Fifth & Mission

The flagship news podcast of the San Francisco Chronicle. Producer/host Cecilia Lei and director of news Demian Bulwa 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
101
A Mission District COVID Clinic’s Outsized Impact
A clinic opened to serve the neighborhood's Latino community has become a "living laboratory,' contributing vital research while giving thousands of coronavirus tests and vaccines as well as other health services. Erin Allday joins host Demian Bulwa to discuss the clinic and its uncertain future.
15 min
102
How California Fails to Regulate Toxic Gun Ranges
Toxic lead inside California's gun ranges has endangered workers, customers and their surrounding environments. So why hasn't the state implemented standards and regulations? Reporter Joe Rubin joins host Cecilia Lei to discuss his investigation.
16 min
103
Soleil Ho Finally Reviews the French Laundry
Chronicle food critic Soleil Ho tells host Cecilia Lei and a Twitter Spaces audience all the inside information about the legendary restaurant: How it became such a revered spot, tips on getting a reservation and, most importantly, is it worth the splurge?
24 min
104
How to Win a Civil War That Never Ended
Author and political commentator Steve Phillips says the American Civil War — an existential battle between white supremacy and a multiracial democracy — is still going. The host of the Democracy in Color podcast joins It's All Political on Fifth & Mission host Joe Garofoli to talk about the ideas in his new book, "How We Win the Civil War."
21 min
105
Can San Francisco Build 82,000 New Homes?
Amid political jousting over housing prices, the city faces a state mandate: It must build — or at least plan to build — 82,000 units by 2031. And more than half need to be considered affordable. But as reporter J.K. Dineen explains, the high cost of building remains a huge obstacle.
18 min
106
Students Say Stanford Falling Short on Mental H...
Last year's string of student suicides, including star athlete Katie Meyer, has prompted students to question Stanford's mental health services. With a new academic year underway, the university's promises to increase mental health staffing remain unfulfilled. Melissa Newcomb reports what Stanford students say is lacking on campus, and how the university is defending its approach. If you need help, the phone number for the national suicide and crisis hotline is 988.
20 min
107
Racial Profiling or Public Safety? S.F. Debates...
The San Francisco police commission has proposed a policy that would stop officers from pulling over motorists for minor infractions like littering or driving without registration tags. It's an effort to reduce racial profiling, but some critics say it would make the city less safe.
14 min
108
California Ballot: What Are All These Propositi...
Reporters Dustin Gardiner and Sophia Bollag join Joe Garofoli to break down five November ballot initiatives, including a measure ensuring abortion rights. And gambling industry analyst Chris Grove joins Joe to talk about Props. 26 and 27, which have broken records for campaign spending.
23 min
109
A New Bay Area Serial Killer?
True crime has been a popular entertainment genre but the latest news is hitting close to home. A possible serial killer in Stockton has been linked to an Oakland murder, and communities are on edge. Chronicle reporter Kevin Fagan joins host Cecilia Lei to discuss the case and the enduring fascination with true crime.
13 min
110
Breed Family Matters: The Case of Napoleon Brown
Chronicle reporter Megan Cassidy joins host Cecilia Lei to discuss the new state laws that could reduce the prison term of Mayor London Breed's brother, Napoleon Brown, who has been in prison for two decades — and how S.F. politics is impacting his case.
14 min
111
Latino Residents Demand Justice After San Rafae...
The Canal neighborhood is over 90 percent Latino and is the most segregated neighborhood in the Bay Area. When body-camera footage revealed the police beating of a day laborer, Latino residents decried what they say is the longstanding mistreatment by the city's police.
17 min
112
The Rent Control Debate Moves to the Suburbs
Around the Bay Area, a new movement has emerged from the ruin of the pandemic. Cities like Concord, Richmond and Petaluma are moving to enact protections for renters, much to the frustration of property owners.
16 min
113
What's At Stake For Mayor Breed This November?
San Francisco's upcoming November election may be consequential for Mayor Breed's political future, even though her name doesn't appear on the ballot. Here's why
14 min
114
The Case of the Alleged Serial Stalker in S.F.
In 2020, a man with a long criminal record allegedly harassed a teenage girl. Then a San Francisco Superior Court judge dismissed the case.
20 min
115
Hawaii Faces the Consequences of Remote Workers
When the pandemic closed offices and quieted cities, hundreds of office workers ditched the Bay Area for greener pastures: Hawaii.
14 min
116
How The Pandemic Created a School Absenteeism C...
Chronic absenteeism — missing at least 10% of school days — was a problem before the pandemic uprooted families and imposed mandatory quarantines. Now, San Francisco is facing an absenteeism crisis, and working to get the most at-risk kids back in class.
13 min
117
Fixing Our City: How S.F. Is Helping Residents ...
When a San Francisco family’s credit score kept them from getting into an affordable housing unit, the city stepped in with financial coaching. It worked — the family was housed. Now any San Franciscan can access the service for free.
23 min
118
Who Will Be The Next Mayor of Oakland?
The Oakland mayor’s race is heating up. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and San Francisco Mayor London Breed have both thrown their support behind Council Member Loren Taylor. But those endorsements could be a double-edged sword. Chronicle East Bay Reporter Sarah Ravani and Senior Political Writer Joe Garofoli join host Cecilia Lei to discuss the outlook for the race, the controversy it has created and who is Taylor’s greatest challenger.
13 min
119
Was Biden Right to Say "The Pandemic is Over"?
On "60 Minutes" Sunday, the president declared the end of the pandemic. Many public health experts disagreed with Biden's comment while others aligned with the sentiment. Chronicle health reporter Erin Allday joins host Cecilia Lei to discuss how the Bay Area is doing with COVID-19 and the implications of Biden's statement.
14 min
120
Who Owns All the Housing in the Bay Area?
With property ownership and management so corporatized, it's sometimes hard for tenants to know who their landlord is. Editor Dan Kopf and reporters Susie Neilson and Lauren Hepler talk to Cecilia Lei about their project to make that information accessible.
29 min
121
S.F. Schools Sued In Sex Abuse Case
A lawsuit on behalf of a pair of former S.F. students is raising questions about the public district's response to sexual abuse claims.
13 min
122
Oakland Skaters Fight For the Right to Roll
The COVID pandemic caused a roller skating boom. Now, skaters in West Oakland are fighting for a rink of their own. Producer Caron Creighton reports on the efforts of the skating group Panther Skate, the history of Black roller skating and why the sport is deeply personal for the community.
14 min
123
How McClymonds High Created a Generation of Heroes
Sports superstars who became leaders away from the field roamed the West Oakland campus at the same time in the '50s. Reporter Ron Kroichick joins Demian Bulwa to talk about how the school and the community nurtured future icons Bill Russell, Frank Robinson and Curt Flood.
18 min
124
How Sonoma County Is Leading a Movement to Ban ...
Environmental activist Woody Hastings joins Cecilia Lei to explain the Sonoma County effort to ban new gas station construction as California moves toward a future where all cars will be zero-emission. It's a movement that's spreading across the state and beyond.
15 min
125
How the Bay Area Is Paying Reparations
Oakland has handed land back to Indigenous control and Hayward is exploring reparations for Russell City, a city that was erased nearly 60 years ago. Chronicle reporter Sarah Ravani and columnist Justin Phillips join host Cecilia Lei to discuss the latest local efforts and the challenges ahead.
15 min