Hour 3 - Shrey Parikh takes home the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee title after a dramatic spell-off finish, while Los Angeles Metro prepares for new leadership as the board unanimously appoints Karen Bass as Chair for Fiscal Year 2026–27. Maya Pagod joins Monks & Merrill to break down Metro’s new rapid bus line and touchless app rollout. Meanwhile, a state worker union is testing a new legal strategy to challenge Governor Gavin Newsom’s return-to-office order, and new polling shows Xavier Becerra leading the governor’s race, with Steve Hilton and Tom Steyer close behind. 

<p>Hour 3 - Shrey Parikh takes home the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee title after a dramatic spell-off finish, while Los Angeles Metro prepares for new leadership as the board unanimously appoints Karen Bass as Chair for Fiscal Year 2026&ndash;27. Maya Pagod joins Monks &amp; Merrill to break down Metro&rsquo;s new rapid bus line and touchless app rollout. Meanwhile, a state worker union is testing a new legal strategy to challenge Governor Gavin Newsom&rsquo;s return-to-office order, and new polling shows Xavier Becerra leading the governor&rsquo;s race, with Steve Hilton and Tom Steyer close behind.&nbsp;</p>

Monks & Merrill, with Michael Monks and Chris Merrill.

<p>Monks &amp; Merrill, with Michael Monks and Chris Merrill.</p>

Monks & Merrill

Spelling Bee Glory, Metro Shakeups & California Politics Collide

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/98a2599f-cd9b-4f2a-9be4-b22c00e585f2/clips/43974431-ff9c-4f4f-949d-b459017182e0/transcript