Metro riders are worried about proposals to raise L.A.'s transit fares. Next, what have this weekend's earthquakes taught us about preparedness? Then, two new studies take a closer look at autism. Later, Larry talks with a Cesar Chavez biographer.
Metro riders fight proposed fare increase
Riders of the city's public busses and trains are facing a significant fare increase if proposals by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority go into effect.
Metro is facing a $36.8 million budget deficit that it says could grow to over $200 million over the next decade if no changes are made. Two proposals are currently before the Metro board that would raise fares for nearly every type of ticket or pass.
One proposal that the board will consider in May would raise the basic $1.50 bus and rail fare to $1.75 in September, to $2 in four years and $2.25 in 2021. Seniors and the disabled would see their fare double to $1.10 and a monthly pass would cost an extra $25 a month. An alternative proposal would keep standard bus fares at $1.50 for non-peak hours but rise to $2.25 for rush hour. Peak hour fares would jump to $3.25 and a day pass would nearly triple to $13 - from the current $5 - in 2021.
Both proposals would include free transfers in the 90 minutes after a ticket is purchased. The MTA argues that without the fare increases it will be forced to make dramatic cuts in service.
But critics of the proposals say that the increase will price out the very people who make up the bulk of metro's riders. According to MTA, almost 80 percent of bus riders are Black and Latino, and the average household income of riders is just over $16,000.
Can Metro sustain the city's transportation service without raising fares? Will the fare increases price many residents out public transportation? Should Metro encourage more riders to take public transportation rather than raise fares for existing riders?
Guests:
Rick Jagger, from Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Eric Mann, director of the Labor Community Strategy Center and co-chair of the Bus Riders’ Union
La Habra quake recharges infrastructure concerns
Residents and crews continue cleanup efforts after the magnitude-5.1 earthquake struck La Habra at around 9:00pm at night on Friday.
More than 150 aftershocks have been felt so far. La Habra, Fullerton and Brea were hit especially hard by the quake, which downed power lines, ruptured water mains and caused structural damages to homes and businesses. Six homes remained red-tagged as of this morning.
The weekend's jolts come on the heels of the 4.4 quake centered in Westwood earlier this month.
Are these quakes enough to affect practical decisions of Californians? What about affecting infrastructure policy and development plans?
Guest:
Lucy Jones, Ph.D., Seismologist, U.S. Geological Survey & Caltech; Jones is working with the City of Los Angeles to develop earthquake resilience strategies.
CDC says 1 in 68 children have autism
Studies released last week offer new perspective on autism spectrum disorder on multiple levels.
Research from a team at UC San Diego's Autism Center for Excellence showed that brain changes in the cortex during neonatal development suggest that autism starts in the womb. The findings add more to a pre-existing dialogue about when autism begins, and contributes to studies at UCLA that have shown genetic changes related to ASD occurring prenatally.
The CDC also issued a report on autism spectrum disorder last week, releasing the latest installment of a study of the prevalence of autism. The report, released once every two years, shows that the autism rate in the U.S. has surged -- according to the CDC, one in 68 children has ASD, but 30% from 2012. Since 2012, the has been a broadening of the spectrum for autism, which now includes what was formerly diagnosed as Asperger Syndrome.
What do these findings mean for children and adults with autism? How will resources and treatment plans change to reflect new research? How is autism spectrum disorder different today, and how will treatment continue to evolve?
Guests:
Dr. Ricki Robinson, co-director of Descanso Medical Center for Development and Learning, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at USC’s Keck School Medicine; author of “Autism Solutions”
Eric Courchesne, Ph.D, Director of the Autism Center for Excellence at UCSD, professor in UCSD's department of Neurosciences, author of the study that points to prenatal detection of autism
The crusades of Cesar Chavez
Cesar Chavez may be a famous name -- commemorative streets and schools are scattered across California and beyond in honor of the man who led United Farm Workers. But in her new book, “The Crusades of Cesar Chavez: A Biography,” Miriam Pawel takes on the first full scale biographical story of Cesar Chavez.
Pawel’s work takes a deeper look at the man behind the movement, portraying Chavez as a flawed visionary, at times gruff and isolated. Who was the man behind one of the nation’s greatest social movements? How does Pawel’s book expand understanding of Cesar Chavez’s motivations and strategies?
Guest:
Miriam Pawel, author of “The Crusades of Cesar Chavez: A Biography” (Bloomsbury Press, 2014) and “The Union of Their Dreams” (Bloomsbury Press, 2009) a history of Cesar Chavez’s United Farm Workers movement.
Los Angeles Public Library’s ALOUD series will be hosting Miriam Pawel in conversation with Luis Valdez on April 1 -- more information can be found at the Library Foundation of Los Angeles website.
Hollywood writer Anne Thompson’s inside look at the changing Hollywood system
2012 was a banner year for Hollywood. The final tally of the domestic movie box office was a record-breaking $11 billion dollars. Even with the apparent box office success, the film industry is facing challenges from decreasing ticket sales and increasing competition from small screen competitors. How is the film industry dealing with increasing competition digital streaming sites like Netflix and premium programming from HBO?
In her new book, “The $11 Billion Year: From Sundance to the Oscars, An Inside Look at the Changing Hollywood System,” Anne Thompson examines how Hollywood is adapting to changes in the entertainment industry. The book chronicles the 2012 year of film, examining studio blockbusters like John Carter and the Hunger Games and festival darlings such as Moonrise Kingdom.
What did the film industry do to produce a record-breaking year in 2012? How will the success of the 2012 films impact upcoming movie slates and studio decisions? Why do some films become blockbusters while others flop?
Guest:
Anne Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the industry blog, “Thompson on Hollywood,” and the author of “The $11 Billion Year: From Sundance to the Oscars, An Inside Look at the Changing Hollywood System” (HarperCollins, 2014)