Today on AirTalk, we discuss UTLA's call for schools to remain closed in the fall. Also on the show, we learn more about California's spiking coronavirus deaths; our FilmWeek critics review the weekend's releases; and more.
Amid Rising Coronavirus Cases, UTLA Calls For Schools To Remain Closed In The Fall
On Friday, the Los Angeles teacher’s union called for schools to keep closed August 18, when the school year is set to begin.
With COVID-19 cases on the rise in L.A. County, UTLA says the health risks of in-person learning are too great. The district hasn’t yet decided what it will do in the fall, but has laid out the potential options of continued online learning or a hybrid model.
We talk with someone from UTLA about why they’re calling for distanced learning option and for how long. Plus, if you’re a parent or a student, call us at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Carla Javier, KPCC reporter; she tweets
Gloria Martinez, bargaining team member and vice president and of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), the LAUSD teacher’s union; she has been a special education teacher for 19 years
COVID-19 AMA: California Sets Another New Record For Coronavirus Deaths As SoCal Heads Into Another Hot Weekend
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry speaks with Dr. Dean Blumberg, professor of medicine and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
Topics today include:
New highs for daily death tolls in California, Florida Texas
Should we return to stay-at-home?
Change in voice could be sign of COVID
Hospitalizations jump 97 percent in Orange County in less than a month
NYT: Sweden has become world’s cautionary tale
LAT: Plasma shot could prevent coronavirus
WHO acknowledges coronavirus can linger in air
Guest:
Dean Blumberg, M.D., professor of medicine and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital
Berkeley Considers Unarmed Public Works Officials For Enforcing Traffic And Parking Violations. How Will That Work?
The city of Berkeley is considering a proposal that would shift enforcement of moving and parking violations onto public works officials instead of the police. According to the New York Times, proponents believe the measure to be the first of its kind in the country.
Councilmember Rigel Robinson introduced the proposal called “BerkDOT: Reimagining Transportation for a Racially Just Future,” which aims to help tear down racial bias and police brutality. The nation is reckoning with the problems of systemic racism and a history of police brutality following the death of George Floyd, who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis at the end of May. Floyd’s killing ignited global protests demanding changes in how police departments are operated and even funded. Specifically, the new measure would create a department of transportation unit of unarmed officials who would enforce parking and traffic infractions. Some say the move makes a lot of sense for parking breaches, but there could be challenges when it comes to traditional traffic stops.
Today on AirTalk, we talk through the proposal. What are your thoughts? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
We reached out to the Berkeley police department. The department says it does not comment on council legislation.
Guests:
Tommy Tunson, retired chief of police in California with 30 years experience in law enforcement, including in the cities of Calexico, Coachella, South Gate and Arvin, he's now a criminal justice professor at Bakersfield College
Ken Barone, researcher at the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy (IMRP) at Central Connecticut State University who studies racial profiling in police traffic stops, he’s been the project manager for the Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project for over a decade
FilmWeek: ‘Greyhound,’ ‘Palm Springs,’ ‘A Regular Woman’ And More
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Peter Rainer, Claudia Puig & Wade Major review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms.
"Greyhound" on Apple TV+
"Palm Springs" on Hulu
"Guest of Honour" on virtual cinemas, including Laemmle & The Frida
"The Old Guard" on Netflix
"Runner" on Laemmle's Virtual Cinema
"Relic" at the Mission Tiki Drive-in & Van Buren Drive-In, and on VOD (Google Play, Amazon Prime, YouTube, iTunes, Spectrum On Demand & DirecTV On Demand)
"Enter The Fat Dragon" on VOD (Google Play & iTunes)
"Family Romance, LLC" on VOD (Mubi)
"DIVOS!" on VOD (iTunes & Amazon Prime Video)
Our FilmWeek critics have been curating personal lists of their favorite TV shows and movies to binge-watch during self-quarantine. You can see recommendations from each of the critics and where you can watch them here.
Guests:
Peter Rainer, film critic for KPCC and the Christian Science Monitor
Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA); she tweets
Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and CineGods.com