Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Listen
Donate
Podcasts Take Two
CA Faces Challenges with Wildfires, Coronavirus: Elementary School Teacher on Beginning of the School Year, Hollywood, The Sequel
solid orange rectangular banner
()
Take Two Logo
Sep 8, 2020
Listen • 52:05
CA Faces Challenges with Wildfires, Coronavirus: Elementary School Teacher on Beginning of the School Year, Hollywood, The Sequel

We update you on the wildfires in the area, how one elementary school teacher started the school year and the latest on Hollywood, The Sequel with John Horn.

A firefighter works to extinguish the Thomas Fire as it burns past the 101 Highway towards the Pacific Coast Highway in Ventura, California, Dec. 7, 2017.
A firefighter works to extinguish the Thomas Fire as it burns past the 101 Highway towards the Pacific Coast Highway in Ventura, California, Dec. 7, 2017.
(
Kyle Grillot/AFP/Getty Images
)

CA Wildfires

There are several fires burning across the state and two of them near Southern California continue to burn aggressively - the El Dorado Fire and the Bobcat Fire.

Guest:

  • Sharon McNary, KPCC's Infrastructure Correspondent

Gender-reveal pyrotechnic sparked massive El Dorado fire

A smoking pyrotechnic used during a "gender reveal party" is being blamed for the El Dorado Fire burning in San Bernardino. Criminal charges may be sought, but there's still a lot of questions on how that will be determined. We discuss all that might come in the next few weeks. 

Guest: 

  • Bennet Milloy, CAL Fire Captain

Judge Blocks Further Winding Down of 2020 Census

Over the weekend a judge granted a temporary injunction against the Trump administration's push to end the 2020 Census a month early on Sept. 2020. LA City Attorney Mike Feuer had filed a suit and was joined by several other cities. We discuss what this means for Los Angeles County.

Guest:

  • Caroline Champlin, KPCC's Census Reporter

Fire Insurance

As fire seasons have gotten worse, insurers have taken losses. Now, many of them have pulled back coverage in high-risk areas. We discuss who is at risk of losing insurance and what could be done to address it.

Guest:

  • Michael Wara, Stanford Law School Professor

Community Fridges

You might have noticed colorfully painted refrigerators popping up around the LA area supplied with free food. They're a part of a new initiative called LA Community Fridges started by local residents to help those struggling with food insecurity. KPCC's Sabrina Fang has the story.

Coronavirus: Elementary School Teacher on Beginning of School Year

Now starting on September 14th, L.A. County will allow schools to reopen to small groups of students with disabilities and English language learners - children whose education has suffered most since campuses closed in March. No word yet on how Los Angeles Unified or other districts will act on this guidance - the union, United Teachers Los Angeles, continues to advise against a physical return to schools. So distance learning continues until further notice, so how are teachers doing a couple weeks into the school year?

Guest:

  • Jennifer Trochez-MacLean, 4th grade teacher at Gates Street Elementary in Lincoln Heights

Hollywood, The Sequel

KPCC’s John Horn has reported on how Hollywood has been changing on his podcast, Hollywood: The Sequel. This week he'll release the final episode and talk with A Martinez about what he's learned and where the industry looks like it's going.