Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Joining Janeane on 4/8 at 9:00am - Lexi Larison, Director of Business Development, New Directions For Women

Lexi Larison, CADC-1
Director of Business Development
New Directions for Women

LISTEN to this week's show
with Lexi Larison.



ABOUT LEXI LARISON
Lexi Larison has been working in the substance use treatment field for nearly a decade, gaining experience in every area of care, including operations, healthcare, admissions, and clinical services. As a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor, she spent a large portion of her career as a case manager, directly supporting individuals on their recovery journeys. Over the past three years, Lexi transitioned into Business Development, where she now serves as the Director of Business Development at New Directions for Women. In this role, she combines her clinical expertise with her passion for outreach, helping women access the treatment and support they need to reclaim their lives.

Beyond her professional experience, Lexi is a proud mother in long-term recovery, and her deep commitment to this work stems from her own personal journey. She serves women from a place of compassion, love, and curiosity, ensuring that every woman she encounters knows she has the power to recover. Lexi believes that with the right support, every woman can reclaim her life and step into the future she deserves.




New Directions for Women
newdirectionsforwomen.org

New Directions for Women is a gender-specific, primary substance use treatment program located in Costa Mesa, California. Since 1977, we’ve been dedicated to supporting women on their journey to recovery by offering a full continuum of care—including detox, residential treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), intensive sober living, and outpatient services.


Over the past 48 years, we’ve worked hard to remove many of the barriers women often face when seeking treatment. For example, we can accept most pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy, including for detox services. Additionally, we are licensed to accommodate up to six women with dependent children under the age of 12 in our residential program.

To further support mothers in treatment, we offer an onsite daycare facility, allowing women to attend groups and individual sessions while their children are cared for nearby. Please note that the daycare service is available for an additional fee (details listed below).

Although we are primary substance use, we can treat dual diagnoses (anxiety, depression, personality/thought disorders, trauma, PTSD, etc). Often, our women come in with significant amounts of trauma, so our treatment is trauma-responsive, from a Narrative and Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT) approach. Our goal is to empower women to begin to define recovery apart from the disease of addiction. We do so by helping them identify the stories of strength and resiliency that have always existed for them, with the goal to help them engage in a new relationship with themselves and their loved ones.


Tuesday, April 7, 2026

UC Irvine's Langson Orange County Museum of Art Announces Dual Exhibitions Exploring California's Landscape, Infrastructure, and Identity at its Irvine Location






Dear UC Irvine Langson Museum Community,


Join us on the UC Irvine campus next week from Monday, April 13, through Saturday, April 18, from 10 AM to 4 PM to celebrate and experience CLASS: C, a pop-up gallery created by Ruben Ochoa, who transformed his family’s Chevy van into a mobile studio and exhibition space while he was a student at UC Irvine.


CLASS: C will be parked at the Irvine Barclay Theatre plaza, located at 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine—an opportunity to encounter art outside the traditional gallery setting. CLASS: C is part of Breakdown/Breakthrough: Art and Infrastructure, on view through May 9 at the museum’s Irvine location (18881 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine). Together, these presentations explore how artists have engaged the built environment and everyday life in Southern California.

Warmly,

Your friends at UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art



Artist Talk: Ruben Ochoa
April 18, 2026, 2:00 PM
Artist Talk: Ruben Ochoa – Orange County Museum of Art | UC Irvine Langson


Join us for an artist talk with UC Irvine alumnus Ruben Ochoa (MFA 2003), whose work is featured at our Irvine location in Breakdown/Breakthrough: Art and Infrastructure, a two-part exhibition exploring how Southern California’s built environment shapes daily life here, from our movement and visibility to our sense of belonging. On view in Irvine (18881 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine) through May 16, the show features newly acquired photographs from Ochoa’s ficus series (2007); at Irvine Barclay Theatre plaza (4242 Campus Drive, Irvine), Ochoa’s mobile art gallery and studio CLASS: C will be on view April 13–18 from 10 AM to 4 PM.



Ochoa’s artist talk will explore these artworks in the context of his broader practice. He will be in conversation with the exhibition’s curator, Dr. MichaĆ«la Mohrmann.

This program is free and open to all; no prior registration required.


About the artist

Ruben Ochoa, an interdisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles, has spent three decades exploring space as both concept and material while addressing the sociopolitical and economic forces shaping the spaces we occupy. His notable works include Mis Marcadores (2019), a large-scale public installation at the US–Mexico border, and the AR lens ¡Vendedores, Presente! created in collaboration with LACMA and Snapchat in 2021 to support Los Angeles street vendors. Ochoa also collaborates with Revolution Carts to create art-wrapped vendor carts, which function as both tools for street vendors and social sculptures; they have been featured in such prominent venues as Frieze LA and the Hammer Museum. Through his art, Ochoa uses whimsy to reframe everyday objects, such as rebar, fence posts, tortillas, and street vendor umbrellas to provoke thought and highlight their deep sociopolitical implications.



About the curator

MichaĆ«la Mohrmann has been assistant curator at UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art since 2022. She holds a BA in art history from Harvard University and a PhD in art history from Columbia University, where she studied modern and contemporary art with an emphasis on Latin American and Latinx art. Prior to joining UC Irvine Langson Museum, she worked as associate curatorial director at Pace Gallery and was an Andrew Mellon Museum Research Consortium Curatorial Fellow at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.






UCI NEWS! Mapping urban heat from space reveals dangerous inequities in LA public parks UC Irvine study finds those in underserved communities can reach burn-risk temps





NEWS


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Contact: Carly Murphy

949-501-1008

murphyco@uci.edu


Mapping urban heat from space reveals dangerous inequities in LA public parks

UC Irvine study finds those in underserved communities can reach burn-risk temps More than a third of parks and recreational spaces in South Los Angeles hit or exceeded the human thermal pain threshold, while no parks in West Los Angeles did.

Researchers determined that South Los Angeles parks were built with far more heat-retaining materials, such as artificial turf and concrete, than those in West Los Angeles. The NASA-funded study also found stark inequities in park access.

Irvine, Calif., April 7, 2026 — A new study funded by a NASA grant awarded to the University of California, Irvine’s Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health has found that public parks in underserved areas of Los Angeles can reach dangerously high temperatures, in some cases hot enough to cause pain or burns, because of the materials used to build them.


The differences stem largely from what parks are made of. Researchers discovered that parks in South Los Angeles contain significantly more heat-retaining materials – such as artificial turf, concrete and rubber – while parks in West Los Angeles are far more likely to feature natural turf and vegetation.

The research, published recently in npj Urban Sustainability, a journal in the Nature Portfolio, analyzed park temperatures across Los Angeles County using satellite data from Ecostress, a thermal imaging experiment aboard the International Space Station. The results show stark temperature differences between parks in South Los Angeles and those in West Los Angeles, revealing how urban design and historical investment patterns shape exposure to extreme heat.


The study, conducted with collaborators from Chapman University and Tennessee State University, found that parks and open spaces in South Los Angeles averaged 105.8 degrees Fahrenheit during summer daytime conditions, compared with about 91.6 degrees Fahrenheit in West Los Angeles. More than a third of parks and recreational spaces in South Los Angeles reached or exceeded the surface temperature associated with the human pain threshold. No parks in West Los Angeles reached that point.



“Parks are often thought of as cooling refuges during extreme heat,” said Jason A. Douglas, associate professor and vice chair in Wen Public Health’s Department of Health, Society & Behavior. “But in some underserved communities, the parks that should provide relief are actually exposing residents to dangerous levels of heat.”



Natural surfaces, such as those more featured in West Los Angeles parks, help cool the environment through shade and evapotranspiration, the process by which plants release moisture into the air. Artificial materials absorb and retain heat.



The research also found stark differences in access to green space. Using a per capita measure to account for differences in study area size, West Los Angeles has 117.1 hectares of parkland per capita, compared to 9.1 in South Los Angeles.



“Residents in South Los Angeles face a double burden,” said Joshua Fisher, an associate professor of environmental science at Chapman University’s Schmid College of Science and Technology. “They have less access to parks, and the parks that do exist are often built with materials that trap heat instead of cooling the environment.”



The work used satellite observations collected between 2021 and 2024 to measure land surface temperatures at hundreds of parks and recreational areas, including schoolyards, playgrounds and open spaces. Employing machine-learning techniques, the team increased the resolution of the satellite data to analyze temperature differences across specific surfaces, such as grass, artificial turf and pavement.



The project was shaped in part by community concerns. Residents working with the environmental justice organization Communities for a Better Environment reported extremely hot park surfaces during community workshops and heat pocket mapping sessions. Some said that artificial-turf fields and playgrounds were hot enough to burn bare feet during summer months.



Those experiences prompted the research team to investigate whether the thermal conditions described could be measured across many parks using large-scale data, such as satellite observations.

Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States, and urban heat islands – built infrastructure that absorbs and traps heat disproportionately – tend to affect lower-income communities and people of color.

The study’s authors said the findings highlight how decades of unequal investment in urban infrastructure continue to shape environmental conditions and public health risks in cities.


“Parks should be part of the solution to extreme heat,” Douglas said. “But the design and materials used in these spaces matter. If we want parks to protect communities during hotter summers, we need to invest in vegetation, shade and natural surfaces that actually cool the environment.”


The study was led by Ashley Agatep, an undergraduate researcher at Chapman University. Besides Douglas and Fisher, co-authors include Kainani Tacazon of Chapman University, Reginald Archer of Tennessee State University, Ambar Rivera and Rossmery Zayas from Communities for a Better Environment, and graduate student Juan Carlos Ruiz Malagon of UC Irvine.


This work was supported by NASA through its Equity and Environmental Justice Program and Ecostress Science and Applications Team.


The researchers said their findings could help inform future urban planning and park development strategies aimed at reducing heat exposure in vulnerable communities. As climate change drives more frequent and intense heat waves across Southern California, they said, ensuring equitable access to effective cooling infrastructure will be critical for protecting public health.



About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Coming up April 1st at 9:30am - Casey Reitz, President and CEO Segerstrom Center for the Arts talks about Segerstrom Center for the Arts Celebrating 40 years of the arts. A new residency. A new initiative. A sustained commitment to arts for all.







LISTEN to today's show


Media Alert for Monday, March 30 at 4:30pm

Segerstrom Center for the Arts | Samueli Theatre

Arturo O’Farrill multi-GRAMMY‑ Award® Winner

Named Inaugural Artist in Residence

Performance by O’Farrill, plus Announcement of

Expanded Commitment to Hispanic and Latino Arts and Culture

Casey Reitz, President and CEO of Segerstrom Center for the Arts shares:

 “As we celebrate our 40th anniversary and honor the extraordinary legacy built by Henry Segerstrom, we are equally focused on the future,
embracing bold artistic voices and expanding the ways we engage
the diverse communities that call Orange County home.
Initiatives like ¡VIVA! The Spenuzza Series, made possible
through the generous support of the Spenuzza Family,
help us bring a wide range of Hispanic and Latino artists
and traditions to our stages and classrooms.”

A new residency. A new initiative. A sustained commitment to arts for all.

WHAT: Segerstrom Center for the Arts Celebrating 40 years of the arts

Multi-GRAMMY‑ Award® Winner Arturo O’Farrill Named Inaugural Artist in Residence

Plus Expanded Commitment to Hispanic and Latino Arts and Culture for 2026-2027 season

The Center unveils its Inaugural Artist in Residence and the new ¡VIVA! The Spenuzza Series --

followed by an intimate performance from O’Farrill, Q&A, and reception.


The announcement is part of a broader cultural initiative at the Center,
with programming across music, dance, theater and education that
launches 40th anniversary season.


WHERE: Samueli Theater, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa


ABOUT: The ¡VIVA! The Spenuzza Series celebrating 257 Years of California’s Hispanic Heritage, builds on the Center’s longstanding relationships with artists and communities throughout Southern California. This brings together internationally acclaimed artists, community collaborations, student programs, and cross‑-genre‑ performances designed to engage audiences of all ages while highlighting the many artistic traditions that shape Hispanic and Latino cultural expression. Together, these programs form a growing platform for Hispanic and Latino artistic voices at the Center.

Widely recognized as one of the most influential voices in Afro Latin jazz today composer, pianist, and bandleader Arturo O’Farrill’s work bridges classical composition, jazz improvisation, and Afro Cuban and pan Latin‑ musical traditions, embodying the spirit of innovation and cultural dialogue at the heart of the Center’s expanded programming.

O’Farrill’s residency will bring dynamic programming to multiple venues across the Segerstrom Center campus throughout the 2026–27 season. Performances, new commissions, youth and family programming, master classes, and community centered‑ events will create opportunities for audiences to experience the evolving landscape of Latin music while fostering deeper connections between artists and the community.







Joining Janeane on 4/1 at 9:00am - Gavin McMahon author of Story Business: Why Stories Rule the World and How They Can Reinvent Your Business


LISTEN to today's show!

Stories move people—and people move business.

In Story Business, Gavin McMahon takes you on a journey from ancient cave paintings to billion-dollar tech unicorns, revealing how storytelling is a powerful—and undervalued—tool for driving business success. Drawing on vivid examples of the rise and fall of real-world companies, McMahon exposes a timeless truth: It’s not the best ideas that win, but the best-packaged ideas.

From shaping strategy and launching products to leading teams and building culture, McMahon shows that storytelling isn’t just a marketing tool or a way to dress up facts—it’s a force that transforms ideas into catalysts people can see, feel, and rally behind. In this book, you’ll explore six essential genres of business storytelling—value, product, brand, sales, leadership, and culture—each with practical tools to help you connect, persuade, and inspire. You’ll learn how to shape a compelling hook, turn numbers into narratives, and rally teams around a shared vision.

If you’ve ever tried to spark change or rally a team—only to be met with blank stares—this book is for you. It’s about breaking through using the same skill humans have relied on for tens of thousands of years: telling a better story. With his signature straight talk, Gavin McMahon cuts through corporate jargon to reveal the fundamental truths of storytelling. Minute by minute, Story Business will teach you how to captivate, persuade, and lead—all by telling stories that stick.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Brandon Jay, co-founder of Altadena Musicians Foundation, called in to share an update on the incredible musical impact his organization has made since 2025 - replacing lost instruments and albums to those who lost everything in the Eaton and Palisades fires.





to today's show with Brandon Jay


About Brandon Jay

Brandon Jay has been playing drums since he can remember. His mother would lay out pots and pans and other household items for him to bang on – similar items can be found in his percussion basket today! A giant comb, a bicycle wheel, a couple slide whistles, too. Having been the heart and soul of many bands through the years (Lutefisk, Miss Spiritual Tramp, The 88), his piano playing led him to begin writing music and ultimately fronting the circus-like Quazar and the Bamboozled. Shortly after he and Gwendolyn Sanford met and began writing and producing music for preschoolers known to many as Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang. The Good Time Gang pioneered the tot rock music scene in Los Angeles which ironically, led Jay/Sanford to compose the score for the popular Showtime series Weeds. Weeds led to harder stuff (namely prison) in the Netflix original series Orange is the New Black. The two are taking to the stage as they’ve written music/lyrics for Romy and Michele the Musical opening this fall Off-Broadway at The Shubert Stage 42.

They lost their home and recording studio in the Eaton fire. In the wake of that, Jay started the foundation Altadena Musicians which has gotten over 1500 instruments and over 1300 albums back into the hands of those that lost theirs in the Eaton and Palisades fires.

When not recording or performing live, Jay enjoys listening to the ringing in his ears.

VISIT www.altadenamusicians.org for recent news,
press and up-coming events!

Donations of instruments and funds are always welcomed!

Joining Janeane LIVE on KUCI this week... Samyuktha (Samyu) - Mental Health Advocate and Accessible Design Creator




LISTEN
to today's show
with Samyuktha (Samyu)














Instagram - @inspire.art28.

Joining Janeane on 4/8 at 9:00am - Lexi Larison, Director of Business Development, New Directions For Women

Lexi Larison, CADC-1 Director of Business Development New Directions for Women LISTEN to this week's show with Lexi Larison. ABOUT L...