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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The Trump administration is considering using a shuttered prison in Dublin to house immigrants who are waiting to be deported. -
Tonight, the Fremont City Council will vote on whether or not to adopt a new camping ban. -
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. -
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. -
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.
Crosscurrents
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CrosscurrentsMACRO was created to address some of the toughest problems facing Oakland, from addiction and mental health issues to homelessness. But, building trust takes time. -
CrosscurrentsMACRO was formed in 2022 as an alternative to cops for non-emergency, non-violent 911 calls. But deciding when they should be deployed hasnt been consistent. -
CrosscurrentsMACRO is Oakland’s non-police response team. They’ve been running since mid-2022, but how do they differ from police, firefighters, and paramedics?
