Early study finds Palisades and Eaton firefighters have elevated blood levels of mercury and lead

Firefighters on the frontlines of the Eaton and Palisades fires earlier this year were exposed to considerable amounts of smoke and debris. Recent results from an early study found that firefighters' blood contained elevated levels of both lead and mercury. The research comes from LA Fire Health Study, a 10 year research project that focuses on the impact of the LA fires, collaborating with researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California at Davis, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Joining us to discuss the study is Dr. Kari Nadeau, chair of the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and researcher with the L.A. Fire Health Study.

The dangers of rebuilding the Malibu coastline. Should we do it anyway?

Rebuilding a home after a wildfire comes with risks and drawbacks. Will a fire strike the area again? Is the lot safe from toxic debris? But if you’re one of the homeowners who lost their home along the Malibu coast in the Palisades fire, you have a whole other set of conditions to consider. Conditions like rising sea levels, eroding coastlines, and bigger, more damaging waves caused by stronger storm events. Today on AirTalk, we’re looking at the cost of rebuilding along the Malibu coastline. Joining us for the conversation are Timu Gallien, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UCLA and Gary Griggs, distinguished professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

California is known for its citrus, and this farm has been in the game for over 30 years

We all know the stories of Southern California once being nothing but miles and miles of orange groves. Citrus is steeped in the region’s history and mythology. Now, you’d be hard pressed to find even a small acreage orchard outside of a few counties. Today on AirTalk, we’re joined by Vince Bernard, owner of Bernard Ranch in Riverside, and his business and marketing associate, Lori Lim, to talk about California’s citrus industry and the wide varieties of fruits that are still grown in Southern California today.

FilmWeek: ‘Death of a Unicorn,’ ‘The Ballad of Wallis Island,’ ‘Thank You Very Much,’ and more

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Lael Loewenstein and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on-demand platforms.

• Death of a Unicorn Wide Release 
• Ballad of Wallis Island AMC Burbank 16|AMC Burbank Town Center 6| AMC Century City 15
• Grand Tour In Select Theaters 
• Thank You Very Much In Select Theaters 
• The Penguin Lessons In Select Theaters 
• Being Maria Landmark Nuart Theater [West LA]
• Audrey’s Children In Select Theaters 

Feature: Fandango releases study highlighting moviegoing, summer box office

Earlier this week, American entertainment company Fandango published a study that surveyed moviegoers, casual and loyal, on their viewing habits. Insights ranged from the way they learned about movies, to what amenities made the theatrical experience most worthwhile. With CinemaCon— a yearly event comprised of theater chain owners— happening next week in Las Vegas, we thought it’d be good to dig into this data and break down what’s driving moviegoing this year. Joining us, alongside our critics Lael Loewenstein and Manuel Betancourt, is Deadline business editor Dade Hayes.