Greater LA

With the writers’ strike in week 10, SAG-AFTRA actors are walking off the job at Friday 12 a.m. What does this mean for workers, studios, and media consumers? Three art shows to check out this summer: “Wishing Well” supports research for a rare genetic disorder; “Variations on a Theme” shows different rules artists employ in their craft; “20” celebrates the 20th anniversary of David Kordansky Gallery.

Upscale camping, or “glamping,” took off during the pandemic. Now anyone with a property and beautiful tent can add to their profits during the camping season. Cris Hazzard, aka “The Hiking Guy,” recommends some great camping spots around LA for the adventurous among us. Who ventures to the great outdoors? It’s not always as diverse as the natural flora, which is exactly what Outdoor Asian is trying to change in Southern California.

The new short film “Merman” follows nurse André Chambers as he explains navigating racism and homophobia from an early age, and finding a place for himself in the world. Camarillo’s Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology houses more than 1 million preserved bird eggs — one of the largest collections in the world. The 1994 “Crime Bill” stripped people in prison of eligibility to access federal Pell Grants for college education. This July, that changed. 

A local comedian developed a game show that taps into our anxiety about AI while trying to answer one question: Can computers make us laugh? The Santa Monica Police Department is now using drones to appear as “first responders” at crime scenes. Some privacy rights activists are concerned. A judge recently blocked the city of Fullerton from enforcing a ban on people parking their recreational vehicles (RVs) on the streets without a permit. It’s a victory for advocacy groups such as Housing is a Human Right Orange County, but will it last?

A developer using a California law known as the “builder’s remedy” plans to construct as many as 1,000 apartments in Beverly Hills. City officials are not happy. Miki Dora was a legendary Malibu surfer in the 1950s-70s — and a con man who led the FBI on a global manhunt. The latest season of the “Lost Hills” podcast tells his story. Cancer for College is an organization that says it’s given more than $5 million to students with cancer, plus cancer survivors who missed school because of treatments. 

Renewable energy is sparse at night, and EV batteries stop holding a full charge long before they’re worthless. One company is solving both 1problems at once. Silent film actress Alla Nazimova threw the biggest parties in 1920s Hollywood. Romy Nordlinger brings her back to life in the new “Garden of Alla.” Welcome to dog hell, or as human Americans call it, Independence Day. If fireworks caused your pet to flee in a panic, here’s what you can do.

Thousands of SoCal hotel workers are on strike to demand better pay and benefits. More than 60 hotels and Unite Here Local 11 haven’t reached a new contract. This July 4, LA Chief Heat Officer Marta Segura advises Angelenos to find shade, wear light-colored clothing, take cold showers, and – sorry – avoid alcohol. The Huntington Beach City Council recently moved ahead with a plan to restrict books deemed “obscene” at public libraries.

LA’s last lesbian bar closed in 2017. Now, two new bars for queer women have opened in East Hollywood and Silver Lake, and they’ve been packed. At two Pride events in LA, KCRW asked queer-identifying people what’s on their minds as several states have been trying to enact anti-trans and anti-drag legislation. Author Susan Straight’s latest project, 1,001 Novels: A Library of America, was her attempt to find the “real” U.S., far from the blue and red states of TV news.

Voice actors work on cartoons, commercials, video games, and more. Now that artificial intelligence makes cloning voices easier, jobs are in trouble, even as other jobs may be created. Musician Jessy Lanza has turned a move from Canada to LA into a love letter to the city, with a little help from her artistic director partner, Winston Chase. In the third clay biennial at Craft Contemporary, California artists showcase work embodying their connection to land and water.

Unionized hotel workers in Los Angeles and Orange Counties are demanding raises, saying they can no longer afford to live in the cities where they work. At a summit today and Wednesday in LA, political leaders, activists, and philanthropists are discussing the challenges and needs facing immigrants. The original El Cholo, the Mexican restaurant in Mid-City, turns 100 this year. The dishes served by waiters in white shirts and black ties trace the history of a changing city.