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Podcasts Take Two
Coronavirus 101, 'American Dirt' Highlights A Bigger Problem, Recapping The Contentious DA Debate
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Feb 3, 2020
Listen • 51:33
Coronavirus 101, 'American Dirt' Highlights A Bigger Problem, Recapping The Contentious DA Debate

The Coronavirus explained, what the controversy around "American Dirt" highlights about the publishing industry, a recap of the DA debate.
A laboratory operator wearing a protective gear handles patients' samples in a laboratory of the National Reference Center (CNR) for respiratory viruses at the Institut Pasteur in Paris on January 28, 2020. - The CNR analyses the tests for respiratory viruses among which coronavirus. The deadly new coronavirus that has broken out in China, 2019-nCoV, has so far killed 106 people and infected over 4,000 -- the bulk of them in and around Wuhan. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP) (Photo by THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images)
A laboratory operator wearing a protective gear handles patients' samples in a laboratory of the National Reference Center (CNR) for respiratory viruses at the Institut Pasteur in Paris on January 28, 2020. - The CNR analyses the tests for respiratory viruses among which coronavirus. The deadly new coronavirus that has broken out in China, 2019-nCoV, has so far killed 106 people and infected over 4,000 -- the bulk of them in and around Wuhan. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP) (Photo by THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images)
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THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images
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Coronavirus 101

As of Sunday, Chinese Health officials confirmed more than 17-thousand cases ...with some recoveries. 361 people in China have died from the virus. Here in the U.S. 11 cases have been confirmed — six of them in California. But how much do we know about it and how much remains unclear? 

Guest:

  • Dr. Robert J. Kim-Farley, professor of epidemiology at UCLA and former Los Angeles County Department of Public Health official

CSU Maintenance

The California State University estimates it would cost nearly four billion dollars to take care of a building maintenance backlog in the 23-campus system. The money's coming, slowly. It will take years to catch up on all of the needed repairs — and that work falls to a handful of maintenance workers. KPCC's Adolfo Guzman-Lopez followed one of them on his daily rounds.

"American Dirt" Roundtable

By now, you've certainly heard the controversy surrounding the novel "American Dirt," by Jeanine Cummins. The book, about one Mexican mother's decision to flee to the border with her young son after a drug cartel kills her family was one of the most hotly anticipated titles of 2020. After its release, it even secured a coveted spot in Oprah's book club.But from there, the backlash was swift. Latinx writers have been brutal with their critiques —saying the book relies on stereotypes and tropes to describe the migrant experience. Then the publisher, Flatiron Books, canceled the author's book tour over "security concerns." We dig into the controversy surrounding the book and the big picture problem it highlights.

Guest:

  • Esmeralda Bermudez, she writes narrative stories about the Latino experience for the Los Angeles Times
  • Roxane Gay, Writer and novelist

https://twitter.com/taketwo/status/1224449745105481728

DA Debate Recap

Last week the three candidates who want to run the largest District Attorney's office in the country were all on stage together, for the first time in this election season. That's incumbent Los Angeles County DA Jackie Lacey, and her challengers: Former San Francisco DA George Gascón and former Public Defender Rachel Rossi. The event was co-moderated by KPCC and the Los Angeles Times. 

Guest:

  • Libby Denkmann, Co-host of the event and KPCC senior politics reporter

More on LAist.com 

Kobe and the WNBA

Today, we want to shed light on that part - the father, the coach of his daughter...a champion of youth and women's sports. Back in 2018, Kobe Bryant opened the Mamba Sports Academy in Newbury Park as a center for young athletes. It's where he was headed Sunday with his basketball-loving daughter and two other teenage players when the crash happened. We take a deeper look at Kobe Bryant and his impact on youth and women's sports.

Guest:

  • Cappie Pondexter, retired two-time WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist