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Big Bear bald eagles, how to drink chai the right way, new Watts documentary and more
Shadow and the trio of chicks in Big Bear Valley on March 11, 2025.
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Friends of Big Bear Valley
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YouTube
)
Today's show: AirTalk Friday host Austin Cross discusses Big Bear bald eagles, cheap date ideas, Chaiwale & Co, FilmWeek and a new Watts documentary. Cross also hosts LAist's Morning Edition.
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The latest with beloved Big Bear eagles Jackie and Shadow
The topic:
An eagle that's believed to be Jackie remains in intensive care on Thursday at the Ojai Raptor center after being attacked by a pair of subadult eagles in the Big Bear Lake area. Today on AirTalk, we look at how Shadow is reacting to his partner’s absence and how nature is playing out.
The latest: In a Thursday afternoon post, the Ojai Raptor Center said they were providing “around the clock” care for the eagle, which is believed to be Jackie. They provided her with a blood transfusion, and ruled out lead poisoning as a cause for her continuing critical condition.
Shadow on his own: It’s unclear how Shadow, Jackie’s longtime partner, is perceiving the absence of his mate. Shadow was seen on a Friend of Big Bear Valley stream on Wednesday socializing with a different subadult female eagle.
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The eaglets: Shadow continues to care for the couple’s current set of eaglets, Sandy and Luna, who both recently took their first flights.
Guest:
- Makenna Cramer, reporter at LAist who has been covering Jackie and Shadow
- Lori Arnet, assistant director at The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota
What’s your go to cheap date in SoCal?
What's your cheap date idea?
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RossHelen
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iStockphoto
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The topic:
Dating isn’t cheap, and it’s not getting any cheaper. The average date is running $189 according to a BMO Financial Group Survey, up 12% from last year. Today on AirTalk, we’re looking at how to have a good time without breaking the bank here in SoCal.
Cheap, but fun: If you hadn’t heard, the weather is pretty good here in SoCal (unless there’s a heatwave). Our biome lends itself to picnics, hikes, long walks on the beach and a bunch of other fun activities that don’t cost nearly two hundred smackers.
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Not looking cheap: But at the same time, when you meet someone new, you don’t want to come off as a cheapskate. So how do you walk the line between being financially smart and emotionally intelligent?
Join the conversation: We want to hear from you on this one: how do you have a great date while keeping your bank account in the green? Give us a call at (866) 893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Guest:
- Damona Hoffman, dating coach and host of the Dates and Mates podcast; she’s also the author of the book F the Fairy Tale: Rewrite the Dating Myths and Live Your Own Love
Food Friday: Chaiwale & Co
The topic:
We talk with the owner of Chaiwale & Co about where chai comes from and misconceptions around the drink. Plus, we try some South Asian desserts.
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The backstory: The Indian subcontinent’s dominance in tea production can be traced back as early as the 19th century when British colonizers established plantations in western India. While the British preferred their tea black and lightly sweetened, the Indian populace began to make their own version of the tea, giving birth to what we now know as chai. Today, chai has become more than just a drink for South Asians around the world. It is a symbol of hospitality, community and respect.
What is chai? To set the record straight once and for all, chai in Hindustani directly translates to “tea.” Hence, the term “chai tea” is redundant because it would translate to “tea tea.” Traditional chai is prepared in a dhoodh pati style, which refers to chai that is boiled with milk, sugar, green cardamom, and sometimes other aromatics like cinnamon, ginger, and star anise, a combination known as masala.
How to visit:
Address: 177 N Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866
Hours: Sun-Thurs from 8 AM - 10 AM; Fri-Sat 8 AM-11 PM
Cost: A 12 oz. cup of chai costs $4.99, Samosas at $7.99 each, Rose Pistachio Loaf at $6.49 a slice, and a slice of Gulab Jamun Cheesecake is $7.99
Guest:
- Shilapjot ‘Sunny’ Singh, co-owner of Chaiwale & Co in Orange
FilmWeek: ‘Motor City,’ ‘Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender,’ ‘Her Private Hell’ and more!
Alan Ritchson and Shailene Woodley in Motor City, directed by Potsy Ponciroli.
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Courtesy Independent Film Company
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The topic:
Julia Paskin and the LAist film critics review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.
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The films:
Motor City, In Select Theaters
Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, Streaming on Paramount+
Her Private Hell, Wide Release
Hadestown: The Musical, In Select Theaters
Sheep in the Box, AMC Century City|Expands to more theaters July 31
Nothing to See Here: Watts, Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]
American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, In Select Theaters
Cruel Hands, Laemmle Glendale & Available on VOD
The Kidnapping of Arabella, Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica] & Laemmle NoHo
The Dink, Streaming on Apple TV+
Lars Shrike Walks the Night, Streaming on Digital
The critics:
- Peter Rainer, film critic for LAist and the Christian Science Monitor
- Tim Cogshell, film critic for LAist, Alt-Film Guide and CineGods.com
- Charles Solomon, film critic for LAist, Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine
A new documentary on Watts
The Watts Towers of Simon Rodia State Historic Park in Los Angeles, California.
(
Robert Koo
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LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
)
The topic:
The documentary Nothing to See Here: Watts takes viewers through the lives of community members as they experience violence, decades long gang rivalries, and neglect from city services.
How it was made: 20 participants were given iPhones to film themselves and their community over three years. The filmmakers included gang members, community activists, students, victims of violence, and police officers. They all later came together to decide what ultimately made the final cut.
The first screening: The first screening of the film was presented to active members of the rival gangs in Watts in an effort to bring about talks of peace. We see the discussions unfold as decades long rivalries come to a halt to protect their collective community.
Guests:
- Cornelius Wills, gang interventionist and mentor with Soledad Enrichment Action and Bounty Hunter Blood gang member
- Quiana Williams, mother of Sean Reynolds, a student who was shot in Watts
- Tim Pearce, retired LAPD gang officer who served in Watts and South Central LA
-
Today on AirTalk: Murphy oil drill site, Colorado River reservoir levels, getting lost, first meal you cooked, immigration court bonds and TV Talk. -
Today on AirTalk: Vermin in Boyle Heights, L.A. water pipes, the decline of manual cars, the latest on immigration, Chinese AI and best SoCal ice cream shops. -
Today on AirTalk: Cyclospora outbreak, PUSD tree removal, odd job skills, World Cup to Olympics, male versus female doctors and The Odyssey box office.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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