Entrepreneurial opportunities and legal pot, SoCal residents weigh in on pot's legalization, what the CVS purchase of Aetna means for you
He was prosecuted for selling weed. Now he wants to be the McDonald's of pot
The highs and lows of recreational pot — listeners weigh in
The sale of recreational marijuana becomes legal in the state of California on Jan. 1, 2018, and that means anybody 21 or older will be able to buy marijuana products from a licensed retailer. We asked listeners: "What does this mean for you?"
Not surprisingly, opinions were all over the map. And some were offered reluctantly. Despite its impending legality, recreational pot is still a little taboo.
Here's a gauge of how SoCal is feeling.
Elan Ruskin
Listener Elan Ruskin was staunchly on the "not going to try marijuana...ever" side of things. His main reason is his belief that it's not good for you.
Adreana Langston
Long Beach resident Adreana Langston has been a longtime proponent of marijuana. She's had a medical card for seven years and even makes her own edibles.
Her trepidation with pot's legalization centers around the business side and a possible corporate takeover of the market.
Andrew Urena
Take Two listener Andrew Urena is excited about what pot's recreational legalization can mean for the state in terms of taxes. He feels regulation of the drug can help benefit the state economically.
Robert Bittner
The last words of wisdom come to us from Robert Bittner, who feels like the legalization of marijuana represents a shift in attitude among Californians. It marks progress. He's looking forward to the accessibility and regulation that progress will entail.
To hear what listeners have to say about the legalization of recreational marijuana, click the blue play button above.
CVS aims to buy Aetna. Here's what the pairing could mean for customers
A major move in the health industry over the weekend could change the healthcare landscape in Southern California.
Drugstore giant CVS Health says it will buy health insurer Aetna in a deal worth about $69 billion. It's a merger that could bring essential health services to more people. But some worry that the arrangement could limit customer choice.
The deal will need federal approval before it can be finalized. Even then, the full effect of the merger on everyday consumers will take time to become clear.
There are, however, some indicators that might tell customers how the pairing could affect the health landscape in Southern California.
Chad Terhune, a senior correspondent for California Healthline and Kaiser Health News, joined Take Two to explain.
1. Convenient care:
It's kind of a pain right now to get a doctor's appointment sometimes — particularly just to get a checkup or something minor. Their idea is that the CVS store would become their community health center.
You would go there for your checkups, maybe to take your kids for their sports physical, to pick up your prescriptions, vision, hearing tests. They want it to become the hub and maybe go there instead of trying to get that appointment at the doctor's office.
2. Lower drug prices:
[The companies] say that as they get bigger, they can negotiate better terms with drugmakers. I think we need to be a little wary about these promises. Many of these companies merged and they often say, 'We're going to get lower prices for you. We're going to pass on the savings.' But as we've seen with a lot of past mergers, there might be some savings, but the companies hold onto that. It goes to their bottom line and maybe rewards their investors. Consumers don't always get those savings.
3. Health insurance premiums:
Aetna right now is the third-largest health insurer. This would maybe be an idea where, if I'm an employer, maybe now I go with Aetna and CVS. Maybe they can deliver me lower premiums. All of us as workers would like that. But again, that remains to be seen: are we really going to see those lower healthcare costs?
Press the blue play button above to hear what this planned merger says about the future of healthcare in the country.
How to prepare for 80 mph winds expected in LA this week
It's going to get pretty windy tonight. The National Weather Service warns there will be gusts of up to 80 miles per hour in LA County.
High winds combined with dry conditions add to fire risk. And then there's the issue of trees and powerlines potentially blowing over.
For more on what we can expect, Emily Montanez with the LA County office of Emergency Services joined Take Two host A Martinez.
Montanez says the areas most at risk for heavy winds include the Antelope Valley, Santa Clarita and the foothill and valley areas. She advises sheltering in place when the winds become severe, and keeping windows closed and doors locked. She recommends reviewing your family's emergency plan and being familiar with the location of gas supply valves, electrical switch boxes and water shut-off valves should utilities go down.
Did Disney leave 'Olaf's Frozen Adventure' out in the cold because audiences hated it?
Disney's Coco took the box office once more, but the Frozen animated short playing before it ... well, that's been left out in the cold. Audiences weren't so hot on the 20-minute short, so Disney had to let it go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb8WDATVB6A
And with awards season just around the corner, which films are this year's frontrunners? Hint: There are none yet.
Vanity Fair's Rebecca Keegan spoke with A Martinez about the latest in Hollywood, starting with the freezing out of Olaf's animated short.
"In this case, this film was intended to be a holiday TV special and so it's longer than the short films we're used to seeing before Disney animated films and Pixar films. Not everybody is as enthusiastic about it..."
Then, more Disney news about the studio's talks to buy 20th Century Fox assets and lastly, onto awards season. As of now, there no clear frontrunners. How will that shape the awards ceremonies moving forward?
To hear more on the business of Hollywood and entertainment this week, click the blue play button above.
Sphinx head from DeMille's 'Ten Commandments' unearthed in Santa Barbara Dunes
The Guadalupe Nipomo Dunes in Santa Barbara County have long been prized for their miles of pristine sand. And almost 100 years ago, those dunes were the setting for Cecil B. DeMille's 1923 film epic, 'The Ten Commandments."
Now archaeologists are digging up some of the remnants of that film set, including an intact plaster sphinx head that still has much of its original paint intact.
The 300-pound sphinx was one of 20 heads used during filming, and the second to be unearthed at the site. Colleen Hamilton is the lead archeologist for Lost City excavations at the Guadalupe Dunes site. She joined Take Two host A Martinez to talk about the dig.