As LAUSD Strike Enters Its Third And Final Day, Mayor Bass Steps In To Mediate

The strike that shut down Los Angeles Unified School District has reached its third and, if things go as advertised, final day. The union that represents school support staff walked off on Tuesday, in protest of alleged harassment from the district during prolonged contract talks. On Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Karen Bass's office confirmed she is facilitating discussion between SEIU 99 and LAUSD, emphasizing that the parties involved are taking the lead. But if and when negotiations settle, the key question will be: Is it enough?

Today on AirTalk, we discuss what happens next with Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times education reporter, and Mariana Dale, LAist early childhood reporter. 

With files from LAist

Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rate By A Quarter Point

The Federal Reserve extended its year-long fight against high inflation Wednesday by raising its key interest rate by a quarter-point despite concerns that higher borrowing rates could worsen the turmoil that has gripped the banking system. “The U.S. banking system is sound and resilient,” the Fed said in a statement after its latest policy meeting ended. The Fed chair also underscored that the central bank remains focused on fighting high inflation, which could require additional rate hikes. Yet he also signaled that the Fed might not need to impose many more increases if more banks were to reduce their lending to conserve cash. This could lead to slower growth, hiring and inflation, Powell said.

Today on AirTalk, we’re joined by Jonnelle Marte, a reporter covering the Federal Reserve for Bloomberg, and Chris Thornberg, founding partner of Beacon Economics.

With files from the Associated Press

NPR’s Ari Shapiro’s New Book Introduces Us To The Best Strangers In The World

As the host of NPR’s flagship afternoon news broadcast, you’re bound to have the chance to travel to some unique places and meet some incredible people with equally incredible stories along the way. In his first book “The Best Strangers In The World,” NPR’s “All Things Considered” Host Ari Shapiro takes us with him on some of his most memorable reporting trips, from traveling on Air Force One with President Obama to following Syrian refugees fleeing civil war in their home country.

Today on AirTalk, Ari is with us to talk about his new book, some of the characters readers will meet along the way, and some of the lessons he’s taken with him from his travels.

Apartment Association Of Greater Los Angeles Director Dan Yukelson Weighs In On How Landlords Are Responding To the End Of Tenant Protections

After about three years of shielding tenants from evictions due to non-payment of rent, L.A. County is set to scrap renter protections tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. Housing advocates and renters had called for more help before March 31, when the COVID-19 protections are set to expire. But county leaders rejected a proposal on Tuesday intended to soften the blow for renters who could soon face eviction. After hours of debate, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted against setting up new protections tied to the ongoing homelessness emergency they declared earlier this year. The decision to end all emergency tenant protections marked a shift from previous votes, when county supervisors repeatedly extended policies aimed at helping renters stay housed. Executive Director of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles Dan Yukelson, joins AirTalk to discuss what’s in store for housing providers now that tenant protections are set to expire.

With files from LAist. Read more here.

How Have Advances In Forensic Science Impacted Serial Murders In California?

California has been home to some of the most well-known serial killers in the nation, with names like ‘The Zodiac Killer’ and ‘The Night Stalker’ being names a lot of local folks may be familiar with. Their strings of murders, along with those of other serial killers, led to curfews and folks locking their doors… but are they still around? Data from Radford and Florida Gulf Coast Universities found that there’s been a steady decline of serial killers since the 1980s.

Serial killing isn’t completely gone, with a string of murders in Stockon last year, with authorities having found a suspected person they’re now in the process of taking to court. In the time of this decline though, we’ve also seen breakthroughs in forensic science that led to folks like the Original Night Stalker to be caught decades after the crimes they committed. So what’s happened in the world of serial killing and is there any potential reasons as to why there’s reportedly been less of them.

Today on AirTalk, Larry digs into this with Judy Ho, Forensic neuropsychologist and associate professor of psychology at Pepperdine University.

TV-Talk: ‘Succession’ Season 4, ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 2, & ‘Emergency NYC’

Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network tv and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we’re going to try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, Larry talks with associate TV editor for IndieWire, Steve Greene, in this shortened version of the program.

This week’s reviews include:

• Succession [Season 4, Final Season] (Airing on HBO; Streaming on HBO Max)
• Yellowjackets [Season 2] (Showtime)
• Emergency NYC (Netflix)