The Dodgers head to the World Series to take on the Yankees
The Los Angeles Dodgers are heading to the World Series after beating the New York Mets 10-5 in front of a hometown crowd on Sunday. They now face the Yankees, who beat the Guardians 5-2 on Saturday night. It took until Game 6 in the best-of-seven series for the National League champs to secure their spot in the World Series for the first time since 2020. A World Series win would cap a whirlwind journey for the Dodgers since signing Shohei Ohtani. The team last won the pennant in 2020 after beating the Tampa Bay Rays in six games. Joining to discuss is Nick Roman, former host of LAist’s All Things Considered and one third of AirTalk’s Triple Play.
With files from LAist. Read the full story here
California just completed the largest dam removal in US history. What happens next?
For the first time in more than a century, salmon are swimming freely along the Klamath River and its tributaries — a major watershed near the California-Oregon border — just days after the largest dam removal project in U.S. history was completed. Researchers determined that Chinook salmon began migrating Oct. 3 into previously inaccessible habitat above the site of the former Iron Gate dam, one of four towering dams demolished as part of a national movement to let rivers return to their natural flow and to restore ecosystems for fish and other wildlife.The dam removal project was completed Oct. 2, marking a major victory for local tribes that fought for decades to free hundreds of miles (kilometers) of the Klamath. Through protests, testimony and lawsuits, the tribes showcased the environmental devastation caused by the four hydroelectric dams, especially to salmon. Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss the removal of the Klamath Dam is Dave Meurer, director of community affairs at Resource Environmental Solutions and Damon Goodman, Mount Shasta-Klamath Regional Director for California Trout.
With files from the Associated Press.
SoCal history: How the world’s shortest railway became an LA gem
Angels Flight, a one-block railway line in Downtown Los Angeles’ Bunker Hill neighborhood, originally operated between 1901-1969 before the city finally broke it down to parts and put it in storage. The railway has been used as a functional way for residents to commute between one of the city’s steepest streets. It’s also an internationally recognized tourist attraction. After the city shut the system down, it promised to reopen it, but it would take more than 25 years and a push from restoration advocates for that to become a reality. The line reopened in the late 90s and has faced some ups and downs – no pun intended – since. Today on AirTalk’s SoCal history segment, we discuss the story of Angels Flight Railway. Joining to discuss is the man who led the restoration and redevelopment of Angels Flight in the 90s and president emeritus of the Angels Flight Railway Foundation, John H. Welborne. If you have a memory of Angels Flight to share, call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Residential solar power is essential to combatting California blackouts, but only if you can store it
California experienced a particularly hot summer, with a September heatwave that reached the 110s. And the current fall is shaping out to be a warm one. With summers becoming longer and hotter, many Californians have turned to solar power to decrease electricity bills and safeguard against potential blackouts. But solar power is only as good as the amount you are able to store. Residential solar was previously seen as a good investment even with the added cost of battery storage, but recent changes to solar incentives have cut state pay-backs by 80 percent, making the investment on solar less speedy. Yet, battery storage from residential solar panels has become the backbone of California's energy supply, especially during heat waves. Today on AirTalk, we check-in on the current state of California's solar power with LAist climate emergency reporter, Erin Stone.
You can read more about residential solar power and the importance of battery storage on Calfironia’s infrastructure in Erin’s full story here.
Number of apprehensions at the US-Mexico border saw sharp drop following pandemic highs
Following a post-pandemic surge, Pew Research has found a sharp decrease in migrant encounters at the US-Mexico border; peaking at close to 250,000 encounters in December 2023, the total number recorded in August 2024 was a little over 58,000. Sourcing data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, migrant “encounters” refer to the number of people apprehended at the border for crossing illegally. Some notable decreases in encounters include Salvadoran citizens (64% drop), Haitians (97%), and Venezuelan (99%). Helping to make sense of these data points, and the greater trends they describe, is Nick Miroff, reporter covering immigration enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security for The Washington Post.
What's the single issue driving your vote for president this year?
Imagine you're a single-issue voter...like, there's one thing that's driving your decision on who to vote for this presidential election. What is that issue? Character of the candidate? Reproductive rights? Immigration? The economy? Today on AirTalk, we want to hear what that issue would be for you. Join our live conversation by calling us at 866-893-5722 or by emailing atcomments@laist.com.
