“Dark Shadows” fans, cast, and crew are celebrating its 50th birthday next week in Hollywood. We mark the anniversary by bringing in one of the original stars, and one of the original fans. ... When LAPD officer Jorge Parra isn’t walking the beat in LA, he’s still thinking about the city’s streets and buildings. He’s spent years building a 72-square-foot model of LA, out of Legos, in his kitchen. ... We’ll tell you what researchers discovered about the best way to increase voter turnout: voters need to make a simple plan, tell someone about it, and then think what their neighbors will say if they don’t go to the polls.

John talks with 35-year old Chris Thile, who takes over as the new host of A Prairie Home Companion this weekend and hopes to bring in a younger audience, without scaring off older listeners. ... Anthony Hernandez: taking pictures for almost 50 years: Downtown LA in the ‘70s, Rodeo Drive in the ‘80s, the homeless in the ‘90s. ... For KPCC's Voter Game Plan, Meghan McCarty tells us how she’s helping voters understand the complex Measure R transportation tax. ... Meet an Armenian-Syrian college student from Damascus juggling a full time job, night school, and the torture of knowing what his family is going through back home.

How 1950s LA prepped for nuclear war; the Aqualillies are part of the synchronized swimming renaissance; Brains On and sound; LA's Wrigley Field.

The best of 8 years of Off-Ramp, including "The Ashes of Oakridge," the giant scissors of LA County, Carey McWilliams, and riding a motorbike with Susan Carpenter!

LA City Archivist looks into our water history; A Martinez on the new Lakers season; Tim Robbins brings "Midsummer Night's Dream" back from China; the bizarre waving mannequins of North Hollywood.

Giant sea bass census; the Great Drought and our water-dependent history; Marjorie Elizabeth Cameron Parsons Kimmel; No Mad Scientists in "I Origins"

Seth Menachem: Don't judge me or my 2-year old; an update on the Broad Museum and Hauser, Wirth, and Schimmel; Spike Lee up close & personal.

Sam Humphries, "smartass" Star-Lord writer; Taylor Orci thanks the social worker who rescued her; a mobster-cum-barber; Judy Chicago's Womanhouse

Brando Skyhorse on his tortured Echo Park upbringing, band Harbor Party pays tribute to Yacht Rock, and Kevin and Russ cook the perfect hamburger

RH Greene's appreciation of "Do the Right Thing," which changed the way we talk about race; Piero Selvaggio, who changed food in America; new NPR chief Jarl Mohn, who changed the face of US media.