September 14, 2025 • 38 mins
The price of the proposed expansion of the LA Convention Center has ballooned to $2.7 billion and officials aren't sure if they can afford it; The costs of coffee and other goods is on the rise, and there are some indications it could get worse; LA endorses the governor's plan to redraw congressional districts in favor of Democrats; a TV series set in Altadena after the Eaton Fire has been announced.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
This is Michael Monks Reports on Michael Monks from kf
I News. Will be together for the next couple of hours.
You know, as I was sitting down taking this chair
in this studio with Tiffany Hobbs as she was wrapping
up her show, the Dodgers were down four to one
in San Francisco. But then we started talking just as
shohe Otani knocked one out of the park there to
(00:25):
cut the lead to four to two, and now it's
four to three. Dodgers are still batting there in the
top of the third trailing the Giants right now four
to three. As for the Angels, they are in Seattle,
they are in the top of the second and they
are losing two to one. The Trojans. For all you
football fans out there, USC had no trouble with per
two today in West Lafayette, Indiana, winning thirty three to seventeen.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I don't know what to say to you Bruins fans.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Ucla now zero and three after losing right here at
home to New Mexico thirty five to ten last night.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
That is a rough season for those guys. From Westwood.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I love college football season, especially when it gets going,
because it tells me that summer is over. I'm not
a guy who likes hot weather. You can feel it
outside today. It's a beautiful night here in Burbank. I
can tell you that felt the same in downtown Los Angeles.
It's nice and cool. I popped in a Starbucks on
my way here. The pumpkin flavors are out. I didn't
(01:33):
get one yet. I'm not ready to go all in,
mainly because I know this is one of those false
falls that we're feeling right now. And as I was
driving in and I heard Eileen Gonzalez giving the forecast.
Now we've got Brigida de Gastino giving the forecast. It
confirmed my suspicions that were not quite there yet. I'm
looking at the forecast. It's nice, mid sixties tonight, upper
(01:58):
seventies tomorrow, but maybe the mid eighties Monday, around ninety
in Metro La. Low nineties on Monday, mid nineties by Wednesday,
low nineties on Thursday.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Make it stop.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I am upset about this, Brigeta, I really am, because
it's too hot, you know, like one thing about me
back home in northern Kentucky, Cincinnati. I was a guy
who committed to the bit, dressed for the calendar, not
the weather. So when Labor Day rolled around, the closet
(02:35):
got swapped. All the sweaters would be hanging up right now,
and I would be wearing one. Even if we had
one of those rare eighty seven degree October days, I
had a sweater on because that is what the calendar
says you should wear. Since I moved here, you just
can't do it that way.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Oh people do it, though I see them.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
It goes down to like seventy one degrees and people
wear a scarf, and I'm like, girl, no what.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
I was looking at a place I came out in
a November of twenty twenty two in preparation for moving
here in January of twenty twenty three and to come
to southern California in November from Kentucky in November. It's different,
but there was I was hanging out near the Santa
Monica Pier, chatting on the phone, sitting on a bench,
(03:25):
and I'll never forget a woman walking her dog with
gloves on, and.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
I believe she was cold.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I personally do not judge people for how they respond
to the weather in the area they're from. Sixty degrees
in southern California, I suppose in November is different than
sixty degrees where I'm from.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
If it were.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Sixty degrees in December in Covington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio, boy,
we would be swimming. Open the polls. Let's go. This
is great here. I know that's cold, but it's perfect
for me. I love it. The summer has been mostly
generous to us, but it's been hot lately. We got
a little break in the past week. It looks like
that break is going to be over. I'm very depressed
(04:06):
about that. I don't mean to make everybody depressed again.
But speaking of lowering the temperature, that's a phrase we're
hearing right now all across the country is whether we
can lower the metaphorical temperature as it relates to political
discourse and conversations in this country. After the tragedy that
happened in Utah a few days ago involving conservative activists
(04:31):
and media personality Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in front
of a large audience of college students at Utah Valley University,
and I feel as though there is this vibration underneath
the surface of our country right now that's probably been
probably been vibrating for some time, of course, but the
(04:53):
rumbles have picked up.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
It worries me about what this means.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
Now.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
We're still in the immediate aftermath of this horrifying shooting,
so emotions are high, tensions are high. People may be
saying some things that they don't necessarily believe as they
react with anger and sadness. But if folks are saying
what they believe, as far as what I am seeing,
(05:19):
things just got significantly worse in this country for political
unity and sensibilities. It's a tough situation. This is a
country that has been teetering on the edge for years now.
The election of twenty sixteen was very tense, and then
(05:44):
the presidency the first time around for President Trump was
very polarizing, multiple impeachments.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
During that time.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
We also dealt with COVID, We dealt with the racial
justice movement of two twenty and the conversations about when
is a protest a riot? And now with President Trump
back in office, we had another challenging twenty twenty four election.
(06:17):
It just feels like for many years now it's it's
been very, very tough to communicate with folks that may
not see the world the same way that we do.
And as of this week, it almost feels like an
impossibility on whether any of that can be fixed. And
I hate to be pessimistic about it, but what we saw,
(06:37):
and I mean what we physically saw with the assassination
of Charlie Kirk was horrifying and I wish I hadn't
seen it. The first clip of it that made its
way to the internet was shocking enough because we had
(06:59):
reports here in the new room that is shooting had
taken place at his speech. Quickly we're looking for sources.
A distant video was available where you can see that
he was hit with something. The shirt kind of bounced
a little, and that was scary because seeing somebody get
shot is scary. Then another video came out and maybe
(07:22):
you've seen it, that was much closer and showed the
direct impact and the aftermath of it, and you've basically
just watched someone die. So in addition to the political ramification,
there's this trauma, whether you had certain feelings about Charlie
Kirk or not, as a human you saw somebody die
(07:43):
in a horrific way, and so I think a lot
of us are dealing with that. We're also dealing with
seeing what people have to say about this, and a
lot of it is unpleasant. There were people celebrating his death.
There are people vowing vengeance. I know back home, just
(08:09):
like lots of places in this country, people are losing
their jobs. I saw it on my Facebook just today.
Various organizations, large companies, small companies are putting out statements
about how they disavow what one of their employees might
have said, how they've cut ties with so and so.
(08:31):
I believe I heard a promo here on KFI that
our good friend John Cobalt on Monday will be talking
about that very thing on his show at one o'clock.
So we'll be sure to tune in for that. But
I've seen it people that I know back in the
Cincinnati area involved either in the organization or directly responsible
for saying something that, to say the least, was not
(08:53):
well received. We'll talk about the latest that's coming out
about out the murder of Charlie Kirk. We'll hear from
his widow who spoke yesterday. There's also a report from
Fox News that see it says it's confirmed that the
(09:14):
suspect in this shooting, Tyler Robinson, was in a romantic
relationship with a transgender person, which adds more fuel to
that fire. That conversation about trans people and the way
folks like Charlie Kirk talked about that. This was immediately
speculated in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's death that this
may have been motivated by his sentiments towards transgender people.
(09:38):
And now we do, in fact, apparently according to Fox News,
have that component to this story. So we will talk
about that in our next segment. This is a local show, though,
and so we will get back to local news immediately
after that. A lot is going on as always here
in Los Angeles and in Sacramento today, the the Assembly
(10:00):
is wrapping up and a couple of significant pieces of legislation,
one that, if signed into law, we'll have ramifications for La.
The LA City Council took an official position against this.
We've heard this bill debated right here on these airwaves
on AM six forty KFI. Senate Bill seventy nine allowing
more housing to be built near transit stations that has passed.
(10:23):
We'll talk about what that is and what that means.
Coming up, This is Michael Monks Reports.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
You're listening to KFI Am six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Michael Monks from KFI News will be with you till
nine o'clock to night. The General Assembly in Sacramento is
wrapping up its business today and in the wee hours yesterday,
Senate Bill seventy nine has passed that allows for more
housing around transit stations. We're going to dive into that next,
(10:54):
but first, more about the assassination of Charlie Kirk this
week on the campus of Utah Valley University, where students
there and across the country are expressing feelings of being
traumatized by what they saw. And I know that's probably
true for a lot of us who are not college aged,
(11:16):
or if you're younger. If you saw that video that
was circulating, I know that you will not forget it.
It was very difficult to see as a human another
human die like that. If you have feelings about what
we're seeing this week in the aftermath of that, or
(11:38):
if you want to share your thoughts about the way
younger people are coping with this, join our conversation by
opening up the iHeartRadio app, click on the talkback button.
I'll play some of your thoughts throughout the evening. Fox
News has an exclusive report about suspect Tyler Robinson, the
twenty two year old who is a cue of shooting
(12:00):
and killing Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. This report
by Brooks Singhman of Fox Digital suggests that Robinson was
in a romantic relationship with a transgender partner. That's according
to FBI officials senior level FBI officials who talked to
Fox News Digital. According to this report, now, the reason
(12:22):
that that is significant is because of the role that
the narrative or stories or topics around transgender people have
played in the conversations that Charlie Clerk has had and
the debates that he's had. Very strong opponents to transideology,
and in the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk's death, it
(12:47):
was widely speculated that there would be some connection to
a trans person. According to this report, an FBI official
told Fox News Digital the individual has been extremely cooperate
and said the person had no idea Robinson was allegedly
planning to assassinate the Turning Point USA founder. The person
(13:08):
is not currently accused of any criminal activity and connection
with the assassination. Now, you may recall that according to
some of the reports that have come out of the FBI,
that there were some writing on the cartridges that were
used and not used allegedly by Tyler Robinson, and one
(13:29):
of them said, if you're reading this, you are gay LMAO.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
A fascist catch.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
So this is a significant development, perhaps that this suspected
shooter was motivated by this relationship with a transgender partner.
That's the latest from Fox. We have news updates here
from our partners at ABC News as well.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
Offish'll say match is one spotted at the university Wednesday
toed away as evidence. Law enforcement also homing for clues
at twenty two year old Tyler Robinson's apartment complex, about
a four hour drive from the university. Robinson is being
held at the Utah County Jail.
Speaker 7 (14:09):
He was actually engaged them back and forth. I felt
very respectful debate with people that disagree with them. He
knew and invited people that disagreed with him, not just
on college campuses, but on podcasts and interviews. He had
people on his show. He would go on other people's shows.
I think we actually need more of that dialogue and discourse.
Speaker 6 (14:27):
This memorial has grown exponentially. Every hour of every day,
more and more people come to put down flowers and
flags and signs. And what has stuck out to me
is and on those signs that people are putting over there,
it says, for example, Charlie, you amplified our voices when
we felt silent, and I think that speaks to the
(14:47):
influence and the power that Charlie Kirk had. A big
priority for investigators is figuring out what exactly is the motive.
We know that federal prosecutors are starting to build their
case federal charges in the coming days and weeks, but
we also know the Utah County Attorney is expected to
announce charges as early as next week.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Individuals who may already be isolated and angry it can
easily get their hands on and drive them even deeper.
And killings like we saw this week are only adding
fuel to this very dangerous fire. One group which monitors
online extremism found nearly thirty thousand online posts in the
aftermath calling for more violence.
Speaker 8 (15:30):
I think you're going to start seeing a lot more tech,
a lot more video cameras up on the roofs and
people actually manning them as opposed to just having them
on a screen in front of you. And then you
add on that AI technology where the cameras can actually
identify hostile actions and or weapons.
Speaker 9 (15:49):
The President really saw Charlie Kirk as a true friend.
He was seen as part of the Trump family. He
saw him like a son. He was incredibly close to
Don Junior and people across his administration. You have to
remember that Charlie Kirk started turning point USA when he
was just eighteen years old. Jadvans really credits Charlie Kirk
for his rise within his career, saying that is actually
(16:11):
Charlie who advocated for him to be the vice presidential nominique.
Behind the scenes and in public. It is Charlie who
helped him strategize when he was thinking about running for Senate.
So this is a year's long relationship.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Charlie Kirk's widow, Erica Kirk, also spoke yesterday, and here's
part of what she had to say.
Speaker 10 (16:32):
My heart is with every one of my husband's employees
who lost a friend and a mentor. Mister President, my
husband loved you, and he knew.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
That you loved him too.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
He did.
Speaker 10 (16:53):
Your friendship was amazing. I want to thank my husband's
dear friend, President Vance and his phenomenal wife Usha for
their love and support.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
You guys.
Speaker 11 (17:10):
Honored my husband so well bringing him home. My husband
laid down his life for me, for our nation, for
our children.
Speaker 10 (17:23):
He showed the ultimate and true covenantal love. If you
thought that my husband's mission was powerful before, you had
no idea. You have no idea what you just have
unleashed across this entire country.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
That was Charlie Kirk's widow, Erica, excuse me. Erica Kirk,
speaking yesterday, that is clear that Turning Point USA will continue,
and she suggests that that movement will grow. There is
a big memorial plan for next Sunday in Arizona Big Arena.
(18:06):
Some speculation out there that perhaps President Trump himself will
attend this and we'll always bring in the latest right
here on KFI. The Assembly in Sacramento has wrapped up
business and a couple of the bills that they adopted
late in the session yesterday and today includes Senate Bill
(18:27):
seventy nine, which allows more building of large multi family
housing near transit stations. Has been very controversial here in
La and for a lot of folks express concern that
this means trouble for the Palisades Malibu. Proponents of this
bill say, no, it doesn't. This actually allows for people
(18:48):
to live in more densely populated neighborhoods with access to transit.
We'll talk about what this means next, and then coming up,
the six hundred million dollars Sixth Street Bridge in downtown
Los Angeles looks nice, or it's supposed to.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Anyway.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
The lights have been off for a long time, it's
covered in graffiti. What is the city going to do
about it? That's coming up on Michael Monk's Reports.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Remember you can join our conversation about any of the
topics you hear. Just open up that iHeartRadio app and
click on the talkback button. We have been discussing the
shooting and killing of Charlie Kirk on the campus of
Utah Valley University this week, the video that was circulating
the feelings of people across the political ideological spectrum, and
(19:40):
you can join this conversation as well. Do what I
just said, Open up that iHeartRadio app and click on
the talkback button.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Let's hear from brad.
Speaker 12 (19:50):
Well, I munks, You're right on. I watched it within
an hour after it came out, or after it happened,
and I'm sorry I watched it. I've actually can't get
it out of my head. Absolutely horrific. I had to
watch it like two or three times just to see
if I was actually watching what I thought I was seeing,
and I realized I did. I saw somebody die right instantly,
(20:12):
and it was absolutely horrible. I'm sickened by what I
watched and what happened.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
It was a pretty horrifying image.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
It seems that most of the social media apps have
either removed it or are working to obscure it or
make it more difficult to see, and that seems like
a wise decision. It is scarring, there's no doubt about it.
Let's hear now from rich.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
You are witnessing the formation of a nascent police state
in which anything you say, or anything someone says you said,
without proof, without justification, can get you fired, can get
you arrested, and could possibly at some point even get
you killed. That's what's going on here now in the States.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
You can join the conversation too, iHeartRadio app talkback button.
Just click it. You've got about thirty seconds there. Just
make sure it's not profane and keep it civil if
you can. I know tensions are high, and will continue
to play your thoughts throughout the broadcast, not just on
that terrible situation, but also the other news that we're
getting into, like this one. The legislature in Sacramento has
(21:22):
passed Senate Bill seventy nine, which proponents say will increase
housing your transit station, so think about the metro stations
and those high frequency bus lanes where there are stops.
You might soon be able to see large apartment developments
whereas previously local zoning laws may have prohibited that. This
(21:44):
takes away a lot of the local control on zoning
around those areas and has given it now to the state.
If Governor knew some signs it, and we don't know yet.
He's not been very clear. Maybe he's going to check
on the constitutionality of it. I think is the last
thing that we heard from him about Senate Bill seventy nine.
(22:05):
This has been a very controversial bill in housing discourse.
If you follow NIMB people, Yes, in my backyard, NIMB
people know in my backyard.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
If you follow KFI, you've heard a lot of.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Debates about this on both sides about whether this is
a good idea. This is a city, Los Angeles, Southern California,
that clearly needs more housing. I think a lot of
people admit that it's just where does it go and
for whom should it be built. This idea behind Senate
(22:42):
Bill seventy nine is that you will create more market
rate housing that younger folks may be able to acquire,
and they won't need to have a vehicle because they
will be close to a metro station. State Senator Scott Wiener,
(23:04):
a Democrat from San Francisco, sponsored this bill. He concedes
that it was contentious and that there was no margin
for error, but he says, quote, it just kept moving
in a strong form. I'm really excited about where we are.
There were key votes provided by some Republicans, many Democrats
(23:26):
here in southern California, in both the Assembly and the
Senate either abstained or voted against it. The La City
Council endorsed a resolution opposing Senate Bill seventy nine. They
expressed concern about losing control of.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Zoning.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
It wasn't a unanimous decision. It was an eight to
five vote, with two members absent, eight council members voting
to oppose Senate Bill seventy nine, and five members voting
against that resolution. But that means because it was adopted
that the City of la was officially on the record
as being against this. Wiener says that this bill pushes
(24:07):
cities to use their land in a way that supports
denser housing, and it places limits on when they can
block housing developments. This report from the Sacramento b says
the bill will force cities in large counties in the
state to allow projects on properties within one half mile
(24:29):
of certain transit stops, even on land that is not
zoned for residential use, or they will face a vine
for violating state law. So this has been one of
the most controversial pieces of legislation in Sacramento this session,
and it has been adopted and now it awaits Governor
(24:50):
Newsom's signature. Senator Wiener also got another bill through here
in the final days of the legislative session, a couple
of bills prohibiting on duty law enforcement officers, including federal
immigration agents, from masking their faces and to require them
(25:11):
to identify themselves Senator Wiener co sponsored Senate Bill six
twenty seven with Senator Jesse Aragan, another Democrat from Berkeley.
It does include exceptions for SWAT teams. But here is
what Senator Wiener has had to say about what this
bill does.
Speaker 13 (25:32):
We believe we defend this important and even though there
is risk, of course there's risk, it is worthless taking
that risk to stand up for the people of California's
I want to make sure that we don't have any
local police officers start doing this in six or twelve
months or two years from now. Is the time to
set clear roles in clears Sanders, there is tightening language
(25:55):
or clarification needs to have been happy to advance clean
up legization as a rebuild that I open first and foremost,
I want to.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Get a bright The issue of federal agents wearing masks
has been very contentious since immigration enforcement began in Earnest
in early June. In southern California and other parts of California,
really across the country, local governments, City of La, County
of LA, they're all kicking around local legislation that would
(26:27):
do the same. But there is the question you heard
Senator Wiener there at the very beginning say we think
we can defend this in corporate They don't know what
jurisdiction does the local government or the state government have
over the federal government and their agents. We've heard from
those who are in charge of these federal departments, whether
it be Border patrol or ice or similar entities, that
(26:50):
these agents wear masks to protect themselves from being docksed.
Wish is to say activists finding these folks identifications, show
hiring that online and then possibly causing harm to them
or their families. We've seen how tense protests against immigration
enforcement can be, so there is clearly some validity to
(27:13):
the concern that agents don't want to be tracked down
and harmed. The protesters would say, there are families being
harmed by immigration enforcement, that there doesn't seem to be
any clear dictate on what's going on even here in
(27:33):
southern California. What's the direction. Who's at risk of being deported?
The answers everyone who is in the country illegally. I
think the message from the federal government originally was we're
going after the criminals, and we do see when there
are raids here locally, the Department of Homeland Security often
(27:55):
shares a laundry list of charges against some of the
folks who have been detained and set for deportation. But
we've also heard from local families that say, hey, my
dad was selling strawberries downtown. He doesn't have a record,
but he is in the country illegally. Things had been
(28:17):
slow over the past several weeks on the immigration enforcement
front and the protests associated with that. But now that
the Supreme Court has sided with the Trump administration over
the ACLU and the local governments, that's signed on basically
saying federal agents have every right to stop people based
(28:40):
on their race, based on their language, and based on
where they're standing and working car washes, fruit stands. You
can bet that it will ramp up, and as always
KFI will be on top of that. The sixth Street
bridge in downtown Los Angeles cost almost six hundred million
dollars to build. It's a nice looking bridge, or it's
(29:03):
supposed to be when it's all lit up and clean.
It's neither lit up nor clean, and hasn't been for
some time.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
This is Michael Monks Reports on Michael Monks from KFI
News will be together till nine o'clock tonight on this beautiful,
cool night in southern California. I've asked you to share
your thoughts with us on the murder of Charlie Kirk
or any of the other topics that we're talking about.
Just open up the iHeartRadio app and click on the
(29:34):
talkback button. Let's hear now from Kelly.
Speaker 14 (29:38):
Okay, the time out generation is coming home to roost,
and now everybody's going to pay the price. They said,
video games we're going to just sensitize these kids, and
now it's the platform in which they get indoctrinated. Lovely,
keep going.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
We're winning, Kelly. I think your cynicism is well understood.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
I mean, it's just been a tough week, But as
I said at the very top of the show, it
feels like it's just been a tough I don't know,
fifteen years, it's been wild and sure. I think social
media and are connection to It's difficult to say this,
but the democratization of communication has really put us in
(30:21):
severe jeopardy. Everyone has a megaphone now, and I think
there are a lot of people with that megaphone who
don't understand that it needs to be used responsibly. We're
certainly seeing that this week with the folks who are
losing their jobs or losing positions of importance. Let's hear
now from Kim.
Speaker 15 (30:43):
Hey, Michael, since you started this program, I really look
forward to Saturday night and my boring evenings at home.
I really like your subject matter and the things you
talk about, and you have a very soothing voice.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
Oh, Kim, thank you for making me blush on this
Saturday night. So yes, I will air your hot takes,
and I'm shameless. I'll air your Valentine's to me as well.
Just open up the iHeartRadio app, click on that talkback
button and join our conversation. I live in downtown Los Angeles.
I know if you listen to my program, you probably
took a shot just now because I do reference that
a lot. So if it's on your Michael Monks Reports,
(31:19):
Bingo card, or if it's time to take a shot,
go ahead and do it now.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
It seems like back in I.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Don't know, January or February, I did a story on
this very program about the growing number of rats and
how I would see them. It's basically television for my cat.
I'll sit in the window there in the fashion district
and watch them running across the parking lot. I've personally
been frightened by these rats because I learned that they
can jump. I mean, they've got legs, they can jump,
(31:47):
and I didn't like knowing that. I still don't like
knowing that. But I have noticed this summer that there
are fewer rats. I don't know if it's something my
property did, but I am not seeing as many rats
this year as I saw early in the year. Apparently
I am an exception. Some workers at a subway in
(32:13):
Eagle Rock said they've had enough with the rats inside
their store.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Here's this report from KTLA.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
We spoke with a woman who.
Speaker 9 (32:23):
Works nearby, and she tells me this has been an
ongoing issue for some reasons.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
My apologies, I think I've got the wrong sound there.
Let me get the right one. Stand by DJ Monks
is on it.
Speaker 16 (32:37):
One of the last things you want near your foot
long and chips is a rodent. But according to a
complaint filed with cal Oshan, this particular store here has
been dealing with that type of problem since early twenty
twenty four.
Speaker 17 (32:52):
A brief protest tonight outside this Eagle Rock Subway restaurant,
the health departments shutting it down due to rats.
Speaker 18 (33:00):
Masa Menosa stas. She says that for twelve months they
had been dealing with the rat infestation in the store
and they have to They have been complaining about it,
but they haven't done anything.
Speaker 17 (33:14):
Employees say that the rats were found all around the kitchen,
as were rat droppings and bread that had already been chewed,
as well as packaging workers say they're just tired of
dealing with it and are asking for the basics.
Speaker 18 (33:28):
Professional people to clean the store. Also that they get
very retractive because they are losing wedges.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
I like subway.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
I would prefer that my bread not be pre chewed
by a bunch of rats, So I can understand why
those workers at that location in Eagle Rock have taken
to the streets over their own employer who's been shut
down by the health department because of the number of rats.
We've also got that story this week that we've seen
on various TV channels, including NBC, Piles of rotting fruits
and vegetables dumped on a street in downtown La Illegally
(34:00):
they just dropped off dumped in the middle of the street.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
Not the first time that this has happened.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Near East tenth and Naomi Avenue, just southwest of Olympic Boulevard.
Apparently whoever's doing it knows it's a good place to
drop it. But that's attracting a whole bunch of rats.
And here's the thing about downtown LA. People live there,
people work there, people build their dreams there. It may
seem scary to you, and you have every legitimate reason
(34:25):
to believe that it's in terrible shape and not very inviting.
In spite of that, some of us do live there.
But it's a dumping ground. And not just for people
who jump their trash there. It's a dumping ground really
for the city overall. They it seems like so many
of these problems could just be fixed. Think about a
city or a state or wherever this money came from
(34:46):
to build the sixth Street Bridge six hundred million dollars,
only for the copper to be stolen and all the
lights to go out, and now it's cover in graffiti.
Here's this report from NBC four.
Speaker 19 (35:03):
When the Sixth Street Bridge opened in twenty twenty two,
it quickly became one of the city's biggest attractions. Now
a little more than three years later, some say it's
a bit of a mess. In a post on x
LAPD's Lily and Caronzo with the Central Bureau set in
part quote, our sixth Street bridge in Los Angeles no
longer lights up at night and it is covered with graffiti.
(35:26):
Thieves repeatedly steal the copper wiring and have left the
bridge in the dark. Patrol has been increased and graffiti
removal requested. Charles lives in the Arts District and walks
the bridge often.
Speaker 13 (35:38):
Just seeming there used to be a beautiful, clean bridge
when I look at it, so much graffiti everywhere.
Speaker 19 (35:42):
If you walk up and down the bridge today, you'll
see some of the sidewalks and the bridge's barriers are
covered in graffiti, and so are the bases of almost
every arch on this bridge too. In a bit of
good news, LA Council Member Isabel Heradoo's office said today
they've now hired the Los Angeles Conservation Corps to help.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
Clean up the bridge.
Speaker 19 (36:03):
This morning, crews remove graffiti on six of the arches.
But as the officer noted, graffiti is just part of
the problems on this five hundred and.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Eighty eight million dollar bridge.
Speaker 19 (36:12):
If you take a walk with me on this bridge,
you'll see that a lot of these high voltage boxes
have had their tops removed and people have been stealing
copper wire.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
That's why the lights are.
Speaker 13 (36:22):
Out the bridges to be lit up, and now the
lights are gone, so it'd be a real joey had
the lights come back on the bridge one day.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
The lights aren't just off on this bridge, by the way,
They're all over the city, but especially downtown dark streets
because the copper is stolen and nobody seems to suffer
any consequences for that. And by the way, this five
hundred and eighty eight million dollar bridge that is now
dark and covered in graffiti, and even if they remove it, it
will be covered again. You saw what happened in the
Second Street tunnel downtown as well. They removed all that
(36:50):
nasty graffiti. It was up within hours. Again it will
be back. The graffiti towers. I did a story last
year talking to a guy was trying to get those
sold and redeveloped. He said, by October, you're going to
see a big change there. That was October last year.
(37:11):
It's almost October again, and those towers are still standing
like trophies, like monuments to the failure that is downtown
Los Angeles. Some good news out of downtown LA this week.
The Pantry, the original Pantry Cafe, which has been operating
for one hundred years or so, it shut down six
months ago due to a labor dispute between the owners.
(37:33):
This trust in the name of former Mayor Richard Reardon,
who's dead. His family could not reach a deal with
the workers and their union. They wanted to stay on
even if or I guess they wanted their union recognized,
even if new owners came on.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
There was some dispute there.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
Well, there is a new owner now who is all
in with the union, and they announced just a couple
days ago that they will have their first day open
to the public again on Decemi thirty. First one more
massive project in downtown Los Angeles, which by the way,
is the economics center for the entire region, is this
convention center. You've heard me talk about it on this
(38:09):
program many times. We're going to dive into it again
because the price has gone up hundreds of millions of
dollars more. There is a tight timeline and a city
council committee heard a new report this week. They were
urged to act immediately. And what do they do instead?
It won't surprise you.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
A bit kfi AM six forty on demand
You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
This is Michael Monks Reports on Michael Monks from kf
I News. Will be together for the next couple of hours.
You know, as I was sitting down taking this chair
in this studio with Tiffany Hobbs as she was wrapping
up her show, the Dodgers were down four to one
in San Francisco. But then we started talking just as
shohe Otani knocked one out of the park there to
(00:25):
cut the lead to four to two, and now it's
four to three. Dodgers are still batting there in the
top of the third trailing the Giants right now four
to three. As for the Angels, they are in Seattle,
they are in the top of the second and they
are losing two to one. The Trojans. For all you
football fans out there, USC had no trouble with per
two today in West Lafayette, Indiana, winning thirty three to seventeen.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I don't know what to say to you Bruins fans.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Ucla now zero and three after losing right here at
home to New Mexico thirty five to ten last night.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
That is a rough season for those guys. From Westwood.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I love college football season, especially when it gets going,
because it tells me that summer is over. I'm not
a guy who likes hot weather. You can feel it
outside today. It's a beautiful night here in Burbank. I
can tell you that felt the same in downtown Los Angeles.
It's nice and cool. I popped in a Starbucks on
my way here. The pumpkin flavors are out. I didn't
(01:33):
get one yet. I'm not ready to go all in,
mainly because I know this is one of those false
falls that we're feeling right now. And as I was
driving in and I heard Eileen Gonzalez giving the forecast.
Now we've got Brigida de Gastino giving the forecast. It
confirmed my suspicions that were not quite there yet. I'm
looking at the forecast. It's nice, mid sixties tonight, upper
(01:58):
seventies tomorrow, but maybe the mid eighties Monday, around ninety
in Metro La. Low nineties on Monday, mid nineties by Wednesday,
low nineties on Thursday.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Make it stop.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I am upset about this, Brigeta, I really am, because
it's too hot, you know, like one thing about me
back home in northern Kentucky, Cincinnati. I was a guy
who committed to the bit, dressed for the calendar, not
the weather. So when Labor Day rolled around, the closet
(02:35):
got swapped. All the sweaters would be hanging up right now,
and I would be wearing one. Even if we had
one of those rare eighty seven degree October days, I
had a sweater on because that is what the calendar
says you should wear. Since I moved here, you just
can't do it that way.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Oh people do it, though I see them.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
It goes down to like seventy one degrees and people
wear a scarf, and I'm like, girl, no what.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
I was looking at a place I came out in
a November of twenty twenty two in preparation for moving
here in January of twenty twenty three and to come
to southern California in November from Kentucky in November. It's different,
but there was I was hanging out near the Santa
Monica Pier, chatting on the phone, sitting on a bench,
(03:25):
and I'll never forget a woman walking her dog with
gloves on, and.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
I believe she was cold.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I personally do not judge people for how they respond
to the weather in the area they're from. Sixty degrees
in southern California, I suppose in November is different than
sixty degrees where I'm from.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
If it were.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Sixty degrees in December in Covington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio, boy,
we would be swimming. Open the polls. Let's go. This
is great here. I know that's cold, but it's perfect
for me. I love it. The summer has been mostly
generous to us, but it's been hot lately. We got
a little break in the past week. It looks like
that break is going to be over. I'm very depressed
(04:06):
about that. I don't mean to make everybody depressed again.
But speaking of lowering the temperature, that's a phrase we're
hearing right now all across the country is whether we
can lower the metaphorical temperature as it relates to political
discourse and conversations in this country. After the tragedy that
happened in Utah a few days ago involving conservative activists
(04:31):
and media personality Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in front
of a large audience of college students at Utah Valley University,
and I feel as though there is this vibration underneath
the surface of our country right now that's probably been
probably been vibrating for some time, of course, but the
(04:53):
rumbles have picked up.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
It worries me about what this means.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
Now.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
We're still in the immediate aftermath of this horrifying shooting,
so emotions are high, tensions are high. People may be
saying some things that they don't necessarily believe as they
react with anger and sadness. But if folks are saying
what they believe, as far as what I am seeing,
(05:19):
things just got significantly worse in this country for political
unity and sensibilities. It's a tough situation. This is a
country that has been teetering on the edge for years now.
The election of twenty sixteen was very tense, and then
(05:44):
the presidency the first time around for President Trump was
very polarizing, multiple impeachments.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
During that time.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
We also dealt with COVID, We dealt with the racial
justice movement of two twenty and the conversations about when
is a protest a riot? And now with President Trump
back in office, we had another challenging twenty twenty four election.
(06:17):
It just feels like for many years now it's it's
been very, very tough to communicate with folks that may
not see the world the same way that we do.
And as of this week, it almost feels like an
impossibility on whether any of that can be fixed. And
I hate to be pessimistic about it, but what we saw,
(06:37):
and I mean what we physically saw with the assassination
of Charlie Kirk was horrifying and I wish I hadn't
seen it. The first clip of it that made its
way to the internet was shocking enough because we had
(06:59):
reports here in the new room that is shooting had
taken place at his speech. Quickly we're looking for sources.
A distant video was available where you can see that
he was hit with something. The shirt kind of bounced
a little, and that was scary because seeing somebody get
shot is scary. Then another video came out and maybe
(07:22):
you've seen it, that was much closer and showed the
direct impact and the aftermath of it, and you've basically
just watched someone die. So in addition to the political ramification,
there's this trauma, whether you had certain feelings about Charlie
Kirk or not, as a human you saw somebody die
(07:43):
in a horrific way, and so I think a lot
of us are dealing with that. We're also dealing with
seeing what people have to say about this, and a
lot of it is unpleasant. There were people celebrating his death.
There are people vowing vengeance. I know back home, just
(08:09):
like lots of places in this country, people are losing
their jobs. I saw it on my Facebook just today.
Various organizations, large companies, small companies are putting out statements
about how they disavow what one of their employees might
have said, how they've cut ties with so and so.
(08:31):
I believe I heard a promo here on KFI that
our good friend John Cobalt on Monday will be talking
about that very thing on his show at one o'clock.
So we'll be sure to tune in for that. But
I've seen it people that I know back in the
Cincinnati area involved either in the organization or directly responsible
for saying something that, to say the least, was not
(08:53):
well received. We'll talk about the latest that's coming out
about out the murder of Charlie Kirk. We'll hear from
his widow who spoke yesterday. There's also a report from
Fox News that see it says it's confirmed that the
(09:14):
suspect in this shooting, Tyler Robinson, was in a romantic
relationship with a transgender person, which adds more fuel to
that fire. That conversation about trans people and the way
folks like Charlie Kirk talked about that. This was immediately
speculated in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's death that this
may have been motivated by his sentiments towards transgender people.
(09:38):
And now we do, in fact, apparently according to Fox News,
have that component to this story. So we will talk
about that in our next segment. This is a local show, though,
and so we will get back to local news immediately
after that. A lot is going on as always here
in Los Angeles and in Sacramento today, the the Assembly
(10:00):
is wrapping up and a couple of significant pieces of legislation,
one that, if signed into law, we'll have ramifications for La.
The LA City Council took an official position against this.
We've heard this bill debated right here on these airwaves
on AM six forty KFI. Senate Bill seventy nine allowing
more housing to be built near transit stations that has passed.
(10:23):
We'll talk about what that is and what that means.
Coming up, This is Michael Monks Reports.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
You're listening to KFI Am six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Michael Monks from KFI News will be with you till
nine o'clock to night. The General Assembly in Sacramento is
wrapping up its business today and in the wee hours yesterday,
Senate Bill seventy nine has passed that allows for more
housing around transit stations. We're going to dive into that next,
(10:54):
but first, more about the assassination of Charlie Kirk this
week on the campus of Utah Valley University, where students
there and across the country are expressing feelings of being
traumatized by what they saw. And I know that's probably
true for a lot of us who are not college aged,
(11:16):
or if you're younger. If you saw that video that
was circulating, I know that you will not forget it.
It was very difficult to see as a human another
human die like that. If you have feelings about what
we're seeing this week in the aftermath of that, or
(11:38):
if you want to share your thoughts about the way
younger people are coping with this, join our conversation by
opening up the iHeartRadio app, click on the talkback button.
I'll play some of your thoughts throughout the evening. Fox
News has an exclusive report about suspect Tyler Robinson, the
twenty two year old who is a cue of shooting
(12:00):
and killing Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. This report
by Brooks Singhman of Fox Digital suggests that Robinson was
in a romantic relationship with a transgender partner. That's according
to FBI officials senior level FBI officials who talked to
Fox News Digital. According to this report, now, the reason
(12:22):
that that is significant is because of the role that
the narrative or stories or topics around transgender people have
played in the conversations that Charlie Clerk has had and
the debates that he's had. Very strong opponents to transideology,
and in the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk's death, it
(12:47):
was widely speculated that there would be some connection to
a trans person. According to this report, an FBI official
told Fox News Digital the individual has been extremely cooperate
and said the person had no idea Robinson was allegedly
planning to assassinate the Turning Point USA founder. The person
(13:08):
is not currently accused of any criminal activity and connection
with the assassination. Now, you may recall that according to
some of the reports that have come out of the FBI,
that there were some writing on the cartridges that were
used and not used allegedly by Tyler Robinson, and one
(13:29):
of them said, if you're reading this, you are gay LMAO.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
A fascist catch.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
So this is a significant development, perhaps that this suspected
shooter was motivated by this relationship with a transgender partner.
That's the latest from Fox. We have news updates here
from our partners at ABC News as well.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
Offish'll say match is one spotted at the university Wednesday
toed away as evidence. Law enforcement also homing for clues
at twenty two year old Tyler Robinson's apartment complex, about
a four hour drive from the university. Robinson is being
held at the Utah County Jail.
Speaker 7 (14:09):
He was actually engaged them back and forth. I felt
very respectful debate with people that disagree with them. He
knew and invited people that disagreed with him, not just
on college campuses, but on podcasts and interviews. He had
people on his show. He would go on other people's shows.
I think we actually need more of that dialogue and discourse.
Speaker 6 (14:27):
This memorial has grown exponentially. Every hour of every day,
more and more people come to put down flowers and
flags and signs. And what has stuck out to me
is and on those signs that people are putting over there,
it says, for example, Charlie, you amplified our voices when
we felt silent, and I think that speaks to the
(14:47):
influence and the power that Charlie Kirk had. A big
priority for investigators is figuring out what exactly is the motive.
We know that federal prosecutors are starting to build their
case federal charges in the coming days and weeks, but
we also know the Utah County Attorney is expected to
announce charges as early as next week.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Individuals who may already be isolated and angry it can
easily get their hands on and drive them even deeper.
And killings like we saw this week are only adding
fuel to this very dangerous fire. One group which monitors
online extremism found nearly thirty thousand online posts in the
aftermath calling for more violence.
Speaker 8 (15:30):
I think you're going to start seeing a lot more tech,
a lot more video cameras up on the roofs and
people actually manning them as opposed to just having them
on a screen in front of you. And then you
add on that AI technology where the cameras can actually
identify hostile actions and or weapons.
Speaker 9 (15:49):
The President really saw Charlie Kirk as a true friend.
He was seen as part of the Trump family. He
saw him like a son. He was incredibly close to
Don Junior and people across his administration. You have to
remember that Charlie Kirk started turning point USA when he
was just eighteen years old. Jadvans really credits Charlie Kirk
for his rise within his career, saying that is actually
(16:11):
Charlie who advocated for him to be the vice presidential nominique.
Behind the scenes and in public. It is Charlie who
helped him strategize when he was thinking about running for Senate.
So this is a year's long relationship.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Charlie Kirk's widow, Erica Kirk, also spoke yesterday, and here's
part of what she had to say.
Speaker 10 (16:32):
My heart is with every one of my husband's employees
who lost a friend and a mentor. Mister President, my
husband loved you, and he knew.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
That you loved him too.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
He did.
Speaker 10 (16:53):
Your friendship was amazing. I want to thank my husband's
dear friend, President Vance and his phenomenal wife Usha for
their love and support.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
You guys.
Speaker 11 (17:10):
Honored my husband so well bringing him home. My husband
laid down his life for me, for our nation, for
our children.
Speaker 10 (17:23):
He showed the ultimate and true covenantal love. If you
thought that my husband's mission was powerful before, you had
no idea. You have no idea what you just have
unleashed across this entire country.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
That was Charlie Kirk's widow, Erica, excuse me. Erica Kirk,
speaking yesterday, that is clear that Turning Point USA will continue,
and she suggests that that movement will grow. There is
a big memorial plan for next Sunday in Arizona Big Arena.
(18:06):
Some speculation out there that perhaps President Trump himself will
attend this and we'll always bring in the latest right
here on KFI. The Assembly in Sacramento has wrapped up
business and a couple of the bills that they adopted
late in the session yesterday and today includes Senate Bill
(18:27):
seventy nine, which allows more building of large multi family
housing near transit stations. Has been very controversial here in
La and for a lot of folks express concern that
this means trouble for the Palisades Malibu. Proponents of this
bill say, no, it doesn't. This actually allows for people
(18:48):
to live in more densely populated neighborhoods with access to transit.
We'll talk about what this means next, and then coming up,
the six hundred million dollars Sixth Street Bridge in downtown
Los Angeles looks nice, or it's supposed to.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Anyway.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
The lights have been off for a long time, it's
covered in graffiti. What is the city going to do
about it? That's coming up on Michael Monk's Reports.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Remember you can join our conversation about any of the
topics you hear. Just open up that iHeartRadio app and
click on the talkback button. We have been discussing the
shooting and killing of Charlie Kirk on the campus of
Utah Valley University this week, the video that was circulating
the feelings of people across the political ideological spectrum, and
(19:40):
you can join this conversation as well. Do what I
just said, Open up that iHeartRadio app and click on
the talkback button.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Let's hear from brad.
Speaker 12 (19:50):
Well, I munks, You're right on. I watched it within
an hour after it came out, or after it happened,
and I'm sorry I watched it. I've actually can't get
it out of my head. Absolutely horrific. I had to
watch it like two or three times just to see
if I was actually watching what I thought I was seeing,
and I realized I did. I saw somebody die right instantly,
(20:12):
and it was absolutely horrible. I'm sickened by what I
watched and what happened.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
It was a pretty horrifying image.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
It seems that most of the social media apps have
either removed it or are working to obscure it or
make it more difficult to see, and that seems like
a wise decision. It is scarring, there's no doubt about it.
Let's hear now from rich.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
You are witnessing the formation of a nascent police state
in which anything you say, or anything someone says you said,
without proof, without justification, can get you fired, can get
you arrested, and could possibly at some point even get
you killed. That's what's going on here now in the States.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
You can join the conversation too, iHeartRadio app talkback button.
Just click it. You've got about thirty seconds there. Just
make sure it's not profane and keep it civil if
you can. I know tensions are high, and will continue
to play your thoughts throughout the broadcast, not just on
that terrible situation, but also the other news that we're
getting into, like this one. The legislature in Sacramento has
(21:22):
passed Senate Bill seventy nine, which proponents say will increase
housing your transit station, so think about the metro stations
and those high frequency bus lanes where there are stops.
You might soon be able to see large apartment developments
whereas previously local zoning laws may have prohibited that. This
(21:44):
takes away a lot of the local control on zoning
around those areas and has given it now to the state.
If Governor knew some signs it, and we don't know yet.
He's not been very clear. Maybe he's going to check
on the constitutionality of it. I think is the last
thing that we heard from him about Senate Bill seventy nine.
(22:05):
This has been a very controversial bill in housing discourse.
If you follow NIMB people, Yes, in my backyard, NIMB
people know in my backyard.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
If you follow KFI, you've heard a lot of.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Debates about this on both sides about whether this is
a good idea. This is a city, Los Angeles, Southern California,
that clearly needs more housing. I think a lot of
people admit that it's just where does it go and
for whom should it be built. This idea behind Senate
(22:42):
Bill seventy nine is that you will create more market
rate housing that younger folks may be able to acquire,
and they won't need to have a vehicle because they
will be close to a metro station. State Senator Scott Wiener,
(23:04):
a Democrat from San Francisco, sponsored this bill. He concedes
that it was contentious and that there was no margin
for error, but he says, quote, it just kept moving
in a strong form. I'm really excited about where we are.
There were key votes provided by some Republicans, many Democrats
(23:26):
here in southern California, in both the Assembly and the
Senate either abstained or voted against it. The La City
Council endorsed a resolution opposing Senate Bill seventy nine. They
expressed concern about losing control of.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Zoning.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
It wasn't a unanimous decision. It was an eight to
five vote, with two members absent, eight council members voting
to oppose Senate Bill seventy nine, and five members voting
against that resolution. But that means because it was adopted
that the City of la was officially on the record
as being against this. Wiener says that this bill pushes
(24:07):
cities to use their land in a way that supports
denser housing, and it places limits on when they can
block housing developments. This report from the Sacramento b says
the bill will force cities in large counties in the
state to allow projects on properties within one half mile
(24:29):
of certain transit stops, even on land that is not
zoned for residential use, or they will face a vine
for violating state law. So this has been one of
the most controversial pieces of legislation in Sacramento this session,
and it has been adopted and now it awaits Governor
(24:50):
Newsom's signature. Senator Wiener also got another bill through here
in the final days of the legislative session, a couple
of bills prohibiting on duty law enforcement officers, including federal
immigration agents, from masking their faces and to require them
(25:11):
to identify themselves Senator Wiener co sponsored Senate Bill six
twenty seven with Senator Jesse Aragan, another Democrat from Berkeley.
It does include exceptions for SWAT teams. But here is
what Senator Wiener has had to say about what this
bill does.
Speaker 13 (25:32):
We believe we defend this important and even though there
is risk, of course there's risk, it is worthless taking
that risk to stand up for the people of California's
I want to make sure that we don't have any
local police officers start doing this in six or twelve
months or two years from now. Is the time to
set clear roles in clears Sanders, there is tightening language
(25:55):
or clarification needs to have been happy to advance clean
up legization as a rebuild that I open first and foremost,
I want to.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Get a bright The issue of federal agents wearing masks
has been very contentious since immigration enforcement began in Earnest
in early June. In southern California and other parts of California,
really across the country, local governments, City of La, County
of LA, they're all kicking around local legislation that would
(26:27):
do the same. But there is the question you heard
Senator Wiener there at the very beginning say we think
we can defend this in corporate They don't know what
jurisdiction does the local government or the state government have
over the federal government and their agents. We've heard from
those who are in charge of these federal departments, whether
it be Border patrol or ice or similar entities, that
(26:50):
these agents wear masks to protect themselves from being docksed.
Wish is to say activists finding these folks identifications, show
hiring that online and then possibly causing harm to them
or their families. We've seen how tense protests against immigration
enforcement can be, so there is clearly some validity to
(27:13):
the concern that agents don't want to be tracked down
and harmed. The protesters would say, there are families being
harmed by immigration enforcement, that there doesn't seem to be
any clear dictate on what's going on even here in
(27:33):
southern California. What's the direction. Who's at risk of being deported?
The answers everyone who is in the country illegally. I
think the message from the federal government originally was we're
going after the criminals, and we do see when there
are raids here locally, the Department of Homeland Security often
(27:55):
shares a laundry list of charges against some of the
folks who have been detained and set for deportation. But
we've also heard from local families that say, hey, my
dad was selling strawberries downtown. He doesn't have a record,
but he is in the country illegally. Things had been
(28:17):
slow over the past several weeks on the immigration enforcement
front and the protests associated with that. But now that
the Supreme Court has sided with the Trump administration over
the ACLU and the local governments, that's signed on basically
saying federal agents have every right to stop people based
(28:40):
on their race, based on their language, and based on
where they're standing and working car washes, fruit stands. You
can bet that it will ramp up, and as always
KFI will be on top of that. The sixth Street
bridge in downtown Los Angeles cost almost six hundred million
dollars to build. It's a nice looking bridge, or it's
(29:03):
supposed to be when it's all lit up and clean.
It's neither lit up nor clean, and hasn't been for
some time.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
This is Michael Monks Reports on Michael Monks from KFI
News will be together till nine o'clock tonight on this beautiful,
cool night in southern California. I've asked you to share
your thoughts with us on the murder of Charlie Kirk
or any of the other topics that we're talking about.
Just open up the iHeartRadio app and click on the
(29:34):
talkback button. Let's hear now from Kelly.
Speaker 14 (29:38):
Okay, the time out generation is coming home to roost,
and now everybody's going to pay the price. They said,
video games we're going to just sensitize these kids, and
now it's the platform in which they get indoctrinated. Lovely,
keep going.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
We're winning, Kelly. I think your cynicism is well understood.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
I mean, it's just been a tough week, But as
I said at the very top of the show, it
feels like it's just been a tough I don't know,
fifteen years, it's been wild and sure. I think social
media and are connection to It's difficult to say this,
but the democratization of communication has really put us in
(30:21):
severe jeopardy. Everyone has a megaphone now, and I think
there are a lot of people with that megaphone who
don't understand that it needs to be used responsibly. We're
certainly seeing that this week with the folks who are
losing their jobs or losing positions of importance. Let's hear
now from Kim.
Speaker 15 (30:43):
Hey, Michael, since you started this program, I really look
forward to Saturday night and my boring evenings at home.
I really like your subject matter and the things you
talk about, and you have a very soothing voice.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
Oh, Kim, thank you for making me blush on this
Saturday night. So yes, I will air your hot takes,
and I'm shameless. I'll air your Valentine's to me as well.
Just open up the iHeartRadio app, click on that talkback
button and join our conversation. I live in downtown Los Angeles.
I know if you listen to my program, you probably
took a shot just now because I do reference that
a lot. So if it's on your Michael Monks Reports,
(31:19):
Bingo card, or if it's time to take a shot,
go ahead and do it now.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
It seems like back in I.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Don't know, January or February, I did a story on
this very program about the growing number of rats and
how I would see them. It's basically television for my cat.
I'll sit in the window there in the fashion district
and watch them running across the parking lot. I've personally
been frightened by these rats because I learned that they
can jump. I mean, they've got legs, they can jump,
(31:47):
and I didn't like knowing that. I still don't like
knowing that. But I have noticed this summer that there
are fewer rats. I don't know if it's something my
property did, but I am not seeing as many rats
this year as I saw early in the year. Apparently
I am an exception. Some workers at a subway in
(32:13):
Eagle Rock said they've had enough with the rats inside
their store.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Here's this report from KTLA.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
We spoke with a woman who.
Speaker 9 (32:23):
Works nearby, and she tells me this has been an
ongoing issue for some reasons.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
My apologies, I think I've got the wrong sound there.
Let me get the right one. Stand by DJ Monks
is on it.
Speaker 16 (32:37):
One of the last things you want near your foot
long and chips is a rodent. But according to a
complaint filed with cal Oshan, this particular store here has
been dealing with that type of problem since early twenty
twenty four.
Speaker 17 (32:52):
A brief protest tonight outside this Eagle Rock Subway restaurant,
the health departments shutting it down due to rats.
Speaker 18 (33:00):
Masa Menosa stas. She says that for twelve months they
had been dealing with the rat infestation in the store
and they have to They have been complaining about it,
but they haven't done anything.
Speaker 17 (33:14):
Employees say that the rats were found all around the kitchen,
as were rat droppings and bread that had already been chewed,
as well as packaging workers say they're just tired of
dealing with it and are asking for the basics.
Speaker 18 (33:28):
Professional people to clean the store. Also that they get
very retractive because they are losing wedges.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
I like subway.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
I would prefer that my bread not be pre chewed
by a bunch of rats, So I can understand why
those workers at that location in Eagle Rock have taken
to the streets over their own employer who's been shut
down by the health department because of the number of rats.
We've also got that story this week that we've seen
on various TV channels, including NBC, Piles of rotting fruits
and vegetables dumped on a street in downtown La Illegally
(34:00):
they just dropped off dumped in the middle of the street.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
Not the first time that this has happened.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Near East tenth and Naomi Avenue, just southwest of Olympic Boulevard.
Apparently whoever's doing it knows it's a good place to
drop it. But that's attracting a whole bunch of rats.
And here's the thing about downtown LA. People live there,
people work there, people build their dreams there. It may
seem scary to you, and you have every legitimate reason
(34:25):
to believe that it's in terrible shape and not very inviting.
In spite of that, some of us do live there.
But it's a dumping ground. And not just for people
who jump their trash there. It's a dumping ground really
for the city overall. They it seems like so many
of these problems could just be fixed. Think about a
city or a state or wherever this money came from
(34:46):
to build the sixth Street Bridge six hundred million dollars,
only for the copper to be stolen and all the
lights to go out, and now it's cover in graffiti.
Here's this report from NBC four.
Speaker 19 (35:03):
When the Sixth Street Bridge opened in twenty twenty two,
it quickly became one of the city's biggest attractions. Now
a little more than three years later, some say it's
a bit of a mess. In a post on x
LAPD's Lily and Caronzo with the Central Bureau set in
part quote, our sixth Street bridge in Los Angeles no
longer lights up at night and it is covered with graffiti.
(35:26):
Thieves repeatedly steal the copper wiring and have left the
bridge in the dark. Patrol has been increased and graffiti
removal requested. Charles lives in the Arts District and walks
the bridge often.
Speaker 13 (35:38):
Just seeming there used to be a beautiful, clean bridge
when I look at it, so much graffiti everywhere.
Speaker 19 (35:42):
If you walk up and down the bridge today, you'll
see some of the sidewalks and the bridge's barriers are
covered in graffiti, and so are the bases of almost
every arch on this bridge too. In a bit of
good news, LA Council Member Isabel Heradoo's office said today
they've now hired the Los Angeles Conservation Corps to help.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
Clean up the bridge.
Speaker 19 (36:03):
This morning, crews remove graffiti on six of the arches.
But as the officer noted, graffiti is just part of
the problems on this five hundred and.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Eighty eight million dollar bridge.
Speaker 19 (36:12):
If you take a walk with me on this bridge,
you'll see that a lot of these high voltage boxes
have had their tops removed and people have been stealing
copper wire.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
That's why the lights are.
Speaker 13 (36:22):
Out the bridges to be lit up, and now the
lights are gone, so it'd be a real joey had
the lights come back on the bridge one day.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
The lights aren't just off on this bridge, by the way,
They're all over the city, but especially downtown dark streets
because the copper is stolen and nobody seems to suffer
any consequences for that. And by the way, this five
hundred and eighty eight million dollar bridge that is now
dark and covered in graffiti, and even if they remove it, it
will be covered again. You saw what happened in the
Second Street tunnel downtown as well. They removed all that
(36:50):
nasty graffiti. It was up within hours. Again it will
be back. The graffiti towers. I did a story last
year talking to a guy was trying to get those
sold and redeveloped. He said, by October, you're going to
see a big change there. That was October last year.
(37:11):
It's almost October again, and those towers are still standing
like trophies, like monuments to the failure that is downtown
Los Angeles. Some good news out of downtown LA this week.
The Pantry, the original Pantry Cafe, which has been operating
for one hundred years or so, it shut down six
months ago due to a labor dispute between the owners.
(37:33):
This trust in the name of former Mayor Richard Reardon,
who's dead. His family could not reach a deal with
the workers and their union. They wanted to stay on
even if or I guess they wanted their union recognized,
even if new owners came on.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
There was some dispute there.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
Well, there is a new owner now who is all
in with the union, and they announced just a couple
days ago that they will have their first day open
to the public again on Decemi thirty. First one more
massive project in downtown Los Angeles, which by the way,
is the economics center for the entire region, is this
convention center. You've heard me talk about it on this
(38:09):
program many times. We're going to dive into it again
because the price has gone up hundreds of millions of
dollars more. There is a tight timeline and a city
council committee heard a new report this week. They were
urged to act immediately. And what do they do instead?
It won't surprise you.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
A bit kfi AM six forty on demand
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