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Thieves Stealing Fire Hydrants In Los Angeles

An unusual topic this morning with a story out of the Los Angeles area where thieves are stealing fire hydrants in Southern California. The Mike & Carla Morning Show brought…

Sample of fire hydrants that have been tapped and pouring out refreshing cool water.

A red fire hydrant that someone unscrewed to release water.

Drew Bloksberg via Getty Images

An unusual topic this morning with a story out of the Los Angeles area where thieves are stealing fire hydrants in Southern California. The Mike & Carla Morning Show brought this up and it got very interesting the more and more it was discussed.

Some had their own theories as to what was happening and why. Now, according to a report from KTLA in Los Angeles, people are stealing these hydrants and selling them for scrap metal. Just as with catalytic converters and copper, it all has a price.

Thieves Stealing Fire Hydrants in Los Angeles

The reports does details on how the city and county are planning to put locks in place so this trend does NOT continue!

Both Mike O'Brian and Carla Rea admitted to not knowing a lot about hydrants and was looking for some input. The one thought they each had was if you rip it off, wouldn't you have a bunch of water gushing out?

Just like in the movies, Carla even mentioned that she would love to uncork a hydrant, release some spaying water to play in during the summer. C'mon, we see it all the time on tv and in the movies.

Come to find out though, it doesn't always happen like that. Depending on where you live, some of this water spouts might be different. This was pointed out by a guy name Steve who claimed to have built fire hydrants for almost 20 years.

He told us of the difference in each outlet depending on your geographical location. For example, the hydrants here are a lot different than those in SoCal! Who knew right?

Well, it was a wealth of information this morning as we learned something knew on the show. Hopefully it was just as educational for you.

If you missed any of the segment, you're in luck....hit "play" and listen to it below and enjoy!

Fun and Affordable Staycation Ideas

Summer always brings a bevy of vacation options, some more exotic than others. But, you don't have to travel far or do something major to have a great vacation. There are many fun and affordable staycation ideas that can give you a memorable vacation memory by just staying close to home.

Staycation Ideas

So, what exactly is the definition of a staycation? It's pretty self-explanatory, but according to the Oxford Dictionary, it's "a vacation spent in one's home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions. Similarly, Merriam-Webster says it's, "a vacation spent at home or nearby." I think it's a stretch to call any vacation that's spent in your home country a staycation. That would mean that someone living in Michigan who travels to California for a vacation is really having a "staycation." It makes much more sense to define a staycation as a vacation where you literally stay at home or do something fun in your local area. Thankfully, there are a plethora of great staycation ideas out there.

Plenty of cities have "be a tourist in your own town" activities promoted by their local city tourist bureaus, which are perfect for a staycation. Really, staycations have been around forever, but they increased in popularity during the pandemic, when people actually weren't allowed to travel abroad. Still, even after the pandemic, the staycation is going strong. According to an international study by tourism and hospitality experts in the U.S. and China, the "staycation phenomenon" that started during the pandemic is still very popular and likely to stay as a new normal. The study, dubbed "Customer Preferences for Staycation Package Attributes," is published online in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. It researched the local staycation preferences of Chinese tourists, as well as staycation information from the U.S., Netherlands and Indonesia.

I love a good staycation. It can be stressful to plan a huge trip to squeeze into your time off. By the time you get everything packed, do all the flight stuff and get to your hotel, you might just feel like resting for the short while that you're at your destination. What's more, you can often find so many great places close to home that you've never experienced before. I've had so many great staycations where I ventured to a part of town or the state that I had never been before, and those are among my favorite vacation memories. In that spirit, here are some fun and affordable staycation ideas. Send me your ideas, too.

Netflix and Chill

Have a vacation in your living room or bedroom. Make it a movie-watching marathon. Watch a string of your favorite guilty-pleasure movies or binge-watch a brand new series. Either way, it'll be cozy and comfy.

Netflix and Chill

Getty Images / demaerre

Visit a Local or National Park

If you have a state or national park nearby, use your vacation time to go adventuring. Being at a local park can offer some breathtaking scenery, especially in the summer. Have a picnic out there, too. If you don't have a state or national park close by, try a local park.

Visit a Local or National Park

Getty Images / corradobarattaphotos

Nearly every town has a local museum or art gallery. Perhaps you've never really had the time to visit your local museum or art spot. Use your vacation time to explore those local spots, and you might find a new favorite place.

Visit a Local Museum or Art Gallery

Getty Images / shironosov

Stay at a Local Hotel, Airbnb or Bed-and-Breakfast

If you've driven by that new hotel for a while and wondered what it's like inside, why not book it for a night? You don't have to be traveling to say at a hotel, Airbnb or local bed-and-breakfast. It can make for an exciting adventure right in your backyard.

Stay at a Local Hotel, Airbnb or Bed-and-Breakfast

Getty Images / Kristen-Prahl

Have a Party

Using vacation time to plan a big party for friends is a good use of that time. Instead of traveling around the world, bring to world to you. Invite lots of your good friends, and spend some of the cash you would have on a vacation for your party. It'll be the party of the year. Make that decade.

Have a Party

Getty Images / SeventyFour

Have a Spa Day

Pamper yourself. Maybe you think having a spa day is too much of a luxury, but if you're saving money by not taking a big trip, why not use that money for a spa day? It's not just for ladies, either. Guys can book a spa day for a variety of services. It'll make for a day of bliss.

Have a Spa Day

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Mike O’Brian is the Program Director and Morning Show host on 96.3 KKLZ in Las Vegas, along with Carla Rea. He has been with the Beasley Media Group for almost 23 years. Mike was named one of the “Best Program Directors In America” by Radio Ink magazine. Over the years, “The Mike & Carla Morning Show” have been presented with a number of proclamations for their work in the community and numerous awards. Having lived in Las Vegas for over 35 years, he writes articles on living in Las Vegas, sports, and odd stories happening within the state of Nevada. Mike is the host of the morning show and program director of 96.3 KKLZ/Las Vegas. He has been doing mornings in Las Vegas for the past 38 years. Over the years, he has hosted a numerous amount of community events and has been the P.A. announcer for a number of sports teams in Las Vegas. He has written on living in Las Vegas, the sports teams here, as well as odd & little-known facts about Las Vegas & Nevada.