As Clifton's plans to shutter its doors, we check in on Downtown LA

As Clifton’s plans to shutter its doors, we check in on Downtown LA

The struggles of Downtown L.A.’s historic core continue, as Clifton’s, the immersive events space, which included multiple floors of food and drinks, is now planning to close. Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, owner Andrew Meieran cited safety issues and loss of foot traffic as issues that led him to officially close his business. With Cole’s French Dip, another historic downtown venue also having closed its doors last month, we thought it’d be worth checking back in on downtown, the struggles it continues to face, and what bright spots there are. So what are you seeing in DTLA? Give us a call at 866-893-5722, or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com. Also with us is Eddie Navarette, executive director of the Independent Hospitality Coalition and Bret Thompson, chef and co-owner of Pez Cantina in Downtown L.A.

A check-in on student loan repayments

It’s been a confusing time for people with student loans. Collections restarted, then were put on hold. At the same time, borrowers had to stay on top of changes to key forgiveness plans. President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” introduced new borrowing limits for graduates and raised challenges to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, with a settlement that ended the Biden Administration's “Saving on a Valuable Education” or SAVE plan. While several changes for student loan borrowers will take effect this summer, other key questions remain unresolved. Set to take effect in July, the vaguely phrased rule is targeted at employers who support undocumented immigrants or transgender youth, potentially affecting borrowers who work at schools, public hospitals, and legal aid groups. Joining us to give us the latest on what’s in store for borrowers is Ayelet Sheffey, senior education reporter for Business Insider.

From movies to bread, Culver City has a history of "making"

Tucked away between the beaches of Venice and the bustle of downtown Los Angeles lies Culver City. Established in 1917, the city grew along a rail line and developed in parallel to Hollywood, with films like Citizen Kane and The Wizard of Oz being filmed on the studio lots there. The city, named after its founder, saw suburban sprawl spread during the mid century as rail service ended and Los Angeles subsumed its periphery. But the city remained independent, reworking some of its limited footprint while preserving other parts. Today on AirTalk, we look back at the history behind this slice of Los Angeles County and the identity of Culver City with Hope Parrish, city historian for Culver City and past property master in the film industry. Have you lived in Culver City for some time? Share your thoughts about its evolution and your relationship with the changes by calling 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.

Checking in on e-bike use in parks and mountain trails 

Earlier this year, we dug into how e-bike-related incidents injuries and whether our current infrastructure could address the unique safety concerns they present. Despite the lack of e-bike-centered policies, interest in them has grown, given how accommodating they are for short-distance travel, making trips quicker than with a traditional bike. This idea is the center of recent reporting by the Los Angeles Times, which dug into e-bike use around mountain trails, which has garnered interest and controversy. Today on AirTalk, we thought we’d check in on e-bikes and what folks are noting about their use in these kinds of mountainous terrain. Joining us this morning are LA Times investigative reporter Jack Dolan and Adrien Contreras, assistant deputy director of parks for the state of California.

A check in on California’s cannabis industry 

Almost a decade into the legalization of recreational marijuana, California has seen many changes in the nearly $30 billion industry. But, despite the robust nature of the cannabis business, the state has seized more than $1.2 billion in illegal cannabis since 2022, most commonly attributed to dealers in the illicit market. Now, under a new tax rollback on businesses, California’s cannabis industry hopes for some relief in what has been an ongoing battle with its illicit counterparts. We kick this year’s 4/20 off with a reflection on how the last 10 years of California’s weed business have gone, and also where it’s heading. We’re joined by Virgil Grant, owner of California Cannabis, a licensed cannabis dispensary with locations in South L.A., Hollywood & Boyle Heights. We also want to hear from you! Are you a cannabis business owner in California? What have you seen change? What would you like to see moving forward in the industry? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com

How has your relationship with marijuana evolved over the years?

For those who haven't sparked up a joint in the past 20 years, we're here to tell you: the reefer of today is not that of yesteryear. The legalization of Cannabis on the state-level of numerous states across the country has led to the green stuff being not only more socially accepted, but also integrated into the economy, with a myriad of effects. The average level of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, has increased from roughly 1–4% in the 1970s–1990s to averages of 17–28% today. While some find the increased level to be a pretty choice time, others report becoming violently ill when using today's marijuana. Recent research from the past year has also called into question the supposed medical benefits of marijuana. So today, the twentieth day of the fourth month of the year for no real reason we want to hear from you! How has your relationship changed with Marijuana over the years? Were you a deadhead back in the day who turned a new leaf in your later years? Or maybe you have found that marijuana has become an enjoyable part of your life. However your relationship with cannabis has changed over the years, we want to hear about it. Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com.