COVID-19 AMA: U.S. Allows Vaccinated Travelers Into Country, Regeneron CEO Says Treatment Provides Lasting Protection, And More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Dean Blumberg from UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
Topics today include:
- Proof of vaccination at restaurants, gyms and more begins today
- The U.S. allows vaccinated foreigners into the country after 18 months of restrictions
- Why the CDC changed the definition of vaccines
- Regeneron CEO says their monoclonal antibody treatment provides lasting protection
Click here to visit the state website where you can access your digital vaccine record from the California Department of Public Health.
Five Years Ago, California Legalized Marijuana And Created A Whole New Crop Of Issues
A recent report ranked cannabis the fifth most valuable crop in the United States, with consumers spending over $60 billion per year on the plant. So when California voters passed Prop 64 five years ago, legalizing adult recreational use of cannabis, owners and operators in the industry were hopeful that they would finally be able to step out of the dark and into brighter legal territory, one where they could meet the demands of consumers and not fear the long arm of law enforcement. But five years in, California is still struggling to dole out licenses and social equity, leaving many owners and operators with few options but to close down completely or join the growing illicit market. Even though the years of marijuana prohibition are over, what the legalized future looks like is still very unclear.
Today on AirTalk we are joined by David Downs, senior editor at Leafly, an online magazine focused on cannabis use and education, along with Virgil Grant, LA-based owner and operator of 3 California Cannabis dispensaries, policy writer, and activist. We also have with us Oakland-based operator, distributor, and co-founder of the non-profit Supernova Women, Amber Senter. And finally, Director Nicole Elliott, of the department of cannabis control in Sacramento.
A Fatal Crowd Surge During Friday’s Travis Scott Concert Renews Questions About Crowd Safety
Eight people are dead and hundreds more were injured after a crowd surge during Travis Scott’s concert at Astroworld, an annual Houston music festival. The tragedy unfolded when the crowd rushed towards the stage, squeezing some people so tightly they couldn't breathe. Investigators plan to use videos, witness interviews, and a review of the concert’s safety protocol to figure out what went wrong. Among the fatalities are high school and college students — the youngest of whom was only 14. Today on AirTalk, we’ll hear the latest on what we know about the incident from Houston Chronicle Reporter Zach Despart. We’ll also speak to event security and crowd control expert Stan Kephart about where things might have gone wrong and what security measures could be implemented going forward to prevent another incident like this. If you have ever been in a dangerous crowd surge, we want to hear your story.
How Private Security Companies Are Planning To Adapt To New CA Law Requiring Use Of Force Standard
Until recently, California law lacked a clear use of force standard for security guards who work for private security firms. But recently, a new law was passed and signed in California that will require the state Bureau of Security and Investigative Services to outline by 2023 a clear use-of-force standard as well as training curriculum that private security guards will have to complete before getting their license from the state. The new law was prompted by an investigation by Capital Public Radio after a 2019 incident involving a security guard who held his knee to a man’s neck for more than four minutes, according to the lawsuit filed by the family, which they say ultimately resulted in his death two days after the incident.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll explore what the new law means for private security firms in California and how they will be adapting their hiring and training protocols to comply with the new standards with CapRadio’s Scott Rodd and Cal Lutheran criminal justice professor and private security expert Thomas Cady.
Holiday Shopping Season Is Here: What’s Your Favorite Place to Shop Local in SoCal?
With kinks in theglobal supply chain leading to concerns that some holiday gifts will beharder to come by this year, could shopping local be a solution?
AirTalk Audience Members Recommend Shopping at:
- Surfas Culinary District, An independent cooking supply store located in Arlington Heights
- Pergolina, A curated gift shop and lifestyle boutique located in Toluca Lake
- MADE by Millworks, An online gift boutique with items made by local designers in Long Beach
- Vidéothèque, A DVD shop selling & renting scores of movies with a focus on indie, foreign & cult titles located in South Pasadena
- Ten Thousand Villages, Retailer in Pasadena selling fair-trade crafts & housewares from Asia, Africa, Latin America & the Middle East
- Lulu’s Nouvelle, A French-style boutique offering collections of unique clothing, jewelry, apothecary, and confections located in Manhattan Beach
- Dinosaur Farm, Children’s toy & bookshop specializing in dinosaur-related gear & other educational items located in South Pasadena
- Tansy, A specialty plant boutique and home goods store in Burbank offering an array of unique products
- SalviSoul, Offers Salvadoran cooking classes over Zoom and sometimes in person
- City Bean Roasters, A craft coffee supplier located in West Adams which roasts single-origin estate beans & sells them by the bag
- Galco’s Old World Grocery, A family-run shop specializing in a wide choice of soda flavors, plus an Italian-style deli. Located in Eagle Rock.