Persistent heat wave in the US shatters new records
A long-running heat wave that has already shattered previous records across the U.S. persisted on Sunday, baking parts of the West with dangerous temperatures that caused the death of a motorcyclist in Death Valley and held the East in its hot and humid grip. In California, crews worked in sweltering conditions to battle a series of wildfires across the state. In Santa Barbara County, northwest of Los Angeles, the growing Lake Fire had scorched more than 25 square miles (66.5 square kilometers) of dry grass, brush and timber after breaking out Friday. There was no containment by Sunday. The blaze was burning through mostly uninhabited wildland, but some rural homes were under evacuation orders. Joining us this morning on AirTalk to discuss the heatwave and local fires is Ariel Cohen, meteorologist at National Weather Service, Oxnard, and Jacob Margolis, science reporter for LAist whose most recent piece is “Lake Fire could explode in size as strong winds arrive.”
With files from the Associated Press.
The California prison population is shrinking. So is the number of available wildland firefighters that the state relies on.
California relies heavily on incarcerated firefighters to fight wildfires. But as Governor Newsom continues to shutter prisons and lower the incarceration rate, the pool of potential firefighters is shrinking. In the past, incarcerated firefighting crews could make up as much as 30% of the state’s wildfire force. The state already has a critical shortage of wildland firefighters. Can it afford to lose more from the incarcerated population? Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss is Ruben Vives, reporter for the L.A. Times and Issac Sanchez, deputy chief of communications at CalFire.
It's Hot. Like, Really Hot. What's The Hottest Temperature You've Ever Endured?
Summer is here, and it is hot. Temperatures soared over the Independence Day holiday weekend and continue to hover around triple digits this week -- today's high is forecast at a sweltering 99 degrees. But is this the hottest temperature you've ever endured? If not, what is? Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from our well-traveled listeners about the hottest temperature they've ever experienced. Join the live conversation by calling us at 866-893-5722 or by emailing atcomments@laist.com.
2024 is the year of elections. France and Britain show how divided European politics have become.
While we gear up for November's presidential election here in the states, two of our neighbors across the pond have just finished casting their votes. And just like their American counterparts, Britain and France's elections have been painted as a struggle between the far-right and the left. For France, that has resulted in an unexpected win by the left gaining the most seats in parliament. However, due to political division, no party has a true majority, a political landscape France hasn't seen for decades. For Britain, the election showed the decline in favor of the country's two dominant political camps, Labour and Conservative, with many votes divided amongst smaller third parties. So, what do these new fragmentations within France's and Britain's politics mean for the two countries' futures? And how might these results affect the United States' relations in Europe?
Joining us to talk about the recent elections in Europe are Eleanor Beardsley, NPR’s Paris correspondent and Rob Watson, UK political correspondent for the BBC.
Are Americans still confident about college? Considering the value of higher education in 2024
Americans are increasingly skeptical about the value and cost of college, with most saying they feel the U.S. higher education system is headed in the “wrong direction,” according to a new poll by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation. The percentage of adults polled who say they have a “great deal” of confidence in higher education remained the same as last year at 36%, according to the report released Monday. That confidence level has declined steadily from 57% in 2015. Some of the same opinions have been reflected in declining enrollment as colleges contend with the effects of the student debt crisis, concerns about the high cost of tuition, and political debates over how they teach about race and other topics. Here to talk about the drop in trust Americans have for traditional four year education is Courtney Brown, vice president of impact and planning at the Lumina Foundation. But we want to hear from you! Is college worth it straight out of high school or do you think students should opt for a nontraditional way of entering the workforce? Why? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or e-mail atcomments@laist.com.
With files from the Associated Press
The biggest trends in makeup over the decades and what we see today
Makeup has been used as a tool of expression almost as long as humans have existed. From ceremonial use to body art, some reasons for wearing makeup remain more or less the same. But the shift and evolution of trends has a fascinating history. Joining us to discuss is Gabriela Hernandez, cosmetics historian, author of "Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup" (Schiffer; 2nd Edition; 2017) and founder of Bésame Cosmetics. We'd love to hear from you! What are some of your favorite (or maybe horrifying) makeup memories? Has your relationship to makeup changed overtime? How has it changed and why? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
