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AirTalk Oct. 27, 2026
Today's show: AirTalk host Larry Mantle discusses L.A. speed cameras going live, Michael Giacchino and his career, SoCal’s Eastern European Jewish immigration and Props 40, 41 and 42.
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Slow down LA… Speed cameras are now live
About one-fifth of the city of Los Angeles’ new speed cameras are now issuing warnings, with the rest slated to go live later this year. Each speed camera will issue automated warnings for 60 days before they start issuing fines. Those penalties start at $50 for going 11 mph over the limit and go up to $500 for drivers going over 100 mph. Here's what you should know.
Guest:
- Kavish Harjai, transportation correspondent for LAist
Michael Giacchino
Few composers are as accomplished on the big screen as Michael Giacchino, whose work has elevated live-action films and animated ones alike for years. He joins AirTalk this morning to discuss his upcoming first musical, Headless, and his career.
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Guest:
- Michael Giacchino, composer whose scores include The Incredibles, Coco, Jojo Rabbit, Ratatouille, Star Trek, Jurassic World, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Spider-Man: Homecoming and War for the Planet of the Apes.
SoCal’s Eastern European Jewish immigration and Yiddish culture
Many of us know Southern California to be a melting pot of different cultures and communities. Boyle Heights in particular was once home to the highest concentration of Jews west of Chicago. A new book gets into the history of Eastern European Jewish migrants and their move into Los Angeles as well as their involvement with labor and left-wing movements.
Guest:
- Caroline Luce, project director with the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment and author of Yiddish in the Land of Sunshine: Race, Labor, and Jewish Radicalism in Los Angeles (NYU Press, September 2026).
‘Billionaire tax’ Prop 40 and its rival props 41 and 42
Under Proposition 40, California billionaires would pay a one-time 5% tax on their net worth. The money collected from the tax would primarily be used to shore up funding for healthcare in the state, which is currently projected to take a massive blow due to federal cuts. We dive deep into Prop 40 and its rival props, 41 and 42, and what's at stake.
Guests:
- Kristen Hwang, health reporter for CalMatters
- Suzanne Jimenez, chief of staff for the SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West
- Lee Ohanian, professor of economics at UCLA and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University
- Stuart Waldman, CEO of the L.A. Business Federation
- Brian Marvel, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California
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High tide concerns in SoCal, Prop 3, new book on Biddy Mason's story, the shift in digital media engagement and navigating Alzheimer's in relationships. -
Rob Bonta on latest state litigation, Orange County D.A. on e-bike cases, Taiwanese eatery Little Fatty and FilmWeek.
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Film and TV shoots dropping in L.A., the future of Netflix, novelist Lisa See on new book, nighttime anxiety and TV Talk.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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