Norco 80
In May of 1980, the sleepy streets of Norco, California were turned into an all-out war zone in what is one of the most violent bank robberies in American history. From LAist Studios in collaboration with Futuro Studios comes the new podcast—Norco ’80 based on the book by Peter Houlahan. Listen as host and producer Antonia Cereijido tells the unbelievable true story about God, guns, survivalism and the bank robbery that changed policing in America forever. Using eyewitness testimony and never before heard police tapes, Norco ’80 takes listeners on a wild ride, and serves as a cautionary tale in the context of America being immersed in the middle of an economic crisis, revamped end of the world paranoia and a complex conversation about policing.
Episodes
Prop 39, a voter ID measure that would dramatically change voting in California is on the ballot this November. Proponents say that requiring voters to show a government ID when they cast a ballot would increase peoples’ trust in the election process. But opponents say the measure would add unnecessary hurdles – and that it plays into false claims of widespread election fraud that President Donald Trump has long promote...
The midterm elections are nearly here and the stakes are high for two particular races: the California gubernatorial race and the L.A. mayor race. In the first episode of our Voter Game Plan series, fill-in host Josie Huang sits down with KQED’s Marisa Lagos and LAist’s Frank Stoltze to dive into affordability, immigration and other top issues for voters, as well as the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)...
It took days to put out the Lineage warehouse fire in Los Angeles this summer. Once the flames were out, the cleanup of rotting food took weeks. Residents suffered health problems, businesses lost customers and many questions are still unanswered. Who should be held accountable and what’s being done to prevent a similar disaster in the future? On this episode of Imperfect Paradise, Boyle Heights Beat reporters Laura Anaya-Mor...
In the infamously cutthroat industry of restaurants, some chefs are finding untraditional paths towards success. LAist food writer Gab Chabrán dives into the state of restaurants through the story of one chef who traded in his high-end dining job for a home kitchen operation.
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In 2025, California majorly boosted its film and TV tax credit program for the first time since 2014 in an effort to keep jobs in the Golden State. One year out, is it working as planned? And why is President Trump now calling for a national incentive program? On this episode of Imperfect Paradise, we explore these questions with veteran entertainment journalist Dawn Chmielewski, and hear from local film and TV workers about how th...
Many of the homes that survived the Palisades and Eaton fires are still not habitable because of contamination from smoke damage. Residents have been left battling with insurance companies over who is responsible for post-fire cleaning and testing. LAist’s David Wagner dives into where we are with rebuilding, the new rules around safety-testing and what they might mean for the future of home insurance in California.
Los Angeles has long been considered a “car-centric” city, but is that changing? On this episode of Imperfect Paradise, LAist transportation correspondent Kavish Harjai joins to talk about the history of transit in L.A., the backstory behind the much-delayed People Mover train at LAX, and whether there’s enough time for L.A. to deliver what organizers have said will be a “transit-first” 2028 Olympics.
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This episode originally aired on January 8, 2025.
Struggling with addiction and reentry after multiple stints in prison, Cesar Quijano discovers ultrarunning, a hobby that turns into his addiction and salvation. Through Cesar’s story to complete a 100-mile race, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido and producer Lucy Copp explore urgent questions around what support people need to successfully transition out of pris...
Is homeownership falling out of reach for millennials and Gen Z in the Golden State? LAist housing correspondent David Wagner joins Imperfect Paradise to examine this trend, the obstacles to homeownership and why we may need to shift our conception of what housing looks like in California.
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The death of Jackie signals the end of her story with Shadow – as well as for Big Bear Lake, and for millions of fans who followed the eagles’ saga on livestream for years. LAist reporter Makenna Cramer joins Imperfect Paradise to examine how the eagles turned the tides for a fight against luxury housing development in the San Bernardino Mountains, as well as what celebrity animal culture can tell us about our relations...
Homelessness increased in Los Angeles this year following two previous years of declines, according to the recently released 2026 “point-in-time” homeless count. It’s a setback for the region, and for L.A. Mayor Karen Bass who’s touted prior declines as evidence that her approach to addressing the homelessness crisis is working. But is it really? On this episode of Imperfect Paradise, LAist reporter Aar...
The city of Los Angeles is home to over two thousand active oil wells, many concentrated in communities of color where residents have long reported serious health issues. On this episode of Imperfect Paradise, LAist’s Erin Stone takes us inside one neighborhood’s fight to shut down a drill site, and explores what a broader effort to phase out drilling could mean for a region whose economy and infrastructure were built o...
Immigration bond denials have jumped sharply under the second Trump administration — nowhere more than at the Adelanto ICE detention center in Southern California. On this week's Imperfect Paradise: LAist's Jared Bennett follows the case of a 70-year-old L.A. street vendor held at Adelanto for six months, what it took for his family to get him released, and what immigration advocates say is behind the shift in bond denials.
Hear from Pulitzer Prize winning host Chris Haxel of the No Compromise podcast, Michael Sierra-Arévalo of the University of Texas, and LAist Studios Executive Producer and Norco 80 host Antonia Cereijido discuss the pervasiveness of gun culture and the militarization of the police force.
This audio is from a live virtual event that aired on May 20, 2021, presented by LAist Studios and KPCC.
LAist Studios Executive Producer and Norco 80 podcast host Antonia Cereijido takes an in-depth look at survivalism and preppers, past and present with special guests Paige Ferrari of National Geographic’s Doomsday Preppers and Bradley Garrett, author of Bunker: Building for the End Times.
This audio is from a live virtual event that aired on May 13, 2021, presented by LAist Studios and KPCC.
In 2016, Rosa Brooks, a full-time law professor at Georgetown University, became a reserve police officer. Rosa had previously studied and written about the role of violence in society, but always from a perspective outside of law enforcement. Now, she's written a book about her years of service and the insight she gained about identity, militarization, and what police actually think.
Dr. Casey Kelly discusses survivalism's enduring allure, from pioneer days to prepper conventions.
This LAist Studios podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/LAist
Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
This program is made possible i...
The Norco Bank Robbery happened over 40 years ago, but its legend continues influence how police officers are trained today. Thanks to one very popular VHS tape.
This LAist Studios podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/LAist
Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles...
George Smith speaks to us in his first-ever recorded interview, from a correctional facility in Corcoran, California.
This LAist Studios podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/LAist
Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
This program...
The “Norco 3” face the death penalty in one of the highest profile trials in Riverside County history.
This LAist Studios podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/LAist
Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
This program is...
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