Are you for REAL ID? What you need to know about the DMV’s official REAL ID deadline
After 17 years of delays, the DMV has deemed May 7 as the official deadline for people to get their REAL ID. This deadline was set years ago after the Department of Homeland Security pushed back the prior deadline of May 3, 2023. REAL ID is expected to be important for a lot of residents— other than serving most of the purposes of today’s acceptable forms of identification– these news IDs will also be important for domestic travel. Today on AirTalk, we tell you what you need to know about REAL ID with Leslie Josephs, airline reporter for CNBC, and Steve Gordon, director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
What the Harvard funding freeze could mean
The federal government says it’s freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, after the institution said it would defy the Trump administration’s demands to limit activism on campus. The hold on Harvard’s funding marks the seventh time President Donald Trump’s administration has taken the step at one of the nation’s most elite colleges, in an attempt to force compliance with Trump’s political agenda. Six of the seven schools are in the Ivy League. It sets the stage for a showdown between the federal government and America’s oldest and wealthiest university. With an endowment of more than $50 billion, Harvard is perhaps the best positioned university to push back on the administration’s pressure campaign. In a letter to Harvard Friday, Trump’s administration had called for broad government and leadership reforms at the university, as well as changes to its admissions policies. It also demanded the university audit views of diversity on campus, and stop recognizing some student clubs. Joining us to discuss is Sarah Brown, senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education.
With files from the Associated Press.
When enough is enuf: new book explores the history of English spelling
Have you ever wondered why there’s a b in doubt? Or perhaps why some words that look so similar, like daughter and laughter, don’t rhyme at all? Welcome to English spelling! Now a new book explores the century-spanning attempts to reform English spelling — from Benjamin Franklin’s suggestion to remove letters from the alphabet to Theodore Roosevelt’s call for the elimination of silent letters to the digital revolution of language. Joining us today to talk about the history of English spelling and his new book, “Enough Is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell (Dey Street Books (April 15, 2025), is author and humorist Gabe Henry.
Tis the season for new Los Angeles county and city budgets
The proposal for the next Los Angeles county budget has been released, and the nearly $48 billion dollar spending plan reflects “extraordinary budget pressures” facing the county, according to a statement from the CEO’s office. Under the plan, the cuts total $88.9 million and include more than $50 million in savings from cutting supplies, delaying equipment purchases and reducing the scope of some programs. The proposal does not include any layoffs but calls for the elimination of 310 vacant positions.” On a city level, the Los Angeles area is also facing fiscal strain. The legal deadline for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to submit her 2025-2026 budget proposal is less than a week away. The city is grappling with a severe revenue shortfall that has led to a near $1 billion gap, and tough decisions will have to be made. Layoffs are anticipated in an effort to trim costs, and a large increase in trash collection fees is being proposed to bolster revenue. Joining Larry this morning to talk about what listeners can expect out of the county and city budget are LAist civics and democracy correspondent Frank Stoltze and Los Angeles City councilmember for district 3 Bob Blumenfield.
As tourism lags Gov. Newsom announces a new initiative to lure Canadians to the golden state
Last night, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a new initiative alongside Visit California which aims to attract more international tourism to the state. The campaign’s messaging is directed towards Canadians specifically, who make up a huge part of California’s tourism. Under this current administration, however, Canadian tourism has dropped significantly compared to where numbers were this time last year. President Trump’s tariffs and immigration policies are worrying state and local tourism boards who are already projecting a drop off in international tourism this year, which means a huge financial loss for the state. Joining us this morning on AirTalk to discuss the state of local tourism and this new initiative to attract visitors is Clara Harter, LA Times reporter, Jackie Filla, president and CEO of the Hotel Association of Los Angeles and Thomas Soule, public affairs manager for the city of Palm Desert.
Why are we drawn to fads and collectibles?
If you stopped by Trader Joe's recently, you may have been greeted by a line of customers a block away waiting to get their hands on the new limited edition mini totes. A similar phenomenon happened last year when Stanley released a special Valentine's Day tumbler in collaboration with Starbucks. From totes, to cups, to blind boxes, McDonald's Happy Meal toys, collectibles have always piqued customers' interests. But why? Today on AirTalk, we discuss the reasons why people are drawn to fad collectibles, even to the degree of waiting outside the store a day in advance, with Aaron Ahuvia, professor of marketing at University Michigan-Dearborn. We also want to hear from you! Have you ever tried to collect a limited edition item? How far did you go to get your hands on it? Do you still have that collectors item now? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
