The Los Angeles Local News Initiative will bolster local LA County coverage
A collective of Los Angeles media executives and philanthropists announced a new project today that will dedicate nearly $15 million to provide county residents free access to local and state news. Participants in the initiative include this very newsroom LAist, as well as its partner CalMatters, which will both cover Los Angeles regional news…
Today on AirTalk, we speak with LAist executive editor Megan Garvey and Ashley Alvarado, vice president of community engagement & strategic initiatives at LAist to talk about how this new funding will serve our listeners and readers. Have questions about the new initiative? Call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Previewing the presidential debate
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to face off in a debate Tuesday night. A lot has changed since the last Presidential debate in June. For starters, there's a new Democratic candidate in town. President Joe Biden stepped aside from his reelection campaign in July, endorsing Harris, after a lackluster debate performance. Harris has since stepped up to the plate and Former President Trump survived an assignation attempt. Today on AirTalk, we are breaking down everything you need to know about the Presidential debate. Joining us to discuss is Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist, founder and chief executive officer of Rodriguez Strategies and Rob Stutzman, Republican political consultant and president of Stutzman Public Affairs in Sacramento. We also want to hear from you. What topics are you hoping the candidates will talk about? What will you be looking for in the debate between Harris and Trump? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Agave spirit production and sales are booming, but how is sustainability factoring into its long-term growth?
More than any other spirit, tequila and mezcal have generated the most year-to-year growth for sales in the United States this decade. With many celebrities investing in certified mezcal/tequila producers, like George Clooney’s brand Casamigos and the Lebron James–affiliated Lobos 1707, it’s become understood that blue agave farms will be tested as production ramps up. So for certified producers in Mexico, what are the long-term implications going to be for maintaining this growth? Alongside those growing in Mexico, California agave spirit producers are also taking part in the interest, without the kind of marketing found in labels like “tequila,” by growing the plant and distilling it here in roughly similar weather conditions that can be found in the sunshine state. So for California growers, in a local industry still in its infancy, how can it build off the popularity found by their colleagues across the border? Joining us to discuss the booming interest, as well as its future outlook, is Ivan Vasquez, chef and owner of the Oaxacan restaurant and mezcalería Madre, and Craig Reynolds, founding director of the California Agave Council, a non-profit trade association of California agave growers and distillers.
Climate Solutions Week: How water limitations are changing farming in the Imperial Valley
Nearly half – 46% – of all the water drawn from the Colorado River goes to growing feed for beef and dairy cows, according to a recent study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. It’s the most detailed analysis yet of how the river’s water is used. Currently, the biggest users of Colorado River water are farmers in the Imperial Valley in southern California. The region is an agricultural powerhouse. Almost all the leafy greens and vegetables like broccoli that Americans eat in the winter are grown in the Imperial Valley and next door in Yuma, Arizona. But for much of the year, the region’s primary crops are alfalfa and other hay crops, which have one primary purpose: feeding beef and dairy cows in the U.S. and around the world. The valley is also home to cattle ranches with hundreds of thousands of cows. So as the Colorado River becomes increasingly stressed due to all that demand, plus the worsening impacts of climate change, could it be saved if Americans – and the world – ate less beef, cheese and yogurt? Today on AirTalk, LAist Climate Emergency Reporter Erin Stone and third-generation Imperial Valley farmer Trevor Tagg join Larry to explore this question.
Remembering actor James Earl Jones, who passed away at 93
James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen — eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader — has died. He was 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning at home in New York’s Hudson Valley region. The cause was not immediately clear. Today on AirTalk, we’ll discuss James Earl Jones’s storied career and legacy with LAist film critics Wade Major and Peter Rainer.
With files from the Associated Press
She transformed makeup culture and built a business empire all before women could vote
Elizabeth Arden was an international revolutionary in the world of skin care and makeup and created a business empire before women even had the right to vote. She was connected to British royalty and elites throughout the world, including in Hollywood, but part of her legacy is expanding inclusivity around glamor and makeup. Today on AirTalk, we discuss Arden's legacy with Stacy A. Cordery, professor of history at Iowa State University and author of Becoming Elizabeth Arden: The Woman Behind the Global Beauty Empire (Viking, September 3, 2024). If you have questions, call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
