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Backlash growing against North Carolina’s new LGBT law

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Anti-Gay Marriage Proposition 8 Passes In California

A Rainbow flag flies above the San Diego Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center in San Diego, California.; Credit: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images

Bank of America and American Airlines are calling for North Carolina to repeal a controversial state law that excludes LGBT people from anti-discrimination protections.

The two companies -- both based in Charlotte, North Carolina -- are the latest to join a growing wave of vocal opponents including Facebook, Apple and the NBA.

The law in question, HB 2, passed the North Carolina legislature last Tuesday and was signed into law by Gov. Pat McCrory a day later. It was conceived to override an anti-discrimination ordinance in Charlotte, the state’s largest city.

A lawsuit seeking to overturn the legislation was filed this week by Lambda Legal, ACLU and other organizations.

Carcano v. Mccrory Complaint

Guests:

Peter Renn, staff attorney at Lambda Legal, an LGBT legal organization. He is working on Carcaño v McCrory, which was filed earlier this week by the ACLU, Lambda Legal and other organizations against the new NC law

Matthew McReynolds, senior staff attorney at Pacific Justice Institute in Sacramento, which works to defend religious liberties and parental rights


How young women are navigating the new sexual culture

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“Girl & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape” by Peggy Orenstein (Harper, 2016)
; Credit: Harper Collins, 2015

More than ever, girls are told they can accomplish anything as long as they set their minds to it.

But as journalist and author Peggy Orenstein finds, that kind of empowerment has yet to touch one important area of their lives: their sexuality.

For her new book, Orenstein talks to some 70 girls between the ages of 15 to 20 to understand how pornography has changed their lives, what their attitudes are toward sex and virginity, and how they navigate the bumpy terrain of hookup culture.

Here are some highlights from the interview:

A large part of “Girls and Sex” is about the lack of communication between girls and their parents about sexuality. Orenstein explained the importance of in-depth conversations and their effect on how young women feel they should be treated when engaging in a sexual relationship.

Orenstein: One of the big findings is that when, we as parents, talk to girls about sex, if we talk to them about sex; for one thing, we define sex very narrowly. We tend to talk about sex as being intercourse, and that denies and ignores so much of what kids are doing and it makes other things, particularly oral sex, into “not-sex.” And then the rules don’t apply for kids. The rules around reciprocity, rules around responsibility, rules around respect, all those things don’t have the same meaning in that realm when we don’t have a broader definition.

Orenstein also spoke about female pleasure, and how society has stifled young women through a lack of education about the subject.

Orenstein: We as a society completely silence issues of female pleasure. Whether you’re talking about in the culture, or whether you’re talking about the way we teach girls about their bodies. So from the get-go, parents of baby boys name all the parts [including the penis] . . . parents of baby girls go straight from the navel to the knees. And if you don’t speak of something, it becomes unspeakable . . . and then they go into puberty education classes and they learn that boys have erections and ejaculations and girls have periods and unwanted pregnancy. . . and then [young women] go into a partnered sexual experience and we expect them to be able to have a voice, to be able to advocate, to be able to have experiences that are pleasurable and mutual and responsible . . . it’s not very realistic.

Another subject that Orenstein touched on, was the stakes in pleasing a partner and how relationships between genders differ.

Orenstein: One thing that was very interesting to me was that investment in the partner remains true in same-sex relationships for girls. When girls are in same-sex relationships, the rate of orgasm goes way up to 83 percent as opposed to 29 percent in opposite-sex relationships.

Aria in Silverlake called in to talk about masturbation and how the topic was off-limits with her mother. She said she was fortunate because her cousin who was open to offering advice about personal pleasure and it’s empowered her in her sexual relationships.

Aria: I think my ability to take ownership about masturbation and not feel gross about it . . . or like I was doing something wrong really empowered me later on and allowed me to engage in sexual relationships in which I was more than ready to say, “this isn’t working for me” and “this is working for me.”

Nancy in Inglewood is a health care professional and mother to two daughters in their twenties. She said her own unfulfilling sexual experiences in early adulthood gave her an incentive to speak openly to her daughters about their sexuality.

Nancy: I was very clear that my daughters were gonna know about pleasure and kindness and respect towards themselves so we had very early frank conversations about sexuality, masturbation. I gave them both vibrators at a very young age. . . And they have had very healthy relationships and are really respectful to themselves. . . . but that dialogue continues to be very open and people thought I was nuts.

Note: This interview has been edited for clarity

Guest:

Peggy Orenstein, journalist and author of many books, including her latest, “Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape” (Harper, 2016)

City, homeless advocates disagree on new law limiting homeless people’s property

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LA To Ask Supreme Court For Right To Remove Homeless' Belongings From Streets

A member of a clean-up crew looks at belongings of a homeless person on a public sidewalk February 28, 2013 in downtown skid row area of Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Whatever can be fit into a 60-gallon container is what the homeless are allowed to store on sidewalks, alleys, and parkways in the city of Los Angeles.

That’s according to a new law the city council passed in a 13-1 vote on Wednesday.

A revised version of the law known as 56.11 says the homeless can store as much as can fit in a bin the size of a city trash can. The city can confiscate and hold for 90 days anything that can’t fit in that bin, so long as it gives 24 hours of notice. Another part of the law would have restricted belongings to what could fit in a backpack if the city provided general storage, but the council backed off of those regulations.

The law isn’t sitting well with some homeless advocates, who argue the law puts enforcement ahead of storage and that it would be cheaper to just build more housing. The lone no vote on city council came from Gil Cedillo. Councilman Mike Bonin, whose district represents Venice and parts of the Westside, says the law opens up the city to lawsuits and that he only voted yes because the law that was in place was even worse.

Do you think the new law goes too far or not far enough? Do you think this is the right way to deal with the homeless problem?

Guest:

Joe Buscaino, Los Angeles City Councilmember representing District 15

Carol Sobel, a civil rights attorney who has represented L.A.'s homeless in federal courts

Runyon Canyon closed: 'Secret Walks' guide shares where else to hike

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Dry vegetation is seen as a hiker raises her arms on a ridge in Griffith Park on March 29, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

Runyon Canyon is closed for four months starting April 1 because a pipe underneath the park needs to be replaced, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power previously announced

Located in the foothills of Hollywood at the top of La Brea Avenue, Runyon is popular with Instagrammers, walkers, runners and dog owners, who can walk their pooches off-leash on much of its acreage. 

So what are Runyon regulars to do in the meantime?

Whether you're looking for reservoirs, star sightings or the best ways to avoid a crowd, L.A. Times' "L.A. Walks" columnist and author Charles Fleming shares the best Runyon Canyon alternatives.

Fryman Canyon 

For those who prefer the closest thing to Runyon Canyon, Fryman Canyon is equally as scenic and filled with star sightings. It also allows dogs as long as they're on-the-leash.

 

Fleming: [It’s] a trail that comes up from the Studio City area and climbs up to the top of Mulholland, just as Runyon Canyon does from the other side. So that’s another place where you can see pop stars and television actors and actresses sweating and heaving as they climb to the top of the hill.”

Fryman Canyon Park, 8401 Mulholland Drive, Studio City, CA 91604

Franklin Canyon Reservoir

For dramatic city views and an historic body of water, Fleming recommends this spot. The upper reservoir has been used in television and film for decades. Tip: for the easiest way to drop into the hike, try the intersection of Mulholland and Coldwater Canyon.

Fleming: Franklin Canyon has that fantastic reservoir. A little-known spot for hikers in L.A. but familiar to them if they ever watched television because it’s the little lake that Andy Griffith and Opie walked by on their way to the old fishin’ hole and is a lake and a stretch of road that’s been used in television for . . . 70 years. It goes as far back as “It Happened One Night” with Clark Gable.

Franklin Canyon Park, 2600 Franklin Canyon Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90210

Malibu Creek State Park

Malibu Creek State Park is a favorite among locals. For access to free parking and less crowded trails, sneak in through the northern entrance.

Fleming: For that one, you have to drive a little further to get out into the country, but then you’re really out into the country and you’ll see water that you can’t see from any place else, waterfalls, water birds.  The farther you go [north], the fewer people you’ll see and the more rustic the surroundings.

Malibu Creek State Park, northern entrance, Calabasas, CA 91302

Where else do you recommend hiking during Runyon's closure? Tell us in the comments. 

Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity

Guest:

Charles Fleming, author of “Secret Walks: A Walking Guide to the Hidden Trails of Los Angeles” (Santa Monica Press, 2015) and “Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles” (Santa Monica Press, 2010). He also writes the “L.A. Walks” column for the Los Angeles Times.

Digital First axes 70 from OC Register newsroom

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The newsroom of the Orange County Register. ; Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC

A huge round of layoffs has been announced at the Orange County Register, two weeks after it was acquired along with the Riverside Press-Enterprise by Digital First Media.

Over 70 people are being let go of at the Register, including editor of the paper Rob Curley. The bloodletting touches not just the paper’s editorial department, but circulation, marketing, and advertising, as well.

The OC Register and Riverside Press-Telegram were put up for auction by Freedom Communications in March. Tribune Publishing had the highest bid, but the Department of Justice intervened citing antitrust concerns, resulting in the Digital First Media deal.

Guests:

Gabriel Kahn, professor of professional practice of journalism at USC

Rick Edmonds, media business analyst at Poynter who’s been following the sales of Freedom Communications

An early look at who might throw their hat in for Governor of California

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Vice President Biden Addresses U.S. Conference Of Mayors In Las Vegas

Then-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa speaks at the 81st annual U.S. Conference of Mayors at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on June 21, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada.; Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has been up and down California as part of a 38-day listening tour.

His outreach lays a foundation for a run for governor, right? Villaraigosa told KPCC’s Mary Plummer he’s made a decision. He’s just not revealing what that is yet. Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is already in the race, and other big names like state treasurer John Chiang and San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer are possible candidates.

Who would is the best choice to run California?

Guests:

Judy Lin, staff reporter at CalMatters.orgs; he tweets @byjudylin

David Siders, political reporter for the Sacramento Bee covering state politics and Governor Jerry Brown; he tweets from @DavidSiders

Dodgers’ new skipper, Angels’ new shortstop highlight season previews for LA baseball

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Chicago White Sox v Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts looks on during a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on March 3, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona.; Credit: Rob Tringali/Getty Images

Major League Baseball’s regular season is officially underway as three games kicked off the 2016 campaign on Sunday, including a World Series rematch between the Mets and Royals.

The Dodgers and Angels both begin their seasons today with the Halos facing the Chicago Cubs in Anaheim and the Dodgers in San Diego to play the Padres.

For the Angels, 2016 will be a season of redemption after a tumultuous 2015 that saw the exit of former general manager Jerry Dipoto due to differences with Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia and his coaching staff. His replacement, former New York Yankees assistant GM Billy Epler, used the offseason to sign former Atlanta Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons, one of the hottest young talents in baseball, which gives them a much needed glove in the middle infield. Big names like Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and Jered Weaver all return to the Halos’ roster this year as they look to reclaim the American League West crown.

As for the Dodgers, they welcome a new manager in Dave Roberts, a 9 year MLB veteran and former Boston Red Sox commentator, as they look for their fourth straight NL West title. Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig, and last year’s rookie sensation Joc Pederson all return to the lineup. New additions include veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins and starting pitcher Brett Anderson.

The Dodgers’ World Series hopes fell short last year as the eventual National League Champion New York Mets beat L.A. 3-2 in the National League Division Series. Meanwhile, the Angels fell just short of the postseason altogether, coming up one game short of a Wild Card berth behind the upstart Houston Astros.

What are the major storylines and players to watch this season? What are the teams’ postseason chances? How much have the teams changed from last year to this year?

Guests:

Andy McCullough, Dodgers beat writer for the Los Angeles Time; he tweets @McCulloughTimes

Pedro Moura, Angels beat writer for the Los Angeles Times; he tweets @pedromoura

Debating cost of Xtandi prostate-cancer drug developed with UCLA research

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Prostate Cancer

Dr. Katsuto Shinohara (L) and Dr. I-Chow Hsu review images of a prostate with cancer.; Credit: (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A group of Washington lawmakers is calling for public hearings about the cost of Xtandi, a prostate-cancer drug developed with federally-funded research at UCLA.

In a letter to the heads of the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health, Representatives Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and Peter Welch (D-VT) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) urged the agencies to step in to cut prices for Xtandi, saying it costs four times more in the U.S. than in some other developed countries.

The drug is jointly marketed in the U.S. by Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma and its partner, Medivation Inc., which is based in San Francisco.

Astellas says the campaign doesn't reflect what patients actually pay for the drug. In a statement addressing lawmakers, it argues: "During 2015, 81% of privately insured patients paid $25 or less out of pocket per month for XTANDI and 79% of Medicare patients paid nothing out of pocket per month for XTANDI."

In early March, the University of California, Los Angeles sold its royalty rights to a pharmaceutical investment company for $520 million - with additional monies going to the researchers and an external research company.

Since Astellas and Medivation spearheaded the drug's approval, manufacturing, and marketing, how much does it matter that the science was funded publicly at UCLA? How many drugs akin to Xtandi's development are paid for by Medicare and other taxpayer-funded insurance? Could the pipeline from public institutions, such as the UC system, to FDA drug approval and manufacturing be altered without hurting innovation?

With files from the Associated Press.

Guests:

James Love, Director, Knowledge Ecology International - a not-for-profit advocacy organization focused on vulnerable populations; KEI is one of a dozen organizations which filed a petition with the National Institutes of Health to lower the price of Xtandi

Paul Howard, Senior Fellow at the free-market focused think tank, Manhattan Institute where he is director of health policy


David Cameron, Vladimir Putin among pols embroiled in Panama Papers tax shelter leak

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TAX-MEDIA-PANAMA-ICELAND-POLITICS

Icelands Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson (L) takes notes. Iceland's prime minister faced calls to resign after leaked "Panama Papers" tax documents showed he and his wife used an offshore firm to allegedly hide million-dollar investments.; Credit: HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP/Getty Images

A vast trove of documents detailing the offshore financial dealings of the rich and famous has been leaked.    

The German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung received data from an anonymous source more than a year ago and shared it with over 100 news organizations.    

Their work was coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism, a nonprofit organization based in Washington.

The ICIJ says the latest trove includes nearly 40 years of data from a Panama-based law firm, Mossack Fonseca.

With files from Associated Press

Guests:

Andy Greenberg, senior writer for Wired who’s been following the story. He is the author of the book, “This Machine Kills Secrets” (Plume, 2013)

Nicholas Shaxson, a journalist and author of the book, "Treasure Islands: Uncovering the Damage of Offshore Banking and Tax Havens," He is based in Berlin, Germany

AirTalk Election 2016: Dem and GOP candidates fight hard for Wisconsin primary voters

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Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders Campaigns In Wisconsin

Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) speaks at an event March 30, 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin.; Credit: Darren Hauck/Getty Images

Larry Mantle is joined by NPR’s political team for a roundup of the week ahead on the campaign trail as candidates battle over Wisconsin’s primary.

Speaking in LaCrosse today, GOP candidate Donald Trump said a win in Wisconsin would effectively end the GOP presidential nominating fight and allow him to focus on defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton. He also called on Ohio Governor John Kasich to drop out - Kasich said that amounted to whining.

Senator Ted Cruz was on the hustings in Madison this morning and told reporters a win in the state would give him momentum moving forward.

As for the Democrats, Senator Bernie Sanders told Wisconsin voters he would rebuild the state's trade unions that were targeted by Republican Governor Scott Walker. Hillary Clinton is also campaigning on worker issues today, but she's in New York lauding that state leadership's plans to boost the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

What are you paying close attention to as these races continue?

Guests:

Asma Khalid, presidential campaign reporter for NPR; she tweets from @asmamk

Ron Elving, Senior Editor and Correspondent, Washington Desk

Don Gonyea, National Political Correspondent; he tweets from @DonGonyea

A primer on Treasury Dept’s new tax inversion rules

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One of the deals new treasury rules that were sparked by the Panama Papers might jeopardize is the proposed merger between US big pharma Pfizer and the Ireland-based Allergan.
; Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The Panama Papers leak have laid bare the secretive practice used by the wealthy to hide their money through the use of offshore tax havens.

Hours after that story broke, the US Treasury Department has come out with tough new rules to discourage stateside companies from engaging in another tax avoidance tactic: corporate inversions. An inversion takes place when a US company buys a smaller, foreign entity and moves its headquarters overseas to lower their US taxes.

Though controversial, the practice is technically legal. One of the deals these new rules might jeopardize is the proposed merger between US big pharma Pfizer and the Ireland-based Allergan.

What are the new Treasury rules? What impact would they have on corporate inversions?

Guests:

Edward Kleinbard, a professor of law and business at USC, who focuses on domestic and international tax issues. He is also former Chief of Staff of the US Congress’s nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation

Kevin G. Hall, chief economics correspondent for the McClatchy Newspapers. He has co-written a piece looking at a few of the American names that have shown up in the so-called Panama Papers

Examining the role of Superdelegates in selecting a Democratic nominee

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Bernie Sanders Holds Campaign Rally In Milwaukee Before State Primary

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) speaks to guests at a campaign rally at the Wisconsin Convention Center on April 4, 2016 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Senator Bernie Sanders has been casting himself more and more as the most electable Democrat in the general election, an effort targeted at wooing superdelegates, the party insiders who play a big role in picking the nominee. As it stands now, Hillary Clinton holds a commanding lead among superdelegates (AKA “unpledged delegates”), and that tally is being portrayed differently depending on the source.

A commentary piece in “USA Today” states:

Hillary Clinton holds a commanding 669 delegate lead over Bernie Sanders, 1739 to 1070 as estimated by The Green Papers. But most of her lead comes from the 473 theoretically unpledged super delegates who have lined up behind her. Take them out of the equation and the race is much tighter. Switch them to Sanders and he is the front-runner.

And from a Roll Call column:

Clinton will probably beat Sanders by every relevant metric when all is said and done, rendering the concern about superdelegates’ power moot — at least for this election cycle.

What should be the role of superdelegates? If it is determining electability and the best representation of the Democratic party, what factors determine a candidate’s electability and faith? How are superdelegates selected? How do you want California superdelegates to fulfill their function?

Guest:

Eric Walker, Deputy Communications Director, Democratic Party

West Hollywood wants a Metro station and the mayor has an idea for where it should go

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Purple line to reach La Cienega

The Red, Purple, Blue and Expo Lines meet at 7th Street/Metro Center Station in Downtown L.A.; Credit: Todd Johnson/KPCC File Photo

Living in L.A. means you’ve probably said to yourself at least once, "I wish I could take Metro to (insert Metro-less location here)." Often, that blank is filled by West Hollywood, one of L.A.’s hippest cultural centers that remains inaccessible to regular Metro riders.

West Hollywood has been calling for light rail within its borders for years. Now, the city is making a serious push to actually get a Metro stop.

The city's mayor, Lindsey Horvath, says the plan would involve extending the in-progress Crenshaw Line north along San Vicente Blvd., which would connect it to the city of West Hollywood as well as LAX, and end it with a connector at the Hollywood/Highland Red Line station.

“This would allow us to connect directly to desirable destinations like the Beverly Center and Cedars Sinai,” says Horvath. “We know that Metro is making sure that the connections take us to arts and cultural destinations as well as health centers, and Cedars really helps to justify that alignment. In fact, that alignment would increase ridership on every line of Metro.”

Looking at the proposed map of the project, one might think that the plan would add extra time for riders going between West Hollywood and LAX. Mayor Horvath says the additional time isn’t significant enough to make a difference. She also believes that the overall benefit of having access to places like the Hollywood Bowl and Universal Studios outweighs other concerns.

Currently, West Hollywood operates CityLine X, a shuttle service that takes riders from WeHo to the Hollywood/Highland Metro station. Horvath says West Hollywood has been orienting its development around transit. The city will continue this service and likely add shuttles to the Purple Line as that develops.

“We voted overwhelmingly for Measure R and have been expecting that rail would be coming to our community. We are the exact kind of community that needs to be served by rail, so we will always do whatever we can on our end to make those important transit connections, but we also are advocating and building our community to bring rail directly to our community as well.”

West Hollywood City Councilmember John Duran has proposed a sales tax hike to help pay for the new rail lines that could hit ballots as early as the June primary. However, if passed, West Hollywood would have a 9.5 percent sales tax, backing up against the 10 percent state cap. That means Metro would likely have to negotiate with the city for a share of the money. But Mayor Horvath says she’s not worried about backlash.

“I think that we all have different ways of getting there, but ultimately we know that Metro’s priorities for Measure R need to be fulfilled, and we see Crenshaw and the Northern extension as a fulfillment of those promises. So we want to do everything that we can as a community to be prepared to support Metro’s efforts in making that extension happen.”

Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington responded by saying that the West Hollywood extension is part of Metro’s overarching plan to improve transportation in L.A.

“There’s a possibility to accelerate that as well,” Washington said. “When we talk about doing that in phases, maybe there’s a phase to Wilshire and then later on going all the way to Hollywood, or maybe if we move with a 45 or 50 year plan, there’s a possibility to do the whole thing at once and accelerate. That would be our preference.”

California lawmaker proposes heroin safe-injection sites needed

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New England Towns Struggle With Opioid And Heroin Epidemic

A heroin user injects himself on March 23, 2016 in New London, CT.; Credit: John Moore/Getty Images

Rising rates of heroin and opiate abuse have led Stockton-area Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman (D) to propose a law allowing supervised drug injection facilities which some experts argue reduce overdoses, HIV infections, health costs, and overall drug use.

The bill (AB-2495) is getting opposition from a string of law enforcement groups. They argue the law falls short of providing resources and auditing to ensure success, plus they highlight a conflict with federal law banning Schedule 1 narcotics. Other Americans cities are considering similar ordinances, including San Francisco, Seattle, New York City and Ithaca, New York, citing the success of a site operating in Canada since 2003.

What data shows harm reductions borne out of the Canadian facility? What resources would be needed to make this proposal worthwhile?

Guests:

Susan Talamantes Eggman, California Assemblywoman (D-Stockton)

Tom Lackey, California Assemblyman (R-Palmdale) representing the 36th Assembly District, which includes Lancaster and Palmdale; he also spent 28 years with the California Highway Patrol

LA wonders if it could be next in line after San Francisco's parental leave expansion

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Federal Budget Expected To Reveal Welfare Cuts And Tax Increases

Children play as a mothers group meets at a local park.; Credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

San Francisco is the first city in the U.S. to approve six weeks of fully paid parental leave to employees.

The law, passed on Tuesday, will apply to all new parents including mothers, fathers and same sex couples. San Francisco’s law differs from the state’s existing rules for parental leave, which offer 55 percent of pay to new parents for six weeks through employee-financed public disability insurance.

The decision for fully paid leave comes despite pushback from small businesses.

Los Angeles City Council voted to conduct a study in February of this year on different aspects of parental leave including whether it would be feasible to give employees four weeks of paid leave.

Could Los Angeles be next city to offer fully paid leave to new parents?

Guests:

Jimmy Gomez, California state Assemblyman (L.A.); he’s introduced a bill in the legislature to significantly expand the state’s current parental leave benefit. The bill is awaiting Gov. Brown's signature.

Mark Wilbur, CEO of Employers Group, a HR consulting group in Los Angeles. He is a founding member of the advocacy group, Los Angeles County Business Federation


What's next for former LA Undersheriff Tanaka after guilty verdicts

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Paul Tanaka Hearing

Paul Tanaka, seen here as he prepared to testify in front of the Citizens Commission on Jail Violence in 2012.
; Credit: Bear Guerra/KPCC

Former Los Angeles County Undersheriff Paul Tanaka has been found guilty of two counts of obstruction of justice, the U.S. Attorney's office announced Wednesday morning.

Read the full story here.

Guests:

Rina Palta, editor and former crime and public safety reporter for KPCC

Laurie Levenson, former federal prosecutor and a professor at Loyola Law School

Resetting the election 2016 table after Cruz, Sanders win Wisconsin

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GOP Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz Holds Wisconsin Primary Night Gathering In Milwaukee

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) celebrates with his wife Heidi and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker at the American Serb Hall Banquet Center after the polls closed in Wisconsin.; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

The underdogs prevailed in The Badger State on Tuesday night as Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders secured double digit victories in their respective parties’ primaries.

While it’s undeniable that this gives both campaigns a momentum boost, it’s also undeniable that the delegate math still doesn’t favor a comeback for either candidate. Frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump still hold solid leads in the race for their party’s nomination.

What are the big takeaways from Tuesday night in Wisconsin? Just how meaningful are Sanders’ and Cruz’s victories? With the eyes of the candidates and the nation turning to the April 19th New York State primary, how can Sanders and Cruz capitalize on the momentum gained last night? With New York being the home state for both frontrunners, is victory for them a foregone conclusion in New York or will they have to make up some ground after respective losses in Wisconsin?

Guests:

Lisa Camooso Miller, Republican strategist and partner at Blueprint Communications, public affairs firm based in D.C.; she tweets @camoosomiller

Erikka Knuti, Democratic political strategist; she tweets @erikkaknuti

John Nichols, national affairs correspondent for The Nation; he tweets @NicholsUprising

Should flight attendants wear headscarves on flights to the Middle East?

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Air France has capitulated on requiring its flight attendants to wear headscarves on flights to Iran. ; Credit: -/AFP/Getty Images

Air France has capitulated on requiring its flight attendants to wear headscarves on flights to Iran.

The company sent a memo to employees detailing the dress code in March, which includes pants and loose-fitting clothing for women, and pants and long-sleeved shirts for men. The flight union immediately pushed back, calling the policy “an attack on freedom of conscience and individual freedoms, and [an] invasion of privacy.”

The union asked the airline to give flight attendants the option to opt-out on flying the route, which Air France has agreed to do this week.

The airline is slated to start flights between Paris and Iran flight in April.

Guest:

Lisa Klerman, a mediator specializing in employment law disputes.A former attorney, she is a clinical associate professor of law at USC

California country music legend Merle Haggard dies at 79 of pneumonia

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Musician/songwriter Merle Haggard performs onstage during day 3 of the Big Barrel Country Music Festival on June 28, 2015 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Big Barrel); Credit: Stephen Lovekin

Country giant Merle Haggard, who rose from poverty and prison to international fame through his songs about outlaws, underdogs and an abiding sense of national pride in such hits as "Okie From Muskogee" and "Sing Me Back Home," died Wednesday at 79, on his birthday.

Haggard's manager, Frank Mull, said the country icon died in Palo Cedro, California, of pneumonia that he had been battling for months. His publicist, Tresa Redburn, said no official cause of death has been determined.

Haggard had kept up an ambitious touring schedule, but the pneumonia in both lungs had forced him to cancel several shows this year. Mull said his family was by his side when he died at home and they were planning a funeral for Saturday at his home.

A masterful guitarist, fiddler and songwriter as well as singer, the Country Music Hall of Famer with the firm, direct baritone recorded for more than 40 years, releasing dozens of albums and No. 1 hits.

"He was my brother, my friend. I will miss him," said Willie Nelson, his longtime friend, in a statement.

The White House called Haggard a "legend" and said President Barack Obama was sending his thoughts and prayers to Haggard's family. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Haggard told stories that people from all walks of American life could relate to.

"His passing is a loss for country music, but obviously is a loss for all the people who got to know him personally, too," Earnest said.

Haggard — along with fellow California country star Buck Owens — was a founder of the twangy Bakersfield Sound, a direct contrast to the smooth, string-laden country records popular in Nashville, Tennessee, in the 1960s.

His music was rough yet sensitive, reflecting on childhood, marriage and daily struggles, telling stories of shame and redemption, or just putting his foot down in "The Fightin' Side of Me" and "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink."

His most beloved songs included the prison ballad "Sing Me Back Home," the tributes to his mother "Mama Tried" and "Hungry Eyes," the romantic lament "Today I Started Loving You Again" and such blue collar chronicles as "If We Make It Through December" and "Workin' Man Blues."

"We've lost one of the greatest writers and singers of all time. His heart was as tender as his love ballads," said Dolly Parton. "I loved him like a brother."

Merle Haggard YouTube clip

Few faces in country were as recognizable as Haggard's, with its wary, sideways glance and chiseled, haunted features that seemed to bear every scar from his past.

General audiences knew him best for "Okie From Muskogee," a patriotic anthem released in 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War that quickly became a cultural touchstone for its anti-hippie lyrics proclaiming "we don't burn our draft cards down on Main Street; we like living right and being free."

"Okie from Muskogee" made him a hero among conservatives, but he softened on the counterculture and released the lighthearted "Big Time Annie's Square," a tribute to a hippie girl and her "crazy world." More recently, he was a backer of prominent Democrats. In 2007 he unveiled a song to promote Hillary Clinton and two years later he penned "Hopes Are High" to commemorate Obama's inauguration. In "America First," he even opposed the Iraq War, singing "Let's get out of Iraq, and get back on track."

In 1970, Haggard was named entertainer of the year by the Country Music Association, and "Okie From Muskogee" won best album and single. The No. 1 hits "Mama Tried" and "Workin' Man Blues" also broke onto the charts around that time, sealing his reputation as one of country's defining voices. He picked up another CMA album of the year in 1972 for "Let Me Tell You About a Song."

Still, Haggard referred to the improvisations of his band, the Strangers, as "country jazz," and in 1980, became the first country artist to appear on the cover of the jazz magazine "Downbeat."

He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994, the same year he won a Grammy for best male country vocal performance in "That's the Way Love Goes."

Haggard also began headlining at Farm Aid, the benefit founded by his longtime friend Willie Nelson, and started touring with Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones.

Along with his albums of original songs, he recorded tributes to such early influences as country pioneer Jimmy Rodgers and Western swing king Bob Wills, and paired up with Nelson and George Jones among others. He also resisted the slick arrangements favored by some pop-country stars.

"I'll tell you what the public likes more than anything," he told the Boston Globe in 1999. "It's the most rare commodity in the world — honesty."

The Byrds, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Grateful Dead, Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams and Reba McEntire all covered his songs, while many others paid tribute to him in theirs. In the Dixie Chicks' "Long Time Gone, which criticizes Nashville trends, the trio crooned: "We listen to the radio to hear what's cookin' / But the music ain't got no soul / Now they sound tired but they don't sound Haggard."

His childhood was out of a John Steinbeck novel; his family migrated from Oklahoma to Californiaand lived as outsiders in their adopted state. Born in 1937 near Bakersfield, Haggard was raised in a converted railway boxcar, the only dwelling his parents could afford. When Haggard was 9, his beloved father suddenly fell ill and died, leaving Haggard with lasting grief. He turned to petty crime and spent several years in and out of institutions.

He served three years in San Quentin as inmate 845200 for burglarizing a cafe during a drunken spree. It was during that stint he saw Johnny Cash play, and he returned to Bakersfield at age 22 in 1960 ready to write music. Singer-bandleader Wynn Stewart was an early patron, hiring Haggard to play bass in his group. Haggard's first hit was a cover of Stewart's "Sing a Sad Song" and by 1966 he had been voted most promising vocalist by the Academy of Country and Western Music. He became a superstar in 1967, first with a cover of Liz Anderson's "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive," then with such originals as "Sing Me Back Home" and "The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde," featuring Glen Campbell on banjo.

Fame brought him unexpected respectability. His criminal record was erased by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan, who pardoned him in 1972, and he was invited by President Richard Nixon to sing at the White House. Officials in Kern County, where he spent his boyhood years, have since honored his legacy by renaming a portion of road Merle Haggard Drive.

Haggard was active as ever in his 70s, and received strong reviews for his 2010 album "I Am What I Am." He lived his last years outside Redding with his fifth wife, Theresa Lane. Haggard previously was married to singer Leona Williams, and to country crooner Bonnie Owens, the former wife of Buck Owens, with whom he toured for nearly a decade. He is survived by five children, Marty, Dana, Kelli, Noel, Jenessa and Ben, and his sister Lillian Haggard Rea.

When doctors found a spot on his lung in 2008, Haggard announced he didn't plan to seek treatment. But after friends and family members convinced him otherwise, he had a tumor removed and vowed to keep performing.

"When I quit doing them (tours), the next big event is the funeral," he told the AP in a 1990 interview. "They keep me young."

An Associated Press story was used in this report. This story has been updated.

Guest:

René Engel, country music DJ, Host and Producer of Citybilly on San Louis Obispo NPR affiliate KCBX and former KPCC host

Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified the town where Merle Haggard was born. KPCC regrets the error.

Is the Porter Ranch blackout warning overblown? Yes, says one expert

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A woman takes her morning walk near the SoCal Gas Aliso Canyon storage facility in Porter Ranch, California.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

Critics of keeping the Aliso Canyon gas storage field open after its blowout disaster are at odds with California state energy officials who say the partial shutdown of the facility could lead to power outages on up to 14 days this summer.

State agencies that studied the impact of the partial shutdown proposed an action plan on Tuesday to prevent power outages, but concluded they "will reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of gas shortages this summer that are large enough to cause electricity interruptions for the region's residents and businesses."

Their report comes as state regulators investigate the cause of what scientists said was the largest-known release of climate-changing methane in U.S. history. The Southern California Gas Company well leaked out of control for almost four months and sickened Los Angeles residents who lived nearby, displacing more than 6,000 families from their homes.

But Bill Powers, a frequent expert witness before the California Public Utilities Commission, isn't convinced by officials' claims, calling the blackout warning alarmist. He said that in at least the last decade, SoCal Gas has never hit its firm capacity during the summer peak in the L.A. basin. 

“That’s why I see this as crying wolf and locking arms around a concept that Aliso Canyon must remain online, and doing it with poorly supported justifications,” Powers told AirTalk. 

The San Diego engineering consultant is researching claims that the gas storage facility is a necessity for average consumers of SoCal Gas, as opposed to industrial consumers who benefit from lower gas costs resulting from keeping the facility operational.

Powers says the system can be changed.

"They can configure how they operate their system and require of their big non-core customers — who are taking advantage of the abundant storage that SoCalGas has — to trade and work with their gas supplies to absolutely minimize the price that they pay for gas," Powers said. "And at the same time, the primary core customers — the homes and the small businesses — are the ones that are paying the approximately $40 million a year by my estimate to maintain Aliso Canyon to keep it operational. And the customers that live near that facility in Porter Ranch are the ones who are taking most of the physical risk. That is being borne not by the primary beneficiaries which are [non-core] customers, that's being borne by the little guy.”

Powers said neighboring states dependent on natural gas, like Arizona and Nevada, have no storage facilities like SoCal Gas's Aliso Canyon site. He said they only have access to one or two main pipelines to tap into, while SoCal Gas has about half a dozen pipes to tap into. 

Other states do this by putting electric generators on firm gas contracts, Powers said. This means that the generators assure their gas supply by paying for firm interstate capacity. He said that if SoCal Gas did the same, the claim Aliso Canyon's facility is critical would become a "side issue." 

"Pay somewhat more to assure your supply, and it lessens the need for storage," Powers said.

Listen to the full interview above.

Guest:

Bill Powers, Principal, Powers Engineering in San Diego,  a consulting engineering firm; frequent expert witness before the California Public Utilities Commission

This story has been updated.

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