A Developing Story.

Main Street will be changing things up to allow for more pedestrian traffic, more parklets, and outdoor dining. A discussion with Hunter Hall, the director of the Main Street Business Improvement Association. This was originally recorded just before the Santa Monica looting and riots.

Ross talks with Elleana Clark and Amani Lawrence about surfing, race, and the recent worldwide paddle out organized by Black Girls Surf.

Ross and Matt talk about the ongoing protests happening on a daily basis in Santa Monica following the looting and rioting, and why so many people are still angry, confused, nervous or just downright angry. Where is the city and police communication failing?

Ross Furukawa and Matt Hall describe the state of the city after the riots and looting, and the questions that listeners and readers are demanding answers. Matt has a discussion with Chief Renaud and Interim City Manager Lane Dilg on their accounts of what they saw that day, where they were, and how decisions were made in the deployment of Santa Monica police, neighboring police forces and the Nat...

Ross and Matt discuss the events of Sunday, May 31st. On the ground accounts of the riots and looting, some strong opinions on what went wrong and where we should have done better. This is a raw, very early account of what we saw as we covered this very dark day in Santa Monica history.

Lane Dilg discusses priorities for Santa Monica in light of the recent budget cuts.  She talks about what the city has done to shrink its workforce, and the methodology used in this challenging time.  Matt and Lane dive into some of the details of programs, jobs and other areas that will see significant reductions that will affect residents.    

Matt and Lane talk about her experience, neighborhoods, and favorite restaurants. They discuss her qualifications, and her view of the role as City Manager, the current economic stress and finding solutions together as a community.   

Josh Loeb talks with Matt Hall about his 8 independent restaurants and the decisions they had to make as a result of the current pandemic. They discuss alternative plans, keeping workers employed, the difficulty in opening a business in Santa Monica, some great thoughts around the greater role that independent restaurants play in our city. https://www.rusticcanyonfamily.com/

Ross and Matt discuss the Santa Monica budget crisis at a 30k ft level, then dive into discussions with former Chief Sustainable Officer Dean Kubani (17:46) about why environmental values should be considered essential, and insight to his hopes for how they will make decisions around the cuts. He also gives us a great nugget at (44:45) Former Michael Feinstein (47:02) discusses the decisions that...

Ross and Matt talk about the recent departure of the Santa Monica City Manager.  Michael Feinstein gives his perspective as a former mayor, and Dean Kubani talks about his experience as a department head and how the transitions have typically gone in the past. 

Gary Rhoades, Deputy City Attorney Eda Suh, Deputy City Attorney https://www.santamonica.gov/coronavirus City of Santa Monica 310-458-8400 City Attorney's Office 310-458-8336    

How to access the online resources of the library, and some tips to create a better learning environment during these extraordinary times. 

Matt Hall and Police Chief Cynthia Renaud discuss the Santa Monica Police Department's local response and adjustments to the coronavirus.  They discuss; What the Santa Monica Police Department is doing differently during this pandemic What the SMPD is doing to respond the the recent order to release inmates.  Will arrests still continue?  What about crimes related to the pandemic, what the SMPD is...

Matt Hall and Santa Monica Fire Chief Bill Walker discuss how the Fire Department is handling coronavirus preparation, handling of cases and any changes to their process as first responders.  They discuss; What the fire department currently doing to adapt to the current coronavirus crisis. How often actual coronavirus calls they are getting. Have any calls come back as a positive COVID 19 patient....

Matt and Rick talk about: - Measures the city has taken to coordinate with local, regional and national organizations.  -What city services are suspended. -Some current predictions on timelines.  -What residents and can do to help slow the spread of the virus. 

Matt and Ross discuss the coronavirus, and how much of the panic over the virus is based on what people don't know. They talk to experts from UCLA Medical Center, the City of Santa Monica and Downtown Santa Monica to discuss how the virus transmits, what the local emergency plan is and how safe it really is out there.  Hand washing or hand sanitizer? Masks or no masks? Panic or no panic?    

Ross and Assembly Member Bloom talk about what initiatives he is working on in Sacramento, dive into the district which includes Malibu, Agoura Hills, Pacific Palisades, West LA, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Hollywood.  Homelessness, housing, urban run off, AB5, and some new initiatives that will make sure all communities share the burden of these issues. 

Brian Falk What's Eating America, airing at 6pm on Sundays on MSNBC.  Santa Monica Bowlero Local showrunner takes a bite out of politics in MSNBC series  

Come by and visit the Santa Monica Education Foundation! They need your help.  1645 16th St, Santa Monica, CA 90404 (310) 396-4557 https://www.smedfoundation.org Better yet, donate!     

Voting is open now! Vote for your favorite business here .  Matt Hall interviews Jennifer Taylor, Economic Development Administrator and Chair of the Buy Local Santa Monica. They talk about the Buy Local mission and the Most Loved contest, where you vote for your favorite local business.   

Ross Furukawa and Todd James talk about scooters and micro mobility, then Matt jumps into a conversation with Francie Stefan, Chief Mobility Officer for the City of Santa Monica. They talk about what the City is doing to regulate the micro mobility companies, how the pilot program worked, how they manage devices and how they plan to manage the programs in the future.  Matt then interviews Karla Ow...

Subjects discussed: Violence. Mental illness. Relationship with the cops they don’t want to touch them or put them in the car. Where you can put a tent down. What the cops will enforce and not enforce. Entitlement of some of the homeless with food. Life is good on the beach in Venice, pastry trucks, shower trucks, hot dog trucks. Some pretty awesome conspiracy theories about what’s next for the ho...

Ross talks with Charlie about his years on the street, and how it all goes down.  -Scooter charging and how to hack energy.  -Where his homeless hangouts  -Living with a prostitute roommate in a hotel room in the Valley -Tells his story about how he became homeless, and how he got out of homelessness. -Drug use, types of drugs and who's doing them. -Safety on the streets, who is safe, how to stay...

Ross and Matt talk about homelessness on the Westside of Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Venice.  When did it become such a problem? Where are they from? What can we do about it? Does it have anything to do with the Expo line? 

Ross and Matt talk about AB5, the new bill that went into effect on January 1. AB5 eliminates the ability for many professions in the gig economy to operate as independent contractors.