Anxiety disorder is extremely common - roughly forty million Americans have it and about forty percent of women get anxiety in their lifetime.

Regardless of how pervasive it is, like many mental illnesses Anxiety disorder is often misunderstood. Andrea Peterson is a contributing writer for The Wall Street Journal where she writes about health, psychology and neuroscience. Her new book, "On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety," unpacks the science behind the disorder - interwoven with Peterson’s personal experience after being diagnosed with anxiety at 20. She delves into what life was like before doctors identified her symptoms and explores her own family history with the disorder.

You can find resources for dealing with anxiety at the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. 

Guest:

Andrea Petersen, contributing writer for The Wall Street Journal where she writes about health, psychology and neuroscience; author of the book "On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety" (Crown, 2017)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

US President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, in Jerusalems Old City on May 22, 2017.; Credit: RONEN ZVULUN/AFP/Getty Images

A yarmulke-clad, stone-faced President Trump became the first sitting American President to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Monday, solemnly approaching the ancient, holy landmark and leaving a note in one of its many cracks.

The President also met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and will dine on Monday evening with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife as part of his two day trip to Israel, during which he hopes to plant the seeds for a Middle East peace deal and emphasize the importance of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal as part of the regional realignment. This follows Mr. Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia this weekend, where he met with the Saudi monarch, King Salman, and delivered a speech on combating terrorism in the Middle East.

Back stateside, the president’s administration’s facing continued scrutiny over Trump’s firing of former FBI Director James Comey, who is expected to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee after Memorial Day, and the investigation into Russian ties to the Trump campaign in the 2016 presidential election, now being led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. This week, former CIA director John Brennan will testify before a House panel looking into Russia. In another offshoot of the Russia story, former Trump administration national security adviser Mike Flynn invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself when he announced Monday that he was refusing to turn over documents subpoenaed by the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Also, late Friday, the New York Times reported the President told Russian officials he faced great pressure because of Russia, and that with Comey’s firing, that pressure’s taken off. Trump also referred to Comey as “crazy, a real nut job.”

The Times cites documents read to them that summarized the meetings, but who are the people taking notes on these meetings? And how do they end up somewhere they can be leaked?

Guests:

Josh Meyer, senior investigative reporter for POLITICO; he has been following the story; he tweets @JoshMeyerDC

Lisa Mascaro, congressional reporter for the LA Times, where she’s been following the story; she tweets @LisaMascaro

Lisa Garcia Bedolla, Chancellor’s Professor of education and political science at UC Berkeley; she tweets @GarciaBedolla

John (Jack) Pitney, professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College; he tweets @jpitney

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A new proposal by Gov. Jerry Brown would make it easier for non-violent offenders to get parole for good behavior and give judges the latitude to decide whether juveniles as young as 14 to be tried as adults for serious crimes.
; Credit: L. Matthew Bowler/Getty Images

In 2016, California voters approved a parole process overhaul for the state via Prop 57, after a heated debate about what the bill could mean for sex offenders convicted of non-violent crimes.

When the regulations were released in March, they excluded non-violent sex offenders from early release considerations even though the measure did not. Advocacy groups are asking the state to revise the rules before their final approval in the fall, arguing the guidelines are unconstitutional.

Under Prop 57, should non-violent sex offenders be eligible for parole?

Guests:

Janice Belluci, executive director of the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws; she is the attorney representing the alliance and the inmate who brought the case forward

Craig Lally, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the labor union representing LAPD officers

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Trash, recycling and compostable material bins sit in front of homes in a Sunset district neighborhood June 11, 2009 in San Francisco, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Introduced by Assemblymember Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), AB 1250 limits cities and counties under general state law from contracting out for certain services, including engineering, legal services and garbage collection.

Governments would have to meet specific requirements, for example showing that city workers will not be displaced, before hiring an outside contractor.

Critics of the bill say it would add more pensioned union members in lieu of contractors, thereby increasing costs for cities.

We debate the bill. Is it a limit on local cities’ decision making? Does the bill save money or create further spending?

Guests:

Bob Schoonover, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 721, which represents city and county workers throughout Southern California; the CA State Council of SEIU is a co-sponsor of AB 1250

Dane Hutchings, legislative representative for the League of California Cities, which opposes the bill; Hutchings handles governance, transparency and labor relations policies

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Los Angeles Sheriff Jim McDonnell attributes 2014 crime reduction to better policing and community relations.; Credit: Frank Stoltze/KPCC

Fresh off a trip to Washington D.C. where he met with federal law enforcement officials and testified before the House Judiciary Committee, Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell stops by AirTalk’s studios today for his regular check-in with Larry on some of the biggest issues in local law enforcement.

Following the conviction and sentencing of former L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca to three years in prison on federal obstruction of justice charges, we’ll get the Sheriff’s take on what’s different now in the L.A. Sheriff’s Department and how the jails are better off now. We’ll also ask the Sheriff about his opposition to SB 54, the so-called ‘sanctuary state bill’ that would prevent local law enforcement officials from sharing information with federal immigration officials about people in their custody who might be in the U.S. illegally.

Also on the agenda: a bill that would make it harder to punish police officers accused of lying, LASD reporting of a rise in property crimes in April of 2017 compared to 2016 and a cockfighting bust during which 7,000 birds were seized from one property.

Have questions for the Sheriff about local law enforcement? Join us at 866-893-5722 and ask the Sheriff yourself!

Guest:

Jim McDonnell, sheriff of Los Angeles County

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A parking ticket is seen on the windshield of a FedEx truck on January 21, 2011 in San Francisco, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Getting a traffic ticket is a stressful event for everyone.

But for low-income drivers, the burden of paying those fines could mean jail time, job loss and family strain. It also means unpaid fines to the city. As reported by the New York Times, Senator Bob Hertzberg, D-San Fernando is proposing a new bill he hopes will change that. Senate Bill 185 would apply to people who make $30,000 or less annually, and would only cover vehicle code violations.

But is this really the most fair solution for traffic rule violators? Opponents of the bill argue that SB 185 diminishes responsibility of the driver. And there are also questions about how the law would be implemented.

Larry speaks today to a supporter and opponent of the bill.

Guests:

Mike Herald, director of policy advocacy at the Western Center on Law & Poverty, an organization of attorneys and legal scholars from UCLA, USC and Loyola law schools which works toward justice and system-wide change to secure housing, health care, racial justice and a strong safety net for low-income Californians

Emily Owens, associate professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society at UC Irvine; she is also a professor of economics

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Former Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John Brennan testifies before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on Capitol Hill, May 23, 2017 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Russia “brazenly interfered” in the the 2016 election. That’s the contention of former CIA Director John Brennan as he testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill today.

Brennan also told members of Congress in his testimony that he personally warned the head of Russia’s domestic intelligence service, the FSB, that any attempts by Russia to interfere with the U.S. election would backfire and be met with outrage by American voters.

His testimony is the first time Brennan has said publicly that he had concerns about ties between Russia and the Trump campaign during the 2016 election.

Guest:

Phil Ewing, national security editor for NPR; he tweets @philewing

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Stacks of President Donald Trump's FY2018 budget proposal are seen during a photo availability May 23, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. President Trump has sent his FY2018 budget proposal request to the Congress.; Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Today, President Trump unveiled his $4.1 trillion budget for 2018, which calls for deep cuts to government safety net programs and relies on what some are calling an overly optimistic projection of 3 percent economic growth by 2021.

Food stamps, disability payments, scientific and medical research spending and disease prevention programs would all be taking hits under the budget, which calls for an overall $4.5 trillion cut in federal spending over the next decade. Medicaid would be taking the biggest cut, losing over $800 billion in funding.  

The budget now lies in the hands of Congress – we look at the proposal and get partisan analysis of the coming political process.

Guests:

Brad Sherman, congressman (D-CA) from the 30th U.S. Congressional district, which includes the western San Fernando Valley of LA County and eastern Simi Hills of Ventura County; he is a senior member of the Financial Services Committee, as well as a tax law specialist and a CPA

Tevi Troy, president of the American Health Policy Institute and former deputy to President George W. Bush for domestic policy (2005 to 2007); he is also author of the book, "Shall We Wake the President? Two Centuries of Disaster Management from the Oval Office" (Lyons Press, 2016)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Emergency response vehicles are parked at the scene of a suspected terrorist attack during a pop concert by US star Ariana Grande in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017. ; Credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images

British authorities have identified the suspect in the Manchester suicide bombing attack as 22-year-old Salman Abedi.

The attack happened at a concert venue Monday night, where pop star Ariana Grande was performing. The attack has so far claimed 22 lives, and is the deadliest terrorist attack in England since 2005.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Guest:

Robert Hall, BBC Correspondent who’s been following the story on the ground in Manchester; he tweets @manorlodge14

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A damaged home is seen in the Lower Ninth Ward on February 22, 2006 in New Orleans, Louisiana. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Cassandra is the character in Greek mythology that correctly predicted future calamities but was condemned to being ignored by all.

In their new book, “Warnings,” national security experts Richard A. Clarke and R.P. Eddy argue that catastrophic events from Hurricane Katrina to the rise of ISIS were all forewarned and could have been prevented, and they set out to answer how we could better go about to preempt the next, big disaster from taking place.  

Guest:

R.P. Eddy, CEO of the New York-based intelligence firm Ergo; former director at the White House National Security Council, as well as a former U.S. and U.N. senior diplomat; he is the co-author of the book, “Warnings: Finding Cassandras to Stop Catastrophes” (Ecco, 2017) and tweets @RPEddy

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Clayton Fackler, 72, works at the check out at the new 2,000 square foot Wal-Mart Supercenter store May 17, 2006 in Bowling Green, Ohio. ; Credit: J.D. Pooley/Getty Images

According to latest figures, 19 percent of Americans over 65 years old are still punching the clock.

Not since 1962 have so many workers past retirement age still been part of the labor force.

It could be that some workers are choosing to continue working because they enjoy their jobs, and they happen to be getting older as life expectancy in the country stretches longer.

But many older Americans are working because they can't afford not to. More than a quarter of workers aged 55 or older say they have less than $10,000 dollars in savings and investments. A third of these workers say they expect to work until they're at least 70, if they retire at all. Some even have to change careers as they approach retirement age because they can’t afford not to work and the field they spent their career working in is no longer lucrative enough.

Why are older workers getting farther and farther away from retirement? What age do you plan to retire? What factors do you consider when thinking about retirement? Do you think private companies, state governments, or individuals take care of retirement plans?

Guest:

Lori Shreve Blake, senior director of Alumni and Student Career Services at USC

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A student walks near Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA on April 23, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

A new proposed amendment could change the way the University of California has operated for nearly 140 years.

In response to the UC’s audit, which exposed an undisclosed $175 million surplus, state Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-Azusa) introduced a constitutional amendment proposal Tuesday, limiting the UC’s budgetary autonomy. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, that means the UC Office of the President would be directly funded by the Legislature.

Presently, the office receives funds from campus fees. The amendment would also give membership and voting rights to additional parties including the California Community Colleges chancellor, and cut UC Regents’ terms from 12 years to four. But is this the right move for students?

Guests:

Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), California Assemblyman representing the 53rd Assembly District, which includes the Boyle Heights and Downtown LA areas; he tweets @SantiagoAD53

Monica Lozano, chair of the University of California Board of Regents

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A motorist produces their driver's license at a DUI checkpoint in Bellflower on March 6, 2014.; Credit: Stuart Palley/KPCC

As the state of California works to implement the regulatory framework for its nascent recreational marijuana industry following voters’ approval of Proposition 64, which legalized pot for recreational use statewide, the debate over how exactly to quantify driver impairment from cannabis use continues among law enforcement, legal professionals, marijuana policy experts and academics.

Recently, the California Highway Patrol demoed a new device called the DDS2 that’s being tested in several counties, including Los Angeles.

As part of a broad look at the state’s attempts to find the right way to quantify impairment of drivers under the influence of cannabis, we’ll look at some new tech that’s being tested in several CA law enforcement agencies.

Guests:

Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), California Assemblyman representing the 36th Assembly District and a 28 year veteran of the California Highway Patrol

Ignacio Hernandez, legislative director for California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, a criminal defense advocacy group based in Sacramento

Fred Delfino, product manager for Alere Toxicology, the company that developed the DDS2 device

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Sports broadcasters Mike Greenberg (L) and Mike Golic, hosts of ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike" show, speak as they are inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame.; Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

One of sports talk radio’s most famous pair is breaking up: ESPN’s long-running talk show “Mike and Mike” is coming to an end.

The eponymous co-hosts of the show, Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, have been on the air together since 1998. The network has announced recently that the show is going off the air later this year. The two addressed the split during their Wednesday, May 17 show.

Greeny & Golic address the future of Mike & Mike pic.twitter.com/86JfHwBS2C

— Mike & Mike (@MikeAndMike) May 17, 2017

But rumors are circulating that the show might end sooner than that, because of two Mikes’ souring friendship. Staffers on the show have characterized the off-air relationship of the two as “poisonous.”

Like all relationships, business partnerships require maintenance, patience and understanding. Larry talks to business partnership strategist Patty Soffer on how to go about launching - and keeping - a successful business partnership.

Guest:

Patty Soffer, partnership and business strategist based in Los Angeles and author of the many books, including, “Partnership or Partnersh*t: You Decide” (A Human Foundation Publishing, LLC , 2012)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

French President Francois Hollande, right, French Foreign Minister and president of the COP21 Laurent Fabius, second, right, United Nations climate chief Christiana Figueres and United Nations Secretary General Ban ki-Moon applaud after the final conference on climate change in Le Bourget, north of Paris.; Credit: Francois Mori/AP

Earlier this month, amidst mounting pressure and infighting, the Trump administration said it would make its decision on whether to pull out of the Paris Accord after the G7 summit.

Pulling out of the international climate change mitigation agreement was one of Trump’s campaign promises. But with rising pressure from lawmakers in the U.S., business leaders, foreign leaders who will be rubbing shoulders with Trump at the summit and even Pope Francis, it’s unclear what Trump’s decision will be.

With the summit starting Friday, we’re taking a step back and doing a refresher on the Paris Accord. What is it? When did it start? And what are the environmental, foreign policy and economic stakes of the U.S. pulling out of the agreement?

Guest:

Jess Shankleman, reporter at Bloomberg News, where she covers business, renewable energy and climate change; she tweets @Jess_Shankleman

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The sun rises over an oil field over the Monterey Shale formation where gas and oil extraction using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is on the verge of a boom.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

In the ten years after An Inconvenient Truth, environmentalist and writer Paul Hawken has put together a team of scientists, researchers, activists, and political leaders to form Project Drawdown, a term used to define a point in which greenhouse gases begin to decline.

“Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming” is the new book produced by the coalition. From family planning to green trucking, wind power to composting, Hawken and his colleagues propose a network of solutions to address the challenges of climate change. Larry Mantle sits down with the editor to talk about the surprising findings that tackle one of the biggest threats to humanity.

Guest:

Paul Hawken, environmentalist and editor of the new book, “Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming” (Penguin books, 2017)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A sign stands in front of California Public Employees' Retirement System building July 21, 2009 in Sacramento, California. ; Credit: Max Whittaker/Getty Images

CalPERS, the state’s public pension fund, is overburdened by debt to the tune of over $150 billion, and it’s a ticking time bomb that could blow up anytime.

Gov. Brown has allotted $6 billion to mitigate the problem in his recent budget proposal, but some lawmakers question whether the plan could deliver what it hopes to do.

Another potential solution would be to soften the “California rule,” which posits that once an employee is in the public pension system, their benefits can’t be reduced. Two cases challenging this have been ruled on favorably by state appeals courts – but the final say goes to the CA Supreme Court.

We check in on the state of CalPERS, and take a deeper look at Brown’s pension plan in the budget.

Guest:

Randy Diamond, reporter at the trade publication, Pensions and Investments, who covers CalPERS and CalSTRS and has been following the story

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Early morning traffic jams the entrance to the 710 Freeway Wednesday April 21, 2010 in Alhambra, Calif.; Credit: Nick Ut/AP

The battle over the 710 Freeway extension came to an end at today’s Los Angeles Metro Board meeting. Metro Los Angeles'  proposal was voted down and remaining funds that were allocated to the project will go to other street infrastructure plans.

It’s a debate that’s been in circulation since the 1960s, and has left locals at odds over whether a tunnel to connect the 710 and 210 Freeways would be best for both commuters and residents. South Pasadena residents have argued against the expansion, while people in San Gabriel Valley have supported the potential connection.

As reported by the L.A. Times, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority last week sparked the issue again, with a report which endorsed a nearly 5-mile tunnel to connect the two freeways.

Larry asks listeners their thoughts on this long-running argument.

For more on the vote, click here.

Guest:

Larry Wilson, public editor of Pasadena Star News

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

MISSOULA, MT - MAY 24: Republican congressional candidate Greg Gianforte talks with a supporter during a campaign meet and greet at Lambros Real Estate on May 24, 2017 in Missoula, Montana. Greg Gianforte is campaigning throughout Montana ahead of a May 25 special election to fill Montana's single congressional seat. Gianforte is in a tight race against democrat Rob Quist. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images); Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A Republican congressional candidate in Montana has found himself in the spotlight on election day for all the wrong reasons, charged with misdemeanor assault after he allegedly slammed a journalist to the ground and broke his glasses on the eve of the special election.

Ben Jacobs, a political reporter for The Guardian says Gianforte was in a room prepping for an interview with a Fox News crew on Wednesday night. Apparently, Jacobs entered the room with his tape recorder, approached Gianforte, and asked him for his response to the Congressional Budget Office’s score of the Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which had released earlier in the day. In audio recorded of the incident Gianforte can be heard telling Jacobs that they’d talk with him later, but Jacobs presses Gianforte for an answer.

Greg Gianforte just body slammed me and broke my glasses

— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) May 24, 2017

The Fox News crew that was scheduled to interview Gianforte witnessed the incident and published an account that seems to corroborate what Jacobs said happened. Gianforte’s campaign statement tells a different story, alleging that Jacobs was the instigator and aggressor.

Gianforte's statement: pic.twitter.com/WVNdA1yZ8w

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) May 25, 2017

Across the country, many are looking at the race as a referendum on Donald Trump’s presidency. Gianforte has been the frontrunner for most of the race, though Democratic opponent Rob Quist has closed the gap in the waning days of the race. It’s unclear how much of an impact the incident will have on the election results, as many ballots had been cast absentee before the incident on Wednesday.

Guest

Greg Neft, news director for Newsradio KCAP in Helena, Montana; he tweets @GregNeft

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Britain's Defence Secretary Michael Fallon (L) and Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson leave Downing Street in central London. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May said she would raise the issue of leaks from a probe into the Manchester terror attack that have infuriated British authorities with their US counterparts.; Credit: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images

In light of American officials leaking intelligence to the media, the United Kingdom has decided to stop sharing Manchester-related intelligence with the U.S.

It’s unclear which U.S. officials released information Monday about the suspected Manchester bomber, or whether it came from an intelligence or political agency. Today, Trump asked the Justice Department and other agencies to review the matter and stopper the flow of leaks.

We discuss what happened, and look at the culture of leaks within the U.S. government. What are the incentives or motivations for leakage? What are the potential repercussions of the United Kingdom’s decision on intelligence gathering?

Guests:

Phil Ewing, national security editor for NPR; he tweets @philewing

R.P. Eddy, CEO of the New York-based intelligence firm Ergo; former director at the White House National Security Council, as well as a former U.S. and U.N. senior diplomat; he is the co-author of the book, “Warnings: Finding Cassandras to Stop Catastrophes” (Ecco, 2017) and tweets @RPEddy

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.