California Sun Podcast

Elsa Devienne takes us behind the iconic beaches of Los Angeles to reveal a hidden history of transformation, conflict, and reinvention. The author of "Sand Rush," Devienne discusses how L.A.’s shores went from eroding, polluted strips in the 1920s and '30s to expansive public spaces that defined the city’s image and culture. She details the social and political forces that played out, from the exclusion of minority communities to today’s ongoing battles over coastal access. With echoes of "Chinatown" and insights into today’s wealth-driven coastal fights, Devienne’s work helps illuminate Los Angeles' evolving identity.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano dismantles the myth of a monolithic "Latino vote." Through his recent 3,000-mile journey across the Southwest, Arellano discovered communities far more focused on local concerns than national political narratives. He explores how Latinos navigate the complex dynamic of assimilation, while often maintaining a distinct cultural identity. Most striking was their passion for local politics, with leaders making their most significant impact far from the national spotlight.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning California poet Forrest Gander discusses "Mojave Ghost," his novel-poem blending personal grief with geological exploration. He explains how his background in geology shapes his writing, offering unique insights on landscape and emotion. Gander describes walking the San Andreas Fault to process loss, highlighting the desert's transformative power. He explores the connection between landscape and psyche, challenging conventional views of time and grief. Gander emphasizes the importance of presence in writing and life, reflecting on poetry's role in our media-saturated world.

Oisin Heneghan, a Stanford engineering graduate and real estate developer, sees opportunity in San Francisco's challenges. His company N17 leads the Bay Area in pending planning applications for new housing. Heneghan explains San Francisco's cyclical nature, emphasizing the need to look five to seven years ahead, as conditions change by project completion. He’s focused on addressing the housing crisis, leveraging political support for new housing, and using new laws for faster approvals. Heneghan remains confident in San Francisco's strong fundamentals, citing its tech industry, natural beauty, and ability to attract top talent.

Wall Street Journal reporter Zusha Elinson takes us through his reporting on the tragic encounter at a San Francisco Walgreens on April 27, 2023, when security guard Michael Anthony fatally shot Banko Brown, a homeless transgender man, over $14.64 worth of stolen candy. The story unfolds against a backdrop of shifting attitudes towards crime and policing in San Francisco. Both Anthony and Brown were at tumultuous points in their lives when their paths crossed. The confluence of personal struggles, corporate policies, and urban challenges culminated in a moment that sparked outrage and debate about justice, race, and transgender rights in San Francisco.

Sasha Abramsky, author of the new book "Chaos Comes Calling," talks about how America's deep polarization has cascaded from national politics down to local levels of governance. Abramsky reveals that even in small rural communities, once-mundane local issues like library policies, road repairs, and child care have become ideological battlegrounds. A quintessential example of this phenomenon is Shasta County, California, where far-right politicians won control of government. Abramsky illuminates how the pandemic, social media echo chambers, and talk radio amplified partisan voices, transforming school boards and city councils into microcosms of the broader red-blue divide. 

Elizabeth Rosner discusses the importance and difficulty of deep listening in our noisy, information-saturated world. The Berkeley author's new work "Third Ear: Reflections on the Art and Science of Listening" draws in part from her experience as a child of Holocaust survivors. Rosner weaves personal narratives with insights from various fields to illustrate how listening can enhance empathy and connection, and posits that listening is a transformative act with the potential to heal individuals and bridge societal divides.

Del Seymour, a former homeless addict known as the "mayor of the Tenderloin," and his biographer, Alison Owings, offer a raw, street-level view of San Francisco's most notorious neighborhood. Seymour, the subject of Owings' book, "Mayor of the Tenderloin," pulls no punches, exposing the paradoxical allure of homelessness and the failings of well-meaning nonprofits. His insights challenge conventional wisdom about addiction and urban poverty, while his Tenderloin walking tours and Code Tenderloin jobs programs demonstrate his enduring hope. 

Los Angeles author Carol Mithers discusses her new book, "Rethinking Rescue," which explores a groundbreaking approach to animal welfare pioneered by Lori Weise, the founder of L.A.’s Downtown Dog Rescue. Known as the "Dog Lady," Weiss focuses on preventing pets from entering shelters by addressing the root causes of surrender, particularly in underserved communities. Mithers highlights the complex interplay between poverty, pet ownership, and animal welfare, challenging traditional rescue paradigms and emphasizing community support and education to keep pets with their loving owners.

Patt Morrison, a veteran Los Angeles journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner, takes us on a journey through the city's ever-evolving landscape. With over five decades of experience chronicling L.A. across print, television, and radio, Morrison shares unique insights into the city's transformation, from its complex power structures to its diverse communities. She shares anecdotes about iconic figures, and discusses her role in reviving interest in the Los Angeles River. As the city prepares for the 2028 Olympics, Morrison's reflections on L.A.'s past and present offer an invaluable perspective on its future.

Roger BelAir and Dan Ostroff are bringing hope to California's toughest prisons through an unlikely source: pickleball. Their upcoming documentary, "Pickleball in Prison," explores how the simple paddle sport is transforming life behind bars, bridging gaps between inmates and staff, and fostering teamwork in high-security environments. From San Quentin to Folsom, the film captures wardens facing off against inmates across the net, revealing moments of shared humanity. 

Zoë Bernard's recent story in Vanity Fair looks at El Segundo, California's emerging tech scene, where young entrepreneurs are rejecting Silicon Valley's software focus in favor of hard tech and defense tech. These predominantly male founders emphasize bro culture, patriotism, religion, and traditional values while developing drones, nuclear reactors, and military weaponry. With more than $100 billion invested in defense tech since 2021, they see themselves as "saving America." The war in Ukraine has helped legitimize their efforts, while concerns about China drive their mission. 

Kevin Fagan, a veteran San Francisco Chronicle reporter, discusses the state's evolving homelessness crisis. After the Supreme Court's recent Grants Pass decision, cities are taking more aggressive action on encampment sweeps. Fagan explores these sweeps, the state of homelessness, and the political implications as elections approach. With decades of experience, he provides unique insights into the human impact of homelessness, the challenges facing policymakers and communities, and how years of coverage have affected him personally.

Caroline Paul's youthful adventures began as one of the first women to join the San Francisco Fire Department back in 1989, a story she recounts in her bestselling memoir, "Fighting Fire." In her latest book, "Tough Broad: From Boogie Boarding to Wing Walking — How Outdoor Adventure Improves Our Lives as We Age," Paul demonstrates how a lifelong relationship with outdoor adventure enriches the lives of women well into their older years.  

Sara Fenske Bahat, the former interim chief executive of San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, explores the interplay between art, politics, and institutional responsibility. Bahat, who is Jewish, explains the museum's mission and history leading up to a crisis in February involving pro-Palestinian protests, questions of free speech, and accusations of antisemitism that ultimately led her to step down. She reflects on that decision, her concerns about safety within the museum, and the broader implications for arts institutions nationwide.

José Vadi, author of "Chipped: Writing from a Skateboarder's Lens," explores skateboarding as a unique window into California culture, both northern and southern. He discusses how skating serves as a form of self-empowerment and artistic expression, intertwining with music and writing. Vadi examines skateboarding's evolution from a rebellious subculture to a global phenomenon. He reveals how skateboarding shapes public spaces, confronts mortality, and offers new perspectives on community and creativity.

Markos Kounalakis, a visiting fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and California's "second gentleman," married to Lieutenant Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, argued in a recent Washington Monthly piece that California, given its economic power and strategic location, is underrepresented in key U.S. Senate committees, including those on armed services, foreign relations, and intelligence. This limits the state's contributions on crucial foreign policy decisions, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.

Jan Sramek grew up enamored with the California dream. Today he tells us how he wants to transform that dream into the development of a new 21st-century city on 60,000 acres of rural Solano County. Dubbed California Forever, the project is designed, Sramek says, to reshape the Bay Area housing landscape by adding more than 25,000 homes, creating thousands of jobs, mitigating traffic congestion, and recapturing the spirit of a California that once dreamed big.

What were you doing at 22? Cecilia Lunaparra, a senior at UC Berkeley, was just elected to the Berkeley City Council at that age, making her the youngest and first undergraduate to hold the office. She's not new to activism and making a difference in her community, and thinks that the young people protesting on campus today may be at the forefront of a new revolution.238

Over the years, the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news reporting has typically been awarded to major legacy media brands. However, this year a hyperlocal online publication, the Santa Cruz Lookout, received the prestigious honor for its coverage of the once-in-a-century floods that devastated Santa Cruz in January 2023. Ken Doctor, who founded the Lookout in 2020, details how the newsroom covered the floods, and how it has emerged as a potential model for the future of local journalism.