Today on AirTalk, we analyze what's in Governor Gavin Newsom's $100 billion California Comeback Plan. Also on the show, we get the latest COVID-19 news; check in on the retail industry's recovery; and more.
COVID-19: CA To Hold Off On CDC Mask Guidelines, Why Parts Of Asia Are Seeing Cases Rise And More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Timothy Brewer from UCLA.
Today’s topics include:
Mask update: CA to hold off on following CDC guidelines
LA County tells Trader Joe, other chains to continue enforcing mask usage
Should we shift focus away from herd immunity at this point?
LAUSD to use prizes, other incentives to get students vaxxed
Why are parts of Asia seeing a rise in cases? Could it happen here?
How COVID-19 proved poor indoor air quality makes us sick and what we should do about it
Guest:
Timothy Brewer, M.D., epidemiologist and professor of medicine at UCLA’s school of public health; has served on the advisory boards of the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention
The Pandemic Changed The Way We Tip The Service Industry. What Are The Rules Post-Covid?
The service industry, specifically bars, restaurants and cafes, took a serious hit during the pandemic. As public health and other officials urged curbside orders, many found themselves amping up their tips.
For example, as mentioned in J.J. McCorvey’s recent story in the Wall Street Journal, one customer found herself tipping 50% on a $6 coffee as a way to increase her support for a struggling business. While that spending may have been okay for some during a time when they were spending less, things are starting to reopen. Experts say it’s time to reassess your financial situation, but to still consider tipping generously when and if you can.
Today on AirTalk, McCorvey walks us through the rules of tipping post-COVID-19. But we also want to hear from you! What are your thoughts? Did the pandemic change how you tipped? Will your tipping practices be forever altered? How and why, if so? What are you considering moving forward? Share your thoughts in the comments or call 866-893-5722 to join the live conversation.
Guest:
J.J. McCorvey, reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Noted, a journal publication for young people, his latest story is “The Post-Covid-19 Rules of Tipping;” he tweets
What’s Our State Surplus, Really? Checking In On The Budget
Last week Governor Newsom touted that due to federal aid and the state’s surplus, the government would be able to foot the bill for a “$100 billion California Comeback Plan,” part of California’s $276 billion budget.
But the Legislative Analyst’s Office has a different take on the numbers, putting the surplus at $38 billion. That’s because Newsom is defining “surplus” differently and it does raise questions about the budget. So, what’s in it? What issues and political motivations are driving Newsom’s budget? And why is there a discrepancy in the surplus estimation?
Guests:
Gabe Petek, legislative budget analyst at the Legislative Analyst’s Office; he tweets
Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent and co-host of the Political Breakdown podcast at the San Francisco NPR affiliate KQED; she tweets
Dan Walters, long-time California politics observer with CALmatters, a nonprofit public interest publication; he tweets
Check In On The Retail Industry’s Recovery As SoCal Moves Into The Yellow Tier
Although retail stores have dealt with fewer drastic coronavirus-related closures than indoor restaurants, museums and other recreational businesses, the pandemic has still radically restructured the industry.
With customers nervous to shop in person, e-commerce boomed during the pandemic and prompted thousands of shop closures across the country. And even with COVID-19 rates plummeting and more vaccinated civilians, the hits to in-person shopping aren’t not over yet; some studies are predicting thousands of new store closures still to come in 2021. But although a significant number of businesses have struggled, many big box retailers actually saw gains during the pandemic. Some small retailers also successfully pivoted to online selling, hybridizing their model for a future that will be increasingly (although likely not entirely) digital.
Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about how the pandemic has affected retail. Are you a retail business owner? How has the pandemic affected your business, and how are you adapting going forward? We want to hear from you! Give us a call at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Rachel Michelin, president and CEO of the California Retailers Association, the trade group representing all aspects of retail in the state; she tweets
Alexis DeSalva Kahler, senior research analyst focusing on retail and e-commerce at Mintel, a global market research firm; she tweets
Martin Breidsprecher, chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; he tweets
New Book Investigates The “Punitive Expedition” And Early 20th Century Border Conflicts Between Mexico And The United States
In a new book by the acclaimed author of several bestselling nonfiction titles, the bloody “Punitive Expedition” and early 20th century conflicts between Mexico and the U.S. take center stage.
Author Jeff Guinn, whose previous subjects include Jim Jones and Charles Manson, chronicles how Pancho Villa’s raid of a small border town in 1916 resulted in a bloody conflict between Mexico and the United States. On the U.S. side, General John J. Pershing recruited the Army, National Guard and and the Texas Rangers (little more than vigilantes at the time) into a militarized force that would foreshadow future military conflicts. The U.S.’s mission to capture Villa ultimately failed, but the conflict is still remembered in the border towns where it was fought over a century ago.
Today on AirTalk, we are joined by Jeff Guinn to learn more about his new book and the history of the Punitive Expedition. Questions? Leave them below or give us a call at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Jeff Guinn, bestselling author of numerous books including his latest, “War on the Border: Villa, Pershing, the Texas Rangers, and an American Invasion” (Simon & Schuster, 2021)