Fullerton: Then & Now

For this episode, I sat down with Jody Agius Vallejo, Professor of Sociology and American Studies and Ethnicity and Associate Director of the USC Equity Research Institute. In Part 1 of our conversation, we talk about the climate of hostility and fear in Southern California created by widespread ICE raids, and we give context to the current moment by examining the history of immigration to places...

For this episode, I sat down with Judith Kaluzny, retired attorney/author and community activist. Last year, she was given the Woman Warrior Award by the Women’s Club of Fullerton. We discussed her involvement with the Fullerton Fair Housing Council, Maple School desegregation, stopping a planned road through Craig Park, founding a Community Open School, helping establish the first Women’s Shelter...

For this episode, I sat down with Jodi Balma, professor of political science at Fullerton College and host of the podcast A Slice of Orange to talk about Orange County politics, past and present. We discussed factors that contributed to OC's conservative political history like the Cold War, megachurches and the prosperity gospel. We also discuss wild OC politicians past and present, how demographi...

For this episode, I sat down with Robert Jensen, retired Dean of Fine Arts at Fullerton College, and co-author of the new book Legends & Legacies: Over 100 Years of Fullerton College , which he wrote with Gary Graves. We discuss the history of Fullerton College, the oldest continuously-operating community college in the state of California, including famous alumni like Leo Fender, Ruby Berkele...

For this episode, I sat down with my brother, Seth La Tour, to talk about our memories of growing up in Fullerton in the 1980s and 1990s. We discuss roller hockey, the cement slides at Gilman Park, exploring oil fields, the year of the Superballs, Soup Exchange, Pogs, and more. To follow my research and writing about Fullerton visit www.fullertonhistory.com .

For this episode, I sat down with Angela Lindstrom, who is president of the Friends of Coyote Hills–the group that is working to preserve West Coyote Hills, a large natural open space in northwest Fullerton. We discuss the history of the land, the unique plants and animals who live there, the decades-long effort to preserve it, the politics of development, and more. To learn more about Coyote Hill...

For this episode, I sat down with Todd Huffman, who is on the board of the Fullerton Historic Theater Foundation–the group that is working to renovate the Fox Theater. This year, the Fox celebrates 100 years of existence. In 1925, C. Stanley Chapman built this iconic movie palace. For decades, it was Fullerton’s premiere theater. It closed in 1987 and barely escaped the wrecking ball in 2004–when...

For this episode, I interviewed Farrell Hirsch, CEO of the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton. This year, The Muck celebrates its 100-year anniversary with a number of art exhibits, shows, and gala events. Visit www.themuck.org to lear more about what's happening at The Muck. To follow my research and writing about Fullerton history visit www.fullertonhistory.com .