Today on AirTalk, we give an update on the coronavirus as the first case without a known origin is reported in California. Also on the show, we take a look a closer look at what impact the Latino vote will have on Super Tuesday; discuss how artists are documenting California's wildfires; and more with guest host Steven Cuevas.
Coronavirus Updates: What Is California Doing To Prepare For Inevitable Spread?
Officials this week confirmed the first case of the coronavirus without a known origin. According to SacBee, officials with the CDC confirmed the case Wednesday in Northern California and say the individual is receiving treatment in Sacramento County.
The patient reportedly wasn’t tested for the virus for several days. According to the L.A. times, the case was reported out of Solano County. That’s where Travis Air Force Base is located. Some travelers from China have been quarantined there. The deadly disease first broke in China in December, but has been rapidly spreading to 47 countries. More than 80,000 people have been infected. The CDC has warned that now is the time for the U.S. to prepare for worldwide spread. Researchers are working on a vaccine, and one drug company said earlier this week its first batch is ready to be tested on humans. As officials warn of the inevitable spread of the virus, we check in on what’s happening locally and what officials in Sacramento are doing to prepare.
Guest:
Anne Rimoin, professor of epidemiology at UCLA; she tweets
Checking In On Impact, Implementation And Response To California’s Two Newest Vaccine Exemption Laws
On Monday, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom addressed anti-vaccine protesters who had gathered outside her house in Sacramento, saying her husband’s administration is taking their concerns into consideration and that she thought there should be further discussion over the necessity of certain immunizations.
It’s the latest example of how the statewide discussion over vaccine requirements and the state’s oversight of exemptions for those requirements is continuing this year in the wake of two new laws that Governor Gavin Newsom signed that went into effect on the first of this year. SB 276 established state oversight of vaccine exemptions that doctors issue and SB 714 was a follow-up bill that folded in some new rules about implementation that Governor Newsom requested. But despite the bills now being law, the debate between lawmakers and anti-vaccine protesters continues over who should receive exemptions, under what circumstances and the extent of the oversight role the state should play. Meanwhile, across the state, some stakeholders say there is still some confusion about the specifics of the rules.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll explore the current politics surrounding the debate over state oversight of vaccine exemptions, retrace the path the state took to get to this point, and take your calls. Are you a doctor, school nurse, parent or faculty member, we’d like to hear from you at 866-893-5722.
We reached out to Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and invited them to join the conversation, but we have not heard back from their respective offices. We will update this if we receive a response. We also contacted Senator Richard Pan and California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly, but they were not available to join us at the time we requested.
With guest host Steven Cuevas
Guest:
Melody Gutierrez, reporter covering state government and politics in Sacramento for The Los Angeles Times; she tweets
A Pediatrician’s Attempt To Change How We Think And Talk About Puberty With Boys
Mood shifts and drastic changes in behavior. Puberty is a rough time for any young kid going through the developmental period. It’s also difficult for parents.
It can be a challenging topic to talk about, but within the last few decades or so girls have been encouraged to do just that. Boys on the other hand, not so much. Dr. Cara Natterson wants to see that change. The pediatrician has found boys often retreat into isolation during puberty and that behavior often goes unquestioned. She wants parents to knock down that wall and help boys create an open dialogue about the changes happening in their bodies.
Today on AirTalk, Natterson joins guest host Steven Cuevas to discuss her new book, “Decoding Boys: New Science Behind the Subtle Art of Raising Sons.” Have you struggled with how to deal with your sons who are going through puberty? Do you have questions? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
With guest host Steven Cuevas
Guest:
Cara Natterson, M.D., pediatrician and author of the new book “Decoding Boys: New Science Behind the Subtle Art of Raising Sons,” (Random House Publishing Group, 2020); she tweets
2020: The Impact Of The Latino Vote
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders won big in the Nevada caucuses this past Saturday.
He established himself as a frontrunner in the first ethnically diverse state to vote in the Democratic presidential primary. Nevada is about a third Latino. And according to recent estimates, more than half of Nevada’s Latino vote went to Sanders.
We discuss what was learned about Latino voters’ preferences and turnout in Nevada and what it means for us in California, ahead of Super Tuesday.
With guest host Steven Cuevas
Guest:
Sonja Diaz, the founding executive director of the Latino Policy and Politics Initiative at UCLA, a non partisan think tank; she’s also a practicing civil rights attorney and policy adviser
Ransomware For Hire: How The Dark Web Enables Amateur Hackers
When you imagine a hacker launching a ransomware attack, you probably think: evil genius in a hoodie, writing complex strings of code.
But the dark web means that being a cybercriminal isn’t as complicated as it used to be.
Now, it’s possible to pay for a service that will coordinate a ransomware attack for you. You’ll even get customer service support.
Here to tell us all about it is Drake Bennett, reporter with the projects and investigations team at Bloomberg News, where his recent piece is “The time I sabotaged my editor with ransomware from the dark web.”
Guest:
Drake Bennett, reporter with the projects and investigations team at Bloomberg News, where his recent piece is “The time I sabotaged my editor with ransomware from the dark web.”; he tweets
California ‘Facing Fire’ As A New Way Of Life
They say art imitates life and the new art exhibition, “Facing Fire: Art, Wildfire, and the End of Nature in the New West” aims to reflect life in California as wildfires become a more frequent and intense reality for the state.
The exhibit, hosted by UC Riverside’s California Museum of Photography, explores the environmental, societal, and emotional impact wildfires have had on California’s landscape and residents. Through the work of photographers and artists, the art pieces featured represent a new life in California that has had to adapt to the increasing intensity of wildlifes and global warming. The exhibit gives a greater examination on the power nature has over our lives. As global warming intensifies and natural disasters like wildfires become more common occurrences, “Facing Fire” hopes people will take a step back and think about the greater picture of how our environment is changing.
Today on AirTalk, we chat with the exhbit’s senior curator, Douglas McCulloh, and featured artist Anna Mayer on how the exhibition reflects California life against the ever-present threat of wildfires.
EVENT:
Facing Fire: Art, Wildfire, and the End of Nature in the New West
California Museum of Photography
February 22 - August 9, 2020
With guest host Steven Cuevas
Guests:
Douglas McCulloh, senior curator of exhibitions at the UCR California Museum of Photography; his latest exhibition is “Facing Fire: Art, Wildfire, and the End of Nature in the New West”
Anna Mayer, artist specializing in ceramics; her project “Fireful of Fear” is featured in the exhibit “Facing Fire: Art, Wildfire, and the End of Nature in the New West”; she is currently an assistant professor of sculpture at the University of Houston