Erica Mu

A note to our listeners and readers: We’ve changed the name of the patient in this story for privacy reasons.

It’s a busy Monday morning at the San Francisco Veterans Association Medical Center. Palliative care physicians Alex Smith and Katherine Aragon, along with their intern Sara Murray, gather in the lobby. They’re on their way to see a patient, Bill Jones – a gentleman in his 60s who has a form of slow-growing cancer.

In the mid-1800s, the Gold Rush brought enthusiastic settlers westward, from across the United States. At the same time, another migration was flowing eastward.

Over three decades, the country’s Chinese population grew from 4,000 to over 100,000. The immigrants who landed on California’s shores followed the Transcontinental Railroad across the state, building pockets of community along the way.

Many creative types in the Bay Area, from writers to radio producers, performers and artists, are managing multiple jobs to feed themselves these days. It's a struggle for many, but for some, wearing different hats isn't a matter of survival – it's actually a way of being. Marc Bamuthi Joseph is one such man: He's a poet, scholar, dancer, educator, director, and performer. He helped found Youth Speaks and the Living Word Festival.

In last night’s State of the Union speech, President Obama laid out his plan for a better economy. His proposals focus on U.S. manufacturing, energy independence, adapting skills to a changing economy, and tax increases on the very wealthy. The speech, which comes at the start of the election year, is just the beginning of the president’s case for a second term…

The Natural Gas Jazz Band will be playing traditional jazz at the 19 Broadway club in Fairfax on Sunday, January 8. Music starts about 4pm.