Today, on the show, we start with why Colorado lawmakers are rethinking some rules around legal pot sales. Then, Los Angeles moves to regulate private trash haulers. Plus, Ben Bergman reports on why rent is so unaffordable in L.A., details of Mexico's deal with armed groups in Michoacán still unclear, will Sriracha be moving outside of the city? Plus much more.
Colorado lawmakers rethinking rules around legal pot sales
It's been a little more than four months since recreational pot became legal in Colorado to those 21 and older.
Initially, many critics expressed fear that legalizing the drug would lead to a spike in crime. But according to new data from the Denver Police Department, violent crime actually fell by nearly 7 percent in the first quarter of 2014. Property crime dropped by more than 11 percent.
Even so, some incidents with possible connections to edible marijuana have raised concern among Colorado residents and lawmakers. For more on this we're joined by Colorado based reporter Nova Safo.
So what effect might these incidents have on Colorado's experiment with legalized recreational marijuana?
For an answer to that, we spoke earlier with Mark Kleiman, Professor of Public Policy at UCLA School of Public Affairs, and the author of the book "Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs To Know."
Griffith Park mountain lion tested positive for rat poison
We've spent a lot of time on talking about the mountain lions that live here in Southern California. They're facing a lot of obstacles like competition for space and mates, finding food and dodging traffic.
And now, there's yet another threat to their survival, rat poison. Our local lion P-22, who lives in Griffith Park has tested positive for poison. For more on this we're joined by KPCC's environment reporter Jed Kim.
Los Angeles moves to regulate private trash haulers
Under a state law designed to reduce waste, California cities and counties are required to cut the amount of trash sent to landfills each year.
Earlier this month, we took a look at a proposal to divide the city of Los Angeles into trash collection zones with one trash hauler in charge of each. This week, that law was passed.
As the California Report's L.A. Bureau Chief Steven Cuevas reports, that means business could dry up for scores of other garbage collectors.
High Rent, Few Options: Angelenos weigh their choices
There's a rule of thumb for deciding how much to pay when renting an apartment: no more than 30-percent of your gross income. But these days, rents are higher than they've ever been in Southern California. More and more Angelinos are spending big chunks of their paychecks on a place to live.
KPCC's Ben Bergman discovers the old rules no longer apply.
This is the first in a series of stories on renting in Los Angeles. Let us know what you think in the comments below, on our Facebook page or tweet with the hashtag #myrent.
RELATED: How much of your paycheck do you spend on rent?
Rent Q&A: What can be done to make LA housing more affordable?
This is the first in a series of stories on renting in Los Angeles. Let us know what you think in the comments below, on our Facebook page or tweet with the hashtag #myrent.
KPCC’s Ben Bergman joins Take Two to talk more about L.A.’s rental crisis, and what, if anything can be done to make rents more affordable.
How does L.A. stack up against other big cities when it comes to rental prices?
L.A. certainly isn’t alone. The New York Times just published an analysis from Zillow that finds 90 cities where the median rent — not including utilities — was more than 30 percent of the median gross income.
But what makes L.A. especially bad is affordability. People make less here than in San Francisco or New York, and we have the highest percentage of the population living in poverty — 26.9 percent — in the state. We also have the biggest shortfall of affordable housing in the state, especially for what’s known as Extremely Low Income renters.
L.A. is also very transient – we have lots of people coming in and going.
(click on the rental data map below for the full version)
RELATED: Are you currently looking for an apartment in Southern California?
Why has renting become so expensive?
A big reason is the foreclosure crisis. You might think that would make things more affordable, because houses would be cheaper, but no.
It’s also much harder to qualify for a mortgage, so there are more people in the rental market, competing for the same number of apartments. There hasn’t been that much new supply, especially for low- and moderate-income people, because there’s been a huge cut in state and federal funding in the last few years to subsidize affordable housing. We’re talking billions of dollars.
Without these subsidies, it doesn’t make financial sense for developers to build affordable apartments.
What can be done to make renting more affordable in L.A.?
There are two sides to this – income and rents. Remember, the problem is rent is going up while incomes are going down.
So putting the issue of income aside – which we could talk about all day – you need to increase the supply, which would involve making it easier to build apartments. A lot of people in houses wouldn’t like that. You also need to restore the state and federal affordable housing funds.
There is a bill working its way through the California legislature that would replace some of the funds lost and create 10,000 low- and moderate-income homes annually through a $75 fee for recording real estate documents.
RELATED: How much of your paycheck do you spend on rent?
What have people told you about what it’s like to rent in L.A.?
Of the 70 people who told us about their existing rent experience, 21 of them used the word "hate" at least once. Lots referred to slumlords.
A common theme is people devoting huge chunks of paycheck to rent and feeling like they’re not getting much for their money. But at the same time, people aren’t wanting to move inland, where it’s more affordable. They value living in urban areas.
We invite you to share your story at kpcc.org. There’s a map where you can see what the expensive places to live are in Southern California.
Sriracha makers looking to relocate factory after battle with community
Huy Fong Foods, makers of the hot sauce Sriracha, has been battling the residents of Irwindale where their company is located. Folks there complain the factory produces chili fumes which burns their eyes and makes it hard to breathe.
RELATED: Irwindale City Council declares Sriracha a public nuisance
Now the company might be scoping out a new location to do business and it looks like the iconic rooster could one day don a Texan cowboy hat.
Sarah Favot has been reporting on this for the Pasadena Star News and joins us to explain.
FAQ: How you can still get measles even after being vaccinated
The Daily Beast recently reported that a woman who was fully vaccinated against measles contracted the disease and exposed 88 other people, four of whom also contracted the highly contagious disease. Two of the sick people were also vaccinated.
In light of California’s current measles outbreak, we talked with two epidemiologists to clear up some questions about the measles and the vaccine.
How effective is the MMR vaccine, which prevents against measles, mumps and rubella?
The vaccine is 95 percent effective, says Dr. George Rutherford, head of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at of the UCSF School of Medicine.
That means that 5 percent of kids who are vaccinated at age 1 won’t develop immunity. That vaccine failure rate is reduced when kids get a second dose of the vaccine before entering school. Rutherford says it’s also recommended that kids get immunized before college, to further reduce that rate.
What causes the vaccine to fail?
Vaccine failure is rare, but there could have been a problem with the vaccine itself. Maybe medical staff mishandled it, or it was not properly stored – many vaccines have to be refrigerated. Or maybe the correct vaccine was not actually administered, and it was recorded incorrectly in the medical record. It’s also possible that maternal antibodies from breastfeeding blocked the vaccine, Rutherford says.
The Daily Beast reported that a woman who was vaccinated still got measles. She transmitted it to four people, two of whom had also been vaccinated. How could that have happened?
People who are fully vaccinated against measles should consider themselves immune to measles.
But, uncommonly, there are people who never responded to the vaccine, those who needed a second dose to have full immunity, and those whose immunity to measles waned over time, since we’re not naturally exposed to the disease anymore, Rutherford says. If someone comes in very close contact with measles, it’s rare, but possible, for the disease to overcome that person’s level of immunity.
Even in that case, the vaccine should still provide some protection and prevent the serious side effects of measles, that can lead to brain damage and death, says Dr. Susan Huang, medical director for epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine.
I came into contact with someone with measles. What should I do?
If you’re not vaccinated, get vaccinated immediately. If you can’t provide proof of vaccination, or if there’s any question of your vaccination status, you should get vaccinated again, Huang says. She adds that there are exceptions. Generally, adults who born before 1957 grew up at a time when measles was very common and are considered immune.
People who have serious immune issues will need to receive antibody infusions to protect them if directly exposed to measles, Huang says.
'Dancing in Jaffa': How ballroom dance can overcome political differences
For decades, relations between Jews and Palestinians in Israel have been difficult at best, lethal at worst. Finding peace between these two populations is no easy feat. Many have tried and failed.
But our next guest had a novel idea about how to overcome political and cultural differences through ballroom dance. His name is Pierre Dulaine. He's the subject of a new documentary called 'Dancing In Jaffa.' Pierre Dulaine joins Take Two from New York.
State of Affairs: Gov. Brown's fund proposal, corruption in Cudahy and more
It's Thursday so it's time for State of Affairs, our weekly look at politics and government in the Golden State with KPCC political reporters Frank Stoltze and Alice Walton.
Well, it's not often that a governor calls for a special session of the state legislature, but yesterday Governor Jerry Brown did just that. He's trying to push his proposal to create a rainy day fund, and this time having to work with Republicans.
Senator Leland Yee, who was indicted on corruption and gun running charges, shut down his ballot measure committee. We also take a look at the Sacramento Bee's endorsement of Betty Yee over State Assembly Speaker John Perez for state controller.
Asian American leaders gathered for the big annual dinner for the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment. But there was one topic that wasn't brought up, the fight over affirmative action. We'll look at what's behind that.
Jumping to local politics, we'll look at why Orange County Congressman John Campbell isn't seeking office again and the audit that found the corruption-plagued City of Cudahy is in a state of chaos.
Facebook announces 'Nearby Friends' tracking feature
Today, Facebook is announcing a new feature which will let users track each other, called "Nearby Friends."
The company says it's a great way to connect with friends in real time, but critics worry that it could be a real invasion of privacy. For more on this, we turn to Reed Albergotti who's been reporting on this for the Wall Street Journal.
Details of Mexico's deal with armed groups in Michoacán still unclear
The Mexican government has given armed self defense groups until May to disarm in exchange these groups known as autodefensas could be incorporated in a new state police force.
RELATED: Rise of armed groups in Mexico prompts hope, fear among LA's michoacanos
The autodefensas have been around for more than a year. Recently, they pushed out the dominant drug cartel, the Knights Templar, in the southwest state of Michoacán. They've been setting up checkpoints, patrolling towns and drawing local support.
It's exposed the federal government's failure to stem the violence, but it's also put the government in a bind: how to deal with the popular groups that are outside the rule of law?
For the latest on what this deal means, we're joined by Verónica Calderón, reporter with El Pais in Mexico City.
How millennials' lifestyles may change US cities and suburbs
Developers in Seattle are also thinking about the problem of affordable housing, a problem that gets bigger as more millennials enter the market.
This generation also has certain things they want from their living situation.
In the second part of KUOW's series on millennials, reporter Carolyn Adolph looks at how their attitudes about how they live — and where they live — may profoundly change our cities, and our suburbs.
Musician Neko Case on playing Coachella and her life on tour
Neko Case has a long history as an indie and alternative country musician, in part because of a voice that has been described "as deep as a well in the desert."
She is set to appear in round two of the Coachella Valley festival this Friday. Take Two caught up wither her to talk about her life on tour.