Is it worth it to develop an area susceptible to wildfires?; Idyllwild resident prepares to evacuate as Mountain Fire continues; Rallies to support, recall Mayor Bob Filner held in San Diego; Flying the Coop: Why urban farmers should do research before raising chickens; 'Naked and Afraid' tests couples' will to survive in the wild; Dodgers' Puig looks to capitalize on meteoric rise; What should a TV show do when a lead actor dies? Plus much more.
Idyllwild resident prepares to evacuate as Mountain Fire continues
The Mountain Fire continues to burn in the mountains above Palm Springs, and about 25,000 acres have burned since the fire began Monday afternoon.
RELATED: Keep up with the latest fire news with KPCC's new Fire Tracker tool
The fire is roughly 15 percent contained and about 6,000 people remain evacuated. Photographer John Drake lives in the town of Idyllwild, which is currently threatened by the fire.
He joins us from his home where he is getting ready to leave -- for the second time.
Is it worth it to develop an area susceptible to wildfires?
For the people who call mountainous areas like Idyllwild home, some might ask why stay in a place susceptible to dangers like wildfires?
For all of the beauty and peace you get most of the time, there are moments of danger like the Mountain Fire. How can land management officials keep up with the demand to protect developments from fires?
Julie Hutchinson, battalion chief at CAL Fire, joins the show to explain how her organization works to make mountain living as safe as possible
Rallies to support, recall Mayor Bob Filner held in San Diego
It's been an interesting week in San Diego. As you may recall, last week, the city's mayor Bob Filner was accused of sexual harassment.
A prominent former supporter urged the 70-year-old Democrat to step down after several woman made accusations that Filner harassed them. Filner has issued an apology, but he's refused to resign.
Now, both supporters and opponents of the mayor are staging rallies outside City Hall. For more on this we're joined by KPBS senior editor Mark Sauer.
Friday Flashback: Senate gets things done, House doesn't
They've passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill, a farm bill, and even a budget. Despite a lot of squabbling, the US Senate has actually gotten quite a bit done. Sadly, most everything they pass on to the House is destined to die there.
How frustrating is it for Senators?
Just one of the topics James Rainey of the L.A. Times, and Nancy Cook of National Journal tackle in our weekly analysis of the news, The Friday Flashback.
'Naked and Afraid' tests couples' will to survive in the wild
One of the draws of reality TV shows like "Survivor" and "Fear Factor" is watching how people thrown into extreme situations react. A new show on the Discovery Channel may have found a way to be even more extreme.
It's called "Naked and Afraid", and that pretty much sums up the premise of the show. Two people are stripped of their clothes and belongings and are dropped into a remote location with 21 days to find their way out.
The prize for being the "fittest" survivor is nothing but pride and bragging rights.
The show's executive producer Steve Rankin joins the show to talk about this outrageous new series.
After 17 years, 80s rocker Adam Ant returns with a new solo album
In the 1980s, Adam Ant made a name for himself with outlandish outfits, elaborate hair and make up and infectious, catchy tunes. Its been a long time since he’s made music, until now. His latest offering is "Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter".
Ant joins the show to tell us about working on his first solo album in 17 years, his diagnosis with bipolar disorder and more.
Interview Highlights:
On the meaning of the album title:
"A Hussar is a 19th century cavalryman. The idea behind the album was a fictional account of possibly a French Hussar, a horsemen. It's an affectionate look back to the 'Kings of Our Frontier' album, which is probably my favorite album of the nine albums I've made. It's the introduction of looking back to the character from 1980 and what he'd look like, 35 years later, now an officer, more experienced.
"Perhaps if he had ridden to Moscow with Napoleon's troops in 1812, and that gave me a metaphor for the second part, 'marrying the gunner's daughter,' which is a naval term for punishment. That reflected some of the business contracts I've signed over the years, so put the two together and you have that long title."
On how he ended up living in a small town called Dayton, Tennessee:
"I arrived there purely by chance. I was getting married at the time, I'm sadly divorced since that time, but the time was when me and my Mrs. to drove from Miami through the U.S. to get married in a chapel in Vegas.
"However, en route we stopped by this very tiny town and had a cup of coffee and I always like to read the local magazines wherever I go. Noticed an A-framed house for sale overlooking the veil of Tennessee. We were in no great rush so took a look at it. I fell in love with it, a devastingly beautiful view. Instead of getting married in Vegas, we got married in the local town hall with sheriffs. It was a very different turn of events but a wonderful time I had."
On living in the small town and the man who inspired the song "Cool Zombie"
"The song 'Cool Zombie' is dedicated to my next door neighbor's father who sadly passed away. He was in the U.S. Navy submarine fleet and he was a very unusual Grandad, he had a Harley Davidson. I noticed that some of the big music stars were still playing kind of the local towns, very small places. There was music everywhere you went, lot of Blues, Country. I think I absorbed the atmosphere much later in this record."
On being diagnosed with bipolar disorder:
"This album has allowed me to really take down the defenses, and it's quite a personal record. It deals with topics like bipolar disorder and dealing with it publicly. Getting back into the music industry three years ago, I knew the questions would be asked and didn't really like that uncomfortable feeling. So I started to discuss it and found the feedback that came back from the public was overwhelming.
"That confirmed it was a subject that many millions of people suffer from, but feel guilty, and this awful taboo and ignorance that surrounds it. I think it's becoming more of a prevalent illness reflecting the stresses of modern day life. One of the best ways of interpreting it was putting it on the album musically. Hopefully it will encourage other people to do the same thing."
On what he hopes people take away from the song "Shrink":
"The message would be that there is hope and that this is an illness, not a disease, and that you can live with it and get on top of it instead of having it control your life."
On the meaning behind the song "How Can I Say I Miss You?":
"That was a very critical song for me because it's about my daughter Lily Caitlin and how during my illness there was a long period of time when I was unable to see or be with her, because I was so unwell. I think that song was just a love song to my daughter because she is most important person in my life. It was a love letter to her and we see each other all the time now, so it's a celebration song."
Scientists meet in effort to craft national ocean exploration program
The earth's oceans contain more than three-hundred million cubic miles of water. Scientists estimate only about 5 percent of those waters and 1 percent of the seafloor have been explored.
This weekend, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach are hosting the first forum to shape a national ocean exploration program.
RELATED: More information about the ocean exploration forum
To tell us more is the event's keynote speaker, Dave Gallo, of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
Baja Mexico's thriving wine region faces unique challenges (Photos)
Mexico is well-known for its alcoholic offerings from beer to tequila, to the newly popular mezcal. But Baja California is also home to a thriving wine region. Producer Meghan McCarty took on the difficult assignment of checking it out.
The drinking started early on the 10-person tour bus down to Baja, but this is not your typical border booze cruise for drunken frat boys. This is a group of discerning foodies on a pilgrimage to the Mexican mecca of fine wine.
The tour is headed to the Valle de Guadalupe, just inland from the beach town of Ensenada. It’s a majestic place of wide open desert vistas hemmed in by mountains dotted with cacti and old haciendas. The van winds slowly over the dusty dirt roads, and you can almost hear the plaintive strumming of a spanish guitar drifting languorously on the breeze.
It’s like Napa 30 years ago they say, though it's doubtful that anyone in the early days of Napa had a setup quite as slick as the one at our first stop, Las Nubes.
“This is the fermentation area. Like most new wineries we try to use gravity as much as possible," said Victor Segura, the winemaker at Las Nubes, which opened in 2008.
Segura utilizes the latest technological advancements in winemaking to turn out his roster of a dozen wines. They’re served in a fortress-like structure made completely of local stones and perched on the side of a hill with a breathtaking view of the valley.
But are the wines any good?
“The wines taste great. You can taste the soul, you can taste that passion he’s got for winemaking. It really comes out," said Marco Montes, who is also along for the wine tour.
Day-tripping tourists aren’t the only ones taking notice. These wines are gaining recognition even among the rarefied ranks of wine critics - people like longtime wine spectator columnist, James Suckling.
“What I like about Mexican wines is they have a certain savory salinity and they also have things like Nebbiolo or Carignan - you know grape varieties that we’re less familiar with," said Suckling.
While the undiscovered nature of these gems appeals to people like Suckling, it’s less advantageous to those who want to grow the industry. Right now 90 percent of the wines produced in Mexico stay in Mexico, but the demand there is limited.
On average, Mexicans drink only half a liter of wine per person per year, while Americans drink nearly 20 times as much. Mariana Martinez de Velasco, who heads up sales for Monte Xanic Winery, has her eye on those customers north of the border.
“That is for us our main focus - the U.S. market," said de Velasco. "Just to have people know that there is Mexican wine. You guys are our neighbors and I just want to invite everyone to taste them.”
The best way to introduce them is tourism, but that industry has taken a major hit due to concerns over security and long waits at the border. Since 2005, cross-border traffic between California and Mexico has dropped by a third. While crime in the region has gone down in recent years, long lines at the border are only getting worse, according to market research consultant, Kenn Morris.
“People are saying, 'is it worth it for me to drive a certain number of minutes, a certain number of hours to get to the border and then be stuck for three hours?' So people always remember their worst border crossing," said Morris.
Even once you make it to the front of the line there’s more bad news. California residents have the unfortunate distinction of being restricted to bringing only one liter of wine back into the state. Even non-residents can have a hard time crossing with their legally entitled bounty, as wine critic James Suckling learned the hard way.
“I was basically held in detention in the secondary checkpoint of the border for over three hours," said Suckling. "They searched my car and made us take everything out of our pockets and said we would be strip searched if we didn’t follow their instructions. It was quite a hairy experience.”
But there is some hope yet. Consumers in California can now order many of these wines online through an importer called Vino From Mexico. They’re popping up in local restaurants, like Loteria Grill and they’ll soon stock the shelves of several Costcos and Whole Foods.
But, if you’re the impatient type, you can always try your luck at the border, like tourist Marco Montes.
"We have three [bottles] in here and two here, and she’s carrying one so we have six," said Montes. "You’re going to have to take a couple of bottles for us.”
Luckily, Montes was able to redistribute his wines among the group and make it over the border with plenty of Mexican wine.
“Larry here helped us out so we’re back in America and we have great wine from Mexico. It was a great day,“ said Montes.
It was a day that brings to mind the old latin phrase: in vino veritas, or in wine there is truth. You may just want to keep it to yourself as you're crossing the border.
Why are Americans so obsessed with berries?
Several years back, most Americans probably hadn't heard of berries like Goji, Acai, or Elderberries. But thanks to a robust berry industry and some good press about antioxidant properties, Americans are buying berries at a record pace.
For more on how berries made it from the muffin sidelines to the produce limelight is Adam Leith Gollner, author of "The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce and Obsession."
Flying the Coop: Why urban farmers should do research before raising chickens
Keeping chickens in Los Angeles is really nothing new, but with the rise in popularity of "urban homesteading," more and more Angelenos are deciding to raise chickens in their backyards.
And why not? Home-raised chickens can provide fresh, better-tasting eggs, and they help keep insect populations down in gardens.
Colleen Hennessey is the Urban Farm Manager at Taking the Reins in Atwater Village. It's a local nonprofit that teaches adolescent girls life skills through horse riding and care. Hennessy says chickens are a great addition to their garden that lies just behind the stables.
But for Hennessey, the chickens are much more than just garden accessories.
"These guys are pets to us," she said. Chickens, like any other animal, are a lot of work.
Michael Holland keeps chickens at his home in Altadena. He's had chickens for more than 15 years and says many new chicken owners may not know what they're getting into.
"It requires a certain amount of care and maintenance, a certain amount of expense. You don't start raising chickens thinking you're going to save money on eggs," said Holland. "Maybe that's where some of the faddists are starting to fall by the wayside. Because they realize, 'Oh, this is work.' It's not romantic; it's work."
Even within the same household, sometimes there are conflicting views on chicken keeping. Michael's wife, Anne Louise Bannon, is not a big fan of the chickens.
"I was a little endeared to them until they started pecking each other and cannibalizing each other. They're really mean little suckers. And I don't even eat eggs, which is funny, but I do appreciate that Michael likes them," Bannon said.
Then there are chicken owners who have no idea what they've gotten themselves into.
Susie Coston is National Shelter Director at Farm Sanctuary, an organization that takes in chickens and other farm animals that urban homesteaders no longer want. Coston says often people who buy chickens don't realize they might be getting some roosters in their flock and, in a lot of places, zoning does not allow for roosters.
"People can order 50 hens online, and they get peeps — little chicks — in the mail. Out of those 50 or 60 peeps they get, they may have five male, and then they're stuck with these roosters they're not allowed to keep," Coston said.
Coston also says that many backyard chicken keepers aren't doing their research before purchasing their animals.
"The other big group we get in is people who say, 'Oh, I thought they were going to lay eggs longer.' And it's a hard one, because, if you're seeing an animal just as something that's giving you a product, once that animal no longer gives you that, they become useless to you. We see these animals as being individuals, and they're really wonderful companions," Coston said.
Back at Taking the Reins in Atwater, Devyn Heart holds a member of the flock. Even though she's only 13, Devyn is the resident chicken expert at Taking the Reins and knows all about different breeds and their personalities.
"The pecking order is kind of funny here. Barred Rocks are on the top. They usually eat the most, and they bully everyone," she said.
That's the thing about keeping chickens in a city: Like Devyn, you really have to love the animals as pets first, and egg-producing garden workers second.
Dodgers' Puig looks to capitalize on meteoric rise
As the second half of the Dodgers season gets under way, there's one player fans seem to be watching more than any other: Yasiel Puig. This week, the Cuban-born outfielder hired a new marketing agent to capitalize on his popularity.
But KPCC's Ben Bergman reports the rookie's commercial future may not necessarily be as bright as he might like.
What should a TV show do when a lead actor dies?
Fans of the show "Glee" are mourning the loss of actor Cory Monteith. The 31-year-old Canadian actor died last weekend from a combination of heroin and alcohol.
In Monteith's last appearance on the hit Fox show, his character Finn was preparing to come back to his old high school and help coach the glee club.
But production on the next season of "Glee" was slated to begin in less than two weeks: the show's writers reportedly held an emergency meeting this week to devise a way to work Finn out of the story.
So how do you go about dealing with a sudden death of a show's actor?
It's a situation Bill Fordes knows well. He's a co-executive producer of the "Law and Order" series, which had to address actor Jerry Orbach's passing in 2004.
Orbach's health had been failing for some time before that, so the writers had time to properly send off his character Det. Lennie Briscoe. But Fordes offers his advice to the writers and producers of "Glee" of what he might do in their shoes.
Comedian Jeff Garlin on 'Dealin' With Idiots'
L.A.-based comedian Jeff Garlin is perhaps best known for his work as one of the stars and the executive producer of the HBO show "Curb Your Enthusiasm." He's also the star and director of the new film "Dealin' With Idiots," which opens today in Los Angeles.
Garlin plays Max Morris, an L.A comedian who decides to make a film about the parents of the kids on his son's baseball team. Jeff Garlin joins the show to tell us all about his latest project.