Checking in on California’s weather and water outlook
Following a dry January in California, which saw a state’s below-average snowpack, an atmospheric river this month looks to change the weather outlook. Although the first storm won’t be particularly notable for Angelnos, a second storm arriving later in the week with a slight chance of mudslides. Today on AirTalk, guest host Jacob Margolis talks to National Weather Service lead meteorologist Ryan Kittell about what Southern Californians should expect this week. Along with the general forecast, we’ll dig deeper into whether the state’s snowpack can bounce back this month with Jay Lund, professor of civil and environmental engineering and co-director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California Davis. As the state deals with its current weather-related questions, it also must consider the potential political impacts on its water supply, as President Donald Trump orders more water delivery from reservoirs to farms. Joining us to make sense of President Trump’s potential impact on water policy in the state is Jeffrey Mount, senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California Water Policy Center.
In wake of Palisades fire, scientists keep an eye on how debris runoff could impact the ocean
There has been lots of talk in the last couple weeks about how ash and toxic chemicals released during the Palisades and Eaton fires could be harmful to us in the short and longer term. But what could the harm be to marine life and the unique ecosystem that is the Malibu coastline? After the Woolsey Fire in 2018, scientists saw a drastic change in water quality – showing high levels of bacteria and turbidity, which is cloudiness in the water, preventing organisms from getting necessary light and nutrients. Joining me today on AirTalk to share concerns and the potential impact of the Palisades fire on Southern California oceans is Julie Dinasquet, microbial ecologist and scientist at Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UC San Diego, and Zoe Kitchel, Postdoctoral researcher at Occidental College.
The latest on home insurance as State Farm asks regulators to approve 22% rate hike
State Farm has asked California regulators to approve a 22% average rate hike. It’s the latest blow to an already flimsy system, where rates and non renewal notices have been rising. Following the fires that devastated L.A. earlier this month, thousands of insurance claims have been filed and companies have paid billions. Joining guest host Jacob Margolis to discuss the latest news on home insurance is Megan Fan Munce, reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle covering California’s home insurance crisis, David Russell, professor of insurance and finance and director for the Center for Risk Management and Insurance at CSU, Northridge, and Carmen Balber, executive director at Consumer Watchdog. If you have questions on where things stand or stories to share, call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
How tariffs and stricter immigration policy may affect LA’s fire rebuilds
Almost a month after the first spark ignited, the Palisades and Eaton fires are both now 100 percent contained. The city of Los Angeles has begun their ash and debris clean-up, and residents of the Pacific Palisades and Altadena are slowly returning home. While the flames have been subdued, the road to recovery is a long process. The wildfires destroyed and damaged almost 15,000 structures, many of them homes. As Angelenos begin to rebuild, the current administration’s foreign policy may hinder fire victims’ progress. The recent announcement of tariffs on Canada, one of the United States’ largest lumber imports, and President Trump’s threats of mass deportation, have caused concerns for those looking to rebuild. Construction materials may become more expensive and the labor needed to reconstruct the thousands of homes may experience a shortage. Today on AirTalk, we discuss the potential impact that the Trump administration’s policies may have on the construction industry and LA’s potential to rebuild. We’re joined by Amy Christopherson Bolten, president of Christopherson Builders, and Michael Guckes, chief economist at ConstructConnect.
What’s it like rebuilding a property to be fire-resistant
Chris Fisher’s property burned in the 2017 Thomas Fire. When it came to rebuilding, the threat of fire was at the forefront of his mind. And he wanted to ensure the property was more resilient than ever. He shared his story in an Instagram post, including what firefighters described as the major flaws of the property and what he chose to do when rebuilding. He joins guest host Jacob Margolis to talk about how he updated his Ojai property.
Stephen J. Dubner talks ‘Freakonomics’ anniversary and upcoming live event
It’s now been 20 years since journalist Stephen J. Dubner and economist Steven Levitt dug into the hidden side of everything in their book collaboration, Freakonomics. Since then, the book’s success spun into a documentary and long-running radio program. By digging into subjects through a behavioral economic lens, Freakonomics Radio has managed a consistent output for 15 years. Joining us to discuss the success of the Freakonomics brand, and their upcoming live event, is Freakonomics Radio host Stephen Dubner.
Freakonomics Radio host Stephen Dubner is partnering with LAist for a live show at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on February 13 at 7 PM; click here for more info and to buy tickets.
What’s going on up there? We get the latest on last week’s asteroid news
For asteroid enthusiasts, last Wednesday was an exciting day with two big announcements arriving within hours of each other. First, the International Asteroid Warning Network (IWAN) issued its first-ever Potential Asteroid Impact Notification for the asteroid known as 2024 YR4. According to IWAN, the asteroid, which astronomers believe to be between 40 and 90s meters in diameter, has a 1.6% chance of colliding with Earth in 2032 — a notable though minimum possibility. Additionally, Wednesday saw scientists announce that they had discovered organic compounds needed for life from the Bennu asteroid sample collected back in 2020 during NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission. Experts say the discovery, while not a confirmation for life outside Earth, does suggest the conditions for life were present in the early solar system. Joining us today to walk us through the latest in asteroid news is Davide Farnocchia, navigation engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and member of the Center for Near Earth Object Studies, and Scott Sandford, Senior Laboratory Astrophysicist at NASA’s Ames Research Center. Do you have a question about the asteroid YR4 or the recent Bennu findings? We want to hear from you! Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
