LAFD releases much-anticipated After-Action Report on the Palisades Fire

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Fire Department released a long-awaited internal report on its response to the Palisades Fire. The report details challenges with staffing and communication — and highlights a lack of readiness in one of the region’s most robust firefighting forces. The report found that inadequate resources were dedicated to the initial firefight and that evacuation orders were delayed, causing the public to flee and block the roads firefighters needed to access to get to the fire. The report was released hours after federal prosecutors announced the arrest and charging of a man in connection with the fire. Joining us to discuss is LAist science reporter, Jacob Margolis, and Tom Pierce, forensic fire investigator and owner of Pierce Fire Investigations.

With files from LAist.

A new book captures the complicated life and career of Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee’s martial arts work on the silver screen made him a household name in America at a time when those of Asian descent were rarely seen in media. His very presence served as a complicated and nuanced representation for this underseen group. Now, a new book traces the life of Lee and argues his short life had an even greater impact on the world than had been previously considered. Today on AirTalk, Larry speaks with the author of Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America Jeff Chang, about the book and Lee's legacy.

U.S. Colleges asked to sign Trump administration compact for access to federal funding

Last week, the White House asked a handful of U.S. colleges, including the University of Southern California, to sign a 10-page agreement that would fast-track federal funding for those schools. By signing the compact, universities would agree to adopt the Trump administration’s vision for U.S. college campuses, which includes freezing tuition for five years, capping international enrollment, and banning the use of race or sex in either the hiring or admissions process. Critics of the request say they're troubled by the compact’s language surrounding political expression, and California Governor Gavin Newsom has said any in-state colleges that sign it would lose access to state funding. The Trump administration says universities that sign on would be provided “substantial and meaningful federal grants.” Joining us this morning to discuss the compact and the current state of American universities is Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education.

California FAIR Plan seeks rate increase — what you need to know

On Monday, the California FAIR Plan announced that it will seek an average 35.8% rate hike following January’s fires, which caused billions of dollars in losses. In recent years, as insurers have pulled back on coverage in the state due to wildfires, the FAIR Plan has added thousands of policyholders who use the plan as a last resort. The rates, which would hit homeowners unevenly, would be applied for next April. If approved, the rate hike would be the largest in the plan’s history — topping 20.3% in 2019. Joining us today to discuss is Megan Fan Munce, reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle covering California’s home insurance crisis, and David Russell, professor of insurance and finance and director of the Center for Risk Management and Insurance at CSU, Northridge.

TV Talk: ‘DMV,’ ‘Boots,’ ‘The Chair Company,’ and 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 Jen Chaney, freelance TV critic, and Whitney Friedlander, freelance entertainment writer.

TV SHOWS:

• DMV (CBS)
• The Chair Company (HBO Max)
• Boots (Netflix)
• The Last Frontier (Apple TV+)