AirTalk

Today on AirTalk, we break down the latest COVID-19 news. Also on the show, we discuss the potential for AI simulating therapeutic conversations; review the newest movie releases with our KPCC film critics; and more.

COVID-19 AMA: SF To Require Vaccinations Among City Workers, 3 In 5 (0:00)

Californians Have Received At Least One Vaccine And More

Can An AI Provide Effective Therapy? (13:57)

Cast And Creators Of Bosch Talk Final Season, Series Wrap, And Larry’s Cameo! (28:50)

FilmWeek: ‘F9:The Fast Saga,’ ‘Summer Of Soul,’ ‘Zola’ And More (52:23)

Questlove On His Directorial Debut “Summer Of Soul” And The Significance Of The 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival (1:23:40)

Today on AirTalk, we look at the latest on the gubernatorial recall election. Also on the show, we speak with Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón; talk with former LAPD chief Bill Bratton on his new book; and more.

In former LAPD chief Bill Bratton’s new book, he examines the past five decades of policing in the United States, as well as his own place in the institution. 

After George Floyd’s murder by police last year and the subsequent protests that erupted throughout the country, American policing is under increasing scrutiny. After Bratton’s years in police departments around the country, he believes that the path forward is through further reforms and improvements to policing.

Today on AirTalk, we’re talking with Bill Bratton about his new book. Questions? Give us a call at 866-893-5722.

Guest:

Bill Bratton, has served as chief of the LAPD, chief of the New York City Transit Police, and commissioner of the Boston Police Department and the New York City Police Department. He is the author of the new book, “The Profession: A Memoir of Community, Race, and the Arc of Policing in America” (Penguin Random House, 2021)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vastly overstated wildfire prevention work completed by his administration, according to a Capital Public Radio investigation released Wednesday.

State fire officials have treated less than 18 of the 140 square miles (50 of the 365 square kilometers) that the Democratic governor has touted, the radio station reported. The land is part of 35 priority projects Newsom designated in 2019 on the heels of the deadliest wildfire season in state history. In 2020, California's fuel reduction efforts also dropped from the year before, and Newsom cut the fire prevention budget by $150 million, CapRadio reported.  The governor's office declined to comment on the investigation, and state fire officials took responsibility for Newsom sharing inaccurate information. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection had not “done our job in educating the public, nor the governor's office” on how to communicate about the efforts, Chief Tom Porter said. Republican lawmakers and those challenging Newsom in an expected recall election later this year quickly jumped on the story as evidence of mismanagement and deceptive governing.

Also on Wednesday, the recall election for Governor Newsom took another step forward as the Secretary of State’s office said that counties had submitted final signature counts following the period provided by state law that allows people who have signed the recall petition to withdraw their signatures. The final tally was more than 200,000 signatures over what’s required to trigger the recall. As POLITICO’s Jeremy B. White reports, this was an incremental step, as the governor’s office has already said it knows the signatures withdrawn in that window wouldn’t be enough to cancel the recall.

Today on AirTalk, we’ll look at the latest on the recall election and dig into the findings of the CapRadio investigation on state efforts to prevent wildfires.

With files from the Associated Press

Guests:

Dan Walters, long-time California politics observer with CALmatters, a nonprofit public interest publication; he tweets @DanCALmatters

Melanie Mason, national political correspondent for the Los Angeles Times; she tweets @melmason

Today on AirTalk, Larry talks with Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. 

Today’s topics include: 

The Stand With Gascón campaign and recall efforts 

Several local communities issue “no confidence” votes 

LA DA announces panel to reexamine fatal police shootings 

How has law enforcement responded to the panel? 

Misdemeanor, parole policy and sentencing enhancements reform

Lawsuit alleges sheriff’s deputies beat Black man during traffic stop 

DA Gascón wants info on officers with misconduct history. Have law enforcement agencies responded? 

Guest:

George Gascón, district attorney of Los Angeles County; he tweets @GeorgeGascon and his office tweets @LADAOffice

Joint accounts, separate accounts, allowances, oh my. How do you navigate the emotional and logistical straits of finances in your romantic relationship? 

Guest:

David Rae, certified financial planner and president of the firm DRM Wealth Management, based in West Hollywood, Los Angeles

The pandemic has made many people rethink their career goals, or whether those goals are as important as spending time with your family or checking off items from the bucket list. 

Millions of workers have decided to quit their jobs. Others are demanding hybrid working situations or reduced hours - but will the mindset last? 

Call us and tell us about whether you or people you know have reprioritized work, and if so, whether you think those shifts are permanent or temporary. Call us via 866-893-5722.

In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Shruti Gohil at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine.

Topics today include:

Delta variant continues to spread in California

COVID-19 antibodies appear to wane

Younger people and Black Americans are the two groups hit hardest by COVID-19

Sydney, Australia enters ‘scariest’ phase due to spread of Delta variant

Brazil passes 500,000 COVID deaths

Guest:

Shruti Gohil, M.D., professor of medicine and associate medical director for epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine

Today on AirTalk, we answer your COVID-19 questions and discuss the latest. Also on the show, we speak to LAPD chief Michel Moore, check in on the latest Olympics news coming from Tokyo & Los Angeles, and more.

The Supreme Court ruled this week that a Pennsylvania public school wrongly suspended a student from cheerleading over a vulgar social media post she made after she didn’t qualify for the varsity team.

The court voted 8-1 in favor of Brandi Levy, who was a 14-year-old high school freshman when she expressed her disappointment over not making the varsity cheerleading squad with a string of curse words and a raised middle finger on Snapchat.

The Supreme Court also sided with California agriculture businesses in their challenge to a state regulation that gives unions access to farm property in order to organize workers. As a result of the ruling, California will have to modify or abandon the regulation put in place in 1975 after the efforts of labor leader Cesar Chavez. The justices ruled 6-3 along ideological lines for the agriculture businesses. It’s another potential setback for unions as a result of a high court decision.

“The access regulation amounts to simple appropriation of private property,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the conservative members of the court.

At issue was a regulation that granted unions access to farms and other agriculture businesses for up to three hours per day, 120 days per year, in order to organize workers. Businesses are supposed to be notified before organizers arrive, and organizers are supposed to come during nonwork times such as lunch and before and after work. Judges also ruled in favor of a California man who argued his rights were violated when police pursued him into his garage after allegedly playing loud music driving down a two-lane highway at night, according to NPR. Today on AirTalk, we’re hearing more about the Supreme Court decisions and what the implications of them could be. Questions? Give us a call at 866-893-5722.

With files from the Associated Press

Guests:

Kimberly Robinson, U.S. Supreme Court reporter for Bloomberg Law and co-host of Bloomberg Law’s podcast “Cases and Controversies”; she tweets @KimberlyRobinsn

Pratheepan Gulasekaram, professor of law at Santa Clara Law, where he specializes in constitutional and immigration law; he tweets @pgdeep