Steven Cuevas
- Co-host and producer-editor, Freelance
- Contributing, KQED-TV (San Francisco,CA)
- None, KQED-FM (San Francisco, CA)
Pasadena
Pro Ghostwriter, ‘StewAnon’ podcast (‘23-‘24) | x Wondery & LA Times pods | x LA bureau chief for KQED & KPCC | Misc NPR | reporter, host, editor, arsonist
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Articles by Steven Cuevas
An American Werewolf in Altadena? How a Local Monster Sparked Community Tensions
The California Report Magazine Home / Climate / The California Report Magazine A prop werewolf put up for Halloween by Altadena residents became a symbol of pride after the Eaton Fire. It's also divided the community. May 22, 2026 Norman Jr., an 8-foot prop werewolf, was erected by Pastor Tim Hartley on the scorched lot of a sobering living house in West Altadena operated by the Episcopalian Diocese of Los Angeles.
Altadena werewolf
Norman Jr., an 8-foot prop werewolf, was erected by Pastor Tim Hartley on the scorched lot of a sobering living house in West Altadena operated by the Episcopalian Diocese of Los Angeles. Read on... for more on the community tensions sparked by this local werewolf. Tensions begin: Photos of the wolfman wearing the outfits the caretaker created started blowing up on social media, and life started returning to the neighborhood, with the pace of rebuilding picking up speed.
The Eaton Fire Ravaged Black Altadena. A Journalist Documents Its Resilience
Mar 13, 2026 Updated 9:04 am PT Failed to save article Please try again KBLA 1580 AM host James Farr live on air during his weekly radio show Conversations Live: Altadena Rising that’s been focusing on the disproportionate loss of life and structures in West Altadena, a largely Black and Latino enclave. The former Altadena resident, who now lives in North Pasadena, launched a weekly call-in show to pass the mic to friends and neighbors coping with the Los Angeles County disaster’s aftermath.
The Eaton Fire Ravaged Black Altadena. A Journalist Documents Its Resilience
4 hours ago Los Angeles, United States - March 13, 2026 03/13/2026 02:00 am GMT-0700 WEST COVINA, Calif. – California Highway Patrol officers from the Santa Ana Station initiated a pursuit of a motorcycle on the westbound side of the 60 Freeway at the 57 Freeway interchange in Rowland Heights. The suspect led officers on a chase lasting approximately one and a half hours, reaching speeds of up to 140 mph across multiple cities and highways.
The Eaton Fire Destroyed Altadena’s Lush Greenery. These Volunteers Are Growing It Back
Mar 6, 2026 Failed to save article Please try again Laurie Scott tends to a variety of free plants and saplings that she gathers, grows and gives away to locals as part of her DIY ‘Regrow Altadena’ program that she operates from her front yard in West Altadena. (Steven Cuevas/KQED) Beyond the destruction of homes and loss of lives, the Eaton Fire that ravaged Los Angeles in the beginning of 2025 was merciless when it came to Altadena’s celebrated green spaces.
A Year After the LA Fires, a Journalist Looks Back on the Stories From His Neighborhood
Jan 30, 2026 Failed to save article Please try again Melissa Lopez showing reporter Steven Cuevas and California Report Magazine host Sasha Khokha the spot where her home once stood, photographed at her home in Altadena, California, on Dec. 28, 2025. (James Bernal/KQED) My biggest concern on the morning of Jan. 7, 2025, was the wind. Weather warnings said the Santa Anas would roll in hard with hurricane force velocity.
Sierra Madre, Flourishing After Eaton Fire, Thanks Firefighters With Rose Parade Float
Dec 26, 2025 Failed to save article Please try again Hanna Jungbauer, who runs social media for Sierra Madre's Rose Parade float, says the pancake breakfast theme "is a nod and homage to the brave people that helped put out those fires" and walks a fine line "between whimsy and respectful." (Steven Cuevas/KQED) With just weeks to go before the Tournament of Roses Parade, the noise level — and stress level — were rising at a warehouse in the foothill town of Sierra Madre, just north of Pasadena.
For Altadena’s Therapists, Trauma and Healing From Wildfire Ripple Outwards
Aug 1 Failed to save article Please try again Therapist Gabby Raices leads grief circles for Eaton Fire survivors in Pasadena, Calif. Seven months after fire devastated the Los Angeles city of Altadena, the community is still grappling with a lasting wound: collective trauma. This affects even those best equipped to help — mental health professionals. (Steven Cuevas/KQED) Months after the Eaton Fire, Natalie Bowker still makes regular visits to the cleared lot where her family’s home once stood.
In LA, A Photo Detective Reunites Wildfire Survivors with Lost Images
Jun 13 Failed to save article Please try again Claire Schwartz (left) and Nina Raj with a child's drawing recovered by Raj after the Eaton Fire. (Steven Cuevas for KQED) Surprisingly, the fierce Santa Ana winds that whipped the Palisades and Eaton fires into deadly infernos in January spared many precious things you’d think would have been the first to burn: old family photos, kids’ art, postcards, yearbook pages and even old sheet music.
In Fire-Scarred Altadena, These Residents Refused to Leave
Steven Cuevas Mar 28 Failed to save article Please try again Jane Murphy, and her son, Justin, photographed at their home in Altadena, CA, on March 12th, 2025. After the Eaton Fire scorched their Altadena neighborhoods, the Murphys and a handful of other Los Angeles County residents chose to stay behind after the wildfires. (James Bernal for KQED) A few weeks after the fire, Justin Murphy counted off the houses that burned on this cul-de-sac in northeast Altadena.
Punk, arson and the public library on Apple Podcasts
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24 min How did the L.A. Public Library help launch poet Amanda Gorman and teen punk group the Linda Lindas into the world? 24 min
By Steven Cuevas, Patt Morrison Verified, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Ashlea Brown, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Denise Guerra, Mario Diaz, Julia Turner
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Apple Podcasts
Danny Trejo on his life and times on Apple Podcasts
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18 min Addict. Prisoner. Actor. Donut and taco shop owner. And now, author of a memoir. Today, L.A. Times culture reporter Daniel Hernandez talks to none other than Danny Trejo. 18 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Danny Trejo, Daniel Hernandez, Daniel Hernández, Denise Guerra, Mario Diaz
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Apple Podcasts
The Chinese Communist Party and me, Part 2 on Apple Podcasts
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30 min Today, we wrap up our two-part series on the Chinese Communist Party’s ambitions and the lives uprooted because of it. 30 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Alice Su, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz
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Apple Podcasts
U.S.-Canada border closure over COVID-19 leaves town stuck on Apple Podcasts
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21 min Point Roberts, Wash., is separated by not one but two international borders. People on the U.S.-Canadian peninsula have been living like this for generations. For them it was routine, until the pandemic hit. 21 min
By Steven Cuevas, Richard Read Verified, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz
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Apple Podcasts
Katie Hill takes revenge porn fight to Congress on Apple Podcasts
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13 min Former congresswoman Katie Hill was a victim of revenge porn. Now, she is pushing her former colleagues to make the sharing of intimate photos without consent a federal crime. 13 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Denise Guerra, Seema Mehta Verified, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Katie Hill
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Apple Podcasts
Car chases are deadly. We love them anyway on Apple Podcasts
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22 min Today's guests disapprove of our host Gustavo Arellano's car-chase obsession and will try to break him of his habit. Can they succeed? 22 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Zoey Tur, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Geoffrey Alpert
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Apple Podcasts
Will COVID-19 stop the Tokyo Olympics again? on Apple Podcasts
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22 min For athletes who have trained for years, if not a lifetime, to represent their country in the Olympics, canceling the Tokyo 2020 Olympics would be devastating — and a global reminder that we’re still not truly over the coronavirus yet. 22 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Victoria Kim Verified, Denise Guerra, Mario Diaz, Brandon Loschiavo
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Apple Podcasts
The fight for a beach once owned by a Black family on Apple Podcasts
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24 min Nearly a century ago, government officials pushed a Black family from their beachfront property in the Southern California city of Manhattan Beach. Now, in what could be a landmark in this nation’s efforts to correct past injustices to African Americans, the County of Los Angeles wants to give Bruce’s Beach back to the family that once owned it. 24 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Rosanna Xia Verified
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Apple Podcasts
The history behind Kamala Harris, 'Do not come' and Guatemala on Apple Podcasts
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21 min We talk about the backlash over Vice President Kamala Harris’ remarks, whether President Biden’s immigration policies are markedly different from those of his predecessor, and how U.S. foreign policy has long pushed Guatemalans out of their homeland and toward El Norte. 21 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Giovanni Batz, Shannon Lin Verified, Cindy Carcamo, Shani Hilton, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz
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Apple Podcasts
Why Hollywood's Latino representation problem persists on Apple Podcasts
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24 min Today, the L.A. Times published a huge package about Hollywood's Latino culture gap. We talk about this forever trend with legend Edward James Olmos and beloved star Cristela Alonzo. 24 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Edward James Olmos, Shannon Lin Verified, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Cristela Alonzo
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Apple Podcasts
Our Masters of Disasters on earthquake everything on Apple Podcasts
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28 min Are Californians ready for the next big earthquake? The LA Times' panel of peril weighs in. 28 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Ron Lin Verified, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Julia Turner, Rosanna Xia Verified, Alex Wigglesworth Verified
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Apple Podcasts
Netanyahu is out as Israel's prime minister. What's next? on Apple Podcasts
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19 min Benjamin Netanyahu is no longer Israel's prime minister. Now, the coalition that ousted him faces a hard challenge ahead: leading together. 19 min
By Izzeldin Abuelaish, Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Laura King, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Julia Turner
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Apple Podcasts
The fight to change COVID-19 vaccine-hesitant hearts and minds on Apple Podcasts
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29 min The majority of Californians have rolled up their sleeves for at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. But how to convince the skeptics to get the jab? 29 min
By Sandy Banks Verified, Steven Cuevas, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Erika Smith, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz
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Apple Podcasts
Next U.S. ambassador to India might be L.A.'s mayor ... Huh? on Apple Podcasts
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19 min Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti has been rumored to be President Biden's pick to be the next U.S. ambassador to India. Does the mayor have the foreign-policy chops to serve as ambassador to the world’s largest democracy? Or does governing a city as unwieldy as L.A. actually make Garcetti the perfect candidate? 19 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Dinesh Lakhanpal, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Steve Lopez Verified, Denise Guerra, Mario Diaz
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Apple Podcasts
A Black LGBTQ publishing and political pioneer speaks on Apple Podcasts
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24 min Charles Stewart stands at the intersection of race, representation and history. Yet his remarkable storyline hasn't received much mainstream attention — not even from the L.A. Times — until today. 24 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Charles Stewart, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Julia Turner
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Apple Podcasts
How the Los Angeles Public Library made libraries cool on Apple Podcasts
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19 min How did the L.A. Public Library help launch poet Amanda Gorman and teen punk group the Linda Lindas into the world? 19 min
By Steven Cuevas, Patt Morrison Verified, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Denise Guerra, Mario Diaz, Julia Turner
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Apple Podcasts
California's unsinkable Katie Porter on Apple Podcasts
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23 min California Rep. Katie Porter talks about her political future and where she gets those famous whiteboards. 23 min
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Katie Porter, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Julia Turner
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Apple Podcasts
Phone trees, Laotian immigrants and COVID-19 on Apple Podcasts
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22 min In California, the Laotian American community has figured out a way to help its most vulnerable members by using the telephone. 22 min
By Steven Cuevas, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Tracy Brown Verified, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Anh Do Verified, Mario Diaz
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Apple Podcasts
A revolt in northern California with national importance on Apple Podcasts
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Angry residents in Shasta County have threatened supervisors, progressives — and now want to take their demands nationwide.
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Anita Chabria Verified, Carlos Zapata Verified, Denise Guerra, Hailey Branson Potts Verified, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Nathan Blaze
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Apple Podcasts
Naomi Osaka drops out of French Open, stands up for mental health on Apple Podcasts
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The tennis superstar's move highlighted an issue long bubbling in the sports world: In a place where stress is a big part of the game, what's the best way to handle an athlete’s mental health?
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Julia Turner, Helene Elliott
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Apple Podcasts
Las Vegas doubles down on reopening at full capacity on Apple Podcasts
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Vegas is betting on the gamblers and tourists returning. But will jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic come back?
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Kurtis Lee Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Julia Turner, Geoconda Argüelo-Kline
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Apple Podcasts
Lowriders. Cruising. A Southern California ritual returns on Apple Podcasts
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You know the slow parade of classic, souped-up lowrider cars with hydraulics that roll down the street bouncing to music? In Southern California, it’s a full-on family tradition that provided a much-needed distraction during the pandemic.
By Steven Cuevas, Shannon Lin Verified, Faith E. Pinho Verified, Shani Hilton, Daniel Hernandez, Daniel Hernández Verified, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Julia Turner
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Apple Podcasts
Why Fernandomania still matters on Apple Podcasts
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Here's why Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela's magical 1981 season still inspires us today.
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Julia Turner, Dylan Hernandez Verified
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Apple Podcasts
How to honor George Floyd on the one-year anniversary of his murder on Apple Podcasts
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Exactly one year has passed since George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. We talk to three Californians whose lives have changed because of it.
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Shani Hilton, Denise Guerra, Joseph Williams Verified, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Julia Turner, Brianna Noble, Carrington Pritchett
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Apple Podcasts
Meet the Germhunters on Apple Podcasts
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A vocal group of politicians, media pundits and scientists doesn’t believe the coronavirus jumped from animals to humans. They think Chinese scientists let the virus loose somehow. It’s a theory that just won’t go away.
By Steven Cuevas, Shannon Lin Verified, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz, Jim Rainey
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Apple Podcasts
LAPD's crowd-control tactics under increasing controversy on Apple Podcasts
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What's it like to cover protests in Los Angeles? Will a new federal injunction change the way police use their weapons at demonstrations?
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Kevin Rector Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Lexis-Olivier Ray Verified, Denise Guerra, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz Verified, Julia Turner
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Apple Podcasts
COVID-19 cautionary tales from India and Brazil on Apple Podcasts
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Together, Brazil and India now have half the COVID-19 cases in the world. We speak to L.A. Times foreign correspondents David Pierson and Kate Linthicum about what the plight of these global powerhouses suggests about the spread of coronavirus around the world.
By Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Kate Linthicum Verified, Denise Guerra, David Pierson Verified, Abbie Fentress Swanson, Mario Diaz Verified, Julia Turner
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Apple Podcasts
Who really created Flamin’ Hot Cheetos? on Apple Podcasts
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A junk snack may not seem like a big deal, especially in this current world. But the story of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos — a gnarled, messy, crunchy, bright-red corn puff that debuted in the early 1990s — and its creation has long been told as an inspirational fable from classrooms to boardrooms because of one man: Richard Montañez. His tale was irresistible: he was a former janitor at a Frito-Lay plant who became a high-ranking executive. That is all true.
By Sam Dean, Steven Cuevas, Gustavo Arellano Verified, Shannon Lin Verified, Denise Guerra, Julia Turner
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Apple Podcasts
The Invisible Force: Latinos at War in Vietnam
Tom Sandoval, father of Pomona College professor Tomas Summers Sandoval, while on active duty during the Vietnam War (Courtesy Tom Sandoval) This Memorial Day coincides with the 50th anniversary of the U.S. military’s first major strike against the North Vietnamese. Nearly 60,000 American troops would die in the Vietnam War. Many of the troops were Latino. But to this day no one knows exactly how many. Freddy Romero is among those who came back.
Could the San Jacinto Fault Zone Rupture Sooner Than Expected?
Locations of tectonic tremor (colored circles and squares) detected under the San Jacinto Fault by researchers at UCR. (Abhijit Ghosh/UC Riverside) “Different from garden-variety earthquakes,” says Ghosh. “So this is a relatively new kind of earthquake that we have not seen on the (San Jacinto) Fault. That means that the Anza-San Jacinto is slowly slipping," says Ghosh.
New 'Valley Girl Redefined' Art Show Shatters Gender and Socioeconomic Archetypes
Legendary muralist Judy Baca's early 70's 'La Pachuca' series is among the pieces on view at the 'Valley Girl Redefined' exhibit in Glendale. (Steven Cuevas/KQED) Matheke’s writing and multimedia art work takes on gender identity, mortality and her own struggles with illness and depression. She’s among the artists spotlighted in the Valley Girl Redefined exhibit presented by curators Erin Stone and Addy Gonzales-Renteria of 11:11 A Creative Collective.
A California Supreme: Alice Coltrane's 'Lost' L.A. Albums Resurrected
John encouraged Alice to take up the harp — an instrument that long fascinated both of them. During a visit to a music store, he ordered one for her. It was delivered to the family’s home just weeks after John’s death. She mastered it well enough to play it on her debut 1968 album, a tribute to her late husband, called A Monastic Trio.
Elite Cultivator Banks on Marijuana Legalization Across the West
Holmes is now one of the most sought-after cultivators in the business. He maintains a small grow near his home in L.A. for research. At another location he manufactures a plant nutrient called Clade9 that he sells to large medical pot growers in California, Arizona and Nevada. Holmes grows a lot of weed, but for other people as a facility designer and cultivation consultant. His latest client is Pegasus Nevada.
30 Years on, U2's 'The Joshua Tree' Still Draws Fans to the Edge of Death Valley
That downtown location is as easy to find as it is to download the entire "The Joshua Tree" album, released in March 1987. But if you set out to find that mysterious tree, you’re unlikely to find it easily. There are no obvious landmarks or road markers to guide you there. After some considerable online sleuthing, I finally run down some GPS coordinates that I hope are correct.
Sen. Feinstein Lacks Votes but Vows to Press for Assault Weapons Ban
In November 1978, it was Feinstein who discovered the bodies of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk after they were gunned down in their city hall offices by Supervisor Dan White. And it was Feinstein who announced the news to the public at San Francisco City Hall. Feinstein’s prior federal gun ban legislation passed during the Clinton administration in 1994. But it was not revived past its 2004 expiration.
Yes, You Can Vote If You Are Homeless
Cunningham fell on hard times a while back, was homeless for a time. Now he's living in a single-room-occupancy hotel. He also enrolled in a civics course offered by Episcopal Community Services. “Voting came up one day and I registered to vote in class,” says Cunningham. “Yeah,” chimes in Cunningham’s teacher, Katherine Powell. “Billy became a first-time voter as, and I'll say this is because we’re the same age, a very mature adult." Powell says she's inspired by Billy's newfound passion for voting.
Hollywood Firms Behind Time’s Up Also Did Business With Alleged Sex Abusers
Mar 2, 2018 Failed to save article Please try again An effigy of film producer Harvey Weinstein is burned during a fireworks display at Edenbridge Bonfire Night on November 4, 2017 in Edenbridge, England. Each year the Edenbridge Bonfire Society creates a 'Celebrity Guy' effigy of an infamous public figure which is burnt during the annual bonfire night celebrations. (Jack Taylor/Getty Images) The 90th annual Oscars ceremony kicks off this Sunday.
More Than Half Las Vegas Massacre Victims from California; SoCal Coroner Assists
Oct 5, 2017 Failed to save article Please try again A street memorial on a narrow median strip across from the Mandalay Bay hotel complex has become a new and unwelcome attraction on the Las Vegas Strip (Steven Cuevas / KQED) More than half of those killed in Las Vegas Sunday night are reportedly from California -- KQED has confirmed at least 32 either lived in the state or were native Californians. Of those, a majority called Southern California home.
New VR Exhibit Lets Viewers Experience Mexican Migrants' Harrowing Journey
Aug 8, 2017 Failed to save article Please try again A museum visitor experiences the 'Carne y Arena' VR installation. (Emmanuel Lubezki) “And it felt like a (real) detention center actually,” says reporter Sergio Burstein from the Spanish-language newspaper Hoy Los Angeles. who ventured through the exhibit right after me. “Obviously, it’s a very uncomfortable situation for someone who is detained,” says Burstein. A loud buzzer breaks the spell, signaling me to move to the next space.
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