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AirTalk

AirTalk for April 1, 2015

By AirTalk Staff
Published Apr 1, 2015 10:52 AM
Water flows down Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfall in North America in the Sierra Nevada mountain range at Yosemite National Park on March 25, 2015 in California, where the snowpack in the mountain range hit an unprecedented low this week, falling below historic lows of 2014 and 1977 for the state's driest winter in sixty-five years of record keeping. It is the melt from the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain range snowpacks from which California gets its water, but snowpack measurements due to be reported next week are expected to be the lowest on record leaving the parched 'Golden State' in its fourth year of drought. AFP PHOTO / FREDERIC J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)
Water flows down Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfall in North America in the Sierra Nevada mountain range at Yosemite National Park on March 25, 2015 in California, where the snowpack in the mountain range hit an unprecedented low this week, falling below historic lows of 2014 and 1977 for the state's driest winter in sixty-five years of record keeping.
(
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images
)
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The state of California will conduct its last manual snowpack reading today, and the forecast is that the numbers won’t be good. Also, AirTalk takes a look back at how transportation in L.A. has (and hasn’t) changed in the last 30 years and a look ahead at what lies in the future for commuters in L.A. Then, we celebrate 30 years of AirTalk and Larry Mantle!
AirTalk for April 1, 2015
The state of California will conduct its last manual snowpack reading today, and the forecast is that the numbers won’t be good. Also, AirTalk takes a look back at how transportation in L.A. has (and hasn’t) changed in the last 30 years and a look ahead at what lies in the future for commuters in L.A. Then, we celebrate 30 years of AirTalk and Larry Mantle!
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The state of California will conduct its last manual snowpack reading today, and the forecast is that the numbers won’t be good. Also, AirTalk takes a look back at how transportation in L.A. has (and hasn’t) changed in the last 30 years and a look ahead at what lies in the future for commuters in L.A. Then, we celebrate 30 years of AirTalk and Larry Mantle!

Record-low snowpack portends life of new normal in drought

Listen 22:59
Record-low snowpack portends life of new normal in drought

The state of California will conduct its last manual snowpack reading today, and the forecast is that the numbers won’t be good.

Governor Jerry Brown will be in attendance, and expectations are for the snowpack to be about six percent of normal for today’s date. Electronic measurements taken Dec. 30 showed the state’s snow water equivalent at 50 percent of the historical average for that day. On January 29, it was at 25 percent of that day’s average. It’s just the latest reminder to Californians that life in drought appears to be the new normal for the foreseeable future.

What does that mean for agriculture and water conservation efforts? We’ll talk about the what living with drought will look like in the future of the state.

Guests:

Jay Famiglietti, hydrologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a professor at UC Irvine

Bill Patzert, climatologist for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Bikes, trains and automobiles: Getting around in LA, then and now

Listen 24:24
Bikes, trains and automobiles: Getting around in LA, then and now

Besides the Hollywood sign and the walk of fame, Los Angeles is probably best known for its traffic.

Constantly atop lists of cities with the worst commute times or most congested roads, the city of L.A. has been working for decades and on a multitude of fronts, trying to make it easier and faster for residents to commute in and around L.A.

So, how much progress has been made in the last 30 years? As part of our 30th anniversary celebration, AirTalk takes a look back at how transportation in L.A. has (and hasn’t) changed in the last 30 years and a look ahead at what lies in the future for commuters in L.A.

Guests:

Steve Hymon, editor of The Source, the official blog of Metro Los Angeles

Tamika Butler, executive director of the L.A. Bike Coalition

Jay Beeber, executive director of Safer Streets L.A., and a research fellow with the Reason Foundation

Southern California, now and then: Celebrating 30 years of a region

Listen 48:01
Southern California, now and then: Celebrating 30 years of a region

The year was 1985. On April 1, at Pasadena City College, a young broadcaster by the name of Larry Mantle sat behind a KPCC microphone and hosted a show called "AirTalk." 

At the time, a gallon of gas cost about $1.10 and a postage stamp cost 22 cents. The compact disc, the Super Mario Brothers and New Coke were introduced to America. Microsoft released the first version of Windows and the first .com domain name was registered. All while Ronald Reagan served as President of the United States. 

30 years later, that same broadcaster still sits behind a KPCC microphone and continues to bring his loyal listeners the latest in news, entertainment, and culture from Southern California.

Join us as Larry Mantle celebrate 30 years to the day of hosting the region’s longest continuously-running daily talk radio program (no April Fooling) with a special 2-hour live broadcast from our Crawford Family Forum. True to form, Larry and special guests will address the issues of the day as well as take a look at Southern California then and now with a conversation on what’s to come. There may even be a few surprises!

Scroll down for awesome content from today's celebration and from Larry's career.

Here are some notable interviews from yesteryear, including a Q&A on Scientology from 1988, which Larry says was one of the toughest he's done in 30 years: 

Oh, and then there's the overwhelming amount of wonderful Twitter love we got from listeners, fans, show guests, KPCC colleagues, and even a couple of elected officials.

Sincerest thanks to everyone who was a part of making today special for Larry and to everyone who has helped over the years! The show wouldn't be at 30 without you!

With #KPCClove,

The AirTalk Team