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Lifeguards rescue thousands at CA beaches, dining solo, LAX people mover, road trip stops and more
Commission Chair Robert C. Bonner, right, long-time head of L.A. Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, speaks to commissioners during their meeting at St. Anne's Family Services in Los Angeles on June 26, 2025.
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Genaro Molina
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Getty Images
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Jump to
- Why the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission hasn’t used its subpoena power yet
- SoCal Surf is unusually high — here’s how to stay safe
- What goes into a good solo dining experience?
- The latest on LAX’s people mover
- What makes the classics ripe for adaptation?
- Let’s pull over! What’s your go-to road trip stops?
Today's show: AirTalk guest host Josie Huang discusses the latest with the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, dangerous water conditions at SoCal beaches, solo dining, LAX people mover, adapting the classics and road trip stops. Josie also hosts LAist's Weekend Edition.
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Why the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission hasn’t used its subpoena power yet
The topic:
In 2020, L.A. County passed Measure R, which gives the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission subpoena power to better hold law enforcement agencies accountable during conduct reviews. However, even six years in, challenges remain to get the L.A. County Sheriff Department to comply.
Why the delay? State labor law requires the county meet with the unions that represent sheriff deputies whenever the law may be affected, including subpoena power. The Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission is challenging this requirement.
Why now? This challenge comes as the oversight commission wants access to case files regarding a 2023 incident in which a L.A. County sheriff’s deputy (who later pleaded guilty) beat up a transgender man in Whittier.
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For more: You can read more of LAist’s Frank Stoltze’s reporting on the issue here.
Guest:
- Frank Stoltze, civics and democracy correspondent at LAist
SoCal Surf is unusually high — here’s how to stay safe
Surfers make their way through the early morning mist after catching a few waves in Santa Monica on March 13, 2026.
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Genaro Molina
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Getty Images
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The topic:
A high surf advisory along the Los Angeles coast is in effect today, with a beach hazard statement also currently in effect. Today on AirTalk, we look at what’s causing these conditions, and how beachgoers can stay safe.
The cause: The elevated swells are due to Hurricane Genevieve, which is meandering in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California. It reached Category 5 status briefly on Monday, but has since weakened and is expected to stay out at sea.
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Staying safe: Forecasters recommend staying out of the water altogether, noting that rock jetties can become deadly in current conditions. If you do choose to enter the water, forecasters say to stay near occupied lifeguard towers.
Guests:
- Kanoa Pick, graduate student at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institute of Oceanography who studies waves
- Ed Castillo, owner of Golden State Lifeguards, a private company providing lifeguards for private pool and beach events
What goes into a good solo dining experience?
Do you like dining alone?
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Iryna Semeniuk
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iStockphoto
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The topic:
On its face, there isn’t anything inherently wrong about getting a reservation for one. However, social stigma has made many folks believe that dining with a group is the only acceptable way to dine at a restaurant. Today, we’re getting into why that might be the case, and digging into the best practices for solo dining.
What data is saying: The reservation platform, OpenTable, shared with the Washington Post that reservations for solo dining were up by 23% in the last year, the largest increase for any party size.
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Join the conversation: Are you a solo diner? What are your tips on dining by yourself? Do you find yourself socializing with strangers more, or doing other things to pass the time while you wait for your order? Share your thoughts by calling (866) 893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Guest:
- Elazar Sontag, food critic for the Washington Post, his piece is I love dining alone. So should you.
The latest on LAX’s people mover
The workers represented by the union have been testing and commissioning the LAX Automated People Mover, which is seen here going through reliability and safety testing in April 2026.
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Kavish Harjai / LAist
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The topic:
Today on AirTalk, we look at the latest on LAX’s beleaguered people mover project after the contractor building the system filed a lawsuit against the city.
The lawsuit: In the suit, filed with the L.A. County Superior Court on July 9, LINXS alleges that the city is misplacing blame in construction-related disputes and refusing to extend contract deadlines. LINXS also alleges it’s owed additional compensation as a result of the delays.
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The status of the People Mover: The project, a 2.25-mile-long elevated train designed to transport riders between airport terminals and local transit, is currently undergoing testing. Work on the train is scheduled to be complete “in a few months,” according to a June interview with Los Angeles World Airports CEO John Ackerman on the L.A. in a Minute podcast.
Go deeper: Read the full story here
Guest:
- Kavish Harjai, LAist transportation correspondent
What makes the classics ripe for adaptation?
Mia Goth as Melantho and Anne Hathaway as Penelope.
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Melinda Sue Gordon
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Courtesy Universal Pictures
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The topic:
The success of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey can’t be overstated — it's made more than $600 million worldwide, and it's tracking to be the director’s most commercially successful film. So what exactly has made audiences interested in this centuries-old poem?
Straightforward examples: Other projects that choose to closely recreate the world-building in Homer’s literature include the 1954 film Ulysses and the 2024 film The Return.
Abstract examples: The Coen brothers did a loose interpretation of Homer’s The Odyssey with their 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Another example that was released during the aughts was the Percy Jackson book series, which was eventually adapted for film.
Join the conversation: Do you have a favorite example of an adaptation of Greek and Roman literature? Share your thoughts by calling (866) 893-5722.
Guests:
- Monica Cyrino, professor of classics at the University of New Mexico who focuses on classical reception in pop culture and media
- Alex Purves, professor of classics at UCLA
Let’s pull over! What’s your go-to road trip stops?
What are your road trip stops?
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Bun Lee
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Getty Images
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The topic:
It’s easy to get stuck in the mundane of just driving from point A to point B, especially in L.A. But what about those longer trips where you aren’t in such a rush to beat traffic or take a bathroom break? Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from you about the bites and sites that have become their own destinations along the way.
Join the conversation: Do you make a point to take detours on your trips? What was something you stopped for and was it worth getting out of your car? Are you into the weird sites or just a really good restaurant out in the middle of nowhere? Share your thoughts by calling (866) 893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Guest:
- Doug Kirby, publisher and co-founder of roadsideamerica.com
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Today on AirTalk: fires in France, AI in Hollywood, learning to swim, the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, how cannabis affects sleep and sharing a workplace with friends. -
Today on AirTalk: Rise of L.A. homelessness, bringing back grizzly bears, convenience technologies, PetTalk and SoCal's fruit tree history. -
Owner of Chaiwale & Co. talks about how he’s preserving the traditions around sipping chai.
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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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