KCRW
Jenny Hamel is a news reporter and producer for KCRW and a former producer for KCRW's To the Point.
Before coming to KCRW, Hamel worked as a reporter and anchor for San Diego's KSWB Fox 5 and XETV Channel 6, where she won a 2010 Emmy Award for a story based on her travels to Uganda with a humanitarian organization. She's worked as a freelance video and documentary producer.
LAUSD teachers and educators march ahead of a likely strike Public school teachers in Los Angeles are getting closer to walking off the job next month — it would be the first teacher strike to hit the LA Unified School District in 30 years. But contract negotiations with the district have hit a wall. Over the weekend, thousands of union members - teachers, librarians, counselors- took the streets of downtown LA to show that they’re serious.
Despite evacuation orders, some Malibu residents 'stay and defend' homes The Woolsey Fire destroyed 670 structures in Malibu, including more than 400 single family homes. That makes it the most destructive fire in the history of that beachside community. But some residents say even more homes would have been lost, if not for the private citizens who defied mandatory evacuation orders to protect their neighborhoods. The homeowners who stay during a fire can be a nuisance for fire fighters... but they say they're not going anywhere next time.
Malibu teachers reflect on the Woolsey Fire Twenty-two former and current educators lost their homes in the Woolsey Fire. They talk to KCRW about experiencing the fire, losing their homes and the community's resilience.
California catastrophe The fires rage on in our own backyard, and in Northern California, encompassing tens of thousands of acres each. In L-A and Ventura Counties, the Woolsey Fire has scorched everything in its path. To the north, in Butte County, the Camp Fire has charred and destroyed even more acreage, of trees, brush and everything else, north of Sacramento, and the town of Paradise is a scene of utter devastation and heartbreak.
What happened to Malibu residents in the fire zone who refused to evacuate? The Woolsey Fire has burned more than 97,000 acres and is 40 percent contained. Evacuated Malibu residents vented Tuesday night at a meeting at Santa Monica High School, where they got little information on when they’d be able to return home. Others had refused to leave their homes, and risked everything to save their property. Some evacuation orders were lifted today.
What we know about the Woolsey Fire The Hill Fire broke out in the canyons on Thursday afternoon, and quickly spread to Camarillo Springs and Cal State Channel Islands. A second fire, the Woolsey Fire, has led to evacuations in Calabasas, Thousand Oaks, and Malibu. Some parts of PCH and the 101 freeway are closed. Fire officials say at least 20 homes have been burned. We get the latest. We also hear a personal story from one woman who evacuated with her baby at 2 am, and survived another major fire in 1978.
Checking in on the close House races in Orange County In California’s 39th district, Republican Young Kim and Democrat Gil Cisneros are tied in the polls for Ed Royce’s open seat. In the 49th district in northern San Diego, Darrell Issa is retiring, and Democrat Mike Levin has been up in the polls against Republican Diane Harkey. Steve Knight is trying to hold onto his seat in the Palmdale-Lancaster area against Democrat Katie Hill.
What are Orange County Democrats saying to woo voters? Democrats are throwing everything they've got at four Orange County Congressional districts they're hoping to take away from Republicans in next week's midterm elections. But can a party focused on "resistance" to President Trump attract enough moderate Republicans to win in the conservative OC?
The Asian American voter in OC In Orange County the population is changing. While the numbers of most ethnic groups have grown slowly over the past 10 years, the number of Asian Americans is up 41 percent since 2010. And don't think the politicos haven't noticed. What kind of impact will Asian American voters have on Orange County's representation in Congress? Will they help keep the county Republican, or could they turn Orange County blue?
Strangers grow old together, courtesy of home share program Pearlie Biles, left, and Jo Slee found each other through an agency called Affordable Living for the Aging, and became roommates at Slee’s home in Westchester. Photo by Jenny Hamel. More and more older people in Los Angeles are struggling to stay in their homes. Life expectancy is rising, and an increasing number of seniors are finding it difficult to care for themselves. Many others are on fixed incomes and can’t keep up with rising rents. But for some people, the answer doesn’t lie in constructing new buildings, but rather in figuring out how to stay in the house you already have. Or, how to find a new home because the landlord just increased your rent by several hundred dollars a month. Two women facing those challenges came together to create a solution. Jo Slee, 86, and Pearlie Biles, 73, have been roommates since January of this year. They live in Slee’s Westchester home where she raised her four children and shared with her husband of 59 years before he passed. Two seniors, who were complete strangers only a year ago, now share space, meals and laughter. They connected through an agency called Affordable Living for the Aging, which provides housing for low-income seniors. It’s one of a growing number of groups that play matchmaker for older people who could use roommates. “Home sharing is an innovative housing model because it addresses two issues at once,” said Miriam Hall, Director of Affordable Living for the Aging’s Home Share program. “Each unused bedroom in Los Angeles is a potential housing unit. And so when occupied, those housing units naturally increase the supply of affordable housing in a community by utilizing homes that already exist. And then secondly, home sharing addresses the financial or service needs of older adults who are struggling to live independently in their homes.” Slee’s kids explored options that would allow her to stay in her home and they found the home share program. Slee interviewed four pre-screened applicants. That meant background checks, employment records and so on. Slee had three rules: her new roommate would have to have a car; not smoke and have no overnight male guests. Biles fit the bill. Plus, they liked each other right away. Slee says it’s because of her “well-rounded personality.” After a two-week trial period, they signed a rental contract. And this is their agreement. Slee provides a bedroom with a big window facing the yard, and use of the whole house. In exchange, Biles drives Slee to places like the grocery store, church or to doctor’s appointments. She helps with light chores and she’s around to provide companionship and will know if an accident happens, let’s say Slee takes a fall. Biles also cooks some meals for Slee, but that’s not required. And she pays 360 dollars a month in rent. In the nine months they’ve lived together, Slee and Biles say it’s working out great. They’ve met each other’s friends and family, and they’ve celebrated birthdays together. Slee will acknowledge that although at first she didn’t want a roommate, “I like it better the way it is now though.” “So I’m just really happy,” said Biles of her roommate situation with Slee. “I just recently had to redo my driver’s license and it has her address on it. So, this is official!”
Will Obama's OC visit energize Democrats? Former President Obama will be in Orange County this weekend, trying to fire up Democrats. They hope to take over Congress this election cycle. To do that, they have to flip seats that Republicans currently hold -- seven of those seats are in California.
The effort to regulate e-scooters Electric scooters seem to be everywhere you look these days - people zipping by on them, parked on the sidewalk, or blocking the sidewalk, dotting every other street corner you pass. Those scooters aren’t licensed or regulated by the city of L.A., at least not yet. But the Los Angeles City Council is expected to vote soon on rules about how they operate in the city.
If gambling is illegal, why are there casinos in Hawaiian Gardens? When KCRW listener Chris Koenig drove past a couple of casinos less than 30 minutes outside of downtown L.A., she thought it was pretty weird. “Why are there casinos in Hawaiian Gardens and Bell Gardens?” Koenig asked Curious Coast. “I thought the draw to Vegas was due to no legal gambling here.”
How much of our stuff actually gets recycled? Recycling is not as easy as throwing stuff in the blue bin. China buys a lot of our recyclable trash. A little while ago, China changed what it would accept. It wants clean, well sorted stuff. And Americans are not very good at that. So today, more and more of what we put into our blue bins goes to the landfill. Workers at the Puente Hills Materials Recovery Facility (Photo: Jenny Hamel)
Tongva descendants work to keep their culture alive For Craig Torres, keeping Tongva culture alive means educating today’s Angelenos, young and old, about the earth and treating it with respect and reverence as his ancestors did.
Homelessness among seniors on the rise The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority recently reported that the total number of homeless people in L.A. County fell since last year, but they also discovered a disturbing trend. The only group in L.A. that is experiencing homelessness more than last year is people age 62 and over.
Remembering George H.W. Bush A balanced look at George H.W. Bush includes: the smear campaign that won him the White House, his successes in war and diplomacy, and his almost forgotten role as an environmental president. Also what lies ahead for the UK, if there’s no agreement on Brexit?
Proud to shut down President Trump says he’ll gladly take dire action if Congress won’t fund his border wall.