Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces questions over his approach to public health
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is appearing before a congressional committee on Thursday, where he is expected to face questions about turmoil at federal health agencies. The U.S. Senate Finance Committee has called Kennedy to a hearing about his plans to “Make America Healthy Again.” But the health secretary is expected to face questions about layoffs and planned budget cuts that detractors say are wrecking the nation’s ability to prevent disease. Kennedy recently fired Susan Monarez, a longtime government scientist he installed as the CDC director for less than a month, and has sought to reshape the nation’s vaccine policies to match his long-standing suspicions about the safety and effectiveness of long-established shots. Today on AirTalk, we’re breaking down the latest from the hearing with infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the UCSF Medical Center Peter Chin-Hong, M.D and health reporter for the New York Times Christina Jewett.
With files from the Associated Press
Are LA's Bridge Home shelters living up to their promise?
As Los Angeles and California continue to grapple with how to handle the homelessness crisis in the long term, one short-term solution is causing more harm than good, according to some. Bridge home shelters were envisioned as a way to get more people off the streets by having low barriers of entry and having on-site case workers. But as journalist Sam Quinones details in a new article, the reality of these shelters has not lived up to their vision. He spent time speaking with residents and stakeholders around one Bridge Home shelter in Los Feliz and looked into the effectiveness of these shelters. Today on AirTalk, Sam joins the program to share his reporting.
L.A. city councilmember Nithya Raman, who represents Los Feliz, was unavailable for this conversation, but provided the following statement:
“Our office has engaged deeply with community members about the shelter, and are always working to improve the functioning of the site, including sustainably housing the many individuals living on the sidewalk in front of the shelter when I was first elected. However, I want to underscore that this shelter provides 100 beds for individuals who would otherwise be on the district’s streets. I doubt that is the outcome that even critics of the shelter would want.”
NBA to investigate Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, on potential circumvention of league salary cap
The NBA said Wednesday that it will investigate if a $28 million endorsement contract between Kawhi Leonard and a California-based sustainability services company allowed the Los Angeles Clippers to circumvent league salary cap rules, following a report by journalist Pablo Torre. The Clippers strongly denied that any rules were broken and said they welcomed the league’s investigation. The probe will focus on ties between Leonard, the Clippers, and a company called Aspiration Fund Adviser, LLC, which filed for bankruptcy this year. It listed several creditors at that time, among them the Clippers (who were owed about $30 million) and a company called KL2 Aspire LLC that was owed $7 million. Joining us to help dig into Pablo Torre’s story and its aftermath is Law Murray, Clippers beat reporter for The Athletic.
Files from the Associated Press
Giorgio Armani’s lasting fashion legacy in Hollywood and beyond
Giorgio Armani, the iconic Italian designer who turned the concept of understated elegance into a multibillion-dollar fashion empire, died Thursday, his fashion house confirmed. He was 91. Armani, one of the most recognizable names and faces in the global fashion industry, missed Milan Fashion Week in June 2025 for the first time during the previews of Spring-Summer 2026 menswear to recover from an undisclosed condition. Armani’s influence on fashion extends to Los Angeles, having been the wardrobe of choice for many Hollywood stars, and even former Lakers coach Pat Riley. Joining us this morning to discuss his influence is Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, fashion historian based in L.A. and author of several books, including Fashion Victims (Yale University Press, 2025); she’s a contributing writer for various publications, including The Atlantic, WSJ, Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine and Politico.
With files from the Associated Press
Is California’s controversial CARE Court system working?
New reporting from CalMatters has found the state’s CARE Court system— a controversial policy that Governor Newsom backed in an effort to assist those with severe cases of untreated mental illness– isn’t seeing the progress that was initially intended. The system’s funding was meant to help expand its capabilities, helping those struggling with both mental illness and homelessness, alleviating both issues across the state. The system was meant to be strengthened through the 2023 policy that expanded judges' ability to impose involuntary treatment, but the numbers haven’t reflected any substantive changes to the program’s admittance rates. So what do we make of the current status of the state’s CARE courts? Joining us to dig into their reporting is CalMatters homelessness reporter Marisa Kendall. We’ll also hear from Connie Draxler, senior deputy director of the L.A. County Department of Mental Health’s Re-Entry Division, which oversees the CARE program, and Stephanie Welch, deputy secretary of behavioral health at the California Health & Human Services Agency.
What do we stand to lose if smartphones, computers, and AI replace handwriting?
Handwriting isn’t obsolete. But could it be? And what do we stand to lose if people stop engaging in handwriting? Research shows that writing by hand supports literacy, memory, and fine motor development. Some are concerned about how new tools, like AI, could push handwriting into the margins. Angela Watercutter, senior editor at Wired. Her recent piece is called The End of Handwriting. What is your relationship to handwriting? Do you find that handwriting impacts your cognition? Does it keep you as sharp as the pencil you’re writing with? What value do you put on handwriting? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
TV Talk: ‘The Paper,’ ‘Task,’ and many 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 Danette Chavez, editor in chief of The A.V. Club and Dominic Patten, executive editor at Deadline Hollywood.
TV Shows:
- The Paper [Season 1] (Peacock)
- Task [Miniseries] (HBO Max)
- Seen & Heard [Docuseries] (HBO Max)
- NFL Kickoff (NBC)
- Love Con Revenge (Netflix)
- South Park [Season 27] (Comedy Central)
