A look at NASA’s reliance on private space firms as President Trump and Elon Musk feud

Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s relationship imploded this week like a star going supernova as the two took to social media to take jabs at each other. At stake are the future of Musk’s companies, including electric car company Tesla and rocket manufacturer SpaceX, both of which receive government subsidies or contracts. President Trump took to his social media website, Truth Social, yesterday to threaten subsidies to Musk’s companies. Musk then threatened to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which the country’s space agency, NASA, has come to depend on heavily to ferry cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station on a regular basis. Musk later walked back on this threat. NASA is said to have few viable alternatives to the Musk-owned company, as many of SpaceX’s competitors are still catching their technology up with the company. Joining Larry to discuss how and why NASA relies so heavily on private contractors is Kenneth Chang, science reporter for The New York Times.

SoCal regulators vote today on phase-out plan of gas-powered appliances

Southern California air regulators are voting today on two proposed regulations to curb smog and lessen pollution that’s heating up the planet. For nearly two years, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which regulates air quality across much of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, has been working to update rules to phase out gas furnaces and water heaters. A recent data analysis by climate think tank Rocky Mountain Institute found that gas-burning equipment in homes and businesses in Greater L.A. produces seven times more smog-forming pollution than the region’s power plants. Environmental advocates say the rules have been watered down significantly and should be stricter, while the gas industry and its partners say the rules will strain the power grid and raise costs for consumers. Today on AirTalk, LAist climate and environment reporter Erin Stone, deputy managing attorney and director of the Right To Zero campaign at Earthjustice Adrian Martinez, and David Englin, President of the Los Angeles County Business Federation, join Larry to discuss the differing arguments in play around these rules.

Food Friday: Santa Ana budget bites!

LAist's Gab Chabrán has been visiting Santa Ana for decades and has always been impressed with the dynamism of the food available there, especially as it's often at a reasonable price that won't break the bank. Everything from tortas ahogadas, a specialty of Guadalajara, served from a food truck on an industrial road, to a Korean-owned establishment serving seriously delicious smashburgers, Santa Ana has something for everyone. Today on Food Friday, LAist’s own associate editor of food and culture Gab Chabrán is taking us to Santa Ana, figuratively of course, to share some of his favorite budget bites. Do you have favorite cheap eats in Santa Ana? Call us 866-893-5722 or email us atcomments@laist.com.

FilmWeek: ‘The Life of Chuck,’ ‘Ballerina,’ ‘Karate Kid: Legends,’ ‘The Ritual,’ and More

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Claudia Puig and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.

Films:

• The Life of Chuck In Select Theaters|Expands June 13
• Ballerina Wide Release 
• Karate Kid: Legends Wide Release
• Dangerous Animals Wide Release
• The Ritual Wide Release
• I Don’t Understand You In Select Theaters
• Bad Shabbos Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino] |Laemmle Royal [West LA]
• Barron’s Cove Laemmle Monica Film Center
• We Are Guardians Laemmle Monica Film Center|Art Theatre [Long Beach] June 21
• Pavements Alamo Drafthouse DTLA|The Frida Cinema [Santa Ana]