House Democrats rethink Nancy Pelosi's future, 100-mile trail race conducts drug tests for the first time, Silicon Beach animal shelter uses the latest technology.
State of Affairs: Time for Pelosi to go? Lessons from Georgia, Feinstein isn't stopping yet
This week on Take Two's State of Affairs:
- After an expensive defeat in Georgia, some House Democrats question Nancy Pelosi's future
- Are there lessons from Georgia for Democrats in California?
- And a happy belated birthday to Senator Dianne Feinstein; she turned 84 yesterday. She's also eyeballing another term.
Guests:
Jack Pitney, political scientist at Claremont McKenna College
Scott Shafer, politics editor KQED
LAPD's Cadet program under scrutiny
Last week - seven young people, all cadets, were arrested after stealing police cars and other official equipment.
Investigators say they used a vacationing sergeant's name to sign out the cars, stun guns and radios. Four other cadets — including a girl — were later arrested for allegedly riding along.
But as officials were investigating the incident, they discovered that an officer may have had a sexual relationship with one of the female cadets. That officer, Robert Cain, was arrested yesterday at the 77th Street Division by LAPD Chief Charlie Beck himself.
But now, LA City Councilman Mitch Englander has said he plans to introduce a motion today to investigate and audit of all LAPD youth programs.
We spoke to him about it.
California's most prestigious 100-mile endurance run kicks off this weekend
On Saturday at five a.m., the starting gun will go off at a race in Northern California. It's the oldest, most prestigious long-distance foot race in California. But it's not really well known, even though it's been around for decades.
It's not a cute little 10k or even a marathon.
It's called the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run—as in ONE HUNDRED MILES.
Starting at the Squaw Valley ski resort, east of Fresno, it winds through the trails of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Elite runners go up and down through mountains more than ten thousand feet high. The winner usually crosses the finish line a hundred miles away in more or less fifteen hours.
Joel Frost-Tift is one runner who'll be competing tomorrow, he gave us some insight into what it takes to prepare for a race like this:
"To prepare, I logged over 100 miles a week for a few months, including a lot of long runs in the mountains. I also trained my body to adapt to the heat by running in the middle of the day with lots of layers and by putting the heat on in my car at full blast.
I acclimatized myself to high altitude, but camping close to 8,000 feet above sea level. Conditions on the course will vary from several inches of snow to temperatures over 110 degrees Fahrenheit. So, there are a lot of variables I'll have to consider.
But the number one thing that will be on my mind, when I tow the line, will be making it to the finish line at Placer High school. As quickly as possible and ahead of as many people as possible."
Like a lot of the almost 400 people who compete in the race, Joel isn't a well-known athlete. And there's no prize money for the trail race. For the most part, people run the Western States simply for the love of running, a long...long way.
And yet, for the first time in its 44 year history, runners will be tested for performance-enhancing drugs. For more about the race and why they decided to start testing for performance-enhancing drugs now, A Martinez spoke with John Medinger. He's the President of the Board of the Western States 100 and has run over 150 ultra-marathons himself.
To listen to the full segment, click the blue play button above.
Can stray animals be saved by this 14-foot tall robo-dog?