Hear In LA

Zan Dubin and I met in Frogtown beside the LA River and quickly dove into her long history of activism, journalism, and life hear in LA. Born Alexandra, she was nicknamed after a character from The Little Foxes.Zan arriving in Westwood in 1966 at age nine — and she's remained committed to both the city and the causes close to her heart ever since.Her dedication to electric vehicles began in 2002, when she and her then-husband bought a Toyota RAV4 EV. They became active in saving leased EVs from being crushed, founding Plug In America.“We were able to save about 800 cars that would have been crushed,” she said, and her activism hasn't stopped. Wearing a T-shirt that reads “Question Internal Combustion,” she embodies a lifetime of environmental commitment.But what of the posterboy of modern EV vehicles: The notorious Elon Musk?“I abhor Elon,” she said plainly. “I'm really sad and angry at everything that he's doing. However, I think an even greater and more imminent threat is climate change.” While she criticizes Musk's politics and behavior, she praises Tesla's engineering and the ever-growing charging network's reach.

Peter Viles is a brilliant journalist, terrific family man, and the next door neighbor you could only dream for. After years of renting, he and his wife moved from Mar Vista to a townhome in the Palisades and thanks to a robust real estate market were able to sell that home for a dream house up the hill. Sadly when the fires hit in January it blazed through his neighborhood destroying many of the homes on his block, but someone up there likes Pete and his family and his home was spared. Unfortunately, like lots of families in Altadena and the Palisades, the smoke damage was so intense, it's unsafe for he and his family to stay there and they were forced to rent a home in the South Bay for a year. We'll talk about his escape, how his kids are adjusting to their new life, and what life was like for him before the blaze.

AVN Special Episode: In this edition we talk with four people in Las Vegas about various aspects of the adult video world. First we talk with Jason Luv, one of the most sought-after and popular male mainstream porn actors. He tells us which part of LA he loves to hang out in when he's hear in LA for work. Then we chat with the beautiful Bailey Rayne who moved hear from Indiana and has made a home in the Valley while being an MFC model for 11 years. Next we talk with Paragon a fan of MFC model Rorrie Gomez who flew from Buffalo to meet and support her. Finally we talk with Rorrie herself about her unusual path of being a successful nude model on the web channel and then finding greater success when she stopped getting naked. Along the way we learn why Sylmar has a tasty sushi joint that won't cost a ton of tokens.

Steve is a veteran LA Times writer and editor who for the last five years has been the distinguished Column One editor. In this episode we talk about the paper's coverage of the most recent LA Fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, the dynamic between good editors and writers, his early days covering crime in The Valley, and some facts about Silver Lake that rarely get talked about when outsiders simply dub it the home for hipsters.

Sherman Gray and his longtime girlfriend have both struggled with drugs but are now clean and sober and have been for a year and a half. They both have jobs, but they are low-paying and they're on Food Stamps. What they need is a place to live. Currently they are couch surfing and sleeping on floors, and sometimes they have to sleep outside, something they did for years in Lake Elsinore. LA Mayor Karen Bass has been boasting of late that her Inside Safe program is just what people like Sherman was meant for. We will see. If this podcast can help one person, let's hope it can help this couple get off the streets.

The last six years have been an emotional rollercoaster for Albert Corado and his family after the LAPD senselessly killed his sister Mely at the Silver Lake Trader Joe's. The City of LA tried to gaslight the Corado initially trying to convince them that it wasn't their two officers' fault when they fired into the crowded store and fatally shot the young woman. Instead they blamed the suspect they were chasing. Then they tried to lowball the family by offering them $500k to make it all go away. But right before the case was going to go to trial, the city got serious and when they offered a record $9.5 million settlement, the Corados reluctantly agreed. But the pain has not gone away. Albert explains what they went through and what's next for he and his father.

Now that Paul Haddad has moved on from discovering the likes of Brooke Burke and teaching us about the freeways of LA, he's now ready to educate us on the six movers and shakers of the late 1880s who turned LA from a dusty town to the second-most populous city in America, In his new book, Inventing Paradise, Paul teaches us of the likes of the men behind the names Angelenos see on street signs everywhere: Huntington, Mulholland, Chandler, Sherman, Banning and Otis.

Amy Shratter is a Human Resources expert and veteran who created the new company, Real-Salary, that sorts millions of verified salaries and job titles and locations and puts them in an easy-to-use database. This way if you want to know if you're being underpaid, for example, at your current gig, you do a search for your job title, city and state, among other options.

She was born and raised in North East LA, Angela ran and won for Highland Park Neighborhood Council President, and has continued to fight against an influx of bars overflowing on Figueroa. We talk about growing up in Highland Park, her dad's complicated life, and what's next for this 30 year-old superstar who is a perfect example of HP at the crossroads.

Danny Khorunzhiy has been a true Los ANGELeno for decades. Currently he is part of the team that helped bring Cafe Tropical back to its glory of providing delicious baked goods and coffees and giving a space for 12-step programs in its back room. We talk drugs, helping others, and the magical corner of Silver Lake and Sunset where the Cafe has been for decades.

Two years after Sergio Avedian told us his fascinating origin story, he is back with advice for drivers, riders, and the rideshare companies themselves.

Ben Camacho is a journalist who asked for, and received from the City, over 9,000 photos of LAPD officers. When the LAPD called foul, they sicced LA City Atty Hydee Feldstein Soto on him. Hydee knew Ben was protected by common sense and the First Amendment, but she didn't care. Hydee not only lost the first case, but as the second one was about to go down her team convinced her to just settle with Ben and pay his lawyers $300,000. We talk about that, Ground Game, Knock LA, and his favorite Thai spot in Thai Town.

Lynn Crandall has owned and operated Decor Art Galleries at 12149 Ventura Blvd. for 30 years where locals, visitors, and celebs come to get their precious photos and artwork framed. But she also has a database of 60,000 photos from the 1930s thru the 199os of your favorite stars and sites of Los Angeles.

Sean Beckner-Carmitchel and William Gude are independent journalists who documented the protests at UCLA in April and May and spoke at length about the amount of bungling and incompetence that went down on the beautiful campus.

Ysabel Jurado may become the first Filipina to become an LA City councilperson if she can continue her winning ways and take out KDL who is mired in controversy. The former teen mom and current community lawyer talks about the Graffiti Towers, her ideas to solve homelessness, and spots she loves in NELA.

For over 10 years Justin Fisher lived in many parts of the backhouse of The Amherst House where Weezer and other bands were born. He lived in the bedroom, the living room, and even the makeshift attic. All because he moved to LA to achieve the American of becoming a professional musician and running off with a Californian cheerleader and raising a beautiful family. Mission accomplished. Hear how he did it.

Lex Steppling on growing up in Chesterfield Square, Nirvana at 10, and the tell-tale signs of gentrification

Ben Camacho asked for all the photos and salary information of the LAPD. After some typical hemming and hawing, the City Attorney approved the journalist's request. Once the info quickly spread online, the police union raised a fit and the new City Attorney is now suing Camacho for the public information and possibly millions of dollars in damages.

The last time Maebe ran for Congress, she got nearly 30% of the vote. Now that the incumbent is gone… could she win it all? In this episode we talk about politics, Silver Lake, smash burgers, growing up in the suburbs of Illinois and playing football on her high school team.

Greg Stewart was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. He was in Granada Hills 30 years ago today when the Northridge Quake struck. We talk about how he was still forced to go to work the next day, equipped with a hard hat. We also discuss Reseda, what parts of the Val aren't really the Val, which parts should break off to be their own cities. Should the Valley break off from LA, and is Shaq really a Mason???

Ky Dickens on her love of nonfiction storytelling, consciousness, and why she wishes she moved to Toluca Lake years ago.Hailing from the suburbs of Chicago, Ky says she was reluctant to move to LA because of the many myths she'd heard about traffic, neighborhoods, and quality of life. But now after living here for six years, wishes she had skedaddled from the midwest sooner. Enjoy our entire episode with the documentary filmmaker where we delve into how much she loves Toluca Lake, to some of the fascinating films she's made, and how her kids have taught her how to speak more inclusively.

Andrew Rudick has done the research and due diligence. He has the receipts and the paperwork. He claims the ball is in the court of CD13 councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez to begin the process of removing Trump's star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame due to that thing he did on January 6th when he tried to overthrow Democracy. Will Soto-Martinez live up to his promise to tackle this issue? Andrew says it's not that tough to do.

Travel writer, food writer, former bartender, went to cooking school just to be a better journalist, Mr. Paul Feinstein is the author of the new book Italy Cocktails and goes into great detail about his neighborhood Beverly Grove, "authenticity" and how bad crazy this one pizza spot is on a swanky street.

But it might be too late for Adele.The Alexander Technique practitioner, music teacher, and classical music head on living among fancy birds, moving here from Mississippi, and what the heck is happening to Westwood.

Eric Brightwell is all the things you'd want in a neighbor. He's been around for seemingly forever, he rides his bike everywhere when he's not on the bus, he's civically minded, he knows where the best spots are, he has great taste in movies and music, and he has the greatest obsession: drawing and painting neighborhood maps of Los Angeles.Lo all these years, I was lucky enough to meet him at his spacious home, one of the best apartments you'll find in Silver Lake as it's near all the best haunts, it's surrounded with fauna, and it's inhabited by one of the biggest cats you'll ever have the chance to pet with your foot.In this episode we check all the boxes: local politics, tales of working at the original location of Amoeba, tales of working in a musty basement of porn, discussing why the Channel Islands matter, Thomas Brothers Guides, and the realization that mapmaking is subjective.

Gary Phillips is happily married, lives in a Craftsman in Arlington Heights and writes about whatever he wants: the LA dream

Jason Reedy, as you will hear, is an intelligent, thoughtful, Angeleno who cares for his mind, body, and spirit. He's a well-read vegetarian marathon runner who can easily talk about Christianity or Islam as well as world history. On top of that he's a kind, funny, and devoted parent who even takes his toddler to City Hall — which annoys some for some reason. We sat down at the Robinson Space in Virgil Village and discussed the very active activist group he belongs to, getting attacked by Kevin De Leon at a Christmas toy giveaway, and his one TV addiction: 90 Day Fiance.

Jon is a reporter, editor, Cheesecake Factory enjoyer, and someone who was surprised when he came to LA from Miami that our lil city closes up so early. We talk about City Hall, the Billionaire who lost for mayor, The Grove and the Americana

The co-founder of the People's City Council on guns, a healthy lifestyle, and coming out in the sweetest way

Richard is a Canadian who immigrated to LA in the mid-90s and has been in and around the Hollywood journalism scene ever since. We talk about Park La Brea, The Grove, The Glendale Galleria, the idea of one man owning most of LA's trade papers, the LA Times, and so much more.

Mike Roe had been helping build KPCC's website for the last 15 years. He even helped build its union. Then in this last wave of cuts, he was shown the door. In this episode we talk about some of his favorite moments there, and living in Echo Park back in the day.

Phil Stark got his start at the beginning of South Park, then wrote and produced for That '70s Show, on a whim he wrote and created Dude Where's My Car, and now he's a therapist who wrote a book about his new love.

Albert Corado is an activist, an organizer, one of the co-founders of People's City Council, and the brother of Mely Corado who was gunned down by a member of the LAPD who shot into the Trader Joe's she managed in Silver Lake.

The Spectrum 1 News anchor on being stopped from doing her job by the LAPD at Echo Park, her scoop with one of the tattoo artists who apply ink to sheriff deputies, her neighborhood of Palms, and what USC taught her to be prepared in TV journalism.

William of Film the Police interviews Tony of Hear in LA about his origins and the origin story of the podcast, how it rose from ideas from LAist and blogging, and how it's set itself apart from the rest. William also shares who he thinks is dumb, who he thinks is punk rock, and how he feels about the LA Times.

Sean Beckner-Carmitchel is an activist, a journalist, and a wine sommelier who also happens to be a champagne expert. We talk about the neighborhood he's leaving, Pico-Union, covering racists and homophobes, and the state of wine in LA and Santa Barbara.

The former TV producer and journalist who covered the Michael Jackson trial, and produced shows like Battlebots and Shark Tank, on herding nine felines in his North Hollywood home.

In most states it's not required to ask permission to do unnecessary pelvic exams. This woman is changing that.. A'magine is an author, a sexpert, a sex educator, and a writer who is passing laws to stop med students from performing pelvic exams on unsuspecting patients who are under anesthesia.

The student-turned-staffer tried to get ‘SC to do the right thing, but when they hesitated, he alerted the Feds.

After a traumatic childhood, Scott took a few wrong way turns that eventually sent him to prison a few times. A convicted drug dealer, Scott found solace in the love of a dog in his sober living house in West Hollywood. He eventually adopted several dogs and found that alone he was able to be selfish, but now that he needed to take care of the animals he had to keep it together. He had to take care of himself to take care of them.

One of the hosts of the long-running "This Filipino American Life," Joe lives up to the belief that Filipinos are the nicest people in the world. He helped one councilman rise up to become mayor and now his love is teaching the next generation at LMU.

Joan spent the last four years in LA - mostly in Historic Filipinotown - helping Filipinos adjust to living or visiting the US. But it was LA that taught her that desperately seeking for The Other is unnecessary when others are seeking you.

Writer, editor, DJ, music fan, social media gem, and all-around great guy, Scott talks about his work at Rhino Records, at the LA Times, Metromix, and seeing a private all-night show at Prince's mansion in Beverly Hills.

After 24 years, Asher has ditched Austin in favor of the 818 where he hopes to get people high and root on his Dodgers.

The Van Nuys activist-turned-politician is seeking to fill the former Council President's seat in a very different way.

For over 20 years Mr. Mack has been working the streets of Skid Row helping the underserved. In this episode we talk about homelessness in LA, why he has little confidence that the new mayor can do much about it, how people should view these fellow human beings, and he also tells us about some of the lowest moments in his life and what turned it around. This is an episode you really shouldn't miss.

For 20 years, Roxanne has lived in her beautiful Baldwin Hills / Baldwin Village apartment. Locals know the area as The Jungles, made famous from the Denzel Washington film Training Day. We will chat about her neighborhood, how it's influx, and her selfless job of working on Skid Row in DTLA helping the poorest of the poor.

14 year olds are just as much of LA as 114 year olds. This one runs through this record collection, the pitfalls of his hood, and why no one he knows rides bikes to school -- or anywhere in LA.

At 14 she ran off with her lowrider boyfriend and worked the fields of Fresno. Soon she was a teenage mother who eventually moved back to LA living in Venice, Inglewood and now just north of the 10. An activist, poet, playwrite, and longtime employee for the city of Santa Monica, Lindsey now spends a lot of her time in Boyle Heights... for the culture.

Journalist Julie Wolfson on that bold caffeine claim, getting her start at LAist, raising artistic children in the center of LA, and what's cool in her Hancock Park neighborhood.

For years she was the mayor's florist - as well as the sweet angel tasked for adding colorful sunshine to many of your favorite restaurants. According to her neighborhood council she lives in South Robertson, but that name is not recognized by the LA Times. That is not the only controversial item you'll hear in this episode.