Today on AirTalk, we speak with two district superintendents to hear about what school in the fall might look like. Also on the show, we learn more about a new LAist Studios podcast; explore the origins of the meme "Karen"; and more.
Santa Ana School Superintendent On Reopening Amid The Pandemic
School districts across southern California are grappling with how to reopen schools safely, but with a recent surge in COVID-19 cases throughout the state, the task has become even more difficult.
According to the L.A. Times, L.A. County Public Health Directory Barbara Ferrer warned district leaders during a phone call to prepare students to continue at home learning. The debate over how to reopen schools safely has raged across the country. President Donald Trump has amped up pressure for schools to reopen in the fall for the well-being of the children, as reported by the Washington Post. He’s not alone. Prominent pediatricians have urged in-person teaching in the fall. But leading health officials have also said these decisions have to be made carefully because the threat of spread is still very real.
Today on AirTalk, we discuss the latest developments and considerations when it comes to schools reopening. Are you a parent or a student? What are your thoughts at this point? Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Jerry Almendarez, Superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District
COVID-19 AMA: Potential For Los Angeles Lockdown, Scheduled Surgeries And More
Coronavirus is roaring back into L.A. with a vengeance, and the situation is getting serious (again). Speaking to KPCC reporter
, an emergency room doctor who works in downtown L.A. said that hospitals are bracing for a surge (... again).
“Patients being held in the emergency room waiting to go upstairs to a bed” is now an everyday occurrence, said the doctor, who did not want to be identified. “We are about to enter a very, very difficult several weeks.”
This news comes as more than 2,000 Angelenos are currently hospitalized with the virus – an all-time high, up from 1,400 four weeks ago. In California, 11,694 new cases were reported on Tuesday.
Read more on LAist.
We discuss the latest COVID-19 news with a medical expert, including:
Mayor Garcetti says if cases don’t subside, the city could lock things back down
Some Lysol products have been approved as effective in killing the virus on surfaces
The safety of nonemergency surgeries
Plus, if you have questions, call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Kimberly Shriner, M.D., infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena
SCOTUS: Trump Taxes And Oklahoma Tribal Lands
The Supreme Court issued a mixed verdict Thursday on demands for President Donald Trump's financial records that will keep his tax returns, banking and other documents out of the public eye for the time being.
By 7-2 votes, the justices upheld the Manhattan district attorney's demand for Trump's tax returns, but kept a hold on Trump’s financial records that Congress has been seeking for more than a year.
The justices rejected arguments by Trump’s lawyers and the Justice Department that the president is immune from investigation while he holds office or that a prosecutor must show a greater need than normal to obtain the records. The tax returns are being sought as part of a grand-jury investigation.
Because the grand jury process is confidential, the rulings make it likely that none of Trump’s financial records will become public soon.
Trump’s two high court appointees, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, joined the majority in both cases along with Chief Justice John Roberts and the four liberal justices. Roberts wrote both opinions.
In another ruling, the court ruled that a large chunk of eastern Oklahoma remains an American Indian reservation, a decision that state and federal officials have warned could throw Oklahoma into chaos.
The court's 5-4 decision, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, means that Oklahoma prosecutors lack the authority to pursue criminal cases against American Indian defendants in parts of Oklahoma that include most of Tulsa, the second-largest city.
The court’s ruling casts doubt on hundreds of convictions won by local prosecutors. But Gorsuch suggested optimism.
With files from the Associated Press
Guest:
Kimberly Robinson, U.S. Supreme Court reporter for Bloomberg Law and co-host of Bloomberg Law’s podcast “Cases and Controversies”; she tweets
LAist’s New Podcast Is An Homage To Our Home: California Love
Tupac and Dr. Dre’s “California Love” is more than just a song. To many, it is a sense of affection and loyalty to California and is the inspiration behind LAist Studios’ new show, “California Love.”
Host Walter Thompson-Hernández takes us through his personal journey back to his hometown of Los Angeles. To read more about the podcast, click here.
We sit down with Walter to discuss the new show.
With files from LAist Studios.
The prologue and first episode of “California Love” drops this Thursday, July 9, wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes will be released weekly.
Guest:
Walter Thompson-Hernández, host of “California Love,” the new podcast from LAist Studios; his recent book is “The Compton Cowboys: The New Generation of Cowboys in America’s Urban Heartland” (April 2020, William Morrow); he tweets
The Evolution Of The Name Karen And How It Became A Multifaceted Jab
It’s a tough time to be named Karen. The name has quickly evolved into a well-known insult or jab to describe entitled white women. According to a piece in the Atlantic, it’s also been used heavily during the course of the coronavirus pandemic.
The piece explains how the name was used to describe a woman who protested shelter in place orders and openly denounced science. But it’s also been used to describe women who constantly ask to “speak to the manager” when they’re displeased, those who constantly complain and even those who take advantage of their white privilege in seemingly dangerous and cringeworthy ways. For example, the internet deemed Amy Copper a Karen after she called the cops on a bird watcher in Central Park in New York, a black man, and falsely accused him of threatening her. The name has become a powerful and multifaceted tool used in language.
Today on AirTalk, we discuss the evolution of the name Karen. We want to know your thoughts. How do you use the name, if at all? What do you think about it? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Kaitlyn Tiffany, staff writer at The Atlantic; she tweets