This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.
State Farm's handling of wildfire claims, school cell phone bans, redistricting and more
An insurance office burned by the Eaton Fire on Mariposa Street in Altadena.
(
Kevin Tidmarsh
/
LAist
)
Jump to
- Regulators find hundreds of violations by State Farm
- Do cell phone bans improve academic performance?
- Interview with Scott Simon on how animals transform us
- How California’s redrawn election maps are playing out on the campaign trail
- Overview of municipal races in Orange County
- City of Hope celebrates 50 years of bone marrow transplant program
Listen to the full AirTalk episode for Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Regulators find hundreds of violations by State Farm
The topic:
California regulators say State Farm has illegally delayed, underpaid and denied claims from policyholders affected by the 2025 L.A. fires — something fire survivors have said for months.
Listen
17:43
Listen to the conversation
Guest: Erin Stone, LAist climate and environment senior reporter
About the investigation: The state analyzed 220 randomly selected claims filed in response to last year’s fires and found hundreds of violations by State Farm in more than half them — what state attorneys dubbed a “troubling pattern” in their filing.
What State Farm has to say: The insurer has denied the allegations and called them politically motivated.
Read more: State Farm has mishandled wildfire claims, state regulators say
Sponsored message
Do cell phone bans improve academic performance?
LAUSD joins California’s lawmakers and those from across the country in trying to pry students’ attention from their devices during school.
(
Charly Triballeau
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
The topic:
The National Bureau of Economic Research released a report analyzing the efficacy of school cell phone bans across the U.S. The study focused on schools that used Yondr pouches, bags that lock students’ phones inside for the duration of the school day.
Listen
15:53
Listen to the conversation
Guest: Thomas S. Dee, professor of education and economic policy at Stanford University and one study's co-authors
Main findings: The study found that although in-school phone use decreased at schools with bans, there were no significant differences in students’ attendance and test scores compared to schools without bans.
Read the study: You can read the full report here.
Sponsored message
Interview with Scott Simon on how animals transform us
Scott Simon is the host of NPR's "Weekend Edition Saturday"
(
Courtesy Flatiron Books
)
The topic:
The words “owner” and “pet” feel like understated descriptions for the relationships we have with the animals in our lives. Author and NPR Weekend Edition host Scott Simon explores his lifelong bond with animals in a new book.
Listen
16:37
Listen to the conversation
Guest: Author and NPR Weekend Edition host Scott Simon
The book: Ulysses S. Cat and Other Animals I Have Known (W. W. Norton & Company, 2026) features illustrations from New Yorker cartoonist Liana Finck and is out today.
How California’s redrawn election maps are playing out on the campaign trail
Voters wait to cast their ballots in the California Statewide Special Election at the Huntington Beach Central Library on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.
(
Allen J. Schaben
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
Sponsored message
The topic:
The first election after Californians decisively voted to redraw the state’s congressional map to favor Democrats is underway, and what kind of representation these newly drawn districts will send to Congress is becoming clearer.
Listen
18:48
Listen to the conversation
Guest: Maya Miller, politics reporter for CalMatters
Movers and shakers: Districts 40, 47, and 48 are some of the new districts that have seen elevated interest this election cycle. Two republican members of congress are fighting over representing district 40, while 47 and 48 went from comfortably Republican to being more friendly to Democrats.
Yes, but: California’s redrawn maps are one piece in overall redistricting arms race happening nationwide, and gains by Democrats in the Golden State may be counteracted by seat picks by Republicans in others.
Overview of municipal races in Orange County
(
Raymond Rivera
/
For LAist
)
Sponsored message
The topic:
Orange County voters have a handful of municipal elections on June’s ballot. Today, we’ll offer a brief overview of these races and which look to be the most competitive.
Listen
11:06
Listen to the conversation
Guests: LAist reporters Jill Replogle and Destiny Torres
O.C. Supervisors races: There are three supervisorial district races to look out for. District 4 is the only race without an incumbent, as Supervisor Doug Chaffee is termed out.
Other races on the ballot: include Orange County assessor, auditor-controller, clerk-recorder, and superintendent of schools.
Where to learn more: Find detailed guides on L.A. City, L.A. County, and Orange County races as part of LAist’s Voter Game Plan.
City of Hope celebrates 50 years of bone marrow transplant program
City of Hope hospital
(
Courtesy City of Hope
)
The topic
With over 20,000 transplants performed since 1976, the City of Hope’s bone marrow transplant (BMT) program celebrates its 50th anniversary as one of the most innovative, successful, and longest-running stem cell treatments in the nation.
Listen
19:41
Listen to the conversation
Guest: Dr. Stephen Forman
BMT: An alternative to the often invasive chemotherapy and radiation therapy, bone marrow transplants replace bone marrow with healthy donated stem cells that restore the body’s ability to produce new blood and immune cells, ultimately eliminating cancer in the blood.
The doctor: Dr. Stephen Forman, Director of the Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute for City of Hope, and the T Cell Therapeutics Research Laboratories, has overseen more than 20,000 transplants. His work to increase awareness of bone marrow transplants across the nation, has made him an influential leader in transplant science.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
