California Love (old feed)

Imperfect Paradise: The World Cup is more than just soccer. How it’s a flash point for politics, the economy and ICE for host cities like LA

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The stakes are high for this year’s FIFA World Cup. For the first time in the tournament's history, 48 national teams will compete across 16 cities. That includes Los Angeles. And despite the sport’s biggest names battling it out on the field, high ticket prices, ICE’s role at the games, and other issues have caused concern among fans. LAist reporter Libby Rainey joins us for an overview of the World Cup and what the historic event will mean for Angelenos and visitors.

Check out more of Libby’s reporting and LAist’s World Cup guide at LAist.com/WorldCup

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Voter Game Plan Part 5 – Your last chance to cram before the June 2 primary

Fri, 29 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000

If you still haven’t voted and need some help, listen to this encore of the first episode in our Voter Game Plan series – LAist Community Engagement Senior Producer Brianna Lee previews the key races and answers burning questions on navigating the primary election. And be sure to check out all the episodes in our series. Whether you’re voting for L.A. mayor, the school board or superior court judge, we bring you what you need to make an informed vote.

Check out all the Voter Game Plan guides at LAist.com/vgp

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Voter Game Plan Part 4 — What you need to know about the key Orange County races

Fri, 22 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000

In the fourth installment of our Voter Game Plan series, we cover a number of hotly contested primary races in Orange County. These include races for jobs that determine how the county spends billions of taxpayer dollars, to another that oversees the county’s education system, serving nearly a half million students. Plus we dive deep into two OC races where multiple candidates are facing troubling allegations. LAist reporters Jill Replogle, Elly Yu and Yusra Farzan have been covering the OC primaries and join the show to share their reporting.

Content Advisory: This episode contains graphic imagery about workplace sexual harassment allegations against an Orange County candidate around the 25:11 mark. Listener discretion is advised.

Check out the Orange County Voter Game Plan guides on LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Voter Game Plan Part 3 — The primary races for LA mayor and LA County sheriff heat up

Fri, 15 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The stakes are high for two of the most high profile local races on the June primary ballot. The L.A. mayor and L.A. County sheriff are hugely influential positions, and the incumbents in each race face crowded fields of challengers. LAist Civics and Democracy correspondent Frank Stoltze breaks down both races and discusses the front-runners and their platforms.

Check out Frank’s Voter Game Plan guides for the mayor and the sheriff’s race on LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Voter Game Plan Part 2 — Voting for judges is one of your toughest ballot tasks. What to consider when making your choices

Fri, 08 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Traffic ticket disputes. Child custody cases. Theft. Voters decide which Los Angeles and Orange County superior court judges rule on these kinds of cases and other daily issues that directly affect how we live.Though multiple local judges are up for a vote on the June primary ballot, finding information about these candidates can be trickier than other races. In the second installment of our voter game plan series, LAist Reporter Cato Hernández discusses each of the judicial candidates and shares some important tips from a former judge.

Check out Cato's Voter Game Plan guides on the LA and OC Superior Court judges at LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Voter Game Plan Part 1 — What you need to know about the June primary elections

Fri, 01 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000

All month long on Imperfect Paradise, we’re bringing you a special series devoted to the June primaries. Whether you’re voting for L.A. mayor, school board or superior court judge, we'll help you make an informed vote. To kick off the series, LAist Community Engagement Senior Producer Brianna Lee previews the key races and answers burning questions on navigating the primary election cycle.

Check out all the Voter Game Plan guides at LAist.com

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Inside a Southern California church, where Muslims, Jews, and Christians all pray

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Although religion is an inescapable element in conflicts around the world and a polarizing topic here at home, one place of worship in Pasadena, California, is defying religious labels. Amid the crosses and stained glass windows depicting the life of Christ, the First United Methodist Church shifts from Friday through Sunday to accommodate the three Abrahamic faiths. LAist reporter Yusra Farzan takes us through a weekend of Muslims' Friday prayers, a Jewish Shabbat service, and a Christian Easter celebration -- all coexisting under one roof.

Read Yusra’s full report at LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: 'Astronomical' LA28 Olympics ticket prices have shocked fans. But could a more expensive games benefit taxpayers?

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Despite an initial promise that LA Olympic events would start at $28, tickets for the games are costing fans hundreds to thousands of dollars. LAist Olympics reporter Libby Rainey joins us to discuss why the ticket prices are so expensive, what they can tell us about the money behind the games and who might stand to benefit – or lose – from the Olympics coming to LA.

Read Libby’s full report at LAist.com

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Big Bear Valley’s ‘royal couple’ Jackie and Shadow & their emotional journey to parenthood

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The famed Big Bear bald eagle couple Jackie and Shadow have become a global internet sensation. Tens of thousands of fans tune in to watch every season as the couple expands their family. LAist Reporter and resident Jackie & Shadow expert Makenna Cramer discusses the recent mating season and the latest in the couple’s parenting saga.

For more on the worldwide fascination and obsession with the eagle couple, listen to our 2024 episode with Makenna and former Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido.

Read Makenna’s full report at LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Rotten food, disease, isolation – what we know about conditions at the Adelanto ICE detention center

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000

At least four people have died in custody at an ICE detention facility in Adelanto, California. A recent lawsuit alleges that living conditions there are inhumane, and some are comparing the facility to "concentration camps." LAist reporter Julia Barajas has been reporting on Adelanto and takes us there – she tells us about detainee experiences and how California lawmakers are trying to enforce accountability.

Read Julia’s full report at LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Looming strike, budget deficit, and superintendent under federal investigation. What it could all mean for LAUSD's 400,000 students and staff

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles Unified School District could face an open-ended strike if multiple labor deals are not made by April 14. The potential strike comes at a time when the district faces significant challenges, including a budget deficit and a superintendent under FBI investigation. LAist K-12 Education Senior Reporter Mariana Dale breaks down how we got here and the consequences for the district's 400,000 students, their families, teachers, and staff.

Read Mariana’s full report at LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Whistleblower alleges manager asleep on job during Eaton Fire response. Complaint raises questions about accountability and preparedness

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

A whistleblower at the L.A. County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) filed a complaint alleging a colleague with a history of sleeping on the job was in charge of emergency workers sending evacuation alerts during critical moments of the Eaton Fire. LAist Climate and Environment Senior Reporter Erin Stone breaks down the complaint, what happened at OEM when the January 2025 fires broke out, and the serious concerns raised about OEM’s preparedness for the next big disaster.

Read Erin’s full report at LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Women speak a quarter of words in the 2026 Oscars Best Picture nominated films. What that tells us about the movies Hollywood values

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The Academy has historically favored men when it comes to giving out its Oscars statuettes. Women are once again not only underrepresented among this year’s Best Picture nominees, but also fared worse than last year. Emily Tarinelli analyzed how much female characters speak across the 10 nominated films, including top contenders like Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet. On Imperfect Paradise, Emily talks about her findings, why what female characters are saying on-screen matters, and what gender disparity in dialogue can tell us about the kinds of movies that are institutionally valued.

Read Emily’s full report at LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Route 66 has a 100-year legacy of American road trips and expansion, but the Main Street of America had its problems too

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000

As Route 66 celebrates its centennial anniversary, we look back at its enduring impact as an iconic road that stretched from Illinois to California — and some of its darker past. It wasn’t just a mode of transportation for family road trips. The historic route was also a primary path for Black Americans to escape the South during the Jim Crow era, all while navigating around sundown towns. L.A. Explained Reporter Cato Hernandez joins Imperfect Paradise to discuss the significance of Route 66, its influence on California and its effect on Black migration to the West.

Read more of Cato’s reporting at LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: California is not tracking whether its multi-billion dollar public preschool program is working. So how do we know if it’s helping or hurting students?

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

California has spent billions of dollars on a free universal preschool program available to all eligible 4-year-olds in the state. However, there are no official plans in place from the state to evaluate the success of the program, also known as transitional kindergarten, or TK. LAist Early Childhood Senior Reporter Elly Yu joins Imperfect Paradise to discuss why experts say research is needed, who is accountable for TK’s success, and what California can learn from other states with similar programs.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Money, politics and power: Casey Wasserman remains head of LA28 Olympics despite connections to Jeffrey Epstein. What does this mean for Olympics planning?

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

LA 2028 Olympics head Casey Wasserman is facing growing pressure to resign from his post after recently released Epstein files revealed emails Wasserman exchanged with Ghislaine Maxwell. The board behind LA28 — the private planning committee in charge of organizing the 2028 Games — has voted to keep Wasserman at the group’s helm, despite many city officials calling for his resignation, including L.A. Mayor Karen Bass.

LAist reporter Libby Rainey has been tracking the Olympics and joins Imperfect Paradise to discuss what power the mayor has to remove Wasserman, the relationship between the city and LA28 and what it means if Wasserman does step down.

Disclosure: Los Angeles civil rights attorney Connie Rice, who LAist interviewed for this story, is a Life Trustee of LAist.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Inside an Orange County immigration court. What it reveals about the Trump Administration’s changing policies

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

As the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown continues, we explore what’s happening on the legal side of immigration enforcement. A group of court observers at Santa Ana Immigration Court is trying to help immigrants and asylum-seekers who appear there get a fair shot under the law.

LAist Orange County Correspondent Jill Replogle tells us about her experience following the court observers and how what’s happening in these courtrooms determines the fate of undocumented immigrants across the U.S. We also discuss how immigrants, lawyers, and even judges are trying to keep up with the administration’s rapidly evolving immigration policies.

Read more of Jill's reporting at LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: After disasters, California mandates timely reports. Why it matters that more than 100 of them are years overdue

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Catastrophic fires are becoming more and more common across California. After-action reports about the fires and other disasters can help officials prevent past mistakes. But the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, or CalOES, has failed to deliver legally mandated reports on time following disasters for years. LAist Science Reporter Jacob Margolis looks at why the agency is so far behind, whether anyone is being held accountable and the worrying consequences for all Californians when we can’t learn from past emergencies until years later.

You can read all of Jacob Margolis’ reporting at LAist.com.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: A Cambodian Genocide survivor was undergoing the legal immigration process and had protections against deportation. So why was she detained by ICE indefinitely?

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Sithy Yi and her family fled Cambodia to the U.S. following the takeover of their home country by the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. But Yi’s visa application process has taken years, and despite complying with ICE, she’s been detained. LAist Watchdog Correspondent Jordan Rynning joins us to breakdown Yi’s story and how new policy changes from the Trump administration will affect Yi’s fate and the legal status of so many other immigrants like her.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: LAPD requested nearly $100 million from the city for the Olympics. Will taxpayers be footing the bill?

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The 2028 LA Olympic Games were initially promised to be no-cost to taxpayers. However, the Los Angeles Police Department requested nearly $100 million from the city for additional resources to police the games. LAist reporter Libby Rainey tells us what’s in LAPD’s request, how this could impact the city budget, and what it means for your tax dollars.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: The Trump Administration wants your confidential voter data. What’s behind their battle with CA and other states?

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The legal battle with the Trump administration to get access to your sensitive voter data began in Orange County, but is now playing out nationally. The outcome could affect hundreds of millions of people across the country and determine how the federal government uses your private voter information. Shortly after suing Orange County, the Justice Department sued California and 22 other states, along with Washington D.C., for their full voter files. The Trump administration suffered its first legal setback this week with a federal judge’s ruling to dismiss the DOJ’s lawsuit against CA. But the legal and political battle is far from over. LAist Orange County Correspondent Jill Replogle dives into the Trump administration’s unprecedented push for states’ voter rolls, what’s behind it, and how it could end up in the Supreme Court.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Where is LA a year after the fires? Checking in with survivors, rebuilding and nature

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

It’s been one year since two of the most destructive fires in California’s history – the Eaton Fire in Altadena and the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades – killed 31 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures. In this episode, we talk with LAist Climate and Environment Reporter Erin Stone on how families in the Palisades and Altadena are rebuilding. We'll also hear from LAist Reporter Libby Rainey on how some Altadena residents are coming together to build back quicker and more affordably. Finally, LAist Science Reporter Jacob Margolis takes us to the San Gabriel and Santa Monica Mountains for a check-in with nature.

Grow your business no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Meet the filmmakers who love AI (Redux)

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

This episode originally aired on March 19, 2025.

It’s hard to find people in Hollywood who are willing to speak publicly about their enthusiasm for AI, for fear of being seen as “siding with the machines.” And yet, many people are quietly using the technology already. In this episode, we interview two enthusiastic early adopters of AI in filmmaking about how they’re using it, its strengths and limitations, and how they respond to people who say AI is going to ruin Hollywood.

This LAist podcast is supported by Amazon Autos. Buying a car used to be a whole day affair. Now, at Amazon Autos, you can shop for a new, used, or certified pre-owned car whenever, wherever. You can browse hundreds of vehicles from top local dealers, all in one place. Amazon.com/autos

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: How AI became a Hollywood villain – especially for animators (Redux)

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

This episode originally aired on March 12, 2025.

Hollywood taught us to be afraid of a super powerful artificial intelligence that will one day conquer humanity. So not surprisingly, many screenwriters and actors are very skeptical of AI, and concerns about AI were central to the Hollywood labor strikes in 2023. But animators may actually be the most at risk of losing their jobs to AI.

In this episode, we’ll talk about why the first AI generated movies you will see will likely be animated, and what it means for the people who make them, and for everyone else in Hollywood.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Shuttle Endeavour’s final mission for a new home and space exploration

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles is an integral part of space shuttle Endeavour’s journey. The California Science Center is building a new, larger home for the shuttle, which will make it the only place in the world to see a complete shuttle system with its equipment in launch position. The project – years in the making – still has a long road ahead. LAist reporter Makenna Sievertson takes Imperfect Paradise inside the museum’s expansion, discusses Endeavour’s significance to LA and space exploration.

Grow your business no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Residents left behind at elder care facilities in LA raise serious questions about evacuation preparedness

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:41:33 +0000

In the early morning hours of January 8, the Eaton Fire raced closer to the MonteCedro retirement community in Altadena, California. Nearly 200 of the facility’s residents were evacuated, but two women were left behind, raising serious questions. In this episode of Imperfect Paradise, LAist Health and Housing Reporter Aaron Schrank looks at what went wrong, who should be held accountable, and what it reveals systemically about emergency preparedness.

You can read more of Aaron’s reporting for his Left Behind series at LAist.com.

Grow your business no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Imperfect Paradise: Altadena childcare providers' struggle to rebuild raises questions about government disaster response

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

At least 280 childcare spaces were affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires in January. LAist reporter Libby Rainey and early childhood senior reporter Elly Yu followed two women who ran childcare businesses out of their homes until the Eaton Fire destroyed them. In this episode of Imperfect Paradise, they look at how these two childcare providers are rebuilding their lives and businesses, the catch-22 they found themselves in around government assistance, and the state of the child care industry at large.

For more, you can read Libby’s latest reporting on Felisa Wright and Elly’s story on Francisca Gunawardena on LAist.com.

Grow your business no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Gender-affirming care for transgender youth is at risk in LA and nationwide

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Nearly 3,000 patients have been forced to find gender-affirming care elsewhere after the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles closed their LA Center for Trans Youth Health and Development in July. The closure comes amid threats of cuts to federal funding for providers of gender affirming-care and other attempts to restrict LGBTQ rights nationwide. LAist producer Kevin Tidmarsh joins us to talk about what’s next for transgender healthcare in this political moment and how families with trans kids will find care and support now.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Health workers say ICE agents at hospitals are compromising patient care

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Amid the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, there’s been an uptick in ICE presence in hospitals across the country. At Adventist Health White Memorial hospital in Boyle Heights, doctors say that hospital administrators have even allowed immigration agents to interfere with patients’ medical care. LAist correspondent Jill Replogle has been reporting on the hospital. She tells us how healthcare workers are dealing with immigration agents showing up in emergency rooms and clinics, what it says about patients' rights to privacy and the treatment of immigrants in hospitals moving forward.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: California's new free public preschool program for 4-year-olds

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

All four-year-olds in the state of California now have access to a free preschool program in their local school district. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a plan to expand the state’s transitional kindergarten, or TK, program in May 2021, as part of a broader move to create the largest free early education program in the U.S. So what does transitional kindergarten offer kids and what are the challenges in its implementation? In this episode of Imperfect Paradise, we break it down with the LAist education team: Higher Education Reporter Julia Barajas, Senior K-12 Reporter Mariana Dale and Senior Early Childhood Reporter Elly Yu.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Who pays for the 2028 Olympics? LA taxpayers may be on the hook

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

In less than a thousand days, Los Angeles will be hosting the summer Olympics. Many cities worldwide have been put into debt by the games, so what could they mean for Los Angeles? LAist reporter Libby Rainey joins Imperfect Paradise to look back at the history of the games when LA last hosted them, the financial outlook for the city, and what role the federal government might play.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Why the site of the largest methane leak in US history still hasn’t been shut down

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 19:00:00 +0000

Regulations on gas storage facilities have been tightened since the detection of the Aliso Canyon leak, which started in 2015 and lasted nearly four months. But residents remain worried about long term health effects following the leak. LAist Climate and Environment Reporter Erin Stone discusses the 10-year anniversary of the disaster and what’s standing in the way of the facility being closed for good.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: How becoming a US citizen just got harder under the Trump administration and what it means for Angelenos

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 01:21:11 +0000

The Trump administration’s immigration policies have resulted in raids and protests in Southern California and across the country, and the administration has also moved to tighten who gets citizenship. Recently, the federal government pushed out new guidelines for naturalization. The situation has raised fundamental questions around what it means to be a U.S. citizen and how the process to become one is changing. LAist Higher Education Reporter Julia Barajas looks at how these changes are playing out inside a citizenship prep class at Pasadena City College.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Prop 50: Is California’s redistricting push a threat to democracy or a defense of it?

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Proposition 50 is part of a nationwide battle over control of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Californians are being asked to take a side: Should the state be temporarily allowed to redraw congressional maps to counter the Trump administration and redistricting in Texas? LAist Civics & Democracy Correspondent Frank Stoltze and Civics & Democracy Engagement Producer Brianna Lee break down the arguments for and against ballot measure Prop. 50, and how the Nov. 4 special election could shape local and national politics for years to come.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: An LA Commission created to tackle city government scandals is being stymied

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 01:08:26 +0000

A charter reform commission was created in 2024 in response to multiple Los Angeles city government scandals, including the leak of a racist tape featuring City Council President Nury Martinez. One of the commission’s aims was to modify the LA charter, which is basically the city’s constitution. But reports indicate that this commission is struggling to do its job. There are calls for transparency around its very structure. LAist Watchdog Correspondent Jordan Rynning joins Imperfect Paradise to talk about the commission’s issues and how this work will affect the lives of Angelenos.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Reports about failures in response to the January LA fires and a 2018 fire have striking similarities

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000

A new report details the Eaton and Palisades fires, including failures in the emergency response. But this report bears striking similarities with another -- which chronicled the response to the 2018 Woolsey Fire in Southern California. LAist science reporter Jacob Margolis discusses the reports and what they mean for L.A. County moving forward.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: How union organizing is being upended by private universities in Southern California

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Big companies like Amazon and SpaceX are claiming that the National Labor Relations Board – an independent federal entity in charge of overseeing unionizing efforts – is unconstitutional. In addition to those companies, colleges like the University of Southern California and Loyola Marymount University are also joining the movement to push back against labor groups. If this movement succeeds, it could make unionizing harder on a broader level. LAist higher education reporter Julia Barajas joins us to talk about why these universities are seemingly working against faculty attempting to organize and what it could mean for unions at universities – and beyond – in the long term.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: Why California's protest law is flawed and the consequences to protesters

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 11:00:00 +0000

After the George Floyd protests of 2020, California took steps to rein in violent policing of protests by passing laws restricting how law enforcement uses less-lethal weapons, like tasers and rubber bullets. But high profile protests in 2024 and 2025 – including this summer’s protests against the ICE raids in Los Angeles – have revealed major flaws in those laws. LAist Senior Editor Jared Bennett joins us to talk about an investigation around these flaws and what they mean for people exercising their right to free speech.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Imperfect Paradise: The Huntington Beach library at the center of America’s culture wars

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Censorship efforts at libraries nationwide have increased steadily over the last several years. In the 2023 - 24 school year, more than 10,000 book bans were counted in the country’s public schools. These efforts have become a cornerstone of a larger national debate over cultural influences and parents' rights to restrict those influences. LAist Orange County Correspondent Jill Replogle joins us to talk about how censorship efforts are playing out at the Huntington Beach library. We look at how the town’s conservative city council and residents are facing off over the council’s efforts to exert greater control over the library and how the choice to remove a few books from a library shelf can have far-reaching effects.

Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise

Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Epilogue

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 09:30:00 +0000

We close the series with a meditation on how 28 years after the 1992 Riots, for many in L.A., things feel exactly the same.

Ellie

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 09:30:00 +0000

Eleuteria “Ellie” Hernández moved to Los Angeles from a small town in Mexico when she was 14 and fell in love with the city. In this episode, Walter sits down with Ellie, his mother, to understand her relationship to L.A. and how it shaped his own.

California Love sponsors include:

UCLA Extension Fall Quarter starts September 28. Enroll now at https://www.uclaextension.edu/

This LAist Studios podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/LAist

Compton Cowboys

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 09:30:00 +0000

There’s a horse ranch in the heart of Compton that may hold the answers for salvation and redemption for the city’s black cowboys.

Read the original NYTimes article, "For the Compton Cowboys, Horseback Riding Is a Legacy, and Protection."

Read Walter Thompson-Hernández's book The Compton CowboysThe New Generation of Cowboys in America's Urban Heartland

This LAist Studios podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/LAist

California Love is a limited series with 8 episodes. Show support by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts.

Parrots: A Parable

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 09:30:00 +0000

A first-parrot perspective into legends and myths of how L.A. became home to the world’s largest population of green parrots.

This LAist Studios podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/LAist

California Love is a limited series with 8 episodes. Show support by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts.

Kobe

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 09:30:00 +0000

Walter dives deep on what Kobe meant to him in his life and how the icon’s death spurred a collective mourning throughout the city.

This LAist Studios podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/LAist

California Love is a limited series with 8 episodes. Show support by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts.

P Line

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 09:30:00 +0000

A story about a wild party line that many Los Angeles’ teenagers used to create a fantasy world.

California Love sponsors include:

Stream We Are Freestyle Love Supreme beginning July 17, only on Hulu

This LAist Studios podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/LAist

Scared Straight

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 09:31:00 +0000

Walter was just eleven years old when he was admitted to L.A.'s infamous Scared Straight program for graffiti related crimes. In this episode, Walter, through a chance encounter, checks-in with his friend who went through the program with him, their anti-tagging arch-nemesis, and how they have turned out after all these years.

California Love sponsors include:

Stream We Are Freestyle Love Supreme beginning July 17, only on Hulu

This LAist Studios podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/LAist

Prologue

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 09:30:00 +0000

Host Walter Thompson-Hernández returns home to L.A. and reflects on how much the city has changed since he was a child.

California Love sponsors include:

Stream We Are Freestyle Love Supreme beginning July 17, only on Hulu

This LAist Studios podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/LAist