Laguna Beach rally remained peaceful, state audit examined potential causes of the high suicide rate in CA prisons, the history and science of the solar eclipse.
CA State Auditor investigates spike in suicides for female inmates
California prisons have a much higher suicide rate than other states - 22 self-inflicted deaths per one hundred thousand inmates. The average for other states is around 15 per one hundred thousand.
And the state’s female inmates are disproportionately impacted. From 2013 to 2014, women were just 4 percent of the state’s prison population but accounted for 11 percent of suicides.
These statistics prompted a state audit aimed at figuring out what caused this spike.
Take Two spoke with Margarita Fernández, Chief of Public Affairs for the California State Auditor.
To listen to the full segment, click the blue play button above.
How Laguna Beach police prepared for Sunday's "America First" protests
There were protesters - at least one with a swastika tattoo - railing against illegal immigration under the banner "America First."
And others with signs saying "Reject racism," and "Make America Human Again."
Last night, what could have been a violent confrontation ended peacefully in Laguna Beach.
Most everyone agrees that's because local police were really on their toes...
They managed to keep the two sides apart and moved to shut down the demonstration before things got out of hand.
Sargeant Jim Cota is with the Laguna Beach Police Department. He told Take Two's how the department monitored the event.
To hear the full conversation, click th eblue player above.
Americans have always been awed by eclipses
OK, it's been 99 years. But it's not the first time an eclipse has happened over the country, and in the past, the disappearing sun stirred up an array of reactions and superstitions.
David Baron is the author of "American Eclipse: A Nation's Epic Race To Catch The Shadow Of The Moon And Win The Glory Of The World."
His book looks back on how Americans have received eclipses in the past, particularly a pivotal one in 1878. His obsession with eclipses started when he saw his first total one in Aruba 19 years ago. In his book, he details the celestial event and the spirituality it invokes in many.
To listen to the full segment, click the blue play button above.
What scientists are watching for during the eclipse
As everyone watches the eclipse today, we spoke to two scientists about what they're excited for during the celestial event.
Collin O'Mara Green is one of the on site astronomers at Griffith Observatory during the eclipse.
“The biggest question I’ve gotten so far is why is this special, and what is this all about? And really, it is special in one way in that the entire United States has a chance to see at least a partial eclipse… but I like to think it is special because we’re having a chance to really understand our place in the solar system… It gives us a better chance of where we are in this crazy universe of ours.”
We also spoke with Bruce Betts, director of science and technology at the Planetary Society.
"These are the kind of moments [that get people interested in science] and there’s the ones that we create, like spacecrafts and rockets, and then there are the ones that nature provides, and this could really start the engineers and scientists of the future if kids get excited about this - which, they will."
To listen to the full segment, click the blue play button above.
California Canon: 'Additional Dialogue, Letters of Dalton Trumbo'
All summer, for our series The California Canon, we've brought you great books about the Golden State. In our latest installment, Take Two contributor David Kipen looks at the book, "Additional Dialogue, Letters of Dalton Trumbo," written by Dalton Trumbo.
He was an Oscar-winning screenwriter who wrote films like "Roman Holiday" and "The Brave One," but he didn't get credit because of the anti-Communist blacklist.
He refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in 1947 at the height of their investigation into Communist influences in Hollywood.
His life was depicted in the 2015 film "Trumbo," which starred Bryan Cranston.
During that time period, as he furiously worked to write screenplays, he also wrote expressive and entertaining letters. Many of them were to friends and colleagues, but he also wrote to people who annoyed or angered him.
Here's actor Paul Giamatti performing a live read of one of Trumbo's letters ... this one is an exchange he had with his telephone company. Notice that he refers to the company as burglars. This was part of American Masters: Trumbo, which aired on PBS.
is the founder of the Libros Schmibros lending library.
Click on the blue play button above to hear the entire segment.