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South LA drill site faces shutdown, low reservoir levels, getting lost, TV Talk and more
The Murphy Drill Site in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.
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Sarah Craig
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Faces of Fracking
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- South LA oil site faces shutdown – here’s why it matters
- The Colorado River reservoirs are at an all-time low. Now what?
- Are we becoming worse at navigation?
- Decline in immigration court bond approvals
- What’s the first thing you learned to cook?
- TV Talk: ‘President Curtis,’ Furious,’ ‘Gone,’ and more!
Today's show: AirTalk guest host Josie Huang discusses the South L.A. oil drilling site facing shutdown, Colorado River reservoir levels, getting lost, first meal you cooked, immigration court bond denials and TV Talk. Josie also hosts LAist's Weekend Edition.
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South LA oil site faces shutdown – here’s why it matters
The topic:
After more than a decade of community organizing, an oil drilling site in Jefferson Park could be shut down. The city of Los Angeles has scheduled a hearing to consider revoking the license to operate the site.
The backstory: What’s known as the Murphy drill site on West Adams Boulevard sits atop the vast Las Cienegas oil field. The site’s name comes from Daniel Murphy, a business tycoon who donated the land to the Roman Catholic Church when he died. The L.A. Archdiocese has leased it to various oil companies for decades.
Why it matters: Although oil wells are present throughout the city, the effects are largely unequal. A 2022 study found twice the number of oil and gas wells in historically redlined neighborhoods, with L.A. topping the list. And numerous studies have found that people living near oil wells, which have been found to leak carcinogens like benzene, are more likely to have higher rates of asthma, preterm births and cancer.
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What the current operator says: The operator disputes studies that show illnesses near the Murphy site, arguing that they did not measure "actual site emissions or exposure and cannot establish causation."
We did reach out to E&B Natural Resources to comment on the scheduled hearing this morning, but they were unable to join the program today.
With files from LAist
Guests:
- Erin Stone, senior climate and environment reporter
- Jill Johnston, associate professor and environmental health researcher at UC Irvine and previously at USC, where she led oil drilling research
The Colorado River reservoirs are at an all-time low. Now what?
Water from the Colorado River flows through the All American Canal Hydro-Electric Plant Drop 4, eventually reaching the Imperial Valley.
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Zaydee Sanchez
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LAist
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The topic:
The largest reservoirs for the Colorado River, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have hit their lowest levels on record. Researchers are warning states to use less water or else risk hydropower production and dam failure.
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The background: The Colorado River provides water for around 35 million people and 5 million acres of farmland from the Rocky Mountains to Northern Mexico. The water was originally divided among states in 1922 from the Colorado River Compact, but the basin has been in a drought since 2000. Around a fourth of Southern California's water comes from the Colorado River.
What’s next: The seven states who share the water haven’t been able to figure out how to cut water usage and now federal water officials are making the decision for them. A new water plan created by the Trump administration is set to be released next week. Meanwhile, Colorado water researchers warn that the reservoirs will continue to set record new lows every day until snow packs melt next season.
Guests:
- Jack Schmidt, director for Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University
- Bill Hasencamp, manager of Colorado River resources for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Are we becoming worse at navigation?
When was the last time you got lost?
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Taras Grebinets
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iStockphoto
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The topic:
There’s no shame in losing your way, it happens to the best of us from time to time. Today on AirTalk, we want to hear about the time you got lost, and how you found your way back.
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Getting lost: We’re talking about physically getting lost here folks. Maybe you went on a hike that you thought was a loop, and only realized three hours into it was actually just a straight trail. Or maybe you thought you knew where you parked at Disneyland, but it turned out to be in an entirely different lot.
Finding your way: How did you find your way back to civilization? Where was your car? Or, if you’re wicked good at not getting lost, how do you go about that?
Join the conversation: Give us a call at (866) 893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Guest:
- Mary Hegarty, cognitive psychologist at the Spatial Thinking Lab at University of California Santa Barbara, who studies our ability navigate
Decline in immigration court bond approvals
A March protest outside the Adelanto detention facility.
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Libby Rainey
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LAist
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The topic:
More than a year and a half into President Donald Trump’s second term, immigration attorneys critical of the administration say political pressure has transformed immigration courts across the country from neutral arbiters to a de facto “deportation machine.” Supporters of stricter immigration laws say that’s by design.
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By the numbers: Adelanto, the privately run detention facility about 90 miles northeast of downtown L.A. in San Bernardino County, has seen the biggest shift in bond denials. Between Jan. 1, 2024, and Nov. 10, 2025, immigration judges there denied about 39% of bond requests, the data analysis shows. Since Nov. 10, 2025, Adelanto judges have denied just over 57% of bond requests.
Why it matters: Immigration attorneys call the shift an abdication of the courts' core principles and a failure to comply with due process that requires judges to consider each case on its merits. Supporters of stricter enforcement say it's long overdue enforcement of the law.
With files from LAist
Guest:
- Jared Bennett, LAist watchdog correspondent who covers immigration and law enforcement
What’s the first thing you learned to cook?
What was the first dish you cooked?
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Halfpoint
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iStockphoto
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The topic:
We all learn how to eat pretty quickly, but learning how to make things to eat is a skill that takes time. Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from you about the first dish you learned how to cook, what that dish means to you and how it’s shaped your relationship to food or cooking.
Join the conversation: Give us a call at (866) 893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com
Guests:
- Delaine Ureño, LAist senior institutional giving officer
- Matt Dangelantonio, LAist senior producer of Daily News
- Jes Whittet, LAist senior leadership circle manager
- Suzanne Levy, LAist Explore L.A. senior editor
TV Talk: ‘President Curtis,’ Furious,’ ‘Gone,’ and more!
What are you watching this week?
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Pituk Loonhong
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iStockphoto
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The topic:
Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching.
TV Shows:
- President Curtis [Season 1] (Adult Swim | HBOMAX)
- Gone [Limited Series] (BritBox)
- King of the Hill [Season 15] (Hulu)
- Furious [Limited Series] (Hulu)
- My Adventures with Superman [Season 3] (AdultSwim | HBOMAX)
- Explore.org’s live bear cams
Guests:
- Kristen Baldwin, freelance TV critic
- Danette Chavez, editor-in-chief of The A.V. Club
-
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. -
Today on AirTalk: Data centers, testosterone testing, fathers taking parental leave, community building in sports and Irvine's live music history.
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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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