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.

Today on the show, we'll talk about a new report that says California's larger wildfires are due to climate change. We hear from a New York Times reporter about how Colorado farmers are cautiously growing hemp. In addition, New York is now offering parents low-interest loans to pay for childcare. Could that work in LA? Prison officials are questioning the motives of some of the hunger striking prisoners in California. Plus much more.

What do SoCal veterans want to hear from President Obama?; Got Your 6 aims to help bridge the civilian-military divide; Are summer SAT prep classes worth the investment?; Gov. Jerry Brown finds tough opposition to water plan; California school districts granted No Child Left Behind waiver, plus much more.

Prominent newspaper purchases raise questions about LA Times; What does it mean to be middle class in LA?; iPad training for 1500 teachers in LA Unified begins this week; 'The Art of Wealth' tells the intimate story of the Huntington family, plus much more.

Congress heads into recess without deal on immigration bill; Should undocumented immigrants be welcomed in Detroit?; Would you raise a child in downtown LA? Leaders are planning for it (poll); Archbishop Jose Gomez's vision of 'Immigration and the The Next America'; Hollywood Jobs: Taking the wheel with a Hollywood stunt driver, plus much more.

Uruguay pushes legislation to fully legalize marijuana; Ozomatli: Getting to know the band behind Take Two's theme song; Mexico's sex trafficking networks working with drug cartels; Saying goodbye to the X-Games in LA, plus much more.

Congress receives scant sexual harassment training; Pasadena's Gamble House opens up servants quarters to public (Photos); DefCon brings together hackers and government organizations; Report: Climate change and California's rising sea levels; Study shows threat of arrest not deterring undocumented immigrants; Thousands of US veterans deported after service, plus much more.

Medical officials check in on hunger striking prisoners in California; Picture This: The Awkward Years project; Radio host 'Piolin' accused of sexual harassment; Richmond, CA to use eminent domain for housing crisis relief; A day in the life of LA's infant and child death investigator; The Forum in Inglewood to get $70 million facelift, plus much more.

San Diego Bob Filner asks the city to pay his legal bills, even while two recall efforts against him launch this week. Then, big-name GOP donors send a letter urging Congress to back immigration bill; Home buyers use aggressive tactics to snag a dream home; California rehab centers commit fraud for state funding; 'Robert Williams Mr. Bitchin': How one low brow artist changed the art world, and much more.

How will deadly Spanish train crash affect high-speed rail plans in CA?; Law enforcement biker clubs causing trouble of their own; How does Google's Chromecast compare to competitors?; Despite need, no plans to add veterans health centers colleges; Could a beetle cause a world without avocados?; 'The End of Night' sheds light on the importance of natural darkness, plus much more.

Rumors swirl that Jeffrey Deitch will resign as MOCA director; A new Pew study shows that a growing number of Latinos get their news in English. Can Univision's new English-language channel take off? Al-Jazeera hopes to break ground in American news market; USC under investigation for handling of sexual assault cases; Peña Nieto proposes opening Mexico's oil reserves to foreign companies, plue more.