Episode Number 21 - Original Airdate: March 2, 2011

California Company Unveils Hummingbird Spy Drone

A California company that makes unmanned drone aircraft for the U.S. military has unveiled a tiny flying drone that looks like a hummingbird.

The airborne spy is part of a new kind of military technology that also has civilian uses.

This story was originally aired on March 2, 2011 on Voice of America, and was produced and reported by West Coast Bureau Chief, Mike O'Sullivan.

#voa #mikeo'sullivan #la #losangeles #usmilitary #drones #militarytech #historicnews #historiccalifornianews #voiceofamerica

Episode Number 20 - Original Airdate: June 30, 2011

Global Study: Growing Pentecostal Churches Have Social Mission

Religion scholars say the fastest-growing form of Christianity is Pentecostalism, with its exuberant worship and belief in the so-called gifts of the Spirit, including speaking in tongues and divine healing.

Researchers say Pentecostals and charismatics - Catholics and others who share in Pentecostal practices - make up one-quarter of the world’s Christians, with the greatest numbers in the developing world.

A new study finds the fastest-growing Pentecostal churches are tackling social problems in their communities.

This story was originally aired on June 30, 2011 on Voice of America, and was produced and reported by West Coast Bureau Chief, Mike O'Sullivan.

#voa #mikeo'sullivan #la #losangeles #religion #christianity #pentecostalism #religioustrends #religiousgrowth #historicnews #historiccalifornianews #voiceofamerica

Episode Number 19 - Original Airdate: September 17, 2010

Making an Album -- the Way it Used to be Done

The Big Band sound -- the kind of jazz popular in the 1930s and '40s -- can still be heard today.

Some of the top musicians in Hollywood got together recently to record a new big band album, produced by composer Patrick Williams, known for composing many memorable pieces, including the theme to The Streets of San Francisco.

The musicians describe it as a labor of love, and VOA's Mike O'Sullivan got a rare opportunity to sit in on the recording.

This story was originally aired on May 14, 2010 on Voice of America, and was produced and reported by West Coast Bureau Chief, Mike O'Sullivan.

#voa #mikeo'sullivan #la #losangeles #jazz #patrickwilliams #hollywood #hollywoodjazz #capitalrecords #bigbands #historicnews #historiccalifornianews #voiceofamerica

Episode 18: Water Wars In LA, It's Laws against Lawns - July 25, 2014

Special Video Episode

In this episode of Historic California News, VOA's Mike O'Sullivan tells On Assignment's Alex Villarreal about the impact of California's drought on residents of Los Angeles.

This content was originally broadcast on Voice of America on July 25, 2014. We leave this episode as it was originally produced, and allow the content to speak for itself without the inclusion of our customary intros and theme music.

This episode is provided for educational purposes and is not monetized in any way.

#mikeosullivan #la #losanangeles #historiccalifornianews #california #drought #waterwars #voa #voiceofamerica

Episode Number 17 - Original Airdate: May 14, 2010

California to Vote on Legalizing Marijuana

California could become the first American state to allow people to smoke a joint just because they feel like it.

In 1996, California became the first U.S. state to approve the medical use of marijuana.

Since then, 13 other states and Washington, D.C., have passed similar laws.

Now a measure on the California ballot in November, called Proposition 19, will decide whether to legalize small amounts of marijuana for recreational use, despite a federal law against it.

This story was originally aired on May 14, 2010 on Voice of America, and was produced and reported from Oakland, California by West Coast Bureau Chief, Mike O'Sullivan.

#voa #mikeo'sullivan #la #losangeles #marijuana #prop19 #proposition19 #legalmarijuana #oakland #historicnews #historiccalifornianews #voiceofamerica

Episode Number 16 - Original Airdate: May 13, 2010

Big Sunday Projects Put 50,000 Volunteers to Work

Each year in late April or early May, more than 50,000 volunteers in Southern California help out at hundreds of non-profit organizations, from schools to community centers, at an annual event called "Big Sunday."

They paint, clean and garden to help local charities.

This story was originally aired on May 13, 2010 on Voice of America, and was produced and reported by West Coast Bureau Chief, Mike O'Sullivan.

#voa #mikeo'sullivan #la #losangeles #usc #volunteers #volunteerism #bigsundayprojects #bigsunday #historicnews #historiccalifornianews #voiceofamerica

Episode Number 15 - Original Airdate: May 23, 2010

USC Is Top US University for International Students

The number of international students in the United States is at record levels.

Last year, more than 670,000 foreign students attended an American college or university.

The University of Southern California had the largest number for the eighth year in a row. Mike O'Sullivan paid a visit to the campus to learn why the students are coming and how they adapt.

This story was originally aired on May 23, 2010 on Voice of America, and was produced and reported by West Coast Bureau Chief, Mike O'Sullivan.

#voa #mikeo'sullivan #la #losangeles #usc #internationalstudents #unversities #colleges #foreignstudents #historicnews #historiccalifornianews #voiceofamerica

Episode Number 14 - Original Airdate: June 6, 2010

Behind Policy Debate, There's Human Drama at US-Mexico Border

The southern U.S. border with Mexico is the focus of political debate over illegal immigration. But human dramas play out every day along the border.

In Nogales, Arizona, the conflict pits U.S. ranchers and residents against migrants trying to cross the border illegally.

This story was originally aired on January 29, 2010 on Voice of America, and was produced and reported by West Coast Bureau Chief, Mike O'Sullivan.

#voa #mikeo'sullivan #la #losangeles #usborder #immigration #mexico #arizona #nogales #illegalmigrants #historicnews #historiccalifornianews #voiceofamerica

Episode Number 13 - Original Airdate: January 29, 2010

US Military Center Assesses Haitian Needs

The U.S. Army has set up a data collection center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to assess the needs of residents in the aftermath of the massive earthquake January 12.

Thousands who come daily are in desperate need of water, food and work.

Roughly 10,000 people show up here most days, at a building of the Haitian agriculture ministry, which the U.S. Army is using temporarily as a data collection and operations center.

This story was originally aired on January 29, 2010 on Voice of America, and was produced and reported in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, by West Coast Bureau Chief, Mike O'Sullivan.

#voa #mikeo'sullivan #la #losangeles #haiti #haitianearthquake #port-au-prince #usarmy #usarmyaid #historicnews #historiccalifornianews #voiceofamerica

Episode Number 12 - Original Airdate: April 22, 2010

Democracy Activists Look at Digital Opportunities, Challenges

The power of digital devices, such as mobile phones equipped with cameras, was seen in protests that followed the disputed Iranian election in June, 2009.

Postings on such websites as Facebook and Twitter brought thousands to the streets, and digital images from Tehran fueled sympathetic protests around the world.

A recent conference in Dallas looked at the Internet as a tool for democracy activists, and at the challenges facing Internet commentators, or bloggers.

This story was originally aired on April 22, 2010 on Voice of America, and was produced and reported from Dallas by West Coast Bureau Chief, Mike O'Sullivan.

#voa #mikeo'sullivan #la #losangeles #bloggers #democracy #democraticdissidents #freedomhouse #freedomofspeech #skype #facebook #youtube #historicnews #historiccalifornianews #voiceofamerica