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A fireworks stand, one of about 25 booths that are open for business, advertises on the first day of fireworks sales for Fourth of July celebrations June 28, 2005 in Fillmore, California.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images AirTalkEvery year in the days leading up to Independence Day, we’re flooded with public service announcements warning of the dangers and risks associated with fireworks. In LA County, where most fireworks are illegal, it can be even more dangerous as the area’s risk of fire grows.  Today on AirTalk, we discuss the challenges in enforcing and responding to the use of illegal fireworks and the growing risks. We also want to hear from listeners. What was your Fourth of July experience like this year with fireworks? Do you think more needs to be done to crack down? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722. We reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department, but the department was not able to accommodate our interview request and says updated data is unavailable at this time. Guest: Mike Feuer, Los Angeles city attorney; he tweets @Mike_Feuer This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Don't fear the 'shrooms.; Credit: /iStockphoto.com AirTalkCalifornia on Tuesday moved another step closer to decriminalizing psychedelics — amid a debate over whether their prohibition is an outdated remnant of the War on Drugs — after the author removed a substance (ketamine) from the bill that opponents said can be used as a date-rape drug. The bill would allow those 21 and older to possess for personal use and “social sharing” psilocybin, the hallucinogenic component of so-called magic mushrooms. It also covers psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ibogaine, mescaline excluding peyote, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, often called ecstasy). The bill bars sharing with those under age 21 or possessing the substances on school grounds. It would remove the state’s ban on cultivating or transferring mushroom spores or other material containing psilocybin or psilocybin. Even if California makes the bill law, the drugs would still be illegal under federal law. With files from the Associated Press. Guests: Scott Wiener, author of SB 519; California State Senator representing Senate District 11, which includes all of the city and county of San Francisco, Broadmoor, Colma, Daly City, and part of South San Francisco; he tweets @Scott_Wiener John Lovell, legislative director of the California Narcotics Officers Association This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

In this photo taken on February 10, 2020 a 'love kit' is seen on the bed in a room at the Dragonfly hotel in Mumbai.; Credit: PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP via Getty Images AirTalkA new survey shows that in the era of widespread vaccine availability, American couples are more satisfied in their relationships -- and some are even getting more experimental than they have been. Led by Indiana University Kinsey Institute researcher Justin Lehmiller in collaboration with the website Lovehoney, which describes itself as “global sexual happiness experts,” the report looked at responses from 2,000 U.S. adults age 18-45, including an oversample of 200 who identified as LGBTQ, and among the major findings of the survey were that more than half (51 percent) of respondents said their sexual interests had changed during the pandemic, and many of those said they’d started trying things they hadn’t before. It also found that 44 percent of people surveyed said they were communicating better with their partner, and among singles surveyed 52 percent say they’re less interested in casual sex and more than a third of them said they weren’t interested in having sex on the first date. Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk with Professor Lehmiller about the survey, its findings and how the pandemic impacted Americans’ views on relationships and sex. Guest:  Justin Lehmiller, social psychologist and research fellow at Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute who conducted the “Summer of Love” survey; author of “Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help You Improve Your Sex Life” (Hachette Go, July 2020); host of the “Sex and Psychology” podcast; he tweets @JustinLehmiller This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A passenger wearing a protective face covering to combat the spread of the coronavirus, checks her phone while travelling on a bus along Oxford Street in central London on July 5, 2021.; Credit: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images AirTalkIn our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Professor Kristen Choi of UCLA.  Topics today include: Biden to announce new efforts on vaccination campaign as Delta variant spreads Hospitalization rates getting worse for black residents of L.A. County  Which parts of the U.S. could be breeding grounds for variants? New Israeli data about effectiveness of Pfizer against Delta variant England to lift mask restrictions Cases on rise in immigration detention centers in the U.S.  Bay area zoo is vaccinating big cats and some other animals  Guest: Kristen R. Choi, professor of nursing and public health at UCLA; registered nurse practicing at Gateways Hospital, based in Echo Park This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Copy of the book “Beyond Baseball’s Color Barrier: The Story of African Americans in Major League Baseball, Past, Present, and Future” (Rowman & Littlefield, May 2021) AirTalkMost of us are familiar with the story of Jackie Robinson, the first Black player to play baseball in the Major Leagues, and while Jackie’s story is arguably the biggest chapter in the story of how baseball was integrated, there’s plenty more to the story that happened both before and after Jackie broke into the Majors. Author, sports historian and Santa Barbara City College Director of Athletics Rocco Constantino dives into this rich history in his new book “Beyond Baseball’s Color Barrier: The Story of African Americans in Major League Baseball, Past, Present, and Future” where he explores the contributions of major figures like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Satchel Paige as well as the lesser known ones of players like Vida Blue, Mudcat Grant and Dwight Gooden. Today on AirTalk, Constantino joins Larry Mantle to explore the history of Black players in baseball, their fight for recognition and integration into the Major Leagues and the issues of race that persisted well beyond Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier. Guest: Rocco Constantino, author of “Beyond Baseball’s Color Barrier: The Story of African Americans in Major League Baseball, Past, Present, and Future” (Rowman & Littlefield, May 2021); he is a sports historian and the director of athletics at Santa Barbara City College This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Athletes compete during the cycling portion of the IRONMAN 70.3 Steelhead on June 27, 2021 in Benton Harbor, Michigan. ; Credit: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images for IRONMAN AirTalkWhether you’re new to running or you’ve finished your tenth triathlon, we want to hear from you about what motivates you and how that translates into pushing yourself physically.  Guests:  Mark Remy, longtime runner and writer in Portland, Oregon; creator of humor website dumbrunner.com; he is the author of many books, including The Runner's Rule Book: Everything a Runner Needs to Know--And Then Some (Runner's World) (Rodale Books, 2009) Sharon McNary, infrastructure correspondent at KPCC; she finished her 11th Ironman Race last week at Coeur d’Alene; she tweets @KPCCsharon This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom looks on during a news conference after he toured the newly reopened Ruby Bridges Elementary School on March 16, 2021 in Alameda, California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images AirTalkCalifornia on Thursday scheduled a Sept. 14 recall election that could drive Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, the result of a political uprising largely driven by angst over state coronavirus orders that shuttered schools and businesses and upended life for millions of Californians. The election in the nation’s most populous state will be a marquee contest with national implications, watched closely as a barometer of the public mood heading toward the 2022 elections, when a closely divided Congress again will be in play. We’ll get the latest.  With files from the Associated Press  Guests:  Katie Orr, government and politics reporter for KQED; she tweets @1KatieOrr Lara Korte, California politics reporter at the Sacramento Bee; she tweets @lara_korte This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Detail of boxes with the U.S. donated Johnson & Johnson vaccine against Covid-19 at Universidad de Baja California on June 17, 2021 in Tijuana, Baja California. ; Credit: Francisco Vega/Getty Images James Chow | AirTalkIn our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Annabelle De St. Maurice from University of California Los Angeles/Mattel Children’s hospital. Topics today include: J&J says its vaccine is effective against Delta variant J&J vaccine lasts at least 8 months WHO says all vaccines it authorized should be recognized by reopening countries White House says it will miss July 4 vaccination goal Postpartum depression on the rise during the pandemic Experts believe Novavax may play a role in combating vaccine hesitancy Delta variant is not driving a surge in hospitalization rates in England Guest:  Annabelle De St. Maurice, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases and the co-chief infection prevention officer at University of California Los Angeles/Mattel Children’s hospital; she tweets @destmauricemd This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A homeless encampment is pictured at Venice Beach, on June 30, 2021 in Venice, California, where an initiative began this week offering people in homeless encampments a voluntary path to permanent housing.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images Julia Paskin | AirTalkThe majority of unhoused women across the nation — 57% according to recent data — say domestic violence is the direct cause of losing their permanent home.  In L.A, almost 40% of women who are homeless say they’ve experienced abuse in the last 12 months. The choice they’ve been forced to make: Stay in danger with their abusers — or escape, with nowhere to go. “It’s like jumping from a burning building but there’s no net to catch you,” said Nikki Brown, a survivor and advocate. There are many, complex reasons why survivors become homeless. Shame is one of them. Yet studies show that one in three women experience some form of intimate partner abuse in their lives. So why don’t we talk about it more? “It's the greatest secret that's super common and nobody wants to admit it,” said Brown. “There are so many complicated circumstances that make it really hard to leave. And when you can't leave, that element of shame and blame is the thing that makes it so hard to talk about.” Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about reporter Julia Paskin’s series Pushed Out, on domestic violence and homelessness in Los Angeles. Do you have an experience you want to share? Give us a call at 866-893-5722. Guests: Julia Paskin, KPCC producer and reporter who created the “Pushed Out” series; she tweets @JuliaPaskinInc Amy Turk, CEO of Downtown Women’s Center, which advocates and offers services for women experiencing homelessness and formerly homeless women; she tweets @AmyFTurk Nikki Brown, staff attorney at Community Legal Aid SoCal, where she has clients that are domestic violence survivors This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Facemasks remain worn as firefighter paramedic Jorge Miranda, holding syringe, speaks with Eduardo Vasquez, who has lived homeless on the streets of Los Angeles since 1992, before administering the one-shot Johnson and Johnson' Janssen Covid-19 vaccine as part of outreach to the homeless by members of the Los Angeles Fire Department's Covid Outreach unit on June 14, 2021 in Los Angeles.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images James Chow | AirTalkIn our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with UCSF’s Dr. Peter Chin-Hong.  Topics today include: Two weeks after reopening, LA County’s new COVID-19 cases have doubled CDC: Infected vaccinated people carry less COVID-19 virus Delta variant is now detected in all 50 states J&J: “At present, there is no evidence to suggest need for a booster dose to be administered” Novavax claims vaccine’s overall efficacy is 89.7% Another respiratory virus is spreading in the U.S. Curevac’s final trial show shot is far less effective than other vaccines Can we now live with the coronavirus? Israel scrambles to curb rising COVID-19 infection rates Is it time to rethink “one-size-fits-all” approach for masking? Guest: Peter Chin-Hong, M.D., infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the UCSF Medical Center; he tweets @PCH_SF This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Sherman Institute, built in the Mission Revival architectural style, enrolled its first students on Sept. 9, 1902.; Credit: SHERMAN INDIAN MUSEUM AirTalkEarlier this month, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced an effort to search federal boarding schools for burial sites of Native American kids.  The effort is similar to the one in Canada, which found the remains of up to 751 people, likely mostly children, at an unmarked grave in a defunct school in the province of Saskatchewan.   We dive into the history of American Indian Boarding Schools, as well as their evolution and what the schools that still exist, including Sherman Institute High School in California, look like today. Guests: Brenda Child, professor of American Studies and American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota; she is the author of many books, including “Boarding School Seasons: American Indian Families, 1900-1940” (University of Nebraska Press, 2000) Amanda Wixon, curator at the Sherman Indian Museum, which is on the campus of Sherman Indian High School; assistant curator at Autry museum of the American West; PhD candidate in history at UC Riverside where her research is in Native American history, especially federal boarding schools and the carceral aspects of the Sherman Institute This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The US Supreme Court is seen in Washington, DC on July 1, 2021.; Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images AirTalkThe U.S. Supreme Court ends its spring term today with two final decisions expected to come down, one involving a pivotal voting rights case out of Arizona and the other involving so-called “dark money” and campaign finance.  Today on AirTalk, we’ll get a summary of the arguments that each side in the two cases will be making, and we’ll look back on the Spring 2021 term overall, as the nine justices will break until the fall. Guests: Vikram Amar, dean and professor of law at the University of Illinois College of Law David Becker, executive director and founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that works with election officials around the country to ensure convenient and secure voting for all voters; he is the former director of the elections program at The Pew Charitable Trusts and a former senior trial attorney in the Voting Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; he tweets @beckerdavidj This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Tents housing the homeless at an encampment in Echo Lake Park in Los Angeles, California on March 24, 2021.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images AirTalkThe Los Angeles City Council votes Thursday on a proposal to ban sleeping or camping in certain parts of the city, including near schools, parks, libraries, and other “sensitive” facilities like daycares. It would also ban tents and encampments from blocking sidewalks if wheelchair users cannot access them. The motion is a departure from the city’s previous approach to the homelessness crisis. Council members voted 12 to 3 on Tuesday to pull the draft ordinance out of Homelessness and Poverty Committee, where it had been stuck since November, and directed City Attorney Mike Feuer’s office to draft the new rules. Today on AirTalk, we’re speaking with Los Angeles Times reporter Ben Oreskes about the proposed rules, what Thursday’s vote means, and what we know about possible legal ramifications of the proposed changes.  Guest:  Ben Oreskes, staff writer at the Los Angeles Times; he tweets @boreskes This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Bill Cosby exits the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa., Saturday, June 17, 2017. ; Credit: Matt Rourke/AP AirTalkPennsylvania’s highest court overturned. Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction Wednesday after finding an agreement with a previous prosecutor prevented him from being charged in the case. Cosby has served more than two years of a three- to 10-year sentence at a state prison near Philadelphia. He had vowed to serve all 10 years rather than acknowledge any remorse over the 2004 encounter with accuser Andrea Constand. We dive into how this all happened, through the lens of law, celebrity and the MeToo movement.  With files from the Associated Press Guests:  Ambrosio Rodriguez, former prosecutor; he is currently a criminal defense attorney at The Rodriguez Law Group in Los Angeles; he led the sex crimes team and was in the homicide unit in the Riverside D.A.’s office; he tweets at @aer_attorney Laurie L. Levenson, professor of criminal law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and former federal prosecutor This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

People rest while riding a Los Angeles Metro Rail train amid the coronavirus pandemic on April 1, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images AirTalkDespite the racial reckoning going on in America right now, and despite the fact that attitudes towards race, inclusion and representation are different now than they were 30 years ago, new research from UC Berkeley shows that a large majority of American metro areas are more segregated now than they were in 1990. The new report from Berkeley’s Institute covers a number of topic areas, but among the key findings were from the national segregation report component of the project, which found Los Angeles to be the sixth-most segregated metro area with more than 200,000 people. Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk with the lead researcher on the new report and a local historian to talk about how we see the findings of the report play out in Southern California. Guests: Stephen Menendian, assistant director and director of research at the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, which works to identify and eliminate the barriers to an inclusive, just, and sustainable society in order to create transformative change; he tweets @SMenendian Eric Avila, professor of history, urban planning, and Chicano/a studies at UCLA This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Frank Sinatra, American singer and film actor, rehearsing in London for a London Palladium Concert. ; Credit: Express Newspapers/Getty Images AirTalkTony Oppedisano was Frank Sinatra’s friend and manager, and now he’s also an author of “Sinatra and Me: In the Wee Small Hours,” which dives into Sinatra’s life. We sit down with Oppedisano to discuss the book. Guest: Tony Oppedisano, author of “Sinatra and Me: In the Wee Small Hours” (Scribner, June 2021); he is a musician, producer and Frank Sinatra’s longtime friend and road manager This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

US President Joe Biden holds a briefing on wildfires ahead of the wildfire season with cabinet members, government officials, as well as governors of several western states including California Governor Gavin Newsom (on screen), in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, DC, June 30, 2021. ; Credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images AirTalkPresident Joe Biden wants to boost firefighter pay to $15 an hour. It’s one of the things he and his administration are discussing with west coast state leaders, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom. According to the LA Times, the governor is also pushing the administration for additional resources for wildfire prevention.  The Wednesday meeting comes as Newsom removed more than half a billion dollars in promised fuel reduction spending. That’s according to an investigation from CapRadio and NPR. The investigation finds that Newsom’s plan rolls back a more ambitious plan and target goal from his predecessor, former Gov. Jerry Brown, in 2018. Newsom’s plan calls for treating 500,000 acres by 2025, whereas Brown’s plan mandated the state hit that target by 2023. Today on AirTalk, we discuss the president’s meeting with state leaders, where wildfire prevention efforts stand and the financial implications. Do you have thoughts or questions? Call 866-893-5722.  President Biden met with the governors of Western states today to discuss wildfire prevention Guest: Scott Rodd, state government reporter for CapRadio and author of the piece, “Gov. Gavin Newsom Retreats On $1 Billion Wildfire Prevention Plan Ahead Of Meeting With President Biden;” he tweets @SRodd_CPR This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The first visitors enjoy breakfast at the Getty Museum on it's reopening day, May 25, 2021, in Los Angeles. ; Credit: VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images AirTalkIf you’ve been to an unmasked party after California’s reopening, you may have experienced a feeling of transgression and social anxiety. A sense of relearning how to interact with large groups of people, in person no less! How have our brains changed during the restrictions of the pandemic, and what’s happening to them now?  Guest:  April Thames, associate professor of psychology and director of the Social Neuroscience in Health Psychology Lab at USC This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Masked and unmasked people make their way through Grand Central Market in Los Angeles, California on June 29, 2021.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images James Chow | AirTalkIn our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Kimberly Shriner of Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.  Topics today include: California mask guidance conflicts with LA County recommendation Delta variant now accounts for 26% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Weekly coronavirus cases among children drop to lowest rate since May 2020 COVID-19 caused a significant life expectancy decline in Brazil Harvard and MIT make face masks that could detect COVID-19 Moderna says vaccine is effective against Delta and other variants Guest: Kimberly Shriner, M.D., infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner at Belmont High School on Weds., May 2, 2018.; Credit: Kyle Stokes/KPCC AirTalkIt’s safe to say LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner’s time in office was unlike any of his predecessors’. The former investment banker, deputy mayor of Los Angeles and L.A. Times publisher announced earlier this year that he’d be stepping down from his position at the end of June after three years which included bargaining through a teacher strike and navigating a school district through a global pandemic. Today, on Superintendent Beutner’s final day in office, Larry talks to him about navigating the second-largest school district in the U.S. through major challenges,and the lessons he learned along the way that he plans to bring with him to his next role. Guest: Austin Beutner, superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.