LA County mask law enforcement ban

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Today on AirTalk: LA County law enforcement mask ban; Zillow removes climate risk feature; Ragebaiting; CA's high electric bills; and Why isn't Gen Z holiday shopping?

LA County mask law enforcement ban

Today on AirTalk: LA County law enforcement mask ban; Zillow removes climate risk feature; Ragebaiting; CA's high electric bills; and Why isn't Gen Z holiday shopping?

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LA County mask law enforcement ban

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted yesterday to move forward with a proposed ordinance that prohibits law enforcement officers from concealing their identities while interacting with the public in unincorporated areas of the county. The proposal would require all officers and agents — local, state or federal — to refrain from wearing masks or other facial coverings and display visible identification. A similar statewide ban, signed into law in September, is currently being challenged by the Trump administration in federal court. Joining guest host Julia Paskin to discuss the ban and potential legal challenges is Janice Hahn, LA County Supervisor for the 4th district.

With files from LAist. You can read more of Aaron Schrank's reporting on the proposed ban here.

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Why did Zillow remove their climate risk feature?

In September 2024, the real estate listing site Zillow launched a climate risk feature on all for-sale listings that gave data and information for an area’s wind, flood, wildfire, heat, and air quality risk. Included in the information was home insurance requirements and recommendations. But as of last month, the feature is no longer available. Claire Brown, reporter for the New York Times who covers climate change first reported on the feature’s removal. When asked why they decided to no longer display climate risk projections, Zillow cited the California Regional Multiple Listing Service who has voiced concerns about the climate risk displays hurting home sales. Today on AirTalk, Claire joins us to discuss her reporting and what the removal of this feature may mean for future homebuyers.

Rage again for the green: how did ‘rage bait’ grow as a means for internet clout and engagement

For as long as mass media have existed, there have been commentators who’ve centered their commentary on grabbing attention more than having honest discussions. In the age of social media, it’s become quite common to hear takes that are specifically engineered to enrage people, in hopes of boosting your engagement and follower count. Online, this method of monetizing one's social media presence has been commonly referred to as ragebaiting; the term has even caught on so much that it's been named Oxford’s 2025 word of the year. Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk to Candice Lim, formerly of Slate’s ICYMI podcast about rage bait and how the economics of it have made it too good to pass up for social media influencers.

Why are California’s electric bills so high?

Over the course of this year, California lawmakers have made several efforts aimed at slashing the rising costs of electricity. Currently, the Golden State pays some of the highest rates in the country, falling second only to the state of Hawaii’s rate. These high rates end up hitting low-income families harder, particularly those who live in inland communities where temperatures in the summer can boil over 100 degrees. And although the proposals would make sweeping changes to how utilities are funded, i.e., how power lines are installed underground to avoid wildfire ignition, some critics are wary, as power costs could go even higher as utilities are pressed to mitigate danger. So what’s driving these price spikes, who’s benefitting, and what reforms are actually on the table? Joining us to talk about California’s electric rate challenges and potential affordability solutions are Mohit Chhabra, Senior Analyst of Regulatory and Economic Policy for the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Dan Walters, political columnist for CalMatters.

A new report looks at the success and unintended consequences of California's TK program

In 2021, Governor Newsom and state leaders set in motion a plan to make a public preschool program — transitional kindergarten — available for all 4-year-olds by this fall. The plan was touted as an effort to improve learning outcomes for lower-income families and break “cycles of intergenerational poverty.” According to a new report from UC Berkeley, however, more affluent neighborhoods in L.A. County are leading enrollment in transitional kindergarten. The report found that enrollment growth in the richest quarter of ZIP codes in the county — places that include Palos Verdes and Brentwood — climbed at three times the rate of growth in the poorest parts of the county from 2021 to the spring of 2024. The report shows that middle- to upper-income families are gaining the most from transitional kindergarten. The report also found that the growth of enrollment of 4-year-olds in the public school system correlated to the shrinking number of preschools in the community — areas with the highest growth in TK also had a higher number of preschool closures. Joining us to discuss the report and how California's TK program is living up to its intent are Elly Yu, LAist senior reporter covering early childhood, and Bruce Fuller, professor emeritus of education and public policy at UC Berkeley and co-author of the report.

With files from LAist. You can read more of Elly’s reporting on transitional kindergarten here.

Gen Z shopping declines this holiday season

Consumer holiday shopping this year has not suffered that much of a hit in gains, but one generation more than any other this year is clutching to their purses and wallets. According to a new report by the Wall Street Journal, Gen Z shoppers—people in their teens to late twenties— are on pace to cut their holiday shopping by 34% this year. This is in stark comparison to Millennials, Gen X, and of course, boomers. But this may also be a cultural thing for Gen Z. Many of them are opting for handmade gifts, low-cost activities, or even thrifting some “dupe” versions of otherwise higher-end things. Joining us to discuss the downward trend is Kelly Pedersen, Global Retail Leader, PwC's (Price Waterhouse Coopers, a management consulting company).