The Ins and Outs of Carpool Access; US / Mexico Join Forces to Fight Drugs; Inland Empire Journalists Roundtable; Time To Get Rid Of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell?"; Senator and Presidential Candidate Joe Biden; Jason Alexander
The Ins and Outs of Carpool Access
Ever missed an exit because you got stuck in a limited-access carpool lane? If you have, you're not alone. But there's a bigger problem. A new study by UC Berkeley shows that not only are limited-access carpool lanes difficult to get out of, but they're also dangerous. There's a new push to lift restrictions on carpool lanes so carpoolers will be able to change in and out of the lanes at will. That has Orange County looking at erasing those solid yellow lines. Larry talks with David Ragland of the UC Berkeley Traffic Safety Center, Robert Copp of Caltrans, and Paul Taylor of the Orange County Transportation Authority about the study and the policy shift that may result.
US / Mexico Join Forces to Fight Drugs
The Bush administration and Mexican President Felipe Calderon have negotiated to increase U.S. aid for Mexico's ongoing battle against drug trafficking. Although details have not been revealed, the aid package, which would include both equipment and training, is expected to be well below the annual 5 billion dollars the U.S. spends in Colombia's fight against illegal drugs. Larry talks with Sam Enriquez of the Los Angeles Times about the possible political repercussions on both sides of the border.
Inland Empire Journalists Roundtable
Larry Mantle talks with Steven Cuevas, KPCC's Inland Empire Reporter and Cassie MacDuff, columnist with The Press Enterprise, about the latest news, events, and developments in the Inland Empire.
Time To Get Rid Of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell?"
A House bill that would lift the ban on gays serving openly in the military has gained momentum from representatives who are armed-forces veterans. At a forum tonight for Democratic presidential candidates, the ban is expected to get its most in-depth analysis since 1993, when Bill Clinton issued his famous "Don't ask, don't tell" directive. The debate, cosponsored by gay rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Campaign, will be held in front of a live audience in Hollywood. All eight Democratic hopefuls raised their hands at an earlier debate, to acknowledge they would work toward lifting the ban. Joining Larry to talk about the present and future of the ban is Steve Ralls, Communications Director of Servicemember's Legal Defense Network, a legal aid and advocacy group.
Senator and Presidential Candidate Joe Biden
Delaware Senator Joseph Biden joins Larry Mantle to talk about his new book, Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics (Random House) and his presidential campaign. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was first elected to the United States Senate in 1972 at the age of twenty-nine and is recognized as one of the nation's most powerful and influential voices on foreign relations, terrorism, drug policy, and crime prevention.
Jason Alexander
Reprise! Broadway's Best, the LA based theater production company that presents classic musicals in a semi-staged concert setting, announced in May that Tony Award-winning actor Jason Alexander will assume the responsibilities of the Artistic Director. Alexander will work directly with Producing Director Jim Gardia. The company recently announced a four-show season, up from the three major productions Reprise! has done each season for the past ten years. Larry Mantle talks with Jason Alexander about his new position with Reprise!, his work in theater and television including his nine seasons playing the hapless schlep George Costanza on NBC's "Seinfeld."