

Fifth & Mission
San Francisco Chronicle
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
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 17, 2022 • 18min
The Latest Bay Area Homeless Count Might Surprise You
Local homeless populations haven't been counted since 2019 due to delays caused by the pandemic. On Monday, new data was released in six Bay Area counties, including Alameda and San Francisco. Chronicle reporters Sarah Ravani and J.D. Morris join host Cecilia Lei to talkabout the uneven results across the region, and whether early pandemic efforts to get people off the streets worked. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 16, 2022 • 18min
Why Vaccine Bills are Dying in the California Legislature
California once drew a hard line around potential vaccine mandates in places like schools, but now there's been a dramatic shift in tone as vaccine bills are being shelved or delayed in Sacramento. Chronicle reporter Dustin Gardiner joins host Cecilia Lei to explain why, and how it's not just Republicans and anti-vaccine activists who are pushing back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 13, 2022 • 21min
How New COVID Treatments are Changing the Pandemic
Thanks to new options like Paxlovid, assessing personal risk and safety has gotten a little easier. Chronicle health reporter Catherine Ho joins host Cecilia Lei to talk about how anti-viral pills are providing peace of mind. They're also changing how the virus spreads. Data reporter Susie Neilson discusses why San Francisco's wealthy neighborhoods may be hit hardest by the next surge. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 12, 2022 • 24min
East Bay Abortion Provider on a Post-Roe v. Wade Future
Dr. Rebecca Taub travels each month to provide care to people who live in states where abortion protections aren't available. She's seen what a world without Roe v. Wade looks like and she shares with host Cecilia Lei what she thinks California should be bracing itself for, even as a sanctuary state for abortions. Plus, Chronicle readers and listeners share their reactions to the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 11, 2022 • 19min
Does Chesa Boudin's Controversial Diversion Strategy Work?
Chesa Boudin's office is resolving a significantly greater share of criminal cases via diversion programs than under his predecessors. That's become a focus of the recall campaign as his opponents say the strategy has made San Francisco more dangerous. Chronicle reporters Susie Neilson and Joshua Sharpe join host Cecilia Lei to talk about what diversion programs are and how they work. They also explain that despite the political fervor around the Boudin recall campaign, diversion programs have been a mainstay in the city for decades, and are part of a larger national trend in criminal justice reform. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 10, 2022 • 11min
SFPD Spokesman Is San Francisco's Newest Supervisor
Mayor London Breed has tapped Matt Dorsey to represent District Six. He was sworn in Monday. Chronicle reporter Rachel Swan tells host Dominic Fracassa that the appointment signals the mayor doubling down on her new tough-on-crime image. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 9, 2022 • 17min
The Pandemic Wild Card: Long COVID
As coronavirus cases tick up in the Bay Area, most illnesses will be mild. But Chronicle reporter Nanette Asimov has the story of the region's many long COVID patients, who've struggled with pain, fatigue and other symptoms of a disease that remains mysterious. What are doctors doing to treat people, and why isn't the government doing more to help? Later in the show, host Demian Bulwa speaks with reporter Catherine Ho, who has the latest news on the vaccine rollout, including when the youngest kids can expect their shots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 6, 2022 • 17min
Can Supervisor Dean Preston Fix the Tenderloin?
The neighborhood at the center of San Francisco's thorniest debates has a new city supervisor. It's Dean Preston, the staunch progressive, who takes over after a divisive redistricting process and in the wake of Mayor London Breed's declaration of an emergency over the deadly drug trade in the neighborhood. Chronicle reporter J.D. Morris spent time with Preston and joins host Demian Bulwa to talk about Preston's challenges — including working with Tenderloin residents who want tougher law enforcement. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 5, 2022 • 16min
Why Selling Your Home for Half Its Value Might Make Sense
Retired preschool teacher Bobbi Loeb decided to sell her Point Reyes home to a land trust for $550,000 — only about half its $1M value. Chronicle reporter Lauren Hepler joins host Cecilia Lei to explain why the arrangement is a solution for affordable housing, and the benefits it provides to homeowners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 4, 2022 • 17min
If Roe vs. Wade is Overturned, Is California Ready?
News that the Supreme Court is set to overturn the nearly 50-year old Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights has sent shockwaves across the country. Chronicle reporters Rachel Swan and Sophia Bollag join senior political writer Joe Garofoli to talk about what the future of abortion services could look like in California and whether a public health crisis is looming. If you’d like to share your thoughts about the news and tell the Chronicle how it’s affecting you, visit sfchronicle.com/roe-wade. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


