#61: Remember those intense storms in early January? L.A. County said it captured some 33 BILLION gallons of stormwater to use later and support about 800,000 households a year. It's an important step to help us get through the drought years.

But that awesome number is less than 20% of the total rain water. The other 80% washed right out to sea.

Today we're explaining why that is... and what the county is doing to improve. We're also checking out a success story in a neighborhood park in South LA, that might hold the answer to LA's water woes.

Guests: Erin Stone, LAist Climate Emergency reporter; Steve Frasher, public information officer for LA County Public Works; and Bruce Reznick, executive director of LA Waterkeeper

To learn more about this project, check out Erin's article: https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/how-capturing-more-stormwater-can-also-make-city-parks-better 

#60: It's been a little more than a week since a shooter killed 11 people at the Star Dance Studio in Monterey Park. The grief and the sense of shattered security won’t go away easily – if ever – but the healing process has begun. At vigils and Lunar New Year Festivals, communities of the San Gabriel Valley came together to mourn those who died and to celebrate life. So we were there...to capture and understand this healing process from the community level. 

#59: The deadline for ending COVID-era eviction protections got pushed...and pushed again. Now the deadline is at the end of March. Unless, of course, L.A. County officials punt it one more time. There's been a lot of confusion out there about what's going on. Landlords are angry. Tenants are scared. Brian De Los Santos talks to LAist Housing Reporter David Wagner about how we got to this point, and what might happen next. If you are looking for some answers, we got some here. Plus, David has written a handy guide, including everything renters need to know about this process: https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/los-angeles-county-city-eviction-guide 

#58: LAist Food Editor Gab Chabran and HTLA Host Brian De Los Santos are at it again, eating everything in sight that's good and cheap. This time they're hitting up Culver City - a city steeped in moviemaking history that is very much part of LA but with its own personality. It's kinda like where urban meets suburban, and where there is a lot of good grub. 

Featured restaurants: Empanadas Place, Jasmine Market & Deli, Sexy Beans.

Check out Gab's full article here: https://laist.com/news/food/slurpable-asian-noodles-rustic-empanadas-and-sexy-beans-welcome-to-cheap-fast-eats-culver-city 

#57: New Year, New You, right? Whatever self improvement goals you've set for yourself this year, life is still stressful - work pressures, family commitments...not to mention natural disasters, political strife and world crises that you literally have no control over. Well, we want to offer a little respite. Los Angeles actually has a lot to offer in terms of quiet places to walk or meditate that could bring a little peace to a hectic day or week. We are not mental health experts so we are just making suggestions based on what we know we need from time to time to have a little zen in our lives. Host Brian De Los Santos checks out a few special places around the city that are accessible to anyone who is looking for a little calm, and gains a new understanding of the benefits of walking meditation. 

Guests: Diana Winston, director of mindfulness education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center; David Jaramillo, director of operations and customer care at The Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness

#56: Following the mass shooting in Monterey Park, a lot of focus has been placed on the mental health of people in the larger Asian American Pacific Islander community. The realization that the suspected shooter in this case -- and in another recent incident in Half Moon Bay -- was an older Asian man, a senior citizen, has brought about a closer examination of the generational divide in the AAPI community when it comes to one's mental health and a willingness to see help. How to LA host Brian De Los Santos explores that divide and what's being done to help elders in the AAPI get what they need in terms of services.

Guest:

Myron Dean Quon, Chief Executive Officer at Pacific Asian Counseling Services.

#55: A mass shooting sent shockwaves through the Asian American community of Monterey Park on the eve of Lunar New Year. Eleven people have died, and more are still being treated for their injuries. The tragedy left residents wondering how such a horrible event could happen in an otherwise idyllic example of what an immigrant enclave can be.

Today on HTLA, we want to take some time to talk about the history and cultures of Monterey Park. 

Guests: Josie Huang, Asian American communities reporter for LAist; Yong Chen, professor of history at University of California, Irvine

#54: The City of Angels is made up of some pretty exciting people, from all sorts of backgrounds with all kinds of interests. This year, we're putting the spotlight on some folks we think you should know about... and demystifying how they got to where they are in life. From musicians and writers to changemakers and activists, we’re sitting down with some dope Angelenos and getting INTO it in our new segment, “How I Got Started.”

This first chat is with the fabulous Ashley Ray. She’s a stand-up comedian, podcast host, TV writer, and television critic. Find her on Twitter @theashleyray, or her website Theashleyray.com

#53: We've had record rain in California since the start of the year, brought on by atmospheric rivers and bomb cyclones. There's been massive flooding and at least 19 deaths in parts of the state. It's got people talking about whether this is just what normal is supposed to look like after years of drought, or if all these back-to-back storms really were some sort of natural abnormality. How much does this have to do with climate change, and can we expect this extreme weather more often from now on? How to LA host Brian De Los Santos gets some perspective from Alex Hall, a professor in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Scientist Department at UCLA. 

#52: For our first episode of 2023, HTLA is headed back to our roots: exploring LA's neighborhoods. This stop? Fairfax – one of the oldest AND newest neighborhoods in Los Angeles. From Canter's Deli and a handful of remaining Judaica stores, to RipNDip and Supreme, this is one of those neighborhoods that's got something for everyone. So join host Brian De Los Santos as HTLA listener Patrick Vukovich takes him on a tour of the district and its history.

Guest: Patrick Vukovich, television producer and LAist listener.

Note: A previous version of this story included incorrect information about redevelopment at CBS Television City. The updated plan is available here: https://planning.lacity.org/development-services/eir/tvc-2050-project-0