Monks & Merrill

Hour 3 - Airbnb, the LAPD Union, and landlord giant - where the money's coming from in LA's race for mayor. Beautiful Downtown Burbank isn't a punchline; the city is booming while Downtown LA struggles. Plus, California has smallest share of 'underwater' mortgages in U.S. Also, SpaceX millionaires are coming for LA homes.

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Hour 1 - Los Angeles County’s proposed grant to keep indie films local and what Paramount’s blockbuster deal—now cleared by British regulators—means for Hollywood’s future. L.A. Times staff writer Meg James joins to discuss David Ellison’s claim that critics “don’t get his politics,” and ABC’s Jordana Miller reports on a possible Strait of Hormuz agreement amid a major attack in Yemen. Tune in for news, context, and sharp conversation. 

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Hour 2 - Day 1 of the Lineage warehouse fire hearing, including Mayor Karen Bass and other officials pressing Lineage to fund long-term aid for affected residents. Plus: a gutting look at LA’s surge in dog euthanasia and the heartbreaking faces on the “kill list,” and why a nearly $1 million Runyon Canyon restroom is still closed months past its expected opening. Tune in for local accountability, human stories, and what comes next.

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Hour 3 - Santa Ana’s move to test speed cameras in racing hotspots, and the growing debate in Sacramento and Washington over license-plate reader surveillance. We’ll also examine a scandalous $1.6M payout to an L.A. homeless provider CEO who lives in Hawaii, and how a county program for people with serious mental illness is finally gaining traction. Tune in for accountability, policy clashes, and the human stories behind the headlines.

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Hour 1 - This episode unpacks the arrest of an armed man at Trump’s golf club—earpiece in, camera out—probing what it signals about modern security. The hosts sift through explosive letters revealing the internal threats that hastened Alberto Carvalho’s LAUSD departure. They break down how, after the Lineage fire, LA County Supervisors are boosting penalties for public health violations to better protect residents. And they head to Boyle Heights, where a proposed street-cleaning tax becomes a flashpoint in a broader gentrification fight.

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Hour 2 - Orange County faces a potential legal reckoning as two dozen parents may be criminally charged after children rode e-bikes and e-motorcycles illegally, while L.A. City Council members push new restrictions on e-bikes citywide. The show also breaks down the LA Council’s approval of funding to hire a consultant for a revamped homelessness plan and explores LA Metro’s report that homelessness on public transit has dropped 57% since 2024—what’s driving that decline and what it means for broader policy.

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Hour 3 - Southern California cities grapple with the aftermath of July 4 mayhem—one city issued $240,000 in fines during a fireworks crackdown—and Newport Beach Mayor Lauren Kleiman joins the show to explain why city staff are asking for new curfews and mass‑gathering rules after the chaos. The hosts break down a looming LA voter decision on whether Palisades homeowners will get relief from the city’s so‑called “mansion tax,” and discuss USC’s new maps showing lead contamination across the county following the Palisades and Eaton fires

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Hour 1 - Monks and Merrill unpack the findings that linked the Eaton Fire to a Southern California Edison transmission tower, examine a proposed utility bailout and its impact on fire survivors, and explore how new regulations could make wildfire prevention more difficult. Plus, goat grazing expert Tim Arrowsmith explains why changes to wage rules could threaten one of California’s most effective fire mitigation tools.

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Hour 2 - They break down the region’s housing affordability crisis, from soaring home prices and rising rents to the growing number of young adults who can’t afford to stay. They also unpack the debate over billionaire taxes, what supporters and critics say, and whether policies like these can make a meaningful difference in addressing California’s cost-of-living challenges.

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Hour 3 - As President Trump visits Los Angeles for a Republican fundraiser, Monks and Merrill discuss the political backdrop before diving into the California Voter Foundation's recommendations to speed up ballot counting. They explore practical election reforms, why accuracy and transparency matter, and how simple changes could strengthen public confidence in California's election process.

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