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Podcasts Take Two
Checking in on LA foster care, advice for LA restaurant goers, County firefighters overtime busts the budget
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Oct 22, 2018
Listen • 49:09
Checking in on LA foster care, advice for LA restaurant goers, County firefighters overtime busts the budget

Checking in with the director of L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services, advice to L.A. restaurant goers, Firefighter overtime pay concerns.

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Waitress Sheila Abramson at Langer's Delicatessen serves customers on February 26, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. According to a report, America's Jewish delis are struggling to stay afloat. There were several thousand Jewish delis open in New York City during the first half of the 20th century, now there are only a few dozen. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Waitress Sheila Abramson at Langer's Delicatessen serves customers on February 26, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. According to a report, America's Jewish delis are struggling to stay afloat. There were several thousand Jewish delis open in New York City during the first half of the 20th century, now there are only a few dozen. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
)
Firefighters work to fight the Colby Fire in the mountains near Glendora on Thursday. The blaze has burned 1,700 acres so far according to LA County Fire as of 10:07 a.m. on Thursday.
Firefighters work to fight the Colby Fire in the mountains near Glendora on Thursday. The blaze has burned 1,700 acres so far according to LA County Fire as of 10:07 a.m. on Thursday.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)
Bobby Cagle, Director of LA's Department of Children and Family Services on the state of L.A.'s foster system.
Bobby Cagle, Director of LA's Department of Children and Family Services on the state of L.A.'s foster system.
(
KPCC
)

We speak with the director of L.A. County's Department of Children and Family Services about the discrepancy between the number of available foster homes and the number of children who need them. Plus, a local comedian has some etiquette advice for L.A.'s restaurant goers. And we catch up with Vanity Fair's Rebecca Keegan for the latest Hollywood news.

An update on the migrant caravan

(Starts at 1:28)

Thousands made it into a city an hour into Mexico in a giant human column on Sunday. This is, by all measures, the biggest wave of Central Americans anyone has seen, not so much a caravan as an exodus. 

Guest:

  • Delphine Schrank, Reuters chief correspondent for Mexico and Central America 

L.A. County Fire department overtime pay raises eyebrows

(Starts at 6:39)

Los Angeles County launched an audit into the Fire department due to firefighter overtime costs which have surged to 36% in the last five years. Staffing shortages and an increase in wildfires may be to blame, but some experts with their eye on the situation think there's more to it.

Guest:

  • Matt Stiles, covers L.A. County at the L.A. Times wrote about this
Firefighters work to fight the Colby Fire in the mountains near Glendora on Thursday. The blaze has burned 1,700 acres so far according to LA County Fire as of 10:07 a.m. on Thursday.
Firefighters work to fight the Colby Fire in the mountains near Glendora on Thursday. The blaze has burned 1,700 acres so far according to LA County Fire as of 10:07 a.m. on Thursday.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)

Human Voter Guide

(Starts at 12:07)

November is approaching fast, which means it's time for voters to be thinking about casting their ballot. If that sounds a little daunting, don't worry. We've got all the tips and answers to your election questions.

Guest:

  • Mary Plummer, KPCC political reporter

CAD Prop 13 History

(Starts at 18:46)

Fear and anger led California taxpayers to revolt 40 years ago. We’ll look at the factors that contributed to the passage of Prop 13 and how it continues to shape the CA dream today. Reporter Chris Nicholls of Capitol Public Radio has the story.

L.A. Foster Care

(Starts at 23:11)

The number of foster care homes in L.A. County has decreased — from almost 6,000 in 2008 to just over 4,000 now — but the number of kids in the system who need a place to stay is still high. It's a major discrepancy. The question is what to do about it.

Guest:

  • Bobby Cagle, director of the L.A. County Department of Child and Family Services

You can find out more about becoming an L.A. foster parent here.

Bobby Cagle, Director of LA's Department of Children and Family Services on the state of L.A.'s foster system.
Bobby Cagle, Director of LA's Department of Children and Family Services on the state of L.A.'s foster system.
(
KPCC
)

On the Lot

(Starts at 32:42)

A strong October box office just got stronger thanks to a horror film with a female lead over the age of 55. Plus, why Netflix seems to be getting out of the Marvel business. And some exciting personal news from our contributor.

Guest

  • Rebecca Keegan, Vanity Fair

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMCLVSlk1Tk

L.A. Restaurant Service

(Starts at 41:16)

Restaurant server and comedian Natalie Gregory moved from the Bay Area to Los Angeles almost a decade ago, and she has some gripes about Angelenos' manners at restaurants. In a recent L.A. Times op-ed, "Dear Los Angeles: You seriously need to learn how to behave in restaurants," Gregory writes about angry brunch-goers, not saying "please" and other complaints.

Guest