COVID-19 AMA: Stress On Hospitals Grows, Low Vaccination Rates Among Kids, COVID-19 Pill Shortages, And More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with epidemiologist and professor of medicine at UCLA’s school of public health, Dr. Timothy Brewer.
Topics today include:
- L.A. County reports single highest death toll in 4 months
- Biden to announce new federal medical team deployments to help hospitals grappling with COVID-19 surge
- F.D.A. warns against using unapproved COVID-19 tests because of a "high risk of false results"
- Omicron causing less severe illness in Southern California patients, study suggests
- Children's low COVID vaccination rates called a "gut punch"
- Is Omicron peaking?
- COVID-19 pill rollout stymied by shortages as Omicron rages
- New study reveals stark COVID risks for unvaccinated pregnant women and their babies
Remembering Cultural Icons That Have Left Us So Far in 2022
It’s been a tough start to 2022 for the icons who have shaped our understanding of popular culture. Yesterday, the music world mourned the death of Ronnie Spector, the ‘60s icon who sang “Be My Baby” and other big hits of the girl group era with The Ronettes. We’ve recently lost comedian and actress Betty White, actor Sidney Poitier, TV dad and comedian Bob Saget, composer and lyricist Marilyn Bergman, and director Peter Bogdanovich. Today on AirTalk, we replay a 2015 interview Larry did with Bogdanovich and pay tribute to some of the other icons we’ve lost.
Breaking Down PTA Influence In LAUSD And The Inequities It Reflects On LA’s Education System
In 1978, California voters passed Proposition 13, a measure that enacted permanent limits on many forms of taxation in the state – including property taxes. That led to less funding for all sorts of government functions – including schools. Enter school fundraising groups like Parent-Teacher Associations, booster clubs, and educational foundations which have helped to fill the gaps in state funding. In 1980 there were 46 “local educational foundations” in California. And by 2011, there were more than 900, according to a recent analysis by the Public Policy Institute of California. Add those foundations to the many PTAs, PTOs, booster clubs and other groups operating around the state, and California likely has more than 12,000 organizations collecting checks from parents to support public schools.
However, according to a new LAist investigation, using these entities as a way to finance public education has led to some inequities.
Today on AirTalk, Larry sits down with KPCC & LAist senior education reporter Kyle Stokes, President of the California State Parent Teacher Association Carol Green and Cal State Fullerton political science professor Shelly Arsneault to discuss PTAs and the impact they’ve had at LAUSD.
You can read Kyle’s investigative piece for LAist here.
2022 Will Be A Big Year In NASA’s Push To Return To The Moon
It’s been nearly 50 years since Apollo 17 landed on the moon, and a human hasn’t stepped foot on the lunar surface since. If all goes according to plan, that could soon change. NASA’s Artemis program aims to return astronauts to the moon in 2025. To do that, it will have to pass a couple key tests this year. Today on AirTalk, Larry speaks with New York Times space reporter Joey Roulette about what those tests are, and why NASA wants to return to the Moon.
Super Bowl LVI Kicks Off At SoFi Stadium One Month From Today -- Here’s Where Prep Stands
SoFi Stadium opened at the start of the NFL season in September 2020 and has already hosted two seasons worth of football games. Exactly one month from today, it’ll get to host the biggest one of them all -- the Super Bowl. Four weeks of football remain to determine which two teams will be competing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy, but what is certain is that tens of thousands of Angelenos and visitors will be flocking to Inglewood to take in the atmosphere, be part of the festivities and of course to watch the game.
Today on AirTalk, Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission President and CEO Kathryn Schloessman, who is also a member of the Los Angeles Super Bowl Host Committee with us for an update on how the planning and preparation process is going with a month left until kickoff. We’ll also talk with her about the huge slate of major sporting and entertainment events that will take place in Los Angeles in the coming years.