Greater LA

As of Monday, 615 people have died unhoused since the beginning of the year, and on average, three people die homeless in LA every day. That’s according to the county public health department. More people are living on the streets, and now COVID-19 has reduced access to services and resources.

With just under 100 days to go before the November election, state and county officials are trying to get residents ready to vote. There’s not just a new type of voting system, but a pandemic to deal with too. LA County’s Registrar Dean Logan talks about what’s in store for LA voters.

Major League Baseball’s regular season starts this week in LA, with the Dodgers taking on the San Francisco Giants. No fans are allowed in Dodger Stadium, which is now a COVID-19 testing site. Still, bar and restaurant owners across LA can’t wait for baseball to restart. Also in 2022, a new pro women’s soccer team will debut in LA.

After months of stay-at-home orders, people are itching for some kind of summer vacation. KCRW talks about options for getting away, and how to do it safely and responsibly.

The government has tapped some city employees to do coronavirus contact tracing. But other Angelenos are volunteering to do it. KCRW talks to two of these volunteers — an actor and a librarian. Also, public transit ridership during the pandemic is better in LA than some other U.S. cities. 

Nurses, fast food employees, Uber drivers and other workers walked off the job today in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Labor activists say many of their demands align with those of racial justice groups.

KCRW hears from nurses who are caring for more and more COVID-19 patients. They’re worried they’re running out of space and energy. “Because of the lack of support, our nurses are just exhausted. And with this exhaustion comes bad outcomes. And that's where I come in. I'm the nurse that sees the worst of the worst,” says Erin McIntosh, a rapid response nurse at Riverside Community Hospital.

Protestors and Black Lives Matter activists are drumming up support for The People’s Budget, which would cut funding from the city’s police department and reallocate that money for social programs, for schools, and for help in low-income areas of LA.  Activists say the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has become militarized, that it has used lethal and non-lethal force against people of color,...

Gavin Newsom banned all social gatherings with non-household members. Angelenos explain why they’re willing to risk infection to see each other. Plus, KCRW hears from two exotic photographers — a mother-daughter duo — about the challenges of safely shooting porn during the pandemic.

The City of LA is starting a new relief program for unemployed Angelenos who are struggling to pay rent because of COVID-19. However, housing experts say it still won’t be enough to stop a massive wave of evictions once moratorium protections run out.

T he LA County Board of Supervisors recently voted to close Men's Central Jail and replace it with permanent supportive housing at "Restorative Care Villages.” Supervisor Hilda L. Solis authored the two motions ushering the closure, promoting a “care first, jails last” approach.

As bars and restaurants reopened for dine-in service in June, hundreds of front-of-the-house workers bore the brunt of a new workplace. From face shields to verbal abuse to an ever-present threat of getting sick, workers share their job experiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced on Monday that international students will not be allowed to stay in the U.S. if they cannot take in-person college courses this fall. The policy change has tremendous impacts on foreign students at UCLA, USC, and other colleges and universities nationwide.

As coronavirus cases continue to rise in Southern California, there’s no telling when live music performances will come back. That leaves musicians wondering how to make a living with the tools they have at home. And music venues are left without many options as they drain savings accounts with the hope of holding out through the pandemic.

The Fourth of July is typically spent watching parades, enjoying fireworks, and grilling food with friends and family. The coronavirus pandemic has put the kibosh on many events, but you still have some options for safe celebrations.

Governor Gavin Newsom says the state is shutting down indoor operations at restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, movie theaters, museums and more in 19 counties to curb the spread of COVID-19. This adds more economic pain to the dining and tourism industries.

The funeral for Robert Fuller was today at a church in Palmdale. Fuller was found hanging from a tree across the street from Palmdale City Hall on June 10. KCRW’s Jerome Campbell attended Monday’s wake. He spoke to people about how they were processing Fuller’s death as the country grapples with racial injustice.

Many camps decided not to reopen this summer. Some are going all virtual, while others are going bankrupt. But camps that are able to meet outdoors, where public health officials say coronavirus contagion is less likely, are trying to make it work.

A Facebook post looking for Black video editors sparked hateful comments and allegations of “anti-white racism,” drawing attention to Hollywood’s lack of diversity and reluctance to change.

What to do with the LAUSD police department? The Los Angeles school board found themselves deeply divided over that issue when they met on Tuesday. Activists and the teachers union (UTLA) have called for the school police force to be eliminated. KCRW hears from two school board members with differing opinions. 

Today the FBI arrested LA City Councilman Jose Huizar. Huizar chaired the powerful Planning and Land Use Committee. In a press conference today, U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna announced an indictment accusing the councilman of running a pay-to-play scheme, in which he took big bribes from developers to make sure their projects got favorable treatment during the city approval process. Federal prosecutors...

There’s a move to get thousands of Angelenos off the streets and into shelters. A judge ordered it. The City and County of LA agreed to it. But homeless advocates say it’s only a start.  “We need to have the shelter capacity to move people indoors. But most importantly, we need to have the housing on the backend, so the people can move out of shelter[s] and into housing,” says Heidi Marston, execu...

The Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s challenge to DACA, the Obama-era executive order that allowed the children of undocumented immigrants to remain in the country and work. KCRW also checks in with Barbara Ferrer, director of LA County’s Department of Public Health, about the current numbers surrounding COVID-19 as many local businesses have reopened. 

LA County’s courts will reopen Monday for non-jury criminal and civil trials. But what steps are being taken to ensure the courts will be safe? Since the start of the pandemic, one public defender has already died from the coronavirus.

Two LA City Councilmembers introduced a motion today that would replace some LAPD officers with unarmed, non-law enforcement workers tasked with responding to non-violent service calls.