Today on AirTalk, we update you on the latest COVID-19 news and answer your questions. Also on the show, we hear from local museums to see how they are faring during the pandemic; preview the Lakers and Clippers ahead of their season-opener tomorrow; and more.
DOC AMA: Los Angeles Hospitals Prepare To Ration Care, New COVID-19 Mutations & More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Peter Chin-Hong from UCSF.
Topics today include:
COVID-related MIS-C illness strikes more California children
The coronavirus is mutating. What does that mean for us?
Mutated coronavirus strain is driving South Africa's spike
Canada the latest country to halt travel from UK over new COVID-19 variant concerns
People over 75, essential workers next for vaccines
L.A. County outlines wrenching moves to ration healthcare if COVID-19 hospital crisis worsens
Guest:
Peter Chin-Hong, M.D., infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the UCSF Medical Center; he tweets
SoCal’s Indoor Museums Have Been Closed To Visitors During The Pandemic. How Are They Doing?
Indoor museums throughout Southern California have been closed since March, prompting the institutions that help form the bedrock of cultural life in LA to find new ways to engage their community.
While outdoor installations like LACMA’s “Urban Light” and “Levitated Mass” have largely stayed open, most museums’ primary ways of engaging visitors—indoor galleries and exhibitions— have been closed. But some museums have shifted to showcase exhibitions virtually, and hosted numerous events online. How are local institutions getting through the COVID-19 pandemic, and what will all this mean for the future of LA’s cultural institutions?
Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about how museums are faring in the pandemic, what they’re doing to engage the community right now, and more. Have you been supporting local museums during the pandemic, or participating in museum-hosted virtual events? We want to hear from you! Give us a call at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Michael Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), SoCal’s largest museum
Annie Philbin, director of the Hammer Museum, an art museum affiliated with UCLA
John Echeveste, CEO of LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, which is dedicated to exhibitions on Mexican and Mexican-American arts, history and culture in L.A.
Politics Round-Up: Stimulus Deal, Latest Election Challenge, Georgia And More
Top Capitol Hill negotiators sealed a deal Sunday on a $900 billion COVID-19 economic relief package, finally delivering long-overdue help to businesses and individuals and providing money to deliver vaccines to a nation eager for them.
The agreement, announced by congressional leaders, would establish a temporary $300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and a $600 direct stimulus payment to most Americans, along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses and money for schools, health care providers and renters facing eviction.
In other news, President Donald Trump’s campaign continued with its unprecedented efforts to overturn the results of the Nov 3. election Sunday, saying it had filed a new petition with the Supreme Court.
Plus, outgoing Attorney General William Barr said he saw “no reason” to appoint a special counsel on potential election fraud or the tax investigation into the son of President-elect Joe Biden, we check in on what’s going on with Georgia and the latest on Biden’s cabinet picks.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guest:
Ron Elving, senior editor and correspondent on the Washington Desk for NPR News; he tweets
Previewing The 2021 Lakers And Clippers As A New NBA Season Kicks Off Tuesday
The 2020 NBA season was unlike any other we’ve ever seen – the bubble in Orlando, virtual fans, empty arenas and piped-in crowd sound. In the end, it was our very own Los Angeles Lakers who conquered the bubble and won their record-tying 17th NBA title in franchise history, the team’s first since 2009.
On Tuesday, the quest for back-to-back championship trophies and sole possession of most NBA championships by a franchise begins as the Lakers battle their L.A. rivals, the Clippers, in a nationally-televised game that’ll tip at 7:00 PT.
The Lakers return the majority of key pieces of their championship roster, led by Lebron James and Anthony Davis, both of whom signed multi-year extensions during the offseason. They also added some veteran help in center Marc Gasol and point guard Denis Schroder.
The Clippers, meanwhile, signed Paul George to multi-year extension, and he and Board Man/Fun Guy Kawhi Leonard will look to build on their strong but ultimately disappointing 2020 regular season, in which they won 49 games but failed to reach the Western Conference Finals. The Clippers will do so with a new captain at the helm as Tyronn Lue steps into the head coaching vacancy created when the team fired Doc Rivers after the end of last season.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll preview the 2021 NBA season for the Clippers and the defending champion Lakers.
Guests:
Dan Woike, Lakers beat writer for The Los Angeles Times; he tweets
Mirjam Swanson, reporter covering the Clippers for Southern California News Group; she tweets
More Hands Make Less Work: How Southern Californians Are Continuing To Volunteer Despite The Pandemic
While many businesses and organizations have pivoted their workflow online or to remote work, for groups like food banks and homeless shelters that rely heavily on in-person volunteer work to provide services and outreach to the communities where they are, the need for help is as dire as ever. There are still opportunities to volunteer virtually or at a distance, but many organizations still need people to come in and help out with things like delivering foods to needy families, checking in on elderly neighbors or community members experiencing homelessness and collecting toys for underprivileged kids during the holidays. And for those people who are up for the task, it’s a little different this year than it has been in previous years. Many places now require testing and are limiting the number of volunteers they’ll accept, so be sure to check with the organization you’d like to volunteer with to familiarize yourself with the new protocols.
Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from you! How are you continuing to volunteer in your community despite the pandemic? Join our live conversation by calling us at 866-893-5722.
Looking for ways to help out this holiday season? Our friends at The Los Angeles Times put together a list of opportunities here in Southern California. You can see it here.
Guest:
Ana Martinez, director of volunteer services at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank