Crosscurrents

Today, we meet the people who fix broken but beloved belongings. And, we get an update on the federal corruption trial of recalled former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. Plus, we hear why talking about organ donation in Black communities is complicated. 

This October, the trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, her boyfriend, Andre Jones, and prominent local businessmen David and Andy Duong is set to begin.

Last week, the federal prosecutors filed a trove of documents alleging Thao and others made bribes for political gain. And the FBI announced that they have identified a key informant- Fruitvale entrepreneur Mario Juarez, who has already given a guilty plea to one count of bribery.

Natalie Orenstein is a reporter for the Oaklandside, who has been covering recent events in the Thao case. She spoke with KALW's news editor Sunni Khalid.

August is National Minority Donor Awareness month. It's a month for raising awareness of organ donation and transplantation in communities of color. 

Studies show there aren’t enough Black donors to fill the need for Black folks who need transplants. Why? We explore this question through the story of Arlinda Timmons-Love, a Richmond woman who lost her son Maurice in 1983 to gun violence, when he was 15 years old. 

Hana Baba talked to her for an episode of The Stoop podcast, hosted by her and Leila Day. 

Here’s a question for you- if you have something around your house that needs fixing- an appliance, a device… What do you do? Fix it or ditch it? If you do want to get something fixed, but you're not a do-it-yourselfer or you're just too intimidated to try fixing things yourself – then what?

Well, reporter Mary Catherine O'Connor looked for answers - at a Fixit Clinic at a library in San Mateo. 

And if you have a much loved item that’s in need of some TLC, you’re in luck! KALW is hosting a fix it clinic tonight! It’s happening at our live event space at 220 Montgomery in San Francisco. 

New Arrivals is KALW's pocket sized book tour of Bay Area Authors. Mike Huguenor lives in San Jose. His book, "Elvis is Dead, I’m Still Alive: The Story of Asian Man Records," came out on May 19th, 2026. It’s about the first 30 years of one of the most important record labels to come out of the south Bay.

The closure of San Francisco’s immigration courts has had big ramifications. Today, we get an update on how immigrants are navigating an increasingly difficult system. Then, we roll out the royal carpet for the first king of BART prom. The prom held under the Rockridge tracks.

On May first, the Trump administration closed its main immigration court in San Francisco's Financial District. That follows months of clashes outside the building between ICE and local activists opposing the crackdown on immigrants. Those cases have now been moved to another Bay Area court in Concord. 

The move has resulted in "mega" immigration dockets, with dozens — and sometimes more than a hundred — cases to be decided per day. But that's only one of the problems that have resulted from the move. Clara-Sophia Daly is an immigration reporter with Mission Local. She’s recently reported on the situation in Concord. She spoke with KALW's news editor Sunni Khalid about what she’s found. 

Recently BART held their first ever… prom! More than twelve hundred people attended (and danced at!) the sold-out Under the sea/’80s-themed party under the Rockridge Station tracks. And the party of course included the traditional crowning of a Prom King and Queen.  

We're so proud of KALW Immigration reporter Wendy Reyes and “Sights + Sounds” Producer Porfirio Rangel… BART’s first Prom queen and king!

BART prom is just one example of how the transit system is hosting fun events to increase ridership. Alicia Trost is BART Chief Communications Officer. She and 2026 BART King Porfirio sat down with KALW’s Jenee Darden for “The Sights + Sounds Show.” 

It’s a brand new season of BOUNCE! Today, KALW's Anna Casalme is taking us out to the ball game, where every kid on the field is a girl. Plus, an update on how the Golden State Valkyries are playing in their second season. 

AI scams are getting incredibly sophisticated. But protecting yourself doesn’t have to be. And, we honor the Oakland storytelling icon, Diane Ferlatte.