New Updates Provide Context For Griffith Park’s Pony Ride Closure

Los Angeles is seeing its longtime pony ride attraction in Griffith Park close after more than 70 years of being in service. The city of Los Angeles chose to not renew the attraction’s contract because the business failed to notify the city of four ponies who died this year. This new information comes on the heels of claims by animal rights activists that the ponies died due to neglect and mistreatment, which Southern California News Group reports were disputed by both a veterinary report on the deceased ponies as well as the head of the L.A. City Department of Recreation and Parks, who told the L.A. Daily News the contract wasn’t renewed because of “lack of transparency and communication with the city.”

Today on AirTalk, we discuss the end to Griffith Park’s pony rides and what exactly went into the city’s decision to not renew its business contract. Joining us is Steve Scauzillo, Los Angeles County politics reporter for Southern California News Group.

Breaking Down LA County’s Recently Released Hate Crime Statistics

Last week, the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations released its 2021 Hate Crime Report, noting that the number of reported hate crimes rose from 641 to 786, the highest since 2002. The most targeted group in 2021 hates crimes were the Black community; the other most targeted groups included the LGBTQ, Mexican, and Jewish communities. Today on AirTalk, we discuss these recent crime statistics with a specific focus on the rise in racial hate crimes against Black people. Joining us for this conversation is Brittany Friedman, assistant professor of sociology at USC and Robin Toma, executive director for the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations.

Men’s Friendships With Other Men Are Suffering

We all crave intimacy in our relationships, but getting to that point with a friend can be challenging, especially for men. A recent report from the Survey Center on American Life found there is a surge of disconnection amongst close friends in America, particularly amongst men. Single men are fairing the worst. One in five reported not having any close friends at all. What kind of a toll does that take on a person? Do men not seek out intimacy in their close friendships as much as women do? Joining us today on AirTalk for this conversation is Fred Rabinowitz, professor of psychology at the University of Redlands who specializes in men’s depression and wants to help boys and men lead healthy lives.

Rare Seditious Conspiracy Conviction Handed Down for Oath Keepers Founder. What Next?

Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes was recently convicted of seditious conspiracy for a violent plot to overturn President Joe Biden’s election, handing the Justice Department a major victory in its massive prosecution of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. A Washington, D.C., jury found Rhodes guilty of sedition after three days of deliberations in the nearly two-month-long trial that showcased the far-right extremist group’s efforts to keep Republican Donald Trump in the White House at all costs. Rhodes was acquitted of two other conspiracy charges. Three other Oath Keepers previously pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy. The last time the Justice Department had secured such a conviction at trial, though, was in the 1995 prosecution of Islamic militants who plotted to bomb New York City landmarks.

Here to discuss the verdicts and what to expect from other January 6 cases in the future are Scott MacFarlane, congressional correspondent for CBS News and Michael J. Gerhardt, professor of constitutional law at the University of North Carolina.

Los Angeles' Newly-Inaugurated Mayor Karen Bass On Her First Day In Office

It’s day one of the Bass administration at Los Angeles City Hall, and now that the campaigning is over and the swearing in has been completed, it’s time for Mayor Karen Bass and her new administration to get down to business.

Today on AirTalk, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is with us on her first full day in office to talk about the agenda items she’s addressing immediately, how her first months in office will look and when voters can expect her to make good on her campaign promises.

New Book Details The Legacy & Reign Of Longtime FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover

A new book by Yale historian begs the question–how could a figure as controversial as J. Edgar Hoover been so influential in this nation politics and oval offices? Having served as the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s director for nearly 5 decades, Hoover’s legacy was one that contributed to the disenfranchisement of minorities in the country despite being in charge during the Civil Rights Act of 1964. So today on AirTalk, we learn more about the man who revolutionized the counterintelligence industry of the United States.

Today on AirTalk, Larry talks to Beverly Gage, professor of history and American studies at Yale University and author of the new book “G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century (Viking, 2022).”