What The Hal?

As LA teachers grabbed picket signs and took to the streets in their first strike action in 30 years, and as there are protests in states all over the country about classroom rooms sizes and proper care and resources for students -- we wanted to look at The State of Education in 2019. Joining me at the table are some great educators. Julie Marsh is a professor of Education Policy at USC. Ivor Wein...

It's the first episode of 2019. Happy New Year everyone!  In this episode, my digital producer has been asking me to do a one-man show -- with no guests -- and just talk about myself. So I asked those who follow my journalist pages to give me some things to talk about on this episode.  WOW what a great response! Thank you. Hit the subscribe button on this podcast and connect with me on social: Fac...

If you live in California, you know that earthquakes are a fact of life, which means you have to be prepared for them. There are certain types of insurance available. And you can choose a policy that fits your needs and budget. Glenn Pomeroy is CEO of the California Earthquake Authority, and he helped us understand the options we have. For more information, visit https://www.earthquakeauthority.co...

It's a very interesting show this week with two fascinating women. Joanne Drake is from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.  Tara Campbell is the mayor of Yorba Linda, CA. Joanne Drake brings us her perspective of former President George H. W. Bush having worked with him, while Tara Campbell joins us to talk about becoming the youngest female Mayor in California history.  You...

The Woolsey Fire, The Lilac Fire, the Holy Fire...  These things have names, but for those caught in their cross hairs, they will be remembered for the horror they created. In this episode we talk with LA City Fire Captain Erik Scott, LA County Fire Captain Tony Imbrenda and Captain Brian McGrath from Ventura County Fire.  To all, global warming issues are a concern, but so are the horrendous fire...

For the past 25 years, Kenny Morse has been the only radio/TV/internet talk show host who has tackled the issues relating to being behind the wheels as a driver in Los Angeles traffic. We asked him to join us to talk about how much traffic has changed here in Los Angeles over the decades, from the early streetcars to the daily congestion we see on the roads every day.  For more info, visit Kenny's...

Over the years there have been so many cases of gangs or groups of people going into store and grabbing hundreds of thousands of dollars of merchandise. And, during the holidays thefts always increase. LA is the #1 city in the US for organized retail theft according to the National Retail Federation. So, the question is how to deal with it? Recently, Governor Brown signed into law the new Organize...

People used to get their dogs and cats at a pet shop. It wasn't looked upon nicely when you had a rescue, but nowadays that mentality has flipped -- having a rescue is like a badge of honor! How are our county agencies dealing with such things as zero kill, anti-puppy mill and other public policies? Joining us is John Welsch from Riverside County Animal Services, Mike Kaviani from Orange County An...

Sally Kirkland is an American film and television actress I've known for quite a long time.  Feisty, hard-working, famously liberal, with the trademark blonde hair, actress Sally Kirkland has certainly made an indelible mark on Hollywood history. She's had an amazing life and has dealt with incredible people in the industry from the moment she started her career in 1965 through today.  Hit the sub...

There’s a book about a case I did some reporting on way back in 1989. The author, Robert Rand, has spent decades looking into this case, and he’s even talked to Lyle and Erik, and he has a lot to say about the Menendez murders. The Menendez saga has captivated the American public since 1989. The killing of José and Kitty Menendez on a quiet Sunday evening in Beverly Hills didn’t make the cover of...

There was a horrible mass shooting at the Tree of Life in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 27, 2018.  This incident prompted us to gather many community leaders locally to talk about the incident and share thoughts on how to heal the world and make it a better more united place for all. More information on Aaron Wolf's documentary, Restoring Tomorrow here: htt...

GO DODGERS! The Los Angeles Dodgers gave their fans another great year going to the World Series for the 2nd time consecutively. What did it take to be winners for a 2nd year in a row?  We talk to Dodgers Team Historian Mark Langill and Dodgers Stadium Announcer Todd Leitz. Hit the subscribe button on this podcast, and connect with Hal on social: Facebook.com/HalEisner Instagram.com/HalEisner Twit...

We talk with Chris Carter, an LA disk jockey who started his career as a founding member of alt rock band Dramarama, then went on to have America's longest-running Beatles-based radio show and can now be found on Chris Carter's British Invasion on Sirius XM Radio. To watch a video interview with Chris Carter, visit the In Depth page on FOX 11: http://www.foxla.com/entertainment/features/fox-11-in-...

Twenty years ago, we got an aquarium in Long Beach, California that has grown and grown, becoming an educational piece of the community. We asked some of the officials from the Aquarium of the Pacific to come join us to talk about what they're doing, their critters and global warming. To watch an interview with these guests, visit the FOX 11 News In Depth page here: http://www.foxla.com/entertainm...

Josh Rubenstein made his name on Los Angeles Television reporting news and presenting weather for KCBS/KCAL. Now, as the LAPD’s Public Information Director, he uses his television knowledge in the presentation for body-cam videos in which there are questions of possible abuse of power. For his first sit-down interview about his former and new career ,Josh discusses why the career switch and how th...

Julie Albright, Alon Shwartz and Alan Silberberg talk about our dependence on smartphones and concerns about misinformation as it applies to elections and digital addiction. To watch these guests, visit the FOX 11 News In Depth page here: http://www.foxla.com/entertainment/features/fox-11-in-depth-from-the-california-wildfires-to-digital-addiction Hit the subscribe button on this podcast, and conn...

It was one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history on October 1st last year, as 58 people killed, 422 others wounded by gunfire, and many more injured trying to escape at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas. We talk to some of the survivors of that concert as they share their experience that night and also talk about Route 91 Strong, an organization to help survivors of gu...

It was one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history on October 1st last year. 58 people killed and 422 others wounded by gunfire with many more injured trying to escape. It is a grim anniversary to say the least. One of the things that agencies in California and Nevada have been trying to do is reach out to people at that concert on the night of the massacre, since there are benefits av...

In this episode, we’re talking about how we help each other. There are many organizations that raise money to find cures for all kinds of diseases, and arthritis is chief among them. The California Coast Arthritis Bike Classic is a bike ride to help raise money and awareness for the Arthritis Foundation. It's a decades-old event that brings in big dollars to help research in the many crippling art...

It was 10 years ago this week on September 12, 2008, when a Metrolink commuter train slammed into a freight train head on in Chatsworth, California. It was one of the worst train disasters in California history. We spoke with Claudia, the wife of Doyle Souser, who was one of the victims of the collision, and also spoke to a couple Metrolink board members at the time. We remember what happened that...

Beaumont School Superintendent Terrence Davis, Rialto School Superintendent Cuauhtémoc Avila and Yucaipa/Calimesa Superintendent Cali Binks talk about their districts as school gets going for 2018. Finances, school safety and teaching our kids. To watch a video interview with these guests, visit the In Depth page on FOX 11: http://www.foxla.com/entertainment/features/fox-11-in-depth-on-school-safe...

What happens when those in our military come home? Life can be complicated. It’s the subject of this week’s episode as we explore local programs that help returning troops. With a new Secretary of Veterans Affairs just sworn in what does the future hole for veterans services. We discuss with veteran Noe Aguirre, USS Iowa CEO Jonathan Williams and Stephanie Stone with the LA County office of Vetera...

We talk with Chris Carter, an LA disk jockey who started his career as a founding member of alt rock band Dramarama, then went on to have America's longest-running Beatles-based radio show and can now be found on Chris Carter's British Invasion on Sirius XM Radio. To watch a video interview with Chris Carter, visit the In Depth page on FOX 11: http://www.foxla.com/indepth Hit the subscribe button...

In this episode, LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis talks about immigration and public health crisis in the area around the shuttered Exide Battery Plant. She calls it our Flint, Michigan. Solis is also the former Secretary of Labor in the Obama Administration, is critical of what's happening at the Department now under new leadership. To watch a video interview of Solis, visit the In Depth page on...

In this episode, we take a deeper look at how the homeless crisis is being attacked on various levels. Guests include Elise Buik - President and CEO of United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Veronica Lewis who is the director of SSG Hopics - a homeless services provider that works in South LA. To watch a video interview of these guests, visit the In Depth page on FOX 11: http://www.foxla.com/entertain...