Monks & Merrill

HOUR 3 (09/25) - Monks & Merrill fill in for Gary & Shannon as San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan joins to discuss Proposition 36’s treatment promise, and why people are falling through the cracks.
Then, the latest headlines in #WhatsHappening before a helping of 10 News Nuggies: Kraft Dinner soda, Sweden’s campaign to make people less polite, and a smart-fridge update that leaves owners with spoiled food. Plus, Florida delivers cash-flinging police chases, a selfie-stick attack and road rage involving vegan mayonnaise.

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HOUR 4 (09/25) - Monks & Merrill start their own show (after filling-in for Gary & Shannon), examining why so many restraining-order requests stall in L.A. County. Paula Savage from the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles joins to explain the obstacles facing survivors—and what happens after a judge signs an order.
Then, a wealthy Raman supporter puts bike lanes in the mayoral-race spotlight. Plus, Long Beach’s nearly $65 million street makeover: residents wanted potholes fixed, but they’re getting a much bigger redesign. Who benefits, and who’s stuck waiting behind the bus?

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Hour 1 - The LAX People Mover hits another delay, raising fresh questions about accountability as a contractor change could push the troubled project even further behind. Plus, Hollywood Burbank Airport tests its new terminal ahead of the grand opening, Southern California watches two hurricanes churning offshore, Hurricane Polo threatens flooding and landslides in Mexico, and scientists warn of hundreds of thousands of global heat deaths linked to El Niño.

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Hour 2 - Dr. Jennifer Piazza of Cal State Fullerton joins us with the latest update on soil testing tied to the Ladera Ranch cancer cluster. Plus, questions surrounding California’s deal involving the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, new booster-seat requirements for kids ages 8–16, and a look at the latest California laws affecting teens’ social media use, EV chargers and more.

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Hour 3 - Federal funding delays are creating turmoil for L.A.’s homeless services system as providers warn of major disruptions. Plus, the L.A. County Continuum of Care Board moves to make the county the lead applicant for HUD funds, Mayor Karen Bass orders an outside review of LAPD’s response to mental-health crises, and L.A. approves a record $466 million pool for affordable housing.

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Hour 1 - California’s high-speed rail project has a new fight over where to put its Merced station: downtown, as originally planned, or about four miles southeast near Highway 99.

Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken faces allegations that she made racist remarks to her chief of staff and repeatedly questioned her sexual orientation.

Justin Bieber surprised people at MacArthur Park with an impromptu performance, and District Attorney Nathan Hochman quickly celebrated it as evidence of progress against drug dealers.

The new Berkeley IGS/Los Angeles Times poll shows Raman at 39%, Bass at 28% and 33% undecided.

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Hour 2 - Mayor Karen Bass joins Monks and Merrill live in studio, just the night after a new poll was released showcasing Nithya Raman having a lead. The new Berkeley IGS/Los Angeles Times poll shows Raman at 39%, Bass at 28% and 33% undecided. Bass comments on affordability and housing - the defining priority of her administration.

Monks and Merrill ask Bass on her own decisions, access to the public record, help for affected families, and whether she applies her campaign criticisms to herself.

The Basin estimates that bus-mounted cameras generated $42.8 million in assessed fines during the fiscal year ending in June, though its identification of camera tickets raises a timeline discrepancy.

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Hour 3 - Wellness influencers are promoting nicotine as a shortcut to sharper thinking and healthier aging, sometimes while holding financial interests in nicotine businesses.

Younger consumers are discovering something many of us already have in storage: records, CDs, tapes, and DVDs. CSUN communication studies professor Peter Marston sees nostalgia and a desire for ownership, though growing sales alone cannot tell us how widespread those motivations are.

The latest SurveyUSA poll finds financial anxiety alongside substantial Democratic advantages in California’s governor and congressional contests.

Assemblymember Carl DeMaio is distancing Proposition 39 from the federal SAVE Act debate while promoting additional voter identification requirements in California.

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Hour 1 - KFI reporter, Jason Nathanson joins M&M to break down the controversy surrounding the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger and the provocative banner that flew over the Paramount lot. Steve Hilton joins the show to discuss his criticism of L.A. Street vending, his proposed Office of Fun and Freedom, and his views on AI safeguards. Plus, California declares a statewide emergency as officials prepare for potentially powerful El Niño storms.

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Hour 2 - M&M breaks down California’s community colleges expanding their bachelor’s degree offerings under new laws signed by Gov. Newsom. California Teachers Association President David Goldberg joins the show to discuss the educators union’s lawsuit alleging billions of dollars in public school funding are missing. Plus, a bizarre Burbank movie theater confrontation involving alleged pepper spray—and LA County’s growing urban coyote population has cities urging residents to learn to coexist with the wildlife.

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