Granted, the homeless make it hard to run a business near downtown LA’s Skid Row. But one man’s solution is raising eyebrows: spraying water on the sidewalk overnight. ... One of the local pianists in The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is already famous as the Video Game Pianist on YouTube. ... Richard Simmons has gone from being the most accessible celebrity in LA to gone. A new podcast “Missing Richard Simmons" asks what happened. ... And we visit Beth Goodnight -- self-proclaimed "mad scientist" of set building -- to see the last of her Oscar sets before they’re sent off for this weekend’s show.

Director Ava DuVernay on her new documentary about the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which banned slavery ... Backstage with La Santa Cecilia, a Grammy-winning L.A. band that tells modern stories with traditional music ... Frank Romero — interviewed by Cheech Marin — finally has his first major museum retrospective ... Another date that "lives in infamy:” when FDR ordered the imprisonment of 120-thousand Japanese-Americans 75 years ago this weekend ... Girl at the White Horse, a brand new cocktail bar at Sunset and Western, owned by the son of the Shah of Iran’s social secretary.

Ed Asner on being a grouch, Cyber Frequencies, Garrison Keillor, samurai art and a start to finish run with the L.A. Marathon.

Happy Memorial Day!

This week, browse the Off-Ramp collection!

WWII fight for commemorative stamps; rocker Stew disses actors; homegrown Trekkie reviews the latest movie; Disney's rotten karma; Charles Perry and Miki Dora

Poet-provocateur August Kleinzahler reads from his latest book, "Sleeping it Off in Rapid City," and John tells us how to grow a Victory Garden.

We continue our look at Esa-Pekka Salonen's tenure by delving into his composition LA Variations. Plus, KPCC's Steve Julian and Charles Phoenix explore the newly refurbished Pomona Fox Theatre.

We say goodbye to Esa-Pekka Salonen, leaving the LA Philharmonic after 17 years as Maestro. Plus, Dinner Party Download makes you 31% smarter.