Today on AirTalk, we check in on how voters are faring this Super Tuesday in L.A. County and beyond. Also on the show, we discuss a potential drought; a new bill for adult performers; and more.
Super Tuesday: L.A. County Voters Cast Their Ballots & Encounter Changes At The Polls
It’s Super Tuesday in California, which means that millions of voters from around the state will cast their ballots in the presidential primary and in a host of local elections.
In L.A. County, voters can expect a different experience at the polls this year. For one thing, their polling place may no longer exist; the county has shifted from a large swathe of neighborhood polls to a smaller pool of regional voting centers. The switch allows Angelenos to attend a polling place of their choice, rather than one assigned to them. However, it also means that Los Angeles’ 4,500 polling places have been reduced to 976. Centers opened as early as eleven days ago to voters, who have encountered new voting machines with touch screens and 13 different language options. Although the changes promise a new streamlined approach, voters have reported technical difficulties-- a concern given that voter confidence is still middling after changes to Democratic voting in the Iowa caucuses went horribly wrong last month.
Today, KPCC reporters will bring the latest from voting centers around the city. What was your experience like with the changes this year? Did you encounter issues at your voting center, or were you happy with the process? Join the conversation.
Guests:
Sharon McNary, correspondent at KPCC
Caroline Champlin, reporter at KPCC
Dean Logan, Los Angeles County Registrar
Neal Kelley, Registrar of Voters for Orange County, California
A Bone-Dry February Is Having People Worried About A Possible Drought
Lower than average levels of snowpack in the California mountains are raising concerns of a possible drought.
The California Department of Water Resources conducted their third seasonal snow survey. The seasonal test is done to measure the state’s water supply. January and February were disappointing precipitation months due to warmer winter temperatures and less rainfall. The snow season typically begins in December up until April. It’s too soon to tell how much snow and rain we may receive in the next couple months. On the bright side, state officials have said water reservoir levels are either near or at historical averages. In the past few years, the state had experienced a period of heavy rain and snow that led former California Governor Jerry Brown to declare an end to the five-year drought. State officials are saying that a few dry months does not necessarily equate to a drought. But areas in Central and Southern California are reporting drier than normal precipitation levels.
Today on Airtalk, we do a drought check-in and take a closer look at the rain and snow conditions that are raising concerns.
Guests:
Jim Carlton, reporter for the Wall Street Journal; his most recent piece is “ Drought Fears Rise in California”; he tweets
Sean de Guzman, chief of snow surveys and water supply forecasting for the California Department of Water Resources
Alexander Tardy, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s San Diego office; he tweets
Does New CA Bill To Create Certificate Program And Registry For Adult Performers Help Or Hurt?
A new state bill in California is getting waves of backlash from many adult performers.
The initial version of the bill would have created a registry of adult performers who would be fingerprinted, background checked and would have to go through an educational program to be licensed.
After criticism, amendments were introduced to get rid of the fingerprinting and to change the business license requirement to a certificate program. The bill will likely continue to undergo changes as stakeholders weigh in.
We discuss the pros and cons of the legislation.
Plus, if you’re in the adult industry, what do you think? Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), assemblymember representing the 58th district, which encompasses Bell Gardens, Artesia, Bellflower, Commerce, Cerritos, Downey, Montebello, Nowalk and Pico Rivera; she introduced Assembly Bill 2389
Amanda Gullesserian, union secretary and founder of the International Entertainment Adult Union; she proposed the bill to Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia
Alana Evans, president of the Adult Performers Actors Guild, a union based in California San Fernando Valley; which is a chapter of the International Entertainment Adult Union
Facing The Music: KPCC/LAist Investigation Explores The Uncertain Future of an OC Performing Arts School
A nearly 20-year relationship gone sour. Finger-pointing over who's at fault. Hurt feelings and high emotions all around. Lawyers, of course. And children — lots of them — caught in the middle of the potential split.
The disgruntled partners: Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) and the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD). Their fight could bring down the curtain on one of Southern California's most popular — yet highly controversial — charter schools. The school boasts a high graduation rate and an alumni roster filled with Hollywood celebrities and working artists. The criticisms come down to who has access to that education and who has been shut out. It's also what's drawing a new level of scrutiny from Santa Ana Unified. Last fall, OCSA applied to renew its charter with SAUSD, something state rules require must be done every five years. The district staff responded with a scathing 37-page report that found the schools "admission/enrollment policies and practices have encouraged applications from high achieving and well-resourced students and discouraged applications from those in the under-represented protected classifications” and that the numbers of "Hispanic/Latino, English Learners" and low-income students were so small at OCSA, it was impossible to meaningfully compare achievement to other district schools. While district officials openly say that OCSA is a high-quality school, they also say its policies exclude local, mostly Latino students while welcoming a wealthier, whiter student body that isn't reflective of Santa Ana. The district's recommendation to the Santa Ana Unified board: The findings could support denying the charter renewal.
The board decided not to go as far as denial — instead, board members went with another recommended course: Vote to renew OCSA's charter on the condition that the school work with the district to correct the alleged violations. OCSA reacted swiftly, and fiercely. The school's founder said the pushback from the district is payback over a lawsuit OCSA filed against the district last year over special education funding. He also said there was nothing for OCSA to correct. So the school stopped trying to work it out with the district, and started looking for another oversight agency. Now, the issue is in the hands of the Orange County Board of Education, the body charged with taking up appeals of charters denied by their local authorizers. They don't have long to make a decision — OCSA's current charter expires on June 30. The Orange County Department of Education recommended last week that the charter be renewed, but only if OCSA addressed the issues with admissions policies and fundraising practices.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk with KPCC arts education reporter Carla Javier about her reporting on the story, how the situation got to where it is now, and what happens next. If you’re a member of the OCSA community, we’d like to hear from you. Join our live conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
For the full story from LAist, click here.
We invited Orange County School of the Arts to participate but they declined our request. We also invited Santa Ana School District to join us, but we have yet to receive a response. We will update if we hear from them.
Guests:
Carla Javier, KPCC/LAist reporter covering arts education whose latest piece for LAist is “Facing The Music: The Uncertain Future of the Orange County School of the Arts”; she tweets
Tony Marcano, KPCC education editor; he tweets
Mark LeVine, professor of history at UC Irvine and the parent of an Orange County School of the Arts alumnus
Chatting With One Of NPR’s ‘Founding Mothers’ Susan Stamberg
With a career in broadcast journalism that spans over fifty years, Susan Stamberg is one of the most respected figures in media today and continues to be a recognizable voice on NPR’s airwaves.
Stamberg is considered one of NPR’s “founding mothers”. She began her career with the organization as a co-host on All Things Considered, becoming the first woman to regularly anchor a nightly news cast. Since then, she’s hosted Weekend Edition Sunday, written multiple books, and has ventured into broadcast television. She is currently reporting on cultural issues as a special correspondent for Morning Edition and Weekend Edition Sunday.
She’s received every major award in broadcasting, including the Edward R. Murrow Award from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting and the Distinguished Broadcaster Award from the American Women in Radio and Television. She was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the National Radio Hall of Fame. Now, her legacy is set to be memorialized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as the first public radio journalist to receive the honor.
Today on AirTalk, guest host Lisa Napoli chats with Susan Stamberg on her broadcasting career, how the medium has changed overtime, and what it means to work in radio today.
Guest:
Susan Stamberg, special correspondent for National Public Radio; “Founding Mother” of NPR; she tweets at