KCRW's Which Way L.A.?

Fiftieth Anniversary of the United Farm Workers

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:54:31 EDT

The United Farm Workers celebrated its 50th anniversary this weekend with leaders, including the late Cesar Chavez, still being canonized by some, demonized by others.

Historic SpaceX Launch Set for Saturday

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:00:00 EDT

On Saturday, private company SpaceX is scheduled to launch a capsule to rendezvous with the International Space Station. We hear about the risks and potential benefits.

Can LA Make 'Green Zones' Out of 'Toxic Hot Spots?'

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:38:02 EDT

The LA City Council is looking to toughen emission regulations and replace polluters with green industries. We hear about low-income communities and "Clean Up, Green Up."

Adult Education: The Other Local School Funding Crisis

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:09:40 EDT

Adult education is a lifeline for immigrants, drop-outs and anyone else who needs job training. What if budget cuts shut down one of the largest institutions of its kind?

Geoengineering and the Fight against Climate Change

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Mon, 14 May 2012 22:00:00 EDT

Guest host Alex Chadwick asks, "How desperate would we have to be to try something like purposefully remaking Earth's atmosphere?"

Can the Kings Make LA an Ice Hockey Town?

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Thu, 10 May 2012 19:20:24 EDT

Will the success of the LA Kings help raise the profile of a sport associated with real winter? Is ice hockey coming of age in sunny Southern California, even for girls?

What Are the Consequences of Living Alone?

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:32:26 EDT

Nearly a third of all American households have just one resident. Guest host Judy Muller looks at the trend the trend to live alone and the consequences for the community.

Big Tobacco Aims to Kill Proposition 29

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:29:46 EDT

Prop 29 would raise taxes on cigarettes by $1 a pack, with money going to cancer research and anti-smoking campaigns. Why is at least one doctor seen in TV ads against it?

Fracking in Baldwin Hills?

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:21:10 EDT

Hydraulic fracturing for natural gas has been blamed by some for earthquakes and water contamination. It turns out that "fracking" has been used for years in California.

Cinco de Mayo and Other American Traditions

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:51:46 EDT

Saturday, Americans will celebrate Cinco de Mayo, with all things Mexican. About as Mexican as pastrami burritos, it reflects the assimilation of US and Mexican cultures.

San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant Still Offline as Summer Nears

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:50:21 EDT

With San Onofre nuclear power plant shut down until "a serious issue" of leaking tubes has been resolved, how likely are rolling blackouts? Is the plant earthquake safe?

Top Chefs Try to Head Off Foie Gras Ban

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:03:43 EDT

Some of California's best-known chefs are lobbying to repeal a 2005 ban on foie gras, scheduled to take effect on July 1. It's animal rights versus haute cuisine.

All Aboard the Expo Line

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:32:04 EDT

Westside commuters get their first chance to take rapid transit downtown. Also, LA County Assessor denies doing favors for campaign donors. And how about them Clippers?

LA Before It Erupted

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:12:27 EDT

This week we've been discussing the Rodney King riot of 1992. We hear about tension that pervaded LA at that time and how various people reacted, including our listeners.

Cultural Touchstones of the LA Riots

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:17:17 EDT

On today's anniversary edition of WWLA?, we look at music, movies and literature that reflected ? and in some cases predicted ? the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

Impact of the Rodney King Riot on the Built Environment

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:36:49 EDT

The 1992 Rodney King riot devastated much of Los Angeles. We look at efforts to rebuilt South LA, the transformation of Koreatown and how devastation led to inspiration.

Who Is LA, Twenty Years after the Riots?

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:18:41 EDT

How did the 1992 Rodney King riot shape the city we know today? How did it shape our perceptions about the most diverse metropolitan center in the US, perhaps in the world?

Twentieth Anniversary of the LA Riots and Reform at the LAPD

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:16:12 EDT

The 1992 Rodney King riot was America's worst civil disturbance in the 20th Century. How did it happen? How has it shaped the city? First, the LAPD. (First of 5 specials.)

Public Workers, Public Transit and the Mayor of Los Angeles

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:07:52 EDT

City workers are bracing for layoffs when Mayor Villaraigosa presents his budget tomorrow. Meantime, harsh words over his plans to speed construction of public transit.

More Damaging Pictures of US Troops in Afghanistan

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:51:45 EDT

In today's LA Times, US soldiers pose with corpses of Afghans who apparently blew themselves up. Also, will Spain sink the Euro? Could LA become a city of walkers?

Wilshire Boulevard Temple's Renovation, Synagogue Expansion

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:04:12 EDT

Wilshire Boulevard Temple is on America's Register of Historic Places. We get an update on its $175 million restoration and efforts to reach beyond LA's Jewish community.

The Death Penalty and the SAFE California Initiative

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:42:24 EDT

In November, voters will likely be asked to replace capital punishment with life without parole. We talk with one of the people who wrote the current death penalty law.

The New Korean Americans

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:25:49 EDT

A settlement in the death of a young African American girl killed by a Korean grocer, as Korean Americans protest their treatment by government officials since the riots.

The New Chief: What's Going to Change at the LAPD

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:25:22 EDT

We hear LA police chief designate Willie Williams' first major public address, then speak with 25-year LAPD veteran and former cop/bestselling author Joseph Wambaugh.

USC Mourns Two Chinese Students Killed Off-Campus

webmaster@kcrw.org (Warren Olney, KCRW) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:42:25 EDT

Two of USC's 2500 Chinese students were murdered yesterday near campus. Is violent crime on the rise in West Adams? Why have Chinese social media played up the incident?