Sponsored message
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
News

President Trump aims to override fire rebuild permitting in LA in new executive order

Construction workers build a home in the Palisades fire zone on the one-year anniversary of the fires.
(
Allen J. Schaben
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.

President Trump aims to override fire rebuild permitting in LA in new executive order

President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order that says the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration "shall consider" implementing rules that would override the state and local permit process for people rebuilding after last year's devastating L.A. fires. One provision of the executive order suggests allowing builders to self-certify compliance with health and safety standards. Another section of the order seems intended to speed up the release of federal relief funds, billions of dollars of of which have not been distributed. Another section seeks legislation on speeding up rebuilding, and a final piece orders an audit of how some federal funds have been spent. Joining AirTalk this morning to discuss the order, its legal footing, and potential impact across Los Angeles is Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles, Kathryn Barger, LA County supervisor, and Justin Levitt, professor of constitutional law at Loyola Marymount University.

With files from LAist.

Why is the term narcissism showing up everywhere these days?

Are you hearing the word narcissist being used in conversation to describe an ex-lover? A step parent? A dear friend? Over the past decade, the word narcissist has gone from a clinical term to a staple of everyday language. Once used primarily in psychological contexts to describe a specific personality disorder, it is now commonly applied to those around or public figures, often as shorthand for selfish or manipulative behavior. What accounts for this shift? Perhaps the growing desire towards naming our experiences and making sense of our relationships. But has overuse of the word meant a dilution of its meaning? Joining us today on AirTalk is professor of psychology at the University of Georgia, Keith Campbell.

A new book explores the concept of “truth” itself

In an era of AI deepfakes and a misinformation malaise lingering in the background, delineating truth from fiction is a task that is becoming increasingly hard. As AI advances, and the role of trustworthy and reliable reporting is called further into question, it’s not unreasonable to ask oneself whether or not the idea of an actual “truth” even matters in the modern era. Whether actions are taken without a real basis and on faulty information or not doesn’t mean they aren’t taken. Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, a science education and advocacy publication makes the case in his new book Truth: What it is, How to Find it, Why it Still Matters that despite the moment we are in, there is still value in striving for truth. He joins Larry this morning to share his thoughts.

Sponsored message

Sound stages from independent studios are struggling in Hollywood’s production slowdown

Just last week, Hackman Capital Partners turned over the Radford Studio Center in Studio City to its lender Goldman Sachs. Once one of Hollywood’s largest independent studio operators, Hackman Capital Partners had defaulted on the property’s mortgage, citing the slowdown of film and television production that has been plaguing the industry since before the pandemic. But, Radford Studio Center is not just an outlier. According to FilmLA, which tracks production in Los Angeles, occupancy at these studios have been declining for years. The fate of Hollywood’s independent sound stages is explored in a recent piece from the LA Times, where reporters talked to several independent studios about the current production rate. Joining us to discuss the piece is co-author and entertainment business reporter for the LA Times, Samantha Masunaga. We are also joined by Kevin Klowden, a fellow at the Milken Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank with a focus on financial, physical, mental, and environmental health based in Santa Monica.

Is your car underwater…financially? You’re not alone

As we enter the sixth year of a post-pandemic car economy, the auto industry has been on a rocky road to say the least, and equipping all-terrain tires might not be enough. US car buyers are feeling the financial bumps. Rising MSRPs of new vehicles, a steady increase in used vehicle prices, and acute supply chain shortages are just some of the major factors that have made vehicle affordability for Americans a persistent issue. As of 2025, 100 million Americans are on auto loans, and despite it being the country's third-largest consumer credit market, falling ‘underwater’ on loans has become more common. But, trading in vehicles before they're fully paid off isn't a new concept for consumers, and it's long been a common part of car ownership in the U.S. What's changed is how expensive that habit has become, as new data from Edmunds suggests that financial pressure on auto consumers is on a perpetual uptick. Joining us today to walk us through what the recent rises in negative equity mean for car owners and the path forward for buyers is Edmunds consumer insights analyst Joseph Yoon.

A new book explores the cultural impact of American Jews in a post-WWII landscape

It may seem odd to write a quadruple biography about four different men working in separate fields, but attempts to do just that. Eminent Jews: Bernstein, Brooks, Friedan, Mailer offers accounts of four prominent Jewish men in America after World War II. Author and New Yorker staff writer David Denby makes the case that these men straddled their dual identity of being both Jewish and American, and in doing so each left their own mark on the American canon. Today on AirTalk, Denby joins Larry to share how he came about writing this book, and the men who inspired it.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.

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.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today

A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right