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    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    The not-so-glamorous lives of immigrants who trim weed

    Thousands of young migrants descend on Northern California’s Emerald Triangle every year to trim marijuana plants. They come for an adventure, but the work is difficult, isolated, and sometimes dangerous.

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    By Madeleine Brand • Dec 11, 2018 • 47m Listen

    Thousands of young migrants descend on Northern California’s Emerald Triangle every year to trim marijuana plants. They come for an adventure, but the work is difficult, isolated, and sometimes dangerous.

    In this episode

    5 stories
    1. 0:00

      Have we learned our lesson about building in a fire zone?

      LA County supervisors today voted 4 to 1 to approve a massive new housing development at Tejon Ranch, which is about 70 miles northwest of downtown L.A., and considered a high fire zone. Sheila Kuehl was the nay vote.

      Read the story
      7 min
    2. 6:43

      The risks of being a ‘trimmigrant’ in California

      Most of the country’s marijuana is grown in the Northern California’s Emerald Triangle: Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity counties. Every fall, thousands of young migrant workers go there to trim marijuana plants. They’re called “trimmigrants.”

      Read the story
      7 min
    3. 13:53

      Harvard buys California wineries for water rights

      Harvard University has been buying thousands of acres of California vineyards. They’re doing it way above market price. The university is not excited to bottle the next great Merlot, it’s taking a big bet on water rights and climate change.

      Read the story
      6 min
    4. 20:21

      In ‘Capernaum,’ a boy tries surviving in Beirut slums

      I n the film “Capernaum,” 12-year-old Zain sues his parents for giving birth to him. He runs away from home after his parents sell his 11-year-old sister into marriage for a few chickens.

      Read the story
      16 min
    5. 36:38

      With billions of dollars in debt, will Netflix survive?

      Netflix decided to pay around $100 million to keep streaming “Friends.” With all the cash Netflix is burning, is it sustainable?

      Read the story
      10 min
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Sarah Sweeney

      Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michell Eloy

      Former Producer/Line Editor, Press Play

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Amy Ta

      Digital News & Culture Editor

      NewsCalifornia

    In this episode

    5 stories
    1. 0:007 min

      Have we learned our lesson about building in a fire zone?

    2. 6:437 min

      The risks of being a ‘trimmigrant’ in California

    3. 13:536 min

      Harvard buys California wineries for water rights

    4. 20:2116 min

      In ‘Capernaum,’ a boy tries surviving in Beirut slums

    5. 36:3810 min

      With billions of dollars in debt, will Netflix survive?

    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand