Monks & Merrill

Hour 3 - M&M looks at San Bernardino’s move to restrict sleeping in parks, streets, and sidewalks, while Los Angeles continues to face a major housing shortage despite developers holding back on new apartment construction. Plus, the LA County Superior Court offers employees up to $35,000 to resign as the court system confronts a budget crunch.

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Paramount and Warner Bros. have settled a lawsuit with 11 states over their proposed merger—but what does the deal actually mean for Hollywood? Monks & Merrill break down the settlement’s provisions on jobs, theatrical releases, U.S. production, blockbuster films, and editorial independence, while exploring what it could mean for filmmakers, workers, movie quality, and California’s economy. 

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AI is changing everything—but are we prepared for the risks that come with it? Monks & Merrill explore the promise and pitfalls of artificial intelligence, from proposed safeguards and “kill switches” to concerns about AI-assisted decision-making, while also looking at how AI could improve medicine and combat fraud.

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Monks & Merrill take a closer look at Los Angeles’ homelessness crisis, examining questions about spending, accountability, and the effectiveness of programs like Inside Safe. The hosts also discuss competing approaches from mayoral candidates Nithya Raman and Karen Bass, the role of LAHSA and the DSA, and the broader challenges of addressing homelessness in Los Angeles.

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It's Saturday! Oh yeah, that means it's time for MORE Monks & Merrill. In this hour of original content, M&M get into tipping culture, uber & lyft drivers demanding benefits, Pickleball building communities, and the Downtown LA chess world. 

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Happy Saturday! It's MORE Monks & Merrill! This weekend, the fellas talk about our eventual AI overlords and the older members of government not being equipped to handle the threats. They also cover the chances of a devastating earthquake in California. 

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Hour 1 - NOAA’s new outlook favors a warmer-than-normal October through December across California, and a potentially historic El Niño is strengthening, giving Southern California good reason to prepare for a wet season. Anthony Artusa, a Meteorologist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), joins the show.
Karen Bass’ allies are openly worrying about Nithya Raman.
The Los Angeles Times reports a clash over protecting Skid Row dogs, with activists demanding intervention and officials defending their approach.

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Hour 2 - An arbitrator ordered Uber to pay $40 million to the parents of Emily Normandin-Parker, who died after a driver ordered her and her friend out near freeway traffic.

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara proposes eliminating marital status from auto insurance pricing.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed “Jay Leno’s Law,” creating a phased smog-check exemption for qualifying collector cars from model years 1976 through 1985.

Veteran racer Boris Said wants to build Elsinore Ring, a private motorsports country club near Lake Elsinore with a professional-quality circuit and homes overlooking the action.

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Hour 3 - Activists are demanding Inglewood Mayor James Butts resign after alleging he groped a high school student during a photograph at a City Hall event.

San Bernardino Councilmember Treasure Ortiz faces renewed demands to resign after a jury found her guilty of illegally recording the police chief.

LAUSD needs to bring recurring expenses into line with its revenue as enrollment falls.

California’s largest teachers' union alleges the state deliberately withheld constitutionally required school funding.

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Hour 1 - 

California voters head toward November feeling pessimistic about the economy and the country’s direction. Newport Beach must run its own Nov. 3 special election for three resident initiatives after a judge rejected the city’s request for relief. An industry-funded study projects enormous production gains from a hypothetical federal film tax credit, while a Paramount-commissioned analysis examines the economic consequences of a departure from California. KFI's Heather Brooker joins the show to talk more about Paramount’s Warner Bros. Discovery's acquisition.

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