Staff writer for the Los Angeles Times
Jim Puzzanghera on KCRW
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Topanga Beach surf culture: Competition breeds violence. But that’s changing
SportsSurf culture has an aggressive side, especially at premiere destinations like Topanga Beach. Some folks are working to change that.
The best places to sip afternoon tea in LA
Food & DrinkLooking for scones, finger sandwiches, and loose leaf tea? Let these afternoon teas add a bit of fancy to your life.
Tortilla Tournament, Week 1 Results: March of the Masas
Food & DrinkA tortilla so bad it should be launched into outer space on a rocket? We tasted it so you don't have to.
Black ravers are optimistic about more diversity in the music scene
EnvironmentBlack fans of electronic dance music say they love raves for the mentality of peace, love, unity, and respect. But they wish the scene were more diverse. Is the tide turning?
From basic to baroque, here's the best (and the worst) in tortilla package design
Food & DrinkTortilla packages don't generally get the same design love as potato chips but with this year's Tortilla Tournament contenders, the tide may be turning.
California’s on the cusp of decriminalizing magic mushrooms
Health & WellnessIf signed into law, a new bill would make it legal to possess small doses of naturally occurring psychedelics.
CA kids learning to read may finally get hooked on phonics
EducationIn the 1990s, a reading strategy called “balanced literacy” took over CA public schools. The problem? Kids didn’t learn to read. Now, phonics is making a comeback.
Hear from sick neighbors of the infamous Castaic landfill
EnvironmentResidents want a nearby landfill — where a chemical reaction is happening underneath — to shut down to preserve their health. Months later, it’s still operating.
CA’s Prop 1 narrowly passes to reform mental health spending
PoliticsWith the narrow approval of Governor Gavin Newsom’s $6.4 billion mental health bond, Prop 1, the work begins to build thousands of treatment beds.