DOC AMA: LA County COVID-19 Numbers Continue Upward Trend
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Kristen Choi, professor of nursing and public health at UCLA; registered nurse practicing at Gateways Hospital.
Topics today include:
- Los Angeles COVID-19 cases spike amid Delta variant
- As vaccines do their work, focus moves to long COVID-19
- The Delta variant will drive a steep rise in U.S. COVID-19 deaths, a new model shows
- At least 100 US athletes unvaccinated as Olympics begin
- “Unvaccinated” is different from “anti-vax”
- Vaccinations rise in some states with soaring COVID-19 infections
2020 Olympics: Latest On Opening Day & What Local Athletes To Look Out For This Year
A year after they were originally supposed to be held, the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics kick into high gear Friday with the opening ceremony. But this year’s event is mired in controversy, Covid-related and otherwise: no fans will be in the stands after a Covid-19 emergency was declared; many members of the Japanese public fear the influx of athletes and media could lead to a superspreader event; positive tests among athletes; and the recent firing of the director of the opening ceremony over previous comments about the Holocaust. However, the Games will go on, and so does our series on the 2020 Summer Olympics. We’ll get the latest on the Games and the opening ceremony with BBC reporter Pete Ross. Then, longtime KNBC sports anchor Fred Roggin introduces us to the Southern California Olympians we should be watching.
There’s More Tax Credits For Film And TV In This Year’s Budget
To be precise, this year’s state budget adds $180 million in yearly tax credits in the next two years to the $330 million existing tax credit program, thanks to SB 144. The tax break has a diversity requirement for productions, and the new credits are targeted to TV series who choose to move to the Golden State, as well as $150 million for the development of sound stages. But do these tax breaks actually make an economic difference? We sit down with SB 144’s author, State Senator Anthony Portantino and Matthew Mitchell, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
FilmWeek: ‘Old,’ ‘Snake Eyes,’ ‘Jolt’ And More
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Christy Lemire and Andy Klein review this weekend’s new movie releases.
- "Old," in wide release
- "Snake Eyes," in wide release
- "Jolt," on Amazon Prime Video
- "Val," In select theaters (check your local listings) & Amazon Prime Video on August 6
- "Mandibles," Landmark Nuart Theatre (West LA) & VOD/Digital (including Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, VUDU & FandangoNow)
- "The Last Letter From Your Lover,"
- "Charlatan," at Laemmle’s Glendale & Laemmle’s Royal (West LA)
- "Joe Bell," In select theaters (check your local listings)
- "Stuntman," on Disney+
DURING COVID: Our FilmWeek critics have been curating personal lists of their favorite TV shows and movies to binge-watch during self-quarantine. You can see recommendations from each of the critics and where you can watch them here.
‘Ailey’ Director Jamila Wignot On The Lasting Legacy Of Dancer, Choreographer And Activist Alvin Ailey
The new documentary “Ailey” tells the story of the life and career of dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey. But the film is more than just a portrait of a brilliant artist – it’s an examination into the intricate and complex individual that was Alvin Ailey. As a gay Black man in the 1960s and 70s, it was difficult for him to find acceptance, and he struggled to be publicly who he truly was privately because of the persecution he would have faced. And at that time, there were almost no Black dancers doing what Ailey was doing in combining elements of modern and jazz dance with a particular attention to the Black experience in America.
Today on FilmWeek, KPCC’s John Horn speaks with the director of “Ailey,” Jamila Wignot about making the film, discovering Ailey’s life and contributions and what she sees as his lasting contribution to the world of dance and art.