Take Two

Junior's Deli in Westwood is closing after 53 years in business. Plus, will Congress reach a deal to keep us from heading over the so-called fiscal cliff? Health insurance companies plan to hike up rates in 2013, and author Joshua Glenn offers tips on how to keep your kids "Unbored" during the long winter break, and much more.

Today, KPCC's Molly Peterson talks about the portrayal of fracking in Hollywood. Plus, why fiscal cliff talk is full of doomsday predictions, we look at whether White House petitions ever work, the new Atlanta Braves 'screaming Indian' logo draw ire and much more.

A New York newspaper is under scrutiny for publishing the addresses of gun owners. Plus, could gun liability insurance help curb gun violence? Then, new research shows that electronic records are vulnerable to attack by hackers, the nationwide primary physician shortage is worsening and much more.

Will President Obama be able to make changes to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms? Then, what's the marketing connection between real and virtual firearms?; LAPD holds a gun buyback program today; Sheriff Lee Baca is under pressure to curb inmate abuse; Patt Morrison and Brian Lehrer debate which is better during the holidays, NY or LA? Plus much more.

A new investigation shows that retailers skew online prices based on your location. Plus, the fiscal cliff is coming up quickly, first-person shooter games may have neurological benefits, politicians in Washington, D.C. have taken issue with the depiction of waterboarding in "Zero Dark Thirty" and much more.

The NRA breaks its silence about gun control and the Sandy Hook shooting. Plus, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is in need of an overhaul. Can Obama deliver? Then, Vintage LA's Alison Martino takes us back in time to how LA used to celebrate the holidays, the story behind Aretha Franklin's 'Amazing Grace,' and much more.

First, the Center for Investigative Reporting looks at why long wait times mean some veterans die before receiving benefits. Then, we take a look at why Obama's Secure Communities immigration policy is falling out of favor across the U.S. Plus, Mexico's middle class continues to rise, Wall Street Journal columnist Jeff Yang's project to teach his sons about guns and much more.

President Obama will announce a new plan to curb gun violence, spearheaded by VP Joe Biden. Plus, a new book details how companies use 'The Fine Print' to raise prices, Patt Morrison talks about the large number of key positions in LA's March election, cocktail mavens Alie & Georgia jon the show to spice up our holiday cocktails this season, plus much more.

A wall street firm pulls out stake in Bushmaster gun maker after Sandy Hook shooting, plus we'll see whether Craig Whitney thinks the shooting will result in gun control policy change. Then, Librarian Mara Alpert offers her favorite children's book of 2012, Russian Parliament may ban adoptions from the U.S., and much more.

LA's first responders remember those lost on Sept. 11; How Obama's decision on Syria will impact his presidential legacy; Rep. Barbara Boxer defines her position on Syria; Colorado Sens. Angela Giron and John Morse ousted in recall elections; Can the zeppelin-like Aeroscraft change the shipping industry?; Border technology contracts take new approach, plus much more.

Today, we'll talk about the feasibility of Russia's proposal for Syria and how Obama may respond in his remarks tonight. Then, Rep. Loretta Sanchez on the Syrian conflict; a new study checks up on inmates freed early under Prop 36; Which bills are on the docket this week for California lawmakers?; Justin St. Germain's vivid and gritty memoir 'Son of a Gun', plus much more.

How do investigators pinpoint the cause of a massive wildfire?; What role do life insurance payouts play in military suicides?; Illegal crossings increasingly deadly along south Texas border; Construction begins on cross-border bridge connecting Tijuana Airport with the US; 'Raising My Rainbow' highlights the challenges of raising a gender-creative child, plus much more.

Wildfires play a crucial role in seed dispersal; Immigration reform takes back seat to conflict in Syria; Juarez police investigate possible female vengeance killer targeting bus drivers; Head Start program for migrant farmworkers facing changes in growing season; Wayne Kramer brings music to inmates with Jail Guitar Doors USA program; The cross-border drug war through the lens of Hollywood, plus much more.

France: An unlikely ally for military action in Syria; How severe drought has worsened the conflict in Syria; What's behind the latest humid SoCal heatwave?; Fire's crucial role in seed dispersal; Apple and Samsung's war for the smartphone market; Etiquette Lesson: Advice for parents and kids navigating a new school year; Northern California county hopes to become the State of Jefferson

Today on the show we host an immigration reform roundtable with Ruben Barrales and Teresa Hernandez. Then, undocumented immigrant Sergio Garcia's fight to practice law in the U.S.; Dumpling house Din Tai Fung expands to Glendale, Costa Mesa; Chris's Collection: Celebrating 232 years of historical LA objects; Advocate for Tijuana deportees dies at 67, plus much more.

White House won't come after states that legalize pot; Why pandas in captivity are often 'reproductively incompetent'; Friday Flashback: Syria, immigration reform, Obamacare and more; Labor Day Travel: What to do if your flight is delayed; Zimmer calls for details on LAUSD's arts plan, plus much more.

Why Syria's alleged use of chemical weapons is spurring US action; Fast-food workers unite in nationwide protest for higher wages; Wal-Mart to extend insurance benefits to employees' domestic partners; Ask Emily about Obamacare: What happens when you turn 26?; How technology makes it easier to get caught in a lie; Low water deliveries from Mexico hurt Texas farmers, plus much more.

Judge to rule on San Bernardino's bankruptcy eligibility; Arizona hot shot crew heads to Idaho to battle wildfires; Desert tortoise conservation center in Nevada to close; Sports Roundup: Aaron Hernandez, Lamar Odom, and more

How likely is US intervention in Syria?; Rim Fire continues to inch toward Yosemite's giant sequoia groves; New project looks at the reasons the cost of college has skyrocketed; Burning Man: A great place to met a venture capitalist?; Trader Joe's sues Canadian 'Pirate' reselling items in Vancouver; Ranking colleges based on their social responsibility, plus much more.