Today on AirTalk, we discuss the challenges re-entry poses for incarcerated people released due to the pandemic. Also on the show, we discuss the budget with CSU Chancellor Timothy White; check in on homelessness initiatives; and more.
COVID-19 AMA: Spread On Surfaces, Is There Any Way To Safely Socialize?
As of Thursday, L.A. County had at least 1,973 deaths and 40,895 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
The L.A. Times is tracking cases and is reporting more than 86,000 cases and 3,501 deaths across the state as of late Wednesday night.
According to the Times, cases in the state are on track to double about every month. President Donald Trump vowed to use “every plane, truck and soldier” to distribute COVID-19 vaccines he hopes will be ready by year’s end — even as the country’s top scientists gear up for a master experiment to rapidly tell if any really work. As the world races to find a vaccine, we continue to learn new things about the virus. The CDC now says the virus doesn’t spread easily from touching surfaces. Researchers are also looking to “superspreading events” to better understand how the virus impacts crowded areas, according to a recent Wall Street Journal piece. Today on AirTalk, we get the latest with COVID-19 with an infectious disease specialist. Plus, what should people be thinking about ahead of Memorial Day weekend and is there any safe way to socialize amid the pandemic? Do you have questions? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
With files from LAist and the Associated Press. Read the full story here.
Guest:
Dean Blumberg, M.D., professor of medicine and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital
Homelessness Check-In: Project Roomkey And Court Order To House Homeless Individuals Living Near L.A. Freeways
Project Roomkey, launched in early April by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, is the state's effort to "provide safe isolation capacity for tens of thousands of people experiencing homelessness in California in order to protect them and the state from COVID-19." On April 18, the state surpassed its goal of procuring 15,000 hotel and motel rooms for Project Roomkey.
Local governments are responsible for identifying who is selected for isolated housing through the program, and 75 percent of the costs for the rooms and support staff are covered by FEMA. Project Roomkey puts a priority on housing homeless people who have tested positive for coronavirus, those who have been exposed to the virus, and people 65 and older or with underlying medical conditions that put them at higher risk.
But a recent Los Angeles Times analysis found that Project Roomkey has fallen short of expectations, with half of those 15,0000 rooms currently sitting empty. The Times analysis found that less than 5% of California's population of 151,000 homeless people has been housed through the program.
Another potential complication is a landmark court order announced last Friday that requires the city and county of Los Angeles to find shelter for the thousands of homeless people living near L.A. freeways. The order goes into effect on May 22nd. It's still unclear whether hotel and motel rooms leased through Project Roomkey could be used to house some of the estimated 6,000 to 7,000 homeless individuals currently living under overpasses and alongside L.A. freeway ramps.
Guests:
Heidi Marston, interim executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, the lead agency coordinating housing and services for homeless families and individuals in Los Angeles County
Rev. Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission; he tweets
Education & COVID-19: CSU Chancellor Timothy White Responds To State Budget Cuts
Come the fall semester, California State University Chancellor Timothy White says most CSU classes will remain online, but that likely won't be the only big change on the horizon for the largest four-year higher education system in the U.S.
In Governor Gavin Newsom's revised state budget proposal, which he released last week, CSU system funding would be reduced by 10% in an effort to help cover the projected $54.3 billion deficit the state is currently facing. The UC system is also facing a 10% cut. It amounts to a $338 million reduction in state funding for the UC system and a $398 million reduction for the CSU system. Summer financial aid would also take a hit, with a $6 million cut for the CSU system. CSU Chancellor Timothy White joins AirTalk to discuss what a 10 percent reduction in state funding would mean for the Cal State University system.
Guest:
Timothy White, chancellor of the California State University, which is comprised of 23 campuses, over 480,000 students and 53,000 faculty and staff
The Pandemic Has Emptied Prisons. We Examine The Effects, As Well As the Challenges To Reentry
California has released nearly 3,5000 inmates in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. And those leaving custody are entering a world much different from the one they left -- one with few job opportunities, a downwards trending economy and closures of government agencies that would’ve once helped them get back on their feet.
Many reentry programs are overwhelmed and advocates say that some of the people released from custody are at risk of becoming homeless. Meanwhile, some law enforcement voices have said that recent policies, including zero bail for most misdemeanors and low level offenses, has led to repeat offenders and threats to public safety.
We dive into the effects of inmates being released at this moment and the challenges to reentry into society. If you work with people who’ve been recently released from custody or have experienced this yourself, share your experience by calling 866-893-5722.
People seeking reentry services can find resources here.
Guests:
Alex Villanueva, Los Angeles County Sheriff; he tweets
Jackie Lacey, Los Angeles District Attorney
Peter Espinoza, director of the LA County Office of Diversion and Reentry; former Los Angeles Superior Court judge
Gregory Boyle, Jesuit priest; founder of Homeboy Industries, the world's largest gang-intervention and rehabilitation program; he tweets
Ingrid Archie, civic engagement coordinator at A New Way of Life Reentry Project, a non-profit which provides housing and other services for women rebuilding their lives after prison
COVID-19 AMA: Spread On Surfaces, Is There Any Way To Safely Socialize?
As of Thursday, L.A. County had at least 1,973 deaths and 40,895 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
The L.A. Times is tracking cases and is reporting more than 86,000 cases and 3,501 deaths across the state as of late Wednesday night.
According to the Times, cases in the state are on track to double about every month. President Donald Trump vowed to use “every plane, truck and soldier” to distribute COVID-19 vaccines he hopes will be ready by year’s end — even as the country’s top scientists gear up for a master experiment to rapidly tell if any really work. As the world races to find a vaccine, we continue to learn new things about the virus. The CDC now says the virus doesn’t spread easily from touching surfaces. Researchers are also looking to “superspreading events” to better understand how the virus impacts crowded areas, according to a recent Wall Street Journal piece. Today on AirTalk, we get the latest with COVID-19 with an infectious disease specialist. Plus, what should people be thinking about ahead of Memorial Day weekend and is there any safe way to socialize amid the pandemic? Do you have questions? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
With files from LAist and the Associated Press. Read the full story here.
Guest:
Dean Blumberg, M.D., professor of medicine and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital
Homelessness Check-In: Project Roomkey And Court Order To House Homeless Individuals Living Near L.A. Freeways
Project Roomkey, launched in early April by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, is the state's effort to "provide safe isolation capacity for tens of thousands of people experiencing homelessness in California in order to protect them and the state from COVID-19." On April 18, the state surpassed its goal of procuring 15,000 hotel and motel rooms for Project Roomkey.
Local governments are responsible for identifying who is selected for isolated housing through the program, and 75 percent of the costs for the rooms and support staff are covered by FEMA. Project Roomkey puts a priority on housing homeless people who have tested positive for coronavirus, those who have been exposed to the virus, and people 65 and older or with underlying medical conditions that put them at higher risk.
But a recent Los Angeles Times analysis found that Project Roomkey has fallen short of expectations, with half of those 15,0000 rooms currently sitting empty. The Times analysis found that less than 5% of California's population of 151,000 homeless people has been housed through the program.
Another potential complication is a landmark court order announced last Friday that requires the city and county of Los Angeles to find shelter for the thousands of homeless people living near L.A. freeways. The order goes into effect on May 22nd. It's still unclear whether hotel and motel rooms leased through Project Roomkey could be used to house some of the estimated 6,000 to 7,000 homeless individuals currently living under overpasses and alongside L.A. freeway ramps.
Guests:
Heidi Marston, interim executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, the lead agency coordinating housing and services for homeless families and individuals in Los Angeles County
Rev. Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission; he tweets
Education & COVID-19: CSU Chancellor Timothy White Responds To State Budget Cuts
Come the fall semester, California State University Chancellor Timothy White says most CSU classes will remain online, but that likely won't be the only big change on the horizon for the largest four-year higher education system in the U.S.
In Governor Gavin Newsom's revised state budget proposal, which he released last week, CSU system funding would be reduced by 10% in an effort to help cover the projected $54.3 billion deficit the state is currently facing. The UC system is also facing a 10% cut. It amounts to a $338 million reduction in state funding for the UC system and a $398 million reduction for the CSU system. Summer financial aid would also take a hit, with a $6 million cut for the CSU system. CSU Chancellor Timothy White joins AirTalk to discuss what a 10 percent reduction in state funding would mean for the Cal State University system.
Guest:
Timothy White, chancellor of the California State University, which is comprised of 23 campuses, over 480,000 students and 53,000 faculty and staff
The Pandemic Has Emptied Prisons. We Examine The Effects, As Well As the Challenges To Reentry
California has released nearly 3,5000 inmates in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. And those leaving custody are entering a world much different from the one they left -- one with few job opportunities, a downwards trending economy and closures of government agencies that would’ve once helped them get back on their feet.
Many reentry programs are overwhelmed and advocates say that some of the people released from custody are at risk of becoming homeless. Meanwhile, some law enforcement voices have said that recent policies, including zero bail for most misdemeanors and low level offenses, has led to repeat offenders and threats to public safety.
We dive into the effects of inmates being released at this moment and the challenges to reentry into society. If you work with people who’ve been recently released from custody or have experienced this yourself, share your experience by calling 866-893-5722.
People seeking reentry services can find resources here.
Guests:
Alex Villanueva, Los Angeles County Sheriff; he tweets
Jackie Lacey, Los Angeles District Attorney
Peter Espinoza, director of the LA County Office of Diversion and Reentry; former Los Angeles Superior Court judge
Gregory Boyle, Jesuit priest; founder of Homeboy Industries, the world's largest gang-intervention and rehabilitation program; he tweets
Ingrid Archie, civic engagement coordinator at A New Way of Life Reentry Project, a non-profit which provides housing and other services for women rebuilding their lives after prison