- Features - Los Angeles magazine

Author Matthew Segal

Matthew Segal

Executive Editor

Matthew Segal is Executive Editor of Los Angeles magazine, where he oversees a range of stories, from business columns to investigative features to service packages to travel pieces. His writing for Los Angeles includes personal essays, travel pieces, profiles, and societal stories. Before becoming Executive Editor, he held the positions of Features Editor and Managing Editor at the magazine. Segal was formerly Managing Editor of Buzz Weekly and Senior Editor of Men’s Fitness. As a freelance writer, he wrote for Outside, GQ, and Details, among other publications.

Postscript: The Takeover Artist

Posted on 9/1/2012 12:00:00 PM by Matthew Segal

In “The Takeover Artist,” which appears in the September Los Angeles magazine, writer-at-large Ed Leibowitz profiles John Deasy, following him through his first year as the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Executive editor Matthew Segal speaks with Leibowitz about Deasy, who’s set out to radically transform a system that is facing profound challenges—challenges that will no doubt shape the city’s future. Read More

Postscript: The End of the Line

Posted on 7/1/2012 12:00:00 PM by Matthew Segal

In “The End of the Line,” which appears in the July issue of Los Angeles magazine, Charles Fleming writes about pedestrians dying on the region’s train tracks. Many are killed by accident—people crossing the tracks often underestimate how fast trains are moving—but it’s the suicides that are especially haunting for the people who operate the trains. Fleming talks with executive editor Matthew Segal about the story. Read More

Postscript: The Identity Thief

Posted on 6/1/2012 12:00:00 PM by Matthew Segal

In the June issue, Louise Farr writes about the twisted path of Randy Kling. In her story “The Identity Thief,” she details how Kling was a lifelong criminal with a knack for credit card fraud. He was so good at amassing aliases, he was even jailed at one point under a false identity. That was before he tried pulling off his biggest scam of all and wound up killing two people in the process. Executive editor Matthew Segal speaks with Farr about the piece. Read More

Postscript: Spokes People

Posted on 11/9/2009 12:00:00 PM by Matthew Segal

On November 2, Dr. Christopher Thompson, a 60-year-old former emergency room physician, was found guilty of driving past two cyclists on Mandeville Canyon Road and slamming on his brakes. One cyclist glanced off the car, separating his shoulder; the other crashed face-first through the car’s rear window, breaking teeth, receiving cuts to his face, and fracturing his deeply lacerated nose. The incident, which took place on July 4, 2008, drew widespread attention from cyclists, many of whom complain of routinely being endangered by drivers. Plenty of drivers sided with the doctor, citing the unsafe riding practices of bicyclists. Read More

Postscript: Sign Language

Posted on 6/29/2009 12:00:00 PM by Matthew Segal

In the June issue, Los Angeles ran “Sign Language,” a photo-essay featuring billboards from the 1950s and 1960s. The images of the advertisements came to us from photographer Gary Leonard, who had received a cache of archival Kodachrome slides from Pacific Outdoor Advertising. Leonard is presenting nearly 100 of the images in an exhibition titled “The Billboard Show” at his new downtown gallery, Take My Picture. Beyond vividly documenting a bygone era in a bygone Los Angeles (on what will soon be a bygone type of film, now that Kodak is discontinuing its Kodachrome line), the shots were captivating for their mystery: They came with almost no background documentation. Then, shortly after the June issue hit the stands, we received a letter from Judy Jacobsen: Read More

Bike Culture: Cycling The Links

Posted on 1/15/2009 12:00:00 PM by Matthew Segal

C.I.C.L.E
Along with a schedule of classes and rides (including family-friendly “urban exploration” tours) put on by this nonprofit, you’ll find articles (original and linked) and scads of useful links—less-trafficked bike routes, tips, local resources, and more. Read More

Bike Culture: Want to Ride?

Posted on 1/15/2009 12:00:00 PM by Matthew Segal

A day doesn’t go by in L.A. during which there isn’t an organized bike excursion going on. Some are more raucous than others, but in general the crowds are friendly and the skills and stamina required are minimal. Group rides often involve at least a little unlawfulness, as riders at the back of the pack tend to ride through ride lights while fellow riders block traffic in order to keep the group together. In Santa Monica, the police have been known to issue dozens of tickets during Critical Mass, homing in on those who fail to stop at red lights but also issuing tickets to people whose bicycles aren’t in compliance with the law. For the tamest rides, choose one scheduled during daylight hours. Read More

Bike Culture: Ride Right

Posted on 1/15/2009 12:00:00 PM by Matthew Segal

On a hot day at the Glassell Park Rec Center, children splash in the distant pool as seven grownups try to pedal in a straight line across the blacktop. They’re taking part in a class on bicycle-handling skills, and what becomes clear is that, fundamental as cycling seems—you balance, you ride—most of everyone, including a commuter or two, has much to gain from the session. Shay Sanchez and Liz Elliott have been teaching the class for about year now at the center, which sits at the foot of the Verdugo Hills near Eagle Rock. Read More

Bike Culture: Repairs

Posted on 1/1/2009 12:00:00 PM by Matthew Segal

Bicycle Kitchen
The Kitchen will provide you the tools and expertise to repair, refine, or, for that matter, rebuild a bike. The suggested donation is $7 an hour. Call ahead to make a reservation, else you might find yourself on a waiting list. » 706 Heliotrope Ave., L.A., 323-662-2776. Read More

Bike Culture: The Basics

Posted on 1/10/2008 12:00:00 PM by Matthew Segal

The law as it pertains to bicycles isn’t tricky, but there’s still confusion among cyclists and car drivers about what cyclists are allowed—and supposed—to do. For more details on riding safely and legally, check out the guides offered by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation or the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition. Meantime, get to know the basics: Read More