Fifth & Mission

The flagship news podcast of the San Francisco Chronicle. Producer/host Cecilia Lei and co-host Laura Wenus discuss the biggest stories of the day with Chronicle journalists and newsmakers from around the Bay Area. | Get full digital access to the Chronicle: sfchronicle.com/pod

News
Politics
826
A New Direction for San Francisco Police
Malia Cohen, sworn in this week as the city's newest police commissioner, discusses changes she'd like to see in the San Francisco Police Department and what comes next in the national protests over police brutality.
27 min
827
Why They're Fighting About Water in the Califor...
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to overhaul how water moves through the delta and supplies the rest of the state. Reporter Kurtis Alexander joins us to talk about why locals have united against his proposed tunnel. Also: Sutter Island resident Dan Whaley shares his point of view.
20 min
828
How Will Chinatown Survive?
San Francisco's historic neighborhood is under a double attack — from the coronavirus pandemic's crippling of service industries and from racism about COVID-19. Melissa Hung talks about Chinatown's future.
14 min
829
The Trained Firefighters Who Can't Fight Wildfires
Prison inmates can learn how to fight fires and thin forests at 43 fire camps around California. But once they're out, their criminal records prevent them from joining fire departments.
24 min
830
Warriors Off Court: Protests in Sports: What Im...
On the Warriors Off Court podcast, Chronicle columnist Otis Taylor Jr. joins Connor Letourneau to talk about the decision by NBA players to sit out playoff games in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake. For the players, it's a nearly unprecedented use of their collective power. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod
32 min
831
More Tests, Not Less
When the CDC tightened its guidance this week on who should get tested for the coronavirus, Bay Area health experts, who want more testing, were shocked. Reporters Catherine Ho and Alexei Koseff on Gov. Newsom's response.
14 min
832
Terror at the RNC!
It's All Political host Joe Garofoli joins Heather Knight to talk about the GOP's strategy at the Republican National Convention: Scare the base with a bleak picture of America, and win President Trump a few voters of color.
18 min
833
Wildfires Update: Redwoods Saved
Chronicle photographer Carlos Gonzalez reports from the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, where CalFire was able to save threatened heritage trees, including the landmark Colonel Armstrong Redwood.
3 min
834
New Crisis for Schools: Fire Season
In the remote communities of the Santa Cruz Mountains, distance learning during the coronavirus pandemic was already hard enough. Now students and teachers are evacuated, fleeing wildfires, and some have lost their homes.
16 min
835
Growing Up During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Kids’ worlds have shrunk dramatically because of coronavirus. They can’t go to school, play sports or see their friends. Reporter Annie Vainshtein talks about how that’s affecting children now, and how it may shape them in the future. Kids’ worlds have shrunk dramatically because of coronavirus. They can’t go to school, play sports or see their friends. Reporter Annie Vainshtein talks about how that’s affecting children now, and how it may shape them in the future.
21 min
836
Fires and Pandemic: A Collision
Wildfires are filling the Bay Area with smoke and ash amid the coronavirus pandemic. Health reporter Erin Allday digs into whether the poor air quality could worsen COVID-19 or its spread, and how it complicates our use of masks. Wildfires are filling the Bay Area with smoke and ash amid the coronavirus pandemic. Health reporter Erin Allday digs into whether the poor air quality could worsen COVID-19 or its spread, and how it complicates our use of masks.
16 min
837
Donald Trump: Pre-existing Condition
Kristin Urquiza of San Francisco lost her father to the coronavirus in June. Her speech at the DNC blaming the president for the death went viral. "His only pre-existing condition was trusting Donald Trump."
20 min
838
Wildfires Update: Santa Cruz County
Mallory Moench reports from Scotts Valley, where the incident command center for the CZU Complex fires is located. She says local volunteer firefighters say they've had no help from CalFire, and no sleep since Tuesday night.
4 min
839
Wildfires Update: Mid-day Roundup
Jill Tucker runs down the latest on the three huge fire groups burning in the Bay Area and surrounding regions: The CZU, LNU and SCU complex fires. Four residents have been killed in the LNU Complex.
4 min
840
Wildfires Update: Healdsburg
Dustin Gardiner reports from the edges of the Walbridge Fire in Sonoma County, one of the fastest-burning blazes overnight. CalFire, occupied with other fires, hadn't directed many resources to the area, but that changed Thursday.
3 min
841
Wildfires Update: Vacaville Strong
At the end of a long day, Matthias Gafni is able to report back to evacuated residents of Solar Hills Drive who'd asked him to check on their homes: Though fires are raging elsewhere, their houses are still standing.
4 min
842
Wildfires Update: Vacaville After the Chaos
Reporting from hard-hit English Hills Road, Matthias Gafni describes Vacaville on Thursday afternoon as people return to the area, sort through their damaged homes and, in some cases, breathe a sigh of relief that they were spared.
5 min
843
Wildfires Update: "Our House Is Going to Burn D...
Chronicle reporter Matthias Gafni interviews Jimmy Santos, a Vacaville homeowner he'd met Wednesday night as Santos and his wife waited for word about whether their “dream house” — bought only two months ago — would be saved by firefighters. It was.
8 min
844
COVID-19's Toll on Nonprofit Workers
Joe Wilson, executive director of a homeless shelter in the Tenderloin, talks about the grueling nature of the job for those who do nonprofit work during the coronavirus crisis. Requests for mental health leaves are on the rise.
19 min
845
When Fires Erupt Amid a Pandemic
The wildfires burning through California are raising difficult new questions: How to evacuate while social distancing? Is the state prepared to fight the blazes? What about wineries and their workers? Chronicle reporters break it all down.
20 min
846
Lightning-Sparked Wildfire Explodes Into Vacaville
Matthias Gafni reports from the scene in Vacaville, where flames swallowed dozens of homes early Wednesday. A fast-moving fire raced into the town from the northwest, prompting frantic evacuations and rescues.
13 min
847
San Francisco's Plunging Rents
Prices have dropped 20% in some neighborhoods and are expected to keep falling in the coronavirus crisis. Landlords are begging tenants to stay and offering reductions and weeks of free rent. Reporter J.K. Dineen has details.
14 min
848
Why the Bay Area Is Facing Rolling Blackouts
Amid a historic heat wave, millions could lose power in the first rolling blackouts since the electrical crisis two decades ago. Reporter J.D. Morris talks about how California got here, who's to blame and what you can do to help.
15 min
849
"Mission Impossible" for Working Moms
School is starting remotely in the Bay Area, and as working parents try to juggle jobs and distance learning, mothers are bearing the brunt of the extra work. Women are leaving the workforce as moms find something has to give.
12 min
850
A New Vision for Police in Berkeley
If the City Council has its way, cops will no longer make traffic stops or respond to mental health crises. Reporter Ryan Kost discusses how policing across America might change as a result of Black Lives Matter protests.
16 min