AirTalk

Today on AirTalk, we break down President Biden's proposed $1.8 trillion 'American Families Plan.' Also on the show, we learn how California parks are rebuilding after devastating wildfires; analyze the potential outcomes of the FDA's proposed ban on menthol cigarettes; and more.

U.S. health regulators pledged again Thursday to try to ban menthol cigarettes, this time under pressure from African American groups to remove the mint flavor popular among Black smokers.

The Food and Drug Administration has attempted several times to get rid of menthol but faced pushback from Big Tobacco, members of Congress and competing political interests in both the Obama and Trump administrations. Any menthol ban will take years to implement and will likely face legal challenges from tobacco companies.

Thursday’s announcement is the result of a lawsuit filed by anti-smoking and medical groups last summer to force the FDA to finally make a decision on menthol, alleging that regulators had “unreasonably delayed” responding to a 2013 petition seeking to ban the flavor. The deadline for the agency’s response was Thursday. The FDA said it aims to introduce the regulations banning the flavor in the coming year.

There has also been some discourse in implementing such a ban despite the drug disproportionately hurting the health of Black Americans, with the policing of this issue potentially becoming a problematic byproduct of the proposed policy. Today on AirTalk, we debate the potential outcomes of this proposed FDA policy and weigh its benefits and risks. Questions? Call us at 866-893-5722.

With files from the Associated Press

Guests:

Carol McGruder, co-chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council; she tweets @aatclc

Jody Armour, professor of law at USC; he wrote “The carceral consequences of a menthol cigarette ban on communities of color”; he tweets @NiggaTheory

President Joe Biden declared that “America is rising anew” as he called for an expansion of federal programs to drive the economy past the coronavirus pandemic and broadly extend the social safety net on a scale not seen in decades.

Biden’s nationally televised address to Congress, his first, raised the stakes for his ability to sell his plans to voters of both parties, even if Republican lawmakers prove resistant. The Democratic president is following Wednesday night’s speech by pushing his plans in person, beginning in Georgia on Thursday and then on to Pennsylvania and Virginia in the days ahead. 

Speaking in highly personal terms while demanding massive structural changes, the president marked his first 100 days in office by proposing a $1.8 trillion investment in children, families and education to help rebuild an economy devastated by the virus and compete with rising global competitors.

We dive into the American Families Plan - what’s in it, how it will be funded and its political viability. 

With files from the Associated Press

Guests:

Anita Kumar, White House correspondent and associate editor for POLITICO; she tweets @anitakumar01

Elizabeth Spalding, senior fellow at the Pepperdine school of public policy 

Renée Van Vechten, professor of political science at University of Redlands; she tweets @profrvv

Last summer wildfires ravaged Big Basin Redwoods State Park so devastatingly that in just one day, 97% of it burned, turning its cathedral-like redwoods to black and wiping out critical infrastructure.

Now park officials are hoping to rebuild and reopen parts of the park. And although the devastation is immense, it has also provided a unique opportunity for officials to reimagine what the park might look like going forward. Though many species have been wiped out completely (don’t expect to see any Douglas Firs, for example), others, like the eponymous redwoods, are already showing signs of regrowth. Officials say their charred trunks could be an opportunity to educate visitors on wildfires and forest management. This summer, park leaders will convene stakeholders to weigh in not only on ecological education, but the indigenous history of the land, which has not previously been a prominent feature of the park’s educational materials. It will take years to eventually reopen the park, but parks management are emphasizing that when visitors are eventually allowed back, they will encounter a very different park from the one they last met. 

Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about how California parks are rebuilding after devastating wildfires. Questions? Comment below or give us a call at 866-893-5722.

Guests:

Julie Cart, environment reporter at Cal Matters and author of the recent piece, “Battered, burned but alive: Time will heal park’s wounds, but it needs big money, too”; she tweets @julie_cart

Joanne Kerbavaz, senior environmental scientist at Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Adrienne Dunfee, deputy monument manager at the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument; she was agency administrator representative on last year’s Bobcat Fire

In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Tim Brewer from UCLA.

Today’s topics include:

Some young Americans are hesitant about getting a COVID-19 shot. Here's why that's an issue for all Americans 

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can remain stable at refrigerated temperatures for 3 months, company says 

Vaccines appear to be slowing spread of COVID-19 infections 

Opioids for COVID-19 'long haulers' raise addiction fears 

India and poorer countries may wait years for COVID-19 vaccines as rich countries hoard them 

Guest:

Timothy Brewer, M.D., epidemiologist and professor of medicine at UCLA’s school of public health; has served on the advisory boards of the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Today on AirTalk, we discuss the latest headlines in COVID-19. Also on the show, we take a historical deep dive into the inequities in LA County's urban planning; go over the proposed barriers along the Colorado Street Bridge; and more.

The pandemic has forced us all to come to certain realizations. Some have realized that certain friendships may not be as strong as once believed when the ability to see one another in person is removed from the equation. For others, maybe it’s that you’re more (or less) of a homebody than you’d originally thought. And still for others maybe it’s the discovery of a previously unexplored hobby.

But as New York Times technology columnist Kevin Roose writes in his latest piece for his column “The Shift,” some millennials are deciding that now is the time for them to chase their dreams, travel the world the way they’ve always envisioned, or risk it all to start that business or solo venture they’ve always thought about doing but never been able to pull the trigger on actually starting. Having just spent a year indoors pondering their own mortality and that of their friends and loved ones, Roose writes, and with considerably heftier bank account balances thanks to not being able to go anywhere and asset values that have climbed during the pandemic, many are jumping at the chance to quit their job or career and try their hand at something completely different, or simply to strike out on their own in search of freelance or other opportunities.

Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk about how the “YOLO economy” came about, how some are taking advantage of it, and we want to hear from you! Are you someone who made a drastic career change during the pandemic? Did you leave your day job to pursue travel, a passion project, or self-employment? What led you to this decision? How are things going? Join our conversation by calling us at 866-893-5722.

GUEST:

Kevin Roose, technology columnist for The New York Times and author of the piece “Welcome To The YOLO Economy”; he tweets @kevinroose 

Latesha Byrd, CEO and founder of Byrd Career Consulting, talent development consulting agency based in Charlotte, NC serving organizations and top talent at the intersection of career empowerment, diversity, equity & inclusion and leadership development; she tweets @Latesha_Byrd

If you've crossed the Colorado Street Bridge lately, you may have seen three tall, oddly shaped vertical barriers between the 10-foot high fencing. One of these installations may be the new sight for the bridge in years to come, as the city is considering a proposal to build permanent vertical barriers to prevent people from using the bridge to take their own lives.

The bridge has been the backdrop in various films, most notably in Charlie Chaplin's "The Kid" and more recently in 2016 film La La Land. In June 2017, the city of Pasadena erected the temporary fencing along the bridge to prevent people from jumping. Now, the city is looking for a more permanent barrier solution for the bridge to deter suicide attempts. The Department of Public Works contracted Donald MacDonald Architects for the project. The firm also designed the netting for the Golden Gate Bridge. The mock ups are available online for public review until May 31. 

Today on AirTalk, we learn the latest developments on the suicide prevention barriers erected along the Colorado Street Bridge. Have any questions? Call us at (626) 893-5722.

If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255. It is available 24 hours a day in English and Spanish.

Guests:

Bradley Bermont, journalist formerly with the Pasadena Star News; he wrote "Pasadena seeks feedback on Colorado Street Bridge anti-suicide fence mockups"; he tweets @bradleybermont

Brad Hanson, president of the Pasadena Beautiful Foundation; he is the author of “Colorado Street Bridge Barrier Options Impair Views, Degrade Walking Experience”

In an interview, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg had noted that “there is racism physically built into some of our highways,” a sentiment that may seem odd at first glance but is rooted in facts that can be found in highways and other infrastructure across the country.

In Los Angeles County, there have been differences as to where projects inevitably are built and where they aren't. In places like Beverly Hills, protests have led to scrapped highway plans while areas such as Boyle Heights have not faired as well.

Despite both neighborhoods arguing against their respective projects, it was Boyle Heights that lacked the political resources to prevent the eventual construction of highways near its homes, according to UCLA historian Eric Avila.

Moments in history like this are what have now created major issues for minority communities across Los Angeles county that live nearby these highways and must deal with the heavy pollution that comes from them.

Today on AirTalk, we look back on these inequities to understand why communities like Beverly Hills and Boyle Heights met different fates during the 1960’s and 1970’s, as well as the greater picture of inequality that has been caused by urban planning in the county. 

Guests:

Eric Avila, professor of history and Chicano studies at UCLA; Los Angeles historian and author of the book “The Folklore of the Freeway: Race and Revolt in the Modernist City” (University of Minnesota Press, May 2014)

Gilbert Estrada,  associate professor at Long Beach City College who writes about Southern California history

Joe Linton, editor for Streetsblog LA

In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Dean Blumberg of UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

Topics today include:

L.A. County enters yellow tier, could see wider reopening soon

U.S. averaging 2.7 million COVID vaccine shots per day, majority of states have vaccinated half their adults

Can you drink after the COVID vaccine?

Fauci says global pandemic needs global response amid outbreak in India

West Virginia offering financial incentive to get vaccinated

Guest:

Dean Blumberg, M.D., professor of medicine and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital