Wren Farrell
Newscasts EditorWren Farrell (he/him) is a writer, producer and journalist living in San Francisco. Originally from San Diego, he moved to the Bay Area in 2018, where he got his start in radio at KPFA. He graduated from KALW’s Audio Academy in 2021 and then went on to work for a number of podcasts as an associate producer. In 2023 he joined the inaugural class of UC Berkeley’s California Local News Fellowship, which brought him back to KALW as a full-time emergency and disaster preparedness reporter. In his free time he likes biking, cooking and hanging out.
All Stories
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Hundreds of protestors gathered outside of Senator Alex Padilla’s office in San Francisco yesterday to demand he and other Democrats do more to resist President Trump. -
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More than a hundred people gathered on the steps of San Francisco’s City Hall yesterday afternoon to reaffirm the city’s commitment to its sanctuary status. -
The City of Oakland is preparing its upcoming two-year budget and it’s asking Oakland residents to give input on its spending priorities. -
A group of unhoused and housed organizers and advocates launched ‘sanctuary spaces’ across the West Coast earlier today, calling on local governments to stop sweeping homeless encampments. -
Last week, phones all over the Bay Area lit up with a tsunami evacuation warning. But, an hour later, the warning was canceled. People were relieved, but had questions about what happened. -
The 2024 offshore Cape Mendocino earthquake hit just off the coast of Humboldt county this morning, triggering tsunami warnings throughout much of Northern California. -
Today, frustrated San Franciscans filed a petition letter with the Department of Elections to recall District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio. -
CrosscurrentsIn part two of this series, we'll learn about the larger network of service providers that the Mobile Support Team works with. And what happens to their clients after a crisis. -
The National Weather Service says an atmospheric river is expected to hit parts of the North Coast this week, and has issued a flood watch in several North Bay counties.
News Updates
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The Oakland People’s Arms Embargo Coalition met this morning at Oakland airport to demand an end to all military shipments to Israel. -
Supervisor Joel Engardio has been recalled. -
The special recall election for District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio is happening today. -
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is likely to finalize an almost three-million dollar settlement of a lawsuit with the Coalition on Homelessness in regards to its "bag & tag" policy. -
A new report from Food and Water Watch found that the drinking water for almost 60 million Americans is at risk for contamination. -
Starting tomorrow, Waymos, Uber Black, and Lyft Black cars will be allowed to pick up and drop people off on certain parts of Market Street. -
The registration period for California’s Earthquake Brace + Bolt seismic retrofit program opened yesterday. -
New data from the Environmental Protection Agency shows that most of the United States’ water supply is contaminated with “forever chemicals” known as PFAS. -
The San Francisco Bay could soon become home to the United States’ first fleet of electric ferries. -
The State Department announced on Saturday that it is temporarily halting visitor visas for people from Gaza, including children seeking medical care.
Crosscurrents
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CrosscurrentsPart six of our series on sea level rise looks at a dune restabilization project at Ocean Beach, and a wastewater treatment plant that is being threatened by coastal erosion and rising tides. -
CrosscurrentsToday is Transgender Day of Visibility. It’s a day to celebrate the lives and accomplishments of trans people, while also acknowledging the discrimination and challenges many still face.March was a particularly tense time for trans folks in San Francisco. Two local bathhouses — Imperial Spa in the Fillmore district, and Archimedes Banya in Hunters Point — were accused of enforcing anti-trans policies.After facing backlash online and potential protests, Imperial Spa quickly reversed their policy. But at Banya, it was a little more complicated. -
CrosscurrentsFor months organizers in California have been working to spread the word about a helpline for perpetrators of domestic and intimate partner violence. You heard that right. A helpline for perpetrators, not victims.It’s an unusual approach to a serious problem: Rates of domestic violence in the U.S. are high, and they got even worse during the pandemic.The helpline – A Call for Change – promises anonymity to its callers. Their goal is to provide a non-carceral approach to preventing domestic and intimate partner violence. -
CrosscurrentsLast year, Sonoma County got state funding to make their Mobile Support Team available 24/7. In part one of this series, we look at the complexities of crisis intervention. -
CrosscurrentsToday, an update on Oakland’s community response program for non-violent, non-emergency 911 calls. How and when you can call them, and what they’re doing for Oaklanders. -
CrosscurrentsEvery other year, communities across the country count the number of unhoused folks in their area. It's a way to get federal funding. But is the model working? -
CrosscurrentsStudent reporters have been at the center of pro-Palestine encampments across the world. But what's it like being a student reporter today? -
CrosscurrentsSubstance abuse experts say there’s a strong connection between the stress of the pandemic and increased drug and alcohol use nationwide. In this story, we take a closer look at one of the personal stories behind the statistics. -
CrosscurrentsLast week the California Academy of Science’s resident corpse flower bloomed. It’s an event that usually makes the news. But despite all the attention they attract, wild corpse flowers are endangered, which is why the Academy is joining a national effort to preserve their DNA. -
CrosscurrentsIt’s been 34 years since the Loma Prieta earthquake changed the San Francisco Bay Area forever. The Neighborhood Emergency Response Team is part of its legacy.
