A look at Caltech's series of tools and research designed to improve our voting system, how to host a successful election party, the future of the Durst trial.
After asylum: 'Our children have lost their freedom'
Fifteen-year-old Michell Hernández shifted nervously, standing in front of the metal detector on the 17th floor at L.A.'s immigration courts. It was her first appearance before a judge and her first step in a long path toward asylum.
The teen fled El Salvador to join her older brothers, Alejandro and Luis, who were granted asylum this year, and her mother Ana, who she had not seen since she was four years old.
After a decade of separation, the family was reunited in March, but adjusting to a new life in Southern California – with high school classes, homework, new friends, lawyers and court dates – was just beginning.
Despite reforms, immigration courts still overwhelmed
Michell Hernández's case entered the immigration court in August as the system faced an unprecedented backlog, surpassing half a million ongoing cases nationwide. According to government data from Syracuse University's TRAC, immigration courts fielded 516,031 cases, as of September 2016. Those numbers include both adult and juvenile cases.
One in five of those cases are in California – the biggest share of any state. And half of those, or nearly 50,000, are in Los Angeles.
There are 250 judges in 58 courts across the nation, according to the Executive Office of Immigration Review, the agency that oversees the courts. Thirty judges currently serve in L.A. In response to the rising caseload, the agency has added more judges and staff, including swearing in an additional judge in Los Angeles this month. That followed three new judges joining the L.A. courts in June. Still, judges typically handle dozens of cases a day.
After the surge of child migrants in 2014, U.S. officials prioritized juvenile cases in an effort to expedite the process at the courts. The Obama Administration also launched ongoing meetings with Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, outlining a list of programs to confront the violence and to dissuade migrants from leaving Central America. The U.S. also put pressure on Mexico to strengthen its southern border.
In 2015, the number of child migrants dropped across the Southwest border, but recent figures from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection show that those numbers have ticked back up. Through October 2016, for example, nearly 60,000 children have crossed the border alone in the past 12 months and over 77,000 families have been apprehended.
The top country sending family units: El Salvador.
Many children still face court without an attorney
Michell Hernández and her mother faced the immigration judge in August without an attorney. Although her older brothers did have legal counsel, her mother said even the lower rate of some discount legal aid groups was still financially out of reach for her family. Since then, the family has gotten legal aid from El Rescate, a legal advocacy group, which was founded in the early 1980s.
That's an important issue for many child migrants facing the court. In L.A., one in three child migrants faced a judge without legal representation in the past year. Because the government considers immigration an administrative process, legal counsel is not guaranteed, unlike in criminal courts. Data from court outcomes show that when children face a court without an attorney, they're more likely to be ordered deported.
A civil action case brought by legal advocates in 2014, J.E.F.M. v. Lynch, sought to challenge the government to provide legal counsel for child migrants in deportation hearings. But in September, a U.S. State Court of Appeals judge ruled that the court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case. The ruling said the plaintiffs cannot "bypass the immigration courts" and "must exhaust the administrative process before they can access the federal courts."
Even as the Hernández-González family moves forward through the court system, Ana Hernández reflected on the heavy toll the migrant crisis has taken on her home country – already reeling from gang violence and a soaring homicide rate.
"Our country doesn’t have a future if it continues as it is," said Hernández in Spanish. "The youth are fleeing, they’re migrating. Take a look at where I’m from. The only people that are left are adults, older people, grandparents – the ones that need our help. Our children have lost their freedom and those of us from there can’t return."
Correction: This story has been revised to correct the name of the organization that is helping the family. It is called El Rescate, founded in 1981, and based in Los Angeles. KPCC regrets the error.
Across the country, poll monitors are keeping an eye on voting
They're at schools, churches, fire stations and even barber shops: well over 100 thousand locations where Americans are going to today as they cast their votes.
Which is why, when the Department of Justice announced Monday that they'll have just 500 monitors and observers stationed at polling places, civil rights groups expressed concern. That's because there are about 35 percent fewer watchers being dispatched than for Election Day 2012.
Monitors and observers play an important role in the democratic process. For more, Take Two spoke to Wendy Weiser, director of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.
Press the blue play button above to hear the full interview.
The Styled Side: Is Kai Ryssdal too old to wear jeans?
We love Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal, we swear.
But a new survey of 2,000 people in the UK says jeans should stay off your legs when you're 53 or older (and Kai is 53 as of this year...).
"People in the survey thought that jeans were really for the younger generation, and it's not about style," says Michelle Dalton Tyree of Fashion Trends Daily.
Respondents said that it was harder in their old age to find jeans that fit properly.
But Tyree says the local denim industry is shifting more towards classic looks from when those 50-somethings were kids, and cuts for a variety of body types.
"About 75 percent of the world’s premium denim is designed and created here in L.A.," she says. "We have the infrastructure here to try out different washes and treatments."
Here's what's on trend.
Classic, more simple looks
Heritage brands like Levi's and L.L. Bean are in – their styles aren't too flashy or embellished.
"Customers want simpler, vintage looks and even re-done vintage jeans," says Tyree.
In fact, one of the hottest denim brands right now out of L.A. is a company called Re/Done. They actually cut down vintage mens Levi's and use the panels of fabric to create jeans for women.
"They are a darling right now in the fashion world," says Tyree, "from editors to celebrities and Asian clients who have been coveting and collecting vintage Levis for years."
Jeans cut for different ages, body types
"There are only a handful of companies addressing curvier bodies," says Tyree, "but I think we’re certainly starting to see a lot more of this."
Slink Jeans, started by the founders at Joe’s Denim, is an L.A.-based brand that's designed for curvier bodies.
Plus, 1 Denim is a line that ranges with very slim to curvy fits for women and men.
Athleisure has eaten into the denim market, but not for long
Fashionable and comfortable clothes like sweats and joggers have climbed in popularity in recent years, eroding the market for jeans.
"Denim in L.A. had been having a bit of a slump," says Tyree, "but it’s coming back and lines such as Re/Done and 1 Denim are leading the charge."
Market analysts say it's because denim has more flexibility in different situations than athleisure.
"We were ready to give up the skinny leggings, but denim will be back because there’s really nothing else that goes from work to dinner," says Ilse Metchek of the California Fashion Association.
Rock 'n Rollers Rioted on the Sunset Strip 50 years ago
Los Angeles was a very different place 50 years ago, especially the Sunset Strip.
Today, it's known for luxury hotels, trendy shops and comedy clubs.
But in the 1960s, the Strip was home to nightclubs that helped launch the careers of bands like The Doors, Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention and Buffalo Springfield.
And Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" was written about events that happened fifty years ago this week.
Two days of protests sent the famous stretch of boulevard into turmoil, fueled by rock and roll.
Locals, business owners and city and county officials tried to clear out the kids hanging out on the Strip by closing venues and passing curfew laws.
And the young people revolted.
"They were against the harassment by the police and against the closure of clubs," says Domenic Priore, author of, "Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock'N'Roll's Last Stand in Hollywood."
Priore joined Take Two to explain how the atmosphere and politics of the Sunset Strip in 1966 led to the unrest.
The Echoplex hosts an anniversary to the Sunset Strip Riots on Saturday, November 12th at 7p, featuring The Premiers, The Pandoras and more.
Saving the US voting system with science
If you're casting your ballot today you might run into some poll watchers carefully observing the process of voting.
Among them are researchers from Caltech and MIT collecting election data at the ground level.
Michael Alvarez, political science professor at Caltech, heads the Voter Technology Project, which offers research and tools designed to improve our voting system.
So how can science be applied to politics? Turns out, the lines at voting booths are similar to traffic in downtown L.A. At polling stations, bottlenecks can occur and slow down the flow when machines malfunction or volunteers make mistakes. The Voter Technology Project applies algorithms used in the private sector to develop tools to minimize congestion and maximize efficiency.
The Voter Technology Project is also supporting a site that monitors the election on Twitter. Tweets with hashtags such as "#ballot" or "#voting" can be analyzed in real time, showing how an individual is reacting to one particular aspect of the voting process.
Alvarez hopes that by 2028, the voting process will become easier and more streamlined. His vision? Voters will be automatically registered; booths will be flexible; remote voting will be more secure.
To listen to Michael Alvarez's interview with Take Two, click on the blue media player above.
How to cut the junk and become a considered consumer
America is a nation of consumers: from the latest cars to smartphones.
Yet, every time we acquire something new, that means something old usually winds up in the back of the closet or even, in the junkyard.
Now, some forward thinking business people are paying more attention to making products that will last longer.
You can hear from some of those thinkers this Thursday, at Considered Consumerism. It's the latest event in KPCC's series, Fast Forward: Designing the Future.
The free event is part of a collaboration between KPCC's In Person and the ArtCenter College of Design.
For more, Take Two's Alex Cohen spoke with Karen Hoffman who will be speaking at Considered Consumerism. She is chair of the Product Design Department at the ArtCenter College of Design.
Considered Consumerism is free to attend. You can RSVP at kpcc.org/inperson for the details.
To hear the full interview, click the Blue Arrow above.
EVENT: Fast Forward: Considered Consumerism
DATE: Thursday, November 10, 2016
TIME: 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
LOCATION: Crawford Family Forum, 474 South Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105
RSVP: KPCC.org/events
8 books that make the presidential election kid-friendly
Sorting through presidential politics is confusing enough for adults, so imagine what kids are making of it this election year.
Now might be a good time to step away from all the partisan bickering, the name-calling, the attack ads, and head with your kids to the quiet comfort of your local public library.
That's where you'll find plenty of great books about elections.
Mara Alpert, children's librarian for L.A.'s Central Public Library offers her top picks:
"Vote for Me!" by Ben Clanton
Donkey and Elephant are after your vote and they'll try anything-- begging, pleading, bribery, name-calling, even some literal mud-slinging. In the end, unlike the actual presidential candidates, they apologize to one another and agree to stay friends. Who walks away with the win? You'll have to read the book to find out.
"Duck for President" by Doreen Cronin; illustrated by Betsy Lewin
Keeping a farm running is really hard work and Duck is really sick of doing his chores, which are messy. So he decides that he's going to run for farmer and change things. He wins by a landslide (even after they find a missing vote stuck to the bottom of Pig), but being in charge of the farm, it turns out, is even harder than he thought, so Duck decides to run for governor next. When it turns out that being Governor is more difficult than he realized, Duck sets his sights on the White House.
"President Squid" by Aaron Reynolds; illustrated by Sara Varon
When Squid discovers that no Giant Squid has ever been president, he comes up with five important reasons why he will be the greatest president who ever lived. Among those reasons are the fact that presidents are famous (and so is Squid), they get to do all the talking (another thing Squid is very good at), and the president is the big boss (and there's nobody bigger or bossier than Squid).
"Grace for President" by Kelly DiPucchio; illustrated by LeUyen Pham
When she's studying U.S. Presidents, Grace finds out that none of them have been women, and she wants to change that. She runs for class president and is up against the popular boy in her class, which she's a little worried about. The other students are randomly assigned states, giving everyone a lesson on the electoral college (even parents, with a helpful author's note at the end).
"Max for President" by Jarrett Krosoczka
It's time to elect a new class president and both Max and Kelly are running for the position. They make posters and pins and promises, but they don't say mean things to each other, they don't even frown at each other! When Kelly ends up winning, she picks Max as her Vice President and they both work together to improve things for their class. This book makes a great introduction to elections for pre-schoolers.
"Bad Kitty for President" by Nick Bruel
This fun chapter book features Kitty and her run to head up the Neighborhood Cat Coalition. It's a really funny look at the election process and all of its madness that older kids will enjoy and actually learn from too.
"Vote!" by Eileen Christelow
This picture book/comic book hybrid explains the election process through a race for mayor. One of the candidates daughters (and her two dogs) explain all the ins and outs, including voting, voter registration, debates, polling and volunteering.
"Presidential Misadventures: Poems That Poke Fun at the Man in Charge" by Bob Raczka; illustrated by Dan E. Burr
This book is a hilarious collection of "clarihew" poems. They're four-line poems that poke fun at a famous person. Forty-two U.S. Presidents all get the clarihew treatment, putting a hilarious spin on U.S. history.
Tips for planning your last minute election night party
When it comes to watching today's results pour in, you could do it quietly on your own or you could have a party. Across the country, plenty of people, including us here at KPCC, are using this occasion to host a soiree.
For more on the do's and don'ts of throwing an election night party Alex Cohen spoke to an expert party planner. Sarah Shewey is the founder and CEO of Happily, that's a nationwide network of freelance event planners.
Some tips
Keep it calm
"I've been hearing a lot from our planners about really quiet peaceful type of parties where there's restorative yoga that's happening. There's some people who are throwing props bases parties, but I think for the most part, I think people are really nervous so they're trying to stay really calm."
Snacks
"I think all-American snacks would be really important to have when you're watching the election. Popcorn, fried chicken, wash it all down with a 'Maazel Tov' cocktail would be perfect."
Cocktails
When it comes to beverages there has been a lot of talk of drinking games you can play. "Take a shot every time someone says 'temperament'" or something of the sort. There has also been plenty of chatter online about a drink inspired by an appearance by Trump Delegate Scottie Nell Hughes on CNN:
What is a "mazel tov cocktail" pic.twitter.com/xmTiBnoaia
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) November 7, 2016
So, if you want to make your own "Maazel Tov" cocktail, what should you use?
"Anything that makes you giggle uncontrollably. For me, that's champagne, splash it with a little bit of Manischewitz and I think you're good."
For more information on KPCC's In Person party, click here.
To hear the full interview, click the blue play button above.
Robert Durst pleads not guilty in Susan Berman murder case
Robert Durst appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom Monday to face a murder charge in a 16-year-old case.
The real estate heir pleaded not guilty to the execution-style killing of his friend, writer Susan Berman, in her Benedict Canyon home in the winter of 2000.
Durst captured America's attention as the subject of the HBO documentary series "The Jinx." The series examined the disappearance of Durst's wife back in 1982, Berman's murder, and the killing of Durst's neighbor in Galveston, Texas.
Los Angeles Times reporter James Queally was in the courtroom Tuesday. He joined Take Two to explain where the case goes from here.
To hear the full interview, click the blue player above.