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Belgium defeats US in World Cup, LAHSA's biggest challenges, DSA memberships, best tacos and more
Matt Freese of the United States reacts after Belgium's third goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between USA and Belgium.
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Luke Hales
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Getty Images
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Jump to
- US Men’s National Team loses 4-1 — all host nations officially out of World Cup
- LAHSA’s future looks grim — we reflect on the homeless org’s challenges and triumphs
- What’s your favorite beach — near or far?
- DSA membership breaks record for a socialist organization
- What are the best tacos in SoCal? Make your case
Today's show: AirTalk host Larry Mantle discusses Belgium defeating the U.S., LAHSA's biggest challenges, favorite beaches, DSA memberships and best tacos in SoCal.
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US Men’s National Team loses 4-1 — all host nations officially out of World Cup
The topic:
American hopes for a deep World Cup run at home ended when Charles De Ketelaere scored twice and assisted on another goal, helping Belgium expose the U.S. defensive liabilities in a 4-1 win Monday night that earned a quarterfinal berth.
Red card controversy: While the U.S. was boosted by the presence of star forward Folarin Balogun, whose one-game red card suspension was controversially lifted by FIFA, American defenders were at fault in a pair of first-half goals, and Freese’s howler gave the Red Devils a third early in the second half.
Background: This loss was a painful reckoning for a team that hoped to boost the sport but instead failed to shake a quarter-century of stagnation since 20-year-old Landon Donovan led the Americans to the 2002 quarterfinals. Since then, the U.S. has lost four times in the Round of 16.
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With files from the Associated Press
Guest:
- Kevin Baxter, staff writer for the L.A. Times covering soccer
LAHSA’s future looks grim — we reflect on the homeless org’s challenges and triumphs
(Right) Garrett Lee, of Department of Mental Health's HOME Team, collaborates with LAHSA’s Homeless Engagement Team during outreach in the targeted COVID-19 testing efforts in the unhoused community back in 2020.
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Courtesy Los Angeles County
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The topic:
Big changes are happening with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, known as LAHSA. The organization is officially no longer receiving funding from L.A. County and faces a legal battle with the federal government.
L.A. County funds: LAist reported that all but one county supervisor voted last April to strip county funding from LAHSA and have the county directly oversee the organization. The new county department, known as Homeless Services and Housing, or HSH, is led by Sarah Mahin.
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HUD troubles: On June 11, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development attempted to suspend LAHSA’s federal funding. In an effort to protect and retain those funds, LAHSA filed a lawsuit last week against HUD, labeling HUD’s arguments as inaccurate.
We reached out to LAHSA, but the organization declined to participate in the conversation.
Guests:
- Nick Gerda, LAist watchdog correspondent
- Mike Arnold, former CEO of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, from 2009 to 2014
What’s your favorite beach — near or far?
People are seen gathering on the Corona del Mar State Beach in Newport Beach.
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Michael Heiman
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Getty Images
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The topic:
It’s summertime, which means Southern Californians are flocking back to their favorite beaches to cool down in that brisk, refreshing breeze and enjoy timeless sunsets near the water. But a favorite beach doesn’t necessarily always mean local, as many of us often make the drive to find our favorite spots in the sand. Some even leave the state or country altogether!
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Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What is your favorite local (or not) beach and why? Give us a call at (866) 893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com
DSA membership breaks record for a socialist organization
Democratic Socialists of America members voice their opinions for or against extending the endorsement window for the Los Angeles mayoral race in Koreatown.
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Myung J. Chun
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Getty Images
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The topic:
The Democratic Socialists of America has seen incremental membership growth since its founding in 1982, particularly with notable interest during the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, with the rise of democratic socialist Bernie Sanders as a national political figure. The party has grown even more in the last year.
The largest socialist party in the country: DSA announced over the weekend that its membership had reached 120,000 members, surpassing the now-defunct Socialist Party of America, once led by Eugene Debs.
Mamdani bump: The party grew exponentially following the highly publicized mayoral victory of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani — whose membership in DSA-NYC led many inspired by his campaign to join.
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Electoral victories: DSA-backed congressional candidates have been the recent highlight for the party, with primary victories in Colorado, New York and Pennsylvania. Locally, DSA-LA has gotten four council members elected this decade, with one, Nithya Raman, now running for L.A. mayor.
Guests:
- Megan Romer, national co-chair for the Democratic Socialists of America
- Benjamin Oreskes, New York Times reporter covering New York state politics and government
- Jack Pitney, professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College
- Michael Trujillo, Democratic strategist
What are the best tacos in SoCal? Make your case
Carne asada tacos, loaded with guac and salsa, and a bottle of house-made jasmine tea — the full Tacos Royale spread.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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The topic:
We all know L.A. is taco town. So, when a new spot gets some buzz, people need to confirm whether they are truly worth the hype. Our food and culture writer, Gab Chabrán, wrote about the taco stand Tacos Royale as “the best new tacos” in the city.
Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What do you think are the best tacos in the city? And in a sea of great tacos, why does your pick stand out above the rest? Give us a call at (866) 893-5722. Or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Guests:
- Gab Chabrán, food and culture writer at LAist. His recent piece on Tacos Royale is titled LA's best new taco wants to be the next In-N-Out
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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.
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