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Filmmaker Frederick Wiseman has died. The celebrated documentarian started making documentaries that captured the weirdness and wonder of everyday life in the mid 1960s and did not stop until 2023.
About his career: The prolific, pioneering filmmaker made dozens of documentaries and chronicled the inner workings of institutions. His 1967 film, Titicut Follies, revealed appalling conditions at a prison facility.
Filmmaker Frederick Wiseman has died. The celebrated documentarian started making documentaries that captured the weirdness and wonder of everyday life in the mid 1960s and did not stop until 2023.
Wiseman died Monday. His family issued a joint statement with Zipporah Films. He was 96.
Making movies was always an adventure, Wiseman said in 2016, during a speech at the Academy Awards when he won an honorary Oscar.
"I usually know nothing about the subject before I start," he said at the black-tie ceremony. "And I know there are those that feel I know nothing about it when it's finished!"
Wiseman was extremely prolific. He made roughly 50 documentaries, many of which chronicled the inner workings of institutions as diverse as the Idaho state legislature (State Legislature, 2007), the New York Public Library (Ex Libris, 2017), and a high school in Philadelphia (High School, 1968).
"I wish I could be more like him," said Oscar-winning documentarian Errol Morris in an interview with NPR about Wiseman before the elder filmmaker died.
Morris said Wiseman's super-charged yet subtle way of interpreting everyday life had more in common with the Theater of the Absurd than documentary filmmaking. (Indeed, Wiseman also had a career as a theater director in the U.S. and Europe, helming plays by the likes of Samuel Beckett and Luigi Pirandello.)
"He has a way of finding in reality some of the most surreal, absurd moments that I've ever seen anywhere," Morris said.
By way of example, Morris points to a scene in Wiseman's 1993 documentary Zoo, in which an all-women surgical team at Miami zoo castrates a wolf.
"And it seems like the entire scene is populated by women except for the janitor standing by the exit door, looking nervously on with his hands folded over his crotch," Morris said. "To me, this is really almost as good as it gets."
Morris added Wiseman was a mentor to him and a close friend. After Morris lost both his father and brother to heart disease, and was worried about his own fate, the filmmaker said Wiseman organized medical help for him. "I can even credit Fred with saving my life," Morris said.
Frederick Wiseman was born in Boston in 1930. After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and living in Paris during the 1950s, he taught law at Boston University.
It was taking his students on field trips to Bridgewater State Hospital, a Massachusetts prison facility for the criminally insane, that compelled the then law professor to direct his first, and most famous, film. Made in 1967, Titicut Follies gets its title from a stage show put on by the inmates at the institution.
After its seemingly benign opening, the movie captures the appalling conditions under which the inmates are kept, with unblinking scenes of bullying, force feeding, strip searches and squalor.
Titicut Follies was so shocking, the state of Massachusetts managed to get it banned from public screenings for more than two decades.
"In order for anyone to see that film, for years you had to sign a declaration saying that you were a professional in one of the following fields, like criminology, law or film studies," said film scholar Barry Keith Grant, author of Voyages of Discovery: The Cinema of Frederick Wiseman.
Still, Grant said the movie sealed Wiseman's future.
"It gave him a lot of notoriety and it helped establish his career," Grant said.
Over the years, Wiseman became known for his meticulous, hands-on process. He directed, produced and edited his movies. In a 2014 interview with NPR, the filmmaker described making National Gallery, his documentary about the famed London art museum.
"I was there for three months, every day for twelve weeks, probably twelve, fourteen hours a day," Wiseman said of the shoot, adding he amassed 170 hours of footage. "So the ratio between film shot and film used is about 60 to one."
Wiseman's films were also known for their prodigious length, running for as long as six hours. "I don't tailor the length to meet any commercial needs," Wiseman said. "I assume if people are interested, they'll watch it, whether it's 75 minutes or three hours."
Copyright 2026 NPR
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In 2025, California saw the highest amount of claims for paid family leave since the program started more than two decades ago.
What’s new: In 2025, more than 355,600 workers in the state took time to care for a sick family member or bond with a new child, up 16% from the year before, according to the California Employment Development Department, or EDD.
The backstory: Last year, the state increased payments for workers who use the paid leave benefit. Workers in California can get up to eight weeks of paid leave and now recoup 70 to 90% of their regular wages, up from 60-70%.
Why it matters: Research has shown that paid family leave benefits help a mother and baby’s health.
More Californians filed claims for paid family leave last year than ever before since the state started offering the benefits two decades ago.
In 2025, more than 355,600 workers in the state took time to care for a sick family member or bond with a new child, up 16% from the year before, according to data LAist requested from the California Employment Development Department.
That change coincided with increased payments for workers who use paid leave. Workers in California can get up to eight weeks of paid leave — and now recoup 70–90% of their regular wages, up from 60–70% the year prior.
“The program continues to grow,” said Anne Chapuis, a spokesperson for EDD. While she said 2025 represents their largest year to date, the rise or fall of claims “can sometimes be attributed to a combination of factors including awareness, demand, and eligibility.”
California became the first state to enact a paid family leave program in 2004. At the time, workers only got 55% of their wages and six weeks of paid leave.
Jenya Cassidy, executive director of the advocacy group California Work & Family Coalition, said her organization is still working to understand why there’s a rise in claims, but have anecdotally heard of people taking it because of the increase. The group co-sponsored the 2022 legislation that increase payments, after hearing that many low-income earners couldn’t afford to take leave. Research has shown that paid family leave benefits help a mother and baby’s health.
“Sixty percent of their income wasn't enough to pay their bills, and so many people are living on the edge in this state especially,” Cassidy said.
She said there was also more publicity about the paid family leave program last year because of the payment increase.
“There was a little bit of hubbub about this wage replacement [increase], so I do think raising awareness about the affordability of taking it is a key thing,” she said. “People hearing it anecdotally, seeing it in the news, I think that kind of has an impact.”
There are also cultural and general shifts around family leave, said Jessica Mason, senior policy analyst for economic justice at the National Partnership for Women & Families.
“For millennials and Gen Z, there's a little bit more of an assumption that everybody's going to be doing caregiving, everybody's going to be involved in parenting, and those norms do kind of shift over time,” she said.
For example, more dads in California are taking paid leave time, recent state data show.
Mason recently worked on a report that found 1 in 3 private sector workers nationwide now have access to a paid family leave program, with 14 states having paid family leave laws. But because California is such a big state, it plays a huge role in that statistic, she said. The program covers more than 18 million residents.
“In California, about 97% of the private sector workforce is potentially eligible for paid leave … that's really at the top end of all of the states,” she said.
The family leave program in California is paid through the State Disability Insurance program. Workers pay into the program through a deduction on their paycheck usually labeled as “CADSI.”
To be eligible for paid family leave in California, a worker needs to have earned at least $300 in wages in a “base period” (5-18 months before a claim).
Eligible workers who make less than about $66,000 a year can get 90% of their wages, and workers who make above that recieve 70% while on leave.
These resources were recommended by California legal experts, birth workers and families.
Work and family basics and help
Laws that protect your time off
Programs for pay while you take leave
EDD phone numbers to talk to someone about State Disability Insurance or Paid Family Leave
Sick leave
Find a doula
Breastfeeding and lactation resources
Share your story to make a change
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For the first time since Los Angeles County began tracking the data, fewer unhoused residents died on the streets in 2024, according to a report released Tuesday.
Deaths down, but high: About 2,208 people experiencing homelessness died in the county that year, 300 fewer than the previous year, according to the report from the county Department of Public Health. The report also showed the mortality rate — which is the number of deaths per 100,000 unhoused residents — decreased by 10%. Health officials credit drug overdose prevention efforts for some of that decline, including greater distribution of naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
Overdoses: There was a 21% decrease in the drug overdose death rate among unhoused residents, according to the report. In 2024, 884 unhoused people died of drug overdoses in L.A. County. That was down from 1,140 deaths in 2023, according to the report. Unhoused residents were 46 times more likely to die of drug overdose than the general population. The report notes the overdose death rate is still about twice as high as it was in 2019.
Bottom line: The numbers improved in 2024, but an average of six people experiencing homelessness died each day in L.A. County that year. People without stable housing face mortality rates over four times higher than the general population. Public health officials say many of those deaths are preventable. They recommend providing more access to shelter and housing, mental health and substance use treatment services.
For the first time since Los Angeles County began tracking the data, fewer unhoused residents died on the streets in 2024, according to a report released Tuesday.
About 2,208 people experiencing homelessness died in the county that year, 300 fewer than the previous year, according to the report from the county Department of Public Health.
The report also showed the mortality rate — which is the number of deaths per 100,000 unhoused residents — decreased by 10%.
Health officials credit drug overdose prevention efforts for some of that decline, including greater distribution of naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
There was a 21% decrease in the drug overdose death rate among unhoused residents, according to the report.
Still, an average of six people experiencing homelessness died each day in L.A. County throughout 2024. People without stable housing face mortality rates over four times higher than the general population.
Authorities note that number is still too high.
"These disparities reflect systemic barriers — lack of safe housing, limited access to culturally responsive healthcare, unsafe environments, and the ongoing effects of trauma, discrimination, and social inequities," Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health, wrote in the report.
She said she expects the work to get harder, with major state and regional funding reductions to some homeless services this year.
“Just as we are beginning to see positive momentum on homeless mortality reduction, we are at risk of losing precious ground,” Ferrer continued.
County health officials made several recommendations in the report, including providing more access to shelter and housing, mental health and substance use treatment services.
The annual report relies on state death records, county medical examiner data and population estimates from the region’s annual point-in-time homeless count.
More than 75,000 people were estimated to be experiencing homelessness in L.A. County in 2024, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s official count that year.
Despite some decreases, drug overdose remained the leading cause of death among people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County and accounted for 40% of all deaths among that population.
In 2024, 884 unhoused people died of drug overdoses in L.A. County. That was down from 1,140 deaths in 2023, according to the report.
Unhoused residents were 46 times more likely to die of drug overdose than the general population. The report notes the overdose death rate is still about twice as high as it was in 2019.
Many of the deaths involved fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, but for the first time they accounted for a lower percentage than in the previous year — 59% in 2024 and 70% in 2023, according to the data.
Most overdose deaths involve multiple drugs, according to the county. The percentage of deaths in which methamphetamine was a factor remained relatively steady — 80% in 2024 and 79% in 2023.
Overdose deaths involving only methamphetamine rose from 19% in 2023 to 27% in 2024.
The Public Health Department is tracking other leading causes of death for unhoused residents. In 2024, the rates for coronary heart disease and homicide among unhoused Angelenos went down, while transportation-related deaths and suicides went up.
The Department of Public Health made several recommendations to prevent premature deaths and continue slowing the mortality rate among unhoused people in the region.
They included:
Read the full report here.
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You can’t have your cake and eat it too, but you can for pie! This Saturday, March 14, is Pi Day — yes, 3.14 the math symbol (π) — and you’ll have the chance to taste tons of pies at The Autry Museum, and help judge a mouth-watering contest.
What’s going on? The event comes from our public media friends on the Westside. KCRW’s annual PieFest & Contest brings together more than 25 vendors in its “pie marketplace.” There will be baking demos, a beer garden and more. You’ll also get free entry to the museum. The event, which goes from noon to 5 p.m., is free and open to the public. You can RSVP here.
The contests: Bakers will go head-to-head in a massive pie-baking contest, judged by Will Ferrell, Roy Choi and L.A. food writers. You’ll also play a role by voting for your visual favorites in the Pie Pageant. (No pie-eating contest, womp womp.)
What is Pi Day? Pi Day is observed on March 14 because the month and day format we use has the first three digits for the value of Pi (π), 3.14. It was officially designated by Congress in 2009 (yes, really).
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LAX officials are considering a proposal Tuesday to increase the fees it charges rideshare companies to access the airport.
Current fees: Rideshare companies pass along to their customers a $4 or $5 airport fee. You might see this listed as a line item on your receipt as an “LAX Airport Surcharge.”
Proposed fees: The Los Angeles World Airports Board of Commissioners could vote tomorrow to increase that fee by as much as $2 to $8 depending on where the rideshare picks you up or drops you off.
Read on…to learn more about the “why” behind the proposed fee changes.
LAX officials are considering a proposal Tuesday to increase the fees rideshare companies are charged to access the airport.
Currently, rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft generally pass a $4 to $5 airport fee along to their customers. You might see this listed as a line item on your receipt as an “LAX Airport Surcharge.”
But the Los Angeles World Airports Board of Commissioners could vote to increase that fee by as much as $2 to $8 depending on where the rideshare picks you up or drops you off.
The idea behind the proposal is to encourage the use of the long-awaited, much-delayed and over-budget Automated People Mover once it opens and decrease congestion in the central terminal area, the area of the airport that’s also known as the horseshoe.
David Reich, a deputy executive director for the city agency that manages the airport, told LAist that if the proposal is approved, LAX doesn’t plan on increasing the fee until after the Automated People Mover opens, which could be later this year.
When the Automated People Mover opens, there will be new curb space for drop-off and pick-up. Known as the “ground transport center,” this new curb space will be a 4-minute trip from the terminal area via the Automated People Mover, according to Reich.
LAX-it will shut down as a rideshare and taxi lot once the train opens, Reich said.
If the proposal is approved, getting an Uber or Lyft to and from the ground transport center will come with a $6 airport fee.
Even once the Automated People Mover opens, you will still be able to get rides directly to and from the curbs along the horseshoe, but they will come with a $12 fee.
The proposed increases would also apply to taxi and limousine services, which currently operate under a slightly different fee structure than rideshare companies.
The increased fees are expected to generate as much as $100 million in the first year the Automated People Mover is usable, according to a report to the board.
In a report to the board, Reich said the Automated People Mover represents a "significant investment” that aims to “fundamentally reshape how vehicles move through the airport.”
The idea behind having a higher fee for direct access to the curbs along the horseshoe is to encourage “use of new, high-capacity infrastructure” and preserve central terminal access for trips “that most require it.”
The Los Angeles World Airports Board of Commissioners agenda for tomorrow’s 10 a.m. meeting can be found here. The proposal detailed in this article is item number 21. A related item, number 22, will also be heard tomorrow. While you can watch the meeting remotely via the link in the agenda, only in-person public comments will be heard.
The meeting will be held at the following address:
Samuel Greenberg Board Room 107/116
Clifton A. Moore Administration Building
Los Angeles International Airport
1 World Way, Los Angeles, California 90045
Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Uber is trying to mobilize the public to fight the proposed fee increases.
“Raising the LAX rideshare fee from $5 to $12 at the curb would punish travelers, working families, and seniors who depend on affordable, reliable transportation,” Danielle Lam, the head of local California policy for Uber, said in a statement.
On Monday, Uber sent an email to passengers who recently used the rideshare service, urging them to write to city officials to “stop this massive fee hike.”
Lyft has not responded to a request for comment.
Ten state lawmakers who are members of the L.A. County delegation sent a letter on Monday to the board expressing their “strong opposition” to the proposed increases.
“Many Angelenos rely on a mix of options, including rideshare services and friends or family dropping off loved ones,” the legislators wrote in the letter. “Managing congestion cannot realistically rely on steep fee increases for certain transportation options.”
Eight of the 10 legislators who signed the letter have received campaign contributions from Uber or Lyft, according to an LAist analysis of state campaign contribution data.
Now is probably a good time to remind folks that there are other ways to get to the airport that don’t involve rideshares, taxis or even lifts from families and friends.
The FlyAway bus offers regularly scheduled rides from the airport to Union Station in downtown L.A. and Van Nuys. You can see the schedules here.
Last year, the countywide transportation agency unveiled the LAX/Metro Transit center, which is accessible from the C and K rail lines and several bus routes. For now, an LAX shuttle is bringing travelers from the station to the airport. It will be one of the stops on the Automated People Mover once it opens.
