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The Los Angeles Archdiocese has agreed to pay $660 million to settle lawsuits from hundreds of people who claim they were abused by Roman Catholic clergy. It is the largest settlement yet reached in the church's clergy sexual abuse scandal.

In 1997, Los Angeles became one of the first U.S. cities to pass a living wage law. It raised pay and benefits for those who work for the city or for businesses that contract with the city. Some workers have seen a rise in their living standards.

New Orleans, where roughly one-third of residents can barely read, has become the latest of several U.S. cities to use the book A Lesson Before Dying in a campaign to fight illiteracy and promote reading. Set in 1948, the novel addresses literacy, poverty and race relations in the segregated South. NPR's Bob Edwards speaks with author Ernest Gaines.

Los Angeles braced for a large turnout for two immigrant rights demonstrations this May Day. The focus on pressuring Congress to adopt broad immigration changes could draw large enough crowds to bring downtown businesses to a halt.

Hot Tuna began as a side project for Jefferson Airplane musicians Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen. Long after the band that made them famous broke up, Hot Tuna is still touring. Casady and Kaukonen talk with Morning Edition host Bob Edwards and play their signature folk-and-blues tunes. Exclusive to npr.org, hear full-length cuts of three songs, recorded live in Studio 4A.

Los Angeles' new Walt Disney Concert Hall is meant to be not only a grand space for orchestral music, but also to attract people who may never have visited a concert hall. The Frank Gehry-designed facility makes its debut Thursday, and its architectural and cultural appeal will be tested. Hear NPR's Mandalit del Barco.

It's getting harder and harder to find an affordable house in Los Angeles: Just ask commentator Lori Gottlieb. When she put in an offer on a house, in addition to a hefty down payment, her realtor told her to write a letter to the seller, telling them why she was the best prospective buyer.

With its raw sexuality, A Streetcar Named Desire broke taboos on stage and screen. It also brought one of the most famous lines ever shouted on film: "Stellaaaaa!" As part of the Present at the Creation series, NPR's Debbie Elliott explores the origins of Tennessee Williams' steamy, tragic tale of a fallen southern belle.

In his new book, Ascent of the A-Word, linguist Geoffrey Nunberg looks at how the term took root among griping World War II GIs — and how its meaning evolved in the '60s and '70s. He tells Fresh Air that crude words are "wonderfully revealing."

For this week's Sandwich Monday, we visit the legendary Beacon Drive-In in Spartanburg, S.C., and when we're done, we don't want to leave.