Today on AirTalk, We discuss the latest news surrounding this year's Olympics and the potential one occurring in Los Angeles in 2028. Also on the show, we answer your COVID-19 questions, we speak to LAPD chief Michel Moore, and more!
COVID-19 AMA: Did California Get A Boost In Vaccinations Due To Lottery, Black Angelenos Have Highest COVID Case And Death Rates And More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Dean Blumberg from UC Davis.
Topics today include:
Did California’s vaccine lottery boost vaccinations?
Black Angelenos have highest COVID case and death rates
10% of world’s population is fully vaccinated, data shows
Pandemic worsens in Africa as more contagious variants spread
Over 150 Texas healthcare workers resign or were fired over mandatory vaccination policy
LA Police commission wants LAPD to look into legality of mandating vaccinations for those folks
CDC to discuss rare heart problems in young, vaccinated people
Delta variant detected in all states except South Dakota
Guest:
Dean Blumberg, M.D., professor of medicine and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital; he tweets
LAPD Chief Michel Moore On Echo Park Lake, Push For More Officer Training And More
Today on AirTalk, LAPD Chief Michel Moore joins Larry Mantle for his monthly interview to discuss the latest in law enforcement.
What is LA Sheriff Villanueva doing in Venice Beach?
Chief Moore says city making sure homeless encampments don't return to Echo Park Lake
New LA program to divert certain low-level arrestees away from jail and into treatment
Ring gave LAPD officers free cameras, pushed product promos
LAPD Chief Michel Moore wants more officer training
LAPD shootings stayed near historic low in 2020; up in 2021
Chief Moore told the Police Commission that the city has experienced a 50% increase in shooting victims this year compared to the same period last year
LA City's $11.2 billion budget boosts LAPD spending and dedicates $1 billion for homelessness
LAPD policy mum on armed, off-duty officers drinking alcohol
Commission requests LAPD COVID-19 vaccine mandate report
LA County Supervisors vote 4-1 to close Men’s Central Jail
Two more reports find fault in LAPD's handling of summer protests
In court, BLM says LAPD 'failed completely' to punish officers in protest abuses
Guest:
Michel Moore, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department
Construction Commences On $898 Million Station Connecting Metro Lines To LAX
Construction has officially begun on LAX's long-awaited Airport Metro Connector Project, which connects Los Angeles International Airport with the Metro system.
On Monday, the Metro held a groundbreaking ceremony commencing construction of the $898.6 million project. The Airport Metro Connector Project is slated to be completed by 2024 and will include a bus plaza, a bicycle hub and a private-vehicle drop-off zone. That station will be linked to the under-construction Metro Crenshaw/LAX line via the airport's Automated People Mover.
The People Mover system, which is expected to be operating by 2023, will span 2.2 miles and connect directly with LAX's terminals. Today on AirTalk, we get more details on the construction of this near $900 million project.
A representative from LAWA was originally set to join us, but they pulled out this morning.
Guests:
Tim Lindholm, senior executive officer for Program Management at LA Metro
Brett Snyder, airline industry expert and author/founder of "The Cranky Flier blog" and "The Cranky Concierge" air travel assistance service; he’s held many jobs in the airline industry, including in operations, sales, pricing, and planning
Checking In On Tokyo Olympics, Plus What We Know About LA 2028
A sharply limited number of fans will be allowed to attend the Tokyo Olympics, organizers announced Monday as they tried to save some of the spirit of the Games where even cheering has been banned.
Organizers set a limit of 50% capacity — up to a maximum of 10,000 fans, all of whom must be Japanese residents — for each Olympic venue, regardless of whether it is indoors or outdoors. Officials said that if coronavirus cases rise again the rules could be changed and fans could still be barred all together. Spectators from abroad were banned several months ago, and now some local fans who have tickets will be forced to give them up.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles is already starting to think about its plan for the city ahead of the 2028 Olympics. We check in on the latest.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guests:
David Wharton, feature sportswriter for the Los Angeles Times who covers the Olympics; he tweets
Ed Hula, founder of Around the Rings, a publication based in Atlanta, Georgia devoted to covering the Olympics
SCOTUS Rulings: Student’s Freedom Of Speech, Union Access To CA Farmworkers And Police Home Entry
The Supreme Court ruled this week that a Pennsylvania public school wrongly suspended a student from cheerleading over a vulgar social media post she made after she didn’t qualify for the varsity team.
The court voted 8-1 in favor of Brandi Levy, who was a 14-year-old high school freshman when she expressed her disappointment over not making the varsity cheerleading squad with a string of curse words and a raised middle finger on Snapchat.
The Supreme Court also sided with California agriculture businesses in their challenge to a state regulation that gives unions access to farm property in order to organize workers. As a result of the ruling, California will have to modify or abandon the regulation put in place in 1975 after the efforts of labor leader Cesar Chavez. The justices ruled 6-3 along ideological lines for the agriculture businesses. It’s another potential setback for unions as a result of a high court decision.
“The access regulation amounts to simple appropriation of private property,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the conservative members of the court.
At issue was a regulation that granted unions access to farms and other agriculture businesses for up to three hours per day, 120 days per year, in order to organize workers. Businesses are supposed to be notified before organizers arrive, and organizers are supposed to come during nonwork times such as lunch and before and after work. Judges also ruled in favor of a California man who argued his rights were violated when police pursued him into his garage after allegedly playing loud music driving down a two-lane highway at night, according to NPR. Today on AirTalk, we’re hearing more about the Supreme Court decisions and what the implications of them could be. Questions? Give us a call at 866-893-5722.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Kimberly Robinson, U.S. Supreme Court reporter for Bloomberg Law and co-host of Bloomberg Law’s podcast “Cases and Controversies”; she tweets
Pratheepan Gulasekaram, professor of law at Santa Clara Law, where he specializes in constitutional and immigration law; he tweets