The Department of Transportation announced the launch of a pilot program that will lead to new regulations.; Credit: Buena Vista Images/Getty Images

Drones delivering lab samples to and from labs and take-out orders right to your door just got one step closer to reality.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced San Diego would be one of the 10 cities it chose to be part of an experimental program for commercial drone use called the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program. It was selected from a pool of 149 city and state applicants who wanted in on pioneering drone use in real-world environments, and their approval for the program means that the city will be able to get approvals and waivers more quickly for it and its 20-plus partners who are also involved with the testing.

Companies including AT&T,  Qualcomm, GE, Uber and others will be participating with testing in sectors like public safety, package and food delivery, and international commerce and border security.

What went into the application for this program? What are some of the specifics of how the partner companies will be working with the cities to test commercial drone delivery? What are some of the legal questions that may arise?

Guests:

Jesse Gipe, senior economic development manager for the San Diego Economic Development Corporation, which partnered with the cities of San Diego and Chula Vista in their joint application to participate in the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program

Sezen Jones, attorney and director of public policy at AirMap, a company that develops airspace management programs for drones and one of San Diego’s partner companies participating in the drone testing program

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

Palestinian protesters flee from tear gas during demonstrations near the border with Israel east of Jabalia in the central Gaza Strip on May 15, 2018 marking 70th anniversary of Nakba -- also known as Day of the Catastrophe in 1948 -- and against the US' relocation of its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.; Credit: MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images

US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the UN Security Council this morning no member “would act with more restraint than Israel has.”

She was referring to yesterday’s confrontation between Palestinians at the Gaza border and Israeli soldiers. 59 Palestinians were killed. More than 2,000 were wounded. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned Israel’s use of lethal force.  

Guests:

Jeannie Assad, Middle East producer for the BBC; she tweets @JeannieAssad1

Amos Guiora, retired Lt. Colonel in the Israeli Defence Forces Judge Advocate General Corps, where he held senior command positions including Legal Advisor to the Gaza Strip and Commander of the IDF School of Military Law; he is currently a professor of law at the University of Utah

Hal Kempfer, retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel and CEO of KIPP knowledge and intelligence, a consultant firm specializing in security training; he has worked in the intelligence community since 1987

Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute, a Washington, DC-based non-profit think tank dedicated to issues impacting Arab Gulf states; he tweets @Ibishblog

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

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck in the KPCC Studios.; Credit: Lily Mihalik/KPCC

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck joins Larry Mantle for his monthly check-in. Topics discussed include:

• The diverse group of finalists for the LAPD chief position

• Chief Beck’s getting a restraining order against Sheila Brim Hines who threw ashes at him of a woman who died in custody

• The findings by the Police Commission that LAPD officers violated department policy in the 2017 Sunland barricade shooting

• The LAPD officers who were found liable in the skid row shooting death of Charly 'Africa' Keunang

• LAPD Palantir software that predicts and surveils ‘probable offenders’ throughout the city

Guest:

Charlie Beck, chief of police of the Los Angeles Police Department; his last day as chief will be June 27, 2018, his 65th birthday

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

A photo of Judge Steven Bailey, one of the candidates for California's Attorney General position.; Credit: Twitter

There are four candidates running for the position of California Attorney General.

The primary election will be held on June 5, 2018, to determine the top-two candidates who will be appearing on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. Larry sits down with each candidate ahead of the June primary. The candidates are California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, retired Judge of the Superior Court of California Steven Bailey, Los Angeles business and real estate attorney Eric Early and incumbent Xavier Becerra.

Today, retired Judge of the Superior Court of California Steven Bailey joins Larry to discuss his campaign.

Click on the candidate to listen to our interviews with Dave Jones and Eric Early.

Ready for Election Day? Get up to speed on what you need to know with KPCC’s Voter Game Plan. Read up on the candidates and ballot measures, find out about registration deadlines and ask us your questions.

Guest:

Steven Bailey, Republican candidate for California Attorney General; he is a retired Judge of the Superior Court of California; he tweets @BaileyForAG

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

Metta World Peace #37 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. ; Credit: Harry How/Getty Images

Few basketball players in NBA history have been quite as polarizing as Metta World Peace.

During his 17 year career, he played the roles of both hero and villain, from his dagger three-pointer in the closing minutes of Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals that helped vault the Lakers to a championship, to serving one of the longest suspensions the NBA has ever handed out after his role in the now infamous “Malice at the Palace” brawl in Detroit. He also cemented himself as one of the league’s best defensive players, earning NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2004, when he also was selected as an All-Star as well as to the All-NBA team.

Off the court, Artest has been an advocate for mental health awareness and has dabbled in reality television and music (he released a rap album in 2006). Now retired as a player and coaching in the NBA’s developmental G-League, World Peace has a new book out in which he opens up about his turbulent upbringing in New York City’s Queensbridge project, his rollercoaster NBA career, his struggles with mental health, and overcoming it all to realize his lifelong dream of being an NBA champion.

Guest:

Metta World Peace, former NBA player for 17 seasons, including six with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2009-2013 and 2015-2017, and co-author of “No Malice: My Life in Basketball or: How a Kid from Queensbridge Survived the Streets, the Brawls and Himself to become an NBA Champion” (Triumph Books, 2018; he tweets @MettaWorldPeace

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

The Google logo is seen on the Google campus in Mountain View, California, on February 20, 2015. ; Credit: SUSANA BATES/AFP/Getty Images

On Monday, Seattle’s City Council voted to impose a “head tax,” $275 per employee, for businesses that rake in at least $20 million annually.

The new revenue would largely go to fund low income housing as well as homeless services, and it’s been garnering backlash from Seattle’s heavy hitters, such as Amazon, Starbucks, Boeing and Nordstrom, who would all be affected by the nex tax.

Amazon has been pushing back, putting a pause on construction of a new campus in Seattle, saying they’ll considering growth opportunities elsewhere. They’re still narrowing down locations for their HQ2. Originally the proposal was for a $500 head tax, so this version is a compromise, though it’s still the largest per-head tax in the U.S.

This move is not an outlier, but a microcosm of issues that many cities, including Los Angeles, are struggling with: big tech companies bringing in jobs, but also skyrocketing housing prices that displace people among a backdrop of rising homelessness. Mountain View’s mayor is proposing a “Google tax” on the city’s November ballot, citing these reasons – the mixed blessing of Google as creating employment opportunities but also putting a strain on housing and transportation, especially for the middle class.

Should there be a head tax on big companies, especially tech, to counter their effect on surrounding housing and liveability? How would such a tax impact Los Angeles, if it were adopted here?

Guests:

Karen Weise, reporter with Bloomberg Technology and Bloomberg Businessweek; she tweets @KYWeise   

Michael Hiltzik, business columnist at the LA Times who wrote about the so-called “Google tax” proposal in Mountain View

Daniel Castro, vice president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a Washington, DC-based non-profit technology think tank

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

A man listens through earphones.; Credit: Ian Waldie/Getty Images

Following the “blue dress versus white dress” viral phenomenon that divided families and friends in 2015 comes another new perceptual headscratcher.

This time, it’s audio-based.

https://twitter.com/CloeCouture/status/996218489831473152

So is it Yanny or Laurel? Or both? Or something else entirely?

Since it’s the internet, a number of hot takes and analyses have been written over this auditory confusion. So why does someone hear Yanny, instead of Laurel?

We’ll dive in.

Guest:

Bharath Chandrasekaran, auditory neuroscientist and associate professor of communications sciences and disorders at the University of Texas at Austin

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

Dulce Garcia, a San Diego-based immigration attorney, stands in front of the Pasadena courthouse of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is one of six DACA recipients who have sued the Trump administration over its attempt to end the program. ; Credit: Josie Huang/KPCC

The Trump administration tried to convince a U.S. appeals court Tuesday that it was justified in ending an Obama-era immigration policy that shielded hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.

From its courthouse right here in Pasadena, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was the first federal appeals court to hear arguments Tuesday about President Donald Trump's decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Read the full story here.

Guest:

Steve Vladeck, professor of law at the University of Texas at Austin; he tweets @steve_vladeck

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

With incumbent Sheriff Sandra Hutchens retiring after her current term ends, the race is on for who will be next to hold the position of top cop at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the fifth-largest sheriff’s department in the country with 3,800 sworn and civilian employees.

Three long-time lawmen have thrown their hats into the ring for the job -- current Orange County Undersheriff Don Barnes, Aliso Viejo Mayor Dave Harrington, who is a former Sergeant with OCSD, and Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Investigator Duke Nguyen, who was formerly a police officer for the city of Santa Ana. The three men all boast over 20 years of law enforcement, and all have spent a considerable number of those years in the OC.

Whichever candidate voters select will have plenty to keep him busy from the get-go. Issues like controlling expanding homeless encampments and the jailhouse informant scandal will certainly be top-of-mind, but the new OC Sheriff will also have to contend with issues like a ballooning budget, an opioid crisis affecting counties nationwide, and how much the department is willing to cooperate with federal immigration officials.

The three candidates join Larry on AirTalk to talk about why they’re running for the office, what they’ll bring to the position, and their takes on some of the major issues facing Orange County law enforcement officials.

Ready for Election Day? Get up to speed on what you need to know with KPCC’s Voter Game Plan. Read up on the candidates and ballot measures, find out about registration deadlines and ask us your questions.

Guests:

Don Barnes, Orange County Undersheriff and candidate for Orange County Sheriff

Dave Harrington, mayor of the city of Aliso Viejo and candidate for Orange County Sheriff

Duke Nguyen, investigator for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and candidate for Orange County Sheriff

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

A view of downtown Burlington on February 5, 2014 in Burlington, Vermont. ; Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

We hear a lot about a politically and economically divided U.S., but reinvention is another word to describe many of the towns and people here.

That’s according to writers James and Deborah Fallows. For the past five years, the couple has taken it upon themselves to rediscover cities across the nation, traveling in a single-engine prop airplane.

Among the dozens of towns and hundreds of public servants, civic leaders, immigrants, workers and other people they’ve spoken to, making things better was a goal many shared, no matter where they lived. They also discovered that when things seem chaotic in Washington, there is often a sense of reform on the local level. In their new book, “Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America,” the Fallowses document stories behind Burlington, Vermont, Holland, Michigan and headed out west to our towns of Redlands, San Bernardino and Riverside, California, just to name a few.

They join Larry Mantle today to talk about the everyday prospects of places that usually only draw national attention during a disaster, and share what they’ve learned about the complexities of our country.

Event: James and Deborah Fallows will discuss their book at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Thursday, May 16, at the Gensler architecture firm in Downtown L.A.

Guests:

James Fallows, national correspondent for The Atlantic and co-author of “Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America” (Pantheon, 2018)

Deborah Fallows, contributing writer for The Atlantic and co-author of “Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America” (Pantheon, 2018)

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

Voter stickers are displayed during a demonstration of the ImageCast X ballot marking device at the Sacramento County Department of Voter Registration and Elections on March 5, 2018 in Sacramento, California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

There are five propositions in the November ballot, and the LA Times’ John Myers has written a handy guide for California voters.

Myers joins Larry to provide details, and to talk about all the different political ads flooding the airwaves from the gubernatorial race.

One ad from the Gavin Newsom campaign has caught Larry’s attention. Find out what it is and why.

Ready for Election Day? Get up to speed on what you need to know with KPCC’s Voter Game Plan. Read up on the candidates and ballot measures, find out about registration deadlines and ask us your questions.

Guest:

John Myers, Sacramento bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, who’s written about the 5 propositions that are on the June ballot

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

A for sale sign stands before property for sale in Monterey Park, California on April 25, 2017.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

California is losing population to domestic migration, people relocating to this state have significantly higher incomes than those leaving it, according to reports.

Meanwhile, some residents are frustrated by the lack of affordable homes on the market. The median home price in an average neighborhood is above $1 million. According to a report by ReportsOnHousing, which tracks regional home-buying patterns, sellers are still in the driver’s seat.

We examine the trends and highlights that are driving the market. Why are people struggling to find homes in Southern California and how much one needs to make in order to afford a home.

Call us at 866-893-5722.

Guests:

Oscar Wei, senior economist at California Association of Realtors; he tweets @oscarcwei

Steven Thomas, chief economist and founder of Reports On Housing, an Orange County-based firm that tracks regional homebuying patterns

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

This uncollared adult female mountain lion is "cheek-rubbing," leaving her scent on a log. This photo was taken in the Verdugo Mountains with Glendale and the skyscrapers of downtown L.A. in the background.; Credit: National Park Service via Flickr

Freeways may have made SoCal easier to traverse for humans, but they’ve also created isolated ecological zones, and subsequently isolated wildlife genetic pools, which has especially affected our small mountain lion population.

Barriers such as the I-15 and the 101 mean that these large cats are increasingly staying in one spot and interbreeding, which makes them weaker, and in the case of the males, killing each other over territory. They rarely attempt to cross freeways, but when they do, they often get hit by cars.
The solution? Researchers are pushing for wildlife crossing bridges, constructed over highways, to increase ecological connectivity.

A report from March identifies a location for an overpass above the 101 and the 15 freeways. The proposed project crossing the 101 would be a 165 foot wide overpass, constructed to the tune of $60 million, mostly privately funded. But the price tag leaves some locals wondering whether these overpasses are worth it.

What is the mountain lion’s role in the ecology of Southern California? What would be the impact of their disappearance? And what makes for an ideal wildlife crossing location?

Guests:

Seth Riley, wildlife ecologist for the National Park Service at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and adjunct professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California, Los Angeles

Trish Smith, ecologist working in land protection and research in Orange, Riverside and San Diego Counties for The Nature Conservancy

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

A USGS (United States Geological Survey) geologist (L) surveys lava illuminating volcanic gases from the Kilauea volcano at fissure 13 on Hawaii's Big Island on May 16, 2018 in Pahoa, Hawaii. ; Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano has erupted from its summit, shooting a dusty plume of ash about 30,000 feet into the sky.

It comes after more than a dozen fissures recently opened miles to the east of the crater and spewed lava into neighborhoods.

Those areas were evacuated as lava destroyed at least 26 homes and 10 other structures.

The crater sits within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which has been closed since May 11.

Officials have said they didn't expect the explosion to be deadly as long as people remained out of park.

Kilauea is one of the world's most active volcanoes. An eruption in 1924 killed one person and sent rocks, ash and dust into the air for 17 days.

With files from the Associated Press.

Guests:

Mike Poland, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, confirmed the explosion to AP on Thursday

Weston Thelen,  research seismologist and volcanologist at U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Science Center in Vancouver, Washington; he studied Kilauea at the Hawaii Volcano Observatory from 2011 to 2016

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

Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Visit Nottingham; Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

The royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is finally happening tomorrow.

American fascination with the royal family isn’t new. But this wedding, you can argue, is particularly relevant to those of us living in Los Angeles. After all, Markle grew up in the City of Angels and spent her childhood in Hollywood. Her father was a cinematographer on the TV sitcom, “Married… with Children.”

L.A. Times columnist and royal expert Patt Morrison joins Larry to talk about the royal wedding -- and the L.A. connection.

With AP files.

Guest:

Patt Morrison, author of “Don't Stop the Presses!: Truth, Justice, and the American Newspaper” (Angel City Press, 2018); columnist with the Los Angeles Times; she tweets @pattmlatimes

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

Lava is blurred as it erupts from a Kilauea volcano fissure, above treetops, on Hawaii's Big Island on May 17, 2018 in Kapoho, Hawaii.; Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

There’s been a new fissure in the Kilauea volcano, which erupted Thursday in Hawaii.

The newest opening is in Leilani Estates, bringing the total number of fissures to 21. Over two dozen homes have been consumed by lava and authorities have handed out about 2,000 masks, warning locals of sulfur dioxide gas and toxic ash.

We check in with a scientist on the ground in Hawaii for the latest.

Guest:

Wendy Stovall, deputy scientist-in-charge at the U.S.Geological Survey’s Yellowstone Volcano Observatory; she studied Kilauea in Hawaii from 2005-2009

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

A client of the Insite supervised injection Center in Vancouver, Canada, collects her kit on May 3, 2011. ; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

San Francisco is considering opening the first “supervised injection site” in the nation, a place where addicts can bring their own drugs and inject them under the care of a trained medical staff.

San Francisco workers reportedly collect more than 287,000 syringes from streets and alleys each month. The move aims to reduce the number of overdoses and infections that spread through shared needles.

But skeptics say the city would be enabling drug users. According to a statement by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the plan would violate the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Anyone using such sites could face prosecution as it would be against federal law. So would supervised injection sites enable drug users or would it help them seek care?

Call us at 866-893-5722.

Guests:

Laura Thomas, acting director of the California chapter of the Drug Policy Alliance, a drug law reform advocacy group; she’s been advocating for the San Francisco injection site for the past decade

Ron Allen, head of the International Faith Based Coalition, a drug prevention group in Sacramento

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

1819: A man suffering from a headache is tormented by a horde of little demons. 'Headache' by Cruikshank.; Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration approved Aimovig, a first-of-its kind drug designed to prevent crippling migraines.

The injection device resembles an insulin pen, and its manufacturers, Amgen and Novartis, expect it to be available for patients within the next week. Three additional companies are also awaiting FDA approval for similar medications.

An estimated 38 million Americans suffer from migraines each year. So what’s new about Aimovig and does it appear to be promising? Will it be cost effective? If you’re a doctor who specializes in treatment for chronic headaches and migraines, what’s your response to the new medication? Call us at 866-893-5722.

Guest:

Nada Hindiyeh, M.D., clinical assistant professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University’s Headache and Facial Pain Program; she specializes in chronic migraines and treatments for headache disorders

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

Law enforcement officers respond to Santa Fe High School after an active shooter was reported on campus, Friday, May 18, 2018, in Santa Fe, Texas. ; Credit: Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle via AP

Police are investigating possible explosive devices at Santa Fe High about 30 miles SE of Houston, as well as off campus.

At least eight people were shot and killed at the school this morning. Most were students. One suspect is in custody and another person of interest is being questioned. We check in with a reporter in Houston. 

Guest:

Gail DeLaughter, transportation reporter for Houston Public Media News, the NPR affiliate in Houston

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

Alex Padilla; Credit: Kitty Felde/KPCC

With the June 5 primaries coming up in just a few weeks, we’re sitting down to talk with California’s Chief Elections Officer and Secretary of State, Alex Padilla.

If history is any guide, out of nearly 20 million registered Californians, about 6 million will actually turn out to the polls. For a midterm election primary, voter apathy will be especially tough to beat. That apathy doesn’t affect all equally -- Republicans are actually the most reliable voters in the golden state. But their numbers are shrinking, as independent voters are getting close to outnumbering Republicans in California.

This is also the last election before many of Southern California’s polling places are swapped out in favor of temporary offices called vote centers, thanks to the California Voter’s Choice Act. How will this affect voting going forward?

If you have questions for Secretary of State Alex Padilla, give us a call at 866-893-5722. To register to vote, click here.

Ready for Election Day? Get up to speed on what you need to know with KPCC’s Voter Game Plan. Read up on the candidates and ballot measures, find out about registration deadlines and ask us your questions.

Guest:

Alex Padilla, Secretary of State of California

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