KCRW
Jenny Hamel is a news reporter and producer for KCRW and a former producer for its 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.
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.
49th District Dems fight to get out the vote Democrats have high hopes for a “blue wave” of voters in the June 5th primary that could take hold of the Republicans’ vulnerable districts. But Democrats are also worried that with such crowded fields in some of the House races, they could be locked out of the general election because of the state’s open primary system.
Who will take over Republican Darrell Issa's district? California’s 49th Congressional district spans southern Orange County and Northern San Diego County. Republican Darrell Issa has held that seat since 2001. He’s retiring, and a dozen Democrats and Republicans are running to fill the open seat. Democrats are hoping to flip it as part of their push to take over control of Congress.
Inside LA's gay club history The period during the late 1920s and the early 1930s was a golden era in Los Angeles for gay performers, entertainers in drag and the crowds of Angelenos - gay, straight, rich and poor - that loved them.
Getting more women to join the fire department Becoming a firefighter is not an easy task. The competition is fierce and the physical requirements are grueling, especially if you’re a woman. The LA County Fire department has faced criticism in the past for its lack of diversity. Two percent of the county’s firefighters are women, but the department is taking steps to get more women out there saving lives and putting out fires. Go inside the Women's Fire Prep Academy.
Why can't you turn left on red? A KCRW listener asks: Why did I get a ticket for turning right on red? We look at the law, and find out why UPS trucks avoid left turns altogether.
Who will replace Chief Beck? Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck will retire in less than three months and the hunt is on for his replacement. More than 30 people have submitted applications to be considered for the chief job. Police Commissioners want to maintain the course the department has set over the past 15 years of reform. And they may also see a chance to make history.
Enter House of Bolton John Bolton- a hawk's hawk- becomes Trump's National Security Advisor.
California Democrats eye the House Republicans control the presidency and the Congress, but Democrats hope to change that in November. The 2018 midterm elections will be a test of Democratic enthusiasm around the country. Districts with vulnerable Republican incumbents in the House of Representatives are getting special attention from the Democratic party, and many of those are in California.
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?
As sidewalk gardens grow on Skid Row, homeless residents lose a sidewalk In a city with tens of thousands of people living on its streets, sidewalk space can be a hot commodity. Businesses want to keep the sidewalk clear for customers, but the city’s housing crisis means that for some people, the sidewalk is home. Some property owners have reportedly used sprinklers or private security guards to make sure no one sets up camp outside their doors. And in recent months, people living on the streets have noticed a new tactic – business owners effectively occupying a portion of the sidewalk themselves.
Inside the company helping LA County change its elections Big changes are coming to L.A. County elections starting in the year 2020. You’ll see 11 days of voting, not just one, ballots on high-tech touch screen terminals instead of paper and all new election software. Los Angeles County isn’t making the changes by itself. It has a partner in the effort, a private company that’s headquartered abroad and was once the focus of federal investigators. Is it a company that voters can trust with improving its elections?