Today on AirTalk, we continue our daily AMA with our medical professional as LA County reports that it has surpassed 20,000 cases in the area. Also on the show, we break down what's going on with local politics with Libby Denkmann; discuss how the live music experience is changing amid the virus; and more.
COVID-19: More Than 900 Deaths In LA County, A Look At Sweden’s Coronavirus Approach
As of Monday afternoon, L.A. County has at least 942 deaths and at least 20,423 confirmed cases of coronavirus, reflecting 29 new deaths and another 900 new cases.
Wednesday, April 22 marked the deadliest 24 hours of coronavirus in the state.California Gov. Gavin Newsom reported Thursday that 115 people died the previous day, underscoring the vital responsibility to stay home and limit the spread of the virus. That’s becoming more of a challenge as the temperatures rise. Thousands flocked to open SoCal beaches this past weekend. Newsom warned that those types of behaviors could put communities in jeopardy. As California officials urge residents to continue staying home, other states have moved to slowly reopen their economies. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said yesterday on AirTalk that the city could start to take baby steps in two to six weeks. Sweden, unlike other countries, has been taking a different approach. According to USA Today, Sweden has largely kept restaurants and schools operating in hopes of developing “herd immunity,” which typically happens with a vaccine.
Today on AirTalk, we look at the pros and cons of that strategy and get the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic. Plus, an infectious disease specialist takes your questions. Call us with your questions at 866-893-5722.
With files from LAist. Read the full story here.
Guest:
Dan Kelly, M.D., assistant professor of epidemiology and infectious disease specialist at UCSF, he is an Ebola researcher who’s also now working on COVID-19 projects; he tweets
How A California Pension Fund’s Decision To Sell Out Of 3 Major Hedges Could Impact Employees
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System, also known as CalPERS, is making headlines after it made the decision to exit three hedges last year. The investments into the three funds were an effort to receive big payoffs when and if the market slides, according to a recent piece in the Wall Street Journal. And it did, big time, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
Some estimate the decision resulted in the company losing out on a more than $1 billion payout. And there’s also controversy because some CalPERS board members say they were never told about the adjusted strategy and that they should have been. But the pension fund’s chief investment officer has argued the same decision would have been made knowing what they know now and that they have decided on a better strategy moving forward.
Today on AirTalk, a reporter joins us to discuss the latest with the controversy and what it could mean for employees who pay into the fund. Do you have questions? Call 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Cezary Podkul, senior reporter for The Wall Street Journal's financial investigations and projects team; he tweets
Dan Bienvenue, CalPERS Deputy Chief Investment Officer
As New Claims Emerge, Will Sexual Assault Allegations Against Biden Matter To Dems?
An associate of a former Senate aide to Joe Biden says the woman told her about her allegations of sexual assault against Biden — now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee — in the 1990s.
The account, which was published Monday in Business Insider, comes a little over a month after Tara Reade first accused Biden of sexually assaulting her in the basement of a Capitol Hill office building when she worked in his office in the spring of 1993. Biden’s campaign has denied the allegations. In an interview with The Associated Press earlier this month, Reade said she had told at least four people about the incident, including her deceased mother and her brother, who has spoken publicly about the matter. Now Lynda LaCasse, who was Reade’s neighbor in the 1990s, says Reade told her about the alleged assault around the time it happened. LaCasse said that when they were neighbors in 1995 or 1996, Reade told her “about the senator that she had worked for and he put his hand up her skirt.” Allies to President Donald Trump have pointed to the new claim and Democrats have stayed somewhat silent on the issue.
Today on AirTalk, we discuss how the party will move forward. We also want to hear from you. Are you a Democrat? How will the claims and allegations impact your vote in November? Share your thoughts with us by calling 866-893-5722 to join the on-air conversation.
With files from the Associated Press
Guest:
Anna North, senior reporter at Vox covering gender, she’s been writing about the controversy surrounding the sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden; she tweets
The Denkmann Report: CA Turning To Vote-By-Mail, Newsom’s New Powers And More
The economic shutdown to stop the spread of coronavirus is decimating many revenue streams that L.A.'s city and county governments rely on.
Read more on LAist.
We get the latest on the county and city’s budget situation with KPCC’s senior politics reporter Libby Denkmann. We’ll also ask her about:
California preparing for an all vote-by-mail election in November
What other states are doing on voting
CA Governor Newsom’s outsized power amid the shutdown
If you have a question, call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Libby Denkmann, KPCC senior politics reporter; she tweets
The Coronavirus Is Changing Live Music Experiences. How Are You Listening?
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, artists like Post Malone, Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish have held virtual concerts online to support relief efforts. Social distancing guidelines and restrictions make it impossible for the public to crowd into their typical venues to hear their favorite musicians. It’s unclear when shelter-at-home requirements will be lifted, but this is something that’s likely to impact live music through the summer.
According to a recent Vox piece, the pandemic is changing how we get our fix of live music, which almost feels more needed than ever as people suffer through the loneliness and anxiety of isolation. Live music fans are tuning in through social media outlets. Rapper Travis Scott even took to the popular video game Fortnite a couple weeks ago for a virtual performance. While these virtual events may work as a substitute, there are challenges. For example, you’re not sharing the moment with friends, the audio quality isn’t the best and there can be distractions for both the listeners and artists.
Today on AirTalk, we discuss the virus’ impact to the live music experience. We want to know how you’re consuming live music during this time. Tell us your experience by calling 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Dave Brooks, senior director of live music coverage at Billboard; he’s the founder of Amplify Media, which covered the music and live entertainment industry; he tweets
With Kids Stuck Indoors All Day, How Do You Moderate Tech Time?
Whether your kids want an extra hour of animal crossing, a few more minutes to chat with their friends or a few more episodes to finish their show, setting limits on screen time during this time when everyone’s stuck at home can be a challenge.
And with school time being virtual, it’s becoming more difficult to regulate and monitor screen time for kids. And with parents on their own devices, for work and for play, it can also be a challenge to model good behavior.
How are you discussing and regulating tech time for your kids? What have been the challenges? What strategies have worked for you? Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Yalda T. Uhls, adjunct professor of child psychology at UCLA and founder of The Center for Scholars & Storytellers; she is also a senior advisor at Common Sense Media, a nonprofit aiming to help kids and parents navigate media and technology and the author of "Media Moms & Digital Dads: A Fact-Not-Fear Approach to Parenting in the Digital Age" (Routledge, 2015); she tweets