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Did State Farm mishandle wildfire claims?
An insurance office burned by the Eaton Fire on Mariposa St. in Altadena.
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Kevin Tidmarsh/LAist
)
Did State Farm mishandle wildfire claims?
Topline:
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.
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.
The insurer's response: State Farm denied the allegations and called them politically motivated.
Join the conversation: What’s been your insurance experience since the fires? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Read more: State Farm has mishandled wildfire claims, state regulators say
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Guest:
- Erin Stone, LAist climate and environment senior reporter
Do cell phone bans improve academic performance? One study aims to find out
Topline:
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.
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.
Guest:
- Thomas S. Dee, professor of education and economic policy at Stanford University and one of the co-authors of the study out of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
Interview with Scott Simon on how animals transform us
Topline:
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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.
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.
Guest:
- Scott Simon, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday and Up First
How California’s redrawn election maps are playing out on the campaign trail
Topline:
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 are becoming more clear.
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 Democrat friendly.
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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.
Guest:
- Maya Miller, politics reporter for CalMatters
Overview of municipal races in Orange County
Topline:
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.
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.
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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.
Guests:
- Jill Replogle, LAist Orange County Correspondent
- Destiny Torres, LAist reporter who’s written about the Orange County clerk-recorder and auditor-controller races
City of Hope celebrates 50 years of bone marrow transplant program
Topline:
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.
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 has overseen more than 20,000 transplants, increasing awareness of bone marrow transplants across the nation, and making him an influential leader in transplant science.
Guest:
- Stephen Forman, M.D., Director of the Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute for City of Hope, and the T Cell Therapeutics Research Laboratories
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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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