Monks & Merrill

Monks & Merrill

Listen live to Monks & Merrill every weekday from 12p-3p PT on KFI AM 640: Los Angeles' More Stimulating TalkFull Bio

Cancer Cluster Concerns, a Silent San Andreas & Ocean Way Hits the Coast

Olympic Water Taxis, Transit Trouble & the E-Bike Boom

Hour 2 - Could water taxis become part of the transportation plan for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics? Monks & Merrill discuss the growing interest in bringing ferries to the Games and whether Burbank's legal battle over a proposed North Hollywood-to-Pasadena bus rapid transit line could derail key transit projects before LA28. Then, Dr. Jay Doucet joins the show to discuss the rapid rise of e-bikes, their benefits for commuters and recreation, and new research on e-bike injuries across California. Plus, California's DMV launches a possible criminal investigation into alleged driver's license testing irregularities.

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Your Grocery Bill Is Watching You

Hour 3 - A controversial California bill could reshape how shoppers save at the checkout, with critics warning it may eliminate popular grocery coupon and rewards programs. Monks & Merrill also dive into the rise of personalized pricing as retailers use consumer data to tailor prices and promotions, raising new questions about fairness and privacy. Plus, the federal government withholds hundreds of millions of dollars in Medicaid funding to California as part of an anti-fraud initiative, and the White House acknowledges it used keyword searches to identify and cancel billions of dollars in California research grants.

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Olympics, Oversight & Outrage

Hour  1 - Attorney General candidate Michael Gates joins Monks & Merrill to discuss the city's preparedness and accountability. Plus, the hosts break down a deputy-involved shooting that ended a vicious dog attack, the troubling rise in dead animals found on L.A. streets, the long-awaited sale of a graffiti-covered Downtown L.A. eyesore, and new polling showing Californians strongly support CEQA reform while overwhelmingly opposing AI data centers.

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AI's Billion-Dollar Boom, Hollywood Headaches & Street Food Solutions

Hour 2 - Oliver Roberts, Co-Director of the WashU Law AI Collaborative and Adjunct Professor of Law, joins Monks & Merrill to explain why AI data centers may be America's competitive advantage—not the threat many fear. Plus, Ben Affleck's AI company lands a deal worth more than $500 million, Lake Hollywood Park is plagued by a string of revolting incidents just as visitors gather to eat, and L.A. County rolls out nearly 200 free food carts to help street vendors operate more safely and legally.

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Oil, Admissions & Investigations

Hour 3 - Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps joins Monks & Merrill to discuss California's fight against the Trump administration over the reopening of a long-dormant Santa Barbara oil pipeline and why local leaders say the coast is "not for sale." Plus, the Justice Department alleges UC San Diego illegally considered race in admissions, and new questions arise after Denver Public Schools paid the Los Angeles superintendent—now under FBI investigation—more than $100,000 for coaching services.

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Beach Bacteria & Sharks

Hour 1- Another heatwave may be coming to Southern California and Monks and Merrill are diving into it. PLUS 5 popular coastal beaches found bacteria above state health standards, and we're sharing where and what to know. AND we talk to Christopher Lowe from Long Beach Shark Lab about funding and sharks on the beaches. All this and MORE on KFIAM-640. 

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Burst Pipes, Blazing Fires and Brazen Copper Thieves

Hour 2- Monks and Merrill are delving into the pipe that bursts in WeHo and how it revealed miles of aging pipes, the latest with the Boyle Heights fire, and copper thieves are out of control. It's all on KFIAM-640.

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California's Housing Crunch

Hour 3- Although CA home sales strengthened in June, buyers aren't really relieved and Monks and Merrill are breaking it down. PLUS California sued Costa Mesa and 4 others for failing to complete state-mandared housing plan for over 2 years and we have Costa Mesa's response and MORE on KFIAM-640.

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The Animal Cost of Homelessness

Monks and Merrill talk homelessness on Skid Row and its impact on both people and animals. After touching on a recent food safety story making headlines, they explore the delayed homeless count, the challenges facing local agencies, and what it will take to create meaningful change. 

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