Today on AirTalk, we update you on the latest COVID-19 news and answer your questions. Also on the show, we talk about the workplace messaging app Slack and its impact on work environments; hear from students and teachers about virtual schooling this year; and more.
COVID-19: How One Of Orange County’s Largest Hospitals Is Dealing With Scarcity Of ICU Beds
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Shruti Gohil, professor of medicine and associate medical director for epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine.
Topics today include:
California once again breaks daily record for most new coronavirus cases
L.A. hospitals continue to struggle with lack of ICU bed space
The Atlantic: The link between COVID and sleep
Many still traveling, planning family gatherings for holidays despite expert warnings to stay home
Holiday travel sets record for busiest weekend of pandemic
Why are COVID antibody drugs sitting on shelves?
Guest:
Shruti Gohil, M.D., professor of medicine and associate medical director for epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine
California Governor Newsom Selects Secretary of State Alex Padilla As State’s New Senator
California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Secretary of State Alex Padilla on Tuesday as the state's next U.S. senator to fill the seat being vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
The child of Mexican immigrants, Padilla will be California’s first Latino senator, giving a new level of representation to the demographic group that makes up nearly 40% of the state's population.
“Through his tenacity, integrity, smarts and grit, California is gaining a tested fighter in their corner who will be a fierce ally in D.C., lifting up our state’s values and making sure we secure the critical resources to emerge stronger from this pandemic," Newsom said in a statement.
Padilla was widely expected to be Newsom's pick, as the two are longtime political allies. Newsom faced competing pressures to appoint a Latino to the seat and to appoint a Black woman, as Harris was the only Black woman in the chamber.
“I am honored and humbled by the trust placed in me by Governor Newsom, and I intend to work each and every day to honor that trust and deliver for all Californians,” Padilla said in a statement.
Padilla, 47, has been California’s top elections official since 2015. In that position, he’s overseen California’s vast elections apparatus, including the rollout of a more robust vote-by-mail system. In the November election, California mailed a ballot to every single registered voter. Prior to that, he oversaw the implementation of the Voter’s Choice Act, a 2016 law that allowed counties to mail all registered voters a ballot.
He’ll hold the Senate seat through 2022, when he will have to run for reelection. Harris hasn’t given a date for her resignation, but she will be inaugurated as vice president on Jan. 20.
He lives in Los Angeles.
With files from the Associated Press
Guest:
Dan Walters, long-time California politics observer with CALmatters, a nonprofit public interest publication; he tweets
Libby Denkmann, KPCC politics reporter
For Many Workers, Slack Is Both Convenient And Anxiety-Inducing. Is It The Right Tool For Workplaces?
Earlier this month, the workplace messaging app Slack announced their proposed sale to Salesforce for $27.7 billion.
It’s a reversal for Slack, which had previously maintained its desire to remain independent. The app has become ubiquitous in many offices since its inception in 2013. It reworks the kind of instantaneous workplace messaging that came to prominence in the ‘90s with email, but centralizes interactions into channelized and often informal streams of information. Although it is convenient, Slack has also been fingered as a culprit in a work culture that increasingly prizes an “always available” attitude, particularly during the pandemic, when many workers are at home and struggling to find boundaries between their work and home lives.
Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about Slack’s move into Salesforce, as well as how the app has shaped workplace culture in recent years and what its impact has been during the pandemic. Does your company use Slack? How do you feel about it as a workplace tool? We want to hear from you! Give us a call at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Steven Levy, editor-at-large for WIRED Magazine who covers tech and is the author of numerous books, most recently, “Facebook: The Inside Story” (Blue Rider Press, 2020); he tweets
Mayor Garcetti Vetoes City Council's Plan For Reallocation Of Proposed LAPD Funding Cut
Mayor Eric Garcetti has vetoed a city council plan to reallocate part of the $150 million in proposed funding cuts from the Los Angeles Police Department.
Mayor Garcetti officially made the announcement Tuesday in an interview with KPCC's "AirTalk with Larry Mantle." In a veto letter the Mayor's office shared with KPCC, Mayor Garcetti wrote in part "I wholeheartedly support the equity formula applied to the proposed spending plan for reinvesting public safety dollars. Beneath that formula, however, far too many of the proposed expenditures do not meet the demands of the moment or the call of history. Particularly at a time of extraordinary peril for our budget, we face the prospect of compounding the pain with City workforce layoffs that would likely have a disproportionate effect on Black and Brown employees — many of whom came into the City family through Targeted Local Hire."
This veto covers the $88 million not used to stave off furloughs.
Today on AirTalk, we talk to Mayor Garcetti about why he vetoed city council's proposal and hear his response to cities being left out of the federal COVID-19 stimulus package.
Guest:
Eric Garcetti, mayor of the City of Los Angeles; he tweets @MayorOfLA
2020 Put Students And Teachers On A Steep Learning Curve. How Is It Going?
Since March, students of all ages and their teachers have been attending classes on Zoom, often learning material that is difficult to translate to virtual classrooms.
After nine months, however, classes have fallen into a rhythm. Although it may not be the preferred learning method for many students and teachers, classes have had to adapt to the circumstances. Some teachers are taking advantage of popular apps like Instagram to help engage students, while many students have been working to build sustainable study patterns to keep themselves engaged during the pandemic.
Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from students and teachers. How have your experiences been with virtual school this year? How have you adapted? We want to hear from you! Give us a call at 866-893-5722.
Are you deciding whether to go back to school in person or stay remote? KPCC + LAist journalist Carla Javier wants to hear from you! How are you thinking about your decision? What information are you turning to to help you decide? Tell us your thoughts here. We’ll read every response, but nothing is shared without your permission.
Guest:
Desmond Mantle, Larry's son, who is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College and has been distance learning
Hams, Yule Logs And Mulled Wine: If You’ve Got Holiday Cooking Questions, We’ve Got Answers
Tis’ the season for home cooked feasts, and whether you’re a novice struggling with a microwave or a seasoned home cook planning your chef d’oeuvre, we’ve got the experts on the line to dole out advice.
Are you whipping up a dinner that’s much smaller than usual, because you’re not visiting family this year because of COVID-19 restrictions? Are you cooking for the first time and aren’t sure where to start? Are you trying to figure out what shortcuts are worth it and which aren’t? Just need some inspiration?
Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Noelle Carter, chef, food writer and culinary consultant for Noelle Carter Food, a website sharing recipes, cooking techniques and helpful kitchen tips for the home cook; she is the former director of the Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen; she tweets
Nyesha Arrington, chef, culinary creative and host of Eater’s YouTube show “Improv Kitchen,”; she tweets