Larry sits down with LA County Sheriff Jim McDonnell for a check in on the department, including three recent deputy-involved shootings that created a contentious emergency town hall meeting in South LA this week. We also break down what’s in the new budget bill; review this week’s movie releases on FilmWeek; and more.
Budget-win or budget-bust? A look at what’s in that sweeping government funding bill
President Donald Trump signed a $400 billion budget deal early Friday morning, ending what’s reported to be the shortest government shutdown on record, just before the official work day began.
The shutdown, which lasted from 12:01 a.m. to about 5:30 a.m. Friday, was triggered by GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky after he objected to adding $1 trillion to the federal deficit in 2019.
But the bipartisan short-term funding agreement also brings relief of compromise. Military spending will go up about $80 billion for each of the next two fiscal years, non-defense accounts about $60 billion per year, plus an additional $90 billion in disaster aid for recent wildfires and hurricanes.
Other notable boosts include securing 10 years of CHIP funding and a 65-page-long list of extended tax breaks that were close to expiration.
For more on the bill’s specifics and overall impact, we’ll get the latest from a Washington reporter and hear from two economic experts.
Guests:
Seung Min Kim, congressional reporter for Politico; she tweets
Donald Marron, economist and fellow at the Urban Institute where his research focus includes federal budgeting; he was acting director of the Congressional Budget Office in 2006; he tweets
Chris Edwards, economist and director of tax policy at the Cato Institute; he is also editor of the Cato project DownsizingGovernment.org, which focuses on federal spending; he tweets
LA County Sheriff on recent deputy-involved shootings, 2017 crime numbers, civilian oversight panel and more
Sheriff Jim McDonnell is back with his regular AirTalk check in.
Today, we’ll ask him about:
- A contentious emergency town hall meeting this week which heard complaints about three shootings by deputies in South L.A., one of which involved an allegedly armed 16-year-old boy who was killed in a deputy-involved shooting.
- Preliminary department statistics on decreasing crime rates in 2017.
- The L.A. Times investigation into a 2014 list of problem deputies, how much the Sheriff knew and District Attorney Jackie Lacey looking into those cases.
- How the first L.A. Sheriff’s civilian oversight panel is doing, one year in.
- Immigrant’s rights activists have been accusing the Sheriff of misleading the public over the level of LASD cooperation with ICE.
- The L.A. Sheriff’s body cam plan.
- LASD working on complying with federal law on prison rape.
- Over 500 human trafficking arrests in California in a statewide sting.
- The LASD’s outdated computer system.
Have a question for Sheriff Jim McDonnell? Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Jim McDonnell, Sheriff of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; he tweets
FilmWeek: ‘The 15:17 to Paris,’ ‘Peter Rabbit,’ Oscar-nominated shorts and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Lael Lowenstein, Wade Major and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases.
"The 15:17 to Paris" in wide release
"Peter Rabbit" in wide release
"Fifty Shades Freed" in wide release *Had a conflicting screening for critics, was not reviewed
"The Female Brain" at Laemmle's Monica Film Center
"Basmati Blues" at ArcLight Santa Monica & Pacific Lakewood Center Stadium
"Seeing Allred" streaming on Netflix
"Entanglement" at Laemmle's Monica Film Center
"Mazinger Z: Infinity" at Universal Citywalk, L.A. Live & AMC Burbank
"Permission" at AMC Dine-In Sunset
"Monster Family" at Laemmle's Ahrya Fine Arts
Oscar-Nominated Short Films
Best Live Action Short Film (screening until 2/22 at the Nuart Theatre)
Best Animated Short (screening until 2/22 at the Nuart Theatre)
Best Documentary Short Subject (screening until 2/15 at Laemmle's Royal, and playing this weekend at Laemmle's Playhouse and Laemmle's Claremont)
"Heroin(e)" (streaming on Netflix)
"Knife Skills" (available for purchase on iTunes)
"Traffic Stop" (available to stream for HBO subscribers)
Critics' Hits
Lael: "The Female Brain"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjJl6Vh9Hag
Wade: "The 15:17 to Paris"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETcx4R4-3Bo
Charles: "Mazinger Z: Infinity"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ2OYb1wxZc
Mixed Feelings
Lael: "Seeing Allred"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC8Eg0odTfY
Misses
Lael: "Entanglement"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMMWSu3AjJo&t=56s
Wade & Charles: "Peter Rabbit"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pa_Weidt08
Guests:
Lael Loewenstein, KPCC film critic
Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and CineGods.com
Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC, Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine