A bill to boost California’s oil production is on Gov. Newsom’s desk
California’s legislative session has come to a close for the year, and one of the major bills heading to the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom is SB327, which aims to expand oil drilling in the state. If it receives the Governor’s pen stroke, the bill would award Kern County up to 2,000 new oil drilling permits per year. The aim, according to supporters, is to boost in-state crude production that goes directly to our state’s refineries. At the same time, California only has a handful of refineries that create our state’s specialized gasoline blends, and two major ones are set to close within the next year. So would more crude oil output help our gasoline prices in the long run? Joining AirTalk this morning to explain this potential law, and how it would affect prices at the pump is California Transportation Reporter for Politico Alex Nieves.
What to know about 50/50 shared custody laws, Kentucky’s reported divorce rate drop
Kentucky has taken a novel approach to tackling shared custody in family court. Unlike many other states, Kentucky starts divorce proceedings under the assumption that both parents will have equal custody rights. 2023 data by Bowling Green State University found that Kentucky’s divorce rate has dropped in the years since the policy was adopted. Today on the program, we’ll get into the nuances of this data with Rachel Wolfe, economics reporter for the Wall Street Journal, who’s written about Kentucky’s policy, and Jason Hans, professor of Family Sciences at the University of Kentucky, and Krista Westrick-Payne, assistant director of the National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University.
A new book traces the private sector's role in the modern space race
In the preceding century, the space race was something that only nations could hope to compete in. The first attempts at getting humans into orbital, let alone sub-orbital, spaceflight safely were herculean efforts that took a generational effort. But in the modern age, when that crucial groundwork has already been paved, private companies have entered the race. A new book makes the case that these companies are the ones now pushing the envelope of what’s possible, and that we are on the precipice of a golden age of space travel and discovery. Author and Washington Post reporter Christian Davenport joins Larry this morning to talk about his new book, Rocket Dreams: Musk, Bezos, and the Inside Story of the New, Trillion-Dollar Space Race.
As California looks to ban non-stick cookware, not everyone is pleased
To stick or not to stick? That is the question at the heart of California Senate Bill 682, which recently passed in the House and the legislature. The bill, if signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, would ban the sale and distribution of certain products that contain PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” That ban would include products like food packaging, dental floss, and perhaps most contentiously, nonstick cookware, which contains a forever chemical known as PTFE, which gives cookware their slick, water-repellant surfaces. But at what cost? The cookware industry says fluoropolymers, which is the more specific chemical used in cookware, isn’t a concern to human health or the environment. Scientists are skeptical. Is there a compromise to be found? Joining us for this conversation is Kevin Messner, senior vice president of public affairs at Group SEB, a company that produces cookware and one of the founding companies of the Cookware Sustainability Alliance, a cookware safety and sustainability organization as well as Jamie DeWitt, a professor of environmental and molecular toxicology at Oregon State University. What do you think of this? Are you a chef with thoughts? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Biggest misconceptions about Los Angeles
For many outsiders, Los Angeles is a city of clichés. They’ll spout lines like “Hollywood should look like the movies,” or the tired adage that “no one walks in LA.” But we Angelenos know the truth. There’s much more to the city than freeways and sprawl and perfect weather. As a matter of fact, our mountains, beaches, and wilderness are just some of the things that make up the incredible diversity and vibrant culture of our city. But even that’s just the tip of the iceberg, so today on AirTalk we want to hear from you! When you tell people you live in LA, what’s the biggest stereotype or misconception you run into? And how do you push back — or play along — when people get it wrong? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
