What it takes to protect the Pope, a group is rescuing animals in the Valley and Butte fires, Erica Jong talks about her latest book.
CA GOP official on the party's decision to soften its stance on immigration
California Republicans held a party convention in Anaheim over the weekend to strategize about the future of the GOP in the Golden State.
Currently, there are no Republicans among statewide officeholders and the party is outnumbered by Democrats in both houses of the legislature.
For years, the GOP here has discussed ways to gain more support from Latino voters.
One possible solution, approved at the convention Sunday, involves the party's official stance on immigration.
Marcelino Valdez, vice chair of the California Republican Party for the Central Valley, proposed the changes. They include:
- The addition of a statement that Republicans "hold diverse views" on "what to do with the millions of people who are currently here illegally."
- The removal of a statement that read, "allowing illegal immigrants to remain in California undermines respect for the law."
To hear the full interview with Marcelino Valdez, click the link above.
The enormous task of protecting Pope Francis
Homeland Security has designated Pope Francis' U.S. visit a National Special Security Event. That puts his trip up there with presidential inaugurations and State of the Union addresses.
Vatican officials and the Secret Service have been working together to plan every minute of protection. Some of it you'll see, and some you probably won't.
Take Two spoke to former Secret Service agent Jonathan Wackrow for an insider’s look at just what fans of the Pontiff can expect. Wackrow served on the Secret Service for 13 years, spending five of those protecting President Barack Obama.
“It’s very, very comprehensive,” he says. “It is equal to or exceeding that of the President of the United States.”
Wackrow says that’s because the pope is a unique VIP. He goes where he wants and does what he wants -- often that involves contact with crowds. It's very different, he says, than protecting Obama, who rarely goes off the vetted path.
“The pope is constantly going into insecure areas. He’s stopping his motorcade, he’s walking into crowds to see an individual or group of individuals -- that’s really a factor that’s going to put the Secret Service agents working the detail into a really tough position,” he said.
In a recent trip to Cuba, the Washington Post reports that crowds latched onto the popemobile. Wackrow says that kind of contact would never be allowed with other protectants in the Secret Service's charge.
Once the Francis hits the road, Wackrow says the Secret Service and Vatican security will employ a number of tactics to ensure his safe passage.
“You will see a tremendous tactical response from counter-snipers on rooftops to tactical teams on the ground,” Wackrow said. “You’ll also see a significant amount of hazmat response on standby, as well as medical responses on standby.”
In standard Secret Service fashion, Wackrow says the pope will be surrounded by a ring of security, from the armed bodyguards escorting the popemobile, to plainclothes police officers in the crowd. Those officers, he says, will be on the lookout for suspicious behavior.
“They’re looking for any anomalies that are present in the crowd. They’re looking for the person wearing a heavy coat on a hot day. They’re looking for the outliers,” he said.
With all these precautions, however, Wackrow says that, in the event of an emergency, the pope's safety will ultimately depend on the preparation of the agents assigned to guard him.
“When I was on the president’s detail, we would deal with active shooter situations, we would deal with medical, chemical and biological attacks. We’re training to deal with every possible situation that comes up,” he said.
He points to the 1981 attempt on President Ronald Reagan's life when Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy used his body to shield him from gunfire.
“He got big, his training kicked in and he was acting before he was thinking. That’s exactly what you want to do as a Secret Service agent. You want to keep drilling and training so when that moment happens, you are prepared,” he said.
After the interview, Wackrow told Take Two’s A Martinez that agents constantly train to take on new threats. One of the latest? Drones.
Press the blue play button above to hear more.
On the Lot: With 'Everest,' Hollywood looks at new ways to release movies
In this week's On the Lot, Hollywood rolls out "Everest" in a new way -- on premium large format screens. Though the film debuted at no. 5 instead of no. 1, its being considered a huge success because of its novel release.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZQVpPiOji0
This, plus virtual reality and Paramount's experiment with applying TV writing to film. The L.A. Times'
joined host Alex Cohen with more.
To listen to the full interview, click on the blue audio player above
Santa Susana Fields: NBC4 reporter tells about year-long probe
The Santa Susana Field Laboratory overlooks the Simi and San Fernando valleys in Southern California. It was once home to the rocket engine manufacturer, Rocketdyne, and for decades served as a nuclear and energy research center.
It was also plagued by a series of accidents like fires, meltdowns, and other incidents in which toxic substances were released into the environment, often without public knowledge.
An investigative team from KNBC in Los Angeles has been looking into activities at Santa Susana, specifically at an event that happened in 1959 that may have been one of the worst nuclear incidents in U.S. history.
Joining Take Two to discuss:
- Joel Grover, the KNBC reporter who spent a year looking into the story
Valley, Butte fires: Here's how to evacuate pets
Most people were able to evacuate safely from the Valley and Butte fires, which erupted in Northern California last week.
But for some, doing so meant leaving beloved animals behind. Enter the UC Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team, lead by John Madigan. The team has been helping pets and domestic animals abandoned in the chaos.
"One of the challenges is the amount of notification that you have that you may have to evacuate," said Madigan. "In this instance, which was very, very different from the majority of the fires that occur in California, is that people had no warning."
While at times there may be no warning when disaster strikes, Madigan shared tips on how to help prepare to evacuate your animals:
- Be aware that disaster can happen to you. Whether its a fire, flood or earthquake, Madigan says being conscious of the potential disasters of your environment is key. This should lead you to having a safety plan for your family.
- Extend your family plan to your pets. Madigan says once you've figured out things like a meeting place and communication steps for your human loved ones, then you can bring your furry loved ones into the fold. Have a go bag ready that includes things like food, water, carriers and leashes. Also make sure your pet has an up-to-date ID collar or microchip.
- Heed evacuation warnings early. Madigan says this is key to helping your animals get out safely. And, make sure you know ahead of time how to get your pets out. For example, know how to hook up your trailer to tow your horses. Madigan also recommends proceeding slowly and calmly when handling your domesticated animals. By getting out of your home early, you allow yourself as much time as possible to avoid panic.
Madigan offers more suggestions on preparing to evacuate animals here. Though the tips focus on horses, he says they are universal principles that can be applied to other animals.
If you'd like to donate to the UC Davis animal rescue efforts, click here.
Erica Jong talks new book, 'Fear of Dying,' feminism today
In 1973, writer Erica Jong revolutionized the world of literature with her book, "Fear of Flying."
The novel offered a fresh perspective on sex from a woman's point of view, and it struck a chord.
"Fear of Flying" has sold more than 27 million copies worldwide.
Monday night, Jong will be appear at Vroman's bookstore in Pasadena to talk about her newest book, "Fear of Dying." She joined host Alex Cohen with more.
Interview highlights
When you were in your 30s and "Fear of Flying" came out, were you thinking at all at that point about, 'What am I going to be like as a 60-year-old woman?'
"I really started to think about fear of dying when my parents became very frail. My mother died at 101, my father at 93. At the moment in my life when they became frailer, and frailer, and frailer, I started making notes for the book that became 'Fear of Dying.' At that time I didn't know it would become 'Fear of Dying,' but I began to make notes: what it smelled like in my parents' room, what the caregivers were like, my own feelings of distress about ... that this would be me someday, with my daughter Molly. And the specificity of mortality was there, and that became 'Fear of Dying.'"
How do you make peace with 60 when so much of it is kind of dreadful and scary?
"In life, we go through many transitions. We go through the transition of 'Fear of Flying.' Isadora is 29 going on 30. Vanessa [the main character in 'Fear of Dying'] is 60 pretending to be 50. A beautiful, beautiful actress, who is beautiful. We are beautiful in our 60s. We are beautiful in our 70s. Some women are beautiful in their 80s. And as my shrink always says to me, when I say I'm terrified that Ken will die, my beloved husband of 26 years, my fourth and last husband, my shrink says, 'You'll never be alone. Women like you are never alone.'"
What is your personal stance on feminism now?
"Feminism has come back, despite the fact that the corporate press is slandering Hilary again, despite the fact that the Tea Party is trying to close down all the Planned Parenthood clinics. Feminism is back, and I'm here to say, it's coming back. What we really need is a council of grandmothers making the war and peace decisions. And if I were writing Hilary's scripts I would not be talking about Charlotte and Chelsea. I would be talking about the fact that the United States needs -- as the Native Americans, whom we displaced, they had a council of grandmothers that decided on war and peace. The Braves fought the war, but the grandmothers decided when. And I think we have to go back to that grandmother power. And you know what? We have a real shot at it, but not if we elect the Republicans."
To listen to the full interview, click on the blue audio player above