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Podcasts Take Two
Vaccination bill, working seniors, L.A.'s poet laureate
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Apr 25, 2019
Listen • 48:43
Vaccination bill, working seniors, L.A.'s poet laureate

A California bill pushes to strengthen current immunization laws, more seniors are working by necessity and choice, meet L.A. Poet Laureate Robin Coste Lewis.
Hesitancy about vaccination in a community has a lot to do with acculturation to its norms.
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We look at a new bill for California that would strengthen current immunization laws. Plus, more seniors are working. And, a chat with L.A. Poet Laureate Robin Coste Lewis.

Vaccination Bill

State Senator Richard Pan, a pediatrician, is pushing a bill to strengthen current immunization laws to require county public health official to determine the validity of all medical exemptions to get out of vaccinations. This is after he authored a bill in 2015 that got rid of philosophical exemptions to vaccines, and only allowed medical exemptions. Since then, dubious medical waivers have been on the rise – as have cases of measles. The bill was debated by the Senate Health Committee Wednesday.

Guest:

  • Michelle Faust Raghavan, KPCC health reporter

Census voting data

Much has been said about the youth vote heading into the 2018 election. Young voter participation has been historically low in mid-term years. But new data released this week by the Census Bureau shows both millennials AND Gen-Z-ers are taking the fate of the nation more seriously.  That makes 2018 turnout the HIGHEST in over 40 years.  Alright, I know what you’re thinking: How did we do here in SoCal and what lessons can WE learn headed into the big one: 2020?

Guest:

  • Luis Sanchez, executive director of Power California - they work to get young people represented at the ballot box

Senior Has to Work

More and more Californians are working past the age of 65. Today, 20 percent of California seniors are in the labor force -- many because they can't afford to retire. But the seniors who most need a job often have the hardest time finding one. As part of our Graying California series, KPCC's David Wagner has this profile.

Senior Wants to Work

The number of California seniors working into old age is rising. But many of them keep working because they love what they do. KPCC's David Wagner has this profile of an actor who finds a second career as a professor.

Graying California

There are senior citizens who have to work but struggle to find a job, and those who just want to keeping working and have no problem doing so. What separates the two groups if often education and one's economic background. For example, Beverly Hills boasts a high number of working seniors.

Guest:

  • David Wagner, KPCC business reporter

Poet Laureate of L.A.

The Poet Laureate of L.A. discusses her connection to South L.A., the goals of her poet fellowship, and what "reconciliation" means for communities in Southern California.

Guest:

  • Robin Coste Lewis, L.A. Poet Laureate