Checking In With SoCal Water Districts As Water Restrictions Start
More than six million Southern California residents will be affected by water restrictions that take effect today, June 1, as the state’s megadrought worsens. That means many of us will have to limit outdoor watering to one day a week; LADWP customers will be restricted to two days a week. As the restrictions kick in, Larry talks with LADWP’s assistant director of water resources, Delon Kwan, Irvine Ranch Water District director of water resources, Fiona Sanchez, and Bob Tincher, chief water resource officer for San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District.
With files from LAist
Controversial Proposal For Sites Reservoir Being Reconsidered As Drought Persists
A controversial proposal to create a large water storage reservoir, known as Sites Reservoir, has a resurgence of support as California’s drought persists. The proposal was first introduced in the 1950s but, according to the LA Times, the plan was ditched in the 80s. The $4 billion proposal would store storm water from the Sacramento River. Advocates, including Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, say the reservoir will lead to improved water supply for the region. Others worry about the environmental impacts, what this means for life along the river, how effective it will work, and the costs surrounding the project. Steve Arakawa, manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Bay Delta Initiatives (BDI), and Doug Obegi, senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, join AirTalk to discuss the proposed Sites Reservoir.
The Ethical Dilemma Of Fast Fashion
Fast fashion is defined as cheap clothing produced at a rapid pace by mass-market retailers. The clothes are released with the latest trends in mind and are often targeted toward young women. Think Forever 21, H&M and now, Shein (pronounced SHE-in). The company has found eye-raising and sudden success with teens and young adults over the last several years. The obvious benefit of fast fashion is the literal cost to buy the clothes. It’s cheap. Shoppers can keep up with trends all while being mindful of the toll on their wallets. But the industry raises a number of ethical questions, from environmental and waste concerns to problematic labor practices. Today on AirTalk, Sheng Lu, professor of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware and Maxine Bédat, director of the New Standard Institute and author of “Unraveled: The Life and Death of a Garment,” join to discuss.
Small School Districts Across CA Saw Student Numbers Boom During The Pandemic – But Their Budgets Stayed The Same
School enrollment plummeted statewide during the pandemic, and California took measures to freeze budgets so schools that lost students wouldn’t lose money, too. But for some schools that saw an unexpected influx in students – many in smaller, more rural districts – a frozen budget meant they had fewer dollars per student to spend on things like teacher salaries, maintenance, and school supplies. In Southern California, school districts in San Bernardino County saw an overall decrease in enrollment of about 2%. But out of the 33 school districts in the county, nine actually saw enrollment go up, including Lucerne Valley Unified, where their student body doubled. Today on AirTalk, we’ll hear from Peter Livingston, superintendent at Lucerne Valley Unified School District, Eric Gross, superintendent and principal at Pacific Elementary School District in Santa Cruz County, and Jon Ray, superintendent at Weed Union Elementary School District in Siskiyou County, about what this meant for their school districts.
Endeavour Space Shuttle To Be Put On Display In Permanent Museum
The California Science Center plans to put the retired space shuttle known as Endeavour on display in its own permanent museum. Endeavour is currently on display horizontally at the center in a temporary exhibit. It first arrived in Los Angeles a decade ago. The permanent exhibit will display the shuttle vertically. Construction for the project will take about three years. Kenneth Phillips, Curator of Aerospace Science at the California Science Center joins AirTalk to share more about the project.
What Was Your Most Iconic Road Trip?
There’s a lot working against hitting the open road these days. Inflation, sky high gas prices, impatient drivers and road rage. A two-year long pandemic has also put a damper on any major travel. In a Washington Post opinion piece, Michelin Maynard calls the reality of today’s travel environment underwhelming (all while the prices can be overwhelming). So what does all this mean for the great American road trip? Will people get back on the road this summer? Today on AirTalk, we hear about listeners' most iconic road trip and what they think the future holds for road trips.