Storm Weather Update: A Tornado Warning In Los Angeles?
Is it possible we’ve had too much rain in recent months? The ground has become so saturated with water that some areas are now at risk for debris flow and mudslides. It's difficult to predict exactly when or where debris flows will occur, though they're more likely to blast down steep hills, through recently burned areas and in places you've seen them before. This all happens as Southern California experiences yet another thunderstorming beginning yesterday and carrying into today. Snowfall is expected to drop to lower elevations of 4,000 feet, which could bring 2 to 4 inches on the Grapevine.
Joining us today on AirTalk for the latest weather report is meteorologist-in-charge at the National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard, Ariel Cohen, and Eric Fetzer, project scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
With files from LAist. Read the full story here.
New California Bill Would Protect Doctors Who Mail Abortion Pills Out Of State
Doctors in California who mail abortion pills to people in other states would be protected from prosecution under a new bill announced Friday in the state Legislature. The bill would not let California extradite doctors who are facing charges in another state for providing abortion medication. It would also shield doctors from having to pay fines. And it would let California doctors sue anyone who tries to stop them from providing abortions. State Sen. Nancy Skinner’s bill is one of 17 pieces of legislation Democrats have introduced in California this year to protect abortion rights, including proposals to improve access to contraceptives and protect patients’ privacy.
Today on AirTalk, we discuss the legal logistics and challenges of the proposed bill with Mary Ziegler, professor of law at UC Davis.
With files from the Associated Press
A New Assembly Bill Seeks To Change California’s Election Law
As we’ve seen play out throughout history, as one political party takes control the other pushes back. This dynamic is playing out in California in glaring ways this week with the proposal of assembly bill 421, which is seeking to reform state election laws. As Democrats have taken the supermajority of California state government, major corporations, like fast food and oil companies, have moved to overturn progressive agendas from wage increases to environmental safety laws, respectively. They’ve done so successfully as well. The new bill, introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, a Culver City Democrat, would require unpaid volunteers to gather at least 10% of signatures needed to qualify a referendum on the ballot.
Joining us today to discuss this latest effort to make the ballot measure process fairer and more transparent is Isaac Bryan, who represents California's 55th Assembly District.
LA County Supervisors Weigh How To Protect Tenants As Eviction Limits Expire But Latest Proposal Fails
After about three years of shielding tenants from evictions due to non-payment of rent, L.A. County is set to scrap renter protections tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Housing advocates and renters had called for more help before March 31, when the COVID-19 protections are set to expire. But county leaders rejected a proposal on Tuesday intended to soften the blow for renters who could soon face eviction. After hours of debate, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted against setting up new protections tied to the ongoing homelessness emergency they declared earlier this year. The decision to end all emergency tenant protections marked a shift from previous votes, when county supervisors repeatedly extended policies aimed at helping renters stay housed. L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who put forward the proposal along with Supervisor Hilda Solis, joins AirTalk to discuss the future of tenant protections.
With files from LAist. Read more here.
Oral Arguments Heard Today In “Bad Spaniels” Case, Jack Daniel’s v. VIP Products
The Supreme Court is hearing a spirited dispute Wednesday between whiskey maker Jack Daniel’s and the manufacturer of a squeaking dog toy that parodies the liquor’s bottle and label. The question for the court has to do with whether the toy’s maker infringed on Jack Daniel’s trademarks. Arizona-based VIP Products produces the Bad Spaniels toy. While the original bottle has the words “Old No. 7 brand” and “Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey,” the parody proclaims: “The Old No. 2 on Your Tennessee Carpet.” Jack Daniel’s, based in Lynchburg, Tennessee isn’t amused. At the heart of the case is the Lanham Act, the country’s major trademark law. It prohibits using a trademark in a way “likely to cause confusion ... as to the origin, sponsorship, or approval of ... goods.” Jack Daniel’s says that’s what the dog toy does. It says a lower court was wrong to side with VIP. Today on AirTalk, Rebecca Tushhnet, Professor of Law at Harvard University and Adam Mossoff, Professor of Law at George Mason University join us to discuss the trademark and intellectual property issues present in the case.
With files from the Associated Press
New Podcast Explores The Height Of SoCal’s Latinx Party Crew Scene And The Murder Attached To Its History
For a lot of teens growing up in Latino communities in Los Angeles during the ‘00s, party crews were a comforting and safe space to come of age. Different groups would get together during the weekend, gathering in backyards across SoCal, creating an influential Latin dance subculture. East LA was at the heart of it all. The party crew scene was a place for kids who weren’t affiliated with gangs, but that doesn’t mean the spaces were always physically safe. LAist Studios and VICE collaborated with iHeart’s My Cultura Podcast Network to release a new podcast that takes us into this world, exploring what the party crew days meant to teens like Emmery Muñoz. Muñoz was murdered in 2006 and – to this day – the case has yet to be solved. Janice Llamoca, host of the podcast “Party Crews: The Untold Story,” joins AirTalk to discuss.
All eight episodes plus two bonus episodes of “Party Crews: The Untold Story” are available now. Download wherever you get your podcasts or listen here.
