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Homelessness in California, drive-thru bans, growing wolf population and more
The Skid Row area of downtown Los Angeles last month.
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Apu Gomes
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Jump to
- What can we rethink about state and local policies surrounding homelessness?
- Culver City weighs extending drive-thru ban
- California’s wolf population is up. Good news for wolves, bad news for cattle
- SoCal History: The art behind California’s citrus crate labels
- Teachers, what was your favorite grade to teach and why?
Today on AirTalk: Homelessness in California, drive-thru bans, growing wolf population, California citrus crate labels, and the best grades to teach.
Today's show: AirTalk host Larry Mantle discusses homelessness in California, drive-thru bans, growing wolf population, California citrus crate labels, and the best grades to teach.
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What can we rethink about state and local policies surrounding homelessness?
The topic:
During this year’s campaign cycle, one of the most complicated questions asked of candidates was how they would handle housing and homelessness. So what strategies are working, and is there a way to improve the pace of progress?
Listen
34:42
Listen to the conversation:
Guests: Mike Arnold, former CEO of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, Benjamin Henwood, LCSW, director of the Center for Homelessness, Housing and Health Equity Research, and Stephen Eide, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute
Background: The mid-2010s saw a rapid increase in homelessness, which became complicated following the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. There has been a turnaround in both the city and county of Los Angeles, with the L.A. Homeless Services Authority noting a decrease in homelessness in 2024 and 2025.
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Homelessness spending: The 2023 fiscal year saw a $5.8 billion investment in homelessness programs by the state of California, which then dropped to $1.7 billion by the 2025 fiscal year.
Improving numbers: In 2025, the state saw unsheltered homelessness drop by 2.8% from the year prior. The number of homeless Californians now sits at a little over 181,000, that’s still more than the over 118,000 who experienced homelessness in 2016.
More about our guests:
- Mike Arnold, former CEO of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, from 2009 to 2014.
- Benjamin Henwood, LCSW, professor of social policy and health at USC, where he's director of the Center for Homelessness, Housing and Health Equity Research.
- Stephen Eide, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, who has conducted research in homelessness and mental illness.
Culver City weighs extending drive-thru ban
A proposed In-N-Out drive-thru in Culver City is drawing community concern.
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Justin Sullivan
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Getty Images
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The topic
The City Council in Culver City will consider a citywide ban on new drive-thrus after a group of neighbors raised concerns that a proposed In-N-Out could hurt air quality and create safety issues for pedestrians.
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Listen
14:53
Listen to the conversation:
Guests: Kavish Harjai, LAist transportation correspondent, and Bubba Fish, Culver City Vice Mayor and City Councilmember
Status of the ban: In June, the City Council approved a 45-day moratorium on approving permits that involve a new drive-thru. The council will vote today on whether to extend its moratorium. In the meantime, city staffers are drafting an ordinance banning new drive-thrus. The ordinance will first go to the city’s planning commission for guidance and recommendation before heading to the City Council for a vote. Those dates have not yet been set.
Community concern: An online petition urging Culver City residents and the City Council to oppose the In-N-Out drive-thru gathered just under 950 signatures in recent months.
Read the full story: To hear about drive-thrus from the perspective of urban and land use planners.
More about our guests:
- Kavish Harjai, LAist transportation correspondent who has been following this topic. His latest article is titled Should drive-thrus be banned? Culver City is considering the question.
- Bubba Fish, Culver City Vice Mayor and city council member who sits on the city’s mobility subcommittee.
California’s wolf population is up. Good news for wolves, bad news for cattle
A new study finds that wolves tend to eat more cattle than wild prey.
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California Department of Fish and Wildlife
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Associated Press
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The topic:
Two new studies out of UC Davis look at the effect of California’s growing wolf population on the state’s cattle. Findings show that wolves are eating more cattle than natural prey, and that the presence of wolves may be causing stress on livestock.
Listen
16:38
Listen to the conversation:
Guests: Tina Saitone, professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Davis, and Rick Roberti, president of California’s Cattlemen Association
What the studies say: The first study examined wolf scat from the Lassen and Harvey packs in northeastern California. Researchers found that the scat contained 72% cattle DNA, making up the majority of the wolves’ diet. The second study looked at cortisol (a stress hormone) levels of cattle in the northeastern region, taking samples from the cattle’s tail hair. Cattle in areas with wolf populations had 58% higher cortisol levels than cattle that didn’t.
Why is this happening? Mule deer, the wolves' natural prey, have been in decline in California since the 1970s, causing wolves to turn to livestock, especially in areas more populated by humans.
More about our guests:
- Tina Saitone, professor of agricultural and resource economics at UC Davis and lead author of the two studies.
- Rick Roberti, president of California’s Cattlemen Association.
SoCal History: The art behind California’s citrus crate labels
A scene in an orange orchard.
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Courtesy Benjamin Jenkins
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Getty Images
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The topic
From the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, the orange, particularly the Washington navel orange, was California’s calling card. The fruit became a key symbol for California's prosperity as citrus crate labels during the period featured a wide variety of vibrant images and Art Deco-style illustrations.
Listen
15:00
Listen to the conversation:
Guests: Benjamin Jenkins, author, and Jacob Kelley, creator of 'California’s Citrus Heritage,' an online archive
Citrus Heritage: The late Riverside-born David Gerald Kelley, a citrus rancher and former state senator, had a deep appreciation for the state’s citrus art, as he collected hundreds of original labels over the years. Today, his legacy lives on as his grandson Jacob Kelley has put together a digitized archive called California’s Citrus Heritage, which you can access here.
More about our guests:
- Benjamin Jenkins, author of the books Octopus's Garden: How Railroads and Citrus Transformed Southern California and California's Citrus Heritage.
- Jacob Kelley, creator of California’s Citrus Heritage, an online archive featuring more than 250 digitized citrus labels and commercial art.
Teachers, what was your favorite grade to teach and why?
Isabel Dueñas teaches her transitional kindergarten students how to read at San Miguel Catholic School in Watts.
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Archdiocese of Los Angeles
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The topic:
Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from the teachers out there enjoying their summer vacations: What grade level is your absolute favorite to teach and why?
Listen
17:24
Listen to the conversation:
Larry talks with LAist listeners
Context: Teaching first-graders is likely a little bit different than teaching second-graders, and teaching second-graders is definitely different than teaching eighth-graders. So the question for teachers: What unique facets of teaching one grade versus another make it a better experience for you?
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LAist sat down with two of the minds behind Pawn Shop, a new sports bar on Melrose with menu items like pickle-brined fried chicken and caviar. -
Today on AirTalk: LAUSD insolvency, living with parents as an adult, Pawn Shop sports bar, FilmWeek and horror movie box offices. -
Today on AirTalk: Summer heat wave, electric vehicles, classic board and card games, Arroyo Seco water, best alien movies and TV Talk.
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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.
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