How are local businesses faring in the wake of the LA fires?
Local businesses are reeling in the wake of devastating wildfires that impacted regions surrounding Altadena and Palisades. Some have announced closures. Today on AirTalk, we hear from business owners as they deal with the fallout. Larry starts off the conversation with Samira Husein, owner of Dakota+Rowan, a thrift store in Sierra Madre, Leah Ferrazzani, owner of Ferrazzani's Pasta and Market, and Christopher Tompkins, founder of Broad Street Oyster Company. If you're business owner that’s been impacted, give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
What to do when returning home after a fire: we ask a health expert and a fire restoration specialist
Residents of LA County are returning home to ash-covered floors and smoke-filled vents in the aftermath of the Palisades and Eaton fires. Now begins the clean-up process and the sifting through ash to find what is still salvageable. For those returning home, there are many questions about the clean-up and restoration process. What toxins should you test for? What items should be thrown out and replaced? How do you wash your walls and floors safely? Today on AirTalk, we take your questions about how to safely return home after a fire. Joining us are Dr. Muntu Davis, County Health Officer for Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and Genna Grinblat, executive vice president of Servpro Global DRT.
How does pop culture impact your views on relationships? New book ‘Hello Stranger’ looks at one person’s own journey
A new book by LAist film critic, Manuel Betancourt, uses his own experience as a gay man to get into what it means to share intimate moments with others. In Hello Stranger: Musings on Modern Intimacies, Betancourt weaves together the personal with popular culture to truly examine what is required to fulfill one’s life. Is monogamy always the answer to one’s romantic interests? Should films like Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise or William Friedkin’s Cruising impact how you put yourself out there? Along with film, Betancourt also references poetry and musicals as a way to make sense of desire and not fixate on societal pressure. Today on AirTalk, we talk to Manuel Betancourt about his new book, Hello Stranger: Musing on Modern Intimacies.
We also want to hear from you: How have media and pop culture impacted your views on relationships and romance? What would you cite as a formative book, film, or other art form that helped you better understand what you want out of a relationship? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
A look at the future of gender-affirming care in California
A Los Angeles health clinic says it’s losing federal funding as a result of President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting transgender people. On Monday, St. John’s Community Health, one of the largest free and reduced-cost providers in Los Angeles, reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday terminated a $1.6 million grant that was supposed to support its transgender health and social services program. St. John’s is the first California health provider to publicly report service impacts as a result of the Trump administration’s actions. According to a letter from the CDC, the grant was ended to comply with an executive order requiring federal agencies to only recognize two genders. The grant, which started in 2022, was funded through the CDC’s HIV prevention program. A St. John’s representative has said that they will not cut services and is prepared to sue over the continued withholding of federal money. This comes as the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles announced on Tuesday that they will pause hormonal therapy for patients under the age of 19 in light of President Trump’s executive order. Joining us today on AirTalk is Kristen Hwang, health reporter for CalMatters, and Jim Mangia, president and CEO of St. John’s Community Health. With files from CalMatters.
New digital short series ‘LOCATIONLAND’ explores famous and forgotten film locations
Have you ever wondered where filmmakers shot some of Hollywood’s most iconic films? Well, the new digital short series ‘LOCATIONLAND’ from PBS SoCal takes viewers around Southern California, highlighting some of the most hidden in plain-sight filming locations from movies such as ‘Grease’ and the cult classic ‘Plan 9 From Outer Space.’ The three-part series is hosted by ‘locationologist,’ Harry Medved, who guides viewers through film history, scouts locations like the Hollywood Sign, and interviews Hollywood legends Randal Kleiser and Joe Dante. Joining us today to talk about the new series is Harry Medved, author, film historian, and host of LOCATIONLAND, and Harry Pallenberg, documentary filmmaker and producer/director of LOCATIONLAND.
You can stream the first two episodes of ‘LOCATIONLAND’ exclusively on PBS SoCal’s Youtube and pbssocal.org. Episode 3, ‘Ed Wood’s Plan 9 Adventures’ releases Monday, February 10th.
TV Talk: ‘The Bachelor,’ ‘Wild Cards,’ ‘Clean Slate,’ and many more
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. Each week, we will try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching with Danette Chavez, Editor-in-Chief of The A.V. Club and Kristen Baldwin, tv critic for Entertainment Weekly.
