Rents in West Coast cities are on the rise. Rep Mark Takano joins us to talk about what's happening in the Inland Empire, where people are spending up to 50 percent of their income on rent. Then, LA Times revamps its Homicide Report blog, vigilantes in the Mexican state of Michoacan face off against Knights Templar drug cartel, and developer Rick Caruso explains why his outdoor mall model is such a hit, plus much more.
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• 4:41
The data shows that San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles all had increases in rent prices during the month of December. And that rise isn't just confined to the state. Portland also had a 10.5 percent month-to-month average increase.
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• 6:48
Congressman Mark Takano's paper "Rent on the Rise in Riverside" notes that a third of renters out there are paying more than 50 percent of their income on housing.
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• 2:34
A shortage of Korean-speaking foster parents spurs a partnership between the county's Department of Family and Child Services and Korean organizations.
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• 5:19
The stories of homicide victims might have stayed anonymous if it weren't for the Los Angeles Times and its revamped blog, The Homicide Report. The report debuted in 2007 as a way to tell unknown stories of homicide victims. This week it re-launched
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• 5:53
L.A. County Sheriffs have come from within the department for the past century. Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell wants to change history.
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• 2:48
Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought here last week and made a reference to it in his State of the State speech yesterday. As Governor Brown was speaking, House Speaker John Boehner was gathering with a trio of San Joaquin Valley Republicans near Bakersfield.
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• 6:02
Americana at Brand is the work of L.A. developer Rick Caruso, who's also responsible for The Grove in the Fairfax district and about 10 other projects throughout California and Nevada.
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• 9:05
New Yorker writer Hilton Als' latest book, "White Girls," a collection of essays that explores the intersections of race, gender and sexuality. The book is a finalist for a National Book Critics Award.
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• 14:21
It's Thursday, and that means it's time for State of Affairs, our look at politics and government throughout California.
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• 7:38
Casino buses are part of a booming business in California, but as these buses have soared in popularity, a KPCC investigation found regulation has become more lax.
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• 6:40
The IAVA has created what it calls the Rapid Response Referral Program to help veterans navigate post-war life. That program is already underway in New York, and starting tonight, it launches here in Los Angeles.
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• 5:37
In the Mexican state of Michoacan, armed vigilante groups have challenged a powerful drug cartel, known as the Knight Templars. Federal forces have moved in to dozens of municipalities and some residents are expressing relief and concern.
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• 4:42
The latest boom in Silicon Valley has brought with it massive traffic jams, stratospheric housing costs, and resentful blowback.
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• 6:19
We took your suggestions for songs about the rain, hoping that they'd bring rain... and we played them on the radio.