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
1026
YIGBY: Yes in God's Back Yard
J.K. Dineen reports that church parking lots are among the "soft sites" — underused real estate — that could be a rich source of land on which to build housing in San Francisco. | Get unlimited Chronicle access.
10 min
1027
Privacy or Prison
Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets are citing a 30-year-old privacy law to resist defense subpoenas that could save people from going to prison and even possible execution, as Megan Cassidy tells host Josh Koehn.
15 min
1028
Thefts on BART
Cell phones and laptops are being stolen from BART passengers at a higher rate than ever. Phil Matier and Audrey Cooper discuss the crime wave, what BART's trying to do about it, and how you can avoid being a victim.
14 min
1029
Does Uber Transparency Lead to Discrimination?
Uber’s recent overhaul of its ride process has advocates concerned that the changes could lead to discrimination. Carolyn Said joins Otis Taylor to discuss how Uber’s changes could impact riders.
12 min
1030
Mega-Problems With Housing Mega-Projects
In the last decade, Bay Area public officials banked on big projects — many on former military bases — to fill our vast housing needs. J.K. Dineen on why most of the homes remain unbuilt.
17 min
1031
What the Moms 4 Housing Want
In the wake of the pre-dawn eviction of a group of homeless mothers from a West Oakland house Otis Taylor Jr. and Sarah Ravani join Demian Bulwa to talk about Oakland's housing crisis and what's next for the moms and their kids.
20 min
1032
Wi-Fi on Bart?
Want to use your computer in the Transbay Tube? Reporter Rachel Swan on the system's plan to finally get Wi-Fi — and improved cell service — after years of frustration and delays.
15 min
1033
The Suspect Next Door
After Leola Shreves was brutally beaten and killed in her own home, police got a confession from her next-door neighbor. But as Matthias Gafni reports, all the evidence pointed to another man.
30 min
1034
The Housing Shortage Fight
SB50, Scott Wiener’s controversial bill to boost housing construction around public transit in wealthy suburbs, flamed out in the Legislature last year. Can new amendments overcome opposition from local leaders?
15 min
1035
Trouble at Yosemite’s Iconic Hotel
For decades, the sumptuous Ahwahnee Hotel at the foot of Half Dome has attracted presidents, movie stars and big spenders. But as Kurtis Alexander reports, some say the property has seen better days.
11 min
1036
Here Come the Gas Bans
Bay Area cities are starting to ban natural gas appliances inside new homes, a bid to fight climate change. Reporter Mallory Moench talks about the effort and the backlash, including from restaurants who prefer an open flame.
12 min
1037
Datebook: Babylon Gone, Part 1
Fifth & Mission presents the first episode in the Datebook podcast's three-episode series on "Beach Blanket Babylon," the musical revue that closed on New Year's Eve after a world's longest 45-year run. Peter Hartlaub, Lily Janiak and Annie Vainshtein dive deep into the iconic San Francisco show. Subscribe to Datebook and download all three episodes: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
18 min
1038
Gang Fight in San Francisco
When Chesa Boudin takes over as district attorney this month, he plans to stop prosecuting a type of gang charge he says is “infused with racism.” Reporter Evan Sernoffsky on the emotional debate.
19 min
1039
Top 10 Stories of the Year
Chronicle reporters Kevin Fagan, Rachel Swan and John Wildermuth join Demian Bulwa to talk about the biggest Bay Area stories of 2019 — from PG&E blackouts to trouble aboard BART and teen vaping — and why they captured our imagination.
21 min
1040
The Decade in Sports
From the Giants to the Warriors to Colin Kaepernick, Chronicle columnists Ann Killion and Scott Ostler join Metro Editor Demian Bulwa to talk about the biggest stories of the 2010s.
21 min
1041
Mick LaSalle’s Best Movies of 2019
The Chronicle’s critic talks about the best, worst and most interesting movies of the year with Audrey Cooper — who’s seen none of them — and recalls the day he had to watch a Star Wars movie 6 times in a row.
31 min
1042
Towering Changes in San Francisco
Chronicle urban design critic John King explains how he selected the city’s best buildings and spaces of the past 10 years — and what the future might hold.
19 min
1043
The New Niners
The San Francisco 49ers are once again one of the best teams in football. But what’s it like behind the scenes? Beat reporter Eric Branch and Columnist Ann Killion give the real story.
33 min
1044
The Homeless Camp That Can't Be Rousted
A growing tent city in Santa Rosa is the latest flashpoint in the homelessness crisis. Kevin Fagan reports that authorities can't break it up unless they can provide enough housing for all the residents.
18 min
1045
The Shocking Cost of Building Housing
San Francisco has the highest construction costs in the world. Metro editor Demian Bulwa and reporter Roland Li break down the factors making new housing close to impossible.
14 min
1046
The Hero of the Kincade Fire
When flames swept over him in Sonoma County, a Cal Fire captain made a last-ditch decision: He pulled two residents under a fire blanket the size of a beach towel. Reporter Lizzie Johnson tells the story of Jason Dyer.
16 min
1047
Cops Sue Over Shipyard Workplace
Nearly 400 current and former SFPD employees have sued a company tasked with cleaning up contamination at the Hunters Point Shipyard. Editor Audrey Cooper talks with Jason Fagone and Cynthia Dizikes about their reporting on the cleanup.
21 min
1048
The Class of 2020
What is life like for teens about to graduate? Chronicle director of photography Nicole Frugé and photographer Gabrielle Lurie join Audrey Cooper to talk about Class of 2020, documenting life in Bay Area high schools.
20 min
1049
2020 Hindsight
The Chronicle's Culture Desk looks back on this century with 20 moments that say something about the current state of the Bay Area and, by extension, the world.
20 min
1050
A Surge of Drug Deaths
More than 10,000 people have now died across the Bay Area in drug overdoses since 2006. Reporter Erin Allday digs into a growing epidemic of meth and fentanyl abuse.
15 min