E.R. Docs Sue State Of California; Citrus Bug Threatens California's Citrus Crop; Economic Stimulus Package To Pass The House; Danny Hoch; Brian Wilson
E.R. Docs Sue State Of California
A coalition of emergency doctors filed a lawsuit against the State's Department of Health Care Services Tuesday over low reimbursement rates for Medi-Cal patients. Larry Mantle talks with emergency room doctor and plaintiff Dr. Irv Edwards, and with emergency room doctor Lee Weiss. Larry also talks with Connie Matthews from Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena about the expansion of their emergency room.
Citrus Bug Threatens California's Citrus Crop
A tiny, aphid-like bug called the Asian Citrus Psyllid is threatening to destroy California's citrus industry. The danger comes from a disease the bug sometimes carries called Huanglongbing (HLB) or "citrus greening disease." When a tree becomes infected by HLB the fruit becomes bitter and misshapen and the tree eventually dies. HLB has severely damaged Florida's citrus industry, where the state has been unable to control the spread of the disease. Larry talks with University of Riverside entomologist Elizabeth Grafton-Cardwell and lemon grower Link Leavens about the problem.
Economic Stimulus Package To Pass The House
The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to approve Barack Obama's economic stimulus package in the late afternoon or early evening largely along party lines, handing Obama his first major win of his week-old presidency and overriding chiefly Republican objections to pass an 825-billion-dollar economic stimulus plan. The House vote comes one day after the president made his first working visit to Capitol Hill to talk with defiant Republican leaders who were looking for more tax cuts and less spending in a bill that provides about 550 billion dollars in spending and 275 billion in tax cuts. Larry talks with Republican Congressman John Campbell, and Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff about the vote and the stimulus package.
Danny Hoch
Larry talks with writer and performer Danny Hoch about his career and his new play at the Kirk Douglas Theater, "Taking Over," about the dark side of gentrification. "Taking Over" runs through February 22, 2009.
Brian Wilson
As a member of the Beach Boys and though his solo work, Brian Wilson is regarded as one of the greatest American composers of popular music. His songs such as "Good Vibrations" and "California Girls" are not only beloved classics, but are closely identified with the lifestyle and outlook of Southern California. Last year, Wilson released his critically-acclaimed new album "That Lucky Old Sun," filled with odes and celebrations that further evoke the California spirit. Rolling Stone has praised the album as "Brian's strongest new work in years." This week, a companion DVD to "That Lucky Old Sun" will be released, including a live performance of the album in the Capitol Records studios and a feature length documentary. Brian Wilson joins Larry Mantle to talk about his music. Brian Wilson performs "That Lucky Old Sun" in its entirety with his band Wednesday night at the Wiltern.