Highway to turn it into a park. His removal did not alter the highway’s closure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mark Baldassare, a director at the Public Policy Institute of California, said local recalls offer residents a tool to effect change. They’re far harder to pull off at the state level and they don’t exist at the federal level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“COVID put the emphasis on local government as being both the solution and in some cases the problem,” Baldassare said. “As that’s taken place, it’s also become apparent to a lot of people that an option is the recall.”[aside postID=news_12012553 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/GETTYIMAGES-1244095544-KQED-1020x680.jpg']Fairfax recall organizers received guidance from Chris Moore and Edward Escobar, who helped lead the recalls of Price and Thao. Fitzgerald said they sought their advice after their initial petition was rejected by the town clerk and town attorney over technical errors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They came out, they shared with us what they had done successfully for free,” Fitzgerald said. “We’ve done this all 100% grassroots.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moore said he spent a few hours with recall organizers in the spring, advising them on messaging strategies, how to gather signatures and volunteers and recommending an attorney. Since then, he’s answered one or two questions a month over text.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t active in day-to-day activity,” Moore said. “I just kind of say, ‘OK, here’s what we did in that scenario.’ But largely they’ve run it up there themselves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In July, recall supporters held a rally, which Moore and Escobar attended. Escobar said he helped “orchestrate” a press conference, reaching out to reporters to cover the event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All we do is amplify the voice of the people,” Escobar said. “These folks are, they’re weeds that need to be pulled out of office.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A shift in housing policy\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recall organizers often meet at Nave’s Bar, a downtown pub managed by recall leader Candace Neal-Ricker, which they jokingly call their “newsroom.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am your local, ultra-low-income, born and raised Fairfaxian that could not afford what they are proposing there,” Neal-Ricker said as she poured drinks and rang up customers on a 1967 vintage cash register. If the development had included “truly affordable” housing with fewer stories, she said she would’ve supported it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neal-Ricker believes the mayor and vice mayor are out of touch with their constituents’ desires. In 2022, the town council approved a rent stabilization ordinance and its “just cause” eviction ordinance, which aimed to protect tenants from arbitrary evictions. At the time, Hellman was on the council, but Blash had not yet been elected. Voters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012553/californians-appear-to-reject-many-rent-control-measures\">repealed the law\u003c/a> in last year’s election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060485\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060485\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-25-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-25-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-25-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-25-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fairfax Citizens Coalition Lead Candace Neal-Ricker works at Nave’s Bar and Grill in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Council members are not gods,” Neal-Ricker said. “They’ve forgotten who they work for and what they were elected to represent.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s also critical of the development receiving “ministerial approval,” which fast-tracks developments by bypassing public hearings and review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hellman defended her handling of the housing proposal, saying she followed state laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All of my actions have been to protect the town from litigation, penalties and fines,” Hellman said. “I’m not happy about a lot of these laws, but I didn’t run for office to break the law. And if I have to fall on my sword for that, that’s perfectly fine.”[aside postID=news_12056059 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250916-RecallElectionNight-33-BL.jpg']In July, Hellman said the town council received \u003ca href=\"https://townoffairfaxca.gov/documents/yimby-law-letter-06-18-25/\">letters from Yes In My Backyard\u003c/a> (YIMBY) groups and “threatening communications” from the enforcement arm of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/fairfaxca/2025/09/4-95-Broadway-City-letter_ministerial-process-clarification-with-exhibits_9-8-25.pdf\">reminding them that they could face enforcement action\u003c/a> if they failed to process the School Street project under ministerial approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I truly believe that the state and lots of jurisdictions are looking at Fairfax right now as a test case,” Hellman said. “I also believe that they would love to make an example out of Marin County due to their perception that we haven’t kept up with housing demand.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://assets.marincounty.gov/marincounty-prod/public/2025-06/The%20Worrisome%20Future%20of%20Marin%20Housing.pdf\">Marin County Grand Jury report\u003c/a> in June noted that since 2017, lawmakers have passed over 100 pieces of legislation to shift power over housing policy to the state. “New state laws significantly reduce the ability of local jurisdictions to deny housing projects that meet objective requirements, even if there is community opposition,” the report said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers passed many of these laws in response to years of Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) communities interfering with state efforts to ease California’s housing crunch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blash said recall supporters don’t understand how much power the state has taken from local governments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12061504\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12061504 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-06-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sign supporting the recall of Fairfax Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman hangs in a coffee shop in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“They’ve chipped away at most of our local control,” Blash said. “It used to be possible to object to something and either force the developer to give a little bit or to stop the project altogether. And that power isn’t there as much as it used to be.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The grand jury report determined that the state’s requirement for the whole county to issue 14,405 permits by 2031 is “unrealistic and unlikely to be achieved.” The report cites community resistance as a major obstacle to new housing in Marin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The town has a really famous reputation for fighting development,” Blash said. “People are very proud of the small town atmosphere and very protective of it, so it’s often been hard to get just about anything built.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the threat of lawsuits and fines, recall proponents feel their city leaders caved to state demands too readily.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t let the fear of financial penalties be the deciding factor in what’s right for a town,” Fitzgerald said. “Do I think the state’s gonna come in and bankrupt every small town because we don’t meet their housing numbers? I doubt it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recall organizers know their town has a reputation for being NIMBY. But Fitzgerald said, actually, they consider themselves more “MIMBY” — maybe in my backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060486\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060486\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-29-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(From left) Kathy Flores, Michael Mackintosh and Sean Fitzgerald, supporters of the recall of Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman, talk at Nave’s Bar and Grill in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There’s all these elements that go into why we don’t want that particular building in its current form, so I think being called NIMBY is lazy,” Fitzgerald said. “It prevents people from having constructive dialogue.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hurd, the developer’s attorney, pointed out that the School Street proposal only represents about half of Fairfax’s housing allocation, and there are currently no other multi-family housing applications in the town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If doing just half of what was allotted results in this level of outcry, I think it’s pretty clear that doing all or meeting the goal was never really on the table,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less than three weeks before the election, Fairfax’s planning department sent a \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/fairfaxca/2025/10/ec4f9313-95-broadway-application-consistency-review-10-16-25.pdf\">letter to the developer\u003c/a> requiring major changes to the housing proposal. The letter cited 25 deficiencies that, if not addressed in 30 days, will result in the project’s denial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hurd said he does not expect the developer to make any project changes, nor will they abandon ship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That letter violates numerous, numerous laws,” he said. He expects HCD to weigh in and “inform the town that that letter is illegal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if the recall fails, both Blash and Hellman said they will not seek reelection when their terms expire next November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Voters in the Marin County town of Fairfax will decide Nov. 4 whether to recall the mayor and vice mayor over their approval to rezone for a proposed six-story housing development downtown.",
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"title": "The Latest Bay Area Recall Campaign Is Over a 6-Story Apartment Building | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It’s spooky season in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/marin-county\">Marin County\u003c/a> town of Fairfax, where skeletons and pumpkins take up their positions in yards, right alongside signs urging residents to “Vote Yes to Recall” or “Vote No Recalls.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Nov. 4, voters will decide whether to recall Fairfax’s mayor and vice mayor over their approval of a six-story apartment complex — a decision that’s divided this small town of about 7,500 residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/fairfaxca/2025/04/Notice-of-Intent-to-Circulate-a-Recall-Petition-Hellman-3-6-25.pdf\">recall petition\u003c/a> accuses Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman of mismanaging funds, neglecting road maintenance and prioritizing their personal agendas. But at the heart of the recall is a high-density housing development proposed for a 2-acre site called School Street Plaza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last November, developer Mill Creek Residential submitted a preliminary application to build a 243-unit apartment complex at School Street Plaza, with 49 affordable housing units priced between about \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/sanrafaelca/2024/07/2024-affordable-rent-schedule-50-60-65-7075-80-90-100-AMI.pdf\">$1,900 to $2,500 a month\u003c/a> for a studio. The proposal includes two levels of parking and commercial space on the ground floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residents immediately pushed back. The development site sits on a hill at the edge of downtown Fairfax. A six-story building would tower over the town, where most buildings are one or two stories and the tallest reaches just four stories, and would block many residents’ views of the rolling hills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060488\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12060488 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-37-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-37-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-37-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-37-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Fairfax Theater in Fairfax, California, on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Recall proponents blame Blash, who was elected to the council in 2022, and Hellman, who has served since 2019, for approving zoning changes to School Street Plaza that allowed the housing proposal to move forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, voters replaced two council members who had approved the rezoning with Mike Ghiringhelli and Frank Egger, who both opposed taller buildings. Egger told KQED he will vote Yes on the recall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blash and Hellman argue their hands were tied. State housing mandates require Fairfax to approve a housing plan, or “housing element,” for \u003ca href=\"https://townoffairfaxca.gov/town-of-fairfax-files-regional-housing-needs-allocation-rhna-appeal/\">at least 490 new homes by 2031\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12061569\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12061569\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-11-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Halloween display plays on election related content in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If the town fails to make progress toward meeting its required housing allocation, it could \u003ca href=\"https://assets.marincounty.gov/marincounty-prod/public/2025-06/The%20Worrisome%20Future%20of%20Marin%20Housing.pdf\">face lawsuits, fines of up to $600,000 a month and a loss of permitting and zoning authority\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The push to unseat Blash and Hellman is the latest in a string of Bay Area recall campaigns, where frustrated residents have increasingly turned to recalls to express their dissatisfaction with political leaders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fight also underscores a fundamental shift in California housing policy, as new state laws steadily erode local control in favor of state mandates.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A small town divided\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Fairfax, nestled in the foothills of Mount Tamalpais, is known as the cradle of mountain biking and was once an oasis for artists and musicians, who have since been priced out of the town. Many people find the charming homes along winding, redwood-forested streets a desirable place to settle down and raise kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ian Glover, 47, who’s lived in Fairfax for five years, was among families shopping at a recent Wednesday evening farmers market in Bolinas Park. Glover had initially signed the recall petition, believing it would block the School Street apartment complex. The property’s former occupants included a school, a marijuana dispensary and community hot tubs and saunas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/School-Street-Plaza-Plaza-View-2-04.16.2025-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/School-Street-Plaza-Plaza-View-2-04.16.2025-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/School-Street-Plaza-Plaza-View-2-04.16.2025-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/School-Street-Plaza-Plaza-View-2-04.16.2025-KQED-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The proposed 6-story housing development at 95 Broadway in Fairfax includes 4 stories of apartment units, 2 levels for parking and commercial space on the ground floor. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Stackhouse De la Peña Trachtenberg Architects)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I don’t want to see a big high-rise. I don’t want to see more traffic,” Glover said as he offered his 2.5-year-old son some pomegranate seeds and melon slices. Even though he believes apartments and cheap housing benefit the community, Glover said he’d prefer the site become something that preserves the town’s character. “I’d rather see it be a cool school again or … the hot tub place was funky.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many residents share his sentiment. Some call the building proposal a “monstrosity.” Even Vice Mayor Hellman agrees it’s too tall and would look out of place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Design-wise, it’s cookie-cutter, cheap, ugly, doesn’t fit within the design and aesthetic or character of the town,” Hellman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060487\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060487\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-33-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-33-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-33-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-33-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman poses for a photo at her home in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Wendy Lee, 64, has lived in Fairfax for nearly 40 years, raised three kids there and now has three grandchildren. Lee is against the recall, but like many residents, she doesn’t like the development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t want to be a NIMBY because I know Marin County, we need low-income housing,” Lee said. “But I also don’t think that a six-story apartment building should be smack downtown on that little hill rise.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along with concerns about parking and traffic, recall supporters contend the project could create a “death trap” in the event of a wildfire, flood or earthquake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have one road in and out in case of fire coming from West Marin,” said recall treasurer Sean Fitzgerald. “We have to go through four other towns to get out to the freeway.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060483\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060483\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Michael Mackintosh (left) and Sean Fitzgerald speak with fellow supporters of the recall of Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman at Nave’s Bar and Grill in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Riley Hurd, a land use attorney representing Mill Creek, said he isn’t surprised by the town’s pushback on the School Street proposal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s been the Fairfax way for decades and decades,” he said. “That’s why nothing ever gets built there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The debate over the recall has driven a wedge between neighbors and strained friendships in the tight-knit community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This has totally splintered our town,” Lee said. “It’s so sad.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Council meetings have turned “ugly and vitriolic,” Blash said, with people yelling, pounding chairs and waving their fists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060480\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060480\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fairfax Mayor Lisel Blash at her home in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“People talk about gnawing on our necks, or lynching us or tar and feathering us,” Blash said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve had days where it’s really taken a toll on my mental health for sure,” Hellman added. “I’ve had days where I’ve thought about quitting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hellman installed a new security system after a few recall organizers showed up at her house. Blash stopped walking home from meetings at night and no longer goes to her favorite coffee shop, now that its windows are plastered with pro-recall signs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People hear about East Bay recalls or recalls in San Francisco, and I’m sure those are painful for the recallees, but this is a really tiny town,” she said. “It just really feels very personal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Bay Area recall fever\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The campaign to oust Blash and Hellman joins a growing list of Bay Area recalls since the pandemic, including the removal of three school board members in San Francisco and the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11916212/chesa-boudin-recall-sf-voters-on-track-to-oust-district-attorney\">District Attorney Chesa Boudin\u003c/a> in 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, voters recalled \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11992881/recall-of-two-sunol-school-board-members-appears-headed-to-victory\">two more school board members in Sunol\u003c/a>, Alameda County \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12013442/alameda-county-voters-recall-district-attorney-pamela-price\">District Attorney Pamela Price\u003c/a> and Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012357/sheng-thao-accepts-defeat-in-contentious-oakland-mayoral-recall\">Mayor Sheng Thao\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060479\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060479\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-03-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-03-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-03-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-03-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Signs for and against the recall of Fairfax Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman sit outside a 7-Eleven in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In September, residents in San Francisco’s Sunset District \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12056059/supervisor-joel-engardio-is-out-whats-next-for-san-franciscos-sunset-district\">recalled Supervisor Joel Engardio\u003c/a> over his support for closing part of the Great Highway to turn it into a park. His removal did not alter the highway’s closure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mark Baldassare, a director at the Public Policy Institute of California, said local recalls offer residents a tool to effect change. They’re far harder to pull off at the state level and they don’t exist at the federal level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“COVID put the emphasis on local government as being both the solution and in some cases the problem,” Baldassare said. “As that’s taken place, it’s also become apparent to a lot of people that an option is the recall.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Fairfax recall organizers received guidance from Chris Moore and Edward Escobar, who helped lead the recalls of Price and Thao. Fitzgerald said they sought their advice after their initial petition was rejected by the town clerk and town attorney over technical errors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They came out, they shared with us what they had done successfully for free,” Fitzgerald said. “We’ve done this all 100% grassroots.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moore said he spent a few hours with recall organizers in the spring, advising them on messaging strategies, how to gather signatures and volunteers and recommending an attorney. Since then, he’s answered one or two questions a month over text.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t active in day-to-day activity,” Moore said. “I just kind of say, ‘OK, here’s what we did in that scenario.’ But largely they’ve run it up there themselves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In July, recall supporters held a rally, which Moore and Escobar attended. Escobar said he helped “orchestrate” a press conference, reaching out to reporters to cover the event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All we do is amplify the voice of the people,” Escobar said. “These folks are, they’re weeds that need to be pulled out of office.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A shift in housing policy\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recall organizers often meet at Nave’s Bar, a downtown pub managed by recall leader Candace Neal-Ricker, which they jokingly call their “newsroom.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am your local, ultra-low-income, born and raised Fairfaxian that could not afford what they are proposing there,” Neal-Ricker said as she poured drinks and rang up customers on a 1967 vintage cash register. If the development had included “truly affordable” housing with fewer stories, she said she would’ve supported it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neal-Ricker believes the mayor and vice mayor are out of touch with their constituents’ desires. In 2022, the town council approved a rent stabilization ordinance and its “just cause” eviction ordinance, which aimed to protect tenants from arbitrary evictions. At the time, Hellman was on the council, but Blash had not yet been elected. Voters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012553/californians-appear-to-reject-many-rent-control-measures\">repealed the law\u003c/a> in last year’s election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060485\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060485\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-25-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-25-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-25-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-25-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fairfax Citizens Coalition Lead Candace Neal-Ricker works at Nave’s Bar and Grill in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Council members are not gods,” Neal-Ricker said. “They’ve forgotten who they work for and what they were elected to represent.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s also critical of the development receiving “ministerial approval,” which fast-tracks developments by bypassing public hearings and review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hellman defended her handling of the housing proposal, saying she followed state laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All of my actions have been to protect the town from litigation, penalties and fines,” Hellman said. “I’m not happy about a lot of these laws, but I didn’t run for office to break the law. And if I have to fall on my sword for that, that’s perfectly fine.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In July, Hellman said the town council received \u003ca href=\"https://townoffairfaxca.gov/documents/yimby-law-letter-06-18-25/\">letters from Yes In My Backyard\u003c/a> (YIMBY) groups and “threatening communications” from the enforcement arm of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/fairfaxca/2025/09/4-95-Broadway-City-letter_ministerial-process-clarification-with-exhibits_9-8-25.pdf\">reminding them that they could face enforcement action\u003c/a> if they failed to process the School Street project under ministerial approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I truly believe that the state and lots of jurisdictions are looking at Fairfax right now as a test case,” Hellman said. “I also believe that they would love to make an example out of Marin County due to their perception that we haven’t kept up with housing demand.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://assets.marincounty.gov/marincounty-prod/public/2025-06/The%20Worrisome%20Future%20of%20Marin%20Housing.pdf\">Marin County Grand Jury report\u003c/a> in June noted that since 2017, lawmakers have passed over 100 pieces of legislation to shift power over housing policy to the state. “New state laws significantly reduce the ability of local jurisdictions to deny housing projects that meet objective requirements, even if there is community opposition,” the report said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers passed many of these laws in response to years of Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) communities interfering with state efforts to ease California’s housing crunch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blash said recall supporters don’t understand how much power the state has taken from local governments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12061504\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12061504 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-06-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FairfaxRecall-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sign supporting the recall of Fairfax Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman hangs in a coffee shop in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“They’ve chipped away at most of our local control,” Blash said. “It used to be possible to object to something and either force the developer to give a little bit or to stop the project altogether. And that power isn’t there as much as it used to be.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The grand jury report determined that the state’s requirement for the whole county to issue 14,405 permits by 2031 is “unrealistic and unlikely to be achieved.” The report cites community resistance as a major obstacle to new housing in Marin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The town has a really famous reputation for fighting development,” Blash said. “People are very proud of the small town atmosphere and very protective of it, so it’s often been hard to get just about anything built.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the threat of lawsuits and fines, recall proponents feel their city leaders caved to state demands too readily.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t let the fear of financial penalties be the deciding factor in what’s right for a town,” Fitzgerald said. “Do I think the state’s gonna come in and bankrupt every small town because we don’t meet their housing numbers? I doubt it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recall organizers know their town has a reputation for being NIMBY. But Fitzgerald said, actually, they consider themselves more “MIMBY” — maybe in my backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060486\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060486\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251015-FAIRFAXRECALL-29-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(From left) Kathy Flores, Michael Mackintosh and Sean Fitzgerald, supporters of the recall of Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman, talk at Nave’s Bar and Grill in Fairfax on Oct. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There’s all these elements that go into why we don’t want that particular building in its current form, so I think being called NIMBY is lazy,” Fitzgerald said. “It prevents people from having constructive dialogue.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hurd, the developer’s attorney, pointed out that the School Street proposal only represents about half of Fairfax’s housing allocation, and there are currently no other multi-family housing applications in the town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If doing just half of what was allotted results in this level of outcry, I think it’s pretty clear that doing all or meeting the goal was never really on the table,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less than three weeks before the election, Fairfax’s planning department sent a \u003ca href=\"https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/fairfaxca/2025/10/ec4f9313-95-broadway-application-consistency-review-10-16-25.pdf\">letter to the developer\u003c/a> requiring major changes to the housing proposal. The letter cited 25 deficiencies that, if not addressed in 30 days, will result in the project’s denial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hurd said he does not expect the developer to make any project changes, nor will they abandon ship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That letter violates numerous, numerous laws,” he said. He expects HCD to weigh in and “inform the town that that letter is illegal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if the recall fails, both Blash and Hellman said they will not seek reelection when their terms expire next November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>Here are the morning’s top stories on Monday, September 29, 2025…\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In Marin County, rents are among the highest in the nation. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058015/in-san-rafael-residents-of-a-mobile-home-park-are-fighting-to-keep-their-homes\">group of mobile home park residents are in a years-long fight\u003c/a> to keep hold of one of the county’s few affordable options. They’re residents of the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://rvparksanrafael.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">RV Park of San Rafael\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, where a property management company has been raising the rent, setting new rules and threatening residents with eviction. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Trump administration \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-09-27/trump-administration-probes-alleged-antisemitism-in-cal-state-university-system\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">has expanded its investigation\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of alleged antisemitism on college campuses to the California State University system. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058015/in-san-rafael-residents-of-a-mobile-home-park-are-fighting-to-keep-their-homes\">\u003cstrong>Owner, Residents Battle Over San Rafael RV Park \u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://rvparksanrafael.com/\">RV Park of San Rafael\u003c/a> sits just off Highway 101. It’s tucked between a BevMo! and a car dealership. There are spaces for about 45 small homes, or RVs, on both sides of a one lane road. It’s long been an affordable option in Marin County, where rent is among the highest in the nation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the cramped street and the constant traffic noise, for Yessica Pérez, this is home. She was seven when her parents — who immigrated from Guatemala — moved their family here 17 years ago. “I think we were the only children in the neighborhood because there were a lot of seniors living here. Then, just little by little, there were a lotta Hispanic kids running around here so it was really nice. A very nice childhood,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But since property management company Harmony Communities took over in 2021, residents at the RV park have faced increasing rent, new rules and the threat of eviction. Pérez’s family received 60-day notices for both of their properties. “For basic things like having a porch, having a broom outside,” she said. “We would receive multiple violations. We would fix the violation. Seven days later, we would receive another violation on top of another violation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her family was able to get a lawyer and fight back. But others weren’t so lucky. At least a quarter of the 45 households who originally lived there have left or been evicted from the park.\u003cbr>\nAttorney Mariah Thompson said this is a repeat of what happened at other properties owned or managed by the company across the state. “As soon as Harmony started managing the park, they immediately issued a rent increase that substantially violated the rent control ordinance and kicked off what would be an extremely contentious legal battle with the city,” Thompson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, Harmony Communities said the notices sent to residents “address severe health and safety violations” and that they did not impose rent increases, just requested them.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Trump Administration Targets Cal State University System In Latest Antisemitism Probe\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The California State University system is \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/cal-state-system-targeted-for-antisemitism-probe-by-the-trump-administration\">now under investigation by the Trump administration\u003c/a> over allegations of antisemitism. The probe by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was revealed in an email sent by chancellor Mildred Garcia to the Cal State community on Friday. \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-09-27/trump-administration-probes-alleged-antisemitism-in-cal-state-university-system\">The Los Angeles Times\u003c/a> first reported on the email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[T]he EEOC has begun direct outreach to some faculty and staff members across the system to review allegations of antisemitism and to speak with them about their experiences on campus,” the email reads. Garcia went on to state that Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has alleged that the Cal State system, among other universities across the nation, of “racial discrimination” over their links to a private nonprofit called PhD Project, an organization with the “goal of diversifying business education and the corporate workforce.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal State University has confirmed the EEOC probe and the Department of Education claims. An EEOC spokesperson told LAist, “Under federal law, charges filed with the EEOC are confidential. The EEOC can neither confirm nor deny the existence of any charge.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>Here are the morning’s top stories on Monday, September 29, 2025…\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In Marin County, rents are among the highest in the nation. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058015/in-san-rafael-residents-of-a-mobile-home-park-are-fighting-to-keep-their-homes\">group of mobile home park residents are in a years-long fight\u003c/a> to keep hold of one of the county’s few affordable options. They’re residents of the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://rvparksanrafael.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">RV Park of San Rafael\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, where a property management company has been raising the rent, setting new rules and threatening residents with eviction. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Trump administration \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-09-27/trump-administration-probes-alleged-antisemitism-in-cal-state-university-system\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">has expanded its investigation\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of alleged antisemitism on college campuses to the California State University system. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058015/in-san-rafael-residents-of-a-mobile-home-park-are-fighting-to-keep-their-homes\">\u003cstrong>Owner, Residents Battle Over San Rafael RV Park \u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://rvparksanrafael.com/\">RV Park of San Rafael\u003c/a> sits just off Highway 101. It’s tucked between a BevMo! and a car dealership. There are spaces for about 45 small homes, or RVs, on both sides of a one lane road. It’s long been an affordable option in Marin County, where rent is among the highest in the nation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the cramped street and the constant traffic noise, for Yessica Pérez, this is home. She was seven when her parents — who immigrated from Guatemala — moved their family here 17 years ago. “I think we were the only children in the neighborhood because there were a lot of seniors living here. Then, just little by little, there were a lotta Hispanic kids running around here so it was really nice. A very nice childhood,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But since property management company Harmony Communities took over in 2021, residents at the RV park have faced increasing rent, new rules and the threat of eviction. Pérez’s family received 60-day notices for both of their properties. “For basic things like having a porch, having a broom outside,” she said. “We would receive multiple violations. We would fix the violation. Seven days later, we would receive another violation on top of another violation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her family was able to get a lawyer and fight back. But others weren’t so lucky. At least a quarter of the 45 households who originally lived there have left or been evicted from the park.\u003cbr>\nAttorney Mariah Thompson said this is a repeat of what happened at other properties owned or managed by the company across the state. “As soon as Harmony started managing the park, they immediately issued a rent increase that substantially violated the rent control ordinance and kicked off what would be an extremely contentious legal battle with the city,” Thompson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, Harmony Communities said the notices sent to residents “address severe health and safety violations” and that they did not impose rent increases, just requested them.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Trump Administration Targets Cal State University System In Latest Antisemitism Probe\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The California State University system is \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/cal-state-system-targeted-for-antisemitism-probe-by-the-trump-administration\">now under investigation by the Trump administration\u003c/a> over allegations of antisemitism. The probe by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was revealed in an email sent by chancellor Mildred Garcia to the Cal State community on Friday. \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-09-27/trump-administration-probes-alleged-antisemitism-in-cal-state-university-system\">The Los Angeles Times\u003c/a> first reported on the email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[T]he EEOC has begun direct outreach to some faculty and staff members across the system to review allegations of antisemitism and to speak with them about their experiences on campus,” the email reads. Garcia went on to state that Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has alleged that the Cal State system, among other universities across the nation, of “racial discrimination” over their links to a private nonprofit called PhD Project, an organization with the “goal of diversifying business education and the corporate workforce.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal State University has confirmed the EEOC probe and the Department of Education claims. An EEOC spokesperson told LAist, “Under federal law, charges filed with the EEOC are confidential. The EEOC can neither confirm nor deny the existence of any charge.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Speed Hacks and Safety Fears: Marin Cracks Down on Kids’ E-Bikes",
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"content": "\u003cp>On a recent sunny afternoon, Dylan Nussbaum and his friends cruised over to a shopping center \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/mill-valley\">in Mill Valley\u003c/a>, where the parking lot serves as a makeshift bike park. The kids popped wheelies — making the most, as generations of pre-teens before them, of summer weather.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I started biking a lot more when I got here. It’s a fun way to get around faster,” said Nussbaum, 12, riding a traditional mountain bike, while some of his friends rode electric bicycles, or e-bikes, which had thick tires, wide seats and battery-powered motors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nussbaum, whose family moved from Oakland to Mill Valley at the start of his fifth-grade year, noticed that getting around on two wheels is a huge part of the culture, even among his peers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marin County is considered the birthplace of modern mountain biking. He said his former school, Mill Valley Middle, was full of shiny new e-bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[In] sixth grade, I remember right after Christmas, there were so many more,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like some adults who customize their cars, many of his middle school peers learned to trick out their e-bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051116\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051116\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-07-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An e-bike parked in Mill Valley on July 24, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I jail-broke my Sur-ron. It’s called ‘mudding’ it,” one of Nussbaum’s friends said, referring to overriding the speed limiter on e-bikes to reach speeds of 40 to 50 mph — far above the legal limit in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another kid, sitting atop an e-dirt bike, told me it’s capable of going 55 mph.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ The cops used to not care, but they’re enforcing the law now,” he said. “So I just avoid main roads.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nussbaum wants an e-bike, too. But his parents, worried about his safety, are reluctant to buy him one. As kids head back to school in the Bay Area, more of them are riding e-bikes, which have become \u003ca href=\"https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/us-e-bike-market-report\">more accessible\u003c/a> in recent years. But Marin County policymakers have been trying to sound the alarm about one downside to this growth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, \u003ca href=\"https://www.marinhhs.org/bicycle-safety\">serious accidents\u003c/a> associated with e-bikes, particularly among 10- to 15-year-olds, have been on the rise for years, so the county began closely tracking the problem in 2023.[aside postID=news_12049286 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/GettyImages-947735006-1020x682.jpg']In response, the county has enacted a pilot program that bans anyone under 16 years old from riding Class II e-bikes, which, in California, are classified as having a motor that boosts riders up to speeds of 20 mph and can be operated using a throttle or pedal-assist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kids found in violation can expect a $25 ticket. Several school districts in the area have also moved to prohibit kids under 16 from parking Class II e-bikes on school property, implementing registration programs for the bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local police officers will enforce the law as a secondary infraction, meaning children will not be stopped based on their perceived age, according to Talia Smith, the director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs for the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pilot also mandates that anyone, regardless of age, wear a helmet on a Class II e-bike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the county law, which went into effect in June, applies only to unincorporated areas, copycat ordinances are already in effect in the majority of Marin’s towns, as well. Novato’s ordinance will go into effect on Friday. Ross and San Rafael are expected to have theirs in effect by mid-October, at which point the ban will reach the entire county. Municipalities will only hand out warnings for the first 60 days the law is in effect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pilot represents the latest attempt by local governments to regulate e-bikes. The effort has been building at the state level for years, amid concerns about safety risks. However, critics argue that the county law is premature, lacks sufficient data and threatens to hamstring a promising transportation alternative that has been gaining traction around the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The crash heard around the county\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The COVID-19 pandemic was a boon for the bike industry. Many people, stuck at home and restricted by bans on indoor gatherings, turned to bikes as a way to recreate and socialize safely. Between 2019 and 2020, \u003ca href=\"https://www.weforum.org/stories/2021/03/electric-bicycles-sales-growth/\">e-bike sales rose 145%\u003c/a> in the United States. E-bikes can be pricier than traditional bikes, with models that cost anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More e-bikes hit the roads, especially in Marin County, where the median household income is $139,643 — 46% higher than the statewide average. Dr. John Maa, a general surgeon at MarinHealth Medical Center, said the rise in e-bike use precipitated two waves of crashes in the county: the first involving mainly people over 50, followed by an increase in injuries among minors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051115\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051115\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A young person rides an e-bike through Mill Valley on July 24, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marinhhs.org/bicycle-safety\">county data\u003c/a> on crashes since October 2023, e-bike riders between 10 and 15 years old have had five times the accident rate compared to any other age group on e-bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One e-bike crash, in particular, galvanized the county to act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, 15-year-old Amelia Stafford of San Rafael was riding a Class II e-bike when she fell off, suffering a severe head injury. She spent two months in intensive care units all around the Bay Area, undergoing three brain surgeries to save her life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ She was actually the first teenage child that I had personally cared for, and she was clearly the most seriously injured of the children,” said Maa, who stressed that e-bike injuries tend to be more serious than those from a conventional bicycle accident.[aside postID=news_12051292 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250808-Casual-Carpool-MD-11.jpg']He and Stafford joined forces and helped advocate for \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1778\">AB 1778\u003c/a>, authored by North Bay Assemblymember Damon Connolly, which authorized Marin County to enact the E-bike Safety Pilot until Jan. 1, 2029.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ I don’t remember anything from my accident or from the first two months I spent in intensive care units. I know my family and friends had doubts I’d ever be back to normal, lift a finger or even survive,” Stafford, testifying before California’s Senate Transportation Committee in May 2024 in support of the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One dangerous aspect of some Class II e-bikes is that they can be easily manipulated to go well over the state-mandated 20 mph speed limit, Marin County’s Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ There’s even some manufacturers that sell the bikes with a QR code to download an app to change the maximum speed,” the official said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=04-p1ekQJjM&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Djailbreak%2Ba%2Bsuper%2B73%26sca_esv%3D5bd00a03620829d0%26rlz%3D1C1GCHA_enUS1144US1144%26ei%3DH1WeaMrbO8fG0PEPupKC&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY\">YouTube videos\u003c/a> that explain how to “jailbreak” some of the e-bikes that many kids are commonly riding across Marin.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Is Marin pedaling policy too fast?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Robin Pam, the San Francisco director for Streets For All, a nonprofit advocacy group, is among the critics who opposed AB 1778. She called the pilot “premature” and characterized the county’s data as incomplete.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pam said it’s not clear from the county’s data which kind of e-bike is involved in a collision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t have any evidence that kids on Class II e-bikes are sustaining injuries at a higher rate than any other group,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051120\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051120\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250803-MARINEBIKES_00326_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250803-MARINEBIKES_00326_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250803-MARINEBIKES_00326_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250803-MARINEBIKES_00326_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A kid walks their bike in Mill Valley on Aug. 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Pam said kids and families need \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12051245/deadly-electric-motor-vehicle-collisions-in-san-francisco-prompt-calls-for-regulation\">clear statewide standards rather than patchwork policies\u003c/a> that vary by jurisdiction. California has already commissioned a report, expected in November, which is charged with recommending best practices to promote the safe use of e-bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report is a result of a \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB381\">2023 bill\u003c/a> authored by Rep. Dave Min, D-Orange County, that directed the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University to analyze data on injuries, crashes, emergency room visits and deaths related to bicycles and e-bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asha Weinstein Agrawal, the principal investigator on the study, said some draft findings of the report contradict Marin County’s data: Drawing on a sample of emergency room patients nationwide between 2020 and 2022, e-bike patients were less likely to be children, and more likely to be older than 50, as compared to patients who rode bicycles or scooters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Agrawal, an analysis of 2023 California hospital patient data found that 4,757 patients were injured in incidents involving e-bikes, but nine times more were injured with conventional bicycles. (Patient-specific information, such as age, is not included in that publicly available data.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ [Worldwide] there’s very poor quality data on even just how many people use bicycles or e-bikes, let alone [whether they are] traveling one mile a week or 30 miles a day,” Agrawal said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051119\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051119\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250731-MARINEBIKES-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250731-MARINEBIKES-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250731-MARINEBIKES-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250731-MARINEBIKES-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Professor Asha Weinstein Agrawal stands near her home in Palo Alto on July 31, 2025. She researches e-bike safety and policy as part of her work at San José State University’s Mineta Transportation Institute. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Without knowing the number of people who ride conventional bikes or e-bikes in Marin, it’s difficult to ascertain the exact cause for the rise in e-bike crashes, Agrawal said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ It’s possible that the number of e-bike injuries has gone up over three years, but there’s been an explosion 20 times greater of people using e-bikes,” she said. “It doesn’t tell us anything about how risky riding an e-bike is to a pedal-bike, comparatively. We just don’t have the data.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In defining “rate of accidents,” Marin used the total number of bike accidents per 100,000 people in a given age category, which doesn’t indicate how many of those people use e-bikes specifically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since October 2023, 44 children aged 10 to 15 have had an e-bike accident that sent them to the hospital, according to county data. For the 60 and older age group, that number is only slightly lower — at 40.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marin County also does not currently list which class of e-bike is involved in a crash.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250805-MarinEBikes-05_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250805-MarinEBikes-05_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250805-MarinEBikes-05_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250805-MarinEBikes-05_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A child rides an electric moped along the Mill Valley Bike Path in Mill Valley on Aug. 5, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Our public health team has started working with first responders this past year, though, to collect e-bike class data, and while there is not enough data to publish yet, they’ve noted the vast majority of 911 accidents involved throttle e-bikes,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Agrawal said one way to address the problem would be to modify the e-bike classification system in California from three classes, based on motor speed and operation, to a two-class system, like in some European countries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One category would be for e-bikes that are only pedal-assist, and travel at a slower rate of speed — basically, similar to a conventional bicycle. These slower e-bikes would have similar regulations to conventional bicycles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other category would be for e-bikes that are operated by a throttle and operate like motorcycles or mopeds. To operate these faster e-bikes, riders would need to follow similar rules, like a minimum age, insurance requirements and a licensing test.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The canary in the coal mine\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Smith admits the issue of children riding souped-up e-bikes, with price tags in the thousands of dollars, is more of a “wealthy, resourced community issue.” She warned, however, that as the technology becomes more widespread and affordable, more local governments could face the issue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent years, a rise in e-bike collisions has led Encinitas and Carlsbad in Southern California to declare states of emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ I just keep calling us the canary in the coal mine,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051118\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051118\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250729-MARINEBIKES-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250729-MARINEBIKES-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250729-MARINEBIKES-03-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250729-MARINEBIKES-03-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An electric bicycle sits on display at Tam Bikes in Mill Valley on July 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The E-bike Safety Pilot is set to expire on Jan. 1, 2029. A year before that, Marin County must submit a report to the state Legislature detailing the total number of traffic stops initiated for violations, among other metrics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For parents like Todd Fitzgerald of San Anselmo, the county’s pilot ban means his 14-year-old son, Brooks, is stuck with a bike he can’t ride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ He’s pretty bummed,” Fitzgerald said, adding that Brooks saved his own money to purchase the bike, which he used to ride around with his friends or get to lacrosse practice.[aside postID=news_12052424 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/20241204-BART-JY-023_qed.jpg']Fitzgerald said he believes whether a bike is appropriate for a child is ultimately up to parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he admits he is surprised by how often he has seen packs of kids doing wheelies in the middle of busy roads in San Anselmo, traveling what he estimates could be 50 miles per hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It stinks for my kid, because he rides his bike appropriately. But if kids are getting really hurt, something has to be done,” said Fitzgerald, who suggests a licensing test or a training course for youth to ride e-bikes might be an alternative to the countywide ban.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the summer, Dylan Nussbaum and his family left Marin and moved farther north to Petaluma. His father, Aron, said his son faced a lot of peer pressure to get faster e-bikes. He said he didn’t feel safe putting his 12-year-old on one, despite Dylan’s pleas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Aron Nussbaum hopes that Marin County’s law gets traction and expands to his new home and across the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ Now that conversation comes back and we have to deal with it again,” Nussbaum said. “You can just say we’re not going to talk about this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Marin County officials say kids on electric bikes get into accidents at far higher rates than other age groups. Critics, however, say crash data doesn’t tell the full story. ",
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"title": "Speed Hacks and Safety Fears: Marin Cracks Down on Kids’ E-Bikes | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On a recent sunny afternoon, Dylan Nussbaum and his friends cruised over to a shopping center \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/mill-valley\">in Mill Valley\u003c/a>, where the parking lot serves as a makeshift bike park. The kids popped wheelies — making the most, as generations of pre-teens before them, of summer weather.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I started biking a lot more when I got here. It’s a fun way to get around faster,” said Nussbaum, 12, riding a traditional mountain bike, while some of his friends rode electric bicycles, or e-bikes, which had thick tires, wide seats and battery-powered motors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nussbaum, whose family moved from Oakland to Mill Valley at the start of his fifth-grade year, noticed that getting around on two wheels is a huge part of the culture, even among his peers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marin County is considered the birthplace of modern mountain biking. He said his former school, Mill Valley Middle, was full of shiny new e-bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[In] sixth grade, I remember right after Christmas, there were so many more,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like some adults who customize their cars, many of his middle school peers learned to trick out their e-bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051116\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051116\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-07-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An e-bike parked in Mill Valley on July 24, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I jail-broke my Sur-ron. It’s called ‘mudding’ it,” one of Nussbaum’s friends said, referring to overriding the speed limiter on e-bikes to reach speeds of 40 to 50 mph — far above the legal limit in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another kid, sitting atop an e-dirt bike, told me it’s capable of going 55 mph.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ The cops used to not care, but they’re enforcing the law now,” he said. “So I just avoid main roads.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nussbaum wants an e-bike, too. But his parents, worried about his safety, are reluctant to buy him one. As kids head back to school in the Bay Area, more of them are riding e-bikes, which have become \u003ca href=\"https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/us-e-bike-market-report\">more accessible\u003c/a> in recent years. But Marin County policymakers have been trying to sound the alarm about one downside to this growth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, \u003ca href=\"https://www.marinhhs.org/bicycle-safety\">serious accidents\u003c/a> associated with e-bikes, particularly among 10- to 15-year-olds, have been on the rise for years, so the county began closely tracking the problem in 2023.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In response, the county has enacted a pilot program that bans anyone under 16 years old from riding Class II e-bikes, which, in California, are classified as having a motor that boosts riders up to speeds of 20 mph and can be operated using a throttle or pedal-assist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kids found in violation can expect a $25 ticket. Several school districts in the area have also moved to prohibit kids under 16 from parking Class II e-bikes on school property, implementing registration programs for the bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local police officers will enforce the law as a secondary infraction, meaning children will not be stopped based on their perceived age, according to Talia Smith, the director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs for the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pilot also mandates that anyone, regardless of age, wear a helmet on a Class II e-bike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the county law, which went into effect in June, applies only to unincorporated areas, copycat ordinances are already in effect in the majority of Marin’s towns, as well. Novato’s ordinance will go into effect on Friday. Ross and San Rafael are expected to have theirs in effect by mid-October, at which point the ban will reach the entire county. Municipalities will only hand out warnings for the first 60 days the law is in effect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pilot represents the latest attempt by local governments to regulate e-bikes. The effort has been building at the state level for years, amid concerns about safety risks. However, critics argue that the county law is premature, lacks sufficient data and threatens to hamstring a promising transportation alternative that has been gaining traction around the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The crash heard around the county\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The COVID-19 pandemic was a boon for the bike industry. Many people, stuck at home and restricted by bans on indoor gatherings, turned to bikes as a way to recreate and socialize safely. Between 2019 and 2020, \u003ca href=\"https://www.weforum.org/stories/2021/03/electric-bicycles-sales-growth/\">e-bike sales rose 145%\u003c/a> in the United States. E-bikes can be pricier than traditional bikes, with models that cost anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More e-bikes hit the roads, especially in Marin County, where the median household income is $139,643 — 46% higher than the statewide average. Dr. John Maa, a general surgeon at MarinHealth Medical Center, said the rise in e-bike use precipitated two waves of crashes in the county: the first involving mainly people over 50, followed by an increase in injuries among minors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051115\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051115\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250724-MARIN-EBIKES-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A young person rides an e-bike through Mill Valley on July 24, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marinhhs.org/bicycle-safety\">county data\u003c/a> on crashes since October 2023, e-bike riders between 10 and 15 years old have had five times the accident rate compared to any other age group on e-bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One e-bike crash, in particular, galvanized the county to act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, 15-year-old Amelia Stafford of San Rafael was riding a Class II e-bike when she fell off, suffering a severe head injury. She spent two months in intensive care units all around the Bay Area, undergoing three brain surgeries to save her life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ She was actually the first teenage child that I had personally cared for, and she was clearly the most seriously injured of the children,” said Maa, who stressed that e-bike injuries tend to be more serious than those from a conventional bicycle accident.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>He and Stafford joined forces and helped advocate for \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1778\">AB 1778\u003c/a>, authored by North Bay Assemblymember Damon Connolly, which authorized Marin County to enact the E-bike Safety Pilot until Jan. 1, 2029.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ I don’t remember anything from my accident or from the first two months I spent in intensive care units. I know my family and friends had doubts I’d ever be back to normal, lift a finger or even survive,” Stafford, testifying before California’s Senate Transportation Committee in May 2024 in support of the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One dangerous aspect of some Class II e-bikes is that they can be easily manipulated to go well over the state-mandated 20 mph speed limit, Marin County’s Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ There’s even some manufacturers that sell the bikes with a QR code to download an app to change the maximum speed,” the official said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=04-p1ekQJjM&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Djailbreak%2Ba%2Bsuper%2B73%26sca_esv%3D5bd00a03620829d0%26rlz%3D1C1GCHA_enUS1144US1144%26ei%3DH1WeaMrbO8fG0PEPupKC&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY\">YouTube videos\u003c/a> that explain how to “jailbreak” some of the e-bikes that many kids are commonly riding across Marin.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Is Marin pedaling policy too fast?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Robin Pam, the San Francisco director for Streets For All, a nonprofit advocacy group, is among the critics who opposed AB 1778. She called the pilot “premature” and characterized the county’s data as incomplete.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pam said it’s not clear from the county’s data which kind of e-bike is involved in a collision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t have any evidence that kids on Class II e-bikes are sustaining injuries at a higher rate than any other group,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051120\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051120\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250803-MARINEBIKES_00326_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250803-MARINEBIKES_00326_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250803-MARINEBIKES_00326_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250803-MARINEBIKES_00326_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A kid walks their bike in Mill Valley on Aug. 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Pam said kids and families need \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12051245/deadly-electric-motor-vehicle-collisions-in-san-francisco-prompt-calls-for-regulation\">clear statewide standards rather than patchwork policies\u003c/a> that vary by jurisdiction. California has already commissioned a report, expected in November, which is charged with recommending best practices to promote the safe use of e-bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report is a result of a \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB381\">2023 bill\u003c/a> authored by Rep. Dave Min, D-Orange County, that directed the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University to analyze data on injuries, crashes, emergency room visits and deaths related to bicycles and e-bikes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asha Weinstein Agrawal, the principal investigator on the study, said some draft findings of the report contradict Marin County’s data: Drawing on a sample of emergency room patients nationwide between 2020 and 2022, e-bike patients were less likely to be children, and more likely to be older than 50, as compared to patients who rode bicycles or scooters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Agrawal, an analysis of 2023 California hospital patient data found that 4,757 patients were injured in incidents involving e-bikes, but nine times more were injured with conventional bicycles. (Patient-specific information, such as age, is not included in that publicly available data.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ [Worldwide] there’s very poor quality data on even just how many people use bicycles or e-bikes, let alone [whether they are] traveling one mile a week or 30 miles a day,” Agrawal said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051119\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051119\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250731-MARINEBIKES-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250731-MARINEBIKES-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250731-MARINEBIKES-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250731-MARINEBIKES-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Professor Asha Weinstein Agrawal stands near her home in Palo Alto on July 31, 2025. She researches e-bike safety and policy as part of her work at San José State University’s Mineta Transportation Institute. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Without knowing the number of people who ride conventional bikes or e-bikes in Marin, it’s difficult to ascertain the exact cause for the rise in e-bike crashes, Agrawal said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ It’s possible that the number of e-bike injuries has gone up over three years, but there’s been an explosion 20 times greater of people using e-bikes,” she said. “It doesn’t tell us anything about how risky riding an e-bike is to a pedal-bike, comparatively. We just don’t have the data.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In defining “rate of accidents,” Marin used the total number of bike accidents per 100,000 people in a given age category, which doesn’t indicate how many of those people use e-bikes specifically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since October 2023, 44 children aged 10 to 15 have had an e-bike accident that sent them to the hospital, according to county data. For the 60 and older age group, that number is only slightly lower — at 40.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marin County also does not currently list which class of e-bike is involved in a crash.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250805-MarinEBikes-05_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250805-MarinEBikes-05_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250805-MarinEBikes-05_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250805-MarinEBikes-05_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A child rides an electric moped along the Mill Valley Bike Path in Mill Valley on Aug. 5, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Our public health team has started working with first responders this past year, though, to collect e-bike class data, and while there is not enough data to publish yet, they’ve noted the vast majority of 911 accidents involved throttle e-bikes,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Agrawal said one way to address the problem would be to modify the e-bike classification system in California from three classes, based on motor speed and operation, to a two-class system, like in some European countries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One category would be for e-bikes that are only pedal-assist, and travel at a slower rate of speed — basically, similar to a conventional bicycle. These slower e-bikes would have similar regulations to conventional bicycles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other category would be for e-bikes that are operated by a throttle and operate like motorcycles or mopeds. To operate these faster e-bikes, riders would need to follow similar rules, like a minimum age, insurance requirements and a licensing test.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The canary in the coal mine\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Smith admits the issue of children riding souped-up e-bikes, with price tags in the thousands of dollars, is more of a “wealthy, resourced community issue.” She warned, however, that as the technology becomes more widespread and affordable, more local governments could face the issue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent years, a rise in e-bike collisions has led Encinitas and Carlsbad in Southern California to declare states of emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ I just keep calling us the canary in the coal mine,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051118\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12051118\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250729-MARINEBIKES-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250729-MARINEBIKES-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250729-MARINEBIKES-03-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250729-MARINEBIKES-03-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An electric bicycle sits on display at Tam Bikes in Mill Valley on July 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The E-bike Safety Pilot is set to expire on Jan. 1, 2029. A year before that, Marin County must submit a report to the state Legislature detailing the total number of traffic stops initiated for violations, among other metrics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For parents like Todd Fitzgerald of San Anselmo, the county’s pilot ban means his 14-year-old son, Brooks, is stuck with a bike he can’t ride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ He’s pretty bummed,” Fitzgerald said, adding that Brooks saved his own money to purchase the bike, which he used to ride around with his friends or get to lacrosse practice.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Fitzgerald said he believes whether a bike is appropriate for a child is ultimately up to parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he admits he is surprised by how often he has seen packs of kids doing wheelies in the middle of busy roads in San Anselmo, traveling what he estimates could be 50 miles per hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It stinks for my kid, because he rides his bike appropriately. But if kids are getting really hurt, something has to be done,” said Fitzgerald, who suggests a licensing test or a training course for youth to ride e-bikes might be an alternative to the countywide ban.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the summer, Dylan Nussbaum and his family left Marin and moved farther north to Petaluma. His father, Aron, said his son faced a lot of peer pressure to get faster e-bikes. He said he didn’t feel safe putting his 12-year-old on one, despite Dylan’s pleas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Aron Nussbaum hopes that Marin County’s law gets traction and expands to his new home and across the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ Now that conversation comes back and we have to deal with it again,” Nussbaum said. “You can just say we’re not going to talk about this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "2 Bodies Found After San Rafael Apartment Building Fire",
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"content": "\u003cp>A second body was found Sunday evening after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12053120/san-rafael-apartment-building-fire-injures-8-displaces-50-residents\">fire\u003c/a> at an apartment building in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-rafael\">San Rafael\u003c/a> last week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fire broke out around 5:30 a.m. Thursday at the three-story apartment complex on 516 Canal St., injuring eight people and displacing 60.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first deceased victim was found on the backside of the apartment on Friday. Marin County officials have not identified the remains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A second person was found Sunday while officials worked through the damaged apartment complex, and Sgt. Justin Graham said the body appears to be an adult’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bodies of both victims have not been identified due to the state of the remains. The cause of death is still under investigation, according to the Marin County Sheriff’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12053218\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12053218\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanRafaelFire4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanRafaelFire4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanRafaelFire4-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanRafaelFire4-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A fire broke out around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday at an apartment complex at 516 Canal St. along the San Rafael River. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of city of San Rafael)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Officials said the two residents who were earlier reported missing after the fire can not be confirmed as the two people who were found dead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was not clear whether the missing residents were home when the fire broke out, so officials are continuing to work on the missing persons cases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Donations are currently being collected through \u003ca href=\"https://donate.canalalliance.org/campaign/718853/donate\">Canal Alliance\u003c/a> to support residents who were displaced after the fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Rafael Police Department encourages witnesses to come forward with information and photos of the fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The scene remains active for recovery operations, and police have deemed the fire suspicious, although the cause is still under investigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first deceased victim was found on the backside of the apartment on Friday. Marin County officials have not identified the remains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A second person was found Sunday while officials worked through the damaged apartment complex, and Sgt. Justin Graham said the body appears to be an adult’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bodies of both victims have not been identified due to the state of the remains. The cause of death is still under investigation, according to the Marin County Sheriff’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12053218\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12053218\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanRafaelFire4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanRafaelFire4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanRafaelFire4-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SanRafaelFire4-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A fire broke out around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday at an apartment complex at 516 Canal St. along the San Rafael River. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of city of San Rafael)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Officials said the two residents who were earlier reported missing after the fire can not be confirmed as the two people who were found dead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was not clear whether the missing residents were home when the fire broke out, so officials are continuing to work on the missing persons cases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Donations are currently being collected through \u003ca href=\"https://donate.canalalliance.org/campaign/718853/donate\">Canal Alliance\u003c/a> to support residents who were displaced after the fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Rafael Police Department encourages witnesses to come forward with information and photos of the fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The scene remains active for recovery operations, and police have deemed the fire suspicious, although the cause is still under investigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated 2:40 p.m. Thursday\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two people are missing and dozens displaced after a multi-alarm fire engulfed an apartment building in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-rafael\">San Rafael\u003c/a> on Thursday morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fire broke out around 5:30 a.m. at a three-story apartment complex at 516 Canal St. along the San Rafael River, according to San Rafael Administrative Fire Chief Robert Sinnott.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First responders found the building “nearly fully involved” in fire, “with residents fleeing — some jumping out of windows or upper story balconies” to escape, Sinnott said at a Thursday afternoon press conference. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eight residents were critically injured and taken to hospitals, including at least one person who was seriously injured while trying to jump from the building into the river below. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two of around 55 residents are missing, and police are working to find them, said San Rafael Police Sgt. Justin Graham.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials weren’t sure if the two missing residents were home when the fire broke out, and they encouraged all residents to come forward and contact local police or fire as soon as possible. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 19-unit, wood-frame complex passed an annual fire inspection in July 2025. The Marin County Fire Investigation team had been on the site for several hours, Sinnott said, and have not yet determined what caused the fire. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City officials have asked residents affected by the fire to head to the Albert J. Boro Community Center at 50 Canal St. for more information and resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials are asking everyone to stay away from the area so emergency crews can respond safely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eight residents were critically injured and taken to hospitals, including at least one person who was seriously injured while trying to jump from the building into the river below. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two of around 55 residents are missing, and police are working to find them, said San Rafael Police Sgt. Justin Graham.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials weren’t sure if the two missing residents were home when the fire broke out, and they encouraged all residents to come forward and contact local police or fire as soon as possible. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 19-unit, wood-frame complex passed an annual fire inspection in July 2025. The Marin County Fire Investigation team had been on the site for several hours, Sinnott said, and have not yet determined what caused the fire. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City officials have asked residents affected by the fire to head to the Albert J. Boro Community Center at 50 Canal St. for more information and resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials are asking everyone to stay away from the area so emergency crews can respond safely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>A Black real estate investor filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on Monday, alleging \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/marin-county\">Marin County\u003c/a> officials used its permitting system to racially discriminate against him when he tried to do business in two exclusive waterfront communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dietrick Burks said he was hit with burdensome, expensive and unlawful permitting requirements when he attempted to relocate three floating homes to affluent waterfront neighborhoods in Sausalito. His experience adds to that of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101891562/racial-bias-in-home-appraisals-investigated-in-lowballed\">other Black homeowners who have reported racial discrimination\u003c/a> in the North Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just wanted an opportunity,” Burks said. “It was stressful, very stressful. I just couldn’t believe it — not in the world that we live in today.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an emailed statement to KQED, Marin County Director of Communications Laine Hendricks said the county had not yet been served with the lawsuit, but will carefully review it and respond through the legal process once it is received. She added that the county’s building policies “are applied uniformly and are not motivated by race.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to court documents, Burks purchased three floating homes in 2019 from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10919489/floating-home-community-vying-for-survival-in-redwood-city\">Docktown Marina\u003c/a> in Redwood City. He had planned to relocate them to Kappas Marina and Waldo Point Harbor — two waterfront communities — in Sausalito, where he would renovate and resell them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052911\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052911\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SausalitoGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1338\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SausalitoGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SausalitoGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SausalitoGetty-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sausalito on May 10, 2006. \u003ccite>(Nik Wheeler/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When Burks renovated and sold his first floating home in Kappas Marina, he worked with a white business partner and did not face permitting issues, according to the suit. The home was sold at fair-market value.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But after the Kappas Marina and Waldo Point floating home communities learned that Burks was in charge of the homes’ relocation and renovation, he said he started to face targeted opposition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The permitting process that followed, he told KQED, was “unreal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit states that Bill Kelley, the county’s chief building official, worked with other county staff to change the building code, requiring all floating homes relocated to Sausalito marinas to be considered “new construction” and therefore subject to additional requirements.[aside postID=news_12036599 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250409-LIVERMORE-BLACK-LAND-MD-10-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg']Owners of relocated homes would also have to provide extensive documentation about the history and origin of the floating home and would require a licensed marine surveyor or civil engineer to review and verify the home’s dimensions, among other new rules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burks said those rules were enforced on his projects before being formally approved by the Board of Supervisors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nor were they applied universally, he said. In the three years it took for him to relocate his first floating home to Kappas Marina, Burks said he made a lot of relationships with community members. Soon, some decided to purchase and relocate floating homes themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[The homes] were permitted in a fraction of the time I got my permit, without having to do a fraction of what I had to do,” he said. “And they were much larger in size and dimensions. It’s very disappointing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit claims the delays in permitting added significant interest payments and operational costs, causing Burks to sell some of his floating homes at below-market rate values. He now awaits a court date for a preliminary hearing, which he expects will be set within 90 days of filing the lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sometimes you have to touch the stove to remind yourself that it’s still hot,” said Andanté Pointer, Burks’ lawyer. “NIMBYism is alive and well, and this one has a racial animus tint to it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A Black real estate investor filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on Monday, alleging \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/marin-county\">Marin County\u003c/a> officials used its permitting system to racially discriminate against him when he tried to do business in two exclusive waterfront communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dietrick Burks said he was hit with burdensome, expensive and unlawful permitting requirements when he attempted to relocate three floating homes to affluent waterfront neighborhoods in Sausalito. His experience adds to that of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101891562/racial-bias-in-home-appraisals-investigated-in-lowballed\">other Black homeowners who have reported racial discrimination\u003c/a> in the North Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just wanted an opportunity,” Burks said. “It was stressful, very stressful. I just couldn’t believe it — not in the world that we live in today.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an emailed statement to KQED, Marin County Director of Communications Laine Hendricks said the county had not yet been served with the lawsuit, but will carefully review it and respond through the legal process once it is received. She added that the county’s building policies “are applied uniformly and are not motivated by race.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to court documents, Burks purchased three floating homes in 2019 from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10919489/floating-home-community-vying-for-survival-in-redwood-city\">Docktown Marina\u003c/a> in Redwood City. He had planned to relocate them to Kappas Marina and Waldo Point Harbor — two waterfront communities — in Sausalito, where he would renovate and resell them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052911\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052911\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SausalitoGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1338\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SausalitoGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SausalitoGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SausalitoGetty-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sausalito on May 10, 2006. \u003ccite>(Nik Wheeler/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When Burks renovated and sold his first floating home in Kappas Marina, he worked with a white business partner and did not face permitting issues, according to the suit. The home was sold at fair-market value.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But after the Kappas Marina and Waldo Point floating home communities learned that Burks was in charge of the homes’ relocation and renovation, he said he started to face targeted opposition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The permitting process that followed, he told KQED, was “unreal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit states that Bill Kelley, the county’s chief building official, worked with other county staff to change the building code, requiring all floating homes relocated to Sausalito marinas to be considered “new construction” and therefore subject to additional requirements.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Owners of relocated homes would also have to provide extensive documentation about the history and origin of the floating home and would require a licensed marine surveyor or civil engineer to review and verify the home’s dimensions, among other new rules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burks said those rules were enforced on his projects before being formally approved by the Board of Supervisors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nor were they applied universally, he said. In the three years it took for him to relocate his first floating home to Kappas Marina, Burks said he made a lot of relationships with community members. Soon, some decided to purchase and relocate floating homes themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[The homes] were permitted in a fraction of the time I got my permit, without having to do a fraction of what I had to do,” he said. “And they were much larger in size and dimensions. It’s very disappointing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit claims the delays in permitting added significant interest payments and operational costs, causing Burks to sell some of his floating homes at below-market rate values. He now awaits a court date for a preliminary hearing, which he expects will be set within 90 days of filing the lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sometimes you have to touch the stove to remind yourself that it’s still hot,” said Andanté Pointer, Burks’ lawyer. “NIMBYism is alive and well, and this one has a racial animus tint to it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>It’s a damp, foggy Saturday morning in the Bay Area, and you’ve got a hankering to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/50949/suffering-from-nature-deficit-disorder-try-forest-bathing\">immerse yourself in the redwoods\u003c/a> at Muir Woods National Monument.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then … you realize that reservations for Muir Woods parking spots are all sold out, as frequently happens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What now?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve compiled a list of next-best options to Muir Woods for Bay Area residents seeking respite in the towering redwood forests that make California stand out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They may be all around us here in the Bay Area, but redwoods \u003cem>are \u003c/em>remarkable, said Dave Hall, field operations manager at \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=450\">Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve\u003c/a> in Sonoma County. They \u003ca href=\"https://www.savetheredwoods.org/redwoods/\">only grow in a few areas in the world,\u003c/a> including the coast of California, and people come to Armstrong “ from all over the world specifically to see the redwoods,” Hall said.[aside postID='news_12049568,news_12049138,news_12048728' label='More Outdoor Guides']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Read on for our top suggestions for getting lost in the state’s most iconic forests, without the hassle of crowds and reservations. And if you want to save money on entry to these state parks,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11910495/how-to-get-free-entry-to-california-state-parks-with-your-library-card\"> try renting out a parks pass at your local library. \u003c/a>(And if you’re still looking for other cold-weather hiking options, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12049568/best-bay-area-hikes-for-cold-gloomy-weather\">this list of hikes best done in the gloom.\u003c/a>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#HenryCowellRedwoodsStatePark\">Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#PortolaRedwoodsStatePark\">Portola Redwoods State Park\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ArmstrongRedwoodsStateNaturalReserve\">Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#SamuelPTaylorStatePark\">Samuel P. Taylor State Park\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ShuttletoMuirWoods\">Shuttle to Muir Woods\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>To go inside a tree, head to \u003ca id=\"HenryCowellRedwoodsStatePark\">\u003c/a>Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>With 15 miles of trails and no reservations required, \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=546\">Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park\u003c/a> in the Santa Cruz Mountains has 40 acres of ancient redwoods to explore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In just around a mile-long loop from your car and back, the main \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/redwood-grove-loop-trail--2\">Redwood Grove Loop Trail\u003c/a> takes you through the oldest part of the forest, whose towering trees were \u003ca href=\"https://www.redwoodhikes.com/Cowell/Cowell.html\">spared from logging all the way back in the 1800s. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12050831\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12050831\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HenryCowellRedwoodsGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HenryCowellRedwoodsGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HenryCowellRedwoodsGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HenryCowellRedwoodsGetty-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. \u003ccite>(zrfphoto/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s big giant tree after big giant tree,” Park Aide Ted Lodge said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the trail, you can even reach the famous \u003ca href=\"https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=196340\">Fremont Tree\u003c/a>, whose open trunk is big enough to fit you (and five other friends) inside. Legend has it that when exploring the area before the Civil War, Union Army Major General \u003ca href=\"https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/john-c-fr%C3%A9mont\">John Frémont\u003c/a> slept in this tree — but Lodge said that part’s probably just a legend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The loop trail is flat, and it never gets too hot, Lodge said, but if you are feeling toasty, you can always jump in the San Lorenzo River.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re looking for a longer trek, the dog and bike-friendly \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/pipeline-road-trail\">Pipeline Road Trail\u003c/a>, runs past the redwood grove and parallels the river for several miles. Or, take the \u003ca href=\"https://modernhiker.com/hike/henry-cowell-observation-deck-loop/\">5-mile loop hike\u003c/a> to the redwoods observation deck, so you can view the canopy from above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cost: \u003c/em>There is a $10 fee to park your car at the state park. Dogs are allowed on many trails, but not on \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/redwood-grove-loop-trail--2\">the old-growth loop trail.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>For secluded camping, try \u003ca id=\"PortolaRedwoodsStatePark\">\u003c/a>Portola Redwoods in San Mateo County\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>So hidden in the Santa Cruz Mountains, it’s hard to believe that \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=539\">Portola Redwoods State Park\u003c/a> is just over a dozen miles from the heart of Silicon Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With its dense canopy, large campsites and a number of trails, waterfalls and creeks to explore, this park is perfect for a quick overnight camping getaway within the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12050832\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12050832 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/PortolaRedwoodsGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/PortolaRedwoodsGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/PortolaRedwoodsGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/PortolaRedwoodsGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Portola Redwoods State Park in San Mateo County, California. \u003ccite>(yhelfman/iStock via Getty Imaes)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Thick huckleberry bushes produce fruit in late summer and banana slugs are plentiful on the forest floor — plus, you can explore several easy and moderate hikes straight from your campsite.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While this park is secluded, it can get popular, \u003ca href=\"https://reservecalifornia.com/Web/#!park/695\">so make a reservation for overnight camping\u003c/a> or try to snag one of its walk-in sites. Or, come for the day, and adventure through the park’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28557\">18 miles of trails\u003c/a>, including the \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/iverson-trail-to-tiptoe-falls\">Iverson Trail to Tiptoe Falls\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cost: \u003c/em>There is a $10 fee to park your car at the state park. Dogs are allowed only in campsites, picnic areas and on paved roads.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Bask in the heat in Wine Country’s Hendy Woods State Park\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At 200-acre \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=438\">Hendy Woods State Park\u003c/a> in Mendocino County, Bay Area visitors are frequent, especially in the peak summer months when school is out, Senior Park Aide Laurie Cooper said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s close enough [to the Bay Area] where it feels like you \u003cem>went \u003c/em>somewhere, but you’re not spending your whole day driving,” Cooper said. But as soon as fall rolls around, “you can walk for an hour and not see anybody.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12050834\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12050834\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HendyWoodsGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HendyWoodsGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HendyWoodsGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HendyWoodsGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Discovery Trail takes you into the heart of the redwoods at the Hendy Woods State Park, 8 miles northwest of Boonville, on Oct. 10, 2010. A trip up to Anderson Valley is just two hours from San Francisco, yet this 25-mile valley has become an internationally known appellation. \u003ccite>(Lianne Milton/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The park’s main attractions are its two untouched redwood groves — \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/big-hendy-long-loop\">Big Hendy\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/little-hendy-grove\">Little Hendy\u003c/a> — and its \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/hendy-woods-discovery-trail\">Discovery Trail\u003c/a>, a fully wheelchair-accessible way to take in the thousand-year-old trees. And don’t miss the \u003ca href=\"https://www.redwoodhikes.com/Hendy/LittleHendy.html\">Hermit Hut Trail\u003c/a>, which leads hikers to an area of the forest where \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/northcoast/article/hendy-woods-hermit-mendocino-redwoods-20354002.php\">Russian immigrant Petro Zailenko lived alone \u003c/a>deep in the woods and away from civilization for almost two decades in the 1960s and 70s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less cold than other redwood forests, Hendy Woods is ideal for \u003ca href=\"https://www.hendywoods.org/day-use-hendy-woods\">picnicking on the banks of the Navarro River or swimming under the Greenwood Road bridge.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re very lucky,” Cooper said. “We’re just far enough inland where there are certain days where you smell the ocean, but the fog burns off quickly here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cost: \u003c/em>It’s $8 to access the park for the day. Dogs are allowed in the park but cannot go on trails.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"ArmstrongRedwoodsStateNaturalReserve\">\u003c/a>To hug a tree, go to Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve in Sonoma County\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Beloved by locals and visitors alike, \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=450\">Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve,\u003c/a> just north of Guerneville and the Russian River, has something for everyone, Hall said, including an entire area dedicated to hugging an old-growth redwood. \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/e2JBZfY2-y0\">A ramp and wooden decking lead visitors up next to the “hugging tree,”\u003c/a> where you can take a moment and give this iconic species a big embrace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12050855\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12050855\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Armstrong-Redwoods-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Armstrong-Redwoods-2.png 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Armstrong-Redwoods-2-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Armstrong-Redwoods-2-1536x1024.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve \u003ccite>(Comstock via Getty)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The main trails through the old-growth grove are flat and accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, and where you can check out the park’s tallest tree, Parson Jones. You’ll also find its oldest tree, a 1,400-year-old Colonel Armstrong, and the “Icicle tree,” which is dripping with large knots called burls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re looking for a full day of hiking, there are also more strenuous trails that take you up and over the ridge to the backside of the park and into other state parks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the reserve can get busy between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekends and holidays, Hall said it tends to be quiet outside of those peak times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for what first-time visitors to the park should know: “Don’t be in a hurry,” Hall said. “Come and enjoy the walk.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cost: \u003c/em>Pay $10 to park or get in for free on foot or via bike. Dogs are allowed in the park but cannot go on trails and must stay on paved roads only.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>For idyllic biking, roll over to \u003ca id=\"SamuelPTaylorStatePark\">\u003c/a>Samuel P. Taylor State Park in Marin\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If zooming through tall trees is on your to-do list, try bringing a bike (or renting in \u003ca href=\"https://mountainbikesf.com/\">nearby Fairfax\u003c/a>) and taking a scenic ride through \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=469\">Samuel P. Taylor State Park\u003c/a> in Marin County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For a relaxed and flat ride, head to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/walk-the-cross-marin-trail.htm\">the Cross Marin Trail,\u003c/a> which follows the old North Pacific Coast Railroad for 5 miles along Lagunitas Creek. Three of these miles are through the park, where you can take in the full biodiversity of the redwood forest located just outside of Point Reyes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12050836\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12050836\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SamuelPTaylorRedwoodsGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SamuelPTaylorRedwoodsGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SamuelPTaylorRedwoodsGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SamuelPTaylorRedwoodsGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The morning sun shines through tall redwood trees that nearly hide a campsite from view in Samuel P. Taylor State Park in California. \u003ccite>(Brent Durand/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If hiking is more your speed, head to the short \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/barnabe-peak-loop-via-barnabee-road-and-cross-marin-trail\">Pioneer Tree Trail\u003c/a> loop, whose 2.5-mile route showcases the park’s small but mighty old-growth forest. Or, \u003ca href=\"https://www.redwoodhikes.com/Taylor/Barnabe.html\">check out the steep 6-mile loop trek to the top of Barnabe Peak\u003c/a> for sweeping views of nearby peaks and the rolling hills and small towns of the Marin valley below.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cost: \u003c/em>It costs $8 to park in the lot. Dogs are allowed only in picnic areas and on the Cross Marin Trail.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Still dead set on Muir Woods? \u003ca id=\"ShuttletoMuirWoods\">\u003c/a>Try the shuttle\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If none of these strike your fancy, and you’re still hoping to head to Muir Woods, \u003ca href=\"https://gomuirwoods.com/muir/shuttleInfo\">try taking the shuttle instead\u003c/a>. The tickets don’t sell out nearly as quickly as the parking ones do (although they do still sell out), and there are options on both weekends and weekdays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On weekends and holidays, the shuttle goes to and from the \u003ca href=\"http://goldengate.org/ferry/route-schedule/larkspur-san-francisco/\">Larkspur Landing Ferry Terminal\u003c/a>, so you can park there for free or take the ferry to another destination. Shuttles run from 8 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11741058\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2048px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11741058\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1372\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764-800x536.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764-1200x804.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764-1920x1286.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Majestic coastal redwoods in Muir Woods National Monument. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Weekday shuttles go to and from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.goldengate.org/ferry/route-schedule/sausalito-san-francisco/\">Sausalito Ferry Terminal\u003c/a>, where paid parking is available, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the shuttle tickets, which cost $3.75 each way, you’ll have to purchase your $15 entrance ticket to the park unless you have an annual national parks pass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Be sure to book your shuttle in both directions, and remember: There is no cell phone service in the park, so be sure to download your tickets ahead of time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Struck out in the reservation system? Try these beautiful Muir Woods alternatives within driving distance of the Bay Area.",
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"title": "Muir Woods Reservations All Sold Out? Visit These 5 Bay Area Redwood Forests Instead | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It’s a damp, foggy Saturday morning in the Bay Area, and you’ve got a hankering to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/50949/suffering-from-nature-deficit-disorder-try-forest-bathing\">immerse yourself in the redwoods\u003c/a> at Muir Woods National Monument.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then … you realize that reservations for Muir Woods parking spots are all sold out, as frequently happens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What now?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve compiled a list of next-best options to Muir Woods for Bay Area residents seeking respite in the towering redwood forests that make California stand out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They may be all around us here in the Bay Area, but redwoods \u003cem>are \u003c/em>remarkable, said Dave Hall, field operations manager at \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=450\">Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve\u003c/a> in Sonoma County. They \u003ca href=\"https://www.savetheredwoods.org/redwoods/\">only grow in a few areas in the world,\u003c/a> including the coast of California, and people come to Armstrong “ from all over the world specifically to see the redwoods,” Hall said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Read on for our top suggestions for getting lost in the state’s most iconic forests, without the hassle of crowds and reservations. And if you want to save money on entry to these state parks,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11910495/how-to-get-free-entry-to-california-state-parks-with-your-library-card\"> try renting out a parks pass at your local library. \u003c/a>(And if you’re still looking for other cold-weather hiking options, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12049568/best-bay-area-hikes-for-cold-gloomy-weather\">this list of hikes best done in the gloom.\u003c/a>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#HenryCowellRedwoodsStatePark\">Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#PortolaRedwoodsStatePark\">Portola Redwoods State Park\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ArmstrongRedwoodsStateNaturalReserve\">Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#SamuelPTaylorStatePark\">Samuel P. Taylor State Park\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ShuttletoMuirWoods\">Shuttle to Muir Woods\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>To go inside a tree, head to \u003ca id=\"HenryCowellRedwoodsStatePark\">\u003c/a>Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>With 15 miles of trails and no reservations required, \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=546\">Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park\u003c/a> in the Santa Cruz Mountains has 40 acres of ancient redwoods to explore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In just around a mile-long loop from your car and back, the main \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/redwood-grove-loop-trail--2\">Redwood Grove Loop Trail\u003c/a> takes you through the oldest part of the forest, whose towering trees were \u003ca href=\"https://www.redwoodhikes.com/Cowell/Cowell.html\">spared from logging all the way back in the 1800s. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12050831\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12050831\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HenryCowellRedwoodsGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HenryCowellRedwoodsGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HenryCowellRedwoodsGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HenryCowellRedwoodsGetty-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. \u003ccite>(zrfphoto/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s big giant tree after big giant tree,” Park Aide Ted Lodge said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the trail, you can even reach the famous \u003ca href=\"https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=196340\">Fremont Tree\u003c/a>, whose open trunk is big enough to fit you (and five other friends) inside. Legend has it that when exploring the area before the Civil War, Union Army Major General \u003ca href=\"https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/john-c-fr%C3%A9mont\">John Frémont\u003c/a> slept in this tree — but Lodge said that part’s probably just a legend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The loop trail is flat, and it never gets too hot, Lodge said, but if you are feeling toasty, you can always jump in the San Lorenzo River.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re looking for a longer trek, the dog and bike-friendly \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/pipeline-road-trail\">Pipeline Road Trail\u003c/a>, runs past the redwood grove and parallels the river for several miles. Or, take the \u003ca href=\"https://modernhiker.com/hike/henry-cowell-observation-deck-loop/\">5-mile loop hike\u003c/a> to the redwoods observation deck, so you can view the canopy from above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cost: \u003c/em>There is a $10 fee to park your car at the state park. Dogs are allowed on many trails, but not on \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/redwood-grove-loop-trail--2\">the old-growth loop trail.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>For secluded camping, try \u003ca id=\"PortolaRedwoodsStatePark\">\u003c/a>Portola Redwoods in San Mateo County\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>So hidden in the Santa Cruz Mountains, it’s hard to believe that \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=539\">Portola Redwoods State Park\u003c/a> is just over a dozen miles from the heart of Silicon Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With its dense canopy, large campsites and a number of trails, waterfalls and creeks to explore, this park is perfect for a quick overnight camping getaway within the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12050832\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12050832 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/PortolaRedwoodsGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/PortolaRedwoodsGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/PortolaRedwoodsGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/PortolaRedwoodsGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Portola Redwoods State Park in San Mateo County, California. \u003ccite>(yhelfman/iStock via Getty Imaes)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Thick huckleberry bushes produce fruit in late summer and banana slugs are plentiful on the forest floor — plus, you can explore several easy and moderate hikes straight from your campsite.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While this park is secluded, it can get popular, \u003ca href=\"https://reservecalifornia.com/Web/#!park/695\">so make a reservation for overnight camping\u003c/a> or try to snag one of its walk-in sites. Or, come for the day, and adventure through the park’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28557\">18 miles of trails\u003c/a>, including the \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/iverson-trail-to-tiptoe-falls\">Iverson Trail to Tiptoe Falls\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cost: \u003c/em>There is a $10 fee to park your car at the state park. Dogs are allowed only in campsites, picnic areas and on paved roads.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Bask in the heat in Wine Country’s Hendy Woods State Park\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At 200-acre \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=438\">Hendy Woods State Park\u003c/a> in Mendocino County, Bay Area visitors are frequent, especially in the peak summer months when school is out, Senior Park Aide Laurie Cooper said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s close enough [to the Bay Area] where it feels like you \u003cem>went \u003c/em>somewhere, but you’re not spending your whole day driving,” Cooper said. But as soon as fall rolls around, “you can walk for an hour and not see anybody.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12050834\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12050834\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HendyWoodsGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HendyWoodsGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HendyWoodsGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/HendyWoodsGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Discovery Trail takes you into the heart of the redwoods at the Hendy Woods State Park, 8 miles northwest of Boonville, on Oct. 10, 2010. A trip up to Anderson Valley is just two hours from San Francisco, yet this 25-mile valley has become an internationally known appellation. \u003ccite>(Lianne Milton/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The park’s main attractions are its two untouched redwood groves — \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/big-hendy-long-loop\">Big Hendy\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/little-hendy-grove\">Little Hendy\u003c/a> — and its \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/hendy-woods-discovery-trail\">Discovery Trail\u003c/a>, a fully wheelchair-accessible way to take in the thousand-year-old trees. And don’t miss the \u003ca href=\"https://www.redwoodhikes.com/Hendy/LittleHendy.html\">Hermit Hut Trail\u003c/a>, which leads hikers to an area of the forest where \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/northcoast/article/hendy-woods-hermit-mendocino-redwoods-20354002.php\">Russian immigrant Petro Zailenko lived alone \u003c/a>deep in the woods and away from civilization for almost two decades in the 1960s and 70s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less cold than other redwood forests, Hendy Woods is ideal for \u003ca href=\"https://www.hendywoods.org/day-use-hendy-woods\">picnicking on the banks of the Navarro River or swimming under the Greenwood Road bridge.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re very lucky,” Cooper said. “We’re just far enough inland where there are certain days where you smell the ocean, but the fog burns off quickly here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cost: \u003c/em>It’s $8 to access the park for the day. Dogs are allowed in the park but cannot go on trails.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"ArmstrongRedwoodsStateNaturalReserve\">\u003c/a>To hug a tree, go to Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve in Sonoma County\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Beloved by locals and visitors alike, \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=450\">Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve,\u003c/a> just north of Guerneville and the Russian River, has something for everyone, Hall said, including an entire area dedicated to hugging an old-growth redwood. \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/e2JBZfY2-y0\">A ramp and wooden decking lead visitors up next to the “hugging tree,”\u003c/a> where you can take a moment and give this iconic species a big embrace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12050855\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12050855\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Armstrong-Redwoods-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Armstrong-Redwoods-2.png 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Armstrong-Redwoods-2-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Armstrong-Redwoods-2-1536x1024.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve \u003ccite>(Comstock via Getty)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The main trails through the old-growth grove are flat and accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, and where you can check out the park’s tallest tree, Parson Jones. You’ll also find its oldest tree, a 1,400-year-old Colonel Armstrong, and the “Icicle tree,” which is dripping with large knots called burls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re looking for a full day of hiking, there are also more strenuous trails that take you up and over the ridge to the backside of the park and into other state parks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the reserve can get busy between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekends and holidays, Hall said it tends to be quiet outside of those peak times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for what first-time visitors to the park should know: “Don’t be in a hurry,” Hall said. “Come and enjoy the walk.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cost: \u003c/em>Pay $10 to park or get in for free on foot or via bike. Dogs are allowed in the park but cannot go on trails and must stay on paved roads only.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>For idyllic biking, roll over to \u003ca id=\"SamuelPTaylorStatePark\">\u003c/a>Samuel P. Taylor State Park in Marin\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If zooming through tall trees is on your to-do list, try bringing a bike (or renting in \u003ca href=\"https://mountainbikesf.com/\">nearby Fairfax\u003c/a>) and taking a scenic ride through \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=469\">Samuel P. Taylor State Park\u003c/a> in Marin County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For a relaxed and flat ride, head to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/walk-the-cross-marin-trail.htm\">the Cross Marin Trail,\u003c/a> which follows the old North Pacific Coast Railroad for 5 miles along Lagunitas Creek. Three of these miles are through the park, where you can take in the full biodiversity of the redwood forest located just outside of Point Reyes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12050836\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12050836\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SamuelPTaylorRedwoodsGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SamuelPTaylorRedwoodsGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SamuelPTaylorRedwoodsGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SamuelPTaylorRedwoodsGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The morning sun shines through tall redwood trees that nearly hide a campsite from view in Samuel P. Taylor State Park in California. \u003ccite>(Brent Durand/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If hiking is more your speed, head to the short \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/barnabe-peak-loop-via-barnabee-road-and-cross-marin-trail\">Pioneer Tree Trail\u003c/a> loop, whose 2.5-mile route showcases the park’s small but mighty old-growth forest. Or, \u003ca href=\"https://www.redwoodhikes.com/Taylor/Barnabe.html\">check out the steep 6-mile loop trek to the top of Barnabe Peak\u003c/a> for sweeping views of nearby peaks and the rolling hills and small towns of the Marin valley below.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cost: \u003c/em>It costs $8 to park in the lot. Dogs are allowed only in picnic areas and on the Cross Marin Trail.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Still dead set on Muir Woods? \u003ca id=\"ShuttletoMuirWoods\">\u003c/a>Try the shuttle\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If none of these strike your fancy, and you’re still hoping to head to Muir Woods, \u003ca href=\"https://gomuirwoods.com/muir/shuttleInfo\">try taking the shuttle instead\u003c/a>. The tickets don’t sell out nearly as quickly as the parking ones do (although they do still sell out), and there are options on both weekends and weekdays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On weekends and holidays, the shuttle goes to and from the \u003ca href=\"http://goldengate.org/ferry/route-schedule/larkspur-san-francisco/\">Larkspur Landing Ferry Terminal\u003c/a>, so you can park there for free or take the ferry to another destination. Shuttles run from 8 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11741058\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2048px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11741058\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1372\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764-800x536.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764-1200x804.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/04/RS36596_GettyImages-177068764-1920x1286.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Majestic coastal redwoods in Muir Woods National Monument. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Weekday shuttles go to and from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.goldengate.org/ferry/route-schedule/sausalito-san-francisco/\">Sausalito Ferry Terminal\u003c/a>, where paid parking is available, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the shuttle tickets, which cost $3.75 each way, you’ll have to purchase your $15 entrance ticket to the park unless you have an annual national parks pass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Be sure to book your shuttle in both directions, and remember: There is no cell phone service in the park, so be sure to download your tickets ahead of time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "not-what-we-paid-for-families-mourn-cemeterys-decline-at-mt-tamalpais",
"title": "'Not What We Paid for': Families Mourn Cemetery’s Decline at Mount Tamalpais",
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"headTitle": "‘Not What We Paid for’: Families Mourn Cemetery’s Decline at Mount Tamalpais | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>At the end of a winding road in a small neighborhood tucked into \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-rafael\">San Rafael’s\u003c/a> estuarine landscape lies the entrance to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/mount-tamalpais\">Mount Tamalpais\u003c/a> Cemetery. The site has been in operation since 1879, bearing witness to thousands of burials, goodbyes and solemn visits on birthdays and anniversaries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Teveia Barnes, a lawyer based in San Rafael, remembers when the cemetery was lush, green and well-manicured. Barnes is a member of Kol Shofar, a Tiburon-based synagogue that purchased more than 1,000 plots at Mount Tam Cemetery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She recalls visiting with her husband in 2012 to look at plots together and thinking to herself, “This would be such a lovely place to be.” But in the years that followed, Barnes watched the grass give way to towering weeds, sturdy roads crack and potholes emerge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I came up here and I took pictures,” Barnes said. “That’s when I first appreciated how this whole area had deteriorated to such an extent that it didn’t resemble at all the cemetery that we had signed up to come to.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At that time, Barnes had no idea what lay ahead for the cemetery — or her role in subsequent legal battles that would follow. She was simply planning for the future, having the inevitable conversation about where she and her loved ones would one day be laid to rest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12048592\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_008_BF_KQED_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_008_BF_KQED_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_008_BF_KQED_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_008_BF_KQED_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The fate of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery remains in limbo several months after the state ordered it to shut down over allegations of financial mismanagement. Families who have loved ones buried at the cemetery are calling for accountability, saying conditions have worsened. Tall grass and weeds grow throughout the cemetery and surround many of its tombstones. \u003ccite>(Brian L. Frank/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In June 2022, the state Attorney General’s office filed a formal \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LuT2SmiT5PH4r0DXwzxaVHO3h0adu4Ui/view?usp=sharing\">accusation\u003c/a> against the owners of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery on behalf of California’s Cemetery and Funeral Bureau.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bureau Chief Gina Sanchez accused the cemetery’s owners of mismanaging the Eternal Care Fund — or ECF — failing to maintain the grounds, and neglecting to comply with citations after delays in filing its annual reports.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under \u003ca href=\"https://law.justia.com/codes/california/code-hsc/division-8/part-3/chapter-5/article-2/section-8726/\">state law\u003c/a>, cemetery owners are required to establish ECFs, funded by a portion of consumer plot purchases, with profits reserved for cemetery maintenance.[aside postID=science_1997579 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1267735347-2000x1125.jpg']Following the formal accusation, Mount Tam Cemetery owner Buck Kamphausen, a Vallejo-based businessman, and his two partners were ordered to surrender their licenses and relinquish control of the cemetery’s ECF, which held around $50 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just five months later, a nonprofit religious organization called Evergreen Ministries was \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WIlwe95gjJRK-mdO-hXpvi0XA9nbU5Kz/view?usp=sharing\">formed\u003c/a>, with Kamphausen listed as its CEO. Court documents \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MWIFISXN2Xk561cgm7LIwHKEqhkK0Nls/view?usp=sharing\">show\u003c/a> he attempted to transfer the funds and “donate the cemeteries” to Evergreen Ministries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau discovered the plan and petitioned the Solano County Superior Court to intervene and take control of the assets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a lengthy legal dispute, Judge Christine Carringer ultimately ruled that the state was within its rights to seize the ECF. She also noted that it appeared “Evergreen Ministries was formed for the purpose of avoiding governmental regulation, oversight and taxation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the legal proceedings, members of Kol Shofar testified about watching the cemetery fall into disrepair. Barnes was among them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048598\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12048598\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_017_BF_KQED_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_017_BF_KQED_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_017_BF_KQED_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_017_BF_KQED_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The fate of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery remains in limbo several months after the state ordered it to shut down over allegations of financial mismanagement. \u003ccite>(Brian L. Frank/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She said she wanted to “be sure that Kol Shofar’s interest was protected, because Kol Shofar had a contract that was more encompassing than other contracts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At stake were the personal and financial investments of countless families, Kol Shofar’s Rabbi Paul Steinberg said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve never had to tell families, listen, you better bring hiking boots,” Steinberg said. “Don’t wear your nice heels because you could easily trip over rocks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carringer’s ruling did not strip Evergreen Ministries of ownership — only its control of the cemetery’s assets — so it remained the owner of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048593\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12048593 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_011_BF_KQED_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_011_BF_KQED_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_011_BF_KQED_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_011_BF_KQED_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The fate of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery remains in limbo several months after the state ordered it to shut down over allegations of financial mismanagement. Signs warning of wild animals and falling trees can be found throughout the cemetery. \u003ccite>(Brian L. Frank/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But in March, the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau issued cease-and-desist \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/10ShP4J26NnSuecG83H9gR1mJXXGPYB4g/view?usp=sharing\">orders\u003c/a> to all four cemeteries under Evergreen Ministries, including Mount Tam Cemetery, once again accusing the owners of financial mismanagement and neglect, and ordering all operations to stop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, the Bureau said it “does not have information regarding plans for future ownership,” and that unless the cemetery is purchased by a new owner and relicensed, “it is considered unlicensed or abandoned and falls outside the regulatory authority of the Bureau.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amidst the uncertainty, the cemetery has continued to deteriorate, according to those with loved ones buried there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Seeing the deterioration in the roads is the most worrisome thing, because some of those roads are quite narrow,” said Steve Gershik, whose parents are interred at Mount Tam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048595\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12048595\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_013_BF_KQED_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_013_BF_KQED_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_013_BF_KQED_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_013_BF_KQED_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The fate of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery remains in limbo several months after the state ordered it to shut down over allegations of financial mismanagement. Tall grass and weeds grow throughout the property, including at the entry gate. \u003ccite>(Brian L. Frank/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gershik said he registered things turning south in 2013. “I noticed the erosion and how the weeds had grown up after just one year since their funeral,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frustrated over the uncertainty surrounding the cemetery’s future, Gershik said he’s “really disappointed in the lack of aggression of the state to hold them accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They seem to be really dragging their feet, and they could be doing a lot more to hold on to account the standards which all cemeteries in California should hold,” he continued.[aside postID=news_12044161 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/inntown-3-2000x1333.jpg']Barnes said some of her friends now bring gardening shears to trim the weeds themselves. “This isn’t the proper respect and honor that we expected,” she said. “So that adds another level of trauma to the experience of coming to visit.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kamphausen told KQED that he has already begun the appeal process against the Bureau’s most recent cease-and-desist order.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I believe that we will prevail, and our attorneys do,” Kamphausen said. “It’s a matter of when we get to court.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the cemetery’s current state reflects drought conditions, wildfire concerns, and invasive species like eucalyptus trees, which make upkeep more difficult.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kol Shofar’s Executive Director Gordon Gladstone said the path forward may be complicated — but the need for change is clear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It takes a willingness to do it and a willingness to invest in the services and processes that make that possible,” Gladstone said. “So, magic wand in hand, we bring that same kind of care, compassion, and attentiveness to Mount Tamalpais.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "California regulators accused Mount Tamalpais Cemetery’s owners of mismanaging millions in maintenance funds, sparking legal action and growing concern from families with loved ones buried there.",
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"title": "'Not What We Paid for': Families Mourn Cemetery’s Decline at Mount Tamalpais | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>At the end of a winding road in a small neighborhood tucked into \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-rafael\">San Rafael’s\u003c/a> estuarine landscape lies the entrance to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/mount-tamalpais\">Mount Tamalpais\u003c/a> Cemetery. The site has been in operation since 1879, bearing witness to thousands of burials, goodbyes and solemn visits on birthdays and anniversaries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Teveia Barnes, a lawyer based in San Rafael, remembers when the cemetery was lush, green and well-manicured. Barnes is a member of Kol Shofar, a Tiburon-based synagogue that purchased more than 1,000 plots at Mount Tam Cemetery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She recalls visiting with her husband in 2012 to look at plots together and thinking to herself, “This would be such a lovely place to be.” But in the years that followed, Barnes watched the grass give way to towering weeds, sturdy roads crack and potholes emerge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I came up here and I took pictures,” Barnes said. “That’s when I first appreciated how this whole area had deteriorated to such an extent that it didn’t resemble at all the cemetery that we had signed up to come to.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At that time, Barnes had no idea what lay ahead for the cemetery — or her role in subsequent legal battles that would follow. She was simply planning for the future, having the inevitable conversation about where she and her loved ones would one day be laid to rest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12048592\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_008_BF_KQED_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_008_BF_KQED_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_008_BF_KQED_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_008_BF_KQED_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The fate of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery remains in limbo several months after the state ordered it to shut down over allegations of financial mismanagement. Families who have loved ones buried at the cemetery are calling for accountability, saying conditions have worsened. Tall grass and weeds grow throughout the cemetery and surround many of its tombstones. \u003ccite>(Brian L. Frank/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In June 2022, the state Attorney General’s office filed a formal \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LuT2SmiT5PH4r0DXwzxaVHO3h0adu4Ui/view?usp=sharing\">accusation\u003c/a> against the owners of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery on behalf of California’s Cemetery and Funeral Bureau.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bureau Chief Gina Sanchez accused the cemetery’s owners of mismanaging the Eternal Care Fund — or ECF — failing to maintain the grounds, and neglecting to comply with citations after delays in filing its annual reports.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under \u003ca href=\"https://law.justia.com/codes/california/code-hsc/division-8/part-3/chapter-5/article-2/section-8726/\">state law\u003c/a>, cemetery owners are required to establish ECFs, funded by a portion of consumer plot purchases, with profits reserved for cemetery maintenance.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Following the formal accusation, Mount Tam Cemetery owner Buck Kamphausen, a Vallejo-based businessman, and his two partners were ordered to surrender their licenses and relinquish control of the cemetery’s ECF, which held around $50 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just five months later, a nonprofit religious organization called Evergreen Ministries was \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WIlwe95gjJRK-mdO-hXpvi0XA9nbU5Kz/view?usp=sharing\">formed\u003c/a>, with Kamphausen listed as its CEO. Court documents \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MWIFISXN2Xk561cgm7LIwHKEqhkK0Nls/view?usp=sharing\">show\u003c/a> he attempted to transfer the funds and “donate the cemeteries” to Evergreen Ministries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau discovered the plan and petitioned the Solano County Superior Court to intervene and take control of the assets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a lengthy legal dispute, Judge Christine Carringer ultimately ruled that the state was within its rights to seize the ECF. She also noted that it appeared “Evergreen Ministries was formed for the purpose of avoiding governmental regulation, oversight and taxation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the legal proceedings, members of Kol Shofar testified about watching the cemetery fall into disrepair. Barnes was among them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048598\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12048598\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_017_BF_KQED_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_017_BF_KQED_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_017_BF_KQED_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_017_BF_KQED_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The fate of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery remains in limbo several months after the state ordered it to shut down over allegations of financial mismanagement. \u003ccite>(Brian L. Frank/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She said she wanted to “be sure that Kol Shofar’s interest was protected, because Kol Shofar had a contract that was more encompassing than other contracts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At stake were the personal and financial investments of countless families, Kol Shofar’s Rabbi Paul Steinberg said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve never had to tell families, listen, you better bring hiking boots,” Steinberg said. “Don’t wear your nice heels because you could easily trip over rocks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carringer’s ruling did not strip Evergreen Ministries of ownership — only its control of the cemetery’s assets — so it remained the owner of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048593\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12048593 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_011_BF_KQED_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_011_BF_KQED_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_011_BF_KQED_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_011_BF_KQED_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The fate of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery remains in limbo several months after the state ordered it to shut down over allegations of financial mismanagement. Signs warning of wild animals and falling trees can be found throughout the cemetery. \u003ccite>(Brian L. Frank/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But in March, the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau issued cease-and-desist \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/10ShP4J26NnSuecG83H9gR1mJXXGPYB4g/view?usp=sharing\">orders\u003c/a> to all four cemeteries under Evergreen Ministries, including Mount Tam Cemetery, once again accusing the owners of financial mismanagement and neglect, and ordering all operations to stop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, the Bureau said it “does not have information regarding plans for future ownership,” and that unless the cemetery is purchased by a new owner and relicensed, “it is considered unlicensed or abandoned and falls outside the regulatory authority of the Bureau.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amidst the uncertainty, the cemetery has continued to deteriorate, according to those with loved ones buried there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Seeing the deterioration in the roads is the most worrisome thing, because some of those roads are quite narrow,” said Steve Gershik, whose parents are interred at Mount Tam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12048595\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12048595\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_013_BF_KQED_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_013_BF_KQED_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_013_BF_KQED_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250717_MtTamCemetery_013_BF_KQED_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The fate of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery remains in limbo several months after the state ordered it to shut down over allegations of financial mismanagement. Tall grass and weeds grow throughout the property, including at the entry gate. \u003ccite>(Brian L. Frank/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gershik said he registered things turning south in 2013. “I noticed the erosion and how the weeds had grown up after just one year since their funeral,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frustrated over the uncertainty surrounding the cemetery’s future, Gershik said he’s “really disappointed in the lack of aggression of the state to hold them accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They seem to be really dragging their feet, and they could be doing a lot more to hold on to account the standards which all cemeteries in California should hold,” he continued.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Barnes said some of her friends now bring gardening shears to trim the weeds themselves. “This isn’t the proper respect and honor that we expected,” she said. “So that adds another level of trauma to the experience of coming to visit.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kamphausen told KQED that he has already begun the appeal process against the Bureau’s most recent cease-and-desist order.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I believe that we will prevail, and our attorneys do,” Kamphausen said. “It’s a matter of when we get to court.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the cemetery’s current state reflects drought conditions, wildfire concerns, and invasive species like eucalyptus trees, which make upkeep more difficult.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kol Shofar’s Executive Director Gordon Gladstone said the path forward may be complicated — but the need for change is clear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It takes a willingness to do it and a willingness to invest in the services and processes that make that possible,” Gladstone said. “So, magic wand in hand, we bring that same kind of care, compassion, and attentiveness to Mount Tamalpais.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "how-rfk-jr-s-message-took-root-in-a-small-marin-town",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fairfax is a small, predominantly white town of about 7,500 people, nestled up against the Mt. Tam watershed in Marin. Wellness and a distrust of authority have long been part of the town’s culture. But since the pandemic, it also became a place where supporters of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine message grew louder and louder.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Links:\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997008/the-marin-town-where-rfk-jr-s-message-took-root\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Marin Town Where RFK Jr.’s Message Took Root\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC1284838524&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ci>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/i>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:53] I wonder if you can start, Lesley, by telling me a little bit about Fairfax.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:01:57] It’s a really adorable little town. About an hour from San Francisco out in West Marin. It’s kind of known for its beauty. It’s a really beautiful town. There’s a ton of mountain biking trails. It’s got an adorable downtown, kind of old fashioned downtown. So you’ve got all these shops, these kind of eclectic shops you can go and you can get your crystals and your hemp clothing. And on Wednesdays, there’s this incredible farmers market where people go and get their fresh local honey and their heirloom tomatoes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:36] Yeah, when did you, I guess, first start to notice something else sort of brewing underneath here in Fairfax?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:02:43] Yeah, I mean, as I was following the pandemic as a health reporter, you began to see, I used to call it, like the Venn diagram is getting very strange, where you’ve got kind of wellness culture intersecting with more conservative viewpoints, especially around vaccines. And you’ve got wellness culture sort of questioning, has always questioned, mainstream medicine, kind of anti-pharma, more all-natural. And then as we saw, conservatives didn’t like the sort of mandates during the pandemic to protect people from the virus, but you had to change your life. And conservatives didn’t like that lack of independence. And so you saw these communities begin to intersect. And I began to really see that in my reporting. And then I just happened to have quite a large community out in Fairfax and began to overhear these conversations in personal ways, in social circles. And that’s kind of only gotten louder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:48] This has a lot to do with also the rise of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. What exactly have you seen people in Fairfax embracing more in this moment?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:04:03] Right around when RFK started to run for president last year, the RFKers set up right at the entrance of the farmers market. And they had all their MAHA, make America healthy again, swag. And so the vibe began to shift a little bit more publicly there. And then those voices began to get quite a bit louder. The vaccine rates were quite high, or were quite high in Marin during the pandemic. That’s not really the historical trend in Marin. You know, 10 years ago, I think Marin had some of the lowest vaccine rates in California. And there’s always been kind of a questioning of putting something foreign that was created by a pharmaceutical company into your body. That ethos, I don’t think has ever died. But when the vaccine mandates came on and you couldn’t go into restaurants and hospital workers, et cetera, couldn’t go to their jobs without getting their vaccines, those ripples, you know, in certain communities started to ignite. And I think they were even more fueled by RFK’s messages, you know Kennedy’s messages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lex Fridman \u003c/strong>[00:05:06] Difficult question. Can you name any vaccines that you think are good?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>RFK Jr. \u003c/strong>[00:05:10] I think some of the live virus vaccines are probably averting more problems than they’re causing. There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:05:25] He has an organization that he founded called Children’s Health Defense. And I’ve gotten those emails and their press releases for years. And there is a pretty deep skepticism of vaccine science. There’s a thought that vaccines cause autism, which scientifically there’s not proof at all for that. But there is conspiratorial thinking around vaccines that RFK ignited. And that only became louder during the pandemic. And I think a lot of people turned to their social media for information during the pandemic and RFK was there with a lot of messaging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:02] And I know you talked with some people in Fairfax who, on paper, I mean, don’t love Donald Trump, actually identify as more lefty type people, but who sort of have really began to embrace this ideology that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. really represents. Can you tell me about some of the people you spoke with?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:06:30] I spoke to a man named Nathaniel Lepp and he is a doctor and addiction specialist in Fairfax.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nathaniel Lepp \u003c/strong>[00:06:36] I see him as part of the anti-establishment or anti-authority type of movement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:06:45] He would have called himself, I think, very left historically. And yet he wanted the Democratic Party to push harder and, I think, be a little bit more left, I would say. And he was very disappointed with the kind of more mainstream pull of the Democratic party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nathaniel Lepp \u003c/strong>[00:07:01] I officially unregistered myself from the Democratic Party because I was just so fed up with the sort of establishment Democrats’ refusal to allow passionate, more left, populist candidates to get through and win the nomination. I supported Howard Dean, I supported Bernie Sanders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:07:25] And he also, I think in his medical career, questioned what he was being taught. He witnessed the opioid crisis during his residency and he saw doctors prescribing pain medications that led to deep addictions and horrible lives. And he blamed the medical institution for that and he now works as an addiction specialist to wean people off of psychiatric medications that he believes are causing more harm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nathaniel Lepp \u003c/strong>[00:07:51] The crisis of opioid overdose related deaths in America was fueled by the medical system, by doctors and pharmacies and not only that, like major institutions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:08:08] I think that has led him to a place where he is interested in a candidate who is willing to question the institutions that we have in place. And RFK Jr. is kind of famous for questioning the CDC and the FDA and these organizations that have historically, you know, been kind of our protectors of health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nathaniel Lepp \u003c/strong>[00:08:25] I don’t hold any politician to, like, a high level of precision, like in their words. I think it’s like, you know, I think that he’s directionally correct.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:08:51] How widespread does this, it seems like dissatisfaction with government, this sort of anti-vax, pro-RFK junior politics that Nathaniel seems to share, how widespread does that seem to be in Fairfax?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:09:19] It’s a great question. I don’t think there’s hard data. I would love to see hard data and be able to really put this into perspective by how people are voting, et cetera. We can’t do that because RFK was no longer a candidate for president. And I would say, if you go to Fairfax, I wouldn’t say that you get this overwhelming sense of RFK loyalty. What I gathered was that this small, very fringe, four people at a rally, anti-vax voice has gotten quite loud on a civic level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Matt Willis \u003c/strong>[00:09:49] I didn’t realize the degree to which misinformation was taking hold in my community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:09:54] Even talking to public officials like Matt Willis, he’s the former public health official in Marin County. He says that that contingent of folks used to be small and fringe that he kind of dismissed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:10:08] It moved from what was a visibly kind of older community of a few people who would show up repeatedly, kind of a known cast of characters at supervisor meetings, et cetera. And then you started seeing more families. There were moms because of their concerns about vaccines for their kids. And then by the time RFK started running for office, the float at the Fairfax parade was intergenerational.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:10:38] This is a group that called for his removal from office. And even last summer, there was a Fairfax parade and there was an RFK Jr. float.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Matt Willis \u003c/strong>[00:10:49] A lot of the folks that I recognized from board meetings who were really accusing me of harming people directly and had hung signs over Highway 101 to have me locked up. I was there with my family and I just thought maybe we should protect them from whatever might happen if we’re recognized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:11:07] He says now that he underestimated that group of people and that they’re much louder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Matt Willis \u003c/strong>[00:11:12] Now as the RFK and the MAHA movement has become more broad, we’re seeing a lot more engagement from people across the community, including families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:27] How does this anger about the vaccine and this loud support for RFK Jr. trickle down into other parts of politics in Fairfax?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:11:39] I think that anti-vax seeded a questioning of the government’s influence in individual lives that then seeds a questioning of the governments influence in renter controls, in DEI policy, in LGBTQ protections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chase Cutrano \u003c/strong>[00:11:57] There is just a really weird sort of energy that has come as a outcropping of the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:12:06] And I talked to Chance Cutrano, who is the former mayor in Fairfax. And he really outlined that sentiment. He said, you know, it started as kind of an anti-vax voice. And then he felt that during the meetings, it then took on more of the anti-science, anti-DEI, anti-LGBTQ. And this really struck him. You know, historically, Fairfax is quite environmental, but even to anti-climate policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chase Cutrano \u003c/strong>[00:12:32] So you’re anti-housing and anti-homelessness. And then not only that, but anti-electric vehicle. And now, oh my gosh, it’s the same people are coming back and they’re not only electric vehicles, they’re anti-battery powered landscape equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:12:46] Now, how much of that is tied directly to RFK supporters or a wave of more Trumpian thought? It’s difficult to dissect. But I think, as we can see nationally, those forces are intersecting. The RFK followers are tipping in a more Trumpien direction. And so we’re beginning to see that unfold in small towns, even in very blue parts of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chase Cutrano \u003c/strong>[00:13:11] I mean, it’s all like in the spirit of this libertarian, like, don’t tread on me. I mean there are a lot of Don’t Tread On Me stickers in Fairfax, you know?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:13:19] He last year, you know, received a death threat and a call for a public lynching. This was on a local political website and he just, you know, was kind of thrown for a loop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chase Cutrano \u003c/strong>[00:13:32] Now I’m just in therapy because I am no longer in office. So I’m trying to just process the horror of serving in this strange time, especially as a young person that believed in civic life and public service and just seeing a lot of maybe truths that I took for granted being tested, but also just decency and decorum in general being tested.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:14:05] Yeah, I mean, Lesley, this, I guess, phenomenon that you’re describing happening in Fairfax does seem like a sort of smaller reflection of something that we’re seeing happening on a national level, this sort of mainstreaming even of these sort of anti-vax, anti-establishment policies. I mean this isn’t unique to Fairfax, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:14:30] No, I think and that’s one reason why I placed it in Fairfax. It would be one thing if I was, you know, two or three hours north of here in quite conservative country telling this story. But this is, you know a community that again kind of has that intersection. I talked to this woman from Petaluma. Her name is Zadie Dressler and she’s a nurse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zadie Dressler \u003c/strong>[00:14:50] I’ve never really cared as much about this stuff until RFK started talking about it honestly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:14:57] Zadie said politics weren’t really on her radar at all, but during the pandemic, she didn’t want to get the vaccine and decided she had to get it to continue working at her hospital. And she said she a few months after the vaccine, she started to have some health problems that she links back to the to the vaccine, and started to question the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zadie Dressler \u003c/strong>[00:15:16] I called Kaiser and I was like, I needed an EKG and a chest x-ray because I am having tachycardia and like chest pain. And they gave me those two things but then just kind of treated me like a psych patient. And it was months after my second vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:15:30] She gets a lot of our information from social media and she started to see some of the messages questioning the vaccine and what it’s doing and kind of write for RFK’s message.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zadie Dressler \u003c/strong>[00:15:40] You have all these things that are just on TV or however you get the information, they’re just blatant lies. And then you’re supposed to be like, ‘Oh, I trust the president’ or ‘Oh, I trust this scientist who’s telling everyone to get these shots.’ So the whole thing it’s, it’s got so many tentacles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:15:59] I mean, what do you think these people want ultimately? I mean if you are on the RFK Jr. train, does that mean that you are also on the Trump train? Like is Trump’s politics and Trump’s message more broadly also really resonating with this group of people?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:16:17] My overall sense is that the gateway for entering potentially more conservative thinking is health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Matt Willis \u003c/strong>[00:16:25] Marin County has always had, you know, a fringe element around health and well-being.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:16:32] And Matt Willis talks about this. Maybe they don’t want the chemical colors in their food, and they don’t want pesticides in the ground, and they want drugs to be poured on them by the medical system. And so you already kind of believe in a more natural life. Like that’s potentially your gateway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Matt Willis \u003c/strong>[00:16:49] Unfortunately, that got linked, I think, to a charismatic leader, you know, RFK, who himself carries many of those beliefs and has similar kind of libertarian ideology and freedom of choice and anti-government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:17:04] And they really resonate with the message of disruption. And you’ve got someone like RFK who’s saying, you know, the CDC and the FDA are our enemies and we’ve got to take them down and let’s fire all these workers and start over and do this differently. And I think that level of disruption and the willingness to question authority is really resonating with this particular set.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:17:34] What’s your biggest takeaway from this story, Lesley?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:17:39] As a health reporter, this isn’t really just about public health issues. This is really more about trust. And we’re seeing this shift from, you know, fringe beliefs are no longer confined to just the margins. These are the ideas that were, you now, once dismissed, sort of vaccine skepticism or, you, know, deep distrust in institutions. They’re now shaping our national discourse and even, you know, our federal policy. And I think that erosion of trust… Is going to make it harder for our policymakers to respond to, you know, if we had another pandemic right now, I think it’d be really tough to get public to follow mandates of any kind. It’s very clear to me that it’s not one thing that usually tips someone, but it’s a series of events of messaging that unfolds slowly and it takes some time, and then people can drift in very, very surprising ways.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fairfax is a small, predominantly white town of about 7,500 people, nestled up against the Mt. Tam watershed in Marin. Wellness and a distrust of authority have long been part of the town’s culture. But since the pandemic, it also became a place where supporters of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine message grew louder and louder.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Links:\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997008/the-marin-town-where-rfk-jr-s-message-took-root\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Marin Town Where RFK Jr.’s Message Took Root\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC1284838524&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ci>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/i>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:53] I wonder if you can start, Lesley, by telling me a little bit about Fairfax.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:01:57] It’s a really adorable little town. About an hour from San Francisco out in West Marin. It’s kind of known for its beauty. It’s a really beautiful town. There’s a ton of mountain biking trails. It’s got an adorable downtown, kind of old fashioned downtown. So you’ve got all these shops, these kind of eclectic shops you can go and you can get your crystals and your hemp clothing. And on Wednesdays, there’s this incredible farmers market where people go and get their fresh local honey and their heirloom tomatoes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:36] Yeah, when did you, I guess, first start to notice something else sort of brewing underneath here in Fairfax?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:02:43] Yeah, I mean, as I was following the pandemic as a health reporter, you began to see, I used to call it, like the Venn diagram is getting very strange, where you’ve got kind of wellness culture intersecting with more conservative viewpoints, especially around vaccines. And you’ve got wellness culture sort of questioning, has always questioned, mainstream medicine, kind of anti-pharma, more all-natural. And then as we saw, conservatives didn’t like the sort of mandates during the pandemic to protect people from the virus, but you had to change your life. And conservatives didn’t like that lack of independence. And so you saw these communities begin to intersect. And I began to really see that in my reporting. And then I just happened to have quite a large community out in Fairfax and began to overhear these conversations in personal ways, in social circles. And that’s kind of only gotten louder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:48] This has a lot to do with also the rise of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. What exactly have you seen people in Fairfax embracing more in this moment?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:04:03] Right around when RFK started to run for president last year, the RFKers set up right at the entrance of the farmers market. And they had all their MAHA, make America healthy again, swag. And so the vibe began to shift a little bit more publicly there. And then those voices began to get quite a bit louder. The vaccine rates were quite high, or were quite high in Marin during the pandemic. That’s not really the historical trend in Marin. You know, 10 years ago, I think Marin had some of the lowest vaccine rates in California. And there’s always been kind of a questioning of putting something foreign that was created by a pharmaceutical company into your body. That ethos, I don’t think has ever died. But when the vaccine mandates came on and you couldn’t go into restaurants and hospital workers, et cetera, couldn’t go to their jobs without getting their vaccines, those ripples, you know, in certain communities started to ignite. And I think they were even more fueled by RFK’s messages, you know Kennedy’s messages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lex Fridman \u003c/strong>[00:05:06] Difficult question. Can you name any vaccines that you think are good?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>RFK Jr. \u003c/strong>[00:05:10] I think some of the live virus vaccines are probably averting more problems than they’re causing. There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:05:25] He has an organization that he founded called Children’s Health Defense. And I’ve gotten those emails and their press releases for years. And there is a pretty deep skepticism of vaccine science. There’s a thought that vaccines cause autism, which scientifically there’s not proof at all for that. But there is conspiratorial thinking around vaccines that RFK ignited. And that only became louder during the pandemic. And I think a lot of people turned to their social media for information during the pandemic and RFK was there with a lot of messaging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:02] And I know you talked with some people in Fairfax who, on paper, I mean, don’t love Donald Trump, actually identify as more lefty type people, but who sort of have really began to embrace this ideology that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. really represents. Can you tell me about some of the people you spoke with?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:06:30] I spoke to a man named Nathaniel Lepp and he is a doctor and addiction specialist in Fairfax.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nathaniel Lepp \u003c/strong>[00:06:36] I see him as part of the anti-establishment or anti-authority type of movement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:06:45] He would have called himself, I think, very left historically. And yet he wanted the Democratic Party to push harder and, I think, be a little bit more left, I would say. And he was very disappointed with the kind of more mainstream pull of the Democratic party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nathaniel Lepp \u003c/strong>[00:07:01] I officially unregistered myself from the Democratic Party because I was just so fed up with the sort of establishment Democrats’ refusal to allow passionate, more left, populist candidates to get through and win the nomination. I supported Howard Dean, I supported Bernie Sanders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:07:25] And he also, I think in his medical career, questioned what he was being taught. He witnessed the opioid crisis during his residency and he saw doctors prescribing pain medications that led to deep addictions and horrible lives. And he blamed the medical institution for that and he now works as an addiction specialist to wean people off of psychiatric medications that he believes are causing more harm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nathaniel Lepp \u003c/strong>[00:07:51] The crisis of opioid overdose related deaths in America was fueled by the medical system, by doctors and pharmacies and not only that, like major institutions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:08:08] I think that has led him to a place where he is interested in a candidate who is willing to question the institutions that we have in place. And RFK Jr. is kind of famous for questioning the CDC and the FDA and these organizations that have historically, you know, been kind of our protectors of health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nathaniel Lepp \u003c/strong>[00:08:25] I don’t hold any politician to, like, a high level of precision, like in their words. I think it’s like, you know, I think that he’s directionally correct.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:08:51] How widespread does this, it seems like dissatisfaction with government, this sort of anti-vax, pro-RFK junior politics that Nathaniel seems to share, how widespread does that seem to be in Fairfax?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:09:19] It’s a great question. I don’t think there’s hard data. I would love to see hard data and be able to really put this into perspective by how people are voting, et cetera. We can’t do that because RFK was no longer a candidate for president. And I would say, if you go to Fairfax, I wouldn’t say that you get this overwhelming sense of RFK loyalty. What I gathered was that this small, very fringe, four people at a rally, anti-vax voice has gotten quite loud on a civic level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Matt Willis \u003c/strong>[00:09:49] I didn’t realize the degree to which misinformation was taking hold in my community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:09:54] Even talking to public officials like Matt Willis, he’s the former public health official in Marin County. He says that that contingent of folks used to be small and fringe that he kind of dismissed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:10:08] It moved from what was a visibly kind of older community of a few people who would show up repeatedly, kind of a known cast of characters at supervisor meetings, et cetera. And then you started seeing more families. There were moms because of their concerns about vaccines for their kids. And then by the time RFK started running for office, the float at the Fairfax parade was intergenerational.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:10:38] This is a group that called for his removal from office. And even last summer, there was a Fairfax parade and there was an RFK Jr. float.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Matt Willis \u003c/strong>[00:10:49] A lot of the folks that I recognized from board meetings who were really accusing me of harming people directly and had hung signs over Highway 101 to have me locked up. I was there with my family and I just thought maybe we should protect them from whatever might happen if we’re recognized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:11:07] He says now that he underestimated that group of people and that they’re much louder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Matt Willis \u003c/strong>[00:11:12] Now as the RFK and the MAHA movement has become more broad, we’re seeing a lot more engagement from people across the community, including families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:27] How does this anger about the vaccine and this loud support for RFK Jr. trickle down into other parts of politics in Fairfax?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:11:39] I think that anti-vax seeded a questioning of the government’s influence in individual lives that then seeds a questioning of the governments influence in renter controls, in DEI policy, in LGBTQ protections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chase Cutrano \u003c/strong>[00:11:57] There is just a really weird sort of energy that has come as a outcropping of the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:12:06] And I talked to Chance Cutrano, who is the former mayor in Fairfax. And he really outlined that sentiment. He said, you know, it started as kind of an anti-vax voice. And then he felt that during the meetings, it then took on more of the anti-science, anti-DEI, anti-LGBTQ. And this really struck him. You know, historically, Fairfax is quite environmental, but even to anti-climate policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chase Cutrano \u003c/strong>[00:12:32] So you’re anti-housing and anti-homelessness. And then not only that, but anti-electric vehicle. And now, oh my gosh, it’s the same people are coming back and they’re not only electric vehicles, they’re anti-battery powered landscape equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:12:46] Now, how much of that is tied directly to RFK supporters or a wave of more Trumpian thought? It’s difficult to dissect. But I think, as we can see nationally, those forces are intersecting. The RFK followers are tipping in a more Trumpien direction. And so we’re beginning to see that unfold in small towns, even in very blue parts of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chase Cutrano \u003c/strong>[00:13:11] I mean, it’s all like in the spirit of this libertarian, like, don’t tread on me. I mean there are a lot of Don’t Tread On Me stickers in Fairfax, you know?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:13:19] He last year, you know, received a death threat and a call for a public lynching. This was on a local political website and he just, you know, was kind of thrown for a loop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chase Cutrano \u003c/strong>[00:13:32] Now I’m just in therapy because I am no longer in office. So I’m trying to just process the horror of serving in this strange time, especially as a young person that believed in civic life and public service and just seeing a lot of maybe truths that I took for granted being tested, but also just decency and decorum in general being tested.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:14:05] Yeah, I mean, Lesley, this, I guess, phenomenon that you’re describing happening in Fairfax does seem like a sort of smaller reflection of something that we’re seeing happening on a national level, this sort of mainstreaming even of these sort of anti-vax, anti-establishment policies. I mean this isn’t unique to Fairfax, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:14:30] No, I think and that’s one reason why I placed it in Fairfax. It would be one thing if I was, you know, two or three hours north of here in quite conservative country telling this story. But this is, you know a community that again kind of has that intersection. I talked to this woman from Petaluma. Her name is Zadie Dressler and she’s a nurse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zadie Dressler \u003c/strong>[00:14:50] I’ve never really cared as much about this stuff until RFK started talking about it honestly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:14:57] Zadie said politics weren’t really on her radar at all, but during the pandemic, she didn’t want to get the vaccine and decided she had to get it to continue working at her hospital. And she said she a few months after the vaccine, she started to have some health problems that she links back to the to the vaccine, and started to question the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zadie Dressler \u003c/strong>[00:15:16] I called Kaiser and I was like, I needed an EKG and a chest x-ray because I am having tachycardia and like chest pain. And they gave me those two things but then just kind of treated me like a psych patient. And it was months after my second vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:15:30] She gets a lot of our information from social media and she started to see some of the messages questioning the vaccine and what it’s doing and kind of write for RFK’s message.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zadie Dressler \u003c/strong>[00:15:40] You have all these things that are just on TV or however you get the information, they’re just blatant lies. And then you’re supposed to be like, ‘Oh, I trust the president’ or ‘Oh, I trust this scientist who’s telling everyone to get these shots.’ So the whole thing it’s, it’s got so many tentacles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:15:59] I mean, what do you think these people want ultimately? I mean if you are on the RFK Jr. train, does that mean that you are also on the Trump train? Like is Trump’s politics and Trump’s message more broadly also really resonating with this group of people?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:16:17] My overall sense is that the gateway for entering potentially more conservative thinking is health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Matt Willis \u003c/strong>[00:16:25] Marin County has always had, you know, a fringe element around health and well-being.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:16:32] And Matt Willis talks about this. Maybe they don’t want the chemical colors in their food, and they don’t want pesticides in the ground, and they want drugs to be poured on them by the medical system. And so you already kind of believe in a more natural life. Like that’s potentially your gateway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Matt Willis \u003c/strong>[00:16:49] Unfortunately, that got linked, I think, to a charismatic leader, you know, RFK, who himself carries many of those beliefs and has similar kind of libertarian ideology and freedom of choice and anti-government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:17:04] And they really resonate with the message of disruption. And you’ve got someone like RFK who’s saying, you know, the CDC and the FDA are our enemies and we’ve got to take them down and let’s fire all these workers and start over and do this differently. And I think that level of disruption and the willingness to question authority is really resonating with this particular set.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:17:34] What’s your biggest takeaway from this story, Lesley?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lesley McClurg \u003c/strong>[00:17:39] As a health reporter, this isn’t really just about public health issues. This is really more about trust. And we’re seeing this shift from, you know, fringe beliefs are no longer confined to just the margins. These are the ideas that were, you now, once dismissed, sort of vaccine skepticism or, you, know, deep distrust in institutions. They’re now shaping our national discourse and even, you know, our federal policy. And I think that erosion of trust… Is going to make it harder for our policymakers to respond to, you know, if we had another pandemic right now, I think it’d be really tough to get public to follow mandates of any kind. It’s very clear to me that it’s not one thing that usually tips someone, but it’s a series of events of messaging that unfolds slowly and it takes some time, and then people can drift in very, very surprising ways.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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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 />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
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"meta": {
"site": "radio",
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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.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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}
},
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"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
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"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
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"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
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"id": "here-and-now",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
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},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
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"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
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},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
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"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
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"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
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}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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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"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
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},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
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"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
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