Drop in LA Crime; 1% Sales Tax Kicks in Today; Lifting Cuban Travel Restrictions?; President Obama goes to Europe; Life Before the Maltese Falcon
Drop in LA Crime
Crime is down in Los Angeles and other parts of the Southern California, despite expectations that it would rise due to the recession and a 12% unemployment rate in Los Angeles. In the city of Los Angeles, property crime is down 6.4% and violent crime is down 4.9% compared to the same period last year. Larry Mantle and guests talk about this surprising trend.
1% Sales Tax Kicks in Today
Unfortunately, this is no joke. To help offset the state's $41.6 billion budget deficit, California residents today will begin to face an increase in their sales tax that will bring their rate to almost 9 percent. Experts say that the increase on items like cars, furniture, laptops and toys will bring in $5.8 billion until it expires in July of 2011.
Lifting Cuban Travel Restrictions?
Since 1959, when Fidel Castro took power in Havana, the US has maintained a trade and travel embargo against Cuba. But that may finally be changing. The Obama Administration, along with a group of lawmakers, wants to start chipping away at the restrictions. The Administration supports lifting bans on travel and allowing Cuban-Americans to send remittances to their families. Is this the beginning of a rapprochement with Cuba? Larry gets the details.
President Obama goes to Europe
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrived in London Tuesday, the first stop on their eight-day, five-country trip through Europe. In that brief period of time, the President will attend the G-20 economic summit, a NATO summit, deliver a speech in France on the trans-Atlantic relationship, and give an address in Prague on weapons proliferation. He will also make his first stop in a Muslim nation, Turkey. How will Mr. Obama be received in these countries by their leaders and citizens? And what do Europeans think of his performance as President so far? Larry Mantle talks with reporters abroad.
Life Before the Maltese Falcon
"Spade and Archer" is a gritty mystery novel that focuses on the Private Detective Sam Spade. A prequel to Dashiell Hammett's "The Maltese Falcon," the novel follows Spade as he sets up his own agency in San Francisco in 1921. Spade brings on his partner in crime Archer. From booze runners to murderers the book follows Spade through his early years. Larry Mantle talks to author Joe Gores about the noir behind his novel.