Renters with pets could get new protections under LA County proposal
One in every four people in Los Angeles County owns a dog or a cat, according to local officials. But those furry friends are not welcome in some apartments because many landlords ban pets.
Under a new proposal by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, those restrictions could soon go away for many renters. The Board of Supervisors voted 3-0 on Tuesday in favor of exploring a new requirement for landlords to allow renters to have at least one pet per household. Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Janice Hahn were absent. The proposal is still in early stages and would need to be approved in subsequent votes before any changes take effect. The plan also aims to prohibit — or place a cap on — the ability of landlords to require tenants to pay additional rent, fees and deposits for pets. Joining us today on AirTalk is David Wagner, housing reporter at LAist. We also want to hear from you. Are you a tenant or landlord navigating the
With files from LAist. Read the full story here.
No college degree? No problem. Gov. Newsom pushes his ‘Master Plan for Career Education’ forward
On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced he would form a statewide planning body for career education. This is just one of the ways he wants to coordinate efforts to improve opportunities for those without college degrees. The overall plan is called California Master Plan for Career Education and it builds on efforts that are already in the works. The plan, which he laid out at Shasta College in Redding, includes creating a digital tool called a “career passport,” which allows for transcripts and credentials to be easily uploaded and accessed. The plan also pushes for more apprenticeships and stronger counseling for high school students. As interest in obtaining a college degree continues to wane, the state is looking for ways to bridge an economic divide that has grown over time. Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss the plan and how and when it will be implemented is Teresa Wantanabe, LA Times reporter covering higher education and Randy Tillery, director of Economic Mobility, Postsecondary and Workforce Systems and co-director of the Center for Economic Mobility at WestEd.
Young voters’ sentiments on what warrants political violence
26-year-old Luigi Mangione has been charged with first degree murder for the fatal shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson — but a new national poll out of Emerson College showed 41% of voters between 18 and 29 think the December 4 killing was “acceptable.”
24% of those young voters found it “somewhat acceptable” and 17% thought it was “completely acceptable” — a stark contrast to the sentiment among older voters, which peaked around 23%. Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from you. What sentiments have been shared in your circles? Are you surprised by the findings? And how do you think young people’s sentiments around this killing might show up in other industries? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Why does California depend on captive dogs to support the state's canine blood supply?
In 2021, California lawmakers vowed to move the state away from so-called “closed colonies” — facilities where dogs live on site as full time blood donors — and replace them with volunteer-based community blood banks. Three years later, however, only three such community banks are licensed to sell essential blood products — such as whole blood, red blood cells, and fresh frozen plasma— for crucial veterinary care in the state. Despite California declaring “closed colonies” inhumane, the state is unable to move ahead with its replacement plan until community banks can consistently surpass the blood donations gathered from these facilities. But with such low public awareness, state investment, and community banks available, how might California begin to end its relationship with these controversial yet crucial facilities? Joining us today to discuss their recent investigation on California’s “closed colonies” is Melody Gutierrez and Alene Tchekmedian, investigative reporters for the LA Times.
Could contestants on your favorite reality show start a union?
In the wake of last year's SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, reality TV shouldered much of the industry as a cheaper form of programming. But that may soon change as the National Labor Relations Board said that contestants on Love Is Blind, one of the biggest reality shows in the world, should be considered employees. This push to reclassify the show's contestants as cast members comes after several lawsuits were filed against Netflix and the Love Is Blind producers for mistreatment. If Love Is Blind contestants were considered employees, it would allow them to join or form a union and participate in active bargaining. The fight to unionize reality tv has gained popularity in the last few years with former stars like The Real Housewives' Bethany Frankel advocating for unionization. But how realistic is it? And how likely is it that the Love Is Blind finding will stand?
Today on AirTalk, we discuss the possibility of reality tv unionizing and what the Love Is Blind reclassification may mean for unscripted television. Joining us is Anna Peele, contributing editor for Vanity Fair and author of the forthcoming book “Enter the Villa” about Love Island, and Jonathan Handel, entertainment and technology attorney at Feig/Finkel and freelance journalist.
For those who don’t subscribe to holiday religions – how do you navigate the season?
The manger scenes, menorahs, midnight masses, the kinaras – all important religious symbols and aspects of the winter holiday season. Even if some of us aren’t all that connected to faith, these can still be part of our traditions. But many people don’t subscribe to faith during the holidays at all. Today on AirTalk, we ask listeners who don’t subscribe to religion what the holidays mean to them and whether they celebrate or not, and if so, how. What are your traditions? What makes it particularly special? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
