How a national weigh-in on police incidents caught on tape can be good and bad, what goes into choosing a school for your child, rules of the road for bicyclists.
The pros/cons when videos capture police shootings
The investigation continues into Sunday's police shooting death in Los Angeles' Skid Row.
- 6:15 p.m.: LAPD provides unusual level of detail about incident; shooting will be early test of body camera policy
- 4:25 p.m.: Skid Row regulars say suspect was humble, sometimes angry
- 2:15 p.m.: Mayor calls for patience during investigation; won't rush release of on-body camera footage
- 12:33 p.m.: Suspect 'forcibly grabbed' officer's gun, Beck says
- 6:37 a.m.: At least 1 officer wearing body camera
- Witness video (Caution: Graphic material and language)
But this encounter was captured on video by a bystander -- a video that's gone viral and has been seen by millions.
That could complicate the official investigation because, no matter the eventually ruling, many people have already drawn their own conclusions based on what they saw online.
Lisa Graziano, professor of criminal justice at Cal State L.A., specializes in policing, technology and the Internet.
She tells Take Two that videos are a double-edged sword: they force police to be more transparent, but also are ammunition for those who implicitly distrust law enforcement.
California Supreme Court overturns sex offender housing ban
The state’s highest court struck down a mandatory residency restriction prohibiting sex offenders in San Diego County from living within 2000 feet of schools or parks.
This ban was a key component of Proposition 83 or Jessica’s law, which was overwhelming approved by California voters in 2006. Intended to protect Californians from sex offenders on parole, the court unanimously ruled that the law's housing ban violates the "basic constitutional right to be free of unreasonable, arbitrary and oppressive official action."
In an opinion for the court, Justice Marvin Baxter wrote, "The residency restrictions place burdens on registered sex offender parolees that are disruptive in a way that hinder their treatment, jeopardizes their health and undercuts their ability to find and maintain employment, significantly undermining any effort at rehabilitation."
Host Alex Cohen spoke with Laurie Levenson, professor of law at Loyola Marymount, on the broader implications of this decision.
"Given the conditions of Jessica's law, 97% of the housing was off limits and in fact one-third of all the parolees in San Diego county were living on the street, were homeless," said Levenson.
Currently, the ruling only applies to San Diego County, but Levenson anticipates that the ruling will extend throughout the state.
"This is not the only place where we've run into this problem. We passed a law, but the consequences have been that there's been a tremendous increase, about a 24% increase in homelessness among the parolees, and if we think about that that's not accomplishing what we do want to accomplish, which is to keep track of where these people are," she said.
Transportation Nation: Here's what you don't know about Calif. bike laws (quiz)
Think you know the rules of the road for bicycles?
Bike advocates confidently told me that most cyclists are aware of their legal obligations while riding. But when I did a story about California's new three-feet law last September, I took the opportunity to ask a bike expert about a couple of other rules.
Can I legally ride on the sidewalk? Is it OK for people to talk on a cell while riding? I see some do that occasionally on Spring Street ...
I surprisingly got a few wrong. As someone who's biked to work for about 15 years, I thought I would know better. (Answers: sort of. And yes, which is crazy to me.)
But I'm not alone. Quizzing friends and KPCC colleagues about other rules – bicyclists and non-bicyclists alike — no one walked away with a perfect score.
QUIZ: Test how much you know about bike safety
But bicycling will be a major part of Southern California's future.
It's a core piece of L.A.'s city infrastructure plan for the next 20 years, and CicLAVia is booming so much that it's branching out with events in the San Fernando Valley and Pasadena.
If more cyclists hit the streets, though, is everyone educated enough so the roads can be shared safely?
When bikes and cars collide
There are no official statistics on how well-informed people are.
Talk to most drivers, and they would say cyclists aren't well versed in the rules of the road. (Then again, about half of prospective drivers failed the DMV's written English test themselves.)
Diehard bike advocates – as you'd expect – disagree.
Yet more than 15,000 accidents statewide involved a bike in 2012, according to the California Highway Patrol. About a third of those collisions happened in L.A. County.
The blame for those accidents is about even on the national level, says the League of American Bicyclists.
But locally, the CHP data shows bicyclists tend to be more at fault.*
The number one reason why bicyclists cause accidents is because they're riding on the wrong side of the road.
Colin Bogart from the L.A. County Bike Coalition has a theory why that happens: It's the way people were once taught.
"A lot of people are very frightened about being hit from behind," he says. "I think that's a big reason why a lot of people ride the wrong way in traffic."
Meanwhile, the leading cause of accidents caused by drivers is when they turn into the path of a cyclist. At an intersection, for example, a driver might cut off a bicyclist while making a right without yielding – the bike was supposed to have the right of way.
Teaching cyclists and drivers on the road
Before drivers take to the streets, they have to take a class, pass a test and earn a license. For bicyclists, none of that has to happen.
Driver's education doesn't extensively cover what motorists should do around bikes, either.
That's where local groups like the L.A. County Bike Coalition step in.
Every so often they'll collaborate with the LAPD for Operation Firefly, a project where they'll hand out free lights to passing bicyclists: In California you're legally required to have a front-facing light and a rear reflector.
"It's less about, 'Hey, this is what you've got to do to avoid a ticket,'" says Colin Bogart from the LACBC. "It's more about, 'This is what you need to do to make yourself visible when you're riding at night.'"
Police officers also take charge of educating motorists when they pull them over for infractions.
"That's why we're handing pamphlets out," says Officer Mike Flynn of the LAPD's Central Division, "trying to educate motorists if we see them committing stuff that's unsafe."
These moments become on-the-fly education for drivers and cyclists to better prepare everyone to be safe on the road.
What about learning the rules after you break them?
Throughout the country there are "bike traffic schools" for adults with a citation. Go to a class and your fine will be reduced.
Certain places in California tried to do that, too. The problem: It's against the law in this state.
"Right now, they can’t, even if they want to," says Dave Snyder of the California Bike Coalition.
The way the law reads, adults can only attend a traffic school of any kind to reduce points, not a fine. But, you know, bicyclists don’t get points.
A technicality in that law allows college campuses to have them, and Bike East Bay tried to bring its program at UC Berkeley over to the the city of Alameda in 2012.
The police chief at the time was bike friendly and developed a work around: Take a class in the 30 days before a citation is processed, and we'll rip up the ticket.
But Alameda’s police chief left at the end of that year, and the program went with him.
Snyder says the coalition is working to find a sponsor in the legislature to change state law so all police departments are allowed to offer these classes.
"It’s the first time we've tried this," he says, "but [cyclists] come out of those classes feeling a lot more confident and a lot more secure."
How you can learn the rules
There are plenty of local resources to help you brush up on the laws.
The LACBC hold classes for its members, for instance, and Santa Monica Spoke has an online guide.
There will be a free class in Studio City on Saturday, March 7th hosted by the city's neighborhood council, too.
The California Bike Coalition also has a round-up of state laws that govern bikes.
Be aware that certain rules differ from city to city, though.
Remember where I said that sidewalk riding is "sort of" legal? It is in Los Angeles, for example, but illegal in Santa Monica.
LAPD Officer Mike Flynn offers one simple lesson for cyclists to remember: "Everything that a car does, you do? Then you’re not going to have any issues."
That holds true for drivers, too: Treat bicyclists like any other vehicle.
* Stats were pulled from 2012 data by the California Highway Patrol. We queried how many collisions in L.A. County involved at least one bicyclist and a motor vehicle/parked vehicle, and who was determined to be at fault in those cases.
This story is part of Transportation Nation, a public radio reporting project that combines the work of multiple newsrooms to provide coverage of how we build, rebuild and get around the nation. To read other Transportation Nation stories, click here. Let us know what you think in the comments below, on KPCC's Facebook page or on Twitter (@KPCC).
Israel's Netanyahu opposes Iran nuclear deal in speech to Congress
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly criticized a potential deal on Iran's nuclear program in a rare address to a joint session of US Congress this morning.
He's opposed to a deal with Iran, supported by the Obama administration, that would restrict Iran's nuclear program, saying it doesn't go far enough.
His high-profile speech comes less than two weeks from a contentious election in Israel, in which Netanyahu's own political future hangs in the balance.
And that's drawn criticism from some US lawmakers and the Obama Administration.
The Brood: 'LA School Scout' helps parents pick the right school
Today on Take Two, we are proud to announce a new segment on parenting. And, much like naming a baby, we thought long and hard about what to dub the segment. Our choice? The Brood.
Makes sense, right? As a noun, the "brood" refers to kids. But we liked the name even more because of what it means as a verb: to think a lot about something.
Because, let's face it, when it comes to raising kids in this day and age, parents brood. We brood often and about everything from cloth diapers versus disposable, breastfeeding or formula, and where to send your kid to school.
There are so many schools out there, but where do you begin? Do you go public or private? What about magnet or charter? Dual language?
School admissions consultant Sandy Eiges (a.k.a. the "L.A. School Scout") helps parents sort through the often overwhelming school selection process and she joined Take Two to share some tips.
INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
What is the best way to figure out what options are available to you?
"You're going to be told by friends and neighbors that their school is the best school around and definitely take that information in and start compiling a list. You can always go online to look at a site like GreatSchools where they will actually list all of the schools within your geographical area.
It is challenging to figure out what all of your options are— private, public — that is why educational consultants exist... But you can start asking those questions, you can go to your school district and see if there are charter schools or magnet schools you might not have heard of, and start investigating that way."
What are the different options when it comes to public schools?
"People seem to think that the neighborhood school is their only public choice, but the reality is that there are at least four types of free public schools out there.
There's a neighborhood school obviously, the one that comes with your address. There's charter schools... charter schools are free public schools that you are entitled to go to. There are magnet schools, which really are only available to people in LAUSD, because magnet schools are part of large urban school districts. And there are language immersion schools.
Also, some small school districts have something called 'district of choice' where they have a reciprocal relationship with the districts around them. They need students, and if that seems like a viable option, that might be an option for you."
What should you look for when you visit a school?
"You're looking at the curriculum— what are they teaching? How are they teaching it?... Is it a formal environment? Is it a more informal environment? So, for example, in Kindergarten, are children sitting at desks? Are children sitting on a rug on the floor? Those are two very different classroom approaches... Is it a well rounded environment? Are there 'extras'... art, music, physical education?"
To listen to the full interview with Sandy Eiges, click the link above.
Got a topic you'd like us to discuss on The Brood? Let us know in the comments below!
A previous version of this story incorrectly characterized charter schools as “free private schools.” KPCC regrets the error.
Google's extraordinary plans for 'Googleplex'
A look at Google's latest plans for 'Googleplex' with LA Times' architect critic, Christopher Hawthorne.
Game Developers Conference draws 25,000 to San Francisco
Ian Sherr, executive editor at CNET News, talks about the buzziest topics at this week's Game Developers Conference, known as GDC, in San Francisco.
The fisherman's dilemma when California closes off miles of ocean
Paul Greenberg is a journalist and a fisherman and, in his most recent article appearing in California Sunday Magazine this month, he travels to Monterey, California to write about California's efforts to protect vast swaths off Pacific ocean from fishing.
Tuesday Reviewsday: Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Drake and more
Tuesday means it's time for new music on Take Two. This week journalist Oliver Wang joins A Martinez in the studio to talk about the latest releases.
Oliver Wang
Artist:
Album: "If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late"
Song: "No Tellin'"
Notes: It’s funny that releasing an album with no warning is now known as "pulling a Beyonce" but that's what Drake basically did the other week, dropping a 17-track "mixtape" on the populous out of nowhere. Whether this is an album or a mixtape largely depends on your point of view. To me, it's 17 produced and engineered, original tracks. That to me says "album." But as others have pointed out, this is more sparse than your typical Drake album and it feels more like a pet project he decided to whip together just to get the buzz rolling on his official next album. In any case, if you're a Drake fan, you've already gobbled this up. If you're not a Drake fan…well, I don't know if it's going to win you ever but it does put Drake - as a rapper, rather than singer - front and center in a way that this albums don't always do.
Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Song: "The Blacker the Berry"
Notes: Speaking of sneak releases, Kendrick Lamar set off a mini bomb when he released "The Blacker the Berry" a few weeks back. Presumably this is from his upcoming album, the follow-up to "good kid/m.A.A.d. city," but mostly, it’s his response on the last year of protest and debates around racism. Kendrick took considerable heat for sending out a tweet in January where it sounded like he was blaming men like Eric Garner for his death at the hands of police, but "Blacker the Berry" is a far more sophisticated and nuanced take on both white supremacy and so-called black-on-black violence. He doesn't create a false equivalency between the two but instead, pens what I think is a remarkably agile essay that may be one of the best things about the entanglements of race and racism that I've heard in hip-hop in a while.
Artist:
Album: Soundtrack of "Home"
Song: "Towards the Sun"
Notes: At first, I had no idea this was Rihanna. For one thing, it’s just a lot…brighter than her recent songs. Maybe it's because this is from the upcoming Dreamworks Animated film, "Home," but whatever the reason, it's an enjoyable revelation to hear Rihanna stretch her style out a bit and tackle this. Love the choral oomph that's on the chorus. I have no idea what the film is about but this is enough to make me curious about it.
Artist: Kelly Clarkson feat. John Legend
Album: "Piece By Piece"
Song: "Run Run Run"
Notes: This was another song that initially caught me off guard because it's such a quiet, almost morose sound from a pop star we tend to associate with huge anthems. Plus, you have John Legend, hot off his Oscar win for "Glory," making a compelling duet partner, especially when he kicks into his falsetto to harmonize with Clarkson. We don't hear it here but the song takes a "start quiet and end loud" route to close on a thunderous note. This is from Clarkson's upcoming album "Piece by Piece," and it's a very auspicious sign. Sounds like she's putting her stamp down to claim 2015's first big pop album.
Artist:
Album: "Have a Nice Life"
Song: "The Strangest"
Notes: I wanted to end with my favorite song in the entire batch: a latest from L.A.'s own Murs and the song "The Strangest." Murs is easily one of the most prolific MCs to ever come out of the Southland - I think he's up to near 20 or so full-length releases since first dropping his debut album "F'Real" back in 1997. Last year, Murs signed with Strange Music, a label cofounded by Tech 9ine, and this is the lead single for his upcoming May album on Strange, "Have a Nice Life." Love hearing Murs just let loose lyrically here, especially over a beast of a track by Curtiss King.
Should the news pay attention to #TheDress, runaway llamas?
Late last week, social media audiences were fixated on #TheDress and the runaway llamas in Arizona. But should the news dedicate attention to these topics?
Nick Hornby and his new book, 'Funny Girl'
"Funny Girl” was a musical, then a movie, both starring Barbara Streisand.
It's based on the true story of Fanny Brice - a young woman who made it big in show business despite her plain looks.
But in the new iteration of "Funny Girl," the main character is far from plain looking. "Funny Girl" was written by Nick Hornby, author of the books "High Fidelity" and "About a Boy."
Set in 1960's London, "Funny Girl" is a lively story about the adventures of a beautiful young woman as she becomes a huge star.