LAUSD Workers Are Still Expected To Strike Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

The union that represents school staff members employed at LAUSD, is planning a 3-day strike for March 21, 22, and 23. Since the school district has failed to avert the strike, which it also claims is illegal, the strike is moving forward, seeking 30% wage increases, more hours, and health insurance. The district said it has offered a 15% wage increase, health benefits to those who work at least four hours a day, and other concessions. But Service Employees International Union Local 99, which represents 30,000 bus drivers, special education assistants, cafeteria workers, and other core LAUSD staff, is looking for a better offer from the nation’s second-largest school district.

Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss the impending strike is Sonja Sharp, metro reporter for the LA Times.

With files from LAist. Read the full story here.

Correction: The segment's previous title noted LAUSD teachers are "still expected to strike," although teachers are protesting in solidarity, the expected strikes are being headed by SEIU.

The State Water Board Looks To Divert Flood Water To CA Soil – What Will The Impacts Be?

California has started off the year strong when it comes to dealing with its drought, with its Southern region having water restrictions lifted for 7 million residents following recent storms. The storm has helped folks throughout the state, and the State Water Board has tried taking this a step further by approving a federal request to deliver floodwater from the San Joaquin River to replenish nearby groundwater capacity. The water is meant to supply agencies, districts and wildlife refuges with resources it otherwise may not have at a time of growing aridification… but it may come at a cost. A joint statement by the Bay Institute and Natural Resources Defense Council noted the reduced water flow could hurt native salmon populations as its adult population dwindles. So what’s the most environmentally-conscious way of managing this floodwater and how does that fit in with the state’s ongoing issue of aridification?

Today on AirTalk, we look to address the state’s current floodwater policy with State Water Resources Control Board chair E. Joaquin Esquivel and Stephan Tucker, general manager of the Water Replenishment District.

Allergy Season Is Starting Earlier And Lasting Longer, But How Will Influx Of Rain Impact SoCal Sniffles?

When it comes to why allergy seasons tend to start earlier and last longer than they used to, scientists are pointing the finger at climate change. The increase in temperatures means longer periods of pollen and more pollen. Here in Southern California, we’ve seen an influx in rain over the last several weeks. We were curious how this might impact people’s symptoms and the overall allergy season this year once things bloom. Joining AirTalk to discuss is Dr. Maria Garcia-Lloret, professor of allergy and immunology in the department of pediatrics at UCLA’s school of medicine.

Arizona V. Navajo Nation: What Could The Case Mean For Water Allocation In The Southwest?

More than 150 years ago, the U.S. government and the Navajo Nation signed treaties that promised the tribe a “permanent home” — a promise the Navajo Nation says includes a sufficient supply of water. States, such as Arizona, California and Nevada, argue that more water for the Navajo Nation would cut into already scarce supplies for cities, agriculture and business growth. The high court will hold oral arguments today in a case with critical implications for how water from the drought-stricken Colorado River is shared and the extent of the U.S. government’s obligations to Native American tribes. A win for the Navajo Nation won’t directly result in more water for the roughly 175,000 people who live on the largest reservation in the U.S. The case would go back to the U.S. District Court in Arizona, and rights to more water still could be years, if not, decades away. The Navajo Nation also could reach a settlement with Arizona and the federal government for rights to water from the Colorado River and funding to deliver it to tribal communities. Here to discuss the importance of water in the region and what to expect from the supreme court case are Mark Olalde, southwest environment reporter for ProPublica and Kimberly Robinson, supreme court reporter for Bloomberg Law.

With files from the Associated Press

It’s Been 20 Years Since The U.S. Invasion Of Iraq

It’s been 20 years since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began. Here are some key dates from the invasion and following developments. President George W. Bush called the U.S.-led invasion on March 20, 2003, a mission to free the Iraqi people and root out weapons of mass destruction. Saddam Hussein’s government was toppled in 26 days. Two years later, the CIA’s chief weapons inspector reported no stockpiles of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons were ever found. The war deposed a dictator whose imprisonment, torture and execution of dissenters kept 20 million people in fear for a quarter of a century. But it also broke what had been a unified state at the heart of the Arab world, opening a power vacuum and leaving oil-rich Iraq a wounded nation in the Middle East, ripe for a power struggle among Iran, Arab Gulf states, the United States, terrorist groups and Iraq’s own rival sects and parties. Joining us today on AirTalk is Amin Nash, research fellow at the Arab American Civic Council and José Serrano, Church and Community Engagement Director at World Relief Southern California.

With files from the Associated Press

California’s Elephant Seals Are Recovering. What Other Endangered Species Have Success Stories?

At first glance, elephant seals have it pretty good. Their days are spent lounging on California beaches, grunting arbitrarily and emanating a putrid odor. But it wasn’t always this way; during the 17th century, humans hunted elephant seals for fuel, driving their populations to the brink of extinction. In the decades since, they’ve repopulated California beaches in record numbers, recolonizing old territories after new protection laws. According to wildlife experts, elephant seals’ conservation story is an enormous accomplishment. What other California endangered species have similar success stories? What can conservationists and policymakers learn from elephant seals’ recovery? Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss elephant seals and endangered species conservation is Adam Ratner, associate director of conservation education at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito.