Behind the headlines: Ask a Reporter about California’s Climate Change Challenge

Ask a Reporter is the live meet-up series where Los Angeles Times journalists discuss the news and answer your questions about the stories we cover.

A series of storms in January flooded Capitola and battered its aging pier.

(David McNew / AFP via Getty Images)

Times reporters Rosanna Xia and Sammy Roth discussed “Our Climate Change Challenge” and answered reader questions during a livestreaming conversation.

City Editor Maria L. La Ganga moderated this discussion, based on a Times special report investigating the state of climate change in California – and what we can do about it.

The project explores topics such as recycling, composting, use of solar energy at home, sustainable design, public transit, reduced waste kitchens and Southern California’s air quality. Readers are invited to share their questions and suggestions before and during the event.

Rosanna Xia is an environment reporter for the Times, where she specializes in stories about the coast and ocean. She also is the author of “California Against the Sea: Visions for our Vanishing Coastline,” which will be published Sept. 26. Sammy Roth covers energy for Times and writes the weekly Boiling Point newsletter.

When: Sept. 19

ICYMI: Here’s how to watch this free livestreaming streaming event.

(Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

Times photographer Christina House won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in feature photography for her raw and deeply sensitive images of Mckenzie Trahan, a homeless woman trying to recast her life.

On May 25 House talked with readers about how empathy influences her street photography and how to capture moments when witnessing pain, joy and on occasion, people lost in life or lost in their thoughts.

(Left to right) Kevin Merida, Laurie Ochoa and Steve Lopez join the Festival of Books

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Allen J. Schaben / Ricardo DeAratanha )

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books returned to the USC campus April 22-23 with more than 500 authors, artists, celebrities, musicians and journalists.

The festival’s Ask A Reporter stage featured informal, in-person conversations with Times writers, editors and photographers discussing some of the most interesting, innovative work going on at the paper right now. end

The First Five Years: Deputy Metro Editor Stephanie Chavez, reporter Jenny Gold and audience engagement editor Kate Sequeira talk with readers and answer questions about The Times’ new Early Childhood Initiative. Also joining the discussion about early readers: Joanna K. Fabicon, Children’s Services Manager at the Los Angeles Public Library. The two-year program will include expanded coverage of children from birth to age 5. 10:30 a.m.

Stephanie Chavez leads the new Early Childhood Initiative.

(Los Angeles Times)

Ask the Editors: Executive Editor Kevin Merida and Assistant Managing Editor Angel Jennings talk about building community in L.A., bringing young writers to the paper and what’s ahead in 2023. 11:45 a.m.

The State of Cookbooks: Food General Manager Laurie Ochoa, Deputy Food Editor Betty Hallock and Cooking Columnist Ben Mims discuss new and essential cookbooks. 1 p.m.

Cooking columnist Ben Mims in the Times Test Kitchen.

(Los Angeles Times)

Inside L.A. Times Studios: Executive Producer James Novogrod, Deputy Managing Editor Sharon Matthews and Head of Audio Jazmín Aguilera discuss the latest studio projects and share a glimpse of what’s ahead. In March, for example, L.A. Times Studios produced “After Monterey Park: The Impact of Gun Violence on our Communities.” The studios team also produces virtual editions of the popular L.A. Times Book Club and the “Hear Me Out” series, which showcases letters to the editor in compelling personal videos. 2 p.m.

(L.A. Times Staff)

How to create your habitat garden: Plants reporter Jeanette Marantos and Features Editor Brittany Levine Beckman discuss the Times’ plant coverage and how to create a habitat garden with fragrant native, pollinator-friendly plants. 3 p.m.

Meet the 404 Team: Assistant Managing Editor Samantha Melbourneweaver and Head of Creator Content Angie Jaime share the latest from 404 by L.A. Times, a group of creators, artists, filmmakers, designers and makers of all kinds (including a puppeteer). The first-of-its-kind collective in any major U.S. newsroom, 404 publishes experimental content on @latimes.404 on Instagram and @latimes on TikTok. 4 p.m.

404 by L.A. Times. Team members are (clockwise from the upper left) Micah Fluellen, Jess Rosales, Tom Carroll, Samantha Melbourneweaver, Safi Nazzall and Juden, Angie Jaime, Marina Watanabe.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Masters of Disaster: Columnist Gustavo Arellano hosts a live podcast discussion with coastal reporter Rosanna Xia, earthquake reporter Ron Lin and environmental reporter Alex Wigglesworth, who covers wildfires. 5 p.m.

The Best California Escapes and Experiences: The 101 Best California Experiences is The Times’ guide to the most delightful, fascinating and awe-inspiring things to do across the Golden State. Travel writer Christopher Reynolds and travel editor Michelle Woo talk about how the list is created — and share ideas for where you should go next. 10 a.m.

Times travel writer Christopher Reynolds in Monument Valley.

(Mark Boster for The Times)

The Golden State: Times columnist Steve Lopez in conversation with editor Alice Short about his new column exploring the challenges and thrills of aging. Lopez also discusses his latest book, “Independence Day: What I Learned From Some Who’ve Done It and Some Who Never Will.” 11:15 a.m.

UPDATED: The Future of the Colorado River: Reporter Ian James, videographer Albert Lee and photographer Carolyn Cole discuss their work and their in-depth series investigating the Colorado River, SoCal’s water supply and where we go from here. 12:15 p.m.

A visitor takes pictures at dusk from an overlook above Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River near Page, Arizona

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

How to Save a Life: Editor Jaclyn Cosgrove, who launched The Times’ mental health reporting initiative during the pandemic, in conversation with reporters Laura Newberry, who writes the Group Therapy newsletter, and Karen Garcia, a member the newsroom’s Utility Journalism Team. 1:30 p.m.

Latino Stories: Fidel Martinez, the Latino Initiative’s editorial director, and Martina Ibáñez-Baldor, the project’s design director, discuss this initiative to elevate the voices of Latinos and underrepresented communities in Los Angeles and focus on new, creative ways of storytelling. 3 p.m.

(Los Angeles Times)

Two surfers at a beach in Cascais, Portugal.

(Jose Sarmento Matos / For The Times)

Times foreign correspondent Jaweed Kaleem is based in London, where he has launched a multimedia series exploring California connections beyond the nation’s borders. In Global California, Kaleem explores the complex relationship between the West Coast and the rest of the world.

On June 29, 2022, he discussed stories that tap into Golden State in the EU, from the new wave of Californian expats relocating to Portugal to how California is becoming a growing culinary pipeline to Europe. Kaleem also answered reader questions during the live event.

Where: Watch this Ask A Reporter event on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

National and foreign correspondent Jaweed Kaleem is based in London.

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Bio: Jaweed Kaleem joined The Times as a national correspondent in 2016. He has covered politics, religion, the environment and the Obama, Trump and Biden presidencies for the publication. Previously, he worked as a religion reporter at HuffPost and the Miami Herald.

(The Associated Press)

We hosted a series of live conversations from the L.A. Times newsroom about the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe vs. Wade. Columnist Patt Morrison talked with reporters in the field in California and across the nation throughout the day.

Here’s where you’ll find them:

Legal future: Supreme Court reporter David Savage returned to discuss reactions and repercussions during a tumultuous day. Watch on Twitter and YouTube.

California-Arizona connection: Columnist Erika D. Smith discussed networking between health care providers in the West. Watch on Twitter and YouTube.

Beyond abortion rights. Columnist Anita Chabria looked at the impact on other rights in the wake of the decision. 3 p.m. Watch on Twitter and YouTube.

Before Roe vs. Wade: Editor Maria LaGanga discussed the origin of the abortion fight that began with a California woman now living in Montana. 2 p.m. Watch on YouTube.

Today in Texas. National correspondent Molly Hennessy-Fiske talked about the future of abortion here. Watch on Twitter and YouTube.

Future of abortion. National correspondent Jenny Jarvie reported from Atlanta. Watch on Twitter and YouTube.

California takes a stand: Sacramento reporter Melody Gutierrez looked at the response across the state. Watch on Twitter and YouTube.

The legal fallout: From Washington, D.C. Supreme Court reporter David Savage discussed the decision and the path ahead. Watch on Twitter or YouTube.

Follow our coverage at latimes.com.

More than 150,000 readers usually attend the annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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On Jan. 20, investigative reporters Garrett Therolf and Matt Hamilton discussed their stories and answered reader questions about L.A.’s child welfare system during a conversation with county Board of Supervisors Chair Holly J. Mitchell.

Once again, the county’s child welfare agencies are undergoing major scrutiny and leadership changes, and Therolf, Hamilton and Mitchell examined what’s ahead in 2022. Columnist Anita Chabria moderated.

Watch: This virtual conversation is on YouTube or Twitter.

Therolf worked for The Times for a decade, focusing on stories about children and families living on the margins, and is currently a reporter at UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program. He was the producer behind “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez,” a Netflix series about an 8-year-old Palmdale boy whose abuse, torture and 2013 murder at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend exposed systemic failures within the Los Angeles County Deptartment of Children and Family Services and other agencies.

Hamilton is a Times reporter and won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting. He and Therolf wrote a series of stories that revealed errors, misjudgments and bureaucratic conflict within the county’s child welfare system, including among top supervisors, that blocked multiple opportunities to protect a 4-year-old boy who died in 2019.

From left, Anthony Avalos, Gabriel Fernandez and Noah Cuatro.

(Los Angeles Times)

Read more: Anthony, Noah, Gabriel and beyond: How to fix L.A. County DCFS

Children keep dying. Why can’t L.A. County protect them?

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Regrouping after the devastating 2018 Camp fire, the Paradise High School Bobcats football team became a powerful symbol of a community coming together after unthinkable adversity.

On Nov. 17, 2022, columnist Bill Plaschke discussed his career as a sports writer and the stories behind “Paradise Found: A High School Football Team Rises from the Ashes” with Times Executive Sports Editor Christian Stone.

Where: Watch this virtual event on YouTube.

Plaschke’s book follows the Paradise High Bobcats through their first season after fire leveled  their Northern California town in 2018. Read an excerpt.

Sports columnist Bill Plaschke

(Los Angeles Times)

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L.A. Times photographer and correspondent Marcus Yam will be in conversation with Times foreign and national editor Jeffrey Fleishman on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.

On Nov. 10, 2022, Times photographer and foreign correspondent Marcus Yam discussed his work in Afghanistan during a special edition of “Ask A Reporter” presented in partnership with Arizona State University. Yam was in conversation with foreign and national editor Jeffrey Fleishman at the new ASU California Center.

Taliban police patrol the streets in downtown Kabul on Aug. 26, 2021.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

One of the few journalists in Kabul as the Taliban swept to power and American forces retreated, Yam chronicled refugee evacuations, stories of women in hiding, and a U.S. drone strike that mistakenly killed civilians. Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Yam left a career in aerospace engineering to become a photographer.

Watch the discussion: On YouTube, Twitter or Facebook.

Times reporter Teresa Watanabe

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

On March 24, 2021, atTimes journalists Teresa Watanabe, Anh Do, Ada Tseng and special guest George Takei discussed the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. They talked about the history of racist policies in California, how they’ve coped with violence and the shooting in Atlanta, and ways to support the Asian community. Watch the event on YouTube.