Today on the show, reporter Sonia Nazario fills us in on the latest in the Central American migrant crisis. Then, the city of Bell to consider plan to shelter young migrants. Plus, USDA rescinds ban on cattle inspectors working in Mexico, before Uber and Lyft was the battle against jitney cabs, what California gets from Citigroup's $7B mortgage crisis payout, planting 'Seeds of Peace' in a time of conflict, plus much more.
Should the rise of young migrants from Central America be considered a refugee crisis?
The increase of young migrants from Central America poses a central dilemma to U.S. policy: how to respond to the surge of children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border?
In her latest opinion piece in the New York Times, journalist Sonia Nazario makes the case that the problem should be considered a refugee crisis.
City of Bell to consider plan to shelter young migrants
We’ve been talking about the rise of migrants from Central America, many of whom are children.
One of the biggest challenges facing the U.S. is what to do with the young migrants – many of whom are separated from parents or adults – once they get here as they face court proceedings or deportation. Angry crowds in Murrieta turned back buses of migrants a couple weeks ago.
But a plan taking shape in the South L.A. city of Bell could temporarily house some of the migrants at a shelter. For more, we’re joined by Nestor Valencia, mayor of the city of Bell.
New report highlights need for better groundwater management in CA
In drought years like this one, groundwater is an extremely important resource — we rely upon it to make up for the lack of rain.
Here in California, as the drought drags on, it's become an increasingly scarce resource as more groundwater is pumped out than can be replenished. A new report out from the California Water Foundation offers some recommendations for better management of groundwater resources in California.
Andrew Fahlund, the deputy director of the California Water Foundation, joins Take Two to discuss the findings and recommendations of the report.
How effective are 'cash for grass' drought relief programs
California's top water officials meet tomorrow to consider mandatory limits on outdoor water use in cities.
Even before the drought began, local water agencies had been trying a kinder approach, offering the carrot of homeowners incentives to rip out their lawns. How effective have those efforts been?
KPCC's environment correspondent Molly Peterson tried to find out.
Drought means good business for lawn painting company
For people who don't want to rip out their lawns entirely, but still want to conserve water, there is another way to keep your yard green: paint it. Shawn Sahbari is the president of Green Canary, a company based in Los Gatos, California that makes lawn paint.
He joins us Take Two to explain how it works.
On The Lot: 'Boyhood,' 'Planet Of The Apes' and more
We might have our first Oscar contender of the year! While Apes swept the box office, it was a film that was made over the course of 12 years that stole critics hearts. Plus, a Swedish artist is making a 720-hour long movie and Steven Spielberg goes hunting for a triceratops.
It's time for On the Lot, our weekly discussion of the film biz with Rebecca Keegan of the Los Angeles Times.
"Planet of the Apes" did quite well at the box office this weekend, but so did Richard Linklater's indie epic, "Boyhood." Could this be an Oscar contender?
RELATED: Director Richard Linklater on making his indie epic, "Boyhood"
Pixar — everyone's favorite animation house — is coming out with something new. This new Pixar short doesn't come out until next summer, in fact, there are no Pixar movies at all this year. What's going on there?
Swedish artist Anders Weberg is making a 720-hour long movie. Here's the 72-minute teaser trailer:
Is there any chance that it could be good?
Steven Spielberg came under fire online this weekend for kneeling in front of a triceratops that he supposedly hunted. The image is from the filming of "Jurassic Park," and is obviously not real, but not everyone caught onto the fact that it was fake.
Vine Dad Asks: Can posting videos of your kid online affect their future?
Six seconds can a super star make in this day and age of the Internet. Los Angeles-based freelance writer Nick Confalone is one of those stars.
He has over 220,000 followers on the social media network Vine, after taking advantage of the outlet for uber-quick videos to share home movies of his baby:
It all started out as a lot of fun, but eventually, his son's Internet fame raised some big questions about parenting in the digital age. Nick recently wrote about his experience in Slate, and he joins Take Two to discuss.
Israeli-Palestinian conflict poses challenge for Obama Administration
As the attacks continue between Israel and Gaza, calls for a ceasefire are increasing.
President Obama called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week to offer U.S. help in negotiating a ceasefire with Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza strip. Secretary of State John Kerry, along with his counterparts in France and Germany, offered his help over the weekend.
But for the moment all of these calls seem to have gone unheeded, as both sides continue to trade missile fire and bombs.
Aaron David Miller, a distinguished scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, joins Take Two to discuss what role the Obama Administration can play in bringing the parties to the negotiating table.
Planting 'Seeds of Peace' in a time of conflict
Seeds of Peace is a non-profit organization that brings together young “historic enemies” from regions of conflict at a Camp in Maine.
Campers share a living space and engage in dialogue sessions together as part of a conflict transformation program. Right now, teens from the U.S. are at camp tackling issues facing their communities like racism, immigration, and education policy.
But Seeds of Peace will host their International Camp in a couple weeks, where Israeli and Palestinian teens will come together to begin what organizers and participants hope will be a step in the right direction, toward peace in the region.
Camp Director Leslie Lewin joins Take Two from the camp to talk about the program and the teens involved.
What California gets from Citigroup's $7B mortgage crisis payout
Citigroup announced today it will pay $7 billion for its role in the lead up the financial crisis.
In a settlement deal with the federal government, the company will avoid a lengthy investigation into how it allegedly misled investors over mortgage-backed securities. Many of those mortgages were placed on homes here in Southern California, but most of those went sour.
Out of that money, $4 billion will go to the Department of Justice, $500 million to state attorneys general and $2.5 billion in consumer relief.
Andrew Grossman with the Wall Street Journal joins Take Two with more details of the settlement and what exactly California consumers will get out of the deal.
Concussions in soccer continue to be a major medical issue
The World Cup brought a barrage of big moments, goals and a lot of extra time over the past month.
It also brought a few scary collisions, including one in the World Cup Final, where Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer had a huge collision with Argentina's Ezequiel Garay and continued playing for 14 minutes before he collapsed on the field.
Christopher Nowinski is the Executive Director of the Sports Legacy Institute, which studies brain trauma in athletes and advocates for safer sport policies.
He joins us to talk about concussions in soccer and how they can be prevented or minimized from youth soccer leagues to the World Cup.
Could ER appointments help streamline care?
It sounds a little counterintuitive, but what if you could make an appointment to visit an emergency room? Some hospitals are trying it.
The Affordable Care Act has increased competition for patients. So some ER's have set up systems that allow patients to wait at home until it's their turn to see a doctor. Anna Gorman, with Kaiser Health News visited a Los Angeles area hospital to see how it's working.
LA Ride-Sharing Wars: Before Uber and Lyft was the battle against jitney cabs
Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft are flourishing these days, but it's been a very bumpy ride.
Throughout the country, these car services have met with fierce resistance from cab drivers and city officials who claim there isn't enough regulation to ensure fair competition and passenger safety. Here in Los Angeles, it's history repeating itself.
One hundred years ago this month, a gentlemen picked up a passenger in his Ford Model T, beginning a very heated battle over something known as jitneys. They were at the center of a battle where — and this is going to sound familiar — city officials claimed there wasn't enough regulation to ensure fair competition and passenger safety.
Within a few years of them taking off, jitneys were all but regulated to extinction.
Matthew Mitchell, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, joins Take Two to retell the history of this service and what insight it gives on how the fight over ride-sharing apps could play out.
Kaiser, nurses union brace for contract battle
California's powerful nurses' union is gearing up for a fight with Kaiser Permanente, the largest hospital system in the state.
Bargaining for a new contract at Northern California hospitals begins next week. A lot has changed politically and economically since the last contract was negotiated four years ago. The California Report's April Dembosky has the story.
Where to see the last grunion runs of the season in Southern California
It's summer time in Southern California, and that means the grunion run is on.
Grunions are those small sardine-size fish that come on shore to lay their eggs on sandy beaches. One of the best places to find them is Cabrillo beach in South Los Angeles, and the most recent run was just last night.
"The fish like to come out a couple days after the full moon because they want their eggs to not be disturbed by waves," researcher Dwight Causey at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium told Take Two. "[The tide] mixes up the sand and that causes the release of the eggs into the water."
But big crowds can disturb the fish from landing, says Causey.
"Our research shows the vibration on the sand from people walking or shuffling around, they can feel and they don't necessarily like, and then all the lights can scare them away," says Causey.
April and May are closed to any taking of grunion, according to local scientists, who also urge people to "observe and conserve."
To find out about the next run, visit Cabrillo's grunion page.
The State of Bubbly: Sparkling wine sales are rising in the US
It's Bastille Day today! What better way to celebrate like a Frenchman than with a glass of chilled Champagne?
Perhaps. But the French are popping fewer champagne corks these days themselves. In fact, champs sales are down in France and the rest of Europe. They're rising in the U.S., however, after a slump in 2008, and despite some fierce fizzy competition.
To talk about what's going on in the bubbly department, Wine Spectator's Bruce Sanderson joins Take Two.