On Thursday Take Two discusses the latest in Ferguson, Missouri as they await a grand jury decision in the Michael Brown case, an organization that pairs veterans with Hollywood jobs and a vehicle that is somewhere between a car and a motorcycle.
Brownley declares victory in tight Congress race
Democrat Julia Brownley declares victory in her re-election bid for Congress.
The race to represent California's Ventura County was one of the tightest in the state and it caught the attention of political watchers nationwide.
As of Thursday, Brownley doubled her lead over moderate Republican Jeff Gorell.
But we should note that Gorell has not yet conceded.
Representative Brownley talks about her goals and the tight race.
Michael Brown shooting: St. Louis awaits grand jury decision, authorities prepare
A grand jury is nearing the end of its investigation into the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, the 18-year-old African-American man who was shot and killed by a police officer in St. Louis in August.
The jury is weighing whether Officer Darren Wilson was justified in using deadly force against Brown. As the decision is awaited, authorities in the region are doing their best to persuade residents to remain calm no matter what.
“Our expectation is that people will exercise their rights and raise their voices in a legal, constructive manner,” said St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley. “Law enforcement is prepared to deal with the few who are intent on doing otherwise. Our region is at a crossroads, but I believe we as a community will deal with this situation the way we always have. By working together over time."
For more on the recent developments and the mood in Missouri, Take Two is joined by St. Louis Dispatch reporter Robert Patrick.
Roving patrol agents intensify immigration debate
In Texas, there is another controversial case that's being closely watched by both sides in the immigration debate.
It's focused on so-called roving patrol agents, who sometimes stop people hundreds of miles from the border.
From the Fronteras Desk, Lorne Matalon reports.
Vets find Hollywood jobs with organization's help
Making it big in Hollywood is a dream for many.
That includes service men and women. Don't think there's much crossover between a gunner and a grip? Think again.
Jack Lemmon was a Veteran. James Garner served. Clark Gable, Steve McQueen, Bea Arthur, Oliver Stone...The list goes on and on.
Karen Kraft and Ryan Curtis are both Army Veterans, and members of VFT, Veterans in Film and Television. It's an organization in LA that pairs ex-military personnel with Hollywood jobs.
Karen is also a producer and television executive and Ryan's a director and cinematographer. They told Take Two that Veterans possess unique qualities that make them great candidates for jobs in the entertainment industry.
Spreading that message is part of the mission of Veterans in Film and Television. They want people to know that Veterans are willing to put in the hard work required to make it in the Biz.
"A lot of young people without the military background tend to want to go right from film school into directing and can't understand why someone's not giving them a $10 million feature out of the gate. In the military side, you understand progression and learning skill-sets along the way," Karen says.
Veterans have exceptional stories to tell too. And VFT hopes to put more Veterans in positions in front of, and behind, the camera to bring those stories to life.
This piece is part of KPCC's ongoing coverage of issues affecting veterans for Veterans Day 2014. See more of our coverage at KPCC.org/vets.
A picture is worth a thousand words: 'War Ink' documents veterans' stories told through their tattoos
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
That notion may ring especially true to a demographic for whom words don't always come easily - our nation's veterans. Many of them get tattoos upon their return as a way to document their time in service.
"War Ink" is a project that brings together videos and photographs of some of California's tattooed service members, in an effort to bridge the divide between veterans and civilian communities.
Chris Brown is one of the creators of "War Ink" and Rebecca Murga is the filmmaker who helped document the soldiers' stories. They both joined Take Two as part of this week's coverage of veterans' trials and triumphs.
Murga, who served with the Army Reserves in Iraq and Afghanistan, said she wasn't surprised by the popularity of body art among men and women who've served. In fact, Murga said, tattoo culture is embedded in military culture and most of the guys she deployed with had tattoos or wanted to get them.
Both Murga and Brown pointed out that veterans often see tattoos as a way to share their personal stories with the world, to wear their hearts on their sleeves, so to speak. But for many vets featured in "War Ink," their body art is kept hidden. Often these inked expressions tell stories of loss of limbs, or life, and pay tribute to their fallen comrades. For those vets, "War Ink" bridges the gap between them and civilians at home in a way that spoken words never could.
This piece is part of KPCC's ongoing coverage of issues affecting veterans for Veterans Day 2014. See more of our coverage at KPCC.org/vets.
Wheel Thing: Automakers interested in three-wheeled vehicles
Cars have four wheels and motorcycles have two. But there is a place in between.
It's the three-wheeled vehicle and many automakers are keen to get into the act.
Take Two talks about it with Orange County Register auto critic Susan Carpenter in this installment of The Wheel Thing.
Behind 'The Secret History of Wonder Woman'
Wonder Woman is the most popular female comic book superhero of all time.
Many Americans are familiar with her fabulous theme song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1rBZIzr49k
Her sexy, patriotic get up.
And Suffering Sappho! those fabulous exclamations of hers.
But few people know how she came to be.
It's an incredible story told in the new book "The Secret History of Wonder Woman."
Joining Take Two in studio, author Jill Lepore is also a bit of a Wonder Woman herself - she's a prize-winning Harvard historian and a staff writer for The New Yorker.
State of Affairs: Leland Yee, Made in America's cost, and LA's ban on fracking
This week on State of Affairs, the latest on embattled state senator Leland Yee, the final price tag on Made in America and whatever happened to L.A.'s ban on fracking?
Southern California Public Radio's political reporter Alice Walton and Regional Desk editor Chris Knap join Take Two to discuss more.
Let's begin with Leland Yee. He was arrested back in March, and is now facing racketeering and conspiracy charges. Some news this week about how and when he'll be tried. Chris, can you bring us up to date?
And now to the Made in America Festival. This was the big Jay-Z backed concert held in Grand Park over Labor Day weekend. Alice, you've been keeping a close eye on this. The final tab came in. What's the total damage? How much of this will taxpayers be on the hook for?
Chris, let's move southward to the city of Anaheim and talk about the controversial Measure L. Remind us what this was about. Does this new system go into effect right away?
The L.A. City Council voted yesterday on a settlement that might finally shed some light on how millions of dollars in DWP funds were spent by two nonprofits. Alice, what's the latest?
Now back to Chris with a look at last week's election. There were a number of California Congressional races which looked like they were following the national trend: Republicans taking over a Congressional seat from a Democrat. Yesterday the county Registrars updated the vote counts. What do the new numbers show?
Finally Alice, it's been nine months since the Los Angeles City Council voted to ban fracking. This week the Planning Department released a report showing that ban never took effect. What went wrong here?
Rosetta update: Is Philae probe stable?
As Take Two discussed Wednesday, space history was made when the Philae probe landed on a moving comet.
But things have been a little shaky over the last 24 hours.
For an update on the mission, Take Two is joined again by Claudia Alexander. She's the project scientist for the U.S. Rosetta project.
Internet poker could be legalized in California
Online gambling is legal in only three states right now: Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey.
California could be the next state to get in on the game. Talks among several California tribes working to draft a bill to legalize internet poker fell apart back in August, but a new development could mean that the push to bring online gaming to the state is back on track.
Host A Martinez talks with writer Jonathan Grotenstein about the possibility of an agreement on a bill to legalize Internet poker in California.
Grotenstein has been playing and writing about online poker for years. His most recent book on the subject is called "Ship it Hollah Ballahs."
(And a disclosure: Jonathan is married to KPCC's managing editor, Kristen Muller.)
To hear this interview, click on "Listen Now" above.
Har Mar Superstar talks his funky music, stage antics and touring with Macaulay Culkin
Looking for an opportunity to shake your groove thing this weekend?
May we recommend getting down and funky with the international singing sensation known as Har Mar Superstar?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgHEeYIV62w
Har Mar, aka Sean Tillman, will be performing along with a Velvet Underground cover band helmed by Macaulay Culkin at the El Rey Theater in LA.
He stopped by recently and talked to Alex Cohen about his music and his sudden fame.
The Cat and Fiddle, and other fading LA landmarks
Some of the stars in Los Angeles aren't people, but places. However many of those are fading away.
Alison Martino runs the Facebook page Vintage LA, which chronicles the city then and now.
Recently, she's been mourning the impending loss of the Cat and Fiddle, a landmark pub in Hollywood with a courtyard for al fresco dining. Part of Casablanca was filmed there, too.
But the Cat and Fiddle will be closing later this year because the landlord decided not to renew its lease.
Alison joins Take Two to talk about what the location will become, as well as other famed spots like Power House in Hollywood and Palm Restaurant in West Hollywood, which are now a part of the city's past.
As for what all these big changes mean for the soul of Hollywood, Martino said she thinks it's "too much."
It's literally at the corner of every major block. Driving down even to Sunset and La Brea I don't know where I am anymore."
INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
CAT AND THE FIDDLE
What's the story on this landmark closing?
It was a big music industry hangout, entertainment hangout. It was a pub but was also a hangout for some of the locals—huge, big fountain in front. It goes back to the 1920s.
I've been speaking with the current managers and their family opened the original Cat and Fiddle in Laurel Canyon in '82. And a few years later they took the space over on Sunset and have been renting it ever since. So they didn’t see it coming because their business does really well and a couple of the articles said the landlord says they're not doing very well. That’s just not the case.
This is primo real estate right?
It’s a very big property. The developments coming into Sunset Strip now are so big and the value of the land is becoming so huge that pubs like the Power House and Cat and Fiddle can't survive. The landlords want the property and rent increase and they're sort of being driven out.
What's next?
They're looking for a new space. There's a Save the Cat and Fiddle facebook page that’s gone viral but it’s a done deal, it seems. The landlord has plans for somebody else. There's some homes behind the Cat and Fiddle from the 1920s that are planning on also being demolished. I am not sure if they're going to tear it down but there are plans to alter it. Very heartbreaking.
THE PALM
The Palm is another restaurant closing in Hollywood. Give us the latest and, for those who haven't been, describe it for us.
The original Palm in West Hollywood opened in 1974 and they're known for all the characters on the walls; all the artwork of every single celebrity and loyal customer that's been in there. The landlord wants to take the building down and destroy it and make it mixed use. They knew they had to go. I helped them, we got all the artwork off the wall and into the hands of everybody who's ever been up there. I got Shecky Greene down there, Mamie van Doren. They were all so excited to come down and get their characters. So there's a happy ending there that we got some preservation out of it. They found a property in Beverly Hills so it's not the end for them.
HOUSE OF BLUES
A newer Sunset Strip landmark, the House of Blues, is also closing.
That was another shocker. It's sad to see music venues close on the Sunset Strip. But they're putting a big huge hotel there. They are looking for new space as well. I don’t think it will be the same without Sunset Strip. I wish them well and hope they find a new venue but I don’t know where they're going.
THE POWER HOUSE
What about the 'diviest of dive bars' the Power House?
Bukowski you probably would have seen him there back in the day. It's definitely the oldest watering hole. A place like that can't survive when the Hollywood and Highland is across the street. Very close to the Frolic Room sort of vibe. And those two are probably the last pubs of that era. They are reopening in the same space more of a chi chi version. We'll see how that works out.
WHISKY A GO-GO
I want to clear up one rumor. The Whisky a Go-Go is not closing. There was an article that came out a few weeks ago with the misleading headline "The Whisky a Gone-Gone" and it was about the House of Blues. And everyone sort of thought the Whisky was closing. They just celebrated their 50th year in January.
The Doors sort of put the Whisky on the map. Then into the 70s Van Halen and into the 80s all the hair bands and then they became a pay to play joint. It's a landmark to me. I called the owners the second I read this article and asked if they're closing and they said, "Over my dead body are we closing. We're going to be the last venue on Sunset Strip to see music."