An OC nonprofit got $1 million to build a monument. Did it really cost that much?
A nonprofit that Orange County officials have sued for allegedly using public funds for private home purchases received $1 million from the county to build a Vietnam War memorial in Fountain Valley. The nonprofit Viet America Society returned $150,000 of the $1 million for the memorial after the county sued, saying the final costs were lower than anticipated. Work at the memorial remains unfinished. One local architect estimated the cost of the monument at $185,000 or less, after visiting the site and reviewing permit documents and plans for the project. Another national monument builder said it was very unusual for an organization to return money to the funder (in this case, the county) before the project was finished. To better understand the memorial contract, LAist has spent the last few weeks requesting public records, reaching out to memorial builders and architects, and visiting the memorial site in Fountain Valley on multiple occasions to try to answer questions like how the memorial cost $850,000, where the receipts are, whether the work adheres to industry standards and how VAS will pay for work needed to finish the monument now that federal authorities have frozen the organization's bank accounts. Today on AirTalk, LAist Orange County Correspondent Jill Replogle joins us to talk about what her investigation found.
With files from Jill Replogle at LAist.com. You can read her full story here.
Climate Solutions Week: What it means to be a 'zero waste' chef
In the U.S., we throw away more than thirty percent of the food we buy, which translates into roughly 92 billion pounds of waste, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Much of that ends up in landfills, producing significant amounts of greenhouse gasses and exacerbating the climate emergency. A good chunk of that waste comes from restaurants. This is why the efforts of a new crop of chefs and cooks–like siblings Lauren and Phil Pretty of Heritage Restaurant in Long Beach–are essential to the future of fine dining.
The Michelin Green Star is an annual award highlighting restaurants at the forefront of the industry regarding their sustainable practices. Last year, the award went to Heritage, run by siblings Lauren and Phillip Pretty. Today on AirTalk we get a better idea of what exactly goes into the sustainable practices of running a restaurant and what it symbolizes for the future of the restaurant industry. Joining us for this discussion is Gab Chabrán, associate food and culture editor for LAist. Also with us is Phil Pretty, head chef and owner of Heritage Restaurant, a part of the Full Belly Good Group family of restaurants. Lauren Pretty, owner of Heritage Restaurant. Have questions or suggestions on how to run a sustainable restaurant or kitchen call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Food Friday: Bringing a Motor City classic to Los Angeles
In the debate around who makes the best pizza, New York and Chicago typically dominate the conversation. But Detroit-style pizza has something to say. With its thick, airy crust, crispy caramelized edges and signature square shape, Detroit-style pizza packs on the flavor while maintaining a light airiness not found in other styles of pizza. Joining us today is Hunter Leslie, co-founder of Detroit Pizza Depot in Hollywood, who'll share insights on bringing this Midwest classic to Los Angeles.
FilmWeek: ‘Speak No Evil,’ ‘The Killers Game,’ ‘My Old Ass,’ And More
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Wade Major review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms.
Speak No Evil Wide Release
The Killers Game Wide Release
My Old Ass In Select Theaters
Will & Harper In Select Theaters | Streaming on Netflix September 27th
The Critic Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino]
Here After Streaming on Roku
The Mother of All Lies Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]
The Goldman Case Laemmle Royal [Sawtelle] Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino]
Look Into My Eyes In Select Theaters
Am I A Racist? In Select Theaters
Studio One Forever Landmark Sunset [West Hollywood] | Available on VOD October 3rd
Feature: LAist film critic Peter Rainer talks standouts at this year’s TIFF
The biggest film festival in North America, the Toronto International Film Festival, has commenced with a lineup that’s showcasing an array of notable films in a relatively lackluster year following the SAG/WGA strikes. Some major releases include Edward Berger’s star-studded film Conclave, the gender-affirming pop musical Emilia Perez, and the Jason Reitman historical comedy Saturday Night. So Today on FilmWeek, Larry will check in with LAist film critic Peter Rainer, to hear what films have stood out to him at the festival and are worth keeping an eye on once they’re theatrically released.
Feature: ‘Silents Synced’ debuts its cinematic experience with Nosferatu-Radiohead collaboration
Early cinema, despite a lack of conventional sound, has always been engaging as an experience since it’s typically been paired with live scores to match a specific film’s tone. Screening with live scores can still be found today, but Austin’s Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In founder Josh Frank decided to put an interesting spin on the classic concept; Frank decided to change up the experience by pairing silent films with contemporary live performances by bands like Radiohead and R.E.M.. For its first installment of screenings, played in art theaters and drive-ins across the country, they’ll be pairing the 1922 horror film Nosferatu with Radiohead’s albums Kid A and Amnesiac. So today on FilmWeek, we talk to Josh Frank about his latest venture and the thought process behind it.
