California’s gas vehicle ban blocked in the Senate

Senate Republicans on Thursday voted to roll back vehicle emission standards in California, including a rule phasing out the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. The move revokes a Biden-era waiver allowing the state to have broader oversight over emissions regulation, and potentially tees up a larger political fight between California and Washington. Republicans said the phase out of gas-powered cars, along with the other rules, would be too costly for consumers and manufacturers, and would become a de facto nationwide electric vehicle mandate. Democrats charge that Republicans are acting at the behest of the oil and gas industry and say that California should be able to set its own standards after obtaining waivers from the Environmental Protection Agency. Joining Larry to discuss what this saga means for California drivers is air quality and environmental health reporter for the Los Angeles Times Tony Briscoe, and professor of Environmental Science and Policy and the director of the EV Research Center director at UC Davis Gil Tal.

LA City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky discusses the city's budget negotiations

After Mayor Karen Bass' budget proposal released last month called for more than 1,600 city employees to be laid off, the city's budget committee voted last week to scale back the number of cuts by about 1,000. The committee employed an array of measures to achieve the reduction, including a proposed scaling back of homelessness services and recommending an increase in parking fees. The deliberations around the next budget come as the city faces a nearly $1 billion shortfall. Joining Larry to discuss the next steps for the city in the budget process and how negotiations are faring is Katy Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles City Councilmember and chair of the city's budget and finance committee.

After 40 years, Herb Alpert gets the band back together one last time

It's been over 40 years since Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass played together on a stage. The renowned musician originally started the band after his 1965 studio album Whipped Cream & Other Delights proved so successful that a tour was needed — and therefore a touring band. The album helped catapult Alpert's musical career and was the best-selling album of 1966, beating out The Beatles and Frank Sinatra for that title. A personal creative reckoning led to Alpert's disbandment of the Tijuana Brass in 1969, but he returned to music and the charts in the coming decades with more hits. Now, Alpert has created a new rendition of the Tijuana Brass to accompany him on the Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass & Other Delights tour across the country to commemorate the 60-year anniversary of this iconic album. Alpert plans on closing the tour out right here in Los Angeles, his own hometown, and he joins Larry to talk about his career, his contributions to the ongoing conversation that is music, and more.

You can find more information on Alpert’s tour here.

Checking in on California veterinarians amid shortages and rising mental health concerns

If getting an appointment with your preferred veterinarian feels like a herculean task, you’re not alone. That’s because California, like much of the nation, is in the middle of a veterinary shortage. Experts say the shortage is fueled by high turnover rates and the continued rise of pet ownership. Additionally, the mental health of veterinarians has long been a concern, with many in the field citing financial burdens and the emotional toll that comes with caring for animals — and sometimes their owners — as a cause for burnout. In 2019, two separate studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Veterinary Medical Association found that veterinarians were more likely to die as a result of suicide than the general public. So what can be done about the current shortages? And how is the industry managing its mental health challenges? Joining us to discuss is Dr. John Tegzes, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences, and Gigi Tsontos, executive director of Not One More Vet. We also want to hear from you! Are you a veterinarian experiencing shortages in your workplace? Is your clinic supporting mental health initiatives for employees? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.

LAist’s Nick Gerda wins CA journalist of the year honor

LAist Watchdog Correspondent Nick Gerda received the honor of California journalist of the year on Wednesday night from the Sacramento Press Club. The award honors journalists who’ve made substantial impacts on the stay and reflects the best of the profession, according to the organization’s website. Gerda’s reporting on the fraud scheme led by Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do has resulted in changes to state law and more. He joins Larry to reflect on the year of reporting.

TV Talk: ‘Duster,’ ‘Adults,’ ‘Pee-wee as Himself,’ and more!

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 will 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, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching with Cristina Escobar, TV critic and co-founder of LatinaMedia.Co, Melanie McFarland, TV critic for Salon, and Roxana Hadadi, TV critic for Vulture.

TV Shows:

• Duster (HBO Max)
• Adults (FX)
• Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 (Netflix)
• Pee-wee as Himself (HBO)
• Octopus! (Prime Video)
• The Last of Us Season 2 Finale (HBO Max)