Los Angeles’s City Councils Economic Development Committee is considering a plan that would contribute $138 million in financial assistance to the building of the Frank Gehry-designed Grand Avenue project. Also, a new study by UC Irvine shows that repetition may have negative effects on memorization. Then, the Getty Villa and Center have drained their fountains and pools in an effort to conserve water.
Los Angeles city considers contributing $138 million for private hotel project
Los Angeles’s City Councils Economic Development Committee is considering a plan that would contribute $138 million in financial assistance to the building of the Frank Gehry-designed Grand Avenue project. Under the proposed plan, Related Construction would be able to keep a majority of the hotel tax that would be created by building the project until 2043. Before the Economic Development Committee is the proposed $39 million subsidy for Metropolis, which is set to be constructed next to the 110 freeway and be home to a 19-story hotel and a 38-story residential high-rise.
Critics of the proposed subsidies for multi-million dollar hotels and high-rise residential complex say that city officials shouldn’t be giving away money that the city doesn’t have. They also add that the city of Los Angeles is neglecting its basic infrastructure needs such as maintenance of streets, sidewalks and traffic congestion throughout the city.
What do you think of the proposed subsidies total $180 million to build these two downtown hotels? Is this a case of politicians greasing the wheel and passing on subsidies to campaign donors? Do you feel “the basics have been neglected for too long, as Mayor Garcetti suggested earlier this year?
Guests:
Curren Price, Los Angeles City Council member representing the 9th Council District, which includes Staples Center, L.A. Mart, and USC. He heads the city’s economic development committee, which is considering a plan to provide financial assistance to two major Downtown hotel projects
Laura Lake, a member of the board of directors at Fix the City, an advocacy organization dedicated to improving Los Angeles’ infrastructure
Will new fines prevent Malibu homeowners from restricting public beach access?
A new bill signed by Governor Brown gives the California Coastal Commission authority to fine beachside property owners who violate public access requirements. Previously, the commission had to file a lawsuit against property owners who were painting curbsides red and posting fake “No Parking” signs. Homeowners on the Malibu coast claim that the beaches on their property should remain private, and that visitors leave behind a mess. The Coastal Commission fines for fake signs range from hundreds of dollars to $22,000.
Critics of the new bill say that the new laws put an unfair onus on homeowners, who may have pursued a lawsuit protecting their property in the past.
Is it appropriate for the California Coastal Commission to regulate public beach access with fines? Should property owners have a different recourse for keeping beaches private? Will homeowners simply pay the fines or will it actually change their behavior?
RELATED: Malibu’s hidden beaches and how to access them
Guest:
Lisa Haage, Chief of Enforcement at the California Coastal Commission
Damien Schiff, Principal Attorney for Pacific Legal Foundation
Should you hold out for the perfect job or take the first offer?
California’s unemployment rate has been steadily falling. The state’s jobless rate dropped to 7.6 percent in May, back to pre-recession levels in 2008. Still, more than a million Californians are still out of work, and it’s not uncommon for the long-term unemployed to become discouraged and stop looking. Meanwhile, college graduation season is upon us, meaning that a lot of newly minted graduates will be hitting the job market. Their prospects, sadly, aren’t that rosy. According to the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal-leaning think tank in D.C., the unemployment rate among young graduates is currently at 8.5 percent (compared with 5.5 percent in 2007).
Even as the economy improves, many job seekers are still finding it difficult to reenter the workforce. While the recent recession and a tough job market play a role, expectations can also be a hindrance. Should a fresh graduate hold out for the perfect job or take the first offer? Should a job seeker wait for that dream job to come? How should one decide?
Guest:
Rebecca Kieler, career management consultant and founder of Kieler Career Consulting, a career management firm based in the Bay Area. She’s worked with companies such as Sun Microsystems, Johnson & Johnson, and Yahoo
J. M. Henderson, a contributor to Forbes who writes about early career issues facing Gen Yers and millennials . Her piece for Forbes, “Why Taking A Job You Hate Right Out Of College Is The Best Career Move You Can Make,” was published yesterday.
Study finds rote memorization makes you forget details
A new study by UC Irvine neurobiology professor Michael Yassa indicates that repetition may have negative effects on memorization, at least when it comes to remembering details.
Repeating information improves recall of main themes and factual content, but can actually damage recollection of nuanced details. During the study, subjects were tested on their memories of images -- multiple views made it harder for participants to reject “imposter” pictures of similar subjects with changed details.
While Yassa and his student Zacharaiah Reagh approached their study with neurobiology and memory in mind, the results have broader implications when it comes to education. What kinds of learning best reinforce memories? Does repetition make it harder to recall details?
Guest:
Michael Yassa, assistant professor, in the department of Neurobiology and Behavior at the University of California, Irvine
Drought claims pools and fountains at Getty Center and Villa
Almost anyone who has been to the Getty Center and Villa is immediately struck by the beauty and grandeur of its fountains and pools.
But, the luxury of that kind of water usage has come to an end until drought declarations have been lifted. Both architectural gems have drained most of their pools and fountains in light of the drought here in California.
RELATED: Getty shuts the tap on ponds, fountains to save water
Since the Getty has taken action, it has saved around 2,500 gallons of water a day. According to the US Drought Monitor, 100 percent of California is in a severe drought, with almost 33 percent in an exceptional drought (the worst level). Twice, Governor Brown has called emergency drought declarations, asking Californians to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 20 percent.
But the State Water Resources Control Board reported that water use by citizens was down only by 5 percent through May. Are you doing anything to curb your water usage? How? If not, why not? Do you admire the Getty’s choice? Or, do you feel robbed, not able to enjoy the water feature’s majesty?
Guest:
Ron Hartwig, Vice President, Communications at the J. Paul Getty Trust
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