Imperfect Paradise: District Attorney Gascón: Part 1

Voters elected Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón in 2020 on his promises to undo decades of mass incarceration, tackle what many viewed as excessive prison sentences, and to generally create a fairer system. LAist Civics & Democracy Correspondent Frank Stoltze explores the criminal justic…

Imperfect Paradise: Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 5 - Roads & Wildlife

LAist Correspondent Jill Replogle speaks with Ben Goldfarb, an environmental journalist, wildlife enthusiast, and author of Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. They discuss how roads impact the wild animals in our midst, what wildlife crossings can do to mitigate that i…

Imperfect Paradise: Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 4 - The Eagle Lovebirds

Jackie and Shadow are two beloved bald eagles who live in Big Bear, a ski town a couple hours northeast of L.A. They went viral in 2024, as people tuned in to a livestream of their nest to see if their eggs would hatch. Fans around the world became deeply attached to the lovebirds, obsessing over t…

Imperfect Paradise: Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 3 - The Bear Nuisance

The first deadly black bear attack in California’s history was confirmed recently in a small mountain town in Northern California. While wildlife officials say fatal bear attacks are rare, this recent death and growing encounters between bears and people underscore how high the stakes are as wild a…

Imperfect Paradise: Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 2 - The Coyote Villain

If the mountain lion is thought of as a celebrity, then, many would think of the coyote as a villain. LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin looks into why we vilify coyotes, what scientists actually know about them, and how they’ve adapted and thrived in some of the most urban parts of Southern Californ…

Imperfect Paradise: Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 1- The Mountain Lion Celebrity

One of Hollywood’s recent celebrities wasn’t a person, but a feline. The famed mountain lion made headlines in Los Angeles and nationwide. He became a household name for making his home in Griffith Park, right in the middle of L.A. But the overwhelming support for P-22 wasn’t enough to save him. LA…

Imperfect Paradise: Return from Mexico

In 2009, Gloria Arellano de la Rosa was banned from re-entering the U.S. for ten years, finding herself separated from her four children and husband. But unlike Daniel Zamora, she didn’t remake her life in Mexico. Every day she waited to go home to the U.S. Fernanda Echavarri tells the story of wha…

LAist Studios present Passing The Mantle: Is Gen Z less curious than the Baby Boomers?

Passing the Mantle is a new podcast from LAist Studios about family, curiosity and the things that change — and stay the same — across generations. In this first episode, Larry Mantle and his son Desmond, 23, talk about their wide-ranging interests and shared drive to understand why things are the …

Imperfect Paradise: Return to Mexico: Part 3

Unable to return to the U.S., Daniel Zamora struggles to build a life in Mexico, until a trip abroad suddenly upends his perspective. Lorena Ríos reports.  Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Listen to Reimagin…

Introducing Passing The Mantle, from LAist Studios

Passing the Mantle is a new podcast from LAist Studios about family, curiosity and the things that change — and stay the same — across generations. It's co-hosted by Larry Mantle, host of LAist 89.3’s AirTalk, the longest-running daily talk show in Southern California, and his son Desmond Mantle. …