Part 2: JB Hamby is the dealmaker from California, and at 28 years old, he’s the youngest and least experienced among the representatives from the seven states involved with the Colorado River water negotiations. LAist correspondent Emily Guerin explores the beginnings of Hamby’s understanding of water growing up in the Imperial Valley, a desert farming area in California.

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.

#98: Today we're celebrating pride by revisiting our deep into the history of Queer LA. Our LA Explained reporter, Caitlin Hernández, took us back in time to explain how West Hollywood became recognized as a mecca for LA's gay community. It was part of their research for the LAist series, Queer LA, where Caitlin's highlighting the joy, culture, and history of queerness in this city.

You can find more of their reporting at laist.com/QueerLA

Music in this episode composed by: Rae Bourbon, Austin Cross, Kylie Minogue, Masayoshi Takanaka, Fats Waller, Woo.

Archival audio courtesy of the Library of Congress.

#287: Join us behind the scenes at Studio B, HTLA's home base here at LAist Studios. Today we're talking about what it takes to make our show possible... Because here's the thing: we love making this show, but we can only do it with your support.

To give you a little inspiration, Brian's putting HTLA's producers in the hotseat and asking them to share their favorite moments working on the show.

How To LA — and ALL the other news content and podcasts from LAist — is Pubic Media. That means we only get funded if you, dear listener, decide to fund us.

We want to keep bringing you stories for LA, by LA. Please help us do the work you love by becoming a member at LAist.com/joinHTLA.

Thank you so much, and we'll see you with some architectural history tomorrow!

~team HTLA

#286: It's pride month, and today we're looking at how that's showing up in the classroom.

In this episode, host Brian De Los Santos speaks with LAist reporters Caitlin Hernandez and Mariana Dale about what this school year was like for LGBTQ+ teachers in SoCal. In districts big and small, from struggle to joy, Hernandez and Dale heard it all, and they're here to share what they found with us. 

You can find their digital story on LAist's website here: https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-lgbtq-los-angeles-county-chino-antelope-valley-teacher-student-support

Guests: LAist reporters Caitlin Hernandez and Mariana Dale

#285: Today, we’re bringing you my conversation with NPR’s Emily Kwong, the host of a new LAist Studios podcast called “Inheriting.” It’s about Asian American and Pacific Islander families, and explores how a single event in history can ripple through generations.

This is How To LA, the podcast that helps you navigate this city. I’m Brian De Los Santos. I want to share with you another podcast from LAist Studios that I think you’ll really want to listen to: Imperfect Paradise: The Gen Z Water Dealmaker.

For the next few weeks, we’ll be dropping episodes every Sunday. 

The Colorado River is in the midst of one of the worst water crises in recorded history. Climate change and overuse are taking a significant toll. Seven states, including California, must compromise and reach a solution to prevent the river from collapsing.

In late 2023, the tensions were running high between the major players in the water world as they convened at the annual Colorado River conference in Las Vegas. LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin was there, seeking to learn as much as she can about the people with the most power on the river.

For more, visit https://LAist.com/ImperfectParadise

Support 

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.

#284: Gab. Brian. Food. You know the drill — Cheap Fast Eats is back! This time, LAist food editor Gab Chabrán is taking HTLA host Brian De Los Santos to some of the best spots west of Sepulveda Blvd in the 818.

A century ago Wheat and Lemon were the undisputed kings of LA's San Fernando Valley, a spill of land that existed almost exclusively to be farmed. But in the 1950's, as a post-war Los Angeles was flirting ever so closely with car-culture, the first strip malls of suburbia were born.

Today we know these strip malls as the humble homes of the best food the Valley has to offer. Join us to hear about Gab's favorites - and check out his full guide on LAist.com.

Restaurants visited: Cupid's Hot Dogs, Ay Papa Que Rico, New York Chicken & Gyro

Music in this episode composed by: E Ro 3, Troye Sivan, Herb Ellis, Dexter Thomas, Slumberville, The ModArchive, Makoto Matsushita, Austin Cross

#283: WeHo Pride is THIS Weekend! The three-day event celebrating everything LGBTQ will feature drag artists, gay pop icons, and lots and lots of glitter. To get a head start on the festivities, HTLA host Brian De Los Santos sits down with OUTLOUD festival founder Jeff Consoletti, and pop artist VINCINT, to talk about Pride at West Hollywood, and about what it means to be a queer icon.

#128: Happy Memorial Day! The team is off - but we still have a treat for you. (Get it? Because conchas are so sweet?) Ok. Jokes aside, we're replaying this episode because it was recently nominated for a James Beard award, and the team is really excited about that. 

But here's the thing... We can't make episodes like this without your help. If you value our flavor of journalism, please donate to keep us going strong.

LAist.com/joinHTLA

This episode originally published on July 7, 2023. Original description below.

Everyone loves a fresh concha – that warm, doughy center with the crunchy cookie shell on the top could send any Angeleno's heart a'flutter. Today, Brian's taking LAist food editor Gab Chabran on a concha crawl. We're exploring the history of this famous Mexican treat, and checking out Brian & Gab's favorite spots across LA.

For more sweet-breaded goodness, check out Gab's article over on LAist.com

Panaderias visited: Panaderia Coatzingo in South LA, Vallarta, y Gusto Bread in Long Beach.

Got a favorite we didn't mention? Send us a DM! instagram.com/LAistofficial

Music in this episode composed by: Aaron Copland, Austin Cross, Haruomi Hosono, Radio Jarocho, Quetzal, Masayoshi Takanaka, The ModArchive, Dexter Thomas, Woo, Yeahman

#282: Today we’re putting a spotlight on journalists at Southern California colleges who’ve been covering protests on their campuses. Protesters have been calling for an end to Israeli attacks on Gaza and for their schools to divest from companies tied to Israel and weapons manufacturing.  

We heard from students at USC, UC Riverside, CSU Long Beach, and UC Irvine about what this time has been like for them, juggling their roles as journalists and college students.

Check out the story on LAist: What's It Like To Cover Your Own Campus Protest? Here's What Student Journalists Told Us