Wren Farrell
ReporterWren 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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Immigrant and labor rights groups joined members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors at City Hall today to reaffirm the city’s commitment to protecting its immigrant population. -
A hearing was held in Oakland earlier today to determine whether or not State Farm General can implement an “emergency rate hike” on customers. -
San Francisco’s five-year financial plan was released on Monday. Local union leaders say the budget can be balanced without major cuts to services. -
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. -
San Mateo County has released an online tool to help local residents assess their tsunami risk. -
Yesterday, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie signed an executive directive that lays out his plan to address homelessness, addiction, and government failure. -
On Monday, a spa in San Francisco seemed to reverse course on alleged discrimination against trans people. -
A Russian bathhouse in San Francisco’s Hunters Point neighborhood has adopted a controversial new policy on their men’s only and women’s only nights. -
Last night, the San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors voted to approve Mayor Lurie’s decision to oust the city’s progressive police commissioner, Max Carter-Oberstone. -
A fire broke out in a seven-story residential building in San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood yesterday afternoon.
News Updates
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On Monday, students and faculty at San Francisco State University rallied at the campus’s Malcolm X plaza, demanding divestment from Israel’s war on Palestine. -
Today, the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of its new 911 dispatch center. -
On Tuesday morning, more than 50 tents were pitched outside of Sproul Hall at UC Berkeley, with students and organizers there asking that the university meet a number of demands – including divesting from Israel’s war on Palestine. -
Earlier this week, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to ask for the state’s help preventing the closure of one of the region's only trauma centers. -
At Tuesday’s SFMTA Board meeting, a group of people living in RVs near San Francisco State University asked that the Board delay new parking restrictions. -
The SFMTA Board Tuesday approved the locations of 33 new speed cameras in San Francisco. -
Today, the Alameda County registrar of voters announced that the movement to recall District Attorney Pamela Price has officially gathered enough signatures to trigger a recall election. -
After five months of an enforced “vending ban” on Mission St. San Francisco has announced that they’re closing down “El Tiangue” the storefront they provided for vendors on 17th and Mission. -
On Tuesday, more than a hundred San Francisco Public Library and other city workers rallied outside of the city’s main branch to demand the hiring of more security guards. -
On Saturday morning, Aaron Peskin, the president of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors, officially kicked off his campaign for Mayor.
Crosscurrents
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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. -
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. -
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. -
CrosscurrentsCommunity Responders: Oakland’s Alternative to the Police, is a series that focuses on one non-police crisis response program. What else is out there?
