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Richard Gonzales Richard Gonzales is NPR's National Desk Correspondent based in San Francisco.
Richard Gonzales
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Richard Gonzales

Environment

No Treats for Wild Parakeets in San Francisco

The city of San Francisco has issued a ban on feeding the flocks of wild parakeets that have taken up residence in the city, fearing that constant feeding could endanger the birds by degrading their ability to feed on their own.

No Treats for Wild Parakeets in San Francisco

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National

Linguists Weigh Costs and Benefits of Accents

Accents are important markers of individual social identities. They can determine how we are perceived by others and whether we are considered part of the dominant culture. In California, some foreign-born English speakers try to reduce their accents to avoid discrimination or advance their careers.

Linguists Weigh Costs and Benefits of Accents

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National

Tides Expose Part of Bay-Area Shipwreck

The sea off of San Francisco's western coast revealed an old reminder of its power last week: At low tide, one can see the water-logged bones of a 19th-century clipper ship emerging from the sands of Ocean Beach.

Tides Expose Part of Bay-Area Shipwreck

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National

New Parts of Alcatraz Revealed to Public

Each year, nearly 1.5 million visitors take a ferry to Alcatraz from San Francisco and tour its chilly cell blocks. The federal prison that closed in 1963 has gotten an overhaul and a new audio tour, thanks to the efforts of a private group.

New Parts of Alcatraz Revealed to Public

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National

Bay Area Tries to Cope with Massive Traffic Shift

For thousands of commuters in the San Francisco Bay Area, the road home no longer exists. A crucial freeway interchange on the Oakland side of the Bay Bridge was destroyed early Sunday after a tanker truck exploded. Even though a huge section of the freeway is now just a mass of concrete and melted steel, the Bay Area's morning commute was easier than expected.

Bay Area Tries to Cope with Massive Traffic Shift

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National

Collapsed Freeway Snarls Bay Area Commute

An oil tanker caught fire and burned through a freeway in the San Francisco Bay Area on Sunday. The freeway damage in Oakland had a huge impact for commuters Monday, and may continue to cause congestion for months to come.

Collapsed Freeway Snarls Bay Area Commute

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National

Crash Cripples San Francisco Bay Commutes

A single accident near the San Francisco Bay bridge has caused a traffic tie-up that could last for months. Early Sunday, a gasoline tanker truck crashed and burned, destroying a crucial freeway interchange. Now commuters are trying to cope with the loss of a major artery.

Crash Cripples San Francisco Bay Commutes

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National

Bicyclists, Motorist Clash in San Francisco

An angry clash between bicyclists and a motorist still has tempers flaring in the Bay Area. Hundreds of cyclists taking part in the monthly Critical Mass ride allegedly surrounded a woman's minivan and violently attacked the vehicle. The bikers claim the woman hit one of them and then attempted to flee.

Bicyclists, Motorist Clash in San Francisco

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Media

Standoff over Video Ends with Blogger's Release

Blogger Josh Wolf is free after 226 days in federal prison. He had refused to give up videotape of a violent July 2005 San Francisco protest, citing First Amendment protections. After making a deal with prosecutors, he declares victory.

Standoff over Video Ends with Blogger's Release

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National

Critics Say U.S. 'No Buy' List Snares Regular Citizens

For most people, attempting to buy a car or house is hard enough. But if your name happens to resemble that of a person on a government list of suspects, you could be turned away altogether. Some ordinary consumers in California say that's exactly what's happened to them.

Critics Say U.S. 'No Buy' List Snares Regular Citizens

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Law

Court Rules Against Ill Woman in Medical Marijuana Case

A chronically ill woman in California has lost a legal round in her effort to use medical marijuana. A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that even though medical marijuana use is legal in California, the woman is not immune from prosecution under federal drug laws.

Court Rules Against Ill Woman in Medical Marijuana Case

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Environment

San Francisco Nears Ban on Plastic Grocery Bags

San Francisco is moving closer to outlawing all plastic grocery bags. Supporters of the move claim the bags create too much garbage. But grocers say the ban will only raise costs.

San Francisco Nears Ban on Plastic Grocery Bags

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Opinion

Race

Op-Ed Piece Highlights Black-Asian Tensions

A San Francisco-based newspaper billing itself "The Voice of Asian America" has apologized for publishing an opinion column with the headline "Why I Hate Blacks." The uproar points to lingering tensions between Asians and African Americans.

Op-Ed Piece Highlights Black-Asian Tensions

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National

Celebrity Parrots to Get Home Insurance

In San Francisco, city officials are taking elaborate steps to save and preserve the aging Monterey Cypress trees that are home to the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill. The parrots have become famous as the subject of a best-selling book and a documentary.

Celebrity Parrots to Get Home Insurance

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National

The Fine Art of Rebuiding West Oakland

Oakland has seen a black exodus fueled by crime and rising housing costs. An African-American artist hopes to reverse the trend with a cultural district in a rundown part of town. Critics say his efforts aren't practical.

The Fine Art of Rebuiding West Oakland

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