Imperfect Paradise

LAist Correspondent Jill Replogle speaks with Ben Goldfarb, an environmental journalist, wildlife enthusiast, and author of Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. They discuss how roads impact the wild animals in our midst, what wildlife crossings can do to mitigate that impact, and some of the other ecological solutions that are taking shape. Grow your business–no matter...

Jackie and Shadow are two beloved bald eagles who live in Big Bear, a ski town a couple hours northeast of L.A. They went viral in 2024, as people tuned in to a livestream of their nest to see if their eggs would hatch. Fans around the world became deeply attached to the lovebirds, obsessing over the couple’s devotion to each other and their eggs. For Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido, the...

The first deadly black bear attack in California’s history was confirmed recently in a small mountain town in Northern California. While wildlife officials say fatal bear attacks are rare, this recent death and growing encounters between bears and people underscore how high the stakes are as wild and urban worlds merge. LAist climate reporter Erin Stone takes a deeper look at bears through the len...

If the mountain lion is thought of as a celebrity, then, many would think of the coyote as a villain. LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin looks into why we vilify coyotes, what scientists actually know about them, and how they’ve adapted and thrived in some of the most urban parts of Southern California. Emily also explores the historic and cultural baggage that may inform people’s attitudes about co...

One of Hollywood’s recent celebrities wasn’t a person, but a feline. The famed mountain lion made headlines in Los Angeles and nationwide. He became a household name for making his home in Griffith Park, right in the middle of L.A. But the overwhelming support for P-22 wasn’t enough to save him. LAist Correspondent Jill Replogle looks into P-22’s stardom, people’s obsession with him, and what his...

This week, Imperfect Paradise brings you New Hampshire Public Radio's Outside/In .  In this episode, host Nate Hegyi and producer Justine Paradis explore the new space race and how it could impact our views of the Big Dipper. What if you were to look up at the sky and see more visible satellites than stars? What if the Big Dipper and Orion were drowned out by a satellite traffic jam, criss-crossin...

In 2009, Gloria Arellano de la Rosa was banned from re-entering the U.S. for ten years, finding herself separated from her four children and husband. But unlike Daniel Zamora, she didn’t remake her life in Mexico. Every day she waited to go home to the U.S. Fernanda Echavarri tells the story of what happens when Gloria finally returns to the States and reunites with her family.    Grow your busine...

Passing the Mantle is a new podcast from LAist Studios about family, curiosity and the things that change — and stay the same — across generations. In this first episode, Larry Mantle and his son, Desmond, 23, talk about their wide-ranging interests and shared drive to understand why things are the way they are, and discuss whether today's generation is as intellectually curious as Larry's peers i...

Unable to return to the U.S., Daniel Zamora struggles to build a life in Mexico, until a trip abroad suddenly upends his perspective. Lorena Ríos reports.  Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Listen to Reimagining Democracy for A Good Life, hosted by longtime equity advocate Angela Glover Blackwell. Available no...

Passing the Mantle is a new podcast from LAist Studios about family, curiosity and the things that change — and stay the same — across generations. It's co-hosted by Larry Mantle, host of LAist 89.3’s AirTalk , the longest-running daily talk show in Southern California, and his son Desmond Mantle. Even though Desmond is in law school pursuing a different career, he shares his dad’s fascination wit...

Daniel Zamora  waits for the decision on his deportation appeal and has to figure out how to make a life in Mexico — find work, get an apartment.  All the while, Daniel tries to keep up his cross-border relationship. Lorena Ríos reports.  Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Listen to Reimagining Democracy for A...

Daniel Zamora took a roadtrip in 2011 that would take an unexpected turn to the Texas border. That detour would shatter the course of his life. Journalist Lorena Ríos reports. CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes mention of suicidal ideation.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers services to talk to a skilled counselor. If you are feeling distressed and need to talk to a counselor, pl...

LA was rocked on March 4 when Dave Fink, a golf influencer, posted a viral video on Instagram detailing how brokers - largely using a Korean messenger app- were snatching up prime time tees at Los Angeles’ public golf courses and reselling them. Here’s how an unlikely crew of golf enthusiasts’ fight to keep golf in L.A. accessible and affordable is paying off. Host Antonia Cereijido reports.   Gro...

It's pride month, and today we're looking at how that's showing up in the classroom. Educators and students, who identify as LGBTQ+, are navigating a difficult landscape. This school year has been marked by protests, book restrictions, and bans on the pride flag on some K through 12 campuses — not to mention legislation that’s been passed, or is pending, in some states that have been labeled “anti...

Carol Kwang Park was 12 years old, working as a cashier at her family’s gas station in Compton, California, when the 1992 LA Uprising forever changed her life. Her mom was at the gas station that day and Carol was unsure if she’d even make it home. At the time, she didn’t understand why tensions came to a head in Los Angeles, following the acquittal of the officers who beat Rodney King. She also n...

In part two of Carol Kwang Park’ s story, we follow Carol’s journey to connect more deeply with her family – and introduce the family-led conversations that are central to Inheriting. Decades after the 1992 LA Uprising, Carol finally learns what her mom experienced during the riots and how she made it back home. It allows for a better understanding of her mother, as well as her family’s journey le...

LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin gives us insights into the making of The Gen Z Water Dealmaker  series. In this bonus episode, Emily speaks with Luke Runyon, the co-director of The Water Desk at the University of Colorado-Boulder's Center for Environmental Journalism about how she thought through the series that follows the epic negotiation over the Colorado River's future during the current hist...

Host Antonia Cereijido speaks with negotiations expert Victoria Medvec about how to make the best possible deal. Medvec also helps  identify ways the Colorado River water rights representatives could still change tactics and reach an agreement before time runs out. Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Listen to R...

JB Hamby and the other lead negotiators on the Colorado River have to come up with a long term solution to manage the river in the face of climate change. Will they reach a deal before it’s too late?    LAist correspondent Emily Guerin examines how JB's position on water has dramatically evolved since he first won office a few years ago. She brings us back to the current water negotiations as the...

Japanese American Incarceration. The Third World Liberation Front. The 1992 Los Angeles Uprising. What you think you know isn’t always the full story.  Inheriting  is a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families that explores how the past is personal. Hosted by NPR’s Emily Kwong, we go deep with families on how their most personal, private moments are part of history. How can I suppor...

JB Hamby is the dealmaker from California, and at 28 years old, he’s the youngest and least experienced among the representatives from the seven states involved with the Colorado River water negotiations. LAist correspondent Emily Guerin explores the beginnings of Hamby’s understanding of water growing up in the Imperial Valley, a desert farming area in California.   Grow your business–no matter w...

The Colorado River is in the midst of one of the worst water crises in recorded history. Climate change and overuse are taking a significant toll. Seven states, including California, must compromise and reach a solution to prevent the river from collapsing. In late 2023, the tensions were running high between the major players in the water world as they convened at the annual Colorado River confer...

She Has A Name is set against the backdrop of the drug epidemic in 1980s Detroit. The new podcast hosted by NPR's Tonya Mosley blends elements of investigative journalism and memoir to tell a story about loss and redemption, mending broken family ties, and the trauma experienced by countless individuals who've lost loved ones to violence. Listen to all episodes of  She Has A Name  from APM Studios...

Part 7:  Adolfo learns about the dangers of Santa Barbara’s bluffs and gets a second opinion on Oscar’s death report.  CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions about fatal injuries and suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers services to talk to a skilled counselor. If you are feeling distressed and need to talk to a counselor, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or visit h...

Part 8: Adolfo finds new information about the night Oscar died, and has to have a difficult conversation about what really happened to Oscar.   Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a bette...