Today on AirTalk, we give an update on the Saddle Ridge fire and take a look at the criticisms against PG&E's power shutoffs. We also discuss high-functioning addiction; talk about LA's home sharing ordinance about to go into affect for Airbnb hosts; and more.
As Investigators Attempt To Determine The Cause Of The Saddleridge Fire, PG&E Continues To Face Backlash For Outages
The cause of last week’s fast-moving Saddle Ridge fire is under investigation. It started under a Southern California Edison transmission line, but investigators are trying to determine how.
The stakes are high not just for Edison and its potential financial liability, but for residents concerned about the threshold for precautionary outages.
In Northern California, PG&E’s aggressive approach to shutoffs is being roundly criticized by Governor Newsom and the state Public Utilities Commission. They’re critical of how long the outages lasted, the way residents were informed, and how poorly the company’s website functioned.
We get the latest. Plus, how does the infrastructure of California’s electric grid affect wildfires and utilities’ ability to maintain or shut off power in dangerous conditions? How does a fire investigation work? And how does SoCal Edison’s situation compare with PG&E’s?
We invited Southern California Edison and the California Public Utilities Commission to join us for this discussion but neither was able to make someone available for us.
Guests:
Sharon McNary, infrastructure correspondent at KPCC
Tom Pierce, a fire investigator with Pierce Fire Investigations based in Bakersfield. He has been involved in fire service since 1974, and has worked with the National Fire Academy, the California State Fire Marshal's Office, and many other law enforcement organizations
Nicholas Abi-Samra, professor of electrical engineering at UC San Diego; he is president of Electric Power & Energy Consulting (EPEC), an independent consulting firm that works with the electric utility industry; he is the author of the book, “Power Grid Resiliency for Adverse Conditions” (Artech, 2017)
Angels Player Tyler Skaggs Allegedly Used Drugs For Some Time. So How Could He Function As A Starting Pitcher?
A recent ESPN report dropped the latest bombshell in the tragic death of Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs. The 27-year-old died in July when he choked on his own vomit. An autopsy showed Skaggs had alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone in his system at the time.
The report says a public relations employee for the Angels shared with investigators that he provided oxycodone to Skaggs and abused it with him for years. Eric Kay, the team’s director of communications, also told investigators that two of the team’s officials knew of Skaggs’ drug use long before he died, but those officials reportedly denied the claims. The new revelations in the investigation could lead to a future legal battle, although Kay has said he doesn’t believe the drugs in Skaggs system the night he died were ones Kay had provided. Skaggs was a starting pitcher for the MLB team.
So how could he have possibly maintained the lifestyle of a professional athlete under the influence of harmful substances for a potentially long period of time? What does it say about high-functioning addiction? We turn to experts on opioid addiction to answer those questions. Have you struggled with substance use? Were you able to function and maintain certain aspects of your life? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Timothy Fong, professor of addiction psychiatry at UCLA where he also directs the school’s Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Program
Judith Grisel, professor of psychology at Bucknell University (Lewisburg, PA) and author of the book “Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction” (Doubleday, February 2019)
Should ‘Mom-And-Pop’ Hosts Get A Carveout In LA’s New Home-Sharing Rules?
Under LA’s new Home-Sharing Ordinance, hosts using platforms such as Airbnb cannot rent out properties that are not their primary residence.
While the ordinance was passed months ago, enforcement begins November 1. And as the date approaches, Homeshare Alliance Los Angeles, an advocacy group for hosts, has been making the case that they should not be lumped in with large commercial operators. They’ve been asking the city to amend the Home-Sharing Ordinance to allow hosts to rent out a second residence on a parcel of land with four or less units. They also want hosts in rent stabilized units to be allowed to rent out their primary homes for short term stays.
Tenant rights activists have not been sympathetic, arguing that in the context of LA’s housing crisis, the right thing to do is to release these units into the housing market.
We discuss the new rules and proposed amendments. Plus, if you are an Airbnb host, how would the Home-Sharing Ordinance affect you? Do you think there should be a special carveout for hosts who want to rent out a second unit or accessory dwelling unit?
Guests:
Tricia Keane, deputy director of the Los Angeles Department of City Planning
Cynthia Strathmann, executive director of Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, a non-profit based in South LA that advocates for tenants rights and housing
Heather Carson, co-chair of the Homeshare Alliance Los Angeles, which is an advocacy organization for hosts, housecleaners and local businesses
An Author's Tale Of 'The Outlaw Ocean' And How Global Indifference Leads To Exploitation
The Outlaw Ocean project began as a New York Times series, but developed into a book as a result of more than three years of investigative reporting.
The new book, “The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier,” attempts to shed light on the cycles of exploitation and mistreatment that occur on the open seas. Author Ian Urbina says the seas are too vast to police and are filled with traffickers and smugglers, pirates and mercenaries, poachers, shackled slaves, stowaways and more. The exploitation throughout various industries is key to the global economy and global indifference is part of the problem. Could today’s lawlessness be tomorrow’s devastation?
Guest:
Ian Urbina, author of the new book, “The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier” (Alfred A. Knopf, 2019); investigative reporter who’s written for various publications including the New York Times and The Atlantic; he tweets