Headlines From The Times

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What Happened to Lora Lee? Jul 12, 2022

Show notes

Throughout the history of Hollywood, child entertainers have consistently clashed with their parents and guardians who manage their money and lives. The stories of kid stars like Britney Spears and Gary Coleman are well known. But long before them, was child actor Lora Lee Michel. In the 1940s, Michel became a famed Hollywood actress at age 7, working alongside screen legends like Humphrey Bogart and Gary Cooper. But by the time she was 22, she landed in prison. Then she disappeared.

Today, part 1 of a two-part series tracing Michel’s life. It’s a story that reveals the underbelly of Hollywood’s Golden Age and the perils facing child actors. Read the full transcript here.

Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: L.A. Times Company Town reporter Stacy Perman

More reading:

A child star at 7, in prison at 22. Then she vanished. What happened to Lora Lee Michel?

An old VHS tape gives a son a glimpse of his father’s shot at fame in 1960s Hollywood

Explaining Hollywood: Your child wants to act. What do you need to know?

California's carbon-capture controversy Jul 11, 2022

Show notes

Lawmakers want California to eliminate the state’s carbon footprint altogether by 2045. They’re taking all sorts of steps to get to that ambitious goal; from phasing out gas-powered engines in new cars and lawnmowers to electrifying home stoves. But there’s an even bigger plan ahead, one that environmental experts say could derail it all.

Today, we talk about California’s plan to pump carbon gas into the ground. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel, but that’s exactly what California says is key to be able to make the state carbon neutral. Can it work? Read the full transcript here.

Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: L.A. Times air quality reporter Tony Briscoe

More reading:

Pollution from California’s 2020 wildfires likely offset decades of air quality gains

How California will fight Supreme Court’s limits on EPA climate enforcement

Biden's bold moves abroad to win at home Jul 08, 2022

Show notes

In the 5 months since Russia’s invasion, the American public’s attention has turned back to problems at home — and US President Joe Biden hasn’t gotten a good grade for his handling of them. But last week, he was able to lead major policy breakthroughs at the NATO and G7 summits.

Today, can President Biden’s push to spread democracy abroad help him deal with various crises back home? Read the full transcript here.

Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: L.A. Times White House reporter Eli Stokols

More reading:

News Analysis: Bold in shoring up democracy abroad, Biden is criticized as timid on the domestic front

Biden commits to more U.S. forces in Europe as NATO invites Sweden and Finland to join

Implored by Zelensky, Biden and G-7 allies will increase Ukraine defense aid, economic support

The rise and fall of a Hollywood almost-was Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

Randall Emmett had built a career for himself in Hollywood over the past decade as a producer of schlocky action films featuring cameos of iconic actors like Bruce Willis and Al Pacino. But in recent years, he was at the cusp of finally gaining mainstream respect. He had a recurring role on the reality TV hit “Vanderpump Rules” and produced Martin Scorsese’s last two films. But a Times investigation found that multiple former assistants and people who worked for Emmett alleged improper behavior.

Today, we get into the rise and fall of Emmett, and what it says about the Hollywood of today. Read the full transcript here.

Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: L.A. Times corporate media reporter Meg James and L.A. Times senior entertainment writer Amy Kaufman

More reading:

The man who played Hollywood: Inside Randall Emmett’s crumbling empire

Bruce Willis halts acting career after diagnosis with cognitive disorder

Randall Emmett’s drive to produce films is paying off

Lowriders lawfully cruise again Jul 06, 2022

Show notes

Few things are more beautiful on a California summer evening than the sight of lowriders cruising slow and low and bouncing up and down through the streets. But for decades, municipalities across the Golden State have been declaring war on lowriding.

Today, why cities banned car cruising in the first place and how activists are finally winning. Read the full transcript here.

Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Tammy Murga

More reading:

California Assembly urges cities to repeal bans on cruising

Podcast: Lowriders. Cruising. A Southern California ritual returns

During pandemic, trash and crime increased on Whittier Boulevard. Lowrider clubs said: Enough

That classic VW Bug could be an electric vehicle Jul 05, 2022

Show notes

Classic cars are a staple of California culture, but they have a dirty secret – they're gas guzzlers. And with gas prices so high, collectors are beginning to convert their cars into electric vehicles. In this episode, L.A. business reporter Ronald D. White talks about the creative ways that Californians are getting their hands on electric cars.

The Future of Abortion, Part 6: History Repeated? Jul 01, 2022

Show notes

A 22-year-old woman and an abortion doctor from California played key roles in the legal fight that eventually led to Roe vs. Wade. But now that Roe’s been struck down, is that history our future? Today, we look at what it was like for women seeking abortions in California and the doctors who served them before the procedure was legalized, and what that past might say about a future without the constitutional right to abortion. Read the full transcript here.

Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: L.A. Times reporter Brittny Mejia

More reading:

Her illegal abortion paved the way for Roe. 56 years later she shares her story

“The Future of Abortion” series

California will see rush of people from out of state seeking abortion care, study says

D.C.'s secretive VP power lunch Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

For decades, weekly lunches between the American president and his vice president have piqued the interest of D.C. insiders. Today, we take a look at this unique tradition and examine what the most exclusive meal in D.C. tells us about the evolution of the vice presidency. Read the full transcript here.

Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: L.A. Times White House reporter Noah Bierman

More reading:

It’s not just a meal: Inside the nation’s most secretive and exclusive power lunch

Opinion: Obama and Biden do lunch

Gorbachev, Reagan, Bush to Lunch

Can companies help protect abortion? Jun 29, 2022

Show notes

President Biden has vowed to help protect the ability of those who seek abortions to travel to other states. California and other states have stepped up to offer expanded access. And now companies are vowing to do what they can to help their employees continue to access abortion. But how much do those vows from private businesses really matter?

Today, we talk about how corporations are stepping up when the government won’t. But are they actually changing anything in a meaningful way? Read the full transcript here.

Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guest: L.A. Times business reporter Sam Dean

More reading:

Companies vow to help employees access abortion after Roe vs. Wade is overturned

Hollywood companies vow to pay travel costs for abortions after Roe vs. Wade decision

How Apple, Levi Strauss and other U.S. companies are creating a brand-new abortion benefit

Summer's biggest hazard? Humans! Jun 28, 2022

Show notes

We’ll be having fun all summer long ... or not. Hazards are everywhere this season — in the bonfires we set, the trash we leave behind, the sunburns we get. Today, our Masters of Disasters talk about all the hazards out there, including us. Read the full transcript here.

Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: L.A. Times earthquake reporter Rong-Gong Lin II, L.A. Times wildfire reporter Alex Wigglesworth and L.A. Times coast reporter Rosanna Xia

More reading:

In California’s high-risk fire country, Airbnb offers guests no warning or escape plan

Where are California’s dirtiest beaches? This list might surprise you

First suspected cases of monkeypox in Riverside and Santa Clara counties reported