UCLA Acquires Former Westside Pavilion Property To House Science Research
The University of California, Los Angeles, will turn a sprawling former shopping mall into cutting-edge centers for immunology and quantum science research, Gov. Gavin Newsom and other officials announced Wednesday. The 700,000-square-foot former Westside Pavilion, located 2 miles from the university’s Westwood campus, will be called UCLA Research Park. It will house the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy at UCLA, the UCLA Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, and eventually other programs, the governor said. He said it will take a little over three years to build out the research center and another two years to attract “the best and the brightest” to work there. The mall shut down years ago. In 2019, Google leased the property and planned to use part of it for office space, a project that never came about. Google helped enable UCLA’s acquisition, the university said in a statement. UCLA did not disclose the cost of the purchase, but Hudson Pacific Properties and the Macerich mixed-use real estate company, which were in a joint venture that owned the location, said it was acquired by the University of California for $700 million. Joining us to discuss is Clara Harter, reporter for L.A. Daily News.
With files from the Associated Press.
The Challenges Long Haul Truckers And Delivery Drivers Face In Finding Parking, And Federal Efforts To Address Them
You’ve probably seen tractor-trailers parked along freeway exit ramps, in store parking lots late at night or maybe even on the side of the street in interstate-adjacent neighborhoods, and maybe you’ve wondered why the driver didn’t just find a spot at a truck stop or rest area along the freeway. Well, it’s likely that those truckers on exit ramps aren’t there because they want to be -- it’s because they couldn’t find a safer spot. As New York Times Investigative Reporter Mark Walker finds in a recent piece titled “America’s Truckers Face a Chronic Headache: Finding Parking,” parking for long haul truckers is in short supply across the U.S. and has been for some time. Federal transportation officials under the Biden administration have allocated money to projects across the country to address it, and Walker reports more could be in the pipeline under a bipartisan proposal in Congress. But in the meantime, many truckers are forced to park in less-than-ideal places in order to comply with federal regulations that dictate how long they can drive before they have to take a break. Just last July, a Greyhound bus slammed into three parked tractor-trailers on an off-ramp in Southern Illinois, killing three passengers on the bus.
Today on AirTalk, Larry discusses this issue and ongoing efforts to address it with the Times’ Mark Walker and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. And if you’re a long haul trucker who has experienced issues finding parking on your routes, or if you have questions for our guests on how the problem is being addressed at the federal level, join our live conversation by calling 866-893-5722 or by emailing us at atcomments@laist.com.
Longtime NPR Producer’s New Memoir Takes Readers From The Top Of Mount Everest To The Bottom Of A Florida Snake Pit
Spend enough time producing stories for National Public Radio, and you’re bound to end up in some fascinating places. Just ask Peter Breslow, who retired two years ago after almost 40 years as a news producer for NPR. In his new memoir “Outtakes: Stumbling Around the World for NPR,” Breslow brings readers on a trip around the world as he tells the story of NPR’s evolution from a boutique radio outlet to a world news leader, and shares memories of his own journeys throughout the years producing stories -- from warzones to the world’s harshest climates, and from the world’s highest peak to its lowest point in the Dead Sea.
Today on AirTalk, Peter Breslow joins Larry to talk about his new memoir and share stories from his nearly four decade career producing for NPR.
What We Should Know About Evacuation Behavior And Safety Following Japan Airlines Collision
A transcript of communication between traffic control and two aircraft that collided and burst into flames at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport showed that only the larger Japan Airlines passenger flight was given permission to use the runway where a coast guard plane was preparing for takeoff. An orange fireball erupted from both aircraft on Tuesday evening as the JAL flight 516 continued down the runway covered in flames and spewing gray smoke. Within 20 minutes, all 379 passengers and crew members slid down emergency chutes and survived. The pilot of the coast guard plane — a Bombardier Dash-8 — evacuated with injuries but five crew members were killed. Still, emergency experts say the results of the emergency evacuation of passengers appear miraculous – why? We discuss the factors and what we can learn about evacuation safety following the event. Joining to discuss is Ed Galea, director of the Fire Safety Engineering Group at the University of Greenwich in the U.K., and Lara Ketterman, flight attendant and co-host of the airline employee and aviation podcast Non-Rev Lounge.
With files from the Associated Press
More People Are Canceling Streaming Services – How Are Companies Trying To Retain Subscribers?
According to a recent report from subscription-analytics provider Antenna, the big streamers are losing subscribers. There are a number of potential culprits: inflation, a slowdown in content due to the dual Hollywood strikes, and a plethora of choices. Every media company is handling the battle for subscribers differently: some are bundling their services with other providers, or even partnering with non-entertainment services (like how Instacart Plus subscriptions offer free access to Peacock). Services have also introduced ad-supported tiers, including Netflix, Disney Plus, and, imminently, Amazon Prime Video. Are streaming services just reinventing cable? And how might these companies innovate to keep viewers in the fold? Joining us to discuss are Lucas Shaw, managing editor, media & entertainment at Bloomberg. His newsletter is Screentime. Also with us is Tim Nollen, senior media tech analyst at Macquarie Group, a global financial services group.
TV-Talk: ‘The Brothers Sun,’‘Letterkenny’ Final Season.’ ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Broadcast Debut & More
Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we will try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching with Liz Shannon Miller, senior entertainment editor for Consequence, and Eric Deggans, television critic for NPR.
This week’s shows include:
- The Brothers Sun (Netflix)
- The Golden Wedding (ABC & Hulu)
- Letterkenny [Season 12, Final Season] (Hulu)
- Only Murders in the Building [Season 1] (ABC & Hulu)
- Pokemon Concierge (Netflix)
- Criminal Record (Apple TV+)
- Funny Woman (PBS)
- True Detective [Season 4] (HBO & Max)
