Crosscurrents

Today, a nurse practitioner takes us inside one of San Francisco's shelter-in-place hotels, and we hear from one of the hotel's guests about how regular medical care has made a difference in their life. It's the first in a three-part series about aging, healthcare, and homelessness. Then, we hear how billions of state dollars are coming into public schools and get a breakdown of where it's going. And, Mill Valley author Christine Peck reads from her new children’s book about a girl named Izzy.

Today we ask, how much learning did K-12 students lose because of COVID-19 and is that what matters most? We discuss balancing academic catch up against students' emotional well-being with Janelle Scott. Then, we hear about the stakes of unpaid college internships for low-income, first-generation students. And finally, we listen to a reading from a new children’s noir set on the San Francisco waterfront.

Today, we hear how wildfire smoke makes COVID-19 cases worse and how it affects some families more than others. Then, we get an update on the state’s wildfire prevention efforts. And, we go back more than a century to understand how California decided who has a right to our water.Plus, we speak with Oakland poet Paul Corman Roberts as he reflects on his poetry.

Today, we hear from UCSF’s Bob Wachter on how the best practices for Covid-19 keep changing as we learn more about the pandemic. We listen to the latest information on the delta variant, vaccines and booster shots. Then, we meet a forensic diver. He tells us how he came to the work, and why it’s important to him. And then, we hear a reading from a new children’s book.

When the pandemic increased unemployment in the Bay Area, some Oaklanders turned to street vending at Lake Merritt to make ends meet. Today, we hear how they’re fighting to keep their place at the lake. Then, we meet KALW’s new Monday night music curator DJ Umami. And, from New Arrivals, we listen to a reading from a children’s noir novel from author Lou Cook, set on the San Francisco waterfront.

Today, we head to Fremont’s “Little Kabul” to hear how Afghan Americans are responding to America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. Then, in San Rafael, a non profit is working to evacuate its staffers from Afghanistan. And, quilter Amy Ahlstrom talks about her show on mental health and how quilting has evolved.

COVID-19 prison lockdowns prevented family and friends from visiting the nation's nearly two million prisoners, and they shut down education programs. At a maximum security prison near Chicago, one seminary professor managed to keep reaching inside.

San Francisco's most celebrated poets come together to honor San Francisco Poet Laureate and social justice activist Janice Mirikitani. Then, we take a walking tour of a new art exhibit in San Jose’s Japantown that uncovers and connects the neighborhood’s “Hidden Histories” to the present. And finally, we hear a reading from a new young adult book author.

Oakland’s Chinatown is grappling with a sharp increase in violent crime. Today, we'll hear what the community is doing to address it. Then, we are going back to school to learn about the policies Bay Area districts are following when it comes to COVID-19. Plus, the musical Hamilton gives students another way to study history.

A South Bay airport may be shut down after a study found it’s causing high levels of lead in the children who live nearby. We examine the debate over San Jose’s Reid- Hillview airport. Then, bust out your leg warmers, spandex, and fluorescent headbands. Because we are taking you to a dance class where daydreams come true. And lastly we meet one of our newest additions to the KALW music family, DJ Margarita Azucar.