Today on the show we speak with an American Israeli Defense Force soldier who recently spent several years as a lone soldier. We take a look at the impact the drought is having on Yuba City farmers. And Thousand Oak residents are mobilizing to protect California's oak trees, which are being cut down to make way for a shopping center and much more
How Americans end up fighting in the IDF in Gaza
Lone soldiers. That's the name that Israel gives to the Jewish men and women who travel from all over the world to join the Israeli Defense Forces.
So far, the fighting in Gaza has killed more than 550 Palestinians and 27 Israelis, and among those who died fighting with the IDF were two American lone soldiers.
One of them was 24 year old Max Steinberg from Los Angeles and the other was 21 year old Nissim Sean Carmeli, from Texas.
But how do these Americans end up fighting with the IDF? That's the question that we posed to Los Angeleno, and friend of Carmeli, Ethan Snyder, who, without any prior ties to Israel, decided to go over and volunteer with the Israeli military a few years ago.
He joins Alex Cohen in studio to discuss what brought him to Israel and his experience within the military.
California law that cuts misdemeanor time could reduce deportations
A new California law reduces how much a person can be sentenced for a misdemeanor by just one day, but it could have vast implications for thousands of legal immigrants facing deportation.
The law, known as SB1310, cuts the maximum penalty for a misdemeanor to 364 days. Under federal law, a legal resident becomes deportable if they are given a sentence of one year or more.
That has led tens of thousands of deportations in recent years. More than 100,000 children who have legal status have had a parent deported for a misdemeanor crime between 1997 and 2007, according to estimates.
For more we're joined by Joseph Villela. He's the policy director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles, a group that supported the law.
Sky high water prices pit neighbors in bidding war for resources
During this period of extreme drought, there's a lot of competition for water. Farmers and city water agencies around the state are struggling with a fraction of the resources they normally get from state and federal water projects.
So where do they turn to support thirsty crops and growing populations?
Many turn to an informal water market where individuals, small companies and water agencies trade off extra resources to the highest bidder.
Reporter Lisa Krieger wrote about the pro's and cons of this trade for the San Jose Mercury News.
Punjabi American farmers in Northern California draw on rich history to face drought
The farmland around Yuba City in Northern California produces almost the entire crop of the country's canned peaches, and two-thirds of its walnuts, almonds, pistachios and plums.
It's also home to a large and deeply-rooted Punjabi American community. But farmers there, like those across the state, are facing severe challenges due to the ongoing drought.
To talk about the history of the community in the area and the challenges that the current drought poses to local farmers, we're joined by two guests. Sunita Sohrabji is a reporter with India West. And Karm Bains is a grower whose family has been farming the area for generations.
Tuesday Reviewsday: Weird Al, Laura Welsh, Naomi Shelton, Fink, Willie Nelson and Somi
Music supervisor Morgan Rhodes and Oliver Wang from Soul-Sides.com join A Martinez in studio for another episode of Tuesday Reviewsday.
Oliver Wang
Artist: "Weird Al" Yankovic
Album: Mandatory Fun
Song: "Word Crimes," "Handy"
Notes: Remember "Weird Al"? I'm pretty sure he's actually been in the mix for a while but he's getting a decent amount of shine for this new album (which also features parodies of: "Fancy," "Royals," "etc."). There was a good piece on Grantland about whether or not "Weird Al's" brand of parody albums has much worth in an age where you can record and upload a parody to YouTube in hours instead of waiting for a once-every-two-years album schedule. Still, when Al does it, he does it well. And that's what sets him apart.
Artist: Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens
Album: Cold World
Song: "Sinner"
Notes: It's the second full-length album from this New York-based gospel soul singer. In classic Daptone fashion, Shelton had begun singing back in the 1960s but she didn't start recording until about 15 years ago when she crossed paths with the musicians who eventually formed Daptone. The album is the kind of gospel release that secularists (like myself) can get into - great vocals, crack rhythm section and heavy dose of the Holy Ghost.
Artist: Willie Nelson
Album: Country Funk II
Song: "Shotgun Willie"
Notes: Just what it says - country music with a funk bend. It's a concept that professed fans of either would hate (even though they shouldn't). And that, to me, makes it interesting!
Morgan Rhodes
Artist: Laura Welsh
Album: Laura Welsh EP
Song: "Hardest Part"
Notes: Welsh is a British singer/song writer and blog darling whose singles have steadily been gaining buzz over the last year. She's collaborated with and been remixed by some of the hottest new artists and producers in the game, and her latest release is worth a listen.
Artist: Fink
Album: Hard Believer
Songs: "Keep Falling," "Hard Believer"
Notes: A British fellow who's a former DJ - singer/songwriter. He's established an impressive track record, writing and arranging songs for the likes of Amy Winehouse and John Legend. Even though it's his first full length album since 2011, he manages to marry folk, rock and blues - perfectly.
Artist: Somi
Album: The Lagos Music Salon
Song: "Ginger Slowly"
Notes: Her move from New York to Lagos three years ago inspired a full-length album that runs the gamut of genres from world to jazz to soul to orchestral sounds.
How the Hobby Lobby decision affects LGBT workplace protections
President Obama signed an executive order, yesterday, which is being hailed as yet another victory for the LGBT community.
"We're going to prohibit all companies that receive a contract from the federal government from discriminating against their LGBT employees," he said at the signing ceremony.
But leading Republicans like Senator Orrin Hatch say the order goes too far.
"In seeking to curtail unjust discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, we must ensure that legal protections do not trample upon basic religious liberties," Hatch said in a statement.
Hatch is a supporter of the Employee Non-Discrimination Act which is similar. However, it includes a religious exemption for those who don't believe in extending those protections, and he says the President's order should do the same.
And the recent Supreme Court victory for Hobby Lobby may also make it easier for employers to say that they morally object to protections of LGBT people because of their faith.
David Cruz, professor of law at USC, joins Take Two to talk about the ramifications that decision has on the fight for LGBT rights
People with no job and poor credit fall prey for auto subprime loans
For millions of Americans, having a reliable and safe car is incredibly important, but for many, there’s only one way to get a car, by utilizing a practice most often associated with the housing bust. The subprime loan.
These loans often come with exorbitant rates and are usually marketed to people with poor credit and not a lot of financial education.
We’ll talk to New York Times reporter Jessica Silver-Greenberg, who recently did an extensive article about it here.
Ride-sharing services get left in the dust on political lobbying
The popularity of ride-sharing services like Uber, Lyft and Sidecar may be increasing at a break neck pace, but they stall when it comes to politics. These ride sharing services are facing a lot of opposition from those who'd like to see a lot more regulation.
And as political neophytes, these services face an uphill battle. For example, they spent just over $539,000 to lobby in Sacramento from 2013 to March of this year.
Meanwhile, those who hope to place more regulations on them spent $6.1 million in the same time period, more than 11 times as much.
Political reporter Joe Garofoli has been writing about this David and Goliath story for the San Francisco Chronicle, and he explains why Silicon Valley gets out-maneuvered in politics.
Felling of trees in Thousand Oaks sparks public outry
The city of Thousand Oaks here in Southern California is known for (as you might imagine) its abundant, stately oak trees, some of them centuries old.
So when almost 200 trees began being cut this year to make way for a shopping center re-development, many residents were outraged.
The city is now working on some changes that will protect the trees in the future.
Thousand Oaks City Councilmember Claudia Bill-de la Peña joins Take Two for more.
New California law allows students under 21 to taste wine
College students under 21 will now be allowed to drink in class. No, we're not talking about hard liquor, but wine.
Student in UC Davis' viticulture and enology program can now taste the wine and beer they make thanks to Gov. Jerry Brown's approval of AB 1989, otherwise known as the sip and spit law.
Andrew Waterhouse is professor in the department of viticulture and enology at UC Davis and he joins us for more.
US Open of Surfing to have more security this year
The U.S. Open of Surfing kicks off this Saturday in Huntington Beach. Visitors can expect to see plenty of surfing, skating and biking, but also more security. That's because officials want to avoid a repeat of the riots that broke out last year.
Joining us for more is Lieutenant Mitch O'Brien from the Huntington Beach Police
'Surf Craft': The art of surfboard design
Today, most surfboards are mass produced and made out of fiberglass: a material strong enough to support a person riding a breaking wave yet light enough to carry around.
But this hasn't always been the case. For many years, surf boards were made out of wood and carefully crafted by hand. And according to surf historian Richard Kenvin, they were more than just something to help one play on the waves — surfboards were a true art form.
Richard Kenvin is the author of a book out next month called "Surf Craft" and the curator of the Surf Craft exhibit on right now at the Mingei International Museum in San Diego, CA. He joins Take Two for a discussion about the art of surfboard design.