State of Affairs on Fracking, CA's Climate and Rob Bonta's Progressive Label

It's been a week of reforms - or in some cases - just more TALK about them, both in terms of environmental policies in state, and in criminal justice. We'll discuss on State of Affairs, our weekly sweep of California politics.

Guests:

• Marisa Lagos, political correspondent KQED and co-host of the podcast Political Breakdown
• Sammy Roth covers energy for the LA Times and writes the weekly Boiling Point newsletter

Pacoima's Fight for Environmental Equity After Decades of Poor Air Quality

All week, we’ve looked into the environmental risks the northeast San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Pacoima faces today, as it’s one of most pollution-burdened communities in all of California. After hearing from historians, activists, and community members impacted by pollution, we turn our attention now to local leadership to see what’s being done to address environmental concerns.

Guest:

• Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, representing the 7th district in the Northeast San Fernando Valley, which includes the neighborhood of Pacoima.

LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner on Why He's Stepping Down

The L.A. Unified School District is now on the market for a new superintendent.  Austin Beutner has led LAUSD through three eventful years — from a teachers strike in 2019 … through the crisis of COVID-19.  Beutner announced this week he’ll step down after his current contract expires in June — but why leave now?  The outgoing superintendent believes he’s laid a strong foundation for his successor.  Beutner spoke to KPCC’s Kyle Stokes to explain.

The Benefits of Outdoor Classrooms: the View from LA

On a warm sunny day in Los Angeles, a black van pulls up to a park, and eleven elementary school kids stream out onto the grass and begin conducting science experiments. The class is part of a pilot program to expand outdoor learning in the LA Unified School District, where some neighborhoods were hit especially hard by COVID. Reporter Deepa Fernandes visited some outdoor classrooms in Southern California to see how they’re trying to make it work.