Local Scholars Issues Final Recommendations On How To Improve Accountability and Responsiveness In LA City Government

A working group of local politics and governance experts have released their final recommendations for how the City of Los Angeles can reform the structure of its government to increase accountability and avoid future instances of corruption like we’ve seen over the last several years. THey include the creation of separate independent redistricting commissions for L.A. City and the L.A. Unified School District, increasing the size of the L.A. City Council to 25 members and the size of the LAUSD School Board to 11 members, and ethics reforms like giving the L.A. City Ethics Commission power to approve ethics legislation and expanding the size of that committee as well.

Today on AirTalk, we’ll speak with the co-chairs of the LAGRP -- Ange-Marie Hancock, former USC Professor and current executive director of the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at The Ohio State University, and Gary Segura, professor of public policy, political science, and Chicano and Chicana Studies UCLA --to find out more about these final recommendations and how they envision they’ll be considered for implementation by local lawmakers.

Cool Places, Sweet Bases: Third Places

Central Perk on Friends, Monk’s Cafe on Seinfeld, Cheers on, well, Cheers…All these are examples of “third places,” spots that aren’t home, or work, or school–they’re something else. Coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in 1989, third places are for folks to unwind, connect with community, and just be around other people, whether you’re socializing or not. But it’s been a rough few years for third places, with the pandemic hitting businesses hard, and social distancing curtailing the use of public spaces. Young folks especially have felt their loss. When you were a kid, tween, or teen you probably had a spot you’d hang out at. The mall? The park across the street? Wherever it was, we want to hear about it: what was–or is–your third place? Where do you hang out and why? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com. Joining us to discuss are Renee Yaseen, who writes The Washington Post’s Post Grad column, a weekly series dedicated to the experience of recent graduates and early career professionals and Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University, and author of Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents and What they Mean for America’s Future.

What’s The Tea On Bubble Tea: The Best Places For Boba In Los Angeles

Walk down almost any street in LA and you'll see a shop selling boba tea, or bubble tea if you prefer that name. Whatever you call it, you can't deny its popularity. Bubble tea originated in Taiwan in the eighties and has since become a drink enjoyed worldwide. It is the combination of boba, small tapioca balls coated in sweet syrup, and milk tea. The chewy, almost gummy texture of the boba adds a fun surprise to every sip. Today on AirTalk, we'll be sipping on some bubble tea from Latea Tea Lounge, located in Culver City, and speaking to the shop's founder and owner Jack Hsiao about the history of boba tea and his personal connection to the drink. We also want to hear from you! Where is your favorite place to get boba tea in Los Angeles? Tell us at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.

FilmWeek: ‘Wonka,’ ‘Godzilla Minus One,’ ‘Godard Cinema’ And More

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Wade Major and Andy Klein review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms:

“Wonka” Wide Release
“Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire” In Select Theaters
“The Zone of Interest” AMC Century City [Century City] + Vista Theatre [Los Feliz]
“The Taste of Things” Laemmle Royal [West LA] | Opens wider February 9th, 2024
“American Fiction” In Select AMC Theaters
“Freud’s Last Session” Laemmle Royal [West LA] Dec. 21st | Wider Release January 2024
“Godzilla Minus One” Wide Release
“Anselm” Laemmle Glendale [Glendale] + AMC Santa Monica 7
“Godard Cinema” Laemmle Royal [West LA] | Opens wider at Select Theaters December 18th
“The Family Plan” Streaming on AppleTV+